The Clampetts Go Camping

We just got back from our family camping trip. I tell ya, camping is the highlight of the year for me. This trip I decided I need to have my morning coffee while looking at views like this much more often in my life:

I need more of this.

We went back up to Panguitch Lake, Utah. You might remember we went there last year, which is where my sister almost caught the whole campground on fire. It's a wonder we were allowed back.

My brother came with us this time, which was great because he's the master fisherman in the family and this trip I actually caught fish! It's been a few years since I caught anything, so the first time I saw my pole moving (If I were a guy, here is where I 'd say "giggity") I got super excited at the thought that it could be an actual fish bite and not just the wind or my line getting snagged.

I started reeling in like crazy and then I saw the fish jumping and fighting and that was all she wrote. I was reeling and laughing and jumping up and down like a dang fool. And for some reason a hillbilly accent found it's way into my voice and I started yelling, "Ah hooked me a big'un! Come on babee, com-m-m-e to mama!" Like I was some kind of deranged Clampett.

Here's me and my big'un

I have to say...I totally get fishing. And can I just say, it's a hell of a lot more fun when you're catching fish! I caught 4 the first day. Mr. Fishy in the picture there was 16 1/2 inches long, which was a pretty decent size. I know this because my brother meticulously measured each and every fish everyone caught. He'd announce the size like a proud papa announcing the weight of his newborn son, "2 pounds and 16 1/2 inches long. Woooo-hoo!"  I guess that Clampett trait runs in the family.

My brother, the best fisherman I know

When I told my sister my fish was 16 1/2 inches and I felt like I just had a baby, she says, "Or you were with a Jamaican!" 

That's my sis. The Trampett. (Tramp + Clampett. Get it? Hee hee. Just kiddin', sis!)

My sis and her dog, Buddy

Speaking of her dog (well, I guess I wasn't, but that's him in the picture), every dang time she'd come over to our campsite with him, he'd lift his leg and pee on something. It got to where we'd see her and him coming and we'd scramble to pick up sleeping bags, shoes, and anything else we didn't want dog pee on (I know grammatically that should be "on which we didn't want dog pee", but that just sounds completely wrong!).

Speaking of bodily functions, last year when we camped at this campsite, all but one bathroom were shutdown for a few hours one afternoon due to a water pressure issue. I had to stand in line for 45 minutes and swore that I would buy a portable bathroom for this year's trip so I wouldn't have to worry about such things again.

So I bought a Luggable Loo, which is basically a bucket with a toilet seat on it. You may laugh, but it worked quite well. We bought a privacy tent, which we, in true Clampett style, renamed The Poop Tent. And our own personal outdoor bathroom was born. After my hubby put it together, we began looking for the perfect spot to put it. 

I now understand why dogs sniff around for 20 minutes before finally settling on a spot to poo. You should have seen me walking around, trying to find the perfect Poop Tent spot. First I wanted to put it by a tree, then I didn't want it too close to our tent, but I didn't want it too far away either, in case I needed it in the middle of the night. I didn't want it too out in the open, and it couldn't be on a slope because that would be a disaster waiting to happen. I could just see myself tipping over. 

After making my husband follow me around for 20 minutes, carrying the Poop Tent, while I sniffed considered several spots, I finally found the perfect one.

Now isn't this a cozy spot to do yer biznus?

Then some very high winds kicked up and it looked like this:

Not pretty.

Fortunately, no one was occupying the Poop Tent when that happened. And yes, that's cat litter you see knocked over in the picture. I read that you put a scoop in the bucket before and after and it absorbs moisture and cuts down on odor. It worked quite well, actually.

Didn't I talk about poop in my last post too? Sorry about that.

This trip was even more exciting than usual because we bought a new camp stove and I couldn't wait to try it out:

Now that's a serious camp stove!

I loved cooking on this thing! And it came with a dutch oven so we had biscuits and gravy and peach cobbler. Yum! I wrote a review and article about it with recipes over on Hub Pages if you want to check it out.

And then our trip was over. I made a resolution this trip though. Come hell or high water, I'm getting a travel trailer and dragging my hubby and dogs with me across this country so I can have my morning coffee while looking at beautiful scenery. And I need to get my butt in gear and figure out a way to make a living while on the road to make it happen. I've got some plans cooking though which I'll share in future posts. Because this here is good for the soul:

That's it for our camping adventure this year. I hope to go again in September though. My sister and her husband and me and my hubby are thinking of getting a cabin for a few days. Hopefully, that will work out.

Deranged Clampett, signing off.