Camping it up.

I like camping.
How amazing would it be to live in the middle of nowhere to have some early mornings and some very memorable sunsets with a good and steady love, right? Breakfast could be amazing and dinners would bring on sleep. It'd be great to live off the land and take just what you need. How did that old saying go: "take what you need and leave the earth like you found her" I don't know when that will take place. I might make too much money someday, to live in the country. You just never know. That may never happen. I'll let in on a little secret that placates that desire of living like a magical wood nymph while still living like a reality t.v. star in Hollywood, North Hollywood: I like camping. There it is. I really like camping. I didn't used to. I do now. It took a couple of camping enthusiasts forcing their love of camping on me: an innocent camping virgin.As a full time city dweller, I was defenseless and fully exposed before a very powerful nature who easily managed to  have its way with me until I learned to like it (oh...my). Are ya fearful of taking a break from the city? I won't leave LA for just anything so it took quite a bit for me, but I did learn to like leaving it as much as I like the city. My fondness grows for this, my city. My dear tough as nails of a city. One that makes anyone who lives here for a prolonged period of time also tough as nails at the same time soft, doughy and with a sense of privilege .Leaving someplace is good because you then get to arrive somewhere else. even if it's just for a weekend.
Approaching wilderness, nature, it smells different. It's the smell of grass that's bloomed and dried. But has become moist  overnight.You like to do nothing?The idea of not doing anything, may sound terrible to some. It sounds easy and definitely lazy but it is actually hard, no t.v. no phones no internet. Setting up camp? easy as can be if you do it a couple of times. How big a sleeping bag you'll need depends on temperatures you'll be expecting. The size and price of tent depends on amount of people in your party if any tent is used at all. Food? Same thing. It can be as expensive, light and varied as you may need. Peanut butter and protein bars or whole planned out romantic meals. I go with friends, usually the same friends and we have our duties someone sets up tent and  ground, someone sets up foods and beverages some one gathers substantial wood.Then? then you do nothing, ideally. You should do nothing for a little while at least before going hiking or exploring.As silly as it sounds, It's hard.As time goes by we've had to remind each other to put away more and more varied electrical devices.  Eventually our pockets are empty, feels weird at first and we have nothing to do except look at each other and breathe. Again this feels weird, a type of nakedness. All there is now is bird noises and the different scents that nature will gently present to you. Crushed pine needles and  tree sap. Hundreds of grasses in different states of development and regrowth. The odd sense that something needs to be done, that something has been forgotten? it takes a while to leave you. this is the city slowly letting go of you, when you finally realize that no there is nothing to do. There is no phone call you must make. No television show you're missing, no meeting you must take. You will start to feel your neck and back muscles relax, and tension breaking away, soundlessly.


Next time loosing your fear of skinny dipping. Hint: not making a big whoop about it.