Why Do People Go Camping In August?

Seriously, why? It's the hottest month of the year (at least it is here in Missouri) and people actually drive away from their air conditioned homes to spend the night in a canvas tent sleeping on the ground. It's fricking insane - canvas is not a material that breathes! As if it wouldn't be hot enough just being outdoors, you are actually sleeping in an enclosure that collects heat during the day and than traps it so that it cannot escape.

I know, I know, some of you are mumbling under your breath that most tents these days have plenty of mesh doors and windows that allow air to circulate. But, while it may be true that mesh doors and windows exist, that doesn't mean air will circulate. Think about it, for one thing heat rises - which means not all of it will willingly escape through said windows and doors. Secondly, you generally setup a tent in one of the following locations: amongst the trees in a forest, near a creek or river in a valley, or in a campground surrounded by hundreds of campers who have fires lit. How big of a continual breeze do you really get. There's no way enough air is circulating through your pathetic mesh windows to actually cool the tent back down to the surrounding temperature. It's gonna naturally be several degrees warmer in there than it is outside. Because. it's. a. tent.

If you're wondering why I'm bringing any of this up, it's because a week ago I went camping. And slept in a tent. In August. Willingly. Ugh!

Needless to say, I did not sleep well. I get hot at home when the thermostat is set on a permanent 68 degrees. And I run a fan on medium speed all night. And I still wake up sweaty. Because I apparently overheat in my sleep. What causes that? I can sit on my butt on the couch all day long and be completely comfortable. But 2 seconds after I have gone to bed (sans blankie even) I am burning up. I can feel my temperature rising. My face gets flushed and the sweating starts immediately.

However, comfortable sleeping arrangements was not the point of my trip. I got to go camping with my dad, brother Scott, sister Wendy, neice Emma and nephews Marshall & Dillon. Despite the heat, we had a great time. We spent the night on the peak of Taum Sauk mountain, explored Elephant Rocks State Park for a couple of hours, and let the boys go swimming at Johnson's Shut-Ins. Below are a few pictures:

Dad & the kids


This one's for my homies


Brother & Sister


King of the hill


Top of Taum Sauk


View from the mountain


Swimming