We used to go camping almost every weekend growing up. I’ve seen the majority of Minnesota but other states as well.
My dad worked second shift, my mom would spend the week prepping the camper and packing. As soon as my dad got home on Friday night at 11:45p we’d head out, my brother and I already fast asleep in the camper.
Some of my best memories I have are with my uncles and aunts.
My Uncle Ken, forever a kid at heart, decided to borrow my brother’s bike and show us how you’re really supposed to “clear” a jump on a winding trail through the forest.
He jumped on the BMX bike reaching speeds only man legs can reach, over compensated (or hit a rock) and flew ass over tea kettle over the handle bars, 2 times!
It
was
HILARIOUS!
The front tire suffered less than he did. I don’t think I’ve ever seen so much road rash on one person!
Later that same evening, deep in the woods of an unknown place that’s burned into my memory because of the belly laugh over belly laughs you’ll find my aunt. She’s standing in the middle of a dirt road, fueled by Miller Lite’s and the moon lite trying to teach us a game that she played when she was a kid.
Kick the can.
The game to start once she finished her beer and placed it beneath her.
The kids outnumbered the parent’s but not by much, none of the other parents were playing, just my aunt. To say she lost is an understatement, we obliterated her in a game we were rookies at. We went a few rounds, kids always winning and it didn’t end until all of us were rolling on the rouged laughing and laughing even harder when she told us that she peed a little 🤣
***************
All of my aunts and uncles were playful adults.
It’s the kind of adult I want to be.
It started after dark, after too many drinks.
My nephew told me that when they were at camping world they bought a light up capture the flag game. “Do you want to play?”
”Adults vs kids.”
How could I say no? The teams were pretty evenly matched, 4 parents, 4 kids and 1 grandma playing on the kids team.
I may have hid our flag in a slightly difficult place for the majority of the kids to get at BUT all is fair in love and capture the flag, right?! My reasoning was if we could catch the giant kid, who is SUPER quick, get him in jail then we would win. 2 of the 4 kids couldn’t reach above the privacy fence ledge where our flag rested and we adults could definitely catch grandma in time.
The problem was the backyard we were playing in isn’t large and isn’t without obstacles. Some how the kids came out unscathed but defending the jail and the flag left me with an ankle torn up and bruised and my brother-in-law’s toes skinned.
Sometimes glory comes with the scars as the only trophy.
Next weekend we have a rematch.
The location is in an open field and some how I don’t think our record is going to hold up. If we can’t get the fast giant, we won’t stand a chance.
As the kids age, I hope that they remember less about who won but more that we all played. AND if I eventually get lucky enough to be promoted to grandma status, I hope I’m still in the game!
