A night at Sky Meadows (Nov. 6-7)

It was a Saturday evening, and I'd been moping around all day. I needed something to get me out of the doldrums. I needed a change of scene and I needed some forest tranquility. And so I decided to take advantage of the unusually warm weather and go camping at Sky Meadows State Park the next day. As soon as I made that decision, I instantly felt better. Invigorated, even. As I added weight to my long-neglected pack, it seemed an equal weight was lifted from my spirits.

I spent the early part of Sunday grading and preparing lessons, so I wouldn't have a crapload of work to do as soon as I got back, and left home around 1:30. It's only about a 2-hour drive to Sky Meadows, so I figured that gave me enough time to park, hike in, and set up camp before dark. 

About a half hour from my destination it started raining, hard, which I had not expected. I'd hadn't brought a rain poncho. Derp. Rather than hike in through the rain, I made a stop at Delaplane Cellars, had a glass of wine, and waited for the weather to pass. Which it did, thankfully.

The view from the winery

Scenery along the trail to the campground

Here's a thing I really like about Sky Meadows: even though you have to backpack in, it's only a little over a mile to the campground, and unlike most pack-in situations, they provide firewood, water (though you must treat it), picnic table, fire ring, and even a bear locker. So it's pretty cushy, as backpacking trips go. And I hadn't been backpacking in a long time, so I needed to ease in.

I was a little behind schedule now, pushing against nightfall. I hung my hammock easily, but it took longer than expected to securely stake out the fly because of the wet ground and the slope and some obstacles I might have avoided if I had chosen two different trees. 

My hammock-camping setup at Sky Meadows site #10. Bear locker in foreground.

Then I had to get a fire going, which also proved challenging because (1) I forgot to bring firestarters, (2) it was hard to find dry kindling because of the recent downpour, and (3) I had no lighter, and an insufficient number of matches. Also, incidentally, I had forgotten my backpacking stove, which meant if I couldn't get a fire going I would not be able to cook my supper. (Yeah, I've grown soft from car-camping.) I finally got the fire started with my very last match. Phew! By now it was full-on night. 

I leisurely cooked a good meal and relaxed by the fire in my wobbly backpacking chair, sipping Malibu from my little camping flask. The moon was exceptionally bright, and I heard both barred and screech owls. Bliss.

Hanging out by the fire

Bright moon through the trees

In the middle of the night I awoke thinking someone was shining a flashlight directly at me through the hammock fly. It was just the moon. The next time I awoke, it was dawn, and I got to watch the sun come up.

Sunrise at campsite #10

I had hoped I could stoke up last night's coals and start a new fire, but no luck there. No matches = no fire = no coffee = unacceptable. So I hiked out to my car, drove up the road to the nearest gas station, bought a box of matches and a lighter, drove back, and hiked back in. I enjoyed the morning hike, which honestly I probably would not have done if I had been more prepared with matches. I went out of my way to take a trail up the hill to an overlook. Great way to start the morning!

View along the trail

View from the overlook

I had no agenda in the morning after breakfast. I'd already hiked about 3 miles before breakfast and had nothing to prove. I was there to relax. I spent a significant amount of time hanging out in my hammock reading my book. I didn't leave until the designated check-out time of 1 pm, at which point I hiked out a different way so I could see other parts of the park before heading homeward.

View from up around the Visitor's Center

*****

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