Memorial Day Trip
Pratt, MO
Perdue Homestead Farm - May 2021
The Plan
We planned a little Memorial Day weekend getaway to try out our new dry camping gear, a solar panel, the utilitent, outdoor toilet and shower (didn’t get around to using that though!) With COVID, it seems like god and everybody has decided camping is the way to go, which I approve of from an outdoorsy perspective but was a problem for us when it came to finding a campsite. State parks were full, county lakes were full, so we turned to a new site called Hip Camp to find a spot.
This website is really cool, it is the AirB&B of camping spots, RV parks, glamping, cabins, treehouses, you name the awesome lodging option and they probably have it available. We found a promising spot on a family farm for our getaway, very affordable, just an hour from home, and easy to book. Our goal for the trip was to have some quiet family time doing our favorite activities like hiking, playing games, reading, cooking over the fire, and getting out of the day to day grind.
How It Started Out...
The weather was beautiful and it was fairly quiet, although the site was near the airport and in the flight path of many airplanes coming in for a landing. We were able to hear lots of birds and the coyotes though, which was fun since we don’t get coyotes singing at our house in town. We had hoped for some swimming in the little pond on the property but someone else had that campsite, and the pond was pretty scummy anyway. We could walk a little on the road but there wasn’t as much hiking as we had hoped. There were some disappointing moments but we made the best of the situation and tried to use it to teach the boys how to be adaptable and welcoming of whatever experience we get. They had great attitudes through it all, even while we packed up the camper in the rain on the last morning and had to jump our car battery! Zach and I struggled to have the greatest attitude through that morning.
How It Ended Up...
While this was not our easiest pop up trip, we learned a lot about the gear we have for dry camping, and we had the chance to practice being grateful for the experiences we do have. After all, it’s not every day you camp right under a huge walnut tree and listen to owls talking while you’re going to sleep. And it’s not every night you get to sit by the campfire with your family and see the Space X satellites flying over to the sound of coyotes in the trees. Pretty magical if you ask me, and very much one of the adventures we will always remember.
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