Backwoods Mardi Gras Masque

The forecast was calling for a couple of days of warmer weather, with temperatures possibly into the 60s. So my husband and I began plotting and scheming to get out to the woods for our first backpack of the year. Sunday afternoon found us packing our gear, finding stuff we had not used in months. I have a backpacking list I use to check things off that's very helpful.

Monday morning, we finalized our packing and stuffed our gear (getting that down sleeping bag into its carry sack was a real chore), and my husband put everything in the car: backpacks, sleeping bags, groundsheets, sleeping pads, coolers, what-not. 

We set out for Moshannon State Forest, to a site we know. The parking lot we usually leave the car in was not accessible due to snow and ice, so we had to park in a different spot, across the road.

And then we packed our gear up and strapped it all on. It seemed to take a while, as my bungee cords I strap everything on with were all twisted and tangled. What color goes with what? my brain wondered. We weighed my gear last fall; it topped out around 60 pounds! And then we set off, entering the stooped position of the backpacker, into the woods.

There used to be a path we followed, that turns into an old woods road, and then a deer path, which eventually peters out. It is notoriously difficult to find. In the end, we were not able to discover the part of it that takes us through to the back-country.

The hike in took more than an hour. We ended up bushwhacking through rhododendron hedges to get to our campsite, which I recognized only by the flat, cleared spot on a hill among the trees, where I place my tent. (Hey, other than that, I'll tell you what your markers are: trees, trees, trees!)

When we got there, we were hot and sweaty from the walk. As we ripped our clothes off and strewed them around the campsite to cool off, my husband remarked, presciently, "We've already DONE it the hard way. I won't worry ONE SECOND about the walk out!" Did he just jinx us? Tune in tomorrow to find out!

And then, since we were where we were headed all along, we set up our campsites (mine up the hill; his a bit further down the hill; yes, we each take our own tent; mine's bigger!) and took our good time having a little party in the woods. 

It was Mardi Gras week, and I had brought along a sparkly purple mask, thinking it was quite festive and fun. So here is a photo of festive me, partying on a hillside, letting the good times roll, in front of my tent (in which you may see Big Agnes the green blow-up sleeping pad and my new down bag which I used for the first time in the fall), as the afternoon shadows began to grow longer.

Shortly after this, we spotted the moon - waxing gibbous, a big boy - for the first time. It would be our constant companion throughout the rest of the night into the wee hours of the early morning. Nice. A free night-light. Cool.

And then the temperatures began to plummet! I'm not sure what we were expecting, but as the evening rolled on, the temperatures dropped into the 30s. I put on just about everything I had with me, wrapped myself in a blanket, was very glad of the little portable hand heaters I'd brought along. My husband did likewise. We listened to music, the good stuff.

As backpackers are wont to do, we talked about food. Food we'd eaten. Food we hadn't eaten yet. Food at home. Food we could stop for on the way home. Never underestimate the food-obsession of a backpacker! 

I thought back fondly to the evening before, when I had polished off the rest of my steak leftover from Friday's lunch at 10 p.m. at night; I'd eaten my husband's leftover steak first as an appetizer, as I sauteed my own steak on top of the stove. Oh my. Delectable. Good times!

As the evening chill got colder, all I could think about was my cozy down bag and how warm I'd be when I got inside it! By 10:30, it was time. I had brought a pair of fleece pants along, thinking they'd be good inside the tent; they were soft and cozy and warm, and had no zippers to snag either my blow-up pad or my down bag. I put the cozy pants on. I had a cotton sleep shirt and a cotton turtleneck on. I put on cotton socks. Into the bag I went.

And so under a waxing gibbous moon, lit bright by our night-light in the sky, I fell asleep in my big fat down sleeping bag, cozy as could be. My first night out in the woods for the year! We did it! We made it! Hooray!

My soundtrack song for our backwoods party is Cyndi Lauper, with Girls Just Wanna Have Fun.