Kamping Traditions

Every summer since I can remember, I’ve spent camping. Augusta West Kampground (yes, spelled that way) on Annabessacook lake, my summer getaway. This has brought me closer to my own family, and more importantly, giving me a second family to call my own. I’ve grown up there my whole life and will cherish that forever. Knowing that my family has led a tradition of camping, means even more to me. When everyone told me “enjoy summer while it lasts”, I never realized how much nostaglia I would feel towards those summer nights years ago.

In more recent years, my mom has shared photos and memories with me from when she spent her time camping at The Birches on Cobbosseecontee lake. She practically lived there during the summertime from her teen years into adulthood. It’s where she was taught how to ride her bike, learned to swim and made lifelong friends– just like I have at my camp. I have a whole other family supporting me from my camp. They watched me grow for as long as I’ve been walking. Having such positive figures in my life has helped me become a better person. Most important to me is the fact I have made new traditions with my family. Pot lucks, s’mores by the fire, pancake breakfasts, karaoke, kayaking at sunset, tubing, going in the pool after dark, playing board games on rainy days. After the camping season has come to a close, we have a tradition of our annual Christmas party, and campers supper where everyone gets together in the spring. There are inside jokes between us all. Crazy moments shared, like moving speed bumps and tripping over tree stumps in the middle of the night. Even my mom and I have our own traditions like taking our “midnight walk at ten o’clock” as she says. The drive to our camp is almost as special as camp itself.

From this I will take the initiative to create my own traditions with my future family. I would love for my children to have what both myself and my mom did. It makes it a lot more exciting to envision this knowing our history. I have been lucky enough to experience the joys of camping, and continue to.

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