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At almost-30 years old, I feel like most (if not all) of my "firsts" are over. Well, this weekend was the first time......

....I slept on the ground in a sleeping bag in this tent. For 2 nights.

....a bear bin was part of my daily life.

....my tea pot tried to boil water over a campfire and decided it wasnt a good idea and melted. By the end of the weekend, we simply threw it away. But I was able to make coffee each morning!!

....my food for 2 days was cooked outside over a campfire.

....I witnesses a grease fire and in the middle of the Shen.andoah Nation.al Park no less!!!!!

.....I have made Jif.fy Pop on a fire. And burned it three times. Seriously, three different people tried 3 different packages.....they all burned!!!!

..fire was the only source of warmth when the temperature went below 50 degrees. No heated mattress pad, no thermastat to adjust, and even the blankets were chilly in the tent.

....I have ever tasted this wine; didnt really care for it but it seemed appropriate as the ending to my first camping trip ever. As I type this photo-entry, I am sitting in my warm house drinking a glass of fabulous wine and NOT wearing 12 layers of clothing. And guess what I am doing in about an hour....climbing into my bed....man, did I miss that!?!?

For those of you who know me pretty well......I guess even if you know me casually....you can guess that I am not an outdoorsy girl. I am a totally girl. I like my bed and I dont like sleeping on the ground. I like being surrounded with the comforts of life that I have; not sure why I would want to sleep in the woods the same week I pay the mortgage.

But I promised my friends and my husband that I would try it once. One weekend. And I did. I wasnt always positive while out there in the woods.....its hard to emerse yourself completely when at 30 years olg you are experiencing something for the first time; something you didnt really want to do in the first place. My fear of heights was tested on a 360 degree view of the valley after climbing and scaling rocks. I didnt make it to the top. But I almost made it.

At the end, I tried. I gave it as much as I could give it. And I did have fun. Not sure I want to do that again.

And now, camping can be checked off my bucket list.