Location (where were you camping?)
New Brighton State Beach Campground, Capitola, CA
Date (when did this happen?)
April 2002
Set the stage
I flew from New York City to visit my family in San Francisco, and on arrival learned they were going on a camping trip. I am not much of a camper, but wanted to spend time with my nephews. So, not quite knowing what to expect, I tagged along with a suitcase full of city clothing and my prized grey and hot pink, classic Nike Air Max 95s that I had run all over the city to locate.
Tell the tale
There were plenty of hiking trails, but the weather was quite chilly, so we spent most of the time around the campire. I quickly learned that without planned activities, sitting around a campfire can be boring.
On the second night, we sat around the campire and propped my feet up against the concrete campfire pit, nice and close to the fire. Before long, we all heard a whistling sound, but couldn't make out what it was. A short while later, I stood up to walk around and realized I was walking lopsided. I looked down to discover the source of the mysterious whistling sound--the heat from the campfire had deflated the "air" out of my Air Max sneakers! We all had a great laugh, but needless to say, I learned a few important lessons.
Tips and Tricks
- Never sit too close to the campfire.
- Research everything there is to do at the campground and pack clothing that is appropriate for the activities.
- Bring board games, cards, books and other group activities in case there's bad weather.
