Location (where were you camping?)
Big Bear Lake, Arizona
Date (when did this happen?)
1954
Set the stage
My mom was English and had never been camping. My dad had been a boy scout. My mom wanted to go where it was cool and in the pine trees. There were 4 of us kids between ages 3-10.
Tell the tale
They bought a big tent with a floor in it and sleeping bags for the kids. For themselves they bought a pup tent with no floor and intended to make a bedrool. About 30 minutes after we got the tents up it started raining. We ate canned beef stew for dinner. It evidently rained all night. The kids were warm and dry, but the water ran through Mom and Dad's tent and they were soaked. With no dry wood to be found, mom burned the tent poles.
Tips and Tricks
- We left as soon as the kids were awake in the morning, and mom never went camping again.
