Life is good at the lake

‘Tis the season for sunscreen (or sunburns), hot dogs (I don't mean the kind left in a car) and bonfires. Summer is upon us and camping in Saskatchewan is in full force. You can't drive along the highway without passing a motorhome, camper, fifth wheel trailer or a family van heading to their campsite/cabin.

I recently went to Kenosee to visit a friend's seasonal campsite. We walked the trails, played mini golf, spent time at the beach and settled in around the bonfire after playing a game of spike ball. (If you haven't heard of this game yet, consider yourself warned. It's the latest and greatest summer sport game since ladder golf.)

That's when the conversation took place about why everyone loves camping. When you think about it, people spend thousands of dollars to buy tents, campers or cabins. We spend just as much buying all the gadgets to go with it. Whether it be bonfire sticks, lawn chairs, bug spray or coolers.

So, what is it that we like so much about camping? We spend a lot of money on camping and it’s actually less comfortable than our everyday lives typically are. We are a society that is used to all the gadgets, whether it be Netflix on the big screens, flushing toilets, ice machines or air conditioning, yet we go camping, and cook outdoors on an open fire, make coffee without a Keurig, hang clothes to dry on a line, shower in a lake or, heaven forbid, make use of the dreaded outhouse. To top it all off, the cell phone service is little to none and the WiFi for the kid’s iPods is even less than that.

Thousands of campers hit the parks every year, for one reason. To get away. There is something about camping, away from the distractions of the real world, that makes it so much more relaxing and enjoyable. Sure, you spend two hours preparing, cooking and enjoying your meal but you don't have to worry about getting home from work at 5:00 p.m. to be at the rink by 6:00 p.m. Hours are spent around the bonfire late at night, watching the stars and telling stories about BUSH MAN BRAD (he's a legend in our area). Scary stories are fun products of our imagination, not the reality that is in the news today. Parents aren't fighting with their kids about eating too much ice cream because they walked a mile to the store to get it. Life is good at the lake with family, friends and food. These are the only things you really need at the end of the day.