The Great Outdoors

My son, after having just graduated, decided that it would be a fun summer adventure to go on a hiking/camping trip with a group of his friends.

I'll admit that I was a bit shocked since my son isn't exactly the outdoors type.

"That's your fault," he insisted when I pointed out the fact that the last time he had been camping was when he was 5 years old.

He wasn't wrong, I'm not much for "roughing it". While I enjoy nature and can appreciate certain nonthreatening forms of wildlife, I'm not a fan of being seperated from the modern conveniences of society....like a toilet.

Regardless of the fact that spending a week in God's country wasn't my idea of a "vacation", I fully supported his desire to go on the adventure. After all, I thought, you're only young once.

"So where are you planning to go?" I asked.

"We're going to hike the Knobstone Trail."

"All of it?"

"Yep."

Even though I'm not well versed on outdoor adventure I still know a thing or two about the Knobstone Trail....

Starting with the fact that it's a 58 mile hike through some fairly rugged terrain.

"Seriously?"

"Yep."

I shook my head in disbelief. No longer was this just a hiking/camping adventure with a group of friends....suddenly it was turning into a script from one of those low budget horror films.

"You saw the movie 'Wrong Turn' right?"

He laughed and nodded his head.

"And 'Friday the 13th'?"

"Yes mom."

"What about 'The Hills Have Eyes'?"

"You're being a downer."

"Parts 1 and 2?"

"Okay mom, I get your point."

"All those people were just going on a camping trip too."

He just shook his head and smiled.

"Just promise me one thing," I said using my serious mom voice. "If you hear a strange noise in the woods, for the love of God, run the other way."

I think as he's packing his camping gear I'm going to stash the video camera in his backpack. At least then when the search party recovers his belongings I'll have a 'Blair Witch' video to remember him by.