This weekend Aimee and I went to MA to do a 2-day map/compass hiking navigation class.
We took Amtrak to Boston and rented a car.
From there we drove to our tent site at AMC Ponkapoag.
We were right on the water, which was very pretty.
We brought tents instead of hammocks this time.
A few things about Ponkapoag:
1. You have to snail-mail a check plus paper registration form to book the site.
(I did this back in April)
2. There is no potable water.
3. The Spang tent site where we camped is next to a hiking trail and everyone will just hike right through your tent site, even though they aren't supposed to. And they will stay in your tent site to look at the water- even while you are cooking your dinner and brushing your teeth....
4. The airplanes overhead going to and from Logan are INSANELY LOUD AND NONSTOP until very late at night.
5. We were not allowed to have a campfire because of the wind and also a drought.
6. The pond is absolutely amazing.
7. After a sweaty grubby day in the woods, swimming in the pond left me feeling surprisingly clean and refreshed, almost as good as an actual shower!
8. A Squirrel Friend joined us for most of our meals.
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I did 2 paintings of Ponkapoag Pond, both 6x8 oil;
My Belly River Box, sitting on the fire pit........
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Because of a lot of wind plus a drought, we were not allowed to bring a campfire.
This brought a whole new meaning to I'M SO GLAD I BROUGHT MY JET BOIL!!!
Seriously it saved me.
So... three nights of camping and we cooked all of it on our camp stoves.
Aimee had hers too.
I did what I always do best, I still drank a lot of tea.
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We both brought tents instead of hammocks.
Here is the night view through the top of my tent:
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We did a wonderful compass/map navigation class.
Some of it was review, a lot of it was new for me.
I LOVED it.
When we went bushwacking and finding bearings, we ended up at the EXACT point on the map we were supposed to be!
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Ponkapoag Pond really is beautiful and I took a lot of pictures....
