Extra Blankets Needed….(In July?)
Posted on July 9, 2007
Filed Under Camping Stories |
I can’t remember the year, but I’m going to say it was probably around 1996 or 1997. Our family joined our friend’s family for our annual “4th of July” float trip. We always referred to this trip as the “kid float” because kids under 18 weren’t allowed on our Memorial day trip, (for good reasons…trust me!). So we would always take the youngsters on a weekend around the 4th. The water was typically pretty low and the floating was a little slower, but at this time of year we didn’t have to worry too much about flash floods and getting rained out. What we did have to worry about was “heat stroke”! Let me tell you…if you can’t find any shade around the river in July or August, it can get pretty darn hot!
For some strange reason, when we were packing to go, my wife asked if I thought we should carry an extra blanket just in case? I’m thinking, “an extra blanket??? It’s JULY?!?!”. But…my wife has good instincts so I said, “whatever you think dear”.
We were staying on the bank of the river at Wollum. It’s a nice little area but can be a little noisy in the morning as the canoe shuttles come rolling in. As the sun set that day, the air grew cooler. Not really unusual for being down in a valley, next to a river like the Buffalo. By the time we went to bed that evening, it was downright chilly! (My wife is already making it well known that “she” brought extra blankets). Let me tell you…that night as we slept, it got downright “COLD”! When we woke up the next morning, it was one of those mornings where you just wanted to stay tucked away under the covers! And we’re talking about July in Arkansas here!
I don’t recall the exact temperature, but I do remember that it was below 50 degrees where we were that morning. We were definitely thankful my wife decided to pack extra blankets on that trip!
Moral of the story…if you’re going to the Buffalo River, go prepared. Unless you’re really strapped for space, it doesn’t hurt to carry extra camping gear and food. If you don’t need it, you may run across someone on the river that does, and they will be eternally thankful for you.
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4 Responses to “Extra Blankets Needed….(In July?)”
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Unusual for July… but nice read
johs
http://itdiscover.com
Wow. Your wife has pretty good instincts. I think it’s always good to pack a little more than to find yourself suddenly running out of supplies or needing something that you hadn’t thought to bring along…
Hi JOHS - Definitely unusual, but I did notice the lows this morning were around 55 degrees! Probably colder in other areas up there.
Hi Lia - I agree. Sometimes I look at my wife funny when I see what she’s packing, then give her a big hug when I realize we needed all the stuff! I love my wife!