As is typical during the first few days of school, the teachers asked the students about their summer vacation. Usually, there would be stories about the amusement park, the swimming pool, or traveling across the country. Because of the pandemic, I can’t imagine anyone had a typical summer vacation. We made occasional trips around town for hikes, but there were two camping trips we took with neighbors that were really bright spots in an otherwise unusual and lonely summer.

Cohousing is great for sharing resources. Since I don’t have a tent, I was able to borrow a tent and sleeping bags from one of the neighbors. The group that went camping is very skilled, so they helped me figure out how to set up the borrowed tent. They also made the reservations, planned the hikes, and brought all the other necessary supplies. I just had to show up! We were careful with physical distancing protocols and wearing masks during the trip. We took separate cars and had separate campsites, but we were still able to do activities together.

The highlights of the two trips were the hike to a waterfall, and watching the sunset on the beach. Sitting around the campfire, sharing meals, and playing games were also great memories.

My kids and I enjoyed the trips and are grateful we have neighbors who are willing to teach us how to camp and make the experience more enjoyable. We are also lucky to live in such a wonderful location with beautiful campgrounds a short drive away.