MAN MECCA '07

Here are the balance of the photos from Man Mecca '07. The rain turned to snow sometime before first light. The pictures are self explanatory. However, I imagine you could get four different versions of this overnight odyssey from the men who braved the wild that fateful weekend. By the way, the weather cleared up and warmed up the next week. Ironic? or...poetic justice?

So, it's a guy thing...okay? Right! Well, for at least two months the sons-in-law and I have been planning a backwoodsy, he-man, primative food-fest. (Otherwise known as a hunting trip sans the hunt.) The weather leading up to that fateful weekend promised overcast with a chance of slight showers. For some reason the best laid plans of mice and men seem to fit right here. First, we got a bit of a late start. No surprises there. But for a cheap imitation of a Nalgene?!?! Puhleeeze!!! Well, we got to our rustic campsite around dusk. I climbed out of the crowded truck only to wonder, "What's that hissing noise?" It had, by the way, begun to rain...not slightly shower. We drove down to the Dam Store in hopes of getting the progressing flat tire fixed. The Photo was shot about an hour and a half (and two inches of cold rain) before we were able to properly use a loaned jack to install a loaned spare, and leave the new tire overnight for a $35 flat repair. A $35 FLAT REPAIR!!!

We got back to camp, tried to set up & furnish our tents in the steady rain, and, oh yeah....start a campfire. It wasn't until we'd used quite a bit of "scout juice" on several attempted fires that it dawned on me that the propane tank was hooked up to the blow torch. Nice afterthought. The camp chairs seemed to attract more rain than other items, and made for a nice seat in which to "chill out". So, long about midnight, we sank our teeth into Golden Ribeye steaks and homemade beans by Kim. Were the steaks done to perfection? Heck! We don't know! It was late! It was raining! It was cold! We were HUNGRY! It was Man Mecca for cryin' out loud! We ingested that beef like a tribe of Neandrathals. The beans were excellent. It was dark, and we wouldn't be able to distinguish the "specks" of whatever from the fire (in the pan) until morning light. Sparks, chips of burnt wood, a little terra firma, it's all good....right?It was cold, it was raining, it was late. We climbed into our shelters for the night.