off the L: Tornado Camping

We went camping for Sam's birthday this past weekend, smack dab in the middle of tornado warnings over the city. Escaping the twister touchdown zone was not only a fantastic avoidance technique; it also led to one truly memorable overnighter in the woods.

The campsite: Clarence Fahenstock State Park
The transportation: Party van (Alex, myself, Sam, Amandrew, and Sasha) and One Slick Bike (Maddy & Ryan's new ride)
The nature: Top-notch: a great campground with green moss and swampy woodlands and hills to hike and trees tall enough to shake when the fallout winds made their way to us.
The food: Gourmet. Firepit pizza, pasta salad, morning pancakes with banaboats to boot.
The weather: A rollercoaster of sunshine, rain, torrential downpouring + lightning, and then drizzly-to-dry again. Not a single one of us could be miserable, having gotten out of the city specifically for a dose of the elements.
My preparation: Subpar. I slept in wet sheets, having not checked the forecast at all. Next time, I'll be a better scout. I'll also be investing in a rainjacket.
Drew's fire skills: Excellent. That little flamepit survived EVERYTHING. I'd say he earned his badge.
The marshmallow record: 8 at once. Good going, Alex!
The moral of the story: I love my friends and the adventures we're lucky enough to have. I think it's safe to say Sam got us hooked on camping and we'll all be seeing how often we can do this as fall rolls in.