June 1, 2026 we caravaned north, into the woods. Andy led in dad’s old Ford pickup, Terry and Dave followed in Terry’s silver Chevy and I took up the rear with the tipi poles lashed to the rack of my Toyota. You can just make out the forest ranger in this photo. He tailed us up to South Prairie.
I waited while Andy, Terry and Dave went ahead to scout out our campsite. I didn’t want to haul the poles all the way in if there was someone already camped there.
We poked around a little while we were waiting and discovered somebody’s bushcrafty shelter. Walter does not hold wannabe bushcrafter You-tubers in high esteem.
Terry came back to retrieve me. The campsite was ours. I followed him in, and after some discussion, we unloaded the trucks.
We found more abandoned You-tuber Bushcraft nonsense, with waist high stumps nearby, typical of the this type of wasteful, trendy vandalism. I’m a long way from being no trace, but there was enough downed wood they could have built this screen without cutting a single green tree.
It was almost noon, so we took a lunch break before setting up camp.
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After lunch, we attended to shelter, setting up the eighteen foot lodge first.
We set up the smaller, painted lodge down by the creek to use as our kitchen.
We initiated Terry
Collecting his hand print on the lodge cover.
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Terry and Andy collected and processed some wood.
Splitting up a pile of firewood.
I struck a spark.
Dave and I nursed the ember into flame.
To celebrate Dave and Terry sparked up some stogies.
I grilled burgers and het up some tater tots for dinner.
Tater tots went into the Dutch oven when the rhubarb cobbler came out. The burgers turned out Cajun (blackened). The tots were nice and hot and the cobbler was pretty not bad.
Andy scooping out some cobbler for dessert.
Terry brought ice cream to go with the cobbler. The dry ice kept it so cold we had to use a hatchet to chop off a serving. It was just right the second night.
Dinner done and dishwater heating
Late evening K.P.
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Andy bringing a shovel full of coals to start the evening fire inside the lodge.
Our heads hit the pillows about 10:30 and we were lulled to sleep by the flickering glow of the fire.
Andy had built a deluxe thunderbox, complete with waterproof toilet paper dispenser. I was glad for the Fire Tack beacons when peristalsis plucked me from my slumber at 2:00 a.m.
The view from the thunderbox at 2 in the morning. Somewhere behind that cloud bank the moon is shining.
After my nocturnal trek, I returned to the lodge, stoked the fire and fell back to sleep.
Tuesday morning sunrise on Pistol Creek
Good morning!
For breakfast David brought fresh fruit and some cinnamon-squirrel bread he made himself.
Bushcrafty!
Tuesday morning was clear, the temperature mild. We eased into a beautiful day at camp.
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After breakfast, we got out the knives
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One thing led to another (as it will…)
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Before long we had all the weapons out.
After we stowed the weapons, Andy took the chainsaw and his truck and headed out in search of firewood.
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David and Terry set off in search of pretty rocks along the creek. I followed them.
About a quarter mile upstream we forded the stream.
We climbed up the far bank
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We found ourselves in another dispersed campsite. Andy, Amy and I have camped here before, but it has been a number of years.
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Having satisfied our curiosity, we headed downstream, back to camp.
Andy was waiting when we returned.
It was time to get out the cocktail shaker and whip up some Shanky’s and Irish.
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We had chili and cornbread for dinner Tuesday night, with left-over cobbler and ice cream for dessert.
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We kept the fire going all night. It was 48F (8.8C) overcast with intermittent sprinkles when we got up.
My brothers envy my panache. Hey, when you got it, flaunt it.
After breakfast Wednesday we struck camp.
We had the site cleaned up and the trucks loaded and ready to roll by noon. It rained enough to motivate us but not enough to soak our gear. We are looking forward to the next outing, sometime after Andy gets that bent tie rod replaced.
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