Kent and I about to head out Thursday noon.
It was a beautiful, crisp autumn day when Kent and I drove north into the Big Lava Bed. The road was rugged, just ruts worn into jagged rock, winding between collapsed lava tubes and stunted trees finally arriving at a flat clearing surrounded by caves and pits filled with water.
Crawling across the jagged lava, 45 tipi poles bouncing on the rack.
We arrived at the campsite around 1:30
I had hauled in forty-five tipi poles, enough to set up three lodges. Kent and I went immediately to work and had the poles up for all three lodges and the canvas on our lodge by the time Andy and Jason arrived late in the afternoon.
We set up the poles for three lodges.
Wrapping the canvas around the 18′ lodge.
Andy and Jason got their lodges up as darkness gathered. J had to turn around and go home once he was set up. He had to work Friday. The rest of us got a fire going in the big tipi and roasted brats for dinner before retiring for the night. The moon illuminated camp, floating above in a clear blue sky.
The moon rising over camp.
Andy and Kent roasting bratwurst for dinner.
First night on the lava bed.
The next morning dawned clear and cold. The sun was rising as I kindled a fire outside to heat water for tea. We spent the morning gathering firewood, setting up the kitchen and getting camp squared away. We ate late, having breakfast for lunch.
Sunrise on the lava field Friday morning.
Walter Dawg relaxing by the morning fire.
Morning in camp
Mountain man breakfast hanging from the tripod, mulled wine next to the fire.
We had mulled wine heating in a cast iron potjie all weekend.
Kent eating breakfast for lunch.
Camping on the lava bed is difficult. Driving tent pegs is impossible. Walking over broken rock is awkward and hazardous. Dry wood was scarce. Finding a suitable place for the latrine was logistically daunting.
We met each challenge as it came. Instead of pegs we used large rocks piled around the edges of the canvas to hold the covers down. We guyed the poles with rope stretched to trees behind the lodges. Carefully picking our way across the lava field, we cut up downed trees with our electric chainsaws and stacked the wood near our fires to dry.
Rocks stacked on the edge of the tipi cover.
Kent found a patch of dirt just out of sight of our camp where he was able to dig a hole deep enough for a latrine. Andy scavenged some lumber and fashioned a sturdy seat over the hole. He also brought a small privacy tent to provide shelter from the forecast rain and Kent illuminated it with party lights left over from Burning Man. Between them they built a luxury commode, which we would all appreciate when the storms reached us.
Kent and Andy’s luxury rave latrine.
I had chili in the pot on the fire all day long.
Andy stretched tarps over the kitchen and dining area.
Halloween Night on the Big Lava Bed.
Jason showed up Halloween evening after he got off work, bringing more fresh water and dry fire wood. Clouds moved in and it began to rain. We hastened to install liners in our tipis for a little more protection from the weather. It rained hard all night. When I turned in, a puddle was beginning to form near the door. By morning it had grown to a small lake 3″ deep and about 7′ across.
Kicking back by the fire.
Halloween night, tucked up close to the liner to stay out of the rain.
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Andy didn’t get his liner up before dark, so he decided to lay the waterproofed canvas over his bunk and put it up the next day.
Saturday morning my tipi was flooded.
It was too smokey to stay in the tipis so we crowded under the tarp to get out of the rain.
Each of us vying for the driest spot under cover.
Patiently waiting while I heat up leftovers on the stove for breakfast.
It rained all day Saturday, ending about an hour before sunset. We huddled together under the rain-fly most of the day. After warming up leftovers for breakfast, I baked cornbread in a Dutch oven over a pile of briquets at our feet. Andy had to leave a little later. He would be back after church on Sunday.
Jason lit the briquettes while I mixed up the cornbread batter.
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Tea and cornbread.
Andy was sorry to leave us, but he had work to do. Or so he said.
It continued wet throughout the day.
In desperation I scratched a trench through the rocks and mud, attempting to drain the tipi.
There was a big pot of chili over the fire, providing hot food throughout the day. That evening I added cubed beef, chicken broth, more onions and potatoes to make a stew.
When the rain finally let up, Kent and I went for a walk, following the road through the lava bed to its northern terminus. Luke showed up as we were walking out. Walter resumed his animus, barking ferociously whenever Luke looked his direction.
Walking north on the road across the lava bed.
Luke and Kent
Saturday night the weather cleared and the moon came out again, once more bathing the campsite in shimmering blue light.
About 3:30 in the morning, peristalsis inspired me to stoke the fire, pull my boots on and go in search of the latrine.
It was a daunting task with uncertain outcome.
I had blazed the trail with Fire Tacks, which shone brightly before my headlamp. Still, it was a sketchy walk.
I was relieved in more ways than one when Las Vegas North hove into view.
Camp was dark and quiet when I returned. I went back to bed.
Sunday might have been the nicest day we had in camp. We rekindled the outdoor fire and got the water going for our morning caffeine. I made biscuits and mushroom gravy for breakfast. Later we strung some rope to hang things to dry in the sun.
We had kept the fire going all night. At 6;30 I got dressed and put the tea on.
It was mild for November at 38F (3.3C).
By 7:30 the sun had risen and was flooding the camp with light.
Kent and I sat by the fire outside and soaked up the sun.
Eventually Jason joined us. We would have to wait for awhile yet to see Luke.
Jason repairs the tripod hook while biscuits cook in the Dutch oven.
Birch bolete gravy and eggs on the camp stove.
biscuits and mushroom gravy, topped with eggs and Chupacabra sauce.
Breakfast in the morning sun.
Luke found a nice Sparassis.
After church, Andy returned with dire forecasts of over an inch of rain commencing early Monday morning. It required only a brief discussion to determine we had had enough of rain and preferred not to strike camp during a deluge. We decided to pack it in. It took us the rest of the afternoon to get the lodges down and everything back on the trucks.
Jason hauling gear out of camp with his cart.
As we struck camp we hung our blankets and liners to dry.
The caravan leaving the Big Lava Bed. We pulled out around 5:00.
Since we had planned and provisioned for another night in camp, we decided to have one more dinner and some beers around a bonfire before going home We drove about a mile south, to a clearing on a side road. Soon we had a fire blazing and were cooking hamburgers and drinking beer as the sun set and the moon rose. As darkness gathered a pack of coyotes circled near, hidden in the dense forest, their presence betrayed by the eerie yipping laughter which echoed all around us. A fitting close to a Halloween camp.
Fire kindled and beers open.
Tucking into the last dinner at camp.
Cheeseburgers and tater tots. We were short one plate so I ate mine out of the skillet.
The moon lit up the night and the coyotes began to howl. Halloween Camp 2025.
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