Camping in the Campo

12-09-07 Camping with Callie and Dan

Pack your bags and hike up the mountain out of town. Its steep, real steep, but you can make it, take as many breathers on the way up as you need. From the top you can see all of Cusmapa. It’s worth the view, I promise. Once you make it up there, make your way, slowly, down the back side of the same mountain before switching around and moving up the next mountain. It will be a slippery journey on all the loose pine needles, but with a walking stick you should be fine. From the top of the second peak you can see Nicaragua from all sides, you can turn and have a view 360 degrees around. Set up camp just below there. The wind is wicked up where you are exposed, a little lower in the saddle between the hills will be a much better camp site.

Now, rush to see the sunset with your bottle of wine you lugged up the mountain just for the occasion. Afterwards, you can dine, talk, sing, listen to or play the harmonica, laugh. Then, jam the three of you into a tent meant for two, it will be snug but you will be warm.

The next morning, take the road home. The walk that took you three hours on the way up will take you only thirty minutes to return. Its a damn fine trip.