
Ahh, the green van. It carried my family across the county many times. Rockies, Prairies, Canadian Shield, reverse, repeat. And this was before iPods and TVs in mini-vans. The most high-tech equipment we had was a mini-kettle that would plug into the cigarette lighter so we could make instant porridge. (Dad liked those early morning starts.)
Later, as a teen, I found the aging van embarrassing. Especially when it came sailing around the corner with a red canoe and yellow kayak on the roof. (Uh, Mom could you make a more discrete entrance?) But looking back, I think: Weren't those trips the best? We'd pull up at a campground. My sisters and I would jump out, ready to test the dinghy on a new lake. Later, tucked in sleeping bags, we'd wind down the captain seats as our beds. What fun. What memories. Oh, that's me on the left with the terry cloth shorts. Hey, this ain't a fashion blog.
Later, as a teen, I found the aging van embarrassing. Especially when it came sailing around the corner with a red canoe and yellow kayak on the roof. (Uh, Mom could you make a more discrete entrance?) But looking back, I think: Weren't those trips the best? We'd pull up at a campground. My sisters and I would jump out, ready to test the dinghy on a new lake. Later, tucked in sleeping bags, we'd wind down the captain seats as our beds. What fun. What memories. Oh, that's me on the left with the terry cloth shorts. Hey, this ain't a fashion blog.