Gettin' my Hoosier On

So, we're getting ready to embark on an incredible journey into Hoosier-ville. With our children. We've done this once before, so I'm really not sure what's possessing us to do it again.









What you can't see in the picture is the multitude of partying, redneck, twenty-somethings ahead of us - and the blow-up doll (yes that kind of blow up doll) floating just downstream of us. It was Mardis Gras on the river. And there are six, count em six, kids in that raft - two of ours with their freinds and two belonging to one of Hubby's friends - who somehow trusted us to ensure their safety amidst the chaos that was the Hooza River. Yeah. Its called the Hoozah. Nuff said.

At least this year we were bright enough to tell the kids no friends - and to ensure we can all fit in canoes and float the upper Hooza - on which rafts cannot venture thereby cutting the Party Barges down to a manageable level. We hope.

And I don't even want to talk about the campground. First off, I've got to say I'm a bit of an outdoors snob. I don't particularly like campgrounds - I like to set my tent up somewhere I've had to trek at least ten miles to get to. If I am going to go to a campground, I prefer those maintained by the Parks Department - they tend to be quieter, more pristine, and have less tolerance for the Hoosier Types that like to party until the wee hours. Types whose "Camping To Do List" looks something like this:

Get Lighter Fuel.
Make a Huge Bonfire.
Blast Lynyrd Skynyrd.
Take off Shirt.
Down a Six Pack.
Get out the Southern Comfort and drink directly from the bottle.
Say "Whoo Hoo" at top of lungs at least every ten minutes - Continue until 4 am.
Pass Out.
Pee Self.
Wake at 7 am.
Yell "Whoo Hoo" as loud as possible.
Repeat.

Unfortunately, the campground we are staying at attracts types like these by the hundreds. Of thousands. Thankfully, we are on the "Quiet Side", across the street from "The Zoo" where all the Mardis Gras folks stay. To say I'm looking forward to this would be - an overstatement.

I have to say that the last time we went, we actually had a good time, despite the aforementioned "difficulties". After the trip down the river, where we managed to keep all six children intact and maintaining most of their innocence, we figured we could handle just about anything. And this is a tradition for Hubby and his friends that dates back to high school - so its kind of fun to chat with his old buddies - and a few of them we see on a regular basis, so I won't be amongst total strangers. And none of them qualify as the "Hoosier" types I'm so quick to poke fun at. In fact, yours truly - who grew up on a horse farm, would rather play in the dirt than get dressed up, and whose favorite hat just happens to be of the cowboy variety - will probably be the closest thing to a hoosier in that crowd. There will also be a ton of kids for our pack to run with and I know that they'll have fun. Still - this type of camping:












Is not my preference. I wish we were doing this instead:












Maybe next Memorial Day.