I was gone a few days last week camping with my older
son and his family at his campsite in the Cascade mountains in eastern Washington state. “His campsite” sounds a little odd, but he bought a lot in a private “campground”. His lot is right on the Cascade River. The land is protected, which means that you cannot build a permanent structure that attaches to the soil. But you can put up small structures that “float” on the soil. I have been up there several times to help him build a tiny A-frame, but this is the first time I have been up there to relax and simply enjoy nature. The river rushing by is like a sound machine designed to lull you into a state of calm. Everything is so lush and vibrant. Which means it rains there a lot.
The day before I was to head out with a flight to SEA-TAC a
irport I checked the predicted weather. The experts were predicting steady rain for the first four days of the five I was to be there. Consequently, I packed rain gear and heavy layers of clothes. I also put in a request for better weather to whom ever controls such things. I should have had greater faith in that request and packed differently. As it turned out we had a couple hours of rain the first night I was there and broken clouds the whole rest of the time. The temperatures were between 65 and 75 the whole time. I didn’t need any of the heavy clothes I packed. But I could have used some lemon eucalyptus spray to chase away the mosquitoes.
Since the whole family was coming for the vacation, there was no room for me in the A-frame, so rather than have me sl
eep on the damp ground, they found me a room in the local inn to sleep in. The room made the A-frame seem roomy. It was only slightly larger than the twin bed in the room. But it promised a dry night when the outlook appeared to suggest lots of rain. And there are things to be said for a flush toilet down the hall and a hot shower also available down the hall. The family was stuck with a portable toilet a long walk away and no hot water other than what they heated up on their camp stove for coffee. So I got the deluxe treatment.
The real purpose of camping is twofold. First, it was an opportunity to spend quality time with family. My s
on, Devon, and I had many long conversations and even a debate upon the relative impact of genetics versus environmental training on the development of character traits. I believe he argued that all humans are basically the same and that it is the way they are raised that creates different character traits, while I argued that there are many traits that are baked into the system by genetic variances – much like all dog breeds may be derived from the same ancestors, but each breed of dog has different character traits. It is not the training that determines the traits, but subtle shifts in the genetic makeup of each breed that create the tendency for various traits. The environment creates these genetic shifts by favoring certain traits to enhance survival. Or in the case of dogs or hybridized plants, the selective pressure is created by humans. (My grandfather was an early plant geneticist that created and sold hundreds of new types of Iris flowers. See a little bit about him here: https://theamericanirissociety.blogspot.com/2017/03/lloyd-austin-pioneering-iris-hybrizider.html) The argument of nature versus nurture has a long history amongst geneticists. I see it as the interaction of both that produces the final outcome.
The second reason is to get out in nature and soak up some nourishment for the soul. Just being there pushes my b
ody into relaxation. There is nothing to do but just be present with all the beauty. My nervous system switches over into rest and repair mode. I dedicated a previous newsletter to all the benefits to the body that a vacation can provide. https://fairoakshealth.com/2024/02/25/vacationing/The list emphasizes improved cardiovascular health, lowered cortisol stress hormones, improved sleep, better immune function, increased creativity, reduced depression and anxiety, and just feeling better in general. There is also a tendency to get more exercise simply because you are out in nature where life is not flat. In fact, I commented to my son how much I realize that there is no climbing in my normal life. Everything is level in my normal world.
We did a little sightseeing one day by going up the river to one of the power plants that keeps the lights on down in Sea
ttle. They had a nice gallery showing how the power plant was built a hundred years ago. Interestingly, this hydroelectric power plant is two miles downstream from the dam they built. They cut a huge tunnel straight through the solid rock of the mountain for two miles to create an over 500-foot drop in elevation to hugely increase the power of the water flow to the plant. In fact, they built a small power plant a bit downstream to produce the electric power needed for the town they created to support the building of the dam and big power plant – a many-year project. I enjoy a good tech museum.
As we approached the final day, we couldn’t resist finding a bit of work to boost our spirits and achieve a sense of accompli
shment. Devon and I decided to set up a port-a-potty a short distance from the A-frame. Interestingly, we had one in the same spot four years ago, but unfortunately, time and the elements had taken their toll and destroyed it. Determined to provide a more comfortable experience, we constructed a new “comfort station” that was not a ten-minute walk away, but just a mere twenty feet. I’m certain that several family members were grateful for this small gesture of kindness.
All that was left was packing up and heading out. A g
ood night’s sleep and a trip to the airport were in order for Wednesday morning. My plane was about 30 minutes late, but otherwise everything went off without a hitch. My Lyft ride dropped me off at my house, where I could kiss my sweetheart, Ellen. All that was left was time for me to sit down and write this little article.
Take care,
David
Ellen
I was away for almost a week leaving Ellen at home with her sister. These are dangerous times, because it means t
hat she starts spreading her wings and getting into trouble learning new skills. Here we see her learning how to navigate the app screen on our television. Normally she shows no interest in learning new technology. But when there is something she wants she figures it out – usually by pushing random buttons until she gets what she wants.
