Some of the guys I used to work with have been getting together for a weekend camping trip every year for over a decade now. During my 7 years with the team, I went along on the trip every time I was able.
I used to compile everyone’s photos and videos and make an annual camping hype video, I recently uploaded the only two surviving videos I could find as a means of sharing them with my friends. If you like camping, guns, Dio, or general “boys being stupid” kind of content, I’d really recommend the 2015 video. This one made me think of 
The 2013 video was a lot more tame, but does showcase some of the activities that take place out there. We usually end up eating some bullfrog legs, but in 2015 we actually got a porcupine we found in a cave…I will never eat porcupine again.
I moved three states away two years ago, and at that point I figured I was probably not going to be at any more camping trips with the guys…that last time was the last time - but this year my wife surprised me and got me a plane ticket to go see them! I’m not crazy about trusting baggage check services with my ruck, but I’m willing to risk it for a shot at having a weekend of guns and beers in the remote Pennsylvania woods.
I packed in a bit of a hurry, so the only picture I took was after it was all done. I’ll dump it all out when I get on site, and we can review what I decided to bring with me for this trip. (Actually, it turns out I didn’t do that either lol)
The lady at the airport check in was very nice. She made me put my crocs and machete inside the bag, but not because I had to…she just didn’t want me to lose them (thtey were originally strapped to the outside).
I hopped on the plane with no carry on. I love travelling with only one or the other, but I think being empty-handed in the airport/plane is shaping up to be my favorite.
I arrived in Baltimore around 8:00 PM, and my friend Sean was waiting there to pick me up. Also I should mention that my checked bag was never lost or harmed, which is nice because I would have been one sad little guy without my sleeping bag.
We crashed at Sean’s house that night and left in the morning. It’s about a 3 hour drive to Berwick from there, but you know you’re close when you see the nuclear power plant in the distance. Although I didn’t get any pictures of it up close, you do have to drive right by it to get to our spot.
Ok for this one, please don’t hate me…I didnt get to pick my koozie - we all are assigned a can koozie at the start of each trip so we don’t have disputes about who’s beer is whose…this is just what they gave me. I think it was intended to be mine to keep, and I felt bad about it but there was no way I was gonna take this home with me…my oldest daughter can read, and that opens up at least a few questions I really don’t want her asking just yet (she’s 7).
Can you spot the frog? This guy was hanging out at the gun pit, I found him before we started chuckin’ lead.
This used to be where we would shoot shotguns, but the beavers have dammed it up real good so we had to find s new spot. We debated eating one of the beavers, but decided we wanted to learn from the porcupine thing and just let them thrive in happiness.
Axe throwing targets. We tend to spend the late nights drinking beers and whippin’ axes through the air. The funny thing about throwing axes, at least in my experience, is that it takes a lot less talent than you’d think - it really just boils down to figuring out your distance. Once you have your distance dialed in, you’ll stick it every time.
See that Polaris ATV in the background? We took it for a midnight trail ride on the first night. We may or may mot have been basically plastered. Either way, I fell out the back while we were doing a steep climb, and I caught the tailgate with my left hand and held on until they noticed me…which wasn’t until they flooded the carburetor and couldn’t go on without draining the bowl 🤣
After being (literally) dragged through the mud, I had to change into my airplane clothes. For the rest if the weekend I did not put my shoes or socks back on - it was great threading my toes through the thick forest mud and rain, and then warming my wet feet by the fire.
I thought it was going to be so funny when airport security made me take off my shoes…but when you’re all on your own, stinky and filthy, a lot of the humor wears off - so I was mainly just anxious to get away from people who didn’t deserve to be exposed to my general nastiness.
I put a half-eaten gas station burrito through the x ray scanner…I’m thinking they let me keep it out of pity…I looked pretty rough.
Here is the obligatory “passed out Albus” photo from 2015. This one wasn’t out in the wild so much as it was in one of the guys’ backyard, where we did a backyard campout birthday party for him. At some point I will collaborate with the other guys and get the photos all together to make a 2024 video, and when I do I think I’ll put the 2024 passed out Albus photo next to this one…the only major difference is that this year I apparently decided to forego the chair.
We had a lot of fun this year. We were more tame than ever before, but still managed to throw some bullets in the fire and sustain a few minor injuries :)
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