Roughing it. (kind of....sort of)

Some of my favorite childhood memories consist of campgrounds, s'mores, and a pop-up camper that smelled of mothballs. Although the family pop-up has since been retired, and I prefer sleeping in a tent or outside (depending on where I am in the country), summer still is not complete without at least one camping trip.

Madeline Island, just outside of Bayfield WI, is the most southern island of the Apostle Islands, in Lake Superior. Although it's a mere 15 minute ferry ride from Bayfield, once you're standing on the sugar sand beach of Big Bay State Park, it's actually hard to imagine that there is civilization within hundreds of miles. Madeline Island is like the Midwest equivalent to the island of St John, in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Well... minus the turquoise water, crazy safari taxi rides, and Bob Marley always playing in the background. The stretch of sugar sand and crystal clear water (albeit ice cold!) with nothing but a few sailboats on the horizon, can send your imagination far beyond the border of Wisconsin! A more affordable alternative ;)

The key to this kind of trip is to leave the watches, cell phones, and alarm clocks behind. You really have no choice but to be on the sun's schedule, unless you sleep like a log. Starting the day out with a dip in the lake at sunrise, is better than the sound of any alarm clock out there. We spent the day kayaking, lounging on the beach, and even built up a tolerance for the ice cold water :) It's so easy to drift off into a different world and literally forget about reality.
After a layer of sand built up on our sun-soaked bodies, it was time to rinse off, venture into town, and get what seemed to be the two most consumed items on the island. Ice Cream and drinks! Upon arrival on the island, it is impossible to miss the structure that looks like a carnival tent on a deck...with a ton of junk around it. Tom's Burned Down Cafe it is. If you prefer to wear stiletto's and drink martini's, you don't belong here. On that note, you probably wouldn't even be on the island in the first place so it's a moot point. Regardless, check it out. You'll walk away with a plethora of life motto's and quotes in your head, and probably a stumble in your step.

Finally, no camping trip is complete without a surprise or two! We were well aware that rain was coming but at some point decided that just kind of throwing on the rain tarp would suffice. The steady rain, all night long, was very cozy...made me feel like a wuss when I sleep under a real roof during storms! Alas, we woke up to puddles in the tent which meant it was time to call an end to the Madeline Island camping trip of 2010. It's great to know that even a few days, a short little break from the hustle and bustle of everyday life, can bring me back to the basics. The simple, meaningful things in life.