Sitting around the fire

[Just Bill]

One of the pleasures of camp is a fire. It could be shared with old friends as you pass the flask and tell some tales. Catching up with your fellow travelers and discussing the latest news or outright gossip. Sharing the wonders of the world with your child as you roast a marshmallow. Falling in love. Or simply sitting by yourself having deep and meaningful conversations with your companion; fire is a true friend indeed. While we can't all sit a fire together, to a certain extent I think we can all agree; this site is an extension of that fire for us all from time to time. A place for a town weary traveler to visit and pass the time until our next trip afield.


There is an unwritten rule of the campfire as well. Let no hard feelings exist. While I can't claim to take a great many things seriously, a campfire is one of the few. It's good to have a decent debate from time to time so long as the fire is burned to ash and any hard feelings drift away like smoke by the end of the evening.

Around a fire you may hear people share deep thoughts, sage advice, personal details, humor and the deepest secrets of their heart. Around a fire you may tell stories; some scary, some ancient, some new, some fun, some sad, some taller than the tallest tree, and a few outright lies. Around a fire you sit for warmth, fellowship and entertainment.


Some folks concern themselves with the truth of the tale too much, forgetting that all good campfire talk lies somewhere between the light of the fire and the darkness of the night. Even worse, some have hard feelings on the subject. If you've found yourself on one side or the other of the Just Bill fence, or just sitting on it enjoying the show, let me open the gate for you. That way we can all pass it by and there's no hard feelings. If you're feeling kind you may call me a storyteller, if you're feeling less diplomatic on the subject I'll save you the trouble of dancing around it; I'm a liar.

So now that you know, maybe this particular campfire ain't for you, besides, you probably don't stay in shelters anyway. Or maybe you're manners are a bit better and you'd like to politely turn in early and say goodnight. No hard feelings.

But if you'd like, yer Ol pal Bill has a seat here for ya next to the fire. I take a pleasure in the telling, and perhaps you'll take a liking to the tale. If not that's fine too. It's just for fun, a little warmth to pass the time. If you don't like the talk let it pass like smoke in the wind.

But if you're amiable; toss another log on and pass the flask. That last one you told reminds me of a tale I once heard. Let me tell you a lie about the time a boy met a gal one afternoon in Vermont….

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B5o...it?usp=sharing

An old tale revisited for those who want to hear it- Dedicated to Socks...
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B5o...it?usp=sharing

[HikerMom58]

I'll sit next to ya around the campfire, JB. Gotta get out for a run, right now, but I'll be back.

I will promise to let the hard feelings go... Rules of the campfire? Now those rules I can dig!

[Tri-Pod Bob]

Twas well writ, it was, JustBill..........I'll sit by your fire, a bit, I will!

[HikerMom58]

Beautiful story JB. :>) Your writing skills are definitely worth sharing with the masses. How is all that coming along?

[HikerMom58]

Pssstt... Ole pal Bill, you better get back to the campfire ring quick. Things are warming up between Sierra & Meriadoc. :>)

Likeahike better hurry up and produce that new jeep so he can stay in the running!

But, it seems likeahike may have been buried alive while taking out the trash.

[aficion]

Pssstt... Ole pal Bill, you better get back to the campfire ring quick. Things are warming up between Sierra & Meriadoc. :>)

Likeahike better hurry up and produce that new jeep so he can stay in the running!

But, it seems likeahike may have been buried alive while taking out the trash.

Look who's stirring the pot now.

[HikerMom58]

Look who's stirring the pot now.

I learn only from the BEST!

[Chair-man]

this site is an extension of that fire for us all from time to time. A place for a town weary traveler to visit and pass the time until our next trip afield.

Yes, except I think there's a bit more mudslinging around the cyber campfire. That's OK, It's just good fun.

[aficion]

There once was a gentleman who, like his friends and neighbors, sent his kids off to camp in the summer, to learn the ways of the woods. All of his friend's and neighbors were written glowing letters by their appreciative children about the many adventures and tales around the campfire. This one gentleman, though he wrote to his children daily, received no letters in return. His sadness turned to anger. Choosing not to let his anger get the best of him, he decided to do something constructive. He made a sign and hung it on the wall where his children would see it every day. It said, "Treat others better than you would like to be treated." Ever since then this has been known as "The unwritten gentleman's rule."

[DocMahns]

I had a conversation with a few buddies while sitting around a campfire. We all noticed how the light only extends a small distance, maybe cascading on a few trees, then stops. The light from the fire diminishes your night vision so that you can't see past that small area of illumination. We called it our bubble. Our bubble was warm, it protected us, it gave us comfort, it alienated us from the rest of the world. In that moment in time there was nothing else but us, the fire, and the bubble it provided. In that bubble we could say anything we wanted, it allowed a freedom that can't be found anywhere else. From that point on during our expedition every night we looked forward to our bubble so we could sit and unwind from the stresses of the day, gripe and complain, and relish in our own solitude. There's definitely something to be said about a good campfire, a group of would-be friends, and being surrounded by miles of nothing but nature in all of her glory.

[rocketsocks]

JB, firm believer in tall tales told to titilate...but I can still believe if I want to.

[Just Bill]

Yes, except I think there's a bit more mudslinging around the cyber campfire. That's OK, It's just good fun.

Sticks and stones may break my bones but cybermud may...

Wait a minute, that stuff can't even dirty my keyboard.

[Just Bill]

I had a conversation with a few buddies while sitting around a campfire. We all noticed how the light only extends a small distance, maybe cascading on a few trees, then stops. The light from the fire diminishes your night vision so that you can't see past that small area of illumination. We called it our bubble. Our bubble was warm, it protected us, it gave us comfort, it alienated us from the rest of the world. In that moment in time there was nothing else but us, the fire, and the bubble it provided. In that bubble we could say anything we wanted, it allowed a freedom that can't be found anywhere else. From that point on during our expedition every night we looked forward to our bubble so we could sit and unwind from the stresses of the day, gripe and complain, and relish in our own solitude. There's definitely something to be said about a good campfire, a group of would-be friends, and being surrounded by miles of nothing but nature in all of her glory.

Well Said!

[Just Bill]

Replying to socks- (had a quote malfunction)

Free country my friend...now quit hoggin the flask story tellin's thirsty work.

[likeahike]

Pssstt... Ole pal Bill, you better get back to the campfire ring quick. Things are warming up between Sierra & Meriadoc. :>)

Likeahike better hurry up and produce that new jeep so he can stay in the running!

But, it seems likeahike may have been buried alive while taking out the trash.

Jeez mom, I'm all growed up now, let me worry about my own love life or lack thereof.

But thanks for reminding me, tomorrow is trash pickup day. I'll get it out right away.

[HikerMom58]

Jeez mom, I'm all growed up now, let me worry about my own love life or lack thereof.

But thanks for reminding me, tomorrow is trash pickup day. I'll get it out right away.

No prob. likeahike!

I was jus kiddin around with ya. If I didn't like you, I wouldn't have mentioned you. You seem like a nice guy & lots of fun! :0)

[kayak karl]

Sticks and stones may break my bones but cybermud may...

Wait a minute, that stuff can't even dirty my keyboard.

a friend of mine had written on her Harley "sticks and stones may break my bones, but whips and chains excite me" sorry, you reminded me.

PS. when do yous breakout into a chorus of Kumbaya?

[likeahike]

No prob. likeahike!

I was jus kiddin around with ya. If I didn't like you, I wouldn't have mentioned you. You seem like a nice guy & lots of fun! :0)

I knew you was kidding. Thanks, I like you too. And yes, I did take out the trash, though she didn't go willingly, had to bag her!

[Foresight]

Campfire means it's story time....

I came home from the Navy one weekend and ran into a girl from HS before I made it to the house. Next thing ya know I'm spending the night with
her at her Gramma's since her Gramma was out of town. The next morning I wake up and my clothes are gone, Renee is gone and I smell bacon.
Bonus, I'm starving! I root around and find one of her Gramma's bath robes and put it on and head down the hall. Renee is washing my clothes and cooking me breakfast. Hellyeah!

While we were eating breakfast the door bell rang. Renee said it was the mailman, they always bring the mail to the door for her Gramma and ring the bell. Well hell, she made me breakfast and was washing my clothes so the least I could do was go to the door and get the mail. When I opened the door there stood my dad....he looked me over from head to toe, shook his head and turned away telling me to let my Mama know I was in town.

He was the Postmaster, but delivered a route that morning for the normal guy who had called in sick

[Sierra2015]

Foresight is a rascal!