Campfire

Camping trip over the weekend:

1. Set up tarp shelter using trees, rope and rocks next to a lake. Nice breeze blowing and beautiful sunset to boot.

2. Fell asleep to a nearly full moon with clear, starry skies reflected off the lake.

3. Awakened by high winds and tarp shelter flapping in wind at about 1:39am.

4. Five seconds later, see a cop car roll past my campsite and then speed off.

5. Thought to myself, "Hey, I'm in a pretty safe park, they do regular patrols at night," (a comforting thought since I was pretty much the only one on that side of the lake).

5. Look past where he just drove by and lo and behold, several small fires are burning across the street in the grass, 50 yards away.

6. Jumped out of my tent and prepared to bolt in case the fire ran amuck given the dry spell, drought and high winds conditions.

7. Watched a small fire truck pull up and put it out. Thanked God for the cop and quick response of the fire truck, additionally contemplating what I would have done if he wasn't there and since cell reception is spotty.

8. Had a fitful rest of the night, thinking my tarp shelter was either going to blow away with the wind or it would mysteriously combust into flames, given what had just happened.

9. Ended up sleeping in my car the last hour and a half before having to get up and run a triathlon (1000 m swim, 22 miles bike, 4.4 mile run).

10. Drove almost three hours to return home safely after having physically exerted myself for over two hours and on approximately 3-4 hours of sleep.

Weekend complete.