Here are some excerpts from my journal entry for the day: “Slept soundly, this is rare when I’m camping, and awoke bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, at 4:45 in the morning! I went to fix oatmeal for breakfast, but discovered that I had forgotten to pack a spoon, or utensils of any kind for that matter! I ate two-ingredient granola instead; cashews mixed with dark chocolate M&M’s. Who packs this stuff? Sadly, me! I need to do a better job of planning meals; the granola was good, but not the equivalent of oatmeal as a springboard for the day.” (Note: I didn’t learn my lesson, to double check my gear for utensils, as this happened again the following year, when I took my wife out for her first long kayaking trip. On that occasion I resorted to carving a spoon out of driftwood. She used it, despite being a microbiologist.)
