Clear Springs Lake, Homochitto National Forest
He Said:
Tent? Check.
Sleeping Bags? Check.
Disco Ball? Check.
Oh yes, two weekends ago we got away for our annual outdoor adventure in the Clear Springs Recreational Area of Homochitto National Forest in Mississippi, a wordy description henceforth aptly and economically referred to as Club Homochitto, or C.H. for even further brevity. Hardcore campers will scoff at the idea of roughing it in the weekend party/cooking expo that has evolved over the years, but Clear Springs is a gem of a getaway only 2.5 hours away from NOLA, so those looking for some low impact wilderness should read on.
A little background to set the stage: Some years ago I found myself near the end of a lengthy email distribution list which appeared to be a casting call for idiots. Some ‘friends’ of mine were going on a little camping trip and inviting whomever was interested to join them. For me, being invited to go tent camping was a little like being invited to beat my own skull with a hammer, except more painful. Suffice it to say I was not interested. Sheree, however, felt differently. An experienced camper, she thought it sounded like fun. Even though I reminded her of our last experience roughing it, when the Ritz-Carlton in Saint Thomas ran out of coffee, she was undeterred.
So it was we found ourselves on a winter night in November, driving the final two miles down a little road to the campsite. When we got out of the car it was perhaps 38 degrees, the kind of utter dark you just don’t get in the city, and sleeting. In short, perfect conditions for pitching a tent for the first time in your life. You did catch that it was freaking sleeting, right? While the inky blackness made it nearly impossible for us to see what we were doing, it also hid the murderous looks I was shooting at my loving partner, so that at least was a plus. I feverishly attempted to google the Homochitto Hilton and realized I had no signal. Continue reading
