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| True Hikers |
While I understand that not everyone, or everything, can smell like a new baby, there are some neighbors who possess a certain…um…aroma, for lack of a better word, that defies the neighborly protocol…even when camping.
After an arduous day of hiking in Blue Ridge Mountain muck, a hot meal that took too long to prepare, clean-up that took even longer, a campfire that resembled a solar flare, and way too many S’mores consumed, the family was ready for bed.
As the stories died down and we all snuggled into our sleeping bags, the battery lamp was turned off in the camper. A hush finally fell over our camper. But not for long. A small but potent visitor decided to stop by.
Of course, I heard the rustling first. I thought one of the children was stumbling around the trailer, but then I realized that the noise came from outside. I unzipped the canvas window and tried to peer into the darkness that enveloped us. Something was rustling around out there, but I wasn’t going to find out. So I woke my husband and told him to go see what it was.
Yes, I was. Never venture out into the darkness when you hear something rustling around your campsite. Pray that it just leaves.
“I think it’s a skunk,” I told my groggy husband.
“It’s the sneakers,” he grumbled. “We should have put them at the next campsite.”
I shook my head. “No, this is different. It’s a skunk,” I said. “Where’s the flashlight?”
Again came the “Are you crazy?” But he’s correct. It’s a good thing the children and I camp with him. You do not want to startle a skunk. It has long-living, nasty consequences. However, now my husband was fully awake. We peered into the darkness together, hoping the stinky little critter would move on. We had disposed of our nightly trash before we came into the camper. We knew that the skunk could not climb the step and venture inside the camper or roar, growl, or otherwise make a sound to disturb the children. He just nosed around our campsite, finding nothing but ashes and smelly sneakers. [Poor thing!]
“And what is so funny?” I whispered to my husband.
“Did you ever stop to think how much tomato juice it would take to rid the camper, the car, the camping gear, clothing, and all the children and us of skunk stench?” And then he chuckled some more.
We didn’t know at the time, that tomato juice just masks the smell of skunk. To learn a real tip on how to rid yourself, your pets, or possessions of skunk spray, read this post on Animal Planet’s website.
In our case in Virginia, the skunk finally tired of rummaging through our campsite, finding nothing to eat, and left…leaving the smelly sneakers behind. Who knows, perhaps it was those very stinky sneakers that called to him in the first place.
This is why I hate camping. Or one of the reasons! Glad your husband had the clear head on this one. Thanks for the laugh.
I didn't know that tomato juice only masked the smell. I thought it really got rid of the smell. You learn something new every day. Thanks for the link. Now I really know how to get rid of the smell. It sounds a lot better than tomato juice.
So the tomato juice doesn't work, oh well. This story was so funny and thank you for sharing the link to animal planet.
Theresa, welcome! Thanks for stopping by my Camping with Kids blog. You have to laugh when camping with children. Who needs more stress? It's supposed to be fun, I keep reminding myself. Thank goodness for my husband. We'd be lost without him.
Thanks again, Theresa, for reading my blog post. Please stop by again.
Michelle and Marie, thank you both for reading my blog post. I truly appreciate your stopping by my Camping with Kids blog.
Amazing facts you can learn on the internet when you research on trusted sites. Of course, we had to get home first to be able to look up this information.
Good thing the little stinker did NOT spray us. I would have cleaned out all the stores in a 50 mile radius looking for enough tomato juice to de-stink us!
Thanks again for stopping by.
Amusing story Victoria Marie and an interesting link. You never know what's prowling around at night on a campsite.
It seems we now have skunks here in the UK from this newspaper article.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/wildlife/5945391/Skunk-pack-spotted-in-English-countryside.html
The claws on the photograph look formidable too, never mind the stink.
Bill
http://www.walksintameside.co.uk
Nuts! The little stinkers got over to your neck of the woods, too? We even have skunks roaming our neighborhood as we are surrounded by woods. I wouldn't want to tangle with one regardless of claws or stink.
Thanks so much, Bill, for visiting my blog. Please stop by again.