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Over the weekend my wife and I went camping with Cycle Wild. The Dew Drop and my Brompton had more than enough room for all our gear.

It was the hottest weather we’ve seen yet this year but we had an amazing time.

We met everyone at the Cascade Station MAX before riding north over the I-205 bridge which has a fairly decent bike path running down the middle of freeway. Then it was up through Vancouver and on to Battle Ground Lake State Park.

The location was a perfect match for the hot weather. The park is in a caldera and has a closed lake which was just the right temperature for swimming. It was the busiest Battle Ground Lake has been all year but we were able to roll right by the long line of cars waiting for a space in the parking lot and head directly into our campsite.

The hot weather made it easy to dry towels and swimsuits with the aid of a bicycle-turned-towel rack.

And although the ride to and from the park was a very warm, there was a breeze to keep us cool, we drank plenty of fluids, and made to sure stop along the way to enjoy shade and the occasional sprinkler.

So despite the record temperatures, our very first bike camping trip was a big success. The journey to and from the campsite was just as much fun as camping itself and spending time with a bunch of friends, both old and new.

Thanks are due to Chris and Shawn who organized and led the ride. Their work helped us realize how simple it is to avoid a drive and have a completely stress-free summer vacation.

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