We knew we would have to face the heat at some point, but we were not expecting it to be in early June in Minnesota in the middle of a record-setting heatwave. But after the ice storm in Texas, I cannot say we were surprised.
Keeping Cate cool is a chore, and once she gets hot, it takes time to cool her back down. Moving days are especially difficult when we cannot get ahead of the game. It is much more manageable when we start the day cool and can have the air conditioner on throughout the day. Once she turns into an oven when we are on the road, it is all over.
When we arrived at Big Stone Lake State Park, it was toasty. While we have dealt with heat at various times throughout our adventure, the forecast of continued heat gave us pause. We knew we would have to pull out all the stops to keep Cate cool, to keep Bird and Daisy cool, and for Will and me to keep our cool.
Luckily, we had 1 popsicle left in the freezer and Big Stone Lake to help us find some comfort in the heat.
After we enjoyed the popsicle, we made our way down to the swimming hole at the lake. We were not planning on going in the water. We wanted to scope things out. I am not a huge fan of swimming in lakes or oceans, but when I dipped my toes in the water, I wanted nothing more than to float there for the entirety of our stay. It was what Will likes to call “the temperature you cannot feel.” It was perfect—not too warm, but not cold. Obviously, we left with a wet toddler. And neither of us could blame her. It was exactly what we needed, and as we left, I was mentally digging through my closet for my swimsuit and planning adventures for the following day.
On our first trip down to the lake, it was a Saturday. Now, the campground was full, so as expected, there were several people enjoying the water. However, the next day was Sunday. And any fulltime RVer will tell you, Sundays are the best. The craziness of the weekend wraps up by about 12, and once again, the campground is mostly ours. This campground was no exception. By Sunday afternoon, there were only a handful of us left, and the beach was all ours.
We ate an early dinner, got us all in our swimsuits, and walked down to the beach. Will did a little fishing, catching a couple bass, while Bird and I splashed and played in the water. It was one of those moments where you know you are making memories that are going to last forever.
Sadly, this was the first time we have had our swimsuits out. Bird has worn hers a few times, but Will and I never bothered to dig ours out. However, now that they are out, I have a sneaking suspicion we will be seeing them more this summer as COVID is winding down and swimming pools and lakes are going to be calling our names loud and clear.
Facing heat was not unexpected, and in many ways, I am glad we got our first taste of it early to remind us what we need to do to keep us and Cate cool. Our swimsuits are now easily at the ready, and the popsicles will be restocked. Hello, Summer!
Nurturing Adventure 