Rainy forecast be damned!  This weekend we had a desperate need for the outdoors, and a stubborn determination not to let a bad weather forecast ruin our plans.  Can you see where this blog post is going?

The Mountain Loop Highway was our destination.  In tow, we were packing our newest tent – a whopper on loan from REI called “The Hobitat.”  It’s big and green and looks like a turtle.  We’re not joking – The Hobitat is so big you can stand up inside AND have space for a double camping chair, two beds and gear.  It’s probably not something we would have purchased on our own (Jeff is reviewing gear for Journey Magazine) but when the skies opened and the river rose, we were sure happy we had it.

Hanging out in a tiny backpacking tent during all-day-rain is a disaster.  Six hours of lying on your side with puddles forming in the corners is nothing short of misery.  Six hours of hanging out in the Hobbitat is, well… kinda cozy.

We watched sheets of rain pelt our rain fly, and then run off like giant pollywogs.  Amanda knitted.  We shared a whiskey mixed with rainwater.

Before bed that night, we checked the river and felt comfortable that it would not rise eight feet to our campsite.  What we did not count on was the little side channel that swelled in the night thanks to the torrential downpour.

Jeff work up at 5:30 and glanced out the side window.  “Uh-oh.  Not Good,” were the words that woke Amanda.

At our feet – the floor of our tent bobbed like a waterbed.  We unzipped the door and saw one of our water bottles floating ten feet away.  Our camp stove – completely submerged.  Along with Amanda’s hiking boots.

Married To Adventure will henceforth be called Married To An Idiot.