Big Meadows Camp

we had done camp on 9th July 2016. It is located in Virginia State in Shenandoah National Park.
Camp Location
Name: Big Meadows, Shenandoah National Park
Distance: 100 miles from Richmond(approx)
Camp Team: me and my wife.
Camp Items: Camp Stove, Gas, Charcoal, Lighter, Food items, Table Cloth, fire wood, tent, Sleeping bag, Cutlery, Trays, Water, Torches, Lantern, Cards.
Camping Experience: We started around 11:30am from home. Stopped at Kroger to buy items necessary for camping. Around 12:10 pm left for campsite from Kroger after filling gas. Around 2:30pm we reached our campsite in Big Meadows after registering at the Skyline Drive Ranger station. we purchased firewood at the entrance of the Campsite. our campsite(A 088) is very near to the firewood shop. It was hot sunny day however due to the shade of large trees at the campground we have not felt the heat. Campsite has a clean area for tent, wooden picnic table(having place to sit as well as place food items on it), fire-pit and grill on top of it for barbecue and place for car parking. First we pitched up our tent in the designated area in between two large trees thus always covered with leaves. We placed comforters and sleeping bag in the tent as base for additional softness. Around 3:30pm after tent pitching, we covered the picnic table with cloth and then arranged all the items we brought on the table. We prepared tomato soup with the small gas stove. With cool breeze flowing, being in the nature and having such a hot soup was a great experience. After enjoying the soup and the climate for sometime we then decided to make paneer tikka. we unpacked all the the necessary stuff for marination, cut all the veggies along with paneer and allowed for marination for around 1.5 hours. We took some rest in the shade of the trees.

Cleaned the unwanted stuff from the table and then took the coal and firewood for paneer tikka. Lighted the coal and firewood using the lighter fuel. Covered the grill with aluminium foil. Once the grill is heated enough, placed paneer tikka sticks(skewers having veggies along with paneer) on the grill. In between added coal to have the consistency of heat. The paneer tikka was ready to eat by 6:00pm. Took them into a plate. Sat on the table and enjoyed the dish in the nature with the smoke of charcoal. It was very delicious and life time experience to be with nature and have food in the middle of a jungle. we felt that we need additional firewood in the night and so got one more pack from the nearby firewood shop. We sat on the table for sometime and felt the pleasant roaring of the birds on the trees along with the winds.It was getting dark slowly. Around 8:00pm we prepared Maggie with the small stove and by 8:30pm we were done with our dinner. Having hot Maggie in dark jungle with just the light of the burning firewood was very thrilling. With torches we went for a walk on the campground. It was a clear sky with moon and so many stars. It was a perfect view for star gazing. Walking in the woods, in the dark time with couple of campfires on both sides of the road was awesome. we came back to our tent around 9:30pm. We then put the second pack of firewood for campfire. It was getting cold as it was getting dark. We took the warmth of the campfire. Stting infron of the campfire in between large trees reminded of childhood days when we used to put the fire in the night for festival. We then went inside tent, lit the lantern and played cards. There were little noises in the woods which went off as we slept. We got up around 7:30am in the morning and freshened up. Had hot bournvita and then warmed the Teplas with the small stove around 9:30am. We spent sometime observing the shiny rays of sunlight falling on the grass from the gaps of leaves of large trees.  Then slowly cleaned our campsite, packed our tent and placed all the things in the car. We dumped the trash in the large metal container placed at the end of the road to protect from bears. Around 11:45am we left the campsite. We saw a huge herd of horses going along the horse trail on the Skyline Drive. Reached home by 2:00pm. This was first camp for my wife. We enjoyed the camp experience(cooking in woods, walking in dark and playing cards in tent in the jungle). It was very memorable. All is Well.