Hither Hills State Park, Montauk, NY Day Version, 2021 Season -

A Spring camping trip to Montauk’s Hither Hills State Park would be challenged by the weather unfortunately. But I try not to let my opinion, which is pretty insignificant to the forces of nature, overshadow the enlightenment of experience. The lesson: The wind and the rain win.

And you just got to let them do their thing as you lie within them–helpless as the tent thrashes, lifts about you violently and is pelted with the sound and fury. It was pretty magical in its own way, really. I laid still most of the night, not sleeping and taking my role as tent anchor very seriously, negotiating waves of fear, and envisioning my tent was atop a summit of some high mountain top. This was night one… when the sky refused to let us see its Milky Way rise.

Night two, we shared just one tent in an effort to better anchor it to the land. But again the sky was under complete cloud cover as the Milky Way rose… such is the fickle endeavor of capturing the stars.

Hopeful before conking out for like 12 hours. A full day of activity after night one’s two hours sleep overtook us.

The one beer might have also contributed to sleepiness after it contributed to a slight buzz. Montauk Brewery was way too crowded when we attempted a visit–two hour wait time in their reduced capacity space.