The waves are thundering against the shore. They crash on a narrow band of sandy beach, a silver of coastline. The noise is constant, ceaseless, loud. Our tent lies just feet from the edge of Lake Huron. This white noise was our lullaby when we nestled into our sleeping bags last night.

We are camped at Harrisville State Park. I'm sure these prime lake side sites are difficult to get in the summer. But in late September we have our pick of the lot. Our pup tent is dwarfed by the campers that surround us. A car noticeably absent. Just two bikes leaning against the picnic table. It's our own private lake place for the night.

In the overall scheme of things, we camp only a few nights during our bike tours. We are admittedly fair weather campers. It's far too easy to rationalize that we are hot and grubby, or cold and wet at the end of the day. And a beckoning motel room wins. The same goes for a poor weather forecast.

But it's the nights of camping that spawn lasting memories. On the top of my list are the beautiful spots we have camped, that otherwise would be inaccessible. Camping has allowed us to perch on cliff tops. To hear the ocean. To hike in the mountains. To sit by a campfire. To watch a meteor shower from our tent. On this trip it motivated us to swim in Lake Michigan, and take in both sunset and sunrise from a dock.

For all its rewards, I still wondered why we were doing this as we selected our site yesterday afternoon. The sun had disappeared under the clouds, bringing a chill to the air. I was cold and wanted only to get warm. Jumping under the shower in my unheated cubicle was a bracing experience, even though the water was warm. As I stepped outside, the wind off the lake was predictably cold.

But as my body warmed up, so did my attitude. There was only a mildly colored sunset, but I admired it from the beach. Had I been in a motel, I would have been too absorbed with my iPad to notice. Settling down in the tent, when sleep did not come immediately, I stared up into the star-filled sky. I admired the same starry wonders multiple times during the night. (Anyone who claims to sleep well on the ground is kidding themselves.)

Awake early, we both rise in time to catch the sunrise over Lake Huron. The wind still howling, the waves still battering the shore, it feels wild out there on the beach. But I'm ever so glad to be there. I feel so alive.

Watching the sun make its appearance, waiting for it to pop above the clouds, I now remember why we camp.