I'm thinking about selling the popup now. The tent set up so much easier than the popup...no worry about leveling, unhooking, setting up, etc. Just unfold a few poles and we're ready to go. Of course we had great weather...I'd probably change my mind while trying to sleep in miserable humid heat with no a/c.
My 11 year old had a great time. He doesn't remember tent camping. All in all it was a great couple of days.
'98 Suburban
'73 Apache Roamer (hard sided popup)
"You have to write the book that wants to be written. And if the book will be too difficult for grown-ups, then you write it for children."
~~Madeleine L’Engle
tented for years before getting my TT. went to the Oregon coast one year to a family reunion, we took the old tent and I just about died. I found out I was too old to sleep on the ground any more. I enjoyed tents when I was younger, that's all I could afford to camp in. did a lot of camping and hunting and fishing with one. Personally I think every one should tent camp when young, they will have good memories for life.
Tent camped with my son and Boy Scouts up until about 3 years ago....I was just starting to feel the pain of a night on the ground! Even with the great pads that they have now, I could never really get comfortable and sleep well.....more out of exhaustion
Yes, everyone should do it at least once.....and I have fond memories of tent camping as a kid, and with the Scouts when I was a Leader, but now.....it's in the Winnie, or not at all!!
DH Bill / DW Claudia / DD Jenn / DS Chris The Paps! Sophie, Abby, Brandy, Kahlie and Annie
2000 Winnebago "Minnie" 31C, Ford V-10
Purchased April Fools Day, 2008 The Pets
I just did the same, tent camped after ten years - and not for ten years before that, and without any other sort of camping at all since. I'm 48 and I loved it! I'm definitely tuned into setting up for more comfort than when I was younger (ventilation is #1), but I'm enjoying the planning process. I'll be doing some solo & dog camping, but I'll also keep on hand everything available for the odd friend to jump into the mix. I'll plan to do some fishing and astronomy out there as well, so I'm happy I finally connected to this again.
What prompted this return to tents, oddly, was the WDCU's Eastern Vintage Airstream Rally in Staunton, VA a couple weeks ago. I'm researching trailers, had the time free, and they were happy to welcome me as a tent camper. It stormed overnight both nights I was there, but the tent was dry and the light show was fantastic. Terrific weekend.
I'm really being drawn to the travel trailer life, for fun and work, but it's great to know I can throw a few rolls in the trunk with a prepacked camping box, and jump out to a night under the stars any time I like. The realities I have to get used to now are the advance reservations and surprising expense of a simple tent site. Yeow!
RVs and TTs are all well&good, but it just seems like 'cheating' to me.
I'm 51 this year, been camping for about three years now, after being away from it since my high school daze.
I combine it with motorcycle roadtrips - so size and weight are limited. I use either a 3-man dome tent, or lately a light-weight bivytent. Been thru some wicked rain storms, but have no problem. A separate tarp above the tent really helps!
My airmatress works fine for me, and I generally use a GI foam pad under it, to protect against twig punctures. Even in high twenties, I am comfy.
Keeping the sun off the tent really helps with the heat.
We have been thinking about doing the same. We dont camp a ton anymore with the gas prices and finding time. Sold my TT last fall and plan on getting into tent camping. Went last year with some friends that had a tent and it just seemed a lot less work when its all said and done. That takes in all the cleaning and packing the camper, repacking bearings, waxing, waiting at the dump station, and all. The other thing for me is wanting to get a boat. Cant tow both.. Instead of camping and looking at the water, I will be having fun on it.
This year I went tent camping for the first time in 30 years and thoroughly enjoyed myself in the company of my two adult sons. DW and camp often with our truck camper and really like the comfort and convenience, but the knowledge that I could live for ten days with just the equipment and supplies that would fit on a motorcycle was liberating.
Sleeping on the ground (using a 1 1/2" Thermorest pad) wasn't the problem--I got no aches and pains from that--but getting in and out of the tent was not particularly easy for this 64 year-old body. Next time I will go BigDog's route and take a three-person tent rather than the smaller two-person that I currently have, hoping that the extra room will make it less necessary to go through contortions for ingress and egress.
In my opinion, there is nothing quite as satisfying as tent camping!
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Even with the great pads that they have now, I could never really get comfortable and sleep well.....more out of exhaustion
