My parents bought a huge Coleman canvas tent(army green) when I was about 8 or so. We camped often, but not too far from home at a state park in Ohio. When my parents divorced when I was 12 my mom got the kids and the tent. Mom, myself and younger brother and sister got lots of use of the tent after that. Campfires, pie-iron pies, Bundles cooked in the fire, and meeting lots of people.
Favorite camping memory? Has to be Fourth of July, 1976, Bicentennial year. We spent a long weekend camping on the Illinois banks of the Mississippi with some friends of my mom. Fireworks along the river, lots of kids, a couple of side trips to Hannibal Missouri and Salem Illinois. My mom and I actually talked about that weekend this past weekend. Fond memories from both of us. I actually go back to that weekend everytime I hear American Pie on the radio. There was a huge levee close to wear we camped.
Parents took me kicking and screaming on vacation at 16 years old.
I was a pita all the way on the trip out west......that is until we arrived and camped along side of the Big Thomson River in CO, I was hooked immediately. Decided right then and there that as soon as I was old enough to move out, I knew that I wanted to go back and explore more of the West.
I think this is when 'my' seed of camping was planted. A belated 'thank you' to my parents.
Fast forward more years than I will say here. I am finally going to live that dream I just went full time and will be heading out to revisit those fond memories and to continue my exploration of the lands my parents thankfully showed me a part of as a kid.
* This post was
edited 07/07/08 09:47am by rockhillmanor *
31 ft Four Winds
Chevy Tracker 4x4 BlueOx Aventa LX We must be willing to get rid of the life we've planned,
so as to have the life that is waiting for us.
When I was a LITTLE kid (2 or 3) I remember that we went into the woods over this old rickety bridge to camp. That was all I remember - and the fact that dad and mom hated it. I loved it. We had an aunt and uncle that camped all the time - kids were in the Scouts, both boy and girl. Once we met them on the beach and all us 8 kids dug a hole in the sand, put a quilt inside and slept all night - what fun! The bug has bit!
DH always wanted to camp but the scout troop he was in never did - always played basketball. So when we became adults, the church we went to had a program called Royal Rangers - Christian Boy Scouts and he became very involved with that. We bought a tent and went out a few times with that, then graduated to a PUP and went for years with the 4 kids and their friends and some tents. It finally bit the dust and we sat for 14 yrs. not camping. Then last year we bought the 5'er and we can't get enough! No 'camping' really, but in the woods. We will eventually probably end up with a teardrop (love those things!) pulled behind the minivan. I like to cook rustic - out the back of the teardrop would be perfect for me!
Bill & Linda
Ladymc & Shuttlebird
2008 Silver Dodge Diesel Dually 3500 - "The Silver Bullet"
Towing 1998 35 ft. Newmar 5th wheel
20K Husky Hitch & Blue Ox Bedsaver
Handheld Garmin Nuvi 350 GPS AND Sat. in dash mounted GPS in the truck
READY TO ROLL!
Summer 1974 I was 10 years old living in Colorado. We were a military family and went camping when possible. We knew Dad was close to getting orders for another oversea assignment and this might be our last chance to see Yellowstone. We piled Mom, Dad, Grandma, Grandpa, my two brother, one cousin and myself (the baby of the group) into the family station wagon. Yes, that's eight of us! Dad pulled a homemade trailer to carry the tent and supplies. We cooked over the old Coleman stove and fire pit. Mom said the meals were decided by what defrosted first. We went to the nightly ranger talks and smelled of smoke all week. Late night trips to the bathroom were a real adventure in a young girl's mind after hearing about bear reports! It was the best camping trip ever!!! We did it in our 5'er two summers ago for our boys (then age 7, 9). My parents and both brothers came up too. It was fun, but nothing can beat that first time.
Gin & Mike
2001 Jayco Qwest 265
2001 Ford F350 crewcab 4x4
When our kids were 4, 6 and 2 my hubby and I decided it would be a nice "family bonding" experience. Of course for our first trip we forgot to bring more things then we remembered but I do know it was one of the most fun times we ever had. Well now our kids are 33, 32 and 29 and are all married. We have all been camping ever since. This week will be our grandchildren's (age 3, 3 and 2) first trip and we can't wait. My hubby and I have upgraded to a TT but our kids still use a tent. I am really looking forward to introducing our kids to camping..
We really have too many favorite memories to pick out one, but most of them all include laughter and smiles!
Mark and Vikki
2008 Gulfstream Amerilite 21MB
2008 Chevrolet Silverado 1500, Ext Cab
I can not recall not camping. According to my mother, I started camping at age 6 months. That was was 1953 and all they had was a station wagon and a tent.
You mean some people don't go camping? Unbelievable.
The only thing better than camping is backpacking. But, DW has bad knees so she can no longer walk very far. So I go backpacking with DD (27) and DS (25). DD and I did 38 miles of the PCT last year.
Wayne in San Jose
TV1:2002 Chevy 1500HD 4wd Crew Cab,Valley Odyssey brake ctlr,McKesh mirrors
TV2:2008 GMC 2500HD long bed 4wd Crew Cab,GMC brake ctlr,GMC mirrors
TT:Trailmanor 2720
Honda 2000
Yamaha WR250R,Polaris Sportsman 700 X2,Polaris Scrambler 500
He taught us to respect the outdoors, cleanup the campsite better than it was when we got there, and enjoy nature! We had a lot of fun, and adventures around every bend in the road. And I passed this all on to my kids...and we are all enjoying the camping experience, I don't knowif I miss the "tent experience" anymore, but a fifth wheel Jayco is a long, long way from roughing it!
How 'bout you?!
I've had the pleasure (and wise parents) to camp since I was about 10 years old. My parents bought a used tent and we spent a weekend at a local campground. The next week, dad bought a TT. From there, they have upgraded every so often, and so have we.
Our daughter was only 4 months old when she was on her first RV trip with G&G, and hasn't stopped traveling since - she's been to India, wwestern Europe and Sweden.
Meanwhile, we travel in the '94 Carri-Lite and love it!!!!
As for the ethics of camping, we were taught earlier on that you ALWAYS leave your site cleaner than when you arrived, pick up after your pets and have fun but behave yourself.
If electricity comes from electrons, does morality come from morons?
My DH dragged me kicking and screaming to a weekend at Peace River in Acadia, FL. All our gear (tents, sleeping bags, etc.) was borrowed and you had to fit everything on your canoe and paddle for 21 miles to get back to your car. Did I mention we went for Labor Day and were in Central Florida and we saw snakes and alligators and had to do all our business in the woods and that it was VERY HOT? I don't know what happened to me that weekend but I fell in love with the idea of spending and entire weekend outdoors. I'm a CPA and spend my workdays in central A.C. and under flourescent light so maybe being away from all the electronics really appealed to me. Along came the little ones and we stopped camping. One day, while vacationing in a beach house in Bonita Beach, we had horrible weather and, bored, went for a drive to a local RV dealer b/c my cousin wanted to buy a PUP. My cousin never bought the PUP but on a whim we bought one later that week. 4 years later we have never looked back and are grateful for the wonderful experiences our camping has brought to us and our 2 children.
Campers For Life
'05 Aerolite Cub 23TT
'06 Ford Expedition
Equalizer Hitch
My parents never camped. Dad said that after being in the service (WWII), he would never get in a tent again!
Went camping a few times with a group of people, one of whom had large 8 person, canvas tent. After camping and renting canoes a few times for weekends, I was hooked and went out and got all the gear.
Kept on tent camping until a few years ago when I purchased PUP.
Pup: 2007 Jayco 1206 w/slide-out + shower
surge brakes, 54w solar panel
TV: 2005 Nissan Xterra 4X4, manual trans
25 years tent camping, 4000+ miles of hiking, lots of biking
I was 3 years old my first camping trip - at least that I can remember. My family always went up to Lake George, NY and camped out on the islands. It is a different type of camping - yeah you are in a tent, no hook-ups, just you on a campsite on an island on one for the most beautiful Lakes in the world. I have never looked back.
Even though we only tent camp when going to Lake George, I can't stop. We get very disappointed when it comes time to put the camper in storage for the winter.
It's not the destination, but the journey that counts!
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I am finally going to live that dream I just went full time and will be heading out to revisit those fond memories and to continue my exploration of the lands my parents thankfully showed me a part of as a kid.
