I am one of the younger generation also, born in '68. But, I remember very well doing a lot of the OLD, REAL way of camping, in a tent. We never did that as a family when I was a kid, but from the time I was 18, I camped frequently with friends that way, always loved it. You're right, it was a much simpler way of camping, I still miss some aspects of it.
AAMOF, one of the main things I liked about my wife when we first met, was her love for this kind of camping as well. we tent camped all the time, right up until the children came along. Our last tent camping trip, was when wife was 6 months pregnant with our first child. Still have the tent and all the gear that went with it. Like to use it again one day, when kids get older.
Once kids came along, our tent camping days ended, unfortunately. We started out with a popup, it grew into a 25' Hybrid, which has grown into a 34' TT. However, we have the trailer now, NOT because we want to be spoiled by all the luxuries it brings (although it is nice..lol), but more because we love camping so much, we don't want to be limited in how often we do it by the weather, like you are with tent camping. With a TT, we can camp practically year-round, even with 2 small children. It would be difficult and brutal to do that, with the old tent camping ways.
Would I give up the RV trailer? Absolutely not! But, if I was forced to give it up, would I go back to tent camping if that was only option? Absolutely! May well start doing tent camping again soon, anyway, cause I kinda miss it.
Yes, camping has changed quite a bit over the years, but I personally see (most) of these changes as good. Yeah, I can do without the noise of sirens, dogs barking, loud radios, etc. And, by chosing our camping destinations carefully, we do avoid that. At the same time, some aspects of the good 'ol days of camping, will (I hope) NEVER go away for us. We still always have a campfire and sit around it in the evening, try to cook/have most of our meals outside, spend lots of time just sitting outside, enjoying the sounds of nature, etc.
Will & Angela
2 children that love camping, Stephen & Allison
2003 Ford Excursion V10 4x4 ("No Taxpayers were harmed by the makers of this truck")
2003 Thor Citation 33M, Hensley Arrow hitch, Brakesmart Brake Control Our Rig
My memories do not go back quite so far-early 1980's. I used to desert camp, Death Valley or the Mohave.
I had a small air mattress and just slept on the "clean desert sands". I also had a good sleeping bag and a two burner Coleman stove. What more could you want?
Of course, this was during the summer.
Later on, I "graduated" to a cot, then later to a tent, then a PU, then a TT, and now a 5th wheel.
It seems much better back then. Of course, I was in my twenties, also.
over the hill and enjoying the view
diesel pickup and 5th wheel trailer.
I'm 47 and remember;
- Family of 8 in a canvas tent
- The old rubber mattress that was always half flat by morning, but you could repair them with a bicycle tube repair kit. Oh ya it also passed as your float toy in the lake during the day.
- Watching my Dear Departed Dad haggle with the Natives for fish when they apparently were not biting or so he said.
- Pump up Coleman lamps and stoves that you could never seem to get to burn right.
Best times of my life and I did enough tent camping as a young buck. Now my Family of 6 is making our own memories but hey, the TT, solar, and geset doesn't diminish, only keeps Mommy comin out.
I remember when I was a kid, we went camping in northern Minnesota. We loaded up in my folks station wagon, and then it seemed like we drove forever to get to the campground.
I remember my dad cussing the tent! I remember all of the meals being cooked either over a fire, or on a Coleman stove. (If the Coleman stove & lantern isn't in the Smithsonian Institute, it should be!).
The air was clean, we drank from the lake (Ya wouldn't do that now!) and it was really nice at night!
Now, we do it in a 29' 5th wheel, with a/c, running water, a toilet, etc. It just isn't the same in our "hard sided tent"!
If we didn't want adversity, we would just stay home.
Adversity breeds togetherness with those who you go through the adversity with.
Togetherness = love
So therefore mathematically speaking Camping = Love + togetherness + time
If you like someone, take em camping...after long enough you'll either love them, or they will be left in the woods to fend on their own!
CampinHappy
2000 Suburban 4x4
2007 K-Z Spree 240 BH with triple bunks for my 3 amigos
Formerly a 99 Coleman Niagara PUP
wife version 1.0 (so far ) 3 boys (6,8,12), The former "Rig" at Mueller State Park, Colorado
there is absolutely no beeter way to spend "family time" than camping. I only remember going once or twice when I was very young(3-4years old), but my kids have been going for close to five years now and love it as much as me and DW do.
2007 Toyota Tundra
2006 Jayco Jay Flight 27BH
equilizer hitch
1 wife
1 daughter
1 son
1 miniture schnauzer
can't ever wait for next trip
North Texas Camping Association(ntxca.com)
You guys had tents? Even as a scout I never got one. Lucky that mom would let me take a pillow inside the sleeping bag. Learned to do the bedroll thing early on, and slept under the stars most every night during the summer - if we weren't out in the woods or up in the mountains, we'd sleep out in the backyard. Still love the stars. One thing about having no tent was not having to guess what that animal was sniffing around you - you opened your eyes and you knew real quick. Also learned how to sleep in a tree, what trees were best at keeping rain off of you, and how to survive in the winter without a tent. Young a brash, yes. Full of it, sure. But having a blast doing it was the challenge.
2000 Pace Arrow Vision, 36B, 2 slides, Ford V10
2006 Audi A4 3.0L Quattro Cabriolet
2003 Indian Chief
Patriot Guard Rider
Iron Indian Rider
Indian Riders Group
American Legion
USAF, Retired
I remember Dad's canvas tent and how long it took to set up. I also remember how much my brother and I loved to go camping. We never seemed to get bored even without all the TV's and Video. We were also scouts and we couldn't wait for the camping trips. Wintercamp was real cold but we still had a great time. We did have tents and sleeping bags, but if it didn't fit in your backpack, it didn't go. Who remembers wittling a brocken branch to make a walking stick? And don't tell the grey water police, but we dug a grease pit for all the food waste.
We just recently graduated from tent camping, but we still use the pump gas lanterns and my stove is a pump up that I converted to propane.
Remember when companies used to have an army of accountants to keep their files and books straight? Now instead they have their files and books in computers and an army of IT guys to keep the computers running.
It seems as though every invention designed to make life easier ultimately makes it more complicated. I remember camping in the mountains with a couple of buddies when I was in high school; we had a tent we all shared, the clothes on our backs, our climbing gear, and a small amount of food (which was only in case we didn't catch any fish). Good times.
Today as I get ready to head down the road in a dinosaur-burning Class A, my "hotel on wheels" has all the comforts of home. I can't see myself without the cell phone, laptop, GPS, and a campground with full hookups.
My earliest memories are of my parents taking seven of us kids camping in our 1966 Apache Golden Buffalo. I remember snow in Niagra in July. A tornado in the Outer Banks and watching the Bears empty the trash cans in the Smokies (all before 1970).
I have remained true to my roots as now I have a Flagstaff 176 (no heat, never had water in the tank, and only one 12 volt light) My kids love it and both began camping before they were 6 months old. We love to camp in National Parks to avoid Tacky lights, TV's and boom boxes. Gotta walk to the bathroom, go to sleep when it gets dark and wake up with the sun.
On occasion I still get to adventure into the back country with my house on my back. The process has not changed...but the equipment is a lot lighter
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) 3 boys (6,8,12),
