Camping is a DIY Activity

[larryglarson]

What a great amount of information. I met a lady that had camped all her life, she is a wonderful women, but I had to learn how to camp at 68 years of age. After 5 years I find it wonderful. As a retired person I find all the "chores" kind of makes my life better. When you find a good site life is so wonderful. For us it is having a spacious site with nature all around you. I am planning a trip to northern Wisconsin and the UP of Mich. and it just gets me excited as I see the options. When you plan a trip and it turns out well, it makes me very happy. No resort can match a good campground in my book.

[mandolindave]

Wait…I already did that.

Well on the other foot……

A nice campsite is …….well….nice, But

Who you camping with, AND who you are camping next to can make or break the experience.

[cazual6]

Originally Posted by John&Vicki

You work for your pleasure when you RV/camp. One of the things that I admire about the AS crowd is that for the most part it's a bunch of can do, self reliant folks. Most are aware of the work and skill level involved, accept and expect it and enjoy the process. But those who are not prepared to be involved in every aspect of RVing/camping, who complain about things constantly, might give some thought to a nice hotel.

Cheers,
John

Couldn't agree with you more, especially your last paragraph. I am under 40, but I have been around "seasoned" veterans of life who has taught me never expect to be hand fed. If there is a will, there is a way kind of attitude. I don't like the word "old". I know someday I will be "seasoned" myself. I try to teach my kids, enjoy the journey, learn to learn and most of all cherish the moments.

Well said John & Vick!, Well said.

[wvstreamer]

Sure is lot of agreement on this one. Nice job John & Vickie. Almost 45 years of camping and we are still lovin it. How cool is that!
Dave

[westcoastas]

We have found two modes in fulltiming now: staying put for a few months at a time with hookups, and out boondocking for weeks at a time. While camping I have never appreciated good meals more, never slept more soundly, never awoken more attuned to my surroundings, never more appreciated a cold or hot shower, never more cheerfully cleaned dishes, never stayed more organized, never stared at clouds longer, never been more attuned to quiet, never appreciated the changing seasons more, and never enjoyed more the company of like-minded folks.

I see a lot of familiar names on this thread. John & Vickie's notion of DIY is tried and true: like most things in life, the more one does things themselves, the more gratifying the payoff.

[rmkrum]

Was in a discussion with one of our grown sons a few minutes ago.

He still fondly remembers the "camping trip from hell" in a Volvo Station wagon all the way up the west coast from San Diego to the Canada border.

Youngest boy was 8 months old, and all we had was a leaky dome tent covered with a 12x12 plastic tarp. Still have the cheap sleeping bags we used.

Noting quite like warming a baby bottle over a Coleman camp stove in pouring rain at 4:00am deep in the redwoods.

Won't forget the raccoon shuffling through our campsite one night, knocking over propane bottles.

Ten foot deep snow at Crater Lake summit in July. They remember that as well.

We got a van and converted it after that, but after 30+ years, he remembers picking berries next to the campsite.

Crazy trip, but all three of them learned a lot traveling and seeing the world. All three are Eagle Scouts, still love camping.

Nowadays it's the Airstream, but still great fun. Setting up for limited boondocking


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[m.hony]

Still seems a little easier and more comfortable than tent camping-
And I thoroughly enjoyed tent camping, too.

[rmkrum]

Tent camping was a lot of fun. Built my own van conversion after that trip. The rain that year was ridiculous.

AS is much more comfortable. Same bed every night, hot showers. Sleeping on the ground is no longer an option.


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[Tn Traveler]

Originally Posted by FCStreamer

Great post. We thought RVing would be a lot like boating, and so far that has proven true. I confess I am part of the hotel crowd. I mean, I can do some things but for the most part I pay others to service my stuff. And I like 50 amp connections and concrete pads. Not exactly the boondocking type. But we went into this with both eyes open and so far our experience has been outstanding.

Looking forward to many years of comfy camping...

Yes, RVs and boats can be similar while being different. Boondocking in remote locations or being anchored out around deserted islands means no one is around to assist you. You have to be pretty self reliant. We are usually other places in the summer, but we are in South Florida on our boat getting some maintenance items done. Instead of our usual anchoring out we are tied to the umbilical chord to run the air conditioning 24/7. The sun is brutal down here. We enjoy both, but boats take much more maintenance.

[boondockdad]

Well said, John.

While all of what you mentioned is what I love about camping; it's exactly the reason some friends of ours sold their trailer, truck and everything inside after less than three months.

Felt a little bad that maybe we sold them on all our rose-colored camping stories...

[Plasma800]

Originally Posted by John&Vicki

Maybe the idealistic portrayal of camping in advertising has unduely influenced them, the couple sitting outside their AS while parked next to an idyllic lake.

DON'T FORGET THE GUITAR!! And the matching 20 something Millennial in the hip hat or the guy sporting a man bun to go with... lol, cracks me up.

[John&Vicki]

We had a great time at the Oregon Coast: Cannon Beach, South Beach State Park near Newport and Florence. Everyone knows that the weather can be damp there but we were lucky and it stayed pretty dry - outside. There was a fairly impressive tide surge though - inside. Someone (who shall remain anonymous) left the toilet handle in the up position which after filling the toilet rapidly filled the inside of the trailer.

It could have been worse - I estimate that we were only gone for 15 minutes or so. The area rugs were soaked and we were able to soak up the rest of the water with 3-4 beach towels. But I'm wondering about long-term damage. Our trailer was built in 1990 and has the infamous OSB flooring. It's covered by a fakey-doo wood vinyl (not a fan) which I'm sure does a great job of trapping the moisture.

I'm hoping things will dry out quickly given that we are back home in the dry high desert of Central Oregon. But will they? I'm not opposed to ripping out the fakey-doo wood vinyl as a new floor is on my improvements list. But I'm not quite ready to do that yet as there are some things above it on the list. What do you think? Should I worry about long-term damage?

John

[John&Vicki]

I'm feeling better about our little flood. The trailer is currently in its storage lot and when I went to check on it yesterday the interior temperature was 96 degrees. Plus the humidity here in the high desert of Central Oregon is very low, in the teens. With vents open and windows cracked I'm feeling pretty good about things drying out. Still tempted to pull up a bit of the vinyl to take a peek though.

John

[PaulnGina]

Here's to hoping for a good outcome.


PaulnGina
1987 Avion 34W
1995 Ford F250 7.3L PowerStroke

Blessed and highly favored

[Caffeinated]

I'm crossing my fingers for you too, John and Vicki. Anita and I are spending ten days at the coast in late August. We are going to Neskowyn and Beverly Beach. I think after that we may go to Lone Pine/Bend for a week or so. Maybe with a day trip to Sisters.

Mike