CAMPING

[Lila]

THERE WAS NO THREAD FOR CAMPING YOU SUBURB WEAKLINGS

 

Just kidding. But who likes camping?

 

Where's your favorite place to camp?

Are you a lavish camper or do you prefer the bare minimum?

How long do you like to go at a time?

Biker, hiker, or equestrian?

 

You don't have to answer all of these questions, obvs, and if you have anything else to add, go ahead.

 

My favorite park so far is Palo Duro Canyon in Amarillo, TX. Beautiful, beautiful place. Lots of red dirt, scrub, and a very blue sky. It is hot though, so water is a must. I prefer in the middle camping -- I don't like primitive campsites, but staying in a cabin or an RV/camper defeats the whole purpose for me. I usually camp for 3 days to a week, but when I graduate high school I really want to camp as a lifestyle. I have a horse, but I'm definitely a hiker, by far.

 

Also, does anybody have any favorite authors/books on camping/hiking/survival skills? I wanted to be in boy scouts but I was apparently born with the set of parts made for selling boxes of cookies.

 

 

[Syaoransbear]

I like camping because I like fishing. Me and my husband go on a fishing trip every year. We go up north when the ice has just come off the lake and we stuff all of our gear in our tiny boat and go camp out all alone on an island about an hour away from any campsites. I really love just being alone with my husband without anyone else around. It's really quiet and peaceful, and since we camp on islands there's less chance of bears.

[catstaff]

Tenting is definitely the way to go!

 

I started camping with my family when I was four. At that age, it was pretty much weekend trips to campgrounds within a three-hour drive of home. Every year, we'd go to the same campground in Vermont (no idea what the name of it is anymore, or if it's even still a campground... we're talking 1970s-80s) that was right on a river, and we'd always go in August to try to get a good view of the Perseid meteor showers. Naturally, it nearly always rained! We got a couple of good shows over the years, though.

 

In 1986, we did a five-week trip across the US. Two of my favorite spots were Mammoth Cave and Yellowstone. We did hit Palo Duro although we didn't stay in the canyon itself. Went down for some program in the evening, but our campground wasn't actually in the park. That was the first time I got a good view of a cumulonimbus cloud from a distance, though, and could finally see the anvil shape I'd always heard about.

 

In more recent years, my camping has been limited to SCA events and pagan gathers, so the emphasis wasn't so much on the actual camping part as it was being with the people there. Half of those haven't even been proper campgrounds... my favorite Beltane gather was on a farm with no amenities at all aside from rented porta-potties, but that never seemed to bother anyone.

[Lila]

I like camping because I like fishing. Me and my husband go on a fishing trip every year. We go up north when the ice has just come off the lake and we stuff all of our gear in our tiny boat and go camp out all alone on an island about an hour away from any campsites. I really love just being alone with my husband without anyone else around. It's really quiet and peaceful, and since we camp on islands there's less chance of bears.

I don't fish, but I definitely know what you mean by the solitude. I love it.

In 1986, we did a five-week trip across the US. Two of my favorite spots were Mammoth Cave and Yellowstone. We did hit Palo Duro although we didn't stay in the canyon itself. Went down for some program in the evening, but our campground wasn't actually in the park. That was the first time I got a good view of a cumulonimbus cloud from a distance, though, and could finally see the anvil shape I'd always heard about.

 

I definitely want to visit Yellowstone. What's a good time of year for it?

[azaria]

Tenting is definitely the way to go!

 

In 1986, we did a five-week trip across the US. Two of my favorite spots were Mammoth Cave and Yellowstone.

hah... where I live is extremely small compared to the U.S. If you hurried, you could probably trip across the country in less than a week by car.

I think it would be kind of nice to have suge a wide space to explore.

 

I love camping, though. Semi-tropical climates make for excellent camping conditions (although one time we got a thunderstorm so close, the thunder sounded like cannons going off. We couldn't hear each other even when we shouted).

 

Camping just reminds me of summer, and the bush. It's peaceful and nice, so long as you've waterproofed your tent and brought mosquito repellent. However, I sneer at those who "glamp." Camping is meant to be about the basics! Our family friends go camping with an oversized tent, thick double-sized air mattresses and everything you could think of, including a kitchen sink. If you're going to do that, you might as well stay home.

After all, the best part of camping is often things like melting marshmallows over the campfire/gas stove.

 

Definitely hiker. I have never been camping taking my bike... Have to try it sometime.

[catstaff]

I definitely want to visit Yellowstone. What's a good time of year for it?

Summer, by all means!

 

I suppose late spring into fall would be nice, too, although I couldn't say for sure. I've only been there the once. However, I do know that there are large portions of the place that are more or less impossible to move in during the winter, because of the snow and all. (As a side note to make the point about winter in those mountainous regions... we were at Crater Lake in Oregon in July on that trip, and while the air was reasonably warm by then, there was still enough un-melted snowdrifts around that my sister and I had a snowball fight!)

 

Anyway. Yellowstone is incredible. I'll have to see if I can get my old photos out of their album so I can scan them and post here. The darn thing got damaged in transit during my move earlier this summer, and while the pictures themselves seem to be in decent shape, the sleeves are messed up and may be stuck to them. But I'll try when I have time later in the day.

 

hah... where I live is extremely small compared to the U.S. If you hurried, you could probably trip across the country in less than a week by car.

I think it would be kind of nice to have suge a wide space to explore.

Our five week trip was done by car. Probably because the family started when I was so young (I was four, my sister was one), our camping "style" was to drive to somewhere, put up the tent, and then just hike around the campground area for however long we were there. When I was about six, I found a deer antler that had been shed right on the trail we were walking on. And of course, I was absolutely convinced it must have been one of Santa's reindeer that dropped it, lol!

[Ripan]

My home is pretty much the outdoors as it is; I'm from a small village in Swedish Lapland, so even though I very much enjoy spending time outside, sleeping in a tent or an ark (sort of a very small cabin that is transportable by snowmobile) it isn't such a huge deal. More like I decide one day that I want some fresh fish, so next morning I go (hiking, skiing, snowmobiling or by my own boat) to whatever lake that happens to have plenty of that particular fish I'd like. Or maybe I need to go look over some of the old cabins (I say cabin but from the outside they look more similar to hobbit holes) we've got, make sure they're holding up still. Therefore I don't have much of an idea how far some places are in distance, but only how long it's going to take to get there and back.

 

I've got my father to thank for always bringing me with him whenever he's been outside, fishing, getting fire wood for winter, showing me our lands, and possible ancient remains he's seen. Some of my earliest memories are riding the snowmobile with him out in the forests. I like it much more than the city life, but like I said it's not something I regard as particularly spectacular because it's natural.

But to be honest, usually I don't regard this by the term camping; nobody has ever called it that when we're out, it's just "Oh, they're not at home, they've gone out to (insert location). They should be back by sunday night.". Therefore my associations with the word "camping" come from tourists, like trailer campers.

Edited December 15, 2013 by Ripan

[senyi]

I definitely want to visit Yellowstone. What's a good time of year for it?

 

My family and I went towards the end of summer (early August) for about a week. The bison were impressive *~*

[Lila]

My home is pretty much the outdoors as it is; I'm from a small village in Swedish Lapland, so even though I very much enjoy spending time outside, sleeping in a tent or an ark (sort of a very small cabin that is transportable by snowmobile) it isn't such a huge deal. More like I decide one day that I want some fresh fish, so next morning I go (hiking, skiing, snowmobiling or by my own boat) to whatever lake that happens to have plenty of that particular fish I'd like. Or maybe I need to go look over some of the old cabins (I say cabin but from the outside they look more similar to hobbit holes) we've got, make sure they're holding up still. Therefore I don't have much of an idea how far some places are in distance, but only how long it's going to take to get there and back.

 

I've got my father to thank for always bringing me with him whenever he's been outside, fishing, getting fire wood for winter, showing me our lands, and possible ancient remains he's seen. Some of my earliest memories are riding the snowmobile with him out in the forests. I like it much more than the city life, but like I said it's not something I regard as particularly spectacular because it's natural.

But to be honest, usually I don't regard this by the term camping; nobody has ever called it that when we're out, it's just "Oh, they're not at home, they've gone out to (insert location). They should be back by sunday night.". Therefore my associations with the word "camping" come from tourists, like trailer campers.

Well I'm definitely jealous of you! Haha that sounds like a dream life for me.

[Twilight_Pink]

I don't like camping never have, never will.

Its too dirty for me :s

No toilet

No proper cooking appliances

No shower/bathtub

Bugs...ew :X I hate bugs >_<

[SpikeTheDragon]

I like camping! I don't mind camping in a tent.

[shadowgrr]

I don't know there are many, because I go every summer to a different one, since it's cheap. I would say that the best are the free ones at the beaches of Aegean sea islands (Folegandros, Ikaria, Allonisos etc.), the landscape it's so wild and beautiful and the waters are so warm (in addition with the Ionian islands where the waters are cold). I don't like Chalkidiki because the camps are all organised and very crouded (If you want to go to an organised camping, better go to a hotel or rent a room, organise camping isn't camping). And another good camp is the camping of the Aristotelian university, "Posidi". Even thought is organised it's good because of its sea and its people.

 

Anyways camping far from sea it's not for my taste and not very popular in my country, we prefer houses for the mountain, not tents.

Edited December 16, 2013 by shadowgrr

[casprrr]

Tent camping is the way to go. Most of my camping is done in either Iowa or Minnesota, and I try to camp at least a few times a year.

[Lila]

How do you all stay clean when you camp? I don't mind if I smell a bit, but greasy hair and an oily face really get on my nerves sometimes :s

[catstaff]

Most campgrounds I've stayed at have shower houses.

 

I've also used solar showers, or washed in a river on-site. A couple of times when there was a massive downpour happening, I'd put on a swimsuit and wash my hair in the rain.

[senyi]

I don't like camping never have, never will.

Its too dirty for me :s

No toilet

No proper cooking appliances

No shower/bathtub

Bugs...ew :X I hate bugs >_<

But it goes by soooooo fast.

 

However, I don't like packing up to leave. It's tedious :V

[edwardelricfreak]

I've never been camping but I've always wanted to go! I wouldn't even mind packing up for it- packing to leave would probably be the part I wouldn't like.

 

My boyfriend says we should go camping some time so who knows? o3o

 

I imagine for hygiene we'd find an area with showers...or maybe if it rains I can try the hair-washing-in-rain thing. There are also dry shampoos that I could try using...

 

Also I might be lame and bring my own toilet paper or something.

 

I just really like tents and campfires and want to go camping and then hike around and stuff.

[Ripan]

How do you all stay clean when you camp? I don't mind if I smell a bit, but greasy hair and an oily face really get on my nerves sometimes :s

Doesn't bother me that much, but yeah I'd like to at least wash off my face after sleeping. There's usually always some sort of watercourse or lake nearby wherever I go. If it's winter then melt some snow.

[DragonSpirit009]

Oh how I love camping!!

It brings back good childhood memories especially the ones where both family and friends came along.

 

I miss the sound of staying in the bushveld, where the wildlife usually kept you awake

[Tecca]

It's not specifically for camping only, but I have a book I love, The Worst-Case Scenario Survival Handbook by Joshua Piven and David Borgenicht. It has advice on how to deal with situations that may come up with camping, and other useful information too. There are step-by-step instructions and helpful diagrams, and the book can fit in a pocket. To be honest I don't really like camping and haven't done it in years, but if I did I wouldn't go without this book.

[Switch]

I've been camping maybe once or twice when I was younger, but I can't really remember them. All I know is I didn't like them. e_e

[Lila]

It's not specifically for camping only, but I have  a book I love, The Worst-Case Scenario Survival Handbook by Joshua Piven and David Borgenicht. It has advice on how to deal with situations that may come up with camping, and other useful information too. There are step-by-step instructions and helpful diagrams, and the book can fit in a pocket. To be honest I don't really like camping and haven't done it in years, but if I did I wouldn't go without this book.

Ooh, I'll have to find that for sure! Today I found a book called Glamping with Mary Jane, and I just got super duper excited about camping again. Ohhh, to be 18!!!!

Edited December 17, 2013 by Lila

[Nine]

I enjoy camping, but other visitors tend to ruin the good times with their garbage, littering, starting fires, overfishing, feeding wildlife, vandalism, burying bodies, meth labs, sacrificial cult gatherings, etc.

[Lila]

I enjoy camping, but other visitors tend to ruin the good times with their garbage, littering, starting fires, overfishing, feeding wildlife, vandalism, burying bodies, meth labs, sacrificial cult gatherings, etc.

If you're up to it, you should definitely try boondocking. You don't stay at an organized campground, so there's not a bustle of rude campers. But it definitely requires a lot more preparation, for sure. But I guess I'm just insanely obsessed with camping that none of this sounds intimidating

[Syaoransbear]

This is the camping spot we usually return to every year.

 

 

We put our tent a little farther into the bush and pull our small boat onto the rocks. At the top there's a firepit with some logs around it that probably some canoers made.