# What Made You Want To Start Camping?



## JerseyGirl86

I was just curious as to what made you get the camping bug? When I was a kid, I tent camped as a Girl Scout (not for me, BTW, too rustic







)...lived across from Parvins State Park and stayed at the cabins on Centerton Lake every year( a step up from tenting, but too many spiders and snakes!!!!!







) The lake had plenty of swimming, kids my age, campfires, just good old kid stuff...took a family vacation to Disney as a teen in a motorhome and we all HATED each other within the first hour.....and another motorhome trip to Florida to see my grandparents. So bad I almost ran away.

You'd think that I WOULDN'T want to camp but we always wanted to see the US, wanted my kids to have plenty of good and not so good memories of traveling in a TT, and I have terrible hotel-a-phobia paired with germ-a-phobia and have a nervous breakdown every time the kids walk barefoot in a hotel







. Mike traveled with his uncle across the country and also to Daytona and loved it. And so.............

That is what started the whole thing....well, that and our first sight of an Outback inside.







And you?????

Michele

EDIT: Here's a link to Parvins State Park and Centerton Lake...the link to the Lake are only postcards of what it once was. My step dad ran it for years, until they tore it down to put up a fancy subdivision!







But it's where I learned to swim, fish, ice skate, drive a golf cart, and play one great game of pool! I had several birthday parties in that yellow pavillion at the end of summer. I also ate WAY too much ice cream!

http://www.state.nj.us/dep/parksandforests/parks/parvin.html 
http://www.cardcow.com/109412/centerton-la...rsey-centerton/


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## Jack Hollister

For me, about 15 years ago, the love of trout fishing and the great outdoors……….About 5 years ago, I wanted to get my wife and kids out to go with me. We bought a Chalet “A” frame popup and have enjoyed camping ever since. This year is even better with our new Outback 210. LOVE IT….LOVE IT….LOVE IT ! ! ! ! !


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## The Stephensons

I didn't much like camping growing up - I think because, being the oldest, I was a teenager when my folks started taking the family camping. What? No showers? No place to plug in my curling iron? Sweat? My hair & clothes smelling like smoke? NO THANKS....

Then in college I tried a weekend getaway with 30 other kids and it rained all weekend, the girls tent fell down in the middle of the night, our sleeping bags and clothes were soaked - I was miserable and vowed never to camp again.

15 years later I married my husband and shortly after we moved to his "home" in Washington state - and what's one of the first things he wants to do (literally our first or second week here)? CAMP. We drove to our destination in the dark so I didn't see the scenery. Had to put up our little pup-tent by the light of the moon and the coleman lantern. We didn't have much else - sleeping bags, some long wire sticks (which I found out later were for the hotdogs we were going to eat all weekend) pit toilets, and a fire ring. I practically froze all night and cried to myself wondering what I had gotten myself into - but didn't complain to my new husband - just cuddled in to keep warm.

Well, the next morning I woke with the sun and the smell of coffee perculating and when I opened my tent I was literally stunned into silence. I had never seen anything more beautiful - the surrounding mountains in every direction glistening in the sunrise, a bald eagle flying above me, a waterfall in the distance. We were in the North Cascades and at that moment I fell in love with nature, the outdoors, and camping. We hiked, lived on hotdogs & smores, and had a great time - I couldn't wait to go camping again.

Of course I set down some rules like no more pit toilets and we upgraded to a tent where I could actually sorta stand up to get dressed, and I quickly found some good camping recipies - and that is how we camped for our first 12 years. Then we upgraded to pop-up tent trailer which we had for 7 years. And this weekend (YEAH!!) we're taking out our new (to us) Outback on her maiden voyage and I can't wait! I want my kids to experience camping at a very early age like my husband did, and have an appreciation of the outdoors and nature so we make camping as much fun as possible - they eagerly count down the days until our next camping trip and pack like a week in advance!

If I'm honest, I have to admit (only to myself, not to DH) that at times I miss the peace & quite and private locations that only tent camping seems to bring. I love to camp among the trees, in private, shady spots - not the open grassy fields or concrete pads next door to the big RV rigs.

Not to hi-jack this post, but for those of you in the Northwest, what are some of the more quieter and "tree'd" spots you'd recommend?

Cindy


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## OregonCampin

The Stephensons said:


> Not to hi-jack this post, but for those of you in the Northwest, what are some of the more quieter and "tree'd" spots you'd recommend?
> 
> Cindy


I can give you some great Oregon locations that we get our Outback into!!! We rarely stay in campgrounds!


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## egregg57

I went when I was in Scouts. I wasn't crazy about the canvas tents but getting outside like that and depending on yourself really felt kinda good.

When my wife and I got married I suggested that we try it. I had a tent and everything needed to go. Short of the outhouse. Once we came to that subject camping was an almost definate no!

Then we talked about the neighbors pop-up and did some looking. We ended up with a Kodiak Scamper Hybrid. Tina (my DW) loved it. Absolutely loved it.

After only one season in our Hybrid we ended up in a Springdale and then to the Outback.

Back to the subject, we were looking for something to do as a family. This turned out to be one of the best things we have ever done. From Washington DC to Maine we have explored and enjoyed our weekends and most of our vacations on some wooded camp site. Great times!!


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## Oregon_Camper

OregonCampin said:


> Not to hi-jack this post, but for those of you in the Northwest, what are some of the more quieter and "tree'd" spots you'd recommend?
> 
> Cindy


I can give you some great Oregon locations that we get our Outback into!!! We rarely stay in campgrounds!
[/quote]

SHHHHHHHHH.....don't go given away all the spots.


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## Oregon_Camper

I've been camping with my parents since i was 4 months old (or so they tell me)

I've never known anything else.....just in my blood.

For places in WA to "tree" camp, check out the Gifford Pinchot Nation Forest campgrounds. Most are dry and in some great areas. Lots of hiking...rock hounding...Geocaching..etc.

http://www.fs.fed.us/gpnf/


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## The Stephensons

OregonCampin said:


> Not to hi-jack this post, but for those of you in the Northwest, what are some of the more quieter and "tree'd" spots you'd recommend?
> 
> Cindy


I can give you some great Oregon locations that we get our Outback into!!! We rarely stay in campgrounds!
[/quote]

YES!! Please do! I should have said PLACES IN THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST!
Cindy


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## Shizon

Never, ever did anything like this before the OB. My brother-in-law bought a PUP and went from Phoenix to BC, Canada one year and said it was the best. My wife and I talked about it every once-in-a-while but not seriously. Then one day...

Brother in law gets married to second wife (yes he was now divorced from his first wife) and says the honeymoon is a camping trip up in NE Arizona and the family is invited, "Just bring a tent". Ha! We weren't about to spend 6 nights in the forest in a tent with a 5 year old, and a 3 year old. No showers, etc. This type of thing isn't for us, not to mention the lack of experience. So...

We start talking with the in-laws about renting an RV blah, blah, blah. One day they say, we just bought a TT, OB 25rs to be specific. So in order to keep up with the Jones's we bought one too, a 21RS. We had always taken family trips and stayed in hotels, but now 2 of the 3 families had trailers and so we didn't want to be left out.

5 years later and our second OB 28rsds, it is one of the best things we have done for family togetherness.

Sean


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## wolfwood

For us, the question is actually "What made us give up our tent?"

I started camping when I was 8yrs old. I talked my parents into sending me to horseback riding camp for 2 weeks in the Adirondack Mtns .... and then talked them into letting me stay for another 2 weeks .... and NEVER looked back!! My parents were absolutely NOT the "camping type" but I LOVED it!! I dreamed of summer all year so I could go to camp!!! 7 yrs as a camper at Girl Scout camp, then a counselor-in-training, counselor, Horse Program Director, Waterfront Director, Camp Ass't Director, Girl Scout Nat'l Center West staff, local Camp C'ttee member, and GS Council Staff. There was no place I was happier than at camp!! By the time I graduated from college, I had been camp staff in almost every US State!! Camping has been in my blood for 40+ years. Kathy followed much the same course although her parents also had a pop-up and they spent many summers in the Maine wilderness. (Oh - and she did backpacking in place of my horses & water







) In fact, we 1st met in 1972 as Counselors-in-Training at our local GS camp.

One of our 1st vacations, after moving our respective lives to NH 20 years ago, was a guided AMC trip into the northern reaches of NH. That was the beginning of nearly 20 years of wilderness canoe camping in the Rangely Lake Region of ME & NH (4 hr drive north + 3 hr paddle in = 1 or 2 wks of pure solitude







) As fate would have it, our bodies started that aging thing and the ground got harder (!) - even with the best quality pads between our hips/backs and those granite shards. Then, 4 yrs ago, we rented a Class C from CruiseAmerica and travelled thru Montreal, Quebec and southern Ontario for 2 weeks of Bagpiping and Dog Obedience & Agility competitions. We were hooked!! The camper left alot to be desired as it was a rental unit, but our 50yr old bodies REALLY liked NOT sleeping on the ground, plus having a bathroom w/in 10ft at 3am was _really_ nice







We had no idea what the 'camper market' really was - no idea whether we had just spent 2wks in the top or bottom of accomodations ... so went out to look (with absolutely NO intention to buy). Once we learned what was out there and what the pricing really was, we knew that we were NOT finished camping and we started looking for OUR camper. The Outback was actually the 1st camper we had looked at and we realized we had then compared all the others to that (coincidentally, we had also been comparing all other dealers to the dealer who had shown us the Outback). The rest is history and we smile - BIG cheeky smiles - every time we head out!!

Oh - and we still have our beloved tent, still use all the other gear in the OB, and take 8hr 1-day round trips (in the Miata) to our beloved Magalloway River and Lake Umbagog.


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## OregonCampin

Oregon_Camper said:


> Not to hi-jack this post, but for those of you in the Northwest, what are some of the more quieter and "tree'd" spots you'd recommend?
> 
> Cindy


I can give you some great Oregon locations that we get our Outback into!!! We rarely stay in campgrounds!
[/quote]

SHHHHHHHHH.....don't go given away all the spots.








[/quote]

I will make sure all GPS coordinates are at least a mile off - that way they will have to wander around trying to find the "right" camp site!







Hopefully they will have dirt bikes so the trip is more fun!


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## mswalt

I had never camped in my entire life. Not counting, of course, the times as a teenager we slept outdoors at the creek drinking beer.

Even after having been married for several years, camping never crossed my mind.

In 2000 I was diagnosed with cancer. Four surgeries later, my DW suggested, out of the blue, that we think about getting a trailer and go rving. Never considered it before. Her thought was that there were no guarantees in life, and knowing what I'd just gone through, we now realized how fragile life was and we needed to do something for our grandkids. So we went looking for a trailer.

I started my search online. Kind of had an idea what was out there, then we went looking at a couple local dealerships. Travelled a couple hours to the largest dealer in Texas, FunTime Rv, and found the Outback. We were sold! It was exactly what we thought we wanted.

Bought our first one, the 26RS, and had the Suburban wired for towing. Well, that lasted about 2 years.

We have now upgraded to a 3/4 ton Suburban, a pulling machine, and moved up to the 31RQS Sydney Edition. I have also upgraded my little Sonoma pickup to the Chevy Silverado one ton dually diesel, and are now looking at upgrading to a larger, fifth wheel. Who would have thought 5 years ago that this life would have appealed to us?!

We really enjoy rving.....not necessarily "camping" as we enjoy all the amenities, but we're hooked.

Next step, 5th wheel!

Mark


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## puffer

Camping gives me a excuse to drink beer for 3 days straight and the wife usually doesnt notice.


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## Lmbevard

When I was a kid, Dad hated camping. Said he stayed in a tent for too long in WWII, but he did buy a tent that hooked up to the back of the Ford Station Wagon we had. the only time we went camping was down to Lake of the Ozarks. Dad wanted to park in one place but Mom like another place down towards the trees. Ended up parking sloping every which way but straight. Us kids were ok except having to listen to dad snore but dad slept on the up hill side and keep rolling on mom. First and last time we camped together, but I liked it. Tent camped as a teen with friends and in College tent camped for 6 weeks out west. Bought a 1968 VW campmobile and loved it so when I finally got married and had kids we tried tent camping once but decided that was too much like work so got an old Colman Popup for $600 and used it almost every day off during the summer to get away. We made the rule that everything electronic had to be turned off when we entered the campground and we had to figure out how to entertain ourselves. We would hike, swim, bird watch, play guitar and sing or read. My DW and I still love to camp just to get away from the house and just chill, eventhough we now watch TV and love to go to Goodwills and buy 88c VCR tapes to bring back and watch. Found some strange shows that way. looking forward to retiring in 5 years and just enjoy the outdoors.


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## chillaxin

We wanted to do something "different" as a family, so we bought a tent last April and set out for James River State Park for two nights of "roughing it". After the first night, we were all hooked! Our second trip in the tent, it rained, and we were like this stinks! So, a few weeks later, we bought a pop up. By the end of the camping season, DW decides that it would be cool if we didn't have to waste so much time setting up and taking down the pup. She said, "I wish we could just pull up to our site, plug in, and start relaxing..." That was wife talk for, "I want a travel trailer!" Needless to say, by the time this Feb. rolled around, we had purchased our OB. So in 10 months, we went from "never been camping" to our 21rs, and it's the best investment we've ever made!


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## ember

DH tent camped cross country with his parents and 8 siblings in the late '70's, I was a farmgirl, never camped (although now I think about it the old farmhouse wasn't much more than a camp). When our son was 10 he won a 2 man tent in a raffle, just days before BIL and his DW arrived from the PNW for a couple weeks visit, and they were WAY into camping, so DH, DS and myself bailed into our 2 man tent, started pouring about the time we got to sleep, soon had a river running through the tent, and had just got that remedied (relocated the tent) a racoon fell out of a tree above us directly onto the tent flattening it on impact with all 3 of us inside!! It was barely daylight, but we were glad the night was over!! Although our son spent the better part of the next 3 summers in his tent in our backyard, DH and I never again considered tent camping!! We went each year to the "camper show", looked at all kinds of campers until we were totally confused, then gave up looking til the next year came, and we started all over again (all the local dealers know us). Then just 2 years ago on the 4th of July, FIL told us he was terminal, Dr.'s thought 3-5 years, he died before the end of the month, FIL's sister went in for routine procedure in August, and died!! We had talked alot with Aunt Fran about her "camper" and the fun she had. She and Uncle Reg had lost track of how many times they had traveled from VT to AZ and back, on different routes, including rte 66. My SIL had worked with Aunt Fran for a number of years, and was as devastated by her death (and Dad's) organized a let's support Ember and Stacey campout at our house ( I am the baby sister, and had had a tough month) so she, one sister, and one niece came with their campers, others with tents, and others slept on our fold out sofa. Stacey and I checked out everyone's camper, and saw how they used them and enjoyed that weekend more than any we had in along time!! So we went back to the rv dealers, and talked seriously with the salesmen we had plagued with random questions for years and on August 28th Jim showed us our first Outback, and we were sold, we signed papers on the 29th, and met my SIL who had planned the campout at our local fairgrounds for the Willie Nelson, concert and surprised them by taking them over to our camper!! She was blown away!! the following Feb we traded in the first OB for our 2nd and current OB The Abi-One.
WE LOVE IT! and as my Dad said when he "toured" The Abi-One, you can pull this anywhere and wake up at home, and that is just how we feel about it. 
SORRY FOR THE LONG POST!! I can't make a long story short!!
TTFN
Ember

Live for Today, cuz, noone promised you Tomorrow!!


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## Shizon

It's amazing to hear everyone's story.

Two things I think many non-rvers don't understand are the family experience and the amenities of the OB. As an elementary teacher, I can't tell you how many kids have no connection to stories about wilderness and many times no stories about family trips. As for the amenities, one co-worker made a comment about hotel vs. trailer along the lines of "...compared to your trailer..." meaning the hotel is nicer. I said, "Ah, you haven't seen my trailer." My OB feels like a beach house when I can hear and smell the ocean, or a cabin in the woods, with the smell of pine and redwood; I get to take my vacation home wherever I go!

Sean


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## JerseyGirl86

puffer said:


> Camping gives me a excuse to drink beer for 3 days straight and the wife usually doesnt notice.


Not the heart warming reply I was looking for, but honest, VERY honest.


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## JerseyGirl86

Shizon said:


> It's amazing to hear everyone's story.
> 
> Two things I think many non-rvers don't understand are the family experience and the amenities of the OB. As an elementary teacher, I can't tell you how many kids have no connection to stories about wilderness and many times no stories about family trips. As for the amenities, one co-worker made a comment about hotel vs. trailer along the lines of "...compared to your trailer..." meaning the hotel is nicer. I said, "Ah, you haven't seen my trailer." My OB feels like a beach house when I can hear and smell the ocean, or a cabin in the woods, with the smell of pine and redwood; I get to take my vacation home wherever I go!
> 
> Sean


You are so right Sean!!! NO ONE in our family has a TT or camps, so when we got ours they laughed...saying "Oh Lord, here go the Griswolds family vacation!" But when they stepped inside, heard our first stories of camping and the fact that we still liked each other when we got back, they ate their words.

I tell my kids that when they grow up, hopefully they'll realize how lucky they were to travel and travel in style, and do the same with their kids. We will then be affectionally known as OutbackersGrandparents.com







Right now, my oldest thinks it's a sort of punishment to camp.....he would've NEVER lasted at the cabins we used to stay at!!!


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## Calvin&Hobbes

Former Scout here, 4 years and made it to "Star"... Next stop was Eagle, but I discovered something along the way that impeded that goal...girls.

Spent many many years camping in a tent, and prided myself on being able to lug everything with me so I could camp in the wilderness. Along that route, I wanted to camp in more extreme areas- Mount Washington, Tukermans ravine, etc. Problem was, the same impedment that prevented me from my Eagle designation, wasn't too keen on roughing it either. So, after a few years of non- camping, getting married and longing to camp again, started looking at options. From there we went from pop-up, fifth wheel, smaller travel trailer to the current RQS.

Now, when we camp at our local state park, I see the tent campers...and have a soft spot for them. I remember the smells, sounds and feelings one has when you tent camp..... and then I smell the automatic coffee pot kick in, hear the kids pattering around the camper. I take a deep breath, bundle up the covers under my chin, roll over on my foam mattress topper- smile and drift off.........


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## Shizon

C&H,
The last part, about the coffee pot is so true. We we're just out over 4th of July weekend. Surrounded by tents and thought someday maybe we'll just try the tent thing...then the morning came. Heater, coffee, no wind or dew all over,we're such wimps lol. But like many before me have said, DW wouldn't even consider a tent so I'll just "suffer" in the OB. Ha!
Sean


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## clarkely

Only went in a pop up once as a kid....................Parents hated it and swore never again.....................

Used to go to a Wilderness Camp and stayed in a tent as a kid........................Some great memories and life forming experiences there...........

But i have to agree with Puffer on his reasoning...............no just kidding...........

Got a Deal on an '85 Fleetwood Terry Manor...............Road







, inspected everything worked.................just old and musty..........an ex-employee was in complaining he couldn't get rid of it..............told him i had 500.00 on me..............take it or leave it..........he took it







, so..........500.00 later we started camping









Never told the DW...............told her i was coming home with a suprise for the family...........at the time a 4 yr old, 3 yr old boy, and an infant girl...........

Her face a gasp as the thing creaked to no end as i back in................her reply...........uhhhhhh whats this...............we don't camp..........my reply.................we do now









After some discussion, moth balls and chlorox.............i convinced her we should try it...........it will be some awesome family experiences and memories.....

After our first Trip................my camp Princess was Sold!! and the search for the right newer camper with in our budget was on..........year & 1/2 later it was found.

Fast forward to our camping trip to Florida a year ago...........she says i am crazy..........i tell her bad memories are still memories...........she says four kids 9 and under to florida and back.......I say yes...........result Best Vacation we ever Had!!!

You can't beat Camping!!!!

ON EDIT: She did make me get a new larger camper (our Outback) For our trip................ I think she has the bug as well


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## The Stephensons

Calvin&Hobbes said:


> Now, when we camp at our local state park, I see the tent campers...and have a soft spot for them. I remember the smells, sounds and feelings one has when you tent camp..... and then I smell the automatic coffee pot kick in, hear the kids pattering around the camper. I take a deep breath, bundle up the covers under my chin, roll over on my foam mattress topper- smile and drift off.........


I guess being from the PNW we just HAD to have coffee no matter where we happened to be ... even tent camping. DH has a huge perculator (something like 36 cups) that goes over the fire first thing every mornig - it's like part of the family - got it when we tent-camped; stayed with us when we upgraded to the pop-up, and it's coming with us with the trailer this weekend (our first time out with our new to us 25rss).


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## Nathan

I grew up taking summer vacations. My parent's did the same as kids. My grandmother can remember pulling the mud out of the wooden spoke tires on their car in the Dakota's as a child..... They towed a custom built trailer. I guess you could say it is in my blood.









I just couldn't imagine my children missing the experiences. Even at age 2, DD really enjoyed the trip. She won't rember it when she's my age, but it was just a building block into a lifestyle of understanding what is really important (read: Family, nature, etc....).


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## JerseyGirl86

clarkely said:


> Only went in a pop up once as a kid....................Parents hated it and swore never again.....................
> 
> Used to go to a Wilderness Camp and stayed in a tent as a kid........................Some great memories and life forming experiences there...........
> 
> But i have to agree with Puffer on his reasoning...............no just kidding...........
> 
> Got a Deal on an '85 Fleetwood Terry Manor...............Road
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> , inspected everything worked.................just old and musty..........an ex-employee was in complaining he couldn't get rid of it..............told him i had 500.00 on me..............take it or leave it..........he took it
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> , so..........500.00 later we started camping
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Never told the DW...............told her i was coming home with a suprise for the family...........at the time a 4 yr old, 3 yr old boy, and an infant girl...........
> 
> Her face a gasp as the thing creaked to no end as i back in................her reply...........uhhhhhh whats this...............we don't camp..........my reply.................we do now
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> After some discussion, moth balls and chlorox.............i convinced her we should try it...........it will be some awesome family experiences and memories.....
> 
> After our first Trip................my camp Princess was Sold!! and the search for the right newer camper with in our budget was on..........year & 1/2 later it was found.
> 
> Fast forward to our camping trip to Florida a year ago...........she says i am crazy..........i tell her bad memories are still memories...........she says four kids 9 and under to florida and back.......I say yes...........result Best Vacation we ever Had!!!
> 
> You can't beat Camping!!!!
> 
> ON EDIT: She did make me get a new larger camper (our Outback) For our trip................ I think she has the bug as well


I've had the same look on my face as your DW when Mike has pulled into the driveway with some VERY interesting vehicles!







Thank God we all learn to upgrade!

As for your trip to Florida....she was right saying you were crazy driving 4 little kids there and back! We drove our 3 down there in a minivan!!







We were green and hated each other by the time we made it there. Then hit a cold spell where it was 40 degrees there but 55 in NJ????







Still great, the bad, the good, and the ugly...but we will NEVER drive to Disney again!


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## fourwalls

My Grandparents (both sides) camped, My parents camped, We camp, Our kids camp, Our Grandson is now camping. I warms my heart to hear that little 3 year old voice in the back seat Yell Camper MawMaw







He has even learned to distinguish the difference in the types of campers.







We have always enjoyed the outdoors and are trying the hardest to keep the blood line going. My DH has always been supportive of my addiction to camping. He has been great to pull or drive what ever I have drug home. Our SIL is our most resent victim of the family habit. He had a funny look on his face when he first stepped in the fiver. He said he saw nothing like this in the scouts. And thought he could handle this style of camping. My DD took that as a go ahead and 3 days later they had their first tt. Now he is the one planning and scheduling their trips. And the tradition continues.


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## psychodad

Growing up I tent camped with friends in their back yard. Never having camped before I thought it was pretty cool. Then we progressed to camping in the woods and other secluded spots. Didn't camp again untill married with children. Son wanted to try it so we bought a tent and some accesseries. We started "camping" right beside the house at first. He wasn't to sure about it. We gradually moved further away from the house untill he was ready to try a nearby SP. He loved it. He would find other kids to hang around with all day. I saw him when he was hungry and bed time. As he got older (Teens) he lost interest. I could not get the DW and DD interested, untill DD started dating a guy who camped. I talked DW into trying it (tent) with DD, boyfirend and his family. Of course it rained the entire weekend. DW was a trouper. With others in our group with TT's and pop ups, she said she would like it if we had a pop up. So we found a used one, then graduated to our current OB. And they camped happily ever after.


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## rdvholtwood

I started as a boy scout, then continued camping as a scout leader. Initially, when I met Donna, her whole family camped and so we spent many a weekend at her parents seasonal site. We eventualty bought a used tent and started our journey as a family camping. After 11 years of tenting, we moved up to a pop-up and stayed in that for 18 years. The pop-up (a coleman shenandoah) was getting too much for us to setup plus not having AC, bathroom, etc.... we decided if we wanted to keep camping we should move up to a TT. We found our new outback at the Hershey PA show last fall......

Funny, now that its just the two of us, we have this big (to us) TT - while we spend many years in the pop-up with the kids!


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## N7OQ

My parents took us camping all the time we camped in a tent, some times at a campground and some times we would just drive down a old logging road and camp there. The Boondocking was the most fun way to camp and wish I could do that here in California. Everyone in my familt still goes camping and some time we get together and camp, we all love it.


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## ember

Hey Jersey Girl,
Just thought I'd thank you for starting such a GREAT thread!! I'm really enjoying reading how everyone got started!


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## jnk36jnk

When Mt St Helens blew up my mother said she had just outlived her rival. My father was actually late to his own wedding because he was camping/fishing in the Spirit Lake area. He 'convinced' my city girl mom to become a tent camper, which we did quite often during my childhood. The smell of a canvas tent still brings back memories. Dean, on the other hand, camped without benefit of tent or sleeping bag with his family, mostly at the beach. They would just throw blankets on the sand!! I swear he has a degree in tarp hanging honed from long experience camping in the rain. We spent our honeymoon camping with borrowed equipment. All our children grew up in a canvas tent. When they all left and we finally had a little extra money we bought the first pop up, basically a bed on wheels. I could no longer manage the air mattress. We then went through the various steps up until we ended up with the fifth wheeler we have now, that actually has a fireplace inside! All the rest of my family continue in their tents, and are a little dismayed at our version of camping. It does my heart good though to see all the little campers following in my father's footsteps. He would have been very pleased about that. Dean & Jodi


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## WACOUGAR

I really like this thread. It's fun to read what has led people to where they are now in their camping adventures.

For me and our family, it really starts it two directions. For me growing up, my family always camped, but always in some sort of RV. My parents (and their parents before them) stared in some sort of basic trailer. I remember with my family it was a very small trailer when I was small and then they moved to a cab over camper. We used to take that to the Colorado River all the time to go water skiing for weekends and used it when my brother was racing motocross. They then moved up to a small motorhome. Basically, this was the way we vactioned when I was young because we just didn't have the money for fancy vacations with airfare and hotels. Besides we lived 20 minutes to Disneyland so that was no big deal. My parents just kept moving up in their RV's and they are now in a very nice Alpenlite 5th wheel that they take on very long trips whenever they can. To me, this was the way to travel.

For Vic, he went was a Boy Scout and did the camping in tents, etc... Then when he was in high school he moved to Mammoth in the Sierras and started backpacking. So his version of camping and mine were quite different. Tiny little tube tent, down sleeping bag, freeze dried food, and probably places that I will never see because I just won't camp that way.

Fast forward to when we got married. We started tent camping in CA. We did this for quite a number of years and enjoyed it. Then when I was 7 months pregnant with our second child, we went tent camping with a large group at a group camp site. There was one pit toilet. All you females probably know how many times you have to get up at night to go to the bathroom when you are 7 months pregnant and when you have to go to the pit toilet that is being share by 25 people, now there's a problem. By the end of the weekend, I told Vic that if we were to camp again, I needed a bed off the ground and a decent bathroom.

A couple of years later, we decided we needed to do an inexpensive vacation, so we rented a tent trailer. We ended up really liking it and did it again the next year. The following year, we bought a really nice tent trailer with king beds and a potty and shower. We used the heck out of that thing for about 6 years. We then decided we got enough use out of an RV to warrant the cost of a travel trailer. That led us to the Cougar. We have really enjoyed being able to camp more in the late fall and early spring and even the winter.

The kids sometimes complain that we haven't taken them to Disneyland or Hawaii. But we just tell them that they have been to Yellowstone, The North Cascades, the Oregon Coast, British Columbia, Banff and Jasper and so many other places that most of their friends have never been or heard of. They have plenty of time for these other popular places. We have enjoyed the campfires, hiking, nature, beauty that you just don't get at a resort.

Kelly


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## JerseyGirl86

Kelly~

It's funny that you mentioned the pit toilet. My grandmom grew up VERY poor West Virginia...one of 18!!!! Her poor mom....







Anyway, when we told her we were gonna start camping she said. "Don't ever ask me to go! Using that outhouse for 17 years was enough camping for me!"

She was so upset I was going to take the kids camping until she saw the Outback. Didn't realize how many different forms of camping there are. Now she says she'd sell her house and just live in our Outback...calls it "fancy living".









BTW Ember... I was always curious why we all started and just realized I never asked!! So thanks...I love the responses we're getting!









Michele


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## Cj45

OK, since I see that maybe it wasn't the answer to the question asked, I'll edit my previous wordy response:
We started camping as a family because both of us grew up doing it and we had fond memories of it. We also wanted to travel and decided that this was the way we wanted to go. By the time you pay for the camper and the gas and everything else, I'm not certain it's really cheaper than going to a hotel, but personally I don't much like hotels, even nice ones. They seem sterile to me, and I like to have my own 'stuff' with me when I travel--and I like to cook some of my own food, too. We also like being outside, and the whole camping experience. So that's why we do it.
Better?


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## JerseyGirl86

You mean to tell me all the members we have on a CAMPING forum and no one wants to talk about what made them want to camp?!?! JEEZ!!!


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## battalionchief3

1 What made me want to camp is MONEY!!!! I figured that is was cheaper in the long run to take 5 people camping then to get a hotel and eat out.

2 I did it as a kid and enjoyed it. Lots of good memories.

Their, simple and too the point. Just like me


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## anne72

I always liked the adventure of camping, though my parents never took me growing up. I always went with friends and said when I was old enough I'd have my own camper. My husband grew up camping and has many fond memories, we wanted to give our kids those same memories. We tent camped for a while and when it rained for 8 days straight and everything was soaked, I said no more in a tent, time for a camper. When we found our Outback we were sold, wouldn't trade it for anything. It's a more affordable vacation and we get to see so much, love it!!!


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## amyk

NEVER did anything outdoorsy growing up=--stepmom's idea of camping was the holiday inn lol

fast forward to my ex--he's the one who really got me into it--started out camping in tents w air mattresses and pads at least, then I was working weekends at a ski resort and he got tired of not seeing me, so we bought an old 85 30" RV-we called it the "beast" but it worked well for our 4 combined kids and two dogs and ski gear. Well, we when split, he bought out my half of the Beast, and I was left with tenting---which was ok til we took a road trip to Florida for the week with family in the condo, and then figured we'd stop at some cgs on the coast on the way up north.

Slept in a two man tent in VA Beach---right near the air force base apparently---and it was sooo blamed hot that we couldn't sleep--not that the jets starting at 6 am and then coming back around 11pm would let us even if we weren't melting! I swore that if I'd had a car that could take a hitch (not likely on a mercedes coupe lol) that I was gonna buy a camper and to heck with this tenting thing!!

Two weeks after we got home, made our maiden towing voyage in a colemen popup WITH AIR CONDITIONING LOLOL and we were sold--now don't get me wrong, we've loaded up a canoe and towed it with our jetski to some remote islands (the lakes in upstate NY are famous for their campground islands--boat only lol) and enjoyed some fantastic views from the tent

well fast forward again to a few years ago when I was hospitalized for 10 days after having two strokes (at 36 mind you!!) and seeing my daughter cry while I laid in ICU, and I vowed to never take another day for granted....so this year, we decided while in Fla for xmas (since the last one was spent alone crying in the hospital) to take a road trip---who knows if I'll be here next week, let alone 5 years from now....so we upgraded the popup to an OB, and off we went....was a great way to see the country, and it's a trip I'll know neither of us will forget....was an amazing experience

when people say--oh that's not camping, my answer is---well, we get to go where we want, it's my bed, my sheets, my towels, oh and yeah, I get to cook so save the cost of both the hotel itself and all the unhealthy restaurant, expensive eating!! and of top of it, I can take my daughter's friends, our dog and our two cats, bring a bunch of stuff, stop along the way and sleep in our own beds and then enjoy the outdoor tv and awning!!! On top of it, I have something to show for my money when Im done---instead of in Paris Hilton's wasteful hands!! lol


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## BoaterDan

1. Fond childhood memories.

2. Grew up on 85 acres and now live on 1/10 an acre - GOTTA get out of the city regularly or I go crazy!


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