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Posted 10/30/2009 12:21 PM (GMT 0)
tongue   tongue   Hi every body ... and happy friday .. wooo hooo..

We are going camping this weekend. I am so excited to go .. no Tv for two whole days. LOL..

I figure we all have camping storys.. anybody feel like sharing ?

you know how you always forget something .. or something funny happens.

how about we share our story's

and where do you go camping ?

Posted 10/30/2009 1:15 PM (GMT 0)

Okay..here it goes.  When we lived in VA Beach the hubby decided he missed the camping and fishing we could do easily in Upstate NY.  We got on the Inter Net and found a camp ground that had three trout ponds on the property.  He decided he wanted to look at the place first, so we went in April to check this place out, planning on spending a week there over Labor Day.  In April, it was empty of campers and looked okay to him...wooded...the ponds were lovely and the campsites were not right on top of each other.  We give the woman money to hold a site he picked.

The night before we are to go, I went grocery shopping.  Hubby was working until Midnight and we lived in an apartment complex.  Pull into the complex parking lot, reach behind me to grab a bag of potatoes out of the back seat and my back went into a spasm.  Somehow I got out of the car but fell to my knees, then laid on the cement.  It was about ten o'clock at night.  No one could hear me crying, or see me laying there.  It took me an hour but I finally crawled along the sidewalk then up three flights of stairs.  Okay...fast forward...we had paid for this camping site and no refunds after 48 hours...I'm going!

The pain was excruitating and the drive to the camp ground about killed me.  We get there...It's Labor day weekend...pull into the campsite and it looked like Woodstock.  A bazillion people with kids and dogs and the owners had assigned THREE families to each individual site.  Our site had a family with three dogs and five children...a couple and their mother who were fighting when the hubby set up his tent and kept screaming about how the divorce papers were in the mail...and three men who looked like the cast of Deliverence right in front of us whose tent spikes actually touched ours.  A kid kept driving his big wheel across the floor of our tent as my husband tried to pitch it.  The dogs were in cages and the father put up a big monster fan it front of them because it was hotter than the hinges of hell...the blades were rusty and made a sounded  like  an old fence caught in the wind.

Get the tent up...Hubby says let's get out of here and find a resturant to eat in...I'm not cooking here.  Pull out of the place...turn right and I am not kidding you.  Not as much as a gas station for over sixty miles.  Does he turn around...no.  Keep on going until we ended up in North Carolina.  Eat...come back and they are having a western jamboree about twenty yards from us.  I am in agony...the hubby had blown up my air mattress before we left and all I wanted to do was lay down.  The music is making the walls of the tents shake.  I walk into the dark tent...because I cannot bend at the waist I just drop where I though the mattress was.  I do so...

The air had leaked out of the mattress and I fell like a dead tree in the forest onto hard, cold ground with a flat piece of plastic to break my fall.  I stayed there all night...did not move...wet my pants from the shock (how gross but I literally could not move) and prayed for God to take me...LOL!  Got up the next day, found out Princess Di had died on route to the the office and demanded our money back, as no one had told us three tents were going to be pitched on one small site.  Or that there would be a band playing all night long.  Or that there would be one rest room for about 500 campers.  Or that children wuld be allowed to throw firecrackers at the tents.  Got our money...that was the end of camping in campgrounds forever.

However...we are back in NY state and have had such a good time camping with friends in the woods.

That's my story, Spirit and I am sure you will not experience anything like that.  It's impossible.  Nightmare like that only happen once!  Have a great time!

Huggies

Donna

Posted 10/30/2009 2:15 PM (GMT 0)

My idea of "camping" is to find a good deal at a luxury hotel and pamper myself with a bubble bath, get into a thick, soft robe and slippers that the hotel leaves for me, eat the chocolate that was left on my pillow and sleep in a luxuriously wonderful bed that someone else prepared for me! Camping? No, never once in my life...but I do hope that you enjoy every second of it...sounds like you are really looking forward to it...have fun!!

Miriam

Posted 10/30/2009 2:17 PM (GMT 0)
We were almost arrested for trespassing one night. My BIL's family owned land on a big lake and we asked if some friends and us could go camping there one weekend, sure no problem. It was late at night when we got to the property, four families with campers and 8 sleepy kids. A county sheriff pulls in right behind us and I explain who I am and that we had permission to be there, not good enough, he has the dispatcher or who ever to call my BIL and they don't answer the phone, this was before cell phones. We were a 100 miles from home and he was going to make us leave and I'm racking my brain trying to remember some of my BIL's brother's names cause I knew one of them was a state police. This was also before fibro and I had a memory and I remembered his brother's name was Gene and he had them call him and explain who I was and he said it was okay if we camped there. I guess they had a lot of problems with trespassers and people partying there. My BIL could have told us this before we went. We never asked to go back there to camp.

 

luv and hugs

Marlee

Posted 10/30/2009 6:24 PM (GMT 0)
Well, I'm kind of like Miriam.  I've never been camping.  I don't even like to eat lunch outside at those cute cafe's because I don't like bugs flying around my food.  After reading Donna's experience--well that would be my big fear--being so close to lunies shocked   Have a wonderful time.  Many of my friends look forward to their camping trips.  And I hope the weather is perfect for you.

 

 

Posted 10/31/2009 4:15 PM (GMT 0)
My husband had always wanted to go camping.  I'm the type of person that doesn't go anyplace that doesn't have room service.  But, I gave in because he wanted to go so badly.  We were going with another couple to Cook Forest in Pennsylvania. 

 

I spent Friday frying up chicken, making all sorts of foods, rented a cot, since they didn't have air mattresses at the time and I refused to sleep in a sleeping bag on the ground, packed sheets, blanket, pillow and pillow case, and of course the tent.  I remembered pots and pans, charcoal, charcoal lighter, mosquito coils, and fixings for S'mores.  I was sooo upset because there wasn't enough room to pack my lawn chair!  As you can see, that's my idea of "roughing it".  My husband was laughing about it and called a local radio station to tell them what I was doing and the DJ was razzing me over the radio.

We were late to the campsite and the only spot left was next to the outhouse-type latrine.  They had two bathrooms with flush toilets but those spots went fast, I imagine.  We set up the tent, wandered around the woods to get away from the lovely scent near our campsite, ate the food I brought, and started our war with mosquitoes.  They won so we went in the tent to sleep.  I was so uncomfortable and just laid there until I, unfortunately needed to use the bathroom.  I headed up the trail to the outhouse and I was about ten feet from the door when I saw IT!  IT was the biggest black bear I had ever seen!  It was rummaging through the garbage can by the outhouse.  No one was awake so it was me and the bear.  I very slowly turned and very slowly walked back to the tent, went in and planned on how soon we could leave in the morning. 

My husband, bless his heart, never asked me to go camping with him again.

Sherrine 

Posted 10/31/2009 9:02 PM (GMT 0)
I grew up campng with my family in northern New England, My Mom was from Alaska and really instilled the love of the outdoors in all us kids - my Dad liked tent sleeping and campfires and gadgets and cooking outdoors, so it was a match made in heaven. Also now, living in Alaska, I will still sleep in a tent in a quiet area without bear sign, in a cabin, or in an RV. Either way, I love to camp beside a running river (the bigger the better!), so I can fall asleep and feel the ground humming and the water rushing by. I need a lot of padding under me for sleeping! I am terrified of bears, which really curtails camping here for me. One of my cousins was camping a few years ago in his tent, in central Alaska on a mining job site. He awoke in the middle of the night to what felt like someone shaking his tent, as if someone had walked into it or tripped over its stakes. Then he felt a giant weight right on top of him like someone had fallen on him - he jumped up screaming and the bear he had scared took off running. They tracked him thru the brush and over the tundra the next day and found that the poor bear didn't stop running for eight miles!

My other camping story which, unfortunately, was the last time I went camping with both my parents, happened in Maine when I was about ten. My parents had been arguing in the car (a five hour drive), it was muggy and sultry, probably 95% humidity, 90 degrees. When we finally got the tent and things set up at our favorite coastal Maine campground site we noticed two things: it was really, really quiet, and only one other site was occupied. We thought it was because of the intense summer heat, so we went to the river and had a long, terrific, cooling swim. I'll never forget how good that river felt! Walked back, very tired, ate a campfire dinner and crawled into bed. about midnight, we woke up to horrifying loud booms. It sounded like the end of the world. There was a huge thunderstorm right above us. Tree branches, and then whole trees, were coming down all around. Trees burst into flame from lightning strikes. Then it started to flood. Suddenly we had three inches of water, then five, on the tent floor before we got it taken down! By the time we got everything packed up again the wind was gusting beyond gale force. We found out, when checked into the motel 50 miles away, that Hurricane Belle had hit our area square on that night and that's why no one was there! Lesson learned: always check the weather before you leave!
Posted 10/31/2009 10:37 PM (GMT 0)
We drove over two hours to our favorite camping area. We took everything out of the truck and we getting settled in. That's when we realized my husband had forgotten to pack the tent poles.

We rigged a tarp over the back of the truck and slept there, it turned out fine after all.
Posted 10/31/2009 10:47 PM (GMT 0)
A few years ago we joined the insanity and became "Black Friday" campers. You camp out in from of Best Buy on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving and spend Thanksgiving in the parking lot so you can be at the front of the line on Friday morning for the bargains.

It's a lot more fun than it sounds and we really enjoy our family time together away from the electronic distractions at home. Friends and relatives stop by for a visit and everyone watches us on TV because they always show the "crazy" people waiting in line.

A few years ago we left for a few hours in the afternoon on Thanksgiving. We were second in line and knew the people in front and behind us. While we were gone, the local news crew came by and were interviewing the campers. Our tent neighbors covered for us and told the news crew we were sleeping in our tent. Suddenly, a large gust of wind swept away our empty tent. It was hysterical! It was shown on every news cast for the next few days.

Unfortunately, some out-of-town family members are visiting for Thanksgiving this year so we'll miss the fun.
Posted 11/1/2009 6:56 PM (GMT 0)
My hubby and I used to do alot of camping in the 70's. We really enjoyed the survivor

type camping, really roughing it.  We would go to remote locations where you would have

to backpack it in and haul your own water. We always went with another couple.

We once went to South Manitou Island in Lake Michigan. A small group of campers

maybe a dozen were dropped off by a very small ferry boat. The island was 7 square

miles and the terraine was high cliffs, big sand dunes, meadows, woods and beach.

During the week we really didn't see the other campers. We were given a map with

a designated area to find. Lots of hiking to get to our campsite.

Weeks prior to our trip there was a lot of rain so that meant there were too many

mosquitos and huge horseflies that could eat you alive. The only way you could escape

was to climb the sand dunes. It was windy and I forgot sunglasses. I had sand coming

out of my eyes for days. It was the most difficult and memorable camping trip I was

ever on. Never got to go swimming, the water was to cold and I turned blue!

Robin

 

Posted 11/1/2009 9:25 PM (GMT 0)
My idea of camping includes an air mattress, some very warm blankets, a thick foam mat, and at least one cuddly friend to share it all with!
Posted 11/1/2009 10:22 PM (GMT 0)
Camping I love it. Now we have been camping now for about 20 years and we have at last got everything we need. As the kids tell us we now have it easy when we go camping. We have a generator so we have electricty so we take a small fridge and lights. Then there are the beds our streachers have springs on them. We have two tables that we take they both fold up soare easy to take with. Then there is the tarps we put up over everything. We take about 3 hours to pack it all in the back of our pick up. Then it takes about 3 hours to set it all up when we arrive but we are comfortable when we finally have it all together. Then we eat only to find out I have left the sugar behind, the forks, or the bread you name it I have left it behind. When we go camping with the family it is fine because if one of us leaves something behind someone else will have it. Until the last time when we all left the sugar and salt behind.

Now our kids want to borrow everything when they go camping. One daughter in law who has just started to camp with us wants to have everything we have and is buying like mad to get this set up. Well when we told her it had taken us over 20 years to get all this. We told her about how we started with two small tents and a few other things and we camped on the beach. nNoting like camping with 10 kids a small cover over everything and rain sets in and they change clothes every few minutes and you can get nothing dry.

No camping at our age with no kids at home we deserve a little bit of luxury now. And to make it even better we camp on OUR private land and we have no neighbours. One year I took photos of the group and showed friends they wanted to know where the camp site was we had 10 tents and a camper and not everyone was staying there. Camping in the family means everyone comes even friends and we all share the food the kids and the washing up is done on a roster. I can just sit back and relax and even have a roast meal I do not have to cook. Yes this is the life.

Kathy

Posted 11/4/2009 10:28 AM (GMT 0)
I grew up camping.. and love it. I met my hubby and found out he has GASP.. never been camping!! So wrong when you live in Wisconsin. It is mandatory! But they lived on a milking farm and couldn't really leave.. and the fact that his parents are so NOT the camping type. So I finally talked him into it when our kids were about 5 & 3.
We borrowed a friends tent and all their camping gear and went 3 hours away to a place I remembered as a kid. It was mid July.. so of course it was 99 million degrees out. We had no clue how to set up our friends tent.. and no directions.. it was one of those 3 room tents.. not easy. As we are just starting to get the hang of it..one of our twins (5 at the time) comes up and says her tummy hurts. Then immediately throws up all over my husband and the tent like 3 times. Of course there is no water around except for the 3 jugs I brought with. Hubby uses one to clean himself up with.. then uses the other 2 to TRY to clean the tent. By this time (5 hours later) it is getting dark.. the tent is no where near ready to go and still has puke in places.. no water left..and a puking sick kid. He quit..lol.
Rolled up the tent.. threw the kids in the car and came home. It took me 4 more years to finally get him to go again... but I made a deal with him. We bought a 35ft. camper and put it on a permanent site 20 minutes from our house. I get the quite, fires and smores.. while he gets the comforts of home and a tv inside. I do have to say..I like his way of camping more then mine. (Do not tell him though) :0)
Posted 11/4/2009 8:23 PM (GMT 0)

man we had  great camping trip.. finally got under the trees in that sweet spot so cool.. we even had a skunk walkthrough our camp site first night . ****.. Lorelei is sitting by the Fire and we all have a beer by then. and she says ,... we got skunks., LOL... we like what ???? ****..

then the attack of the killer birds. they where like running and hiding behind the rocks and a couple ran behind the rocks real fast poked there head out to look at us. and then ran behind the wood pile.. LOL.. it all started with one bird came to get crumbs .. then he left and abut 20 came back.. LOL to funny...

 

we even had a donkey come through at night ..LOL yep that's right .

s far as forgetting things. welll.... one air mattress we left the cap for it in the box at home with the 2nd air pump. so my dear husband slept on the ground with a sleeping bag .. roughing it., LOL

 

Thanks all for sharing .. I do have a wost trip to share later though . LOL

Posted 11/4/2009 9:08 PM (GMT 0)
 

no major stories that I can think of, but I too am a camper. I grew up camping with my Aunt and Uncle and then about 8 years ago we decided to get a pop-up. We had some great camping trips in that camper. This year hopefully we will be getting a travel trailer and camping again. We have tents but I would never even think about tent camping with my back and neck at this point. I hope to take a week off in the summer and camp down at the shore.....

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