Camping pet peeves

[Shadow]

Re: Camping pet peeves

Since I am new to cold weather camping,it gives you a chance to go around to other campsites and look for wood that other campers have left behind.On occasion I have noticed where people have cut down live small tree's to use for firewood."IF IT AIN'T DEAD LEAVE IT THE HECK ALONE."

Sounds like the watched to many episodes of the "Survival person" type shows. Big difference between fighting for survival, and sitting your cottage-cheese butt by a campfire roasting marshmallows.


EDIT: That reminds me.. Jason Klass (who has an ultralight backpacking blog) made this spoof of Bear Grylls that is pretty funny.
http://www.freewebs.com/survivorstud/

[immortal_ben]

Re: Camping pet peeves

Since I am new to cold weather camping,it gives you a chance to go around to other campsites and look for wood that other campers have left behind.On occasion I have noticed where people have cut down live small tree's to use for firewood."IF IT AIN'T DEAD LEAVE IT THE HECK ALONE."

I can quite agree with this in a campground, but out in the wilderness, sometimes you need live stuff, not dead. There is a distinction to be made, and I wanted to make sure it was made.

I also dislike when people around me have headlamps out every second after it gets "dark." I have threatened to confiscate headlamps before, hahahah.

Shawn, good on you man, for teaching your kids these things. I wish more people would do that.

[TexasMan77]

Re: Camping pet peeves

I'll add to my list:

People who leave their lantern's aglow long after they've disappeared into their tent, flooding the campground with unnecessary light.

Unleashed dogs.

Campground showers with no privacy curtain, leaving you completely exposed.

[CabinFreak]

Re: Camping pet peeves

I can quite agree with this in a campground, but out in the wilderness, sometimes you need live stuff, not dead. There is a distinction to be made, and I wanted to make sure it was made.

I also dislike when people around me have headlamps out every second after it gets "dark." I have threatened to confiscate headlamps before, hahahah.

Shawn, good on you man, for teaching your kids these things. I wish more people would do that.

I agree with your comment Ben,my comment was meant for campground use.I hope to one day do some primitive camping but I think I will stick to my dispersed camping for a while til I get the nerve to be more than 30 feet from my truck.I am still a newb at cold camping.

[TroyS]

Re: Camping pet peeves

Lots of trash, rowdy and noisy drunk campers that keep me up at night, and pet owners that don't bother to pick up after their pets.

[lizrfoust]

Re: Camping pet peeves

Couldn't agree with you more, Troy. Would definitely add grumpy staff people that don't know a single thing about customer service on my list.

[Hikenhunter]

Re: Camping pet peeves

All of the above but my biggest peeve is dog owners who do not clean up after their dogs.

[busere]

Re: Camping pet peeves

While setting up your tent at a camp site, figuring out that you're missing a pole. That really sips.

Early spring camping, there's only you and one other family in the whole entire campground...and the second family gets the slot right next to you. I've actualy had this one happen...we went to the office and moved to a diffrent slot. This is why I'm excited about back woods camping.

[Breezy Brigade]

Re: Camping pet peeves

Not camping exactly, but... one of my co-workers at an old job found out I hike and asked to join me the next time out. He had to stop three times to rest and have a smoke! :p

As for the camping stuff, I can't think of anything that hasn't already been mentioned. The trash left behind, and loose dogs and their... trash... left behind are probably my two biggest peeves.

[busere]

Re: Camping pet peeves

Oh yeah...having a person walk-up on you while you're doing your duty way off trail. I guess it could be worse, having a bear walk-up on you while your doing your duty!

[Bigdog57]

Re: Camping pet peeves

My peeve that turned me off KOA 'campgrounds' (aka. RV Parking Lots):

Ask for a 'tent spot'. Get assigned the wee sliver of grass too small for an RV, sitting along the back fence next to a sports field with the lights on ALL night, and between the RV dump site and the restrooms.
THAT is "camping Hades".......

People staying up ALL night playing guitar and singing..... badly.

People leaving unwashed pans and other gear out at night, drawing the nearby raccoons and other critters who end up raiding all the campsites.

[Johnny Test]

Re: Camping pet peeves

"People staying up ALL night playing guitar and singing..... badly."
Oops, were we really that bad? ;_)

[Shadow]

Re: Camping pet peeves

My peeve that turned me off KOA 'campgrounds' (aka. RV Parking Lots):

That's pretty much what they are for... RV owners that don't know the first thing about camping. I stayed in one when I went to LA, CA with my Aunt and Uncle. It was basically like living in a trailer park with a store on property. This when I was 15. First experience "camping" and it was lame. Needless to say I didn't try camping on my own until my 20's. My memory was "camping is lame".

[Bren]

Re: Camping pet peeves

Being a the campground with only about 3 other campers (many open spots) and 1 guy decided to set up camp next to us. You think ok no biggie. Until 5:30 am when he decided to get up and blare the radio in his truck. What a rude awaking that was.

[TexasMan77]

Re: Camping pet peeves

Campsites with no tent pads, just rocky terrain with no flat ground for my tent to go, forcing me to toss dozens of rocks to make a spot.