When did you first fall in love with camping?

[James.]

Inspired by some posts in another thread I thought it would be fun to share stories about when everyone first got their camping 'itch'.

I have what I consider to be a bit of a different story. While my dad took us camping often it was mostly pushed by my older brother who loved it. I had fun but was mostly along for the ride. It wasn't until a few years ago that I got the itch. I was watching some youtube videos of a guy that was living in his van and had traveled from the midwest and was spending some time in Arizona working to pay off some debt but getting outdoors as much as possible. He kept saying that people in Arizona didn't know how good they have it. It dawned on me that he was right. I started checking out videos of people camping in Arizona and all of a sudden I realized that I didn't want to go camping....I needed to go camping. After the first trip I was hooked. I love the solitude and quite of the forest.

[toedtoes]

Re: When did you first fall in love with camping?

Originally, I went to 4-H camp (which was NOT staying in cabins). In 5th grade and 6th grade, I went on the 6th grade weekend camping trip at my school (my 5th grade year, the third teacher refused to let his students go, so it was a "Mr and Mrs Lusk camping trip"). That got me liking camping at a young age.

Then I lost interest for a few years. Got into it again in my late 20s. Then everyone started getting married and having kids and stopped doing stuff.

After getting into photography, I realized that camping made nature photography easier to do as I would already be out there. So, I got my TT and haven't stopped since.

[Denni2]

Re: When did you first fall in love with camping?

My first camping experiences were as a Girl Scout. My parents let me go to Day Camp. I found I loved being in the woods and learning some skills. Girl Scouts didn’t really let us really camp like the Boy Scouts.

Then my parents purchased a pickup with a shell. They got some very minimal camping gear. My dad built a bed that went sideways for mom and him. I slept on the floor with my feet under the bed. They loved to fish and there was a small lake we liked to fish. A farmer lived on a small channel on the lake would let a few people camp so we would camp there. Also my parents loved to go for drives so we would get up on a Saturday morning and Dad would pick a direction in the evening we would camp for the night and head home in the morning. Shortly my dad got a small truck camper, then a very small trailer, and then a larger 19’ trailer.

When I was about 16 we quit camping as a family. Then when I was i was in my 20’s I was drunk divorced with 2 small kids. I started dating I started dating a guy who loved to camp and fish. He introduced me and the kids to backpacking and primitive camping. Then we parted ways.

Then I married a man from the city and he wanted nothing to do with camping. Then one day 20 years later, out of blue, he said he would go camping. I purchased a tent and a small amount of gear. We went to to a local State Park for the weekend. Then the first night storms rolled in and we were trapped in the tent because I didn’t purchase a canopy. Then the second night an even worse storms blew in. I thought it would be our last camping trip but he was hooked.

I still enjoy the primitive camping best. Not dealing with a lot of stuff. Those early days with my parents were my favorite trips.

[Happy Joe]

Re: When did you first fall in love with camping?

Mom used to take us on long walks in the woods when we were very young;
...then I graduated to car camping while fishing with Dad...The family vacations including lots of fishing and some resort cabins although there was some travel trailer camping too.
After getting my first major job/career I decided that I really needed a periodic stress reliever so I started hiking/backpacking and camping also canoeing and rafting in Wisconsin, and the boundary waters of Minnesota..
Finally, after I could afford to leave Illinois, I bought a Jeep and headed west...
Getting to Colorado; It was nice so I decided to stay a while, got in to four wheeling and mountain camping (up to a month or so at a time) which I have been doing ever since.
Jeep camping has included some relatively long trips to go off-roading and camping in a greater variety of terrain (camping in the desert in Moab Ut. has long been a favorite...

Enjoy!

[terasec]

Re: When did you first fall in love with camping?

growing up in NYC exposure to woods was limited,
but give my dad credit he still got us out there
in the 70's dad had a rundown work van,it was an old van in the 70's so probably a 60's model van. full of construction tools,
but on weekends he would empty the van of tools, lay down some scrap carpet , styrofoam cooler and hibachi grill from lamstons
and we were off to nearest campgrounds, about 30 minutes from NYC,
we didn't have much gear, clothes was our street clothes, no tents, we all crammed into the van to sleep, no sleeping bags, just used blankets from home
dad would drink wine and pass out in the van, kids would run around the campground, mom would tend to the hibachi grill
later on in my teen years parents rented a bungalow in the catskills, thats when i started exploring the woods on my own,

[a65hoosier]

Re: When did you first fall in love with camping?

This is good ask James. It really is interesting reading the responses as to "when".

For me...as a kid.

I've been camping since I was 9 (early/mid-70's...check my user name for a clue). It started with family....first in a 1972 Ford Galaxie, "progressing" to a 1969 Ford van (with round porthole and shaggy carpet---engine between the seats)...and finally a 1978 Ford Econoline van (red, 4 captain chairs, and a rug in the back).

Up until that age, my parents had always taken us (4yr younger brother and myself) on "driving" vacations. We'd stay at budget hotels (Motel 6, Knights Inn, etc. at the time. I don't remember a Holiday Inn or Howard Johnsons being in the mix much). We'd eat breakfast and lunch at a shelter area or a city/county park (someplace with a picnic table)...and do dinner at a restaurant. We'd stop at Stuckey's for rest stops/refuels and pick up fudge and souvenirs.

In the summer when I was 8, we took one of those "driving vacations" from Indiana to South Dakota (Mt Rushmore, Flintstone Village, prairie dogs, Badlands, etc,) to Colorado...and back home (Nebraska, Kansas....). It was on this trip that I noticed (and heard) a change of direction in future driving vacations. You see, we had stopped for breakfast in the ole' Galaxie at an Interstate rest area. It was cold (I remember wearing a coat). We had cereal...from one of those pop it open and pour the milk and eat right from the solo serving box. mmmm....cold cereal on a freezing morning. What made it worse was this was a "shared shelter"...and another family was just on the other side of the wood wall....cooking BACON. It smelled wonderful. I remember that moment as a kid in my family. That was the last hotel "driving vacation" we took.

Shortly thereafter, I remember going to Sears at the mall. My brother and I played in/around all of the tents set up in the sporting goods section. The next spring...we had a blue/white Hillary tent, a yellow/orange Sears stove, Coleman cooler, lantern, blue camping cots that doubled as camp chairs, etc. We did one camp trip in the Galaxie (I remember it being packed...even in the backseat). Shortly thereafter, my Dad bought the 69 Ford with the Shag carpet and paneling (the Galaxie hung around for awhile...but it didn't go out camping anymore). From there...I tent camped with Dad/Mom/Brother all over in Indiana State Parks and other states close by. I do remember some KOA's, etc. The 78 Econoline replaced the 69 when the engine caught fire and toasted the inside. I helped pushed the burning thing out of the garage. The 78 was a great camping mobile and we took week long trips with it. Great van: 3 speed on the column. I learned to drive in it. lol

I camped as a Cub Scout and a Boy Scout..including a canoe trip to the Boundary Waters. I froze as a Cub Scout on my first winter campout as I used my normal summer sleeping stuff we had just gotten as a family. No pad...I slept on a reflective blanket/wrap in my summerish sleeping bag. I cuddled my fellow scout (in a down bag) to avoid the wind blowing under the floorless A frame canvas 2P tent. However.....a can of Spagettios is also remembered as a delicious hot meal. I do remember fondly this trip actually. I have never since more appreciated the rise of the sun and/or the start of the morning campfire.

Towards the end of high school I really wasn't camping much with my parents (they had switched over to a small pop-up and I had a job) and instead spent most of my overnights camping with friends in the local woods on the weekend (I grew up in the country....easy to find a spot).

Mostly quick overnighters in college. I went to IU/Bloomington so I had close by access to state forestry lands. It helped that my roommate was also a local hiker/camper. Backpacked...explored caves (not safely....looking back now). Good times. Mainly an excuse to unwind with a couple of friends and get out of the dorm.

Met my wife senior year college..she also grew up with a family who camped/fished/etc (3 brothers, one sis). So her and I began camping/hiking/fishing together as something to do and to get outside. We laugh now about all the things that went wrong as we first started camping together. Just a lot of goofy mistakes. Hand me down gear, etc.

Fortunately, my wife and I have been "perfecting" (modifying??) our camping style ever since (it changed with kids and then based on the kid's ages honestly). Still rocking the tent camping. Next trip out is less than a month away!

[Karla "with a k"]

Re: When did you first fall in love with camping?

I don't count sleeping in the tent in my backyard or working at a youth campground in high school.

My love for camping started in 2014 when my good friend, Jessica, asked me to join her on some day hikes. That lead to a one night camping trip to see how I would like it. I was wary, but I did like it.

That one night grew into entire weekends. That grew into joining a Milwaukee camping meetup group. That grew into discovering hammock camping. That grew into accepting the 12 nights a year challenge. That grew into wanting to visit all 66 state parks in Wisconsin.

And that's where I'm at. On my third year of camping at least once night a month. I've camped/hiked at 15 state parks (one more yet this year). And I've taught myself to sew and make all my hammock gear and will be making hammocks for my nieces to start the next generation.

[James.]

Re: When did you first fall in love with camping?

I am really enjoying reading everyone's stories.

[bluestar99]

Re: When did you first fall in love with camping?

My parents packed my 3 siblings and I in the back of a station wagon in the early 60's and we tent camped across the country for 3 weeks. They did not have much money and this was the only way we could travel with a large family. Everyone had their own responsibilities during set up and take down. We had an old canvass 6 person tent and it was wall to wall sleeping bags. When it rained all we heard was, "don't touch the side of the tent". As a family we covered every state but Oregon, Washington, New Hampshire, Maine, Hawaii and Alaska. But as a kid I saw how people lived all over the country and how different it was then my midwest up bringing. You realize that the country is so much bigger then just you and where you grew up. Over the years as I got older, I always thanked my parents for taking the time to show us the country, as kids. I could write a book about all the places we went and the adventures we had. Now as an adult, after several years away from camping I have returned. When we got married in 1973, our vacations were tent camping. I took the family gear and off we went. When our daughter was 7 we moved up to a popup. Then we went to Hawaii and my wife no longer wanted to camp. She prefers the luxuries of fine hotels. Me not so much. In 2007 I built a very nice Woody teardrop with hopes she would change her mind. A nice bed off the ground and most of the comforts of home. She said, "that's real nice Steve, but I am not camping anymore". So now I camp alone, but with a camping group, most often. I will not stay home because she doesn't want to camp. So now I am going back to a lot of the places I visited as a kid. Some have changed a lot, other places not so much. My current trailer is a small standy I finished building last fall. There is a graphic I put on the front that says, "Travel makes you modest, you see what a tiny place you occupy in the world". That pretty much says it all.

[05Kingquad700]

Re: When did you first fall in love with camping?

Our parents would take us camping while we were growing up. My dad work for Cummins engine company, and they had an employee park called Ceraland. Back in the 80s, they used to throw a huge Fourth of July party. They bring in country bands like Alabama and others. Candy was anywhere and everywhere, paddle boats, go carts and swimming. It's probably the perfect 4th of July, growing up as a kid. Our parents used to stay in the motorhome, and my two sisters, brother and myself slept outside, in tents. We used to stay up all night, riding our bikes around that Park. Probably 400 Acres, the Only Rule was we could not have security come to the campsite. It was just fun. We did take a few trips camping growing up, and it was just fun.
Then I took my ex-wife son camping here in Colorado, and it started right back up again. Made some good memories with him, his grandpa and when my daughter was born, her as well. So now it's usually just me and my daughter going camping, along with some friends. But we still have a good time without the interference of electronics and TV. And now with the camper I really look forward to exploring more of Colorado and hopefully beyond.

[in-tents]

Re: When did you first fall in love with camping?

I only camped one time as kid, when I was about 13. It was a rough time in my life. My dad passed away a couple years before this and mom had a new boyfriend who took us all camping. I really enjoyed most of it but all wasn't good, all totally my fault as a teen with an attitude. Anyway, overall was good but wouldn't say I fell in love with it.

Fast forward many years and I marry a woman who had no interest in camping. She grew up camping and had a step father that didn't know how to relax and have fun. His idea of fun was working around the camp and they didn't do a lot of convenient things when it came time for meals and such, so she was always washing greasy pans with cold water and just didn't have much fun.

Fast forward another 18 years or so and 7 kids later, the wife says she would consider camping if I promised to make it fun. So, hey, that's all I needed to hear. Hello Walmart and cheap supplies.

We had planned to camp somewhere close to home (Oklahoma) in the middle of summer. As we got closer to time, the weather was about 105 everyday and nights around 85, we decided that we we're going to be miserable and not even cool off at night. About 2 weeks before the trip, we decided that Red River, NM was the closest place with cool temps for us. What a great decision that was. Everyday about 75 with a slight rain shower and about 40 at night.

Other than not really being prepared for temps that cool, we had an awesome time. We just paid for a couple nights at a time but keep adding and ending up staying 6 nights.

We didn't know much and certainly didn't have a lot of experience but it was the best vacation I ever had. I still compare every trip to that one, none have lived up to it but anytime we camp, it is a great time.

We don't do it often, but when we do, it sure is a lot of fun.

Thanks for asking this question. Was a good time just reliving the first time.

[MacGyver]

Re: When did you first fall in love with camping?

I don't know how I missed this thread. Glad in-tents brought it to my attention by posting to it.

I'm kind of envious of people who grew up camping as children. My father was NOT the outdoor type at all, so I never really got any experience with nature other than exploring the woods around my house or wherever I could get to on my bicycle. Fast forward to when I turned 16 and got my driver's license. My best friend and I decided we'd run up the road just across the Maryland/Pennsylvania border and spend a weekend at a PA State Park. It was mostly just to...ahem... partake of some of Mother Nature's plants and some liquid refreshment without any hassles from parental units and men in uniform with badges. We bought a cheap tent, a couple of sleeping bags, a lantern and a stove from K-Mart or some other big box store and hijacked a cooler and some pots and pans from our parents. Threw it all in my friend's car along with the obligatory jambox and a stack of 8 tracks! (yeah - I'm old!) and off we went.

As it turns out, when we weren't all zombied out, the place was great! Lots of trails to check out, a decent sized lake with canoe rentals so we could go fishing and close enough to town so we could buy anything we rookies needed. Well... that was the beginning of one of the most expensive hobbies I've ever had. A few more of those "happy hippy trips" and I started going out on solo trips to other parts of PA and MD - and started buying and buying and buying whatever I thought I could use for camping. Then, when I was around 19, I met the group I've been camping with ever since. That's also when the MacGyvering really kicked in, always trying to come up with some way to convert "things" into something useful for life amongst the trees. So now, whether it's out by myself to get some peace and quiet, or out with the idiots to party it up, camping is something I can't picture not being a regular part of my life.

P.S. To this day, whenever I play the Alan Parsons - I Robot album, I still think of that first trip.

[Joyous56]

Re: When did you first fall in love with camping?

I grew up camping. We didn't have money for fancy vacations, and never stayed in motels. We had two canvas tents, which seemed to take hours to set up, and there was always the warning not to touch the roof or sides when it was raining. One tent was for my dad and brothers, and one was for my mother and I. Not sure what that was about. Camping was just always fun, an adventure. Campfires and camping food....the food always tasted better when we were camping.

Later, when I got married, we bought all the equipment to camp, but my husband, now ex, was a bit too anal about everything being 'just right'. but of course, it never was.

Then, as a single mother, I tried to take my son camping as much as I could. I think he tolerated it, but didn't love it, as I did.

In recent years, I finally found a friend who liked camping, and we tent camped several times, until we agreed that cabin camping was a better fit for us. We've gone cabin camping in NYS parks for the last few years. While I know some might say that staying in cabins isn't really camping, I don't think it's so much about how you camp, but that you do camp, and enjoy being outdoors.

[James.]

Re: When did you first fall in love with camping?

I grew up camping. We didn't have money for fancy vacations, and never stayed in motels. We had two canvas tents, which seemed to take hours to set up, and there was always the warning not to touch the roof or sides when it was raining. One tent was for my dad and brothers, and one was for my mother and I. Not sure what that was about. Camping was just always fun, an adventure. Campfires and camping food....the food always tasted better when we were camping.

Later, when I got married, we bought all the equipment to camp, but my husband, now ex, was a bit too anal about everything being 'just right'. but of course, it never was.

Then, as a single mother, I tried to take my son camping as much as I could. I think he tolerated it, but didn't love it, as I did.

In recent years, I finally found a friend who liked camping, and we tent camped several times, until we agreed that cabin camping was a better fit for us. We've gone cabin camping in NYS parks for the last few years. While I know some might say that staying in cabins isn't really camping, I don't think it's so much about how you camp, but that you do camp, and enjoy being outdoors.

I would agree with that.....but my personal line is a microwave. If you have a microwave oven you (IMO) are definitely NOT camping.

[Joyous56]

Re: When did you first fall in love with camping?

Ha, ha, I agree. I think at least one of the cabins had a microwave. It's nice to have a refrigerator, but a couple cabins have stoves; I prefer cooking over a fire.