One more camping trip

[Gdawgs]

Well we are going on most likely our last camping trip for the year this weekend. Again with scouts, but this time it's family camping in a real campground, not the field we had last weekend. Chance of rain Friday, but Saturday and Sunday look decent. Highs around 60, lows around 40. It's just me and the three kids. My wife is going on a ladies weekend. We'll take the Mountain Manor 8 although it's a bit big for 4 of us. But the Limelight 3 is a bit too small.

[Frank Wall]

Re: One more camping trip

Best of luck and enjoy yourself! My tent is already folded and packed away for the winter.

[ppine]

Re: One more camping trip

"One more camping trip" is a great mantra to have. Keep it going after your next trip.

[tplife]

Re: One more camping trip

Hopefully by now they're well-pitched and stacking firewood! :cool:
We're expecting photos!

[Gdawgs]

Re: One more camping trip

Not there yet. I have to finish out work today. That's ok, looks like some thunderstorms could roll through in the next few hours, but hopefully clear out after that. My son keeps saying we should try some winter camping this year. Not so sure on that one yet.

[MacGyver]

Re: One more camping trip

My son keeps saying we should try some winter camping this year. Not so sure on that one yet.

If you're not sure that you can handle all that comes with winter camping (mostly the cold), I would recommend doing a backyard setup before you head off on a trip far from home. It won't duplicate everything you'd have to contend with (think nature calls at 3am), but at least you'll get some idea of whether or not you, your son and your equipment are cut out for it.

[NYCgrrl]

Re: One more camping trip

Enjoy yourselves and have fun so we can live through your experience vicariously:cool:.

[Gdawgs]

Re: One more camping trip

Well we're in the Mountain Manor and a thunderstorm is rolling through. We're staying nice and dry.I love the sound of the rain( as long as we're not getting wet) but my 5 year old daughter isn't crazy about the thunder. It's almost over, then I think we should be home free for the rest off the weekend.

[hwc1954]

Re: One more camping trip

Hopefully, you were able to get the Mountain Manor set up before the rain hit. It's a lot more fun to pitch the tent without dodging raindrops!

[MacGyver]

Re: One more camping trip

I love the sound of the rain

Yeah - I'm an idiot. I've actually gone out in the rain for that very reason. Wearing a serious rain suit, I'll struggle a bit to get a tarp up, then put up the rest. Then I either sit back and listen to the rain smacking the tarp or go for a short hike in the rain just to hear it coming through the trees. I guess there's just something different about it when the rain sounds aren't accompanied by the sound of cars driving through it. It also smells great!

[James.]

Re: One more camping trip

I love the rain but my wife doesn't. I was secretly hoping that it would rain on our camping trip last month. I don't understand how my wife can not like the rain...but then she DID marry me so she is obviously insane.

[Gdawgs]

Re: One more camping trip

We made it back alive(not that I was worried). The kids had a great time. The campground had lots of fun things planned as it was their last open weekend for the year. They had a chili cookoff that our scouts entered, and they even won a trophy. They also had a retile presentation given by the owner of a reptile zoo in the state http://www.theradzoo.com/. Didn't even know we had one. The kids loved that. The park also has an observatory run by the astronomy club out of the Twin Cities. The sky was clear and they had all their big scopes out. It was fantastic.

The only bad part of the weekend were the idiots in the campers near us. They were LOUD!!! They insisted on blasting their music all day and night. Quiet time is at 10pm, and that's when they just started getting things going. The first night it was constant yelling, screaming and cackling until about 12:30. Then when they went to bed, another group(further away and not quite as loud) was at it until 4am! In all my years of camping, I have never come across a group as rude and inconsiderate as these people. They were better last night, but still way too loud. I found an earplug in my pocket yesterday, and I used that and it made all the difference. I'm going to have to throw some in my camping bin just in case this happens again. We did get a bit chilly last night. The temp dipped down to 35, but it wasn't too bad.

[tplife]

Re: One more camping trip

Your experience with noisemakers reminds me of the Biker rallies we sometimes attend (I ride a worked 101HP Road King). Usually they burn themselves out on Friday night, and Saturday is more reasonable. The do get wound up though after a few beers and some tequila! Outside of the rallies, that reserve the whole campground, southwest campgrounds here are quiet as the rangers and hosts tamp down on the noise. They don't bother with us though as while we listen to our big 200W stereo, it's not loud and doesn't bother anybody - we often get requests from the neighbors, "Please turn it up!"

[hwc1954]

Re: One more camping trip

The loudest thing at night in the campground I frequent is the crackling of camp fires and the bubbling of the mountain stream that runs by the campsites. I tend to use earplugs because the sound of the rushing water makes me need to pee all night, otherwise!

[ppine]

Re: One more camping trip

The loudest campgrounds are the USFS ones with working people drinking on Fri and Sat nights. An RV park is silent by 2100.

Noise reminds of the old days camping at the National Fiddling Contest in Weiser, Idaho. The bikers set off fire works at 0300 and did burnouts all night. Now they are not welcome there. Burning Man is the loudest outdoor event I know of which really heats up at night.

Finding the quiet is pretty easy if you know where to look.