Back to the basics (sort of)

[Happy Joe]

Re: Back to the basics (sort of)

As we get older it seems that we camp less and less basic (less "caveman" and more glamping);
We can stand up in all our tents now, no more crawling on the ground.
I personally have little use for movies in the woods (friends seem to want to bring players),
I do appreciate some music occasionally.
We bring our own electricity nearly every trip now (silent batteries and solar preferred but I did break down and get a small, quiet Yamaha genny... unused so far).
We always try to have a moderate sized campfire and I really do not like glaring bright lighting (mantle lanterns); destroys the ambience, IMO.
The last time that we camped at a numbered site was in the late '70's or early eighties...
The lightweight tarp disintegrated in the mid 2000s, and backpacking is limited to daytrips now.
Occasionally I do get tempted to do a swamp cooler or air conditioning (mostly around 2-4 o'clock in the afternoon in the desert).
We often bring portable shade (a canopy) for sunny sites and (with walls and a heater) for early spring and late fall mountain camping.
After nearly tipping over backwards during a trip behind the bushes, we got a portable toilet..

Age happens and things change... no reason camping shouldn't evolve too...

Enjoy!

[muffintop]

Re: Back to the basics (sort of)

Age happens and things change... no reason camping shouldn't evolve too...

I was feeling a little stressed about my kids watching movies on the tablet at bedtime last time we were camping, and then I took a deep breath and told myself, "We camp how WE camp."

My husband doesn't camp, so it's just me with the kids. I don't know what I'm doing, so I'm learning as I go. My older kiddo is not an outdoorsy kid, but she's making an effort. My younger kiddo is autistic. So I think camping will probably always look a bit different for us than it does for other families. But we've cooked basic things over the campfire, spent time outdoors, and gotten nice and dirty.

Both of our trips so far have started with my daughter telling me she's not really sure she wants to do it, and both have ended with her saying she can't wait to go again.

[terasec]

Re: Back to the basics (sort of)

Age happens and things change... no reason camping shouldn't evolve too...

Enjoy!

i can understand the sentiment
but for myself , find myself going the opposite direction
as i get older i like to simplify my camping,
less gear=less headaches, less work
1 bag loaded into the car and i am ready to camp anywhere

[Happy Joe]

Re: Back to the basics (sort of)

I was feeling a little stressed about my kids watching movies on the tablet at bedtime last time we were camping, and then I took a deep breath and told myself, "We camp how WE camp."

My husband doesn't camp, so it's just me with the kids. I don't know what I'm doing, so I'm learning as I go. My older kiddo is not an outdoorsy kid, but she's making an effort. My younger kiddo is autistic. So I think camping will probably always look a bit different for us than it does for other families. But we've cooked basic things over the campfire, spent time outdoors, and gotten nice and dirty.

Both of our trips so far have started with my daughter telling me she's not really sure she wants to do it, and both have ended with her saying she can't wait to go again.

One set of our camping friends/families includes 2 girls; one was a prissy princess who "Hated" camping another liked it .. fast forward 15-20 years and Miss Prissy now has a couple of kids and can't get enough camping while her sister simply won't go...

i can understand the sentiment
but for myself , find myself going the opposite direction
as i get older i like to simplify my camping,
less gear=less headaches, less work
1 bag loaded into the car and i am ready to camp anywhere

I used to do similar (and still have periods of simplification) but the ol' bod' feels the stress more and more so I am gradually becoming less diverse in my camping choices/techniques...

Not looking at off road wheel chairs... yet, but I recognize the trend....slowly getting soft.. er...

Enjoy!

[James.]

Re: Back to the basics (sort of)

I assume you would include a projector and DVD player in that definition? On top of everything else I'm trying to throw together, I'm picturing a white tarp bungeed between some trees and a bunch of "inebriated persons" watching Mel Brooks movies.

Not only would I call this camping but AWESOME camping!

[toedtoes]

Re: Back to the basics (sort of)

I was feeling a little stressed about my kids watching movies on the tablet at bedtime last time we were camping, and then I took a deep breath and told myself, "We camp how WE camp."

My husband doesn't camp, so it's just me with the kids. I don't know what I'm doing, so I'm learning as I go. My older kiddo is not an outdoorsy kid, but she's making an effort. My younger kiddo is autistic. So I think camping will probably always look a bit different for us than it does for other families. But we've cooked basic things over the campfire, spent time outdoors, and gotten nice and dirty.

Both of our trips so far have started with my daughter telling me she's not really sure she wants to do it, and both have ended with her saying she can't wait to go again.

In my mind, the goal of camping is to enjoy the outdoors. That doesn't mean you have to spend every moment outside. If a movie at bedtime makes the idea of camping "fun" to the kids, then that's what matters. That they spent time outdoors and got nice and dirty - that's what matters.

One of my favorite "splurges" is to bring chocolate chip cookie dough and make cookies at night. It's not a traditional camping activity, but it has such a warm and comfy sense to it - curled up on my couch with the dogs, a faux fur throw, a good book, a mug of hot cocoa and a couple fresh baked cookies...

There have been a few winter trips where I never even went for a walk or hike - I spent the entire weekend in the campsite and/or in the clipper reading books (on the kindle). I save up all the new releases of my favorite writers for my camping trips because I can ignore the world and just enjoy the story.

[actad]

Re: Back to the basics (sort of)

Heat is the biggest killer of our camping trips as it is too hard on my husband. So, July was spent working on projects around the house.

My job starts up next week, and I usually have two to three days off in a row, so we will be doing a lot of travel trailer camping at non-electric sites come cooler weather. We bring in our own water - one of the summer projects was an outside hose and there are two rest areas nearby that have dump stations. Electric is nice, but not needed. My husband takes a nap during the day with his bpap using the generator. He can use oxygen bottles instead of his electric oxygen concentrator. Most of our electric devices charge via USB such as lights and cell phones.

We usually have no cell service, so no socal media. Usually can text if we find the right spot, and can still use the phone offline - time/date, level, phone games, pdfs of sheet music, and reading books.. No TV is fine with us. I play my ukulele, weave on a tiny portable loom, and read. We go for drives and enjoy the scenery and local history. Had the luxury of Sirius radio this summer, so did enjoy listening to the news channels while we were roaming around. A little bit of fishing rounds out a good trip.

My solo tent camping is usually using my tent as a base camp while I do other things - usually near family members. So, my tent is mostly used at night. When I was in Maryland for my mom, I would stay at her nursing home all day and sleep at the campground at night. When near my daughter in Kentucky, her family comes over for cookouts and campfires, but I usually spend the day out and about with them.

[livemusic]

Re: Back to the basics (sort of)

I am replying to this thread because it is the most recent. I am new and have created a thread yesterday and it never showed up. Same thing today. Can a moderator fix this or contact me or something, I need advice. I find no link to contact a moderator.

[Pluck]

Re: Back to the basics (sort of)

I've replied a few times to this and they haven't shown up. I'm still on double secret probation since I'm a new member so it could be related to that?

I'll try again.

We've done the movie thing with a large group of families at Knoebels. Kids from all over the campground came over to watch Madagascar 3!

[tplife]

Re: Back to the basics (sort of)

I've heard of folks using window A/C units in their tents at electrical sites...

We see it every summer in the Keys, this is at Bahia Honda State Park: