Community Forums

greatlakes · 03-18-2012, 09:24 PM

I tent camped for years even after three kids a divorce, 2nd marriage still did the tent camping until our first Pop-up. Did that for a few years then moved up to a Class "C" MH then a class "A".. Surprising to me the kids first reaction after seeing the MH was, "It has a TV, thats not camping". Which I was glad to hear but apparently cell phones dont fall in that same catagory.

So I had my kids at a young age and they are all in college now 19,20,21 and I'm only 44. My now DW has 5 children ages 20, 18, 16, 14 and 8. They enjoy the camping but the oldest moved out, second one leaves for Airforce this summer third one is driving and will be getting a job. So we only end up with two kids and maybe a friend of theirs most of the time but at least once a year we have almost all the kids. When we go we cook almost all our meals over the fire. We eat outside 99% of the time. I really enjoy the outdoors. But felt we needed more room and wanted more comforts of home. Every 85 deg night with 85% humidity I remind everyone about the sticky nights sleeping in the tent without AC we used to have.

So now we have bought a 40' DP, and I look at this thing and think holy crap its huge. Plus they seem to be built for retired couples. Folks that look for a nice quiet RV resort. Cross country traveling and very long trips. We do plan to go farther and farther in the coming years but I wonder how many other folks out there do the family camping with such a large RV? I wanted the ability to go anywhere and have something solid and strong. But I wonder if this is overkill.

toadog · 03-18-2012, 09:33 PM

I feel the older you get the more comfort you want. You can go camping and still have some comfort. I just want to eat will ( DW loves to cook ) have a warm shower and a soft bed. I still love a camp fire and long walks, just want some comfort in my older age.

new2RVn · 03-18-2012, 09:51 PM

Our idea of camping is staying in the MH anytime even if it's parked in the yard. I sometimes watch the races or football (Ga Bulldogs) in it to stay in shape for real camping. There's just something about being outdoors in a CG near a lake that relaxes the soul. It also helps that the A/C is close on those days when it's hot or raining. We are both retired so we don't normally have a time table. When we go somewhere new, if we like it, we have been known to go down to the office on our scheduled day of departure and add a day or two to the stay. We really enjoy camping with the grand daughters too. 30 years in our last professions was a small price to pay for what we are enjoying now.

Finhawk · 03-18-2012, 10:31 PM

This is much better than sleeping alongside a Tank in all kinds of weather

greatlakes · 03-19-2012, 06:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by new2RVn

Our idea of camping is staying in the MH anytime even if it's parked in the yard. There's just something about being outdoors in a CG near a lake that relaxes the soul. It also helps that the A/C is close on those days when it's hot or raining. We are both retired so we don't normally have a time table. When we go somewhere new, if we like it, we have been known to go down to the office on our scheduled day of departure and add a day or two to the stay. We really enjoy camping with the grand daughters too. 30 years in our last professions was a small price to pay for what we are enjoying now.

That sounds wonderful. Unfortunatly for us we have many more years of working before we will be able to enjoy the pleasures of not being on a schedule.
I have worked as an engineer for 20+ years and the DW is a nurse. Nice thing is in January I'll have ten years with my current employer and be elligible for 4 weeks of vacation in addition to the week off between Christmas and New Years. Her schedule isnt so consistant. Some holidays and every third weekend. So we take lots of extended weekend trips and at least two weeks each year. We put 4000 miles on our last MH just last summer staying in Mi, OH and Ind. Not a lot of miles, but at least 12 trips.

She wanted a cottage but I like seeing new places all the time and not being at the same place every weekend. Not to mention another house to maintain property tax etc.. Not that the MH doesnt have its maint cost too but I think in the long run its less. So we comprimised and got the DP. Its an older model so it was reasonably priced and figured we can spend the big bucks when the kids are all gone and its just us. This Monaco sleeps 7. so the floor plan works for us now. Just seems a little rediculous like using a baseball bat to kill a fly. I'm almost embarrassed to take this rig out. I'm sure we will enjoy it though.

That retired life sure sounds wonderful. After your 30 years yes you deserve it. I just hope we will be healthy and able when our time comes and still want to travel. We dont get too far away now so there are lots of places to see yet.

new2RVn · 03-19-2012, 07:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by greatlakes

That sounds wonderful. Unfortunatly for us we have many more years of working before we will be able to enjoy the pleasures of not being on a schedule.
I have worked as an engineer for 20+ years and the DW is a nurse. Nice thing is in January I'll have ten years with my current employer and be elligible for 4 weeks of vacation in addition to the week off between Christmas and New Years. Her schedule isnt so consistant. Some holidays and every third weekend. So we take lots of extended weekend trips and at least two weeks each year. We put 4000 miles on our last MH just last summer staying in Mi, OH and Ind. Not a lot of miles, but at least 12 trips.

She wanted a cottage but I like seeing new places all the time and not being at the same place every weekend. Not to mention another house to maintain property tax etc.. Not that the MH doesnt have its maint cost too but I think in the long run its less. So we comprimised and got the DP. Its an older model so it was reasonably priced and figured we can spend the big bucks when the kids are all gone and its just us. This Monaco sleeps 7. so the floor plan works for us now. Just seems a little rediculous like using a baseball bat to kill a fly. I'm almost embarrassed to take this rig out. I'm sure we will enjoy it though.

That retired life sure sounds wonderful. After your 30 years yes you deserve it. I just hope we will be healthy and able when our time comes and still want to travel. We dont get too far away now so there are lots of places to see yet.

Your situation sounds like ours before we retired. I was with Gulfstream Aerospace for 30 yrs. and my wife was a nurse for 30 yrs.. I had 5 weeks vacation and the week between Christmas and New Years off. Loved the time off then but love the time off now more. Happy Trails.

wildtoad · 03-19-2012, 08:22 AM

I like my RV and all that came before it even with all the issues I had with them. Love going to state parks, sitting outside, cooking out, long walks through the woods, sitting by the lake, a campfire with marshmallows, and a good cup of coffee in the morning watching the sun rise over the lake/mountains/ocean. So it is a nice thing to do. I then like to go inside, sleep in a nice bed, and start all over the next day.

But it is RV'ing and it is not camping. Camping involves tents, sleeping bags on hard ground, bugs, Coleman lanterns and camp stoves (maybe), bathing in a lake or stream (maybe), and old coon dog, and no modern electronic devices except perhaps a GPS to keep you from getting lost.

Fun for some

njs42 · 03-19-2012, 08:53 AM

I certainly do not call what we do camping. We are snowbirds and travel from one Rv resort to the other. More than all the comforts of "home". My wife calls it an adventure and I will not even go that far.

After returning from our first four month trip south my neighbor came over and ask "how was your camping trip"? I replied, "well we were not camping; we just decided to live somewhere else for a while".

When I was 13 (57 years ago) years old I summited Mt San Jacinto 10,831 ft in April of that year. Covered in snow, freezing temperature every night, slept in a sleeping bag and carried every thing for a weeks outing on my back. Cooked and warmed myself on an open fire. That was camping and I did a lot of it in my youth, and I had fun. But this is too extreme for most people and for me, now.

Three TV's, computer, wifi, cell phones, DVD's, CD's, liquor cabinet, fresh hot coffee, warm showers, flush toilet, ceramic dishes, loungers, portable BBQ, warm furnace and heat pumps etc; etc;, that's just living somewhere. I am still having fun.

Even with all that comfort if you are parked in the out of doors in a State or National park, your kids or grandkids are enjoying the surroundings, respecting and enjoying nature, then what ever you call it, it is a wonderful time to be enjoyed and savored as long as it last.

There are many permeations of the theme, tents, pop ups, trailers, 5ers, MH's etc; if it is camping to you, then for sure you are camping.

As for me, I am just living somewhere else now.

Life is good, camping is good,

Ramblin · 03-19-2012, 09:14 AM

There is the belief that 'Camping' means 'Roughing it'. Some tent campers will point at a 40' DP with an outside entertainment bay and say "That's not REAL CAMPING!". They might believe that an important aspect of camping is getting back to nature and enduring some of the hardships and challenges our ancestors endured. Not a totally unreasonable position, just very different than most on this forum probably take.

To me 'camping' means being able to move my accomodations to different places, and set up camp. 'Camp' to me is any place that I am staying that is not in a fixed structure.

I wonder if 17th century poineers would look at others with fancier, more comfortable wagons and say "That's not REAL pioneering."

puttin · 03-19-2012, 10:12 AM

I think that some of the comforts of home can really enhance any "camping" experience. A place to secure your things and the ability to control your environment helps too. Now you can focus on having a great time with family and friends instead of trying to cool off or stay warm.

greatlakes · 03-19-2012, 10:56 AM

Its nice hearing everyone elses perspective. Keep em coming.

For this point in my life the RV represents an opportunity to get away from most of the "hassels" of everyday. I take the cell phones from the kids and typically turn mine off as well. (otherwise everyone was texting friends back home) We dont watch TV but will pop in a DVD when its bedtime or if its raining. The kids arnt allowed to just hang out inside. Which they fought at first but it forces them to go play and enjoy the campground. After the first day they typically have found friends and we have to round them up to eat.

I just did enough tent camping to really appreciate the RV. Every rainy night or when its too windy to cook outside, or extreem hot or cold I lay on my comfortable bed in the RV and think how glad I am to not be doing that anymore. I miss a certain aspect of it but those became fewer and farther between.

deandec · 03-19-2012, 11:09 AM

I did my "camping", after walking around aimlessly on Vietnam trails, sleeping on the ground.

Now I MH in beautiful locations including RV resorts.

Much prefer the RV.

zip0 · 03-19-2012, 01:08 PM

I like my friends that say "you have an RV that's not camping". So I ask what type of camping they do and they answer "Marriott".

I've done it all Backpacking, no tent (including upstate NY in Feb. well below 0 deg), tent, pop-up, TT, and now a MH. Had fun doing it all, still do some tent now and again.

Camping is a state of mind not how you do it.

PlayItForwrd · 03-19-2012, 05:52 PM

Who gets to define "camping"? I know this much, ain't nobody can tell me I'm "not camping" just because I'm using a motorhome!

To wit (and is this ever a blast from the past)

3 motorhomes ago, our old '78 CruiseAir, out in the desert...

Our '92 Winnebago Brave, camping up by some nearby lakes...

Annnddd, this is what happens when you go beach camping at Flaming Gorge and show up and midnight... oops!

Camping in the high Unita's...

More desert camping. No paved roads to this place!

This is a little less 'earthy', camping at campground near Strawberry Reservoir...

And we do plenty of boat camping, this is a campground at Flaming Gorge, AWAY from the beach!

After we sold the Winnebago we ended up with an '87 CruiseAir III, got it for a song, and it served us well. Same place as the last picture...

And some beach/boat camping at Yuba Reservoir (we're on the far left)

And our current rig, our 40' Allegro Bus-- Pictured on the same beach as above, but with a flat tire...

(the only proof I'm actually ON the beach is this accidental pic!)

And then our one trip last year, we went to the same lake, but we decided to 'rough is smoothly' in their nice campground. Here's the total rig:

And the campground, nice digs (but still has a fireplace and BBQ!!)

==============

Yes, as we're getting older, I appreciate the extra luxuries. But I'm still not afraid to get my rig dirty!

And if YOU think it's camping--- it's CAMPING!