How did you get started?
There are probably as many reasons for choosing camping as there are members in this forum. I thought if we share some of these reasons it might give other campers ideas that might make some of our ca...
Forum Discussion
Like so many others, I started camping with my parents, at the age of 18 months. My family was poor and with 5 kids there was never enough money for vacation. Still, Dad worked in a shipyard and every summer they would shut down at some point, sometimes at a moment's notic. Mom & Dad were experts at loading the car fast and off we'd go. We tent camped at Kerr Reservoir (VA/NC) in their primitive campgrounds. I have pictures of my mom hanging up diapers on the line--you don't want to know where she washed them, LOL.
DH did not grow up camping. His family did not have a culture of taking time off from work, so it took him a long time to learn to relax and leave the pager behind. We got into tent camping with our kids when some friends invited us AND promised to help with the kids. My youngest was 3yo and he is severely mentally handicapped. At that time he was more like a little baby, could barely sit, had to be fed a special way. I had my doubts but it didn't take long for us to see that camping was the one activity that we could all enjoy.
Like a lot of people, we graduated from the tent to pop-up to trailer. In 2007, we took the younger two kids, then 12 &14, on a cross-country 2000 mile trip and it was AWESOME! And I'm glad we did it then, because my son was quickly outgrowing our ability to manage him on the road. DH developed severe lung & heart disease, which has made it harder to travel. At this point we have the TT permanently parked in the mountains at our favorite campground. So, while can no longer travel like we once could, at least we can still enjoy the outdoors in our own way.
DH did not grow up camping. His family did not have a culture of taking time off from work, so it took him a long time to learn to relax and leave the pager behind. We got into tent camping with our kids when some friends invited us AND promised to help with the kids. My youngest was 3yo and he is severely mentally handicapped. At that time he was more like a little baby, could barely sit, had to be fed a special way. I had my doubts but it didn't take long for us to see that camping was the one activity that we could all enjoy.
Like a lot of people, we graduated from the tent to pop-up to trailer. In 2007, we took the younger two kids, then 12 &14, on a cross-country 2000 mile trip and it was AWESOME! And I'm glad we did it then, because my son was quickly outgrowing our ability to manage him on the road. DH developed severe lung & heart disease, which has made it harder to travel. At this point we have the TT permanently parked in the mountains at our favorite campground. So, while can no longer travel like we once could, at least we can still enjoy the outdoors in our own way.
