We just got back from our second camping trip. We went to Keen Lake in PA. Of course, we drew an audience as soon as we pulled in. They must have smelled the new camper or saw the sweat on my forehead when I saw how tight the spots were. The guy came over and guided me right in. I was really appreciative and my wife didn't have to call a marriage counselor to improve our communication skills. LolWe got to talking and I learned that our neighbors were a group of four guys on a guy retreat. I initially thought...Oh crap! This might not be a good mix as my family is two little girls and my wife. even our dog is a girl. It all started later that night. One guy stopped to visit and offered me some hard to find Canadian beers, which I gladly accepted. The next day they insisted we come over and join them in a feast of the most incredible chicken I have ever had in my life. Then the enticed us into a "corn hole tournament" followed by homemade margaritas. We shared some great campfire discussions and had a blast.there was a couple on the other side of us with kids close in age to ours. Many fish, frogs, and almost a giant snapping turtle were caught. Who would have thought that four guys on a guy retreat would have sought us out when they heard we were new to camping. They were incredibly kind and gracious and wanted nothing more than to pass along recipes and make some new friends.All in all it was a great few days and I might some of the nicest folks I have met in a long time. We exchanged contacts and we hope to meet up with them again with their families some day. I know eventually I may have a bad neighbor story, but not this time. what a great time!

Excellent!!!! What a wonderful "first" experience!!!!!

So glad to hear your experience was a good one.

Stories like that.....well they just reinforce the fact that by and large campers are 'good folks'

Old-Biscuit wrote:Stories like that.....well they just reinforce the fact that by and large campers are 'good folks'This is what I've found as well.

colliehauler wrote:Old-Biscuit wrote:Stories like that.....well they just reinforce the fact that by and large campers are 'good folks'This is what I've found as well.I agree and will take it one step further. Folks like that are like that ALL THE TIME. What I call Type A personalities. A for awesome.

My first camping neighbor story to share! | Good Sam Community

32 Replies

2012Coleman
Explorer II
Aug 18, 2014
Sorry - I don't believe a word of it - no drunks, nothing thrown in your fire pit, no dogs pooping on your site, no wild children cutting through, no smokey bon fires burning pickup truck loads of fire wood per day, no confrontations with other campers... :P
coolmom42
Explorer II
Aug 17, 2014
kickstart wrote:
Have to admit one time I was the bad neighbor, I had just bought a tent that sets up in the bed of your truck, many people came by and they all had to ask the same question is that one of those tents that go in the bed of your truck? And I would politely answear yes and answers their questions.
This was on Friday, on Saturday I come down with a U.T.I. and felt like I was gonna die, well one woman who watched me set up the day before and walked through our camp many timesfinally stopped and asked the same question, I just looked at her and said nope set the tent up and the truck popped up out of the ground here's your sign. Then I left and went to the hospital.

I feel your pain.

And this made me LOL.
kickstart
Explorer
Aug 17, 2014
Have to admit one time I was the bad neighbor, I had just bought a tent that sets up in the bed of your truck, many people came by and they all had to ask the same question is that one of those tents that go in the bed of your truck? And I would politely answear yes and answers their questions.
This was on Friday, on Saturday I come down with a U.T.I. and felt like I was gonna die, well one woman who watched me set up the day before and walked through our camp many timesfinally stopped and asked the same question, I just looked at her and said nope set the tent up and the truck popped up out of the ground here's your sign. Then I left and went to the hospital.
Oaklevel
Explorer
Aug 17, 2014
Spleenstomper wrote:
Oaklevel wrote:

The last time out in July even had to rescue a newbie that got his arm trapped in his awning as he was retracting it.

Whaaat? How is that possible?

I really don't know how he did it but his upper arm was trapped in the side support & you could tell he was in pain as the awning was trying to retract. (Manual awning & doing it by himself) You could tell he never retracted an awning before. After 30 years ya see a little of everything but when you think you have seen it all...........:)
John_Betty
Explorer
Aug 17, 2014
Dog Folks wrote:

Agreed, but the tent campers that are reading the directions at the picnic table, and have never put up a tent before are more fun.

When they breakdown and try to put the tent back in the original box is also amusing. There is a good reason that the tent maker gives you a bag to put it in.

Especially when they show up at their site just as the sun is setting.
hotbyte
Explorer
Aug 17, 2014
IDman wrote:
corn hole tournament
Would you care to explain that?

Cornhole is a great game. For a tournament, the group splits into teams of two and plays a round of games to determine the champions.

American Cornhole Association
noe-place
Explorer
Aug 17, 2014
Every time we go to a different state in the MH I always seem to run into people who are just good, down to earth folks. The kind of people who will just strike up a conversation over the simplest things that soon branch into both parties trading life experience stories. This is one of the fondest memories I have of rving.
IDman
Explorer
Aug 16, 2014
corn hole tournament
Would you care to explain that?
mdcamping
Explorer
Aug 16, 2014
Great story, thanks for sharing!

Mike
Sillybugs2
Explorer
Aug 16, 2014
Great story. Did you get the recipe for that chicken? Share if so.