What's changed about camping?
The family and I just completed our three week road trip and I've been reflecting about the past and future of our adventures. I know as adults we always idealize our past but it seems to me that the ...
Forum Discussion
As this is my first thread and response I certainly find this topic interesting and enlightening
Growing up camping with Mom, Dad, Brother and sisters in the 60's and 70's, camping was the main family vacation. Disney was too expensive but still many great memories!
Fast forward, the spouse and I have decided several years ago that when we were ready we would purchase an RV and travel. We are the caregivers for a mother with Alzheimer’s and this prevents us from travel at the moment. We have travelled and tent camped many times, so the experiences related in previous posts are not unfamiliar to us. Since I am quoting the OP I wanted to say I’m sorry that the family experience & bonding did not go as planned. I feel your frustration. We have a tendency to paint a beautiful picture in our mind but the reality doesn’t match the painting. I do the same thing and have set myself up for disappointment too many times.
I have a couple of grandkids that are “addicted” to social media. It’s fully ingrained into our human experience. This is the new “play”. I have found that instead of fighting it I need to find a way to use it to the fullest potential.
Back in the day we would go to a zoo or a museum (dad loves museums’). Some of the displays and attractions had a device with a button you pushed and a recorded message would describe what you were seeing. I thought, Why not use that same sort of interaction and adapt it to the internet browsing habits of the grandkids. Perhaps let them explore and research the Forest Service or other place you staying at. Ask them to find out what the area is all about currently and what led to the creation. Are there any bizarre/weird facts? Fight fire with fire. Let them have their devices but with more structure. Reward them for the effort and let them have some free time. It’s a process but hopefully worth it. It helped my relationship with my grandkids who are 10 and 14.
Now back to my reasons for landing here.
By all accounts RVing over the last few years has really gained in popularity. My concerns of late have been centering on what we may find on the road. Remember, I said I have a habit of painting a beautiful portrait in my head only to have S*#t dumped on it. Advertising is such a wonderful thing. All those happy families sitting at the perfect spot on earth in front of the MOST BEAUTIFUL RV EVER!! So… instead of setting myself up for eternal heartache I decided to see if I could gauge the true world experiences as of 2020.
We live in the Midwest. We will travel as a couple. We are explicitly buying an RV that cannot sleep more than TWO! Ok, maybe three in a pinch. We are hoping to find solitude and seclusion in our travels. Conversely, the prospect of meeting new and interesting people is always exciting.
We have done extensive research on RV’s and have joined a couple of on-line forums. What we haven’t spent much time research is simply “what’s it like out there today”?
We’ve bookmarked things that seem interesting and fit what we think is our RV lifestyle but we have to be realists and know that when we actually do this there are going to be some unpleasant experiences.
We would like to hear from the veteran RVers of travel and camping strategies you employ to help stack the odds in your favor.
Sorry this intro is long winded. Any and all feedback is appreciated. Just don’t dump on my beautiful portrait :-)
Growing up camping with Mom, Dad, Brother and sisters in the 60's and 70's, camping was the main family vacation. Disney was too expensive but still many great memories!
Fast forward, the spouse and I have decided several years ago that when we were ready we would purchase an RV and travel. We are the caregivers for a mother with Alzheimer’s and this prevents us from travel at the moment. We have travelled and tent camped many times, so the experiences related in previous posts are not unfamiliar to us. Since I am quoting the OP I wanted to say I’m sorry that the family experience & bonding did not go as planned. I feel your frustration. We have a tendency to paint a beautiful picture in our mind but the reality doesn’t match the painting. I do the same thing and have set myself up for disappointment too many times.
I have a couple of grandkids that are “addicted” to social media. It’s fully ingrained into our human experience. This is the new “play”. I have found that instead of fighting it I need to find a way to use it to the fullest potential.
Back in the day we would go to a zoo or a museum (dad loves museums’). Some of the displays and attractions had a device with a button you pushed and a recorded message would describe what you were seeing. I thought, Why not use that same sort of interaction and adapt it to the internet browsing habits of the grandkids. Perhaps let them explore and research the Forest Service or other place you staying at. Ask them to find out what the area is all about currently and what led to the creation. Are there any bizarre/weird facts? Fight fire with fire. Let them have their devices but with more structure. Reward them for the effort and let them have some free time. It’s a process but hopefully worth it. It helped my relationship with my grandkids who are 10 and 14.
Now back to my reasons for landing here.
By all accounts RVing over the last few years has really gained in popularity. My concerns of late have been centering on what we may find on the road. Remember, I said I have a habit of painting a beautiful portrait in my head only to have S*#t dumped on it. Advertising is such a wonderful thing. All those happy families sitting at the perfect spot on earth in front of the MOST BEAUTIFUL RV EVER!! So… instead of setting myself up for eternal heartache I decided to see if I could gauge the true world experiences as of 2020.
We live in the Midwest. We will travel as a couple. We are explicitly buying an RV that cannot sleep more than TWO! Ok, maybe three in a pinch. We are hoping to find solitude and seclusion in our travels. Conversely, the prospect of meeting new and interesting people is always exciting.
We have done extensive research on RV’s and have joined a couple of on-line forums. What we haven’t spent much time research is simply “what’s it like out there today”?
We’ve bookmarked things that seem interesting and fit what we think is our RV lifestyle but we have to be realists and know that when we actually do this there are going to be some unpleasant experiences.
We would like to hear from the veteran RVers of travel and camping strategies you employ to help stack the odds in your favor.
Sorry this intro is long winded. Any and all feedback is appreciated. Just don’t dump on my beautiful portrait :-)
