Memories of your very first trailer camping trip

Can't remember my first time (camping), I've been doing it most of my life! Tents, under a shell on the back of pickups, more tents, then sometime in the early '90s got a good deal on a PUP from a guy who was leaving soon on assignment to Panama. Went to an RV show in 2007 and left with a deal on a Dutchmen 18B. Loved it! Last year we moved up to a Lance 2285, hope to retire and pull it around the country someday. Life is good...

Good stories -- keep 'em coming!!

We had been tent-camping for a number of years. In about 2003, I saw a Jayco popup for sale down the street. Thought she would say "no", but I told the DW about it. She went to look at it, and said "okay". I had to get a new door, but other than that, it was fine. Basic (5-gal pump-action fresh water tank, battery, stove. No shower, toilet, heat, or AC).

Every trip we took in it for the next 8 years, DW said "this is the best $1,000 we ever spent!" Upgraded to a TrailManor in 2011, and don't plan to be without one until we can't walk. We love camping, mostly boondocking. Heading out in about a week for 8 nights away from people (for the most part).

My very first TT and my very first time out towing it.
Parked at a sporting event on concrete parking lot.

Unhooked TT. Did not realize where I was parked had a slight tilt to it......until the TT started rolling down towards a Prevost parked behind me! :E

They all told me I looked like Tom Cruise in the movie Risky business when he tried to stop his dads Porsche from going into Lake Michigan as I threw myself on top of the tongue of the trailer to try and stop it from slamming into the side of the Prevost.

I'd have to go back to around 66 myself. My parents rented a tent trailer and rented a bumper hitch for the Rambler. Our trip was to the Smoky Mountains and we had a blast.

Next they bought a huge canvas cabin tent at Morsans (now campmor) and we camped all over the place. Best trip ever was cross country.

They later bought a class c which I bought from them and took my kids all over. Also did a lot of camping with the Boy Scouts.

My first wife an I camped on our honeymoon. Cross country with a small dome tent.

My current wife loves camping but demanded her own bath, so we bought a small TT. Love it and we take it on many trips.

We have a few years to retirement, when well get a bigger camper for extended trips.

Our friends parents are pushing 90 and still camping!

I have too many memories as my parents purchased a travel trailer in 1962 when I was 7 years old. But the things I remember most was when Dad parked the camper a a local campground (seasonal), but still went on several trips all over the country. At that campground, there was a group of us boys, all about the same age, (10 - 14) and we were all good friends. We all camped there for several years, so over time we we all grew. But when we were younger, we used to get a bunch of lawn chairs and cots and collect a bunch of fire wood and we'd have our own camp-outs together. Our parents didn't mind at all, probably glad to get us out of the campers! And, as you can guess ... we did all kinds of mischievous stuff ... like the night we challenged each other to run from one end of the camp ground to the other (like at 2:00 in the morning!!!) ... butt naked in a pitch black night! As I recall, we all did it! Yea, we were rascals! But no one called anyone a "chicken!" Those memories still put a smile on me!

I'd have to go way back to 1966 when my parents rented a tent camper (as they were called in those days) for our travels down South to visit Myrtle Beach, to some former neighbors who moved to Tennesee, and my dad's Army buddy in Texas. My dad cooked all our meals on a Coleman gas stove outside on a picnic table (under one wing of the camper in bad weather). Maybe "magical" isn't the right word, but we had a blast. Did that for a few more years but as we grew the experience wasn't quite the same. My parents eventually bought a cabin tent and before you know it my brother and I were off to college.

Fast forward to 1985 - my new wife & I used that tent on our honeymoon, then graduated to a Coleman pop-up around 1992. We had some moments that were the polar opposite of "magical." To my continued astonishment, we are still married. By 1997 there were four of us instead of two and that year saw our purchase of a used 15' Sunline. The thunderbolt hit our first weekend out with that TT on the "shakedown cruise" - THIS is what we were going to be doing as a family.

Even before a year went by in that Sunline we knew a larger TT was in our future as the kids got bigger and we got closer to our real goal - touring the United States. It took us 9 years and 35,000 miles but as we look back there is not a thing any of us would change.

The kids are grown now, and as I write this I'm next to a small campfire at our site in a CG in New York. For DW and me, this is still what we want to do. We are already making plans for the summer of 2017.

Several years ago we rented a PUP for the Marine Corps MWR facility near us and drove to a COE site about 2 hours away. My parents had a PUP when I was a kid and I figured I could do this for my family and create some memories.

We got to the CG about an hour before dark and a thunderstorm was rolling in fast. I think I had just completed setting up the camper when all hell broke loose as the storm hit. My daughter was about 5 and my son was about 1. We sat in that PUP for about 3 hours in the driving rain, wind, lightening and thunder but somehow the power stayed on. The rain was so loud as it hit the canvas and roof, I had to practically yell at my DW for her to hear me. Ahh, the memories!

No Magic.. just enjoyment.

tent and motorcycle, 1 year, 1977.
bigger tent with cots and motorcycle , 2 years
pop up camper pulled by motorcycle, 15 years.

no camping for 12 years.

1500 ram and 21 foot camper, 6 weeks, sold camper.
2 years no camping
last fall, F 250 Ford and a 30 foot camper.. spent the winter down south, 3 1/2 months.

and Planning 5 months further down south this winter.