What happened to camping/RVing?

[rfinisd]

I grew camping/RVing with my parents. Tent camping was too extreme as my Mom didn't want to sleep on the ground and there was always a fear of bears(whether it was rational or not). In the 60's and early 70's we had an Avion camper. In 1973 Dad brought home a Pioneer 5th Wheel. It was way ahead of its' time, lots of luxuries for that time. Also, it was huge at the time, at thirty feet. Maybe that was the beginning of the end.

I can only remember a handful of times we ever stayed at a full hookup park. 98% were state or federal parks, which if you were lucky had a building with flush toilets and showers or a dump station on the way out, let alone water, dump and electricity at your site. My parents didn't allow a TV in either of the RV's. We went RVing to get away from the urban environment. We entertained ourselves by hiking, fishing, talking to each other and board games. Conserving water and batteries was just the way you camped. Forty some odd years later I am still RVing that way to escape my urban life and get unconnected, if only for a weekend.

As I look around at all the posts and blogs, when it comes to Boondocking, it seems it is either scary or a mystery to newbies or folks are all obsessed with adding things so you can bring and run all the stuff you have at home. I can understand that if you are living full time in the RV, but not for trips. During trips I either want to just relax or explore or go sightseeing. Also, without all the stuff from home, it reduces distractions and forces the family to talk and bond.

When did the change happen in RVing when Boondocking became the aberration and normal camping/RVing became a quest to bring your house with you? Also, I am curious how many folks like me are still out there, or if I am just a 52 year old Fuddy Duddy.

[pnichols]

coolmom42 wrote:
The point of having a RV is to have your own comfortable bed anywhere you want to go.

I agree 110%.

For example, I was raised in Michigan with an unheated bedroom and refuse to ever live any part of my adult cold-weather life that way again. We keep the RV's nighttime interior temperatures the same as we do in our stick house when we're sleeping in the RV on chilly nights. We have also drycamped in the RV with it's built-in generator running most of the night to power the air conditioner in order to be able to sleep in the hot/humid Southern U.S. during August. That's part of what we paid for when we bought a self-contained rig.

Did we used to tent camp .... yes, years ago. Do I still backpack ... yes, occasionally. Our RV is about comfort just about anywhere anytime anyseason within the U.S.. Outside the U.S., we'd probably need heavier insulation and maybe some different capacity appliances than what's in our current RV.

[coolmom42]

We like a mix of camping styles---dispersed camping or primitive NF campgrounds, mixed with RV parks close to larger towns or cities. We live in a small town, and like to use our RV to 1) get totally away from people or 2) have a comfortable place to stay near to interesting areas we want to visit.

If the weather isn't amenable to sitting outside in the evening, we like to watch a movie or surf the web. And I like to stay in touch with my sweetie-pie grandkids during my travels--- so a cell phone signal is good to find. But we don't sit around inside all day or evening glued to electronics. It doesn't have to be an all or nothing proposition.

No reason it has to be all one or the other. The point of having a RV is to have your own comfortable bed anywhere you want to go.

[skylo]

Great camping spots!I hate waking up in a pool of sweat so I built myself a DIY tent air conditioner, that works great.With a bit of lateral thinking it is easy to make a real tent air conditioner,don't worry about the other campers laughing they don't know what they missing.

[skylo]

I have done a fair amount of camping in very hot climates and not to wake up in a pool of sweat is great.I built a DIY tent air conditioner that works great.A window AC unit can easily be duct to make a tent air conditioner .

[otis-agnes]

We like peace & quiet when we camp. We mostly camp in state/federal campgrounds - no hookups. What I love about camping in our favorite campground in the White Mountains in NH - no cell service! Agnes

[pnichols]

Just as an aside, a few weeks ago we were camping in a very quiet part of Arizona in a rather "special" campground we discovered by word of mouth.

This was a 55+ campground with full hookups - including a laundry and rec room - but at the same time it was out in the middle of nowhere with great views all around and immediate access right out of it's campsites to unlimited ATV/UTV riding. (It's rates were also low.)

So it is possible to have your cake and eat it too .... full hookups (even though we don't need them) and amenities .... but with isolation and quietness.

[FunnyCamper]

great thread to read

I am state park camper. I want ALOT less distractions when camping like you mentioned. I want quiet, easy and my luxury but not at a high price 🙂

we are east coast. we aren't going to boondock in many places. just isn't happening. I would not be afraid to go no electric etc. but in my area 'remote' is a state park with elec and water. I can survive.

I can't wait til retirement to hit the west and boondock 'for real'. hubby and I are excited to try it all....from no hookups in the middle of nowhere to full amenity cgs wtih tons of action. Anywhere in the US 🙂

[1stgenfarmboy]

^^^^now those are some close sites.

[Veebyes]

Our RV roots & enjoyment of dry camping are in saltwater weekend camping. We had this one for 13 years while the kids were growing into their mid teens.



We also don't understand the need to be constantly connected. What did we do before cellphones? Don't understand the need to be hooked up to power, water & sewer at every CG. Didn't have any of that with the boat. Only had 2 group 31 gel cells & 1 had to be left charged so the engine could start. Only had about 60gal fresh water though the toilet used seawater. No holding tank. No genny. No marinas to go to & plug in. Every weekend was a boondocking weekend though sometimes we had company & it looked like this.

[jefe_4x4]

ProfDan,
I will neither confirm nor deny your accusation that the white mobile domicile in the photo belongs to me. Nice catch. It's nice to see 'my' rock again. And yes, this spot is a long, rough ride from pavement, and not for the faint of tires and suspension. But, Oh in the middle of summer; what an oasis from the heat of the valleys below. This certainly wasn't July but about 30 feet from your Goog Earth pic.

regards, as always, jefe

[bucky]

Some great pics in this thread, thanks for sharing. As to the AC for the tent, I have a pic somewhere of a couple with a fan on a chair blowing thru the window of their tent. White noise and cool air!. There is no boondocking on the east coast, but we sure plan to roam the west in just a few more years. I think fear of our fellow humans has increased over the last 5-10 years. We live in a very rural area, but home invasions happen occasionally. Most are due to the knowledge of drugs or money within that particular home, but the subconscious registers anyway. When we were in our 20s we thought nothing of sleeping totally vulnerable behind only the zipper of a tent. Heck, we left all our "stuff" unprotected during the daytime while we ran around or went to the beach. Sadly, things have changed since then.

[bucky]

Some great pics in this thread, thanks for sharing. As to the AC for the tent, I have a pic somewhere of a couple with a fan on a chair blowing thru the window of their tent. White noise and cool air!. There is no boondocking on the east coast, but we sure plan to roam the west in just a few more years. I think fear of our fellow humans has increased over the last 5-10 years. We live in a very rural area, but home invasions happen occasionally. Most are due to the knowledge of drugs or money within that particular home, but the subconscious registers anyway. When we were in our 20s we thought nothing of sleeping totally vulnerable behind only the zipper of a tent. Heck, we left all our "stuff" unprotected during the daytime while we ran around or went to the beach. Sadly, things have changed since then.

[profdant139]

Jefe, I can neither confirm nor deny that this is one of my boondocking sites. 😉

But brace yourself for a shock -- I think that this is a shot of your rig on or about July 10, 2011 -- I took it from Google Earth's historical archive and edited out the GPS coordinates on Picasa -- the shot is probably a little grainy due to the enlargement:



And if it's not your rig, it should be!

PS -- those rocks are 100 yards northeast of the TC.

PPS -- and if anyone is thinking of grabbing this boondocking site, be prepared for a long, slow drive on a very bumpy road. Plus there is very little shade -- the aspens are short. And no creek nearby, in case you like to fish. 😉

[jefe_4x4]

profDan.
I've seen you sig pic for a while and when you posted the blowup i recognized that rock! It's OUR secret spot a few miles No. on Dunderberg Road. A sylvan glade it is. We have camped there in all four seasons. It's cool in the summer and cold in the winter. What a view out over Western Nevada. Here follow some more of the same place, only a little less fall-like. This one was in Sept. on a trip with my brother John: The rock is to the left out of pic:

This is October 6th after a very early snow: rock is still to the left.


Your mode of camping changes with your age and station in life, which is always changing. Get over it. Get used to it. Get camping. Time marches on whether we are there or not.
regards, as always, jefe