Tuesday, January 2, 2024

Camping, like all of life, changes ;)

 Photo of the day

 This George my Puppet, I used to let him drive the tow vehicle. He gained more attention that we did.

Once in N. Georgia we camped near where this parade was held the kids loved it. We also got to hear Conway Twitty sing,







So for today:

We call it camping sometimes, most of the time we call it RV’ing.  Most of our vacations over our lives have been ‘on the cheap’ as the kids say today. If we went to ‘Six Flags over Georgia’ with the boys, we stayed the week in a tent, for $4 a night at a state or federal park.  It was the same for years at different vacation sites. WE seldom cook outside anymore.

Most of our vacations were in tents and later a popup camper. Sherry was not raised camping for fun, I was. Many times, our family met Uncle Irvin & family in the Pisgah Mts. No tents, the adults slept in the cars or station wagon we kids slept on the ground or on picnic tables.  We would be the only ones in the remote parks.

The food was delicious that mama and Aunt Bert cooked over the camp fires.

On one of the first times Sherry & I camped in the Smokey Mts. We had a white Rambler wagon, the back was open but covered by a sheet I had sewn to fit.  The first morning we awoke after a good night’s sleep; just beside the window where Sherry slept….. were two big bear paw prints where he had looked inside.

We never actually encountered a bear up close, but did see several in campgrounds where we stayed.

(Above is me ;n Corey, Ben and Sherece, we loved taking them on trips. Sherece was the youngest but was as big as the boys, She as always saying something that "Me 'n Ben 'n Corey" had done.)

WE tried a travel trailer for a few years.  Then started on Motor homes.  We actually no longer CAMP, we consider this a rolling motel but we have the same bed every night.

For years we stayed in State, Federal and Corps or Engineer campgrounds. Most times, there is only electric and sometimes no amenities at all. But our coaches are self-contained. We have Black (sewer) and Gray(sink and bath) water holding tanks.  50 gals of fresh water and a generator for 120v when needed. 

(All the Grandkids and Great grands loved 'driving' our coach when we are around.  This is Luke the youngest Grand. He is now Grown and owns his own home.)

We have had Satellite TV receptors in the last 3 coaches but seldom used it even in remote Yukon and Alaska areas.  TV is not a big deal for us.  BUT, but we do have the Orbic from Verizon that gives us a roving cell signal, and WE both use that!

Our mail goes to a Mail Service and they forward it to us where ever we roam.  The changes, first of all in many places you can say in a motel cheaper than renting an RV site and that makes no sense to us

 More later. Thanks for stopping by.

Nite Shipslog

PS !: PS:. Thanks for reading the Shipslog, hope to see you again, take care and be safe….

6 comments:

Victor S E Moubarak said...

What a lovely adventure travelling and seeing the country a bit at a time. How do you link to the Internet whilst travelling? Are there cell-phone signals everywhere - even out in the mountains?

God bless.

I'm mostly known as 'MA' said...

We started camping in order to take vacations. It was the cheapest way to go with our large family. We stayed at many Parks, but also parked permanently for a few years, when we found a campground with 3 sites for all of us right together. I thought I'd retire there, but that didn't happen. I do miss camping but am not able to do so on my own anymore.

Mevely317 said...

What delightful memories, especially with the children! (Well, maybe not the close encounter with a bear!)

I've only been car/tent camping twice in my life and have to admit, it wasn't the best of times. Props to Sherry!

HappyK said...

You have some fine memories.
We had an RV and traveled the country back in the 90's. Enjoyed it.
I am mot a fan of tent camping.
Ken was in the Navy 20 years and we moved around a bit so now it is nice to stay in one place!!!
We have bears on our property but every time I've seen one they ran away.

Susan Kane said...

Awesome memories were created along the way... We took our young children camping and it was a hoot. One time my husband set up the tent on a red ant hill. When they were teens, we went camping in San Onofre State Beach.. the nuclear power plant was a mile away. In the bathrooms was a notice that basically said "if you hear a loud siren, run for your life." It was also a hoot.

yaya said...

I grew up camping with my family. First in a tent, then a popup that we thought was the best thing ever..sleeping off the ground! I imagine if my Dad had lived long enough to retire that he and Mom would have tried RVing. It's funny how little we were able to live on back in the early years and still be happy. I wouldn't trade those years away for anything. Happy New Year Jack and Sherry. I read your previous post and I too pray you have a better 2024!