camping: conclusions

[jfb]

So the reason I went out with a tent last night was, I was thinking about this cross-country trip that's coming up awfully fast now. I've got friends with couches at a lot of my stops, but, you know, not all of them, and lodging can be expensive. So I thought it might be cheaper to buy a tent of my own and sleep in campgrounds when possible.

(When I was younger, my parents drove us around most of the United States with a tent trailer. I remember a lot of cool places we visited, but my memories of camping itself range from hazy to uncomfortable to mortifying. So I went into the camping experiment with some doubts, too.)

The experiment had its fun moments, but I'm thinking for reasons of health, hygiene, and happiness, I couldn't camp out very much. I need to finalize my trip plan (it's about time!) and figure out if it would be worth camping out a little.

Comments

hmmm

[(Anonymous)]

I enjoyed hearing about this, but I winced a bit too. I did it as a Girl Scout, and haven't had any desire since Blair Witch Project (especially in MD). But Beth always wants to go... I'm more a B&B or Motel 6 kind of girl, with a tiny bit of Bates Motel fear thrown in. So I sympathize.

Lynn

Re: hmmm

[jfb.livejournal.com]

Yeah, it surprised me a little that I had any interest in camping at all. But hey, I like nature, right? Why shouldn't I like being out in it all night?

[juliansinger.livejournal.com]

I drove around the country for a month last August.

I had a tent. I used it, mmm, not very often, but often enough to give me relief from motel prices. It was, really, more psychological than anything.

As long as you know how to set it up, which you seem to now know...

[jfb.livejournal.com]

Hm. If the benefit is mostly psychological I don't think I'll bother--I mean, I'd have to buy a tent of my own and other supplies, and I'm not willing to pay for that if it's not going to be a tangible benefit. (And I'd have to learn how to set my own tent up, but I'm assuming it would come with instructions for... itself.)

Where'd you go in August? I mean, highlights.

I have one word for you...

[greyaenigma.livejournal.com]

Ticks.

Re: I have one word for you...

[juliansinger.livejournal.com]

Not, generally, if you sleep in a) state/national park camping grounds, or b) RV parks. (Which often have little camping corners.)

Re: I have one word for you...

[greyaenigma.livejournal.com]

Well, maybe not for you. But for me, even when people swear there are no ticks around, they come.

Re: I have one word for you...

[jfb.livejournal.com]

SPOOOOOOONS!

[marm0t.livejournal.com]

It's too late now, but maybe you should've bought an RV instead of a Toyota. :) That's how MY family did the camping-all-over-the-country years. It was pretty nifty.

[michaelpop.livejournal.com]

camping by oneself seems...sad. and scary.