Marks of a ***True*** Camper

Today I was considering the marks of a person who is a true camper. Working here at a State Park I get to observe firsthand the people who "camp" at the Park.

I put together this list after observing the so-called "campers" who come to the Park.

A true camper doth not camp only in fair weather.

A true camper does not camp for the purpose of getting intoxicated. I see this great evil here at the Park I work at.

A true camper littereth not.

True campers are most quiet-no loud noises or radios.

True campers fear not storms, but rather loveth and welcometh the same with grateful hearts. They fear them not.

True campers camp year round-not just in fair weather conditions or Summer months. That is a sure sign such persons are not true campers.

True campers seek peace and solitude away from all others.

RV's and "campers" is NOT true camping. It's most artificial and a great mockery. I hate all such things with a *perfect* hatred.

My little girl and I camp there all the time. Great park. Never known it to be how your describing it. I am always the last one to bed early by normal standards. I like looking into the sky and daydream by the fire; it is usually quiet by 9 and noisless by 10 or 11. Rock climbing,scuba diving(clear lake),trails that go every direction,cliffs,bluffs,beaches and big band dances on weekends. If it is hurricanes your looking for turn around theres something blowing out your or head southeast.

New Hiker 2B said:

My little girl and I camp there all the time. Great park. Never known it to be how your describing it. I am always the last one to bed early by normal standards...If it is hurricanes your looking for turn around theres something blowing out your or head southeast.

Where I work at is a great Park no doubt.

It gets very "trashed" though-I know first-hand. I clean up all the garbage.

Site 361 was most boisterous and noisy-someone was playing music way loud. Heard it all the way down the Campground Loop.

We've always been in quartzite; never been nothing like that. Sorry if my coments were to rude. It hit a nerve in me.

Getting intoxicated isn't really the purpose of most of my adventures in the wilderness. Sometimes it just happens.

New Hiker 2B said:

We've always been in quartzite; never been nothing like that. Sorry if my coments were to rude. It hit a nerve in me.

I'm hardly hurt by your comments.

I'm just relating what I see and observe.

Happy Camping!

mahoosicmayhem said:

Getting intoxicated isn't really the purpose of most of my adventures in the wilderness. Sometimes it just happens.

That's what my brother said too. That's why his marriage is falling apart.

However that is a topic NOT for Trailspace.com. But I make a good point by posting this. I choose however to *break the curse* as it were.

ministercreek said:

A true camper doth not camp only in fair weather.

A true camper does not camp for the purpose of getting intoxicated. I see this great evil here at the Park I work at.

A true camper littereth not.

True campers are most quiet-no loud noises or radios.

True campers camp year round-not just in fair weather conditions or Summer months. That is a sure sign such persons are not true campers.

True campers seek peace and solitude away from all others.

RV's and "campers" is NOT true camping. It's most artificial and a great mockery. I hate all such things with a *perfect* hatred.

I agree with much of this. There is a broad concept of what "camping" is in the general public, and what sounds like camping to some is not to others. As long as "campers" aren't bothering others though, I tend to not concern myself about it.

So, as someone who works at a campground, what can you do when there is a group of loud partiers?

Years ago, I had one memorable night in a southern New Hampshire campground camped alone next to a bunch of loud, drunk guys who it sounded like were trying to cut down a tree and make a bonfire in the middle of the night.

I wasn't about to walk into their dark, campsite alone and politely ask them to stop though, and there didn't seem to be anyone official around to do anything.

I see it all where I work at: the drunken, noisey parties, the trash left behind, tearing the facilities up. The list seems to get longer every year.

I go to State Parks for some peace of mind and simply to enjoy the simplicity of life. Life can be beautiful in it's simplicity.

I love working at the Park but I do see many things people do to to harm the same. Real Sad. :(

Officially, I am not allowed to do/say anything when I see people acting up. I do sometimes however, like when they are driving the wrong way (all the campground loops are one-way).

Of course I get my fair share of people complaining. I guess that comes with the job.

Speaking of Storms I created a Group on Yahoo if anyone is interested.

Please do read the rules/description before joining though.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Hurricane_Campers/?yguid=144702345

Camping in crappy weather is quite interesting and can be fun if you have the right gear. i repeat have the right gear.

It sucks sooooo bad to have a cheap $30 tent that leaks not only at the seams, but right through the fabric itself. I like camping because it is a test of survival skills and knowledge. And pretty much every time, you learn something new, mostly from mistake. ....like what I learned about cheap tents and bad weather.

In conclusion, have the right gear.

Kmarr said:

Camping in crappy weather is quite interesting and can be fun if you have the right gear. i repeat have the right gear.

It sucks sooooo bad to have a cheap $30 tent that leaks not only at the seams, but right through the fabric itself. I like camping because it is a test of survival skills and knowledge. And pretty much every time, you learn something new, mostly from mistake. ....like what I learned about cheap tents and bad weather.

In conclusion, have the right gear.

Amen-I couldn't agree more! :) This is the type of subject I love to discuss-camping and severe weather! Such a topic moves my soul!

I recently purchased the Kelty Orb 2 Tent from REI-outlet.com for under 200 bucks. I plan to use this tent in the hurricane I plan to camp in. Take a look at this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VPjIfmZhU1g&feature=related

In my lifetime of camping I came close to a (possible) near tornado whiles bicycling through Nebraska. I set up my tent right before the storm unleashed it's fury! That was some night I will NEVER forget!

You are most correct about those cheap tents.

I used a Diamond Brand Free Spirit model for years. My first "real" tent. The thing served me faithfully. Great tents Diamond Brand produced. Never leaked a drop of water plus they were tough as nails. They are missed! :(

Kmarr said:

.... I like camping because it is a test of survival skills and knowledge. And pretty much every time, you learn something new, mostly from mistake.

Camping should not be a test of "survival skills", any more than going to work in an office or any other occupation. Well, ok, I will admit that living in certain parts of major metropolitan areas is a case of surviving significant risks of death and injury, and commuting to work on the freeway or on bicycle can be highly risky and calls for challenging survival skills. Everything carries its risks, of course.

Yes, outdoor activities can be challenging, as can keeping your day job. Some of the courses I taught as a university professor were very challenging, mostly the ones "required" for non-majors (one of the most challenging moments was when a student in such a survey course asked a couple days before the mid-term, "Do we have to know anything for this test?").

If you do as you should, namely planning and preparing, developing your skills, and so on, you will have plenty of challenges, but you will rarely if ever have to resort to "survival skills." An old saying among experienced mountaineers (originally attributed to Roald Amundsen, the famous polar explorer) is that "An adventure or epic is when you have failed to plan and prepare." As I teach in my outdoor leadership courses, "Plan and prepare for the 'Reasonably Unexpected'". You can not prepare for every eventuality, such as asteroid strikes or dinosaur attacks. Those are for the disaster movies. But you can prepare for the potential extremes of weather for the location and season, problematic animals (bears, raccoons, or, on one of my recent outings, lions, leopards, rhinos, and elephants), and serious injuries on the part of party members.

To the theme of the title of this thread, the mark of a true camper is never getting into the situation of having to use those survival skills you learned and practiced.

Bill S said:

Kmarr said:

.... I like camping because it is a test of survival skills and knowledge. And pretty much every time, you learn something new, mostly from mistake.

Camping should not be a test of "survival skills", any more than going to work in an office or any other occupation. Well, ok, I will admit that living in certain parts of major metropolitan areas is a case of surviving significant risks of death and injury, and commuting to work on the freeway or on bicycle can be highly risky and calls for challenging survival skills. Everything carries its risks, of course....To the theme of the title of this thread, the mark of a true camper (in Bill's opinion) is never getting into the situation of having to use those survival skills you learned and practiced.

Why not is my question.

I myself have been in some rather "hairy" situations while camping. It's very good, all in my humble opinion, to develope survival skills. Life needs a good challenge. Way too many Americans live what I call the pampered lifestyle, meaning they only can handle life and situations in the comfort zone. They need air conditioning when it gets hot outside, an easy chair to unwind in, TVs, BIG SUV'S and automatic transmissions because they are too lazy to shift gears, etc. The list is endless. These people are so bloody spoiled it makes me sick.

Camping should be exciting and durst I say challenging? Bring on the storms is what I say! Let the rain pour and the winds blow! Never forget the thunder and lightening too! Can't leave that out! Only fearful souls with NO sense of adventure runneth from such things as storms, in my humble opinion.

I myself prefer to live life "on the edge" as it were. It keeps me happy and going strong. :)

Kmarr said:

Camping in crappy weather is quite interesting and can be fun if you have the right gear. i repeat have the right gear.

It sucks sooooo bad to have a cheap $30 tent that leaks not only at the seams, but right through the fabric itself. I like camping because it is a test of survival skills and knowledge. And pretty much every time, you learn something new, mostly from mistake. ....like what I learned about cheap tents and bad weather.

In conclusion, have the right gear.

I must admit I really love my new REI brand Taj 3 Tent. With the three poles it is quite sturdy in the wind.

In addition to all this, it keeps me most dry, regardless how hard it rains. Good tent.

The sad :( news is though they appear unavailable on the rei-outlet. com website. They must be all sold out. Glad I got one though. :)

MC,

You just don't get it. If you have the skills, knowledge, and experience, you can be comfortable anywhere on this planet at any time of year. A number of my friends and I spend extended time every year at temperatures from the -40 and below range to the +140F range, traveling on foot, bicycle (including mountain bikes and NOT tearing up the terrain), skis, and various watercraft. Rain, hail, blizzards, winds in the 70+knot range are part of normal procedure, well within our "comfort zones". It includes the presence and normal activity of various critters, ranging from large predators (look at my trip reports here on Trailspace) to various insects (mosquitos, for example), some poisonous, some carrying a variety of diseases. This is not "survival", but normal procedure, carrying out our normal activities, well within our personal "comfort zones". This is not death-defying, actually less risky than driving on the freeway or riding on public transportation. It certainly is not for everyone, because it takes an understanding of the risks and how to deal with them. Yes, in the course of the activities, one gets cold at times, or very hot, or you go without food and/or water. But if you have the knowledge, skills, and experience, there is no problem. It's no big deal.

As the old saying goes, to each his own. If you consider camping in the rain death-defying, challenging, and "on the edge", so be it. For many of us, though, it is a normal way of life.Get a little wet? So, what's the problem? Wet is normal. Temperature's a bit on the hot side? This is a problem? Temperature's on the cool side, with the wind bringing the chill to -60C? Yeah, so what? If you know what to do, you can keep hiking, skiing, or climbing just fine. If you lack the knowledge and experience, then you have stacked the odds against yourself, and unfortunately are creating a risky situation for the brave and caring souls, like trouthunter, who do the S&R operations, all too often recovering only bodies of those who exhibited the poor judgment due to their lack of skills.

On the other hand, I know many people and have a number of friends for whom a 2 mile hike on a well-maintained trail is a challenge. For some of these, it is because of an injury sustained in the defense of our country and way of life. For others, it is because of an accident that happened in the wilderness. For still others, it is because of a degenerative disease, genetic for some, acquired later in life for others. One of my friends lost his legs in an accident on an island off the coast of Australia. Through his personal courage and determination, he has since climbed Denali and hiked Kilimanjaro - not been carried, but did those under his own power. This was not "on the edge" for him, though it was challenging. I have friends in their 80s who are still climbing at the hardest grades. Three of the team I was with in Antarctica were in their 70s (one almost 80). Though there was challenge there, none of us were "on the edge".

Sorry Bill but I'm talking about hurricanes.

I just don't want to upset you. :)

I know, "here we go again", right? :-/

Kmarr said:

Camping in crappy weather is quite interesting and can be fun if you have the right gear. i repeat have the right gear.

It sucks sooooo bad to have a cheap $30 tent that leaks not only at the seams, but right through the fabric itself. I like camping because it is a test of survival skills and knowledge. And pretty much every time, you learn something new, mostly from mistake. ....like what I learned about cheap tents and bad weather.

In conclusion, have the right gear.

Speaking of "crappy weather" we have been getting hit with lines of thunderstorms here in south-central Wisconsin in the past few days. One morning I was awoken to sounds of the wind blowing quite hard. Hard enough to shake my car (this is what woke me up btw).

Reminded me of an hurricane-the trees being most violently buffeted by the winds and the rains falling in a sideways fashion. Hopefully this comment will not "violate" the guidelines of Trailspace and be deleted. I'm just reporting what I seen and experienced.

I hope I will experience some rather severe weather on my two days off as I will be camping at Lake Farm Campground in Madison (Wisconsin). I'm praying for severe weather to effect us, with plenty of strong winds. I want to see how my new REI brand Taj three-person tent holds up to nasty weather. :)