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camping since the 40's

old_guy
Explorer
Explorer
that's right the 40's. back then it was in tents and bought my first trailer in the 60's. we went camping with my daughter and her family this last weekend. they bought their first trailer two weeks ago. they sure had a lot of questions on how to do stuff, and I had answers. It made me feel good knowing that we did something right taking our kids camping when they were young. today I put a dometic 320 toilet into our trailer. no leaks either. I just wanted a taller seat.
15 REPLIES 15

garmp
Explorer II
Explorer II
I was a bit later. Wasn't taken camping until I was 6 mos. old. Turning 72 in a couple of months and still at it. Of course me and DW have gone from tarps, ropes and hatchets to an RV. My how things have changed. Even with the 21' B+, we still consider ourselves campers rather than RV'ers. Of course we like the amenities of electricity a water, most RV parks are mostly RV parking lots with no trees or personal space. COE & most State Parks are our preferred sites.
Our 2351D Phoenix Cruiser, Jack, has turned us from campers into RVers and loving it!

Kittykath
Explorer
Explorer
Dutch_12078 wrote:


When I was a teenager, my parents liked to embarrass me by telling friends that I started camping 9 months before I was born when I left on a camping trip with my father, and came home with my mother... ๐Ÿ˜‰


I'm stealing this. Same here for Son #1.

ppine
Explorer II
Explorer II
I am going backpacking next week with a close friend and my best dog. This will be my 58th year of living out of a pack. The technology has changed but it is still a magic experience that I am reluctant to give up.

ppine
Explorer II
Explorer II
My great aunt lived alone in Seattle with her cat when I knew her in the 1970s. But she used to tell stories about hunting with my railroading uncle. She would get up early in the 1920s and 30s to make breakfast for the boys before they headed out to hunt in the dark. Then she would go back to sleep in the old wall tent.

One morning she heard some quiet commotion, grabbed the Savage 99 and noticed some rough looking men going through the camp supplies. She stuck the rifle out the tent flap and announced in a loud voice "Can I help you boys?" They could not leave fast enough. This was amusing to hear coming from my elderly and frail great aunt.

Chris_Bryant
Explorer
Explorer
I was raised tent camping, I bought my first rv in 1978, a 69 VW Westfalia. My wife, on the other hand.... This would be around 1947


Trailer is a Prarie Schooner.
-- Chris Bryant

BarabooBob
Explorer III
Explorer III
I have been camping since '58 when I was 3. My parents hauled us all over the country in a variety of Chevy sedans with a basket top carrier to haul the 12 x 16 canvas tent. when I got met and married (to the right woman this time) in 1985 we started hauling her 2 daughters and then our additional 2 daughters all over the country, in tents and then popup campers. Three of the 4 daughters love camping and the other one seems to think she was raised with a gold spoon in her mouth and will NOT EVER go camping. Four years ago, my wife and I took our Toyota MH, her Merc pulling our popup and 2 kids with two of their kids on a three week trip to the Rockies. Everyone had a great time. Now they want to do it again. Teach them how to camp when they are young, make it fun, and maybe they will continue when they get older.
Bob & Dawn Married 34 years
2017 Viking 17RD
2011 Ford F150 3.5L Ecoboost 420 lb/ft
Retired

K_Charles
Explorer
Explorer
My parents took us camping and we took our kids and grandkids. 2 years ago our grand daughter her husband and there two kids asked us to go camping with them 'cause they bought their first TT.

bigorange
Explorer
Explorer
Iโ€™ll chime in with the youngster input...camping since about 1980. Started in homemade shelters made from black plastic tarps as a kid, then graduated to โ€œrealโ€ tents a few years later in scouts. Years of tent camping in little backpacking tents, big wall tents, out under the stars, etc. first trailer in 2013 and recently upgraded to our 2nd trailer. Still enjoy roughing it in tents every once in a while too. My kids love it all too. ๐Ÿ˜„
Not all those who wander are lost. - Tolkien

2018 Cherokee 235B 5W
2011 Ram 2500 CC SWB SLT 4WD 6.7 CTD 3.73
B&W Turnover Ball + Companion Slider hitch
2003 Sierra T22 TT - Sold

SidecarFlip
Explorer
Explorer
Been at it since I was an Eagle Scout in the early 60's and I have to say, overall quality has went downhill.

Wish I still had my Serro Scotty. That was a great single axle trailer. My Cox tent camper was too.
2015 Backpack SS1500
1997 Ford 7.3 OBS 4x4 CC LB

ppine
Explorer II
Explorer II
Camping in my family goes back 5 generations. They were farmers that came out to Washington State on the train in 1889. My grandfather made an ice axe in shop class around 1910 for climbing the volcanoes. Starting in the late 1890s the whole extended family packed up several wagons and headed for Mt St Helens for 2 weeks each summer to "climb the mountain."

I still like to take out the old wall tent and fire up the wood stove to stay connected to the old ways. Big trip planned for late October after the crowds die down in the Sierra.

D_E_Bishop
Explorer
Explorer
There seem to be quite a few of us old guys that camped early on and have kids in their 50's who are still camping and occationally with us.

Our girls are also 55 and 56, both are thankful for the life lessons learned tenting with us. One was involved with Outdoor Woman until she had to cut back due to cancer but went rock fish fishing this week with the other marine biologists from work. The youner one is a certified BSA Camp Director.

The DGS just returned from a two week treck through and around Denali. The DGD is like her Nana, and told her fiance, lf were going to SLC for your Grandad's funeral, we're taking extra time off and driving and camping. By the way, they are 16 and 18 resectfully

Thank godness for tents and wives who helped us with exposing this life to our kids and grandkids.
"I travel not to go anywhere, but to go. I travel for travel's sake. The great affair is to go". R. L. Stevenson

David Bishop
2002 Winnebago Adventurer 32V
2009 GMC Canyon
Roadmaster 5000
BrakeBuddy Classic II

BB_TX
Nomad
Nomad
Not quite as long as you "old" guys, but did start as a kid in the early 50's sleeping on army surplus canvas cots under the stars covered by quilts made by my grandmother along any creek that had water in it. Didn't have a tent til years later. My, how times have changed.

travelnutz
Explorer
Explorer
You 2 make us feel like were still just kids! Even though our own kids are 55 and 56 now... And we have 7 great grand kids and the first great great grand kid on the way and in the hopper.
A superb CC LB 4X4, GM HD Diesel, airbags, Rancho's, lots more
Lance Legend TC 11' 4", loaded including 3400 PP generator and my deluxe 2' X 7' rear porch
29 ft Carriage Carri-lite 5'er - a specially built gem
A like new '07 Sunline Solaris 26' TT

travelnutz
Explorer
Explorer
Good for you! I share a lot of your comments but maybe a couple years later. I have been camping since 1949, in tents of course. Started young in cub scouts camping, then with parents in 1955 in their first little 17' Bonanza travel trailer. In 1961 we married and my parents let us borrow their now owned larger 22' Banner travel trailer 4-5 times during the summer when we were on summer college break.

Bought our own first RV, a Georgie Boy hard sided TC in 1965. new for $795, and added a second RV, a 21' Holiday Rambler travel trailer in 1966. So hooked on camping and RV'ing. Have owned so many more RV's of all types since, on and on and still RV'ing being old farts and we have no plans to quit!
A superb CC LB 4X4, GM HD Diesel, airbags, Rancho's, lots more
Lance Legend TC 11' 4", loaded including 3400 PP generator and my deluxe 2' X 7' rear porch
29 ft Carriage Carri-lite 5'er - a specially built gem
A like new '07 Sunline Solaris 26' TT