Camping has changed.

[tangle tooth]

      I remember how, so many years ago, I thought nothing of swinging a loaded backpack (no tent) over my shoulders. A 4-piece fly rod strapped to the side of the backpack and heading out. Me thinks them days are gone forever. My mind is more than ready and willing but the body would protest the entire time.
      Children and grandchildren want to go camping " just like you used to do, grandpa". Bless their little pea pickin hearts. Crawling on all fours in to a little pup tent, zipping up a sleeping bag and sleeping all night long is but a dream.
      It does bring back some great memories. I told them we (me and the Mrs.) would go if they can get a cabin. Just near a latrine would be fine. Don't need tv, Internet or even power or indoor plumbing.
      What are some of your memories of "roughing it" and could you still do it?

[dutchboy]

Some 40 years or so ago we did quite a bit of tent camping. It was fun. I would love to do that again along with being able to run over 10 yards, not fall asleep in the chair as soon as it gets dark, sit up all night and play cards with the boys and drink beer and tell lies. Unfortunately father time has other ideas for me.

The hardest thing about tent camping these days would be being able to get up off of the cold ground in the morning.

But the memories are still there if that counts for anything.

[Steve-o]

Lookin 4ward 2 my 1st trip 2 the BWCA next summer.  That will b the most ruffingest trip I've been on.

Otherwise camping as a kid with the fam was always in small hard side trailers or popups.

I tent camped with my wife once b4 we were married, which was a fun adventure  , but after the kids were born and big enough, we got our own popup camper.

When I was young, there were campgrounds all over.  My folks would just take us and go and we found places to stay all over northern MN and the Black Hills and even to Yellowstone in '79*.  Now, unless you have reservations every night months (or even a year) in advance you won't have a place to stay.

*Speaking of roughing it... It was real MISERY driving out to western Wyoming at 55mph the whole way after the LIBERAL DEMOCRAT ECOLOGISTS in Washington forced states to cap the speed limit at 55 or loose federal highway funds during the Energy Crisis.  (Just razzin' y'all 'bout the political stuff, but that did happen.)  And the riding really sucked.
Maybe that's why I'm a heartless Republican now.   

[delcecchi]

Wasn't that when some state like Montana set the fine for speeding at a dollar or something like that?

[fishwidow]

I still miss tent camping in spite of some memorable disasters.
Newly married with not much money, I scraped up enough money to buy all the equipment I could afford—two cheap sleeping bags, a Coleman stove, a Coleman heater, a Coleman lantern, a cooler, and a tent. Headed to a campground for Memorial Day Weekend, and promptly broke my fan belt and overheated. Managed to get to a pay phone and got my brother in law to tow me about thirty miles where I got it replaced.  Back on the road about 1:00. Got to the campground in a downpour with lightning and thunder. Temperatures dropped into the forties and we shivered all night sleeping on a cold tent floor since we had no air mattresses.

Another time we got to a National Forest campground up on the Gunflint after dark, found a nice level spot, got to sleep after midnight, and woke up to find I had pitched the tent in the middle of the road.

Spent a weekend at Gooseberry and it poured all night with high winds blowing rain right through the zipper into the tent. We decided to pull the pin because the rain was not letting up, so my wife and kids sat in the car while I broke camp. We got lucky though,  because when we left the park we debated whether to go further up the shore or head back home. We decided to call it done and head home. Shortly after that, a bridge just up the shore was shut down because of damage from the storm, and people on the other side of it were stranded.
On our honeymoon, the second time around, we reserved a cabin in Porcupine Mountains State Park in the UP. Had to pack in a few miles carrying much more than we needed. The hip belt on my backpack had a broken buckle, and I thought my back would go out crossing creeks on downed logs and climbing up and down hills. When we got to the cabin smoke was coming out of the chimney and I was ready for some kind of confrontation with whoever was in my cabin. Turns out it was a couple who were tent camping. The woman had cut her hand on a can lid, so they hoisted there food into a tree, and hiked out to get her stitched up. When they returned they found their food dragged down from the tree and what was left of it scattered. They apologized and moved down the way and pitched their tent. The good thing was I got spectacular pictures of fall peak foliage with Lake Superior in the background.

Another time I drove into a provincial park campground in Ontario on a beautiful afternoon and saw lots of tents and campers, but no sign of a human being anywhere. We selected a site and I began to pitch the tent.  No humans to be found but clouds of black flys. By the time I got set up, I had a two inch wide band of welts around each leg just above the top of my socks. The next day they were swollen and painful.
I had some good times tent camping, too, but I’m glad my wife always rolls her eyes when I suggest breaking out the tent and going on a trip.

[markn]

All I remember is a 12x12 canvas tent, fourth of July weekend (and many others) and it being about 146 degrees inside of the tent the whole weekend. Nicer sleeping outside with the skeeters. Don't miss it. Now is a 28' fifth wheel camper with AC. Much betterer.

[LPS]

We used to camp in tents all of the time.  Would even do a winter 3 day deal during Christmas vacation.  Now no way.  Roughing it now is in the camper with a toilet and shower.

[Pulleye16]

Awe, tent camping. Loved waking up wet, cold, and tired!  We never had sleeping pads growing up, it was sleeping bag right on the ground! 

My favorite smell now is the smell of a the old white gas Coleman stoves. Every time I get a whiff, it reminds me of the days camping with the family as a kid.

[glenn57]

as a kid i did tent camping with the boy scouts. brother and i did it in the yard at home also. think it was JR year in high school parents bought a pop up camper and did the Yellowstone trip. aftet i left home they bought an RV. camped with them a few times. after i got married to Sue we went all out with the camping gear as we got to be good friends with owners of a campground by new london.....that led to the camper.


my most memorable camping was up in Manitoba going fishing. lake Sipiwisk. 16 hour drive from home, another 6 by boat with 25 horse motors, but fishing was phenominal!!!! you better have liked camping....cause it was a long way back to the vehicle. still had shoreline ice for the fish, and i learned the perma frost technique!!!

yea now its the cabin........i doubt i;ll ever sleep another night in a tent!!

[LPS]

I too was proud to be a Boy Scout!

[mike89]

did the boy scout thing too!!  after my military time camping was a tent for a long time...  and that was either gone fishing or taking off on my Harley going some place...   but after time we got a pickup camper, then a small motor home from from aunt...   after that it was 5th wheel camping...   no more tents for me either!!!   

[tangle tooth]

      I learned a lot in Boy Scouts. Probably would have learned more if I hadn't already known everything. I still carry a Boy Scout pocket knife as an edc. My wife hates when I whip out my pocket knife to cut a chunk of cheese or eat a can of Vienna sausages.
      I used to make fun of an old guy I knew who said his favorite campground had a big, green Holiday Inn sign out front. Makes sense now.
      I do miss tent camping. Bigger tent and a cot.

[fishwidow]

One last disaster, but one I avoided—
In 1972, we planned a trip to Yellowstone and Glacier. We planned on camping in the Black Hills the first night. The week before we left, there was a huge thunderstorm with really heavy rain. The rain fell for an extended time at an extreme rate. The runoff from the higher elevations caused more than one dam to break. The campground we had planned on staying in was totally wiped out along with large parts of the area including significant damage in Rapid City. 238 people lost their lives.

I can’t hear the words “Black Hills” or “Rapid City” without thinking how lucky we were to not be there when the disaster happened.
We rerouted our trip through North Dakota and spent the first night in a city run campground in Valley City. Not very scenic, but hot showers and the fee at that time was 25 cents for the night.
We had several car issues on that trip that also made it memorable, but hard times make for good stories and help me appreciate the things I can do now.

[glenn57]

One last disaster, but one I avoided—
In 1972, we planned a trip to Yellowstone and Glacier. We planned on camping in the Black Hills the first night. The week before we left, there was a huge thunderstorm with really heavy rain. The rain fell for an extended time at an extreme rate. The runoff from the higher elevations caused more than one dam to break. The campground we had planned on staying in was totally wiped out along with large parts of the area including significant damage in Rapid City. 238 people lost their lives.

I can’t hear the words “Black Hills” or “Rapid City” without thinking how lucky we were to not be there when the disaster happened.
We rerouted our trip through North Dakota and spent the first night in a city run campground in Valley City. Not very scenic, but hot showers and the fee at that time was 25 cents for the night.
We had several car issues on that trip that also made it memorable, but hard times make for good stories and help me appreciate the things I can do now.

fishwidow......remind me NEVER to go camping with you!!!!!!

i'd be a bit nervous to even be staying at the same resort as you!!!! maybe even the same county!!!!

just rassin ya bud!!!!!!

[Steve-o]

We never roughed it in a tent, but the best thing about camping when I was a kid, is that my dad let me roam and explore anywhere I wanted to:  woods, creeks, rocks, trails.  If we had a boat, I went everywhere on whatever lake we were on.  No terrible experiences or scary stories, just good clean fun.

[LPS]

We joke about how so many times when we go camping or traveling how it ends up to be an adventure since something doesn't go the way we planned.  At least we can laugh about it. 

[Jerkbiat]

We used to tent camp a lot when we first got married and before that too. Then we upgraded to a pickup popup camper. Used that until 2018. Then it became a 30' fifth wheel. We sure like this much better. Glamping is good. The wife and I keep talking about taking my Eskimo hub house and do some winter camping down in Beltrami. But until we get setup with propane. We need to be here to fill the wood stove.

[Leech~~]

I've got a little cargo trailer I made mainly for hunting, pretty much just bunks and a heater and have had a blast in it. We also have a 40' parkmodel at a seasonal campground with everything, ac, full size bathroom and kitchen, queen bed. And our In-laws still ask if we are going "camping"   

[Scenic]

Spent many weeks in a tent up in Canada over the years.  Then they closed down the islands we went to for camping.  Last couple times up has been in a cabin.   But even tents have came a long ways.  Started with a small take forever to put up with one.  Then after that one and a couple others that got destroyed in the weather we picked up one that looks just like a small cabin.  That thing has taken a beating in the wind up there.  A couple times in June we would heat it up with the Buddy heater before going to sleep.

They also came out with air beds with legs.  That changed sleeping in a tent a lot.  Other than the hassle of hauling and packing everything I did not mind tenting it up there.  Was a TON cheaper.   But I do like the 5th wheel now too.

[LPS]

My brother and I always wanted to get one of those canvas wall tents.  Just couldn't justify it. 

[tangle tooth]

My brother and I always wanted to get one of those canvas wall tents.  Just couldn't justify it.

I agree. There are some nice wall tents out there. They're not cheap or light but, with proper care, could last a lifetime.

[Dotch]

Great thread tt!  Got my camping start thanks in large part to my oldest brother. He had worked the summer of '63 at Glacier National Park. He had bought 2 Coleman rubber-backed sleeping bags and a canvas pup tent. We started out camping under the white pines in the backyard near Pleasant Grove. When we moved to the farm by Spring Valley, that opened up all kinds of opportunities for camping. A good friend's grandpa had a beautiful spot for camping on Deer Creek south of Racine. Spent many a night camping there, catching fish, frogs, crayfish & turtles while cooking over an open fire. I'd cut my teeth burning trash so I was already fairly adept at starting them. We'd bring along all kinds of stuff including bacon & eggs with some weenies & marshmallows. With a grate from an old charcoal grill, some utensils & a cast iron frying pan we were set. There was a spring running in the pasture where we camped so we had access to fresh water. It tasted great! His grandpa's cows would chit in it sometimes but we didn't care. Now that was livin'!

My uncle Basil was the first guy to take me along on an excursion "up north". Another aunt and uncle owned a cabin, actually a house, stuck back in the woods on the west side of Cox Lake near Zerkel. The place had been a working farm at one time, complete with a full set of outbuildings. The original homesteaders raised produce for the logging camps in the area. The place was set up with gas lights and there had been a battery system at one time as well. By the time I got there neither one was operational so flashlights & Coleman lanterns were the order of the day. There was a large wood range that made some of the best pancakes once you got it dialed in. Fresh water could be procured in the basement with the pump jack. The house also had a running water system that had been discontinued. There was a large water tank in the attic that could gravity flow water to the kitchen and bathroom. I'm not entirely sure how they got the water up there though. There was an outhouse and the porcupines had enlarged the hole looing for salt from sweaty butts apparently. The fireplace was huge and took the chill off in the evenings. Made many trips there with my uncle, brothers and the rest of the family. Sadly, my uncle who owned the place drowned in the lake back in the early 70's. After that, my uncle's family didn't visit the place very often. It was a great little northern pike & panfish lake due in part to the lack of accessibility. The DNR put in a public access on Cox Lake in the mid-70's just to the north so the remarkable panfish lake it had been ceased to be. Shortly thereafter, many things were stolen and the entire building site fell victim to vandalism. Eventually, some jackassets burned the barn & the house, making it no longer a desired destination. Couldn't take my memories though.