Saturday, March 29, 2008

Roughing It

Our family just returned from a short camping trip.


Let's have a little refresher, shall we? Me and Camping. Like Seinfeld and Newman. Hillary and Obama. Plaid and Stripes. However, Me and my family's happiness? Like Scarlett and Rhett. Peanut butter and chocolate. Diet Coke and blogging.

Moms do things for their kids that they normally would not do for any other cute, little people wearing Old Navy t-shirts. So I decided to go along with Hubs' plan to camp at a local campsite.

Hubs is camping purist. If he had his way, we would be off in the Adirondacks miles from civilization or a Wal-mart, sleeping in a shelter made from sticks and leaves and foraging for food. You know, Survivor Man.

But he is not a cute little person wearing an Old Navy t-shirt.

So instead of freezing and starving to death in the woods we camped in a tent with a fire pit and proper restroom facilities within walking distance. To be honest, this campground was a little too modern and convenient, even for my taste. I think Hubs was trying to be careful not to scare me away completely from camping on our first outing. He even Googled for campsites with clean restrooms.

God love him. Because really, a man who understands my need for low bacteria count is the man for me.

The tent sites were adjacent to the RV site. Over the 18 or so hours we were there, we learned a lot about RV's and RV'ers.

For one, there is a huge need to keep the RV clean. We frequently observed RV'ers hosing down their vehicles. I suppose if I were constantly on the rode or parked adjacent to a complete stranger dumping things out of their camper, I'd want to be hosed down , too.

Secondly, in order to own an RV, one must be at least 65 and have a very small dog. I think it is on the RV application just below the line which says "I understand I am about to spend my entire life's savings on a gas-guzzling vehicle with poorly constructed laminate kitchen cabinets and a shower just big enough for my very small dog."

Another thing I noticed about the RV Culture is that a really good RV is named something that normally starts with a "C" but they cleverly start with a "K" instead. For example, "Kozy," "Kamping," and "Komfort" were all popular phrases found on freshly hosed retirement funds on wheels.

When we arrived, I (of course) had to check out the bathrooms. Taped on the Women's Restroom door was a flyer which advertised a "Potluck Dinner In The Gazebo" the following day. As soon as I returned to the campsite I informed hubs. We know how he loves a good potluck. Ahem.

Later on I was in the restroom using the facilities and a lady was in there also using the facilities. She then left without washing her hands. I thought to myself, "I hope she's not bringing the potato salad."

But, I'll bet her RV is sparkling clean.

We left before the potluck party, but it doesn't really matter. We weren't invited anyway. While on a walk yesterday morning I saw flyers on most of the RV's, inviting the owner to attend. We didn't get one; we're "Tent People."

Klassy.

9 comments:

Susanne said...

RVr's really are a whole culture onto themselves aren't they?

We've been tent people for the sake of our children too. Right up until the time the tent flooded in the biggest rain storm we have ever seen and we woke up to rain dripping down on us and our bags floating in water all around us. Somehow after that hubby didn't want to go anymore.

Kelly @ Love Well said...

And that's why I try not to camp at campsites. I'd rather dig my own latrine than deal with RV'ers.

Lindsey said...

You are very, very, very brave. I'm not sure I emphasized VERY enough. I'm just not a camper though if my kids wanted to go, guess what I would be doing? That's right, I'd be in a tent.

Roxanne said...

Good stuff here today, Melanie. My husband is an Eagle scout and therefore a camping purist as well. . .but for the sake of ME when we camp as a family, we go to one that is just rustic enough to make us feel as though we've been out of doors.

Anonymous said...

How I can relate! My husband dragged me out (for many yrs) to the upper gainsville, fla area to camp "by the river' with friends, whilst they had campers we had the "tent". Now Iam a makeup-do-your-hair kinda gal and I roughed it to please him. Needless to say when I got "chiggers" one year our camping days started to "wane" ! lol! Enjoyed, thanx!

PJ said...

So funny!!! I'm not much of a camper -- fortunately my husband is even less inclined to want to sleep where mosquitoes proliferate, bathrooms require a walk outside, and RV'ers hose down their homes!! Our children were underprivileged and only went camping with the church youth group.

2nd Cup of Coffee said...

But at least you're a clean tent person. Let's hope she had a bottle of hand sanitizer in the RV.

Karen said...

Loved hearing about your camping experience - we had one recently too. Come read about The Good, the Bad, and the Unconscious.

ps. We're tent people too, but believe it or not, I'M the camping purist in our family, not hubby. I grew up going to places with no bathroom of any kind, not even an outhouse. Big fun.

Karen said...

We are getting ready to join the RV people. Just bought a brand new 35 foot Class A (that means one you drive, not tow, that is kinda like a bus). We don't have a tiny dog... on the contrary, we have 2 dogs, a medium-sized one and one the size of a miniature pony (Great Dane). We decided RVing might just be the only way we ever get to go anywhere and see anything. We are taking an inaugural trip for one night this weekend. It will be semi-rustic, as the place we are going doesn't have full hookups or 50amp electricity. We'll be using our generator a little, I guess.

But you'd be surprised at the inside of the RVs today. REAL wood... nice furniture, a microwave convection oven, flat screen HDTV...