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Celtic Radio Community > The Trail Sign > Camping

Posted by: jime307 13-Jun-2008, 06:00 PM

How could I have forgotten this, one of the greatest outdoor things there is. I actually just got back from camping this week and there's definatly been better weather. Anyways I had a good time and that's what matters.

Please Discuss!

Posted by: Patch 15-Jun-2008, 01:01 PM

I suspect the recent confusion may have taken interest elsewhere. Some of my best memories are remote spike camps when on hunting or fishing trips.

You picked some rather volatile weather to camp, but that too can add to the experience.

Slàinte,

Patch

Posted by: ctbard 15-Jun-2008, 03:50 PM

QUOTE (Patch @ 15-Jun-2008, 02:01 PM)

what are spike camps?

Posted by: Patch 15-Jun-2008, 04:30 PM

QUOTE (ctbard @ 15-Jun-2008, 10:50 AM)

QUOTE (Patch @ 15-Jun-2008, 02:01 PM)

what are spike camps?

Spike camps are remote and primitive and usually reached by horseback from a "base camp" which may also have been reached by horseback. Normally there will be a very small number of hunters. Sometimes depending on the circumstances the camp will be moved during the hunt. To my thinking, the most primitive ones are best.

Slàinte,

Patch

Posted by: A Shrule Egan 15-Jun-2008, 06:08 PM

My fondest memories of camping are from the late 70's and early 80's. Every Memorial Day weekend, about 100 of us would pack up our four wheel drives and head for the New Jersey-New York border to an old KOA campground that had closed up in the late 50's. The drive back into the woods was about 5 miles and was rather rough. Since I usually arranged to get out of work early that day, I was designated to get up there first and scope out which campsite we would use for that year. There were 3 small lakes, so, there were plenty of sites to choose from.

After choosing the site, it was time to get to work. I had to cut back a few trees and whack down all the brush. The trees were cut up for firewood. Then the shovel was brought out to start digging the 6 foot wide firepit. Then find a bunch of rocks to build the walls up around the firepit. By this time, a few others had arrived and were helping out. After the firepit was built, we set the logs into the firepit teepee style, so the logs would be roughly about 6-7 feet tall and ready to light later on in the evening. Then it was time to set up a few tents and huge tarps in the trees, in case of rain. By this time, many more people were showing up and you would here the stories of driving through the mud holes along the trails and how muddy they got their truck.

A smaller firepit was dug, just for cooking purposes and was always burning, because someone was always hungry, no matter what time of day it was. We were never hungry. The steaks, sausage, corn, beans and many other foods were always cooking. Breakfast didn't take a back seat either. Eggs, bacon, sausage, pancakes and even fresh caught fish were on the menu.

There was always plenty to do. We always brought along a few dirt bikes and there were many hiking trails to. Swimming and fishing were always a part of the daily routine and of course, just hanging out by the fire drinking some beers and having fun.

The last couple of years that we "camped", we brought up some lumber and built a stage. We had a few generators and brought in a band that would stay the whole weekend. How could you not enjoy yourself in such an atmosphere.

Unfortunately, we slowly went our separate ways and got real jobs and families and that kind of craziness just wouldn't fly any more. Now, my idea of camping, is to go on VRBO.com and find a rustic cabin with all the modern conveniences. I have to many aches and pains and laying on the ground just won't cut it any more.

Posted by: Patch 15-Jun-2008, 06:29 PM

I have slept many a night on pine bough beds. Done right they can be comfortable. A Southern Ute Indian divulged the secret. Seems I was using boughs that were too big. I suspect I would still sleep well but arthritis would preclude me from gaining an upright position in the morning!

Slàinte,

Patch

Posted by: ctbard 19-Jun-2008, 08:30 AM

Acouple weekends ago I camped with some girlfriends on a friends property in Union,Ct., she has alot of property in the woods, It was great, there were 5 of us, we had a campfire and sat around chatting all evening, it was really chilly out. You could hear a pair of great horned owls, that were released on her property, and you could hear coyote's.
In in the morning we got up and drummed around the campfire for 4 hours straight, then a a big BBQ with a bunch of freinds, it was fantastic.

Posted by: Patch 19-Jun-2008, 11:28 AM

There is something about spending a little time communing with nature that gives one a different perspective on things.

Slàinte,

Patch

Posted by: jime307 30-Jun-2008, 06:29 PM

I been camping a couple more times in the last few weeks same spot though, we really like it and so we go there pretty often

@ Patch I couldn't agree more

Posted by: Patch 30-Jun-2008, 06:38 PM

QUOTE (jime307 @ 30-Jun-2008, 01:29 PM)

I been camping a couple more times in the last few weeks same spot though, we really like it and so we go there pretty often

@ Patch I couldn't agree more

We have a lake in the woods on the family farm and there is a spot where the Maple trees are so thick that the grass and weeds do not grow. It is always much cooler there. That is where my kids and I camped. Sometimes the deer milled around the tent at night, coyotes too. We had fresh fish daily. I have thought about taking the grandkids but doubt I could get up in the morning. My bones are too close to the surface to sleep on a cot any more.

Slàinte,

Patch

Posted by: John Clements 30-Jun-2008, 11:11 PM

QUOTE (Patch @ 30-Jun-2008, 07:38 PM)

QUOTE (jime307 @ 30-Jun-2008, 01:29 PM)

I been camping a couple more times in the last few weeks same spot though, we really like it and so we go there pretty often

@ Patch I couldn't agree more

There is a place called Tailor Lake. It just south of a little town called Hawkeye, which is located by the Silver Mountains, right in the middle of the Adirondacks. I’ve found that it’s best to bring a canoe, so you can paddle out to one of the primitive camp sites. There’s nothing like being in the middle of nowhere, to find peace of mind.

Patch, I’ve heard that those air mattresses actually work.

Night all,
JC

Posted by: Patch 01-Jul-2008, 03:15 AM

QUOTE (John Clements @ 30-Jun-2008, 06:11 PM)

QUOTE (Patch @ 30-Jun-2008, 07:38 PM)

QUOTE (jime307 @ 30-Jun-2008, 01:29 PM)

I been camping a couple more times in the last few weeks same spot though, we really like it and so we go there pretty often

@ Patch I couldn't agree more

I may buy one and give it a try. My grandsons have never been on a primitive camping trip.

Slàinte,

Patch

Posted by: UlsterScotNutt 10-Jul-2008, 02:14 PM

Camping is great!!
We did it all year round when we were younger. My father and mother with my 2 siblings. Dad use to love to camp anytime anywhere, all 4 seasons. He was very independent and on his own at age 12 down in Chile, Bolivia and Argentina and lived the wild boy life. Some of my fondest memories are of taking off on weekends and never knowing were you were going or when we'd get back!! Head off into northern New England and Canada, one time we went as far as the Gaspe Peninsula in Canada on a travel whim.
As teenagers we were always camping out and having big shindigs in the woods, we'd gather a few friends and drive to the Catskills or up to the Berkshires, the Adirondacks, green Mtns and White Mtns.
We still go up into Maine, Three Rivers area , the boys and whitewater raft and camp the first nite, next nite in a cabin tent and the 3rd nite in a comfy cabin and bed. Then up towards Eastport and camp on a friends island in the bay, absolutely beautiful.
Now adays the wifey is more into camping at the Radisson, hello room service..
I miss the old tent days.
Woods and water.
Woods and water.

Posted by: Patch 11-Jul-2008, 07:47 PM

There is something about tent camping that puts you in touch with nature. My experience has been mostly involved with hunting trips. (some very primitive trips in the military) I have three more I want to make but that may no longer be my choice. All three would be going against medical advice but sometimes there are things you just have to do. It seems lately I think a lot about the ambience of a Western elk camp and the Boreal rain forests on the islands off the coast of BC. Then there is always Botswana, South Africa and Namibia. (I have never been there but listened to my grandfathers tales of Africa)

Slàinte,

Patch

Posted by: Irish Stepper 11-Jul-2008, 09:02 PM

Our family got involved in cub scouts and boy scouts 2 years ago. It's been non-stop once a month camping at various sites. Nothing like being out with a bunch of boys and trying to keep them all in one piece! In our troop, it's usually the same 3 women that go along, and we have a blast! It's a great time and a great program.

Posted by: UlsterScotNutt 13-Jul-2008, 07:29 AM

Patch, Those places sound like some real camping experiences! Would love to go there myself. Grandfather was in Africa heh, tell us more!

I use to be an avid hunter, mostly whitetail deer, lots of small game grouse, pheasant, rabbit, squirrel, quail, woodcock, dove, waterfowl. I switched to taking their pictures instead.

Irish Stepper, we did the cub scout boy scout thing also. Had some great camp outs. Even got our Polar Bear Badge for winter camping, that was fun.

At the cub scout crossover ceremony, I accidently stuck a stick in my eye when marshalling a campsite, went to the ceremony, watched my son and then promptly went to the hospital, 3 surgeries later , I got to keep the eye and it still works pretty good.

One of the original troop members just earned Eagle Scout!

I still take some cub scout packs out to earn their geology badges.

USN

Posted by: flora 13-Jul-2008, 02:05 PM

Greeting fellow Campers:

I couldn't resist replying. I too have stiff bones from jumping to many fences without my horse. The air mattress really is a blessing!

We have taken my six year old grandson camping and I wouldn't trade the experience for any other vacation that I have been on.

We usually try to go to Cade's Cove, Tennessee. There you can really get close to wildlife, hike, and have great fun in all the streams.

Has anyone else experienced a great time on this side of the US?

Flora

Posted by: Mailagnas maqqas Dunaidonas 13-Jul-2008, 06:09 PM

I have done a good deal of tent camping in a wide variety of settings and weather: mostly BSA camping as a youth and as a scoutmater and Venturing leader; E&E camping during Air Force survival school; canping under canvas and under the stars during War Between the States re-enactments; and camping under canvas at SCA events, particularly Pennsic. Weather from 20 below zero F to 100 above zero F, and from wind-blown snow/frozen rain to summer thunderstorms.

Posted by: Patch 14-Jul-2008, 06:33 PM

QUOTE (UlsterScotNutt @ 13-Jul-2008, 02:29 AM)

He hunted near Mt. Kilimanjaro and in what is now Namibia. He took a Cape Buffalo, Lion, Elephant, Leopard and a lot of small game. He went for 6 weeks. He planned to go back for a Rhino but never did. His trip was in the mid 20's.

The Elk hunt is just for the camp experience for me, however I want a "cinnamon" phase black bear from BC and if I make it to Africa, I want a Cape Buffalo, Leopard and the larger antelope.

It will be about 75% for the camp experience and 25% for the game in BC and Africa. The best I can do in Africa is 15 to 21 days. If the dollar keeps dropping, maybe not even that.

Slàinte,

Patch

Posted by: ranger 19-Aug-2008, 09:19 PM

Has anyone tried any of the Jellystone National Parks for the kids? Was thinking about trying our "local" one out on Fall Break.

Posted by: Swanny 04-Sep-2008, 07:27 PM

Now how did I overlook this thread? My mind must have been elsewhere.

I'm not a big fan of camping just for the sake of camping. Not disparaging it in any way, it's just that to me camping is always part of a wider outdoor adventure such as fishing, hunting or exploring the back country with the sled dog team.

My favorite "camping" trips are long dogsled runs during winter and I'm frequently either alone with my team or running with just one companion and his or her team. Camp often isn't much more than the shelter of the sled bag in a copse of spruce to break the wind. After a hard day of running, by the time we get the dogs fed and settled and stuff something resembling food into our own mouths we are pretty much done in ourselves.

There isn't anything in the world quite like the mixed emotions of waking up in the middle of the night in a nice, warm sleeping bag knowing one has no real choice but to get up and empty that full bladder while the northern lights are dancing around the stars, and the thermometer reads 3o below or colder.

True fact - it's cold no matter what you do about it, but it sure is pretty.

Swanny

Posted by: flora 05-Sep-2008, 10:49 AM

Swanny:

I enjoyed hearing of your experience. May I ask how do train yourself for the running of your dog team? Is this something that you do year round? I had a friend that lived in Alaska for a short while (could not adjust to the daylight difference).

Flora

Posted by: Camac 05-Sep-2008, 12:37 PM

flora;

Wife and I went camping this one time. Got lost in the bush for 4 days. Best damn time I ever had camping.

My youngest was born 9 months later.

Camac.

Posted by: flora 16-Sep-2008, 02:36 PM

Hello everyone!

I am having camping fever!!!!! When life comes on too strong, I think of the mountains. The weather has been hot and humid here. I long for the mountains and seeing the leaves change.

I wonder when the leaves change in each of your areas?

Flora

Posted by: flora 28-Apr-2009, 07:50 AM

We are planning our summer camping trip with the whole family this time. This will include two grandsons along with their parents. I am looking forward to watching them tube the streams. They are still to young to whitewater raft but maybe we can take turns so us older kids can play.

Does anyone else have plans?

Flora

Posted by: Patch 29-Apr-2009, 08:52 PM

It is a little cold (46 degrees) for camping yet and my idea of camping is a Hampton Inns or a Marriott!

I believe I will see some old friends and check out some old hunting haunts in the West and South West in late May.

Slàinte,

Patch

Posted by: Mailagnas maqqas Dunaidonas 30-Apr-2009, 12:59 PM

Personally, I kind of like 46 degrees for camping--very pleasant temp for sleeping. Of course, I've also done tent camping with my scout troop when it was 20 below.
I camped at a reenactment in Neshaminy State Park, PA, a couple of weeks ago, and will be doing the same at Newtown Battlefield Park near Elmira NY this week-end.

Posted by: Shadows 02-May-2009, 09:48 AM

This is how we camp!

#1 group camp at dinner time

user posted image

#2 sleepy eyes at camp

user posted image

#3 personal camp in Nov 10 several years ago

user posted image

this is the only way to camp....

All of these were late fall, early spring ( March/April )

Swanny I think you can relate to this....

Shadows

Posted by: GaretJax 22-May-2009, 07:26 AM

This is a link to where I'm taking my boys this June. Camping, canoeing, float fishing and beer around the campfire at night.....for me, not the boys.

http://www.arkansas.com/lakes-rivers/river.aspx?id=11

Hope the link works. Got a good friend who has a cabin on the edge of the Ozarks. First time I've been able to take the boys, so I'm starting them in an old cabin instead of a tent.

My wife's idea. I will probably take the tent along and see what they think. Weather permitting we may just stay out by the campfire all night. Have to wait and see how they do. If I can wear tehm out enough during the day they shouldn't care where they sleep.......

Posted by: flora 22-May-2009, 08:00 AM

Good luck on wearing the kids out, GaretJax.

May I ask what are the ages? My husband and I still hold onto camping in a tent. About the only time we get a cabin is in February. My son and his family have a camping trailer but I just don't think it is the same.

I do get a kick out of how some families set up "the old homestead" at their sites though. They hang decorated lights, set up seasonal decorations, blow leaves with leaf blower, etc. Just to set my husband off, I stopped by a dollar store in the area and bought a seasonal decoration to go on the picnic table! Boy, I got alot of good mileage on that dig.

I know you will have a great time.

Flora

Posted by: GaretJax 22-May-2009, 08:48 AM

Hey, Flora. They are 11 and 5. I know they'll do fine. And you're right, I don't understand these folks that want to go camping and "rough it", and then bring all of the luxuries of home....including generators!!!! Being ex-military, I'm used to a poncho liner and my rucksack. "Travel light freeze at night". But I spent many a long, cold wet night in swamps and jungles and many other places while in the Army swearing to myself that I would never be cold, wet and hungry again..

.......so I pamper myself with a fire and a sleeping bag now....and real food.

Posted by: flora 14-Jun-2009, 01:21 PM

My husband came home from a business trip this week and informed me that he had bought me something. My first reaction of course was "What did you do?" He checks out the sport stores where ever he is and had found a sleeping bag marked way down in price. Not surprising in that it was made for 0 degree weather and I think we were hitting 97 that day. My next thought was we have an ongoing competition in November about who will cave in the first on admitting they are too cold. Now I wonder just where we will be camping in November?

Then today my husband said he was going to buy a elk call. He was remembering a special individual that we came across hiking one day. We heard him way off blowing the thing and since we were in a national park we knew he wasn't hunting. Oh those special people you meet out on the trail! He was alerting the bears that he was in the area. We thus named him the "Elk Man" and have a laugh each time we think of him.

But to get back to the elk call, I told my husband that we could save money by just taking a balloon with us. You blow the balloon up and then make the same sound by slowly releasing the air. Yes, it does sound like an elk. You can't tell me God doesn't have a sense of humor creating this huge animal then give it a "Mickey Mouse" bugle. My husband (aka Balloon Man) didn't appreciate my sense of humor.

Do you think that he might go elk hunting with MY sleeping bag and WITHOUT me?

Flora

Posted by: Patch 14-Jun-2009, 06:01 PM

Unless you hate camping, if your husband goes Elk hunting, I would recommend you go too. Even if you do not hunt, the experience of a "high country" elk hunt (preferably guided) is one never to be forgotten.

Slàinte,

Patch

Posted by: Harlot 16-Jun-2009, 04:49 PM

I camped in Wellston Michigan and we had a bear come in our site one night. The brave man I was with wouldn't even get out of his sleeping bag to even look. Next day we told the lady at the camp store about it and she wanted to know if it had a collar on(like I was looking for that).She tolds us that the DNR trap them but a collar on them then turn them out and keep track of them that way. And one more thing, there were 4 of us in the whole camp ground it could of attacked us and they would of never of known til someone for us. That was the only thing I thought of at the time.

Posted by: Patch 17-Jun-2009, 08:41 PM

That is what I call communing with nature. Bears are opportunists and will visit camp grounds and garbage dumps in search of morsels. Black bears are relatively safe and will come no closer to us than they are confortable with. The two brown species of the North West and North are a different book entirely as are polar bears. We are part of their food chain and they will not hesitate if hungry enough.

Any bear encounter can get your blood pressure up though.

Slàinte,

Patch

Posted by: flora 17-Aug-2009, 05:25 PM

I have had the chance to romp in the Smokey Mountains for a couple of days. There has been an explosion in the bear count. We didn't go a single day without running into at least one. It was so funny to be going along then up pops a bear out of thick brush to get its bearing (no pun intended). Twice we had to be cautious as the bear was on the other side of our favorite swimming spot. They are such amazing climbers for their size and shape. The population explosion is due to a previous abundance of acorns and berries allowing females to reach a healthy size to reproduce. I am worried that we will have an early fall and winter thus cutting into the food source. Then the bears tend to get into trouble.

Flora

Posted by: Nilsemann 17-Aug-2009, 11:38 PM

We usually go camping for our summervacation, last year we had two weeks of camping, 3 days of sun, the rest rained away. I was outside digging, trying to lead the water away from the tent, rather futile attempt

Luckily eventually we got a call from work asking us if we could... YESS, we went home and dried up.
This year we rented a cabin

Posted by: Shadows 11-Jul-2012, 12:37 PM

I sure miss my camping!
I have not been out for several years now due to a disability, but I sure do miss it!!