The Trailblazing Side of Camping

She Said He Said-March 2012



She Said



This month is focusing on the "Voice of Trailblazers"
and I can hardly wait to hear a friend of ours VOICING
her response to the fact that you're considering the
purchase of a camper. She has been trying to convince
you to keep an open mind about camping for years and you've
had nothing positive to say about it. You don't like
the outdoors, you don't like to sweat, in fact, you don't
like to exert any energy at all when you travel...just
hand you a key to a hotel room and open the door. You don't
want to clean before leaving or listen to people
talking in close proximity to you. Heaven forbid that you
should have to walk to a bathhouse for a shower, etc.
And cooking outside over a campfire would completely freak
you out. Well, I'm ecstatic to finally see you're getting
out of your comfort zone and blazing a new trail.
First of all, you don't have to be outside unless you
want to be.
Sitting under the canopy and watching all of the goings
on in the campground is entertaining and some of the
friendliest people ever like to camp so you'll have plenty
of temporary neighbors to talk to.
About sweating and exerting energy, the campground will set
it up and take it down for you. Not surprising but the
camper we are looking at has its own bathroom so you won't
have to be inconvenienced by walking to a bathhouse. About
cooking over a campfire, I've found that food is delicious
cooked over coals probably because it's more work and by the
time it's ready, everyone is starving. However, this camper
has a stove, microwave, sink, etc., so you shouldn't have
to watch me working myself to death digging a trench,
starting a fire, and hoping I don't burn your food.
(Never mind that I might burn myself!)
One of my favorite things about camping is listening to
the birds singing in the morning and the cicadas chirping
at night. So, I'm really proud of you for considering this
lifestyle change...who knows what lies around
the corner next, OUTSIDE of your frame of reference.


He Said

I wouldn't say that I am blazing new trails, I would
just say that the new way of camping is different from
what you have told me before, with all the digging,
fighting chiggers, freezing to death or burning up while
outside tending to the burning food being cooked in a ditch.
Now someone has offered us a camper with central air
and heat and all the amenities that I need. This I thought
I could handle. But since we have taken a weekend trip to
Myrtle Beach and talked to several campgrounds representatives,
I am not so certain about this camping thing. Don't get me
wrong, I do want to make you happy, but I can think of other
trailblazing ways to accomplish that instead of camping.
Here is what our research has revealed. I would have to pay
a annual fee to store the camper. I would have to pay some
yahoo a fee to set up the camper and take it down. I would
have to pay a daily fee every day that we are on the campground.
I (or more likely, you) would have to dump the toilet waste
or pay someone to do it. I would have to mingle with our neighbor
who is basically sleeping an arms' length away from us. We
would have to be in the campgrounds by a certain time or they
lock the gate, and we would have to park the car outside and walk
to your camp site. I haven't had a curfew in decades!
I believe that is about all the trailblazing that I can take
this month, and I am really leaning toward continuing to take
advantage of all my friends who own their own place inside of
a nice building with privacy, warmth and cheap prices. I will
leave the art of camping to all the camping trailblazers of the
world which is probably not going to include
Sir Camp- A- Lot (that would be me.)