Does everybody tent camp?

I set up a tent when it's cold, raining or the bugs are thick. One thing i don't like about tents is when I hear something stirring about camp in the night and I have to go outside to check it out. I always think it's a bear getting into things but it's never happened. One night I awoke to a sound outside so I had to get up and investigate. It turned out to be a wood rat. We had left a 1/2 gallon of Canadian Whiskey on a stump and the rat got it down and was rolling it around. My brother asked what the commotion was all about and I "said a wood rat trying to get a drink of whiskey". He replied "well I never begrudge anyone a drink".
 

Experiencing the great outdoors is exactly right. We are always outside of our camper even if it's just relaxing in a chair reading
a book. I see alot of people pull into their site put out the satalite dish and you hardly ever see them out. What a waist.

are they fat??
 

This is a couple years ago 20170902_192741.jpg Cant pull a trailer with a canoe:) We were just stetting up and did some night fishing 20170902_192727.jpg
 

Last edited:
We camp all over the country in our customized hi-top van, all the comforts of home in a small package.We love to get out in the wilderness as far as we can get dispersed camping in our countries National Forests and State Parks.Last fall we camped the back country of Colorado, Wyoming and South Dakota for 6 weeks. This fall it will be the Smoky Mtns. The nice thing about van camping is all we have to do to strike camp is pull the plug and we are off to the next adventure.
 

If I don't detect the smell of canvas, then I'm not camping. End of story!
 

Last edited:
Sleeping on the ground or even an inflatable mat is terribly uncomfortable for me. Switching to a good hammock (Warbonnet Blackbird XLC with a tarp) was a game-changer. Rocky, sloping ground? No problem. All you need is two trees.
 

After going camping with my son a couple years ago, a friend of his asked him if he could borrow our tent. My son came home perplexed because he had no idea what a tent was. we Have always made our shelters on site, using site based materials. Everything from wood to grass, leaves, moss,stones, snow, ice, sticks and mud.

My boys are in Boy Scouts. My favorite camp of the year is the survival camp out. Most of the kids bring tarps, PVC pipe, whatever to make a shelter. Last year I made my shelter out of limbs and palm fronds and made my sons do the same. They learned different ways to start a fire. That's camping!
 

NOT ME ! i'm a zombie. i cant even enjoy metal detecting anymore. which takes a heeluva lot of of will and determination. so over the winter months i'm going to try and gather some and store some up. so maybe just maybe i'll have enuf to go again come spring time?
 

OH I FORGOT ? i already posted to this thread. but i thought of a better one. yep
 

Few years back, I took my eldest son on an overnight kayak trip on Blackwater river near Naples, Fl. It was July. The ranger thought we were crazy cause no one camps out in July. Well, we found out why. Besides it being unbearably hot, which I can tolerate. Mosquitoes were also tolerable. It's the sand fleas. They were a nightmare. No amount of Off will deter them. But it was an experience I'll always cherish. Getting stuck on the muck at low tide in the bay. Getting lost in the mangroves that block Palm bay due to low battery in GPS. My son getting a fire going only to have me trip over a stick and snuff it out (twice). It was a hoot!
 

Since this thread began 11 years ago my lifestyle has changed somewhat.
I now live in an RV fulltime and do not consider it camping.

Still go out prospecting/treasure hunting for days, but now I make camp close to my 4wd Jeep.
Actually half in and half out of it. Instead of a tent I set up a pop up canopy at the tailgate and sleep in the Jeep with the tailgate open into the canopy.

I put blue tarp walls on the sunny side and screen in the rest. Now that I'm over 70 I'm just not comfortable on the ground in a tent anymore.
Out here in the high desert you also have to be mindful of scorpions and rattlesnakes. :tongue3:

jeep.jpg deer.jpg donkey.jpg

GG~
 

Last edited:
@Goodyguy I hear ya, my friend! While I still tent camp sometimes, I can't sleep on the hard ground anymore without either a hiking air mat, or a full on air mattress when I'm car camping at a campsite. But if I do camp primitively, I find myself sleeping in my hammock more often now. It's easily the best sleep I've had while camping! It does come with its own set of challenges, such as needing an underquilt to keep the bottom of your body warm (if it's anything under 70° F) and possibly a bug net if it's warmer out and bugs might be a problem. But all-in-all, I now prefer to hammock camp wherever possible!

Bran <><
View attachment 1826309View attachment 1826311View attachment 1826307View attachment 1826308View attachment 1826310
 

Last edited:
Bran,
Good to hear from you brother!
Wolfpack forever :icon_thumleft:

GG~
 

@Goodyguy

You too! And you know it... WP Forever! Especially right now in this age that we're living in. I truly believe we're now living in the middle of everything we used to discuss as a group... and things are likely going to continue to escalate!

Bran <><
 

Hi! My girlfriend and I are planning to go camping. I've been reading this thread to get some tips. By the way, I'm currently looking for a tent to use but I'm eyeing the smittybilt overlander tent for my Jeep wrangler. Anyone here who recommends this product? Maybe I can get feedback or something.
 

Does a van down by the river count as camping ? ? ?

gipfffhhy.gif
 

Top Member Reactions

Users who are viewing this thread

Latest Discussions

Back
Top