I have been camping since I was a little girl. My first experience camping was on James Island in the NW corner of WA state. My Dad was well known up and down the west coast as an experienced and able sea captain and was also a friend of the a couple of the Coastal Tribes. In the '40s and '50s he supported his young family by salmon fishing off the Pacific coast, and in the Puget Sound. He would often hire kids from the Makah and Quileute Nation to work as deck hands during the summer season. As a result of his time spent working with these kids and their families he became good friends with the Coastal Indians, and because of this friendship, my family was allowed to camp on James Island.
I remember all of us trudging out to the Island..........which can only be reached at super low tide..............hiking up an ancient trail and pitching our tent. We had a glorious time looking for firewood, watching the surf below us, heating cans of beans over an open fire, Dad telling us stories, watching shooting stars, and retiring for the night in our tent. I'll never forget waking up in the middle of the night to a snarling sound and the smell of skunks. Because of the smell, it was pretty hard to get back to sleep, but we all eventually dozed off. The next thing I remembered was eating a breakfast of eggs on bread smeared with margarine, and some smoked salmon. After that we packed up and hiked back to the mainland at low tide.
I've been camping ever since, and over the years I have learned a lot about all of the various methods and modes of camping. From backpacking into the Colorado wilderness for days on end, to glamping it up in various RVs, I've never lost my love for camping. I've spent weeks on end camping alone at a local and favorite National campground near my home, and many weekends camping with groups of friends. Over the years I've come to realize I'm happiest when I'm camping. Lately..........and now that we have more time...........I've also found I love traveling around the country seeing sights I never knew existed.
For me camping at James Island was the beginning of a lifetime appreciation for the out of doors, and a valuable lesson that taught me there is no better way have fun than to go camping.............skunks and all.
This thread is being created in order to share the love of camping with like minded soul brothers and sisters. If you're a camper and have any ideas, tips, inventions, recipes, sources, campgrounds, websites, experiences or exceptional treasures you'd like to share, please feel free to do so here.
Anyone is welcome to post, even those who believe the best kind of camping is at their favorite resort, hotel or marina. Because the word "camping" is subjective, and we all have our different points of view, please let others know about yours.
Same simple rules you'll find on moderated boards on SI. Please be respectful and try to be kind. Over the years I've found that people don't always get the meaning of posts they read, so be patient and explain yourself if that is the case.
And of course........no insults allowed.
Below is a link to the National Park Service "America the Beautiful" website. More than likely, there is a pass there that will meet your needs.
nps.gov
The picture below is of "Dusty" our lovingly rebuilt 15' 1971 Shasta trailer. Dusty has some real stories to tell.......from being used exclusively as a hunting "cabin" to surviving an incredible flood, to traveling to some of the remotest places in the country. If this thread is successful, I'm sure those stories will be sprinkled throughout.
The latest addition to our camping world.
Happy camping!
Blogs, sites, resources I found and those that were sent to me via pms and emails.
Texas site about "Glamping"
cotedetexas.blogspot.com
Sisters on the Fly
sistersonthefly.com
Little Vintage Trailer
littlevintagetrailer.com
Air (Stream) Forums
airforums.com
Vintage Shasta Trailer Forum
vintageshasta.proboards.com
Camp the World
camptheworld.com
Snowbirding in the Southwest Dessert
blog.rvparking.com
Free campsites all across the U.S.
freecampsites.net
More Free Camping
freecampground.com
There are several sites on line, with very good reviews that help people find free camping.
RV Park Reviews:
rvparkreviews.com
Where to Camp............Gorp.
gorp.com
About Camping
camping.about.com
VRBO (Vacation Rental By Owner)
vrbo.com
America's Federally designated "All American Roads" and "National Scenic Byways."
fhwa.dot.gov
Arizona State Parks
stateparks.com
Federal Parks Camping
recreation.gov
Extensive RV and camping/travel information
rvtravel.com
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