Camping

Post by **tnf** » Thu Jul 30, 2009 6:41 pm

Love it or hate it?

My in-laws have always had an annual camping trip with tents and all that crap. I've run out of excuses not to go.
I've booked a condo at the campgrounds instead. My in-laws don't know this.

I have noticed that camping tends to be a love it or hate it thing. Where do you fall on that continuum?

Post by **werldhed** » Thu Jul 30, 2009 6:57 pm

Absolutely LOVE it.

Possibly with the exception of downhill skiing, camping is my favorite activity. I'm going on a short wilderness canoeing trip next weekend in the Boundary Waters (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boundary_W ... Wilderness).

Absolutely stoked.

I'm surprised you don't like it. Based on your photography, I figured it would be your sort of thing.

EDIT: Just spent a few days at a couple State Parks two weeks ago, and will be camping in Colorado for a week in sept.

Post by **tnf** » Thu Jul 30, 2009 7:09 pm

I like nature and hiking, but I like to stay within reach of modern accommodations.

I'd gladly camp, though, in areas where the scenery, etc., made it worth it. I don't think this place is one of them.

Post by **werldhed** » Thu Jul 30, 2009 7:17 pm

That's understandable. I hate camping when it's just packed in to tiny sites next to other campers. Let me paddle out to a lake with only one campsite on it, and I'm in heaven.
I'll try to dig up some photos...

Post by **tnf** » Thu Jul 30, 2009 7:26 pm

Exactly - this is a trip to a public campground with a disgusting shitter shared by everyone there. Camping out in isolation seems a lot more desirable. If you are going to be surrounded by other vacationers, why not just stay at a hotel?

Post by **Dark Metal** » Thu Jul 30, 2009 7:36 pm

It's fantastic. I prefer to be around less people rather than more, but it is something I do a couple of times a year.

Post by **Silicone_Milk** » Thu Jul 30, 2009 7:44 pm

I dig it but I have a low people tolerance during camping trips.

Last time I went camping with family and friends we went to a place where camp sites were spread apart fairly well. 11 pm and we were talking around the fire and a campgrounds employee comes up and starts yelling at us that we're too loud and other campers are sleeping.....

Then the next night some cunt who brought his RV for camping wandered outside to scream that he can't sleep because we're too loud (9pm ish)... so we cranked up some music. If he wants a good night's rest he can go back home.

Post by **ToxicBug** » Thu Jul 30, 2009 8:00 pm

I like camping too and I think that some camping settings have their advantages. That doesn't include family-oriented camp sites though.

I like the following types:

Big public camp sites, such as rave festivals, russian folk music festivals (we're going to one this weekend actually), which present an opportunity to enjoy music, MDMA (rave only), booze, company in the nature and meet new people. If there's a lot of young people, then its a great place to meet girls and hook up.

Medium public camp sites, such as camping with a group of friends, acquaintances, and friends of friends. Drink, sit around a fire, talk, meet new people and hook up with girls.

Small camp sites in the wild, the best place for an LSD trip. Going there in a very small group of close friends (3-4 people), find the meaning of the trip, listen to goa/psytrance, turn off your cellphones, forget about all your worries, the city and its problems stays somewhere far, far away. Enjoy the nature, the stars, the campfire, eat some light fruit, talk, feel the universe around you, appreciate it, feel its infinite pure positive energy. Better not have any fucking bears come ruin your trip tho

Post by **tnf** » Thu Jul 30, 2009 8:59 pm

ya, that's what camping is all about. MDMA and LSD. Actually it might make the upcoming trip more tolerable.

I'm just waiting for the reaction when I head up to the condo while they are setting up their tents. The only condo available was one for up to 6 people, so I'll have plenty of room too.

Post by **shaft** » Thu Jul 30, 2009 9:08 pm

werldhed wrote: I'm going on a short wilderness canoeing trip next weekend in the Boundary Waters (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boundary_W ... Wilderness).

Boundary Waters is great. First time I went it rained the entire day we canoed in, setup camp in a downpour. It was quite an experience. Second time we went we took a mile long portage uphill, i swear it was 100F that day and if you took a deep breath you got a mouthful of mosquitoes, they were that thick.

Once you're out there though, I've never been to a more peaceful place. Amazing.

Post by **menkent** » Thu Jul 30, 2009 9:41 pm

camping is perfectly acceptable in TDM and 1v1, where the game is really about item control and the benefit of possibly catching someone as they come up a bounce are outweighed by giving up control of most of the map. in FFA it's pretty dickish though and the newbs will whine.

Post by **GONNAFISTYA** » Thu Jul 30, 2009 10:29 pm

I haven't done it since 2006 in Spain.

When I was a kid our family would camp in very remote places (sometimes portaging 3 times between lakes) to paddle our fully loaded canoe onto a deserted island in the middle of the lake for a whole week. It was awesome.

Post by **werldhed** » Thu Jul 30, 2009 10:45 pm

shaft wrote:
werldhed wrote: I'm going on a short wilderness canoeing trip next weekend in the Boundary Waters (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boundary_W ... Wilderness).

Boundary Waters is great. First time I went it rained the entire day we canoed in, setup camp in a downpour. It was quite an experience. Second time we went we took a mile long portage uphill, i swear it was 100F that day and if you took a deep breath you got a mouthful of mosquitoes, they were that thick.

Once you're out there though, I've never been to a more peaceful place. Amazing.

Any idea which lakes you were on? I only ask because on this upcoming trip I'm going in at entry point 49 (Skipper & Portage Lakes) and the first portage just to get into the bwcaw is a mile long. 320 rods. Sweet.
This will be the 9th or 10th time I've been in.

Post by **seremtan** » Thu Jul 30, 2009 11:03 pm

menkent wrote:camping is perfectly acceptable in TDM and 1v1, where the game is really about item control and the benefit of possibly catching someone as they come up a bounce are outweighed by giving up control of most of the map. in FFA it's pretty dickish though and the newbs will whine.

olo

Post by **shaft** » Fri Jul 31, 2009 12:14 am

werldhed wrote:
Any idea which lakes you were on? I only ask because on this upcoming trip I'm going in at entry point 49 (Skipper & Portage Lakes) and the first portage just to get into the bwcaw is a mile long. 320 rods. Sweet.
This will be the 9th or 10th time I've been in.

nah, its been a while and i wasn't the one who did the planning. I know we went way up the gunflint trail, put in at some outfitters and went out to a dead end lake and camped there for a week. didn't see a soul the entire time, was great.

Post by **R00k** » Fri Jul 31, 2009 2:59 am

I love camping, but not when it involves concrete pads and RV's.

The best kind is packing your gear in to the site, and not seeing another human for a day or two. I haven't done that in a while though. These days we go with a couple of friends to a fairly large, mostly-untouched piece of land that one of them owns, and just hang out around the campfire. Lately I've kinda been looking for a change of scenery.

I think this is the last place I did any real camping:
http://www.montesano.com/hikeweb/gizzard.htm

The hike is fairly short, but there is terrific scenery.

Post by **Mogul** » Fri Jul 31, 2009 4:41 am

Hate it.

Being stuck in uncomfortable conditions with a bunch of people I don't care (for untold amounts of time) about is not how I want to spend any of my time. I do like nature, though, but that has nothing to do with living in a tent with in-laws.

Post by **l0g1c** » Fri Jul 31, 2009 5:01 am

I'll be camping every night for a week and a half straight when I make my way through Colorado and Utah in a few weeks. I hope I love it.

Post by **Tormentius** » Fri Jul 31, 2009 6:38 am

Camping is my favourite outdoor thing to do. Hiking, swimming, and beers around the fire with friends at the end of a long summer day. Doesn't get much better than that. School has kept me in town this summer but I'm hoping to get out for a few trips soon.

Post by **Grandpa Stu** » Fri Jul 31, 2009 7:20 am

i enjoy camping. the more remote the better. i was supposed to go camping with a big group a friends to a lake just south of eugene this weekend but school work got in the way and i wont get to go

i don't blame you for booking the condo though. i enjoy all activities in camping but when it's time to sleep i fucking hate it. i need a soft bed to sleep in otherwise i don't really sleep at all.

Post by **MKJ** » Fri Jul 31, 2009 7:59 am

ack, not my cup o tea
i dislike the lack of comforts at my newfound home. i do however enjoy spending time in the wild.

Post by **Doombrain** » Fri Jul 31, 2009 9:41 am

love it. nothing better then getting up and cooking eggs on a camp fire.

Post by **R00k** » Fri Jul 31, 2009 2:18 pm

You said it. Camp breakfast is the best breakfast there is.

Post by **4days** » Fri Jul 31, 2009 2:27 pm

for folks that don't like sleeping in tents, get a hammock.

got one from this place: http://www.ddhammocks.com/products.php?cat=1
...and all except the first time i used it (which was disastrous), it's been great. works best with a foam bed roll tucked into the bottom layer (for comfort and to stop bugs biting your arse through the hammock), a tarp strung over the top and rings on the hanging lines to keep rain and bugs from getting to you. all in, it's less than 2 kilos.

edit:
instead of a tarp, you can use one of those army basha/poncho things for a roof and have even less shit to carry. and make sure that you get a hammock with tapes instead of ropes because it grips better and doesn't mess up the trees as much.

Post by **seremtan** » Fri Jul 31, 2009 4:57 pm

^now that looks awesome. not sure how much fun it would be in a cold gale though

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