I hate camping

See how this works? Just reading this thread and thinking about my camping experiences I'm walking down memory lane...... when I was little Dad used to take me and the brothers to REI (the one and only store at the time). Man did we LOVE going there. We'd run around the place like wild animals - up and down the ramp to tent section and if we were lucky we got to ride the old open freight elevator.

I can still *almost* remember the smell (it was quite unique to the store) and see all the staples smashed into the old wood floors. One of our favorite treats were the freeze dried strawberries that came in those foil packs. They used to display all their freeze dried stuff in half barrels tipped on their sides at an angle. We thought it was a blast to eat the stuff. LOL!

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Originally Posted by hutash

^^^Thankfully that day has not yet arrived for me. While I appreciate a bed, especially after several days on the ground, there are still too many great places to see and experience to restrict myself to what can be seen from a hotel window.

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Hotel yes but there are many many great lodges that allow you to hike and roam with the comfort of a bed (and do not allow any motorized vehicles - often travel to and from the lodges is by foot, helicopter or bus). The most amazing places I've seen for this are in Canada. Lake O Hara in the Yoho Nat'l Forest is incredible as is Mt. Assiniboine

Sigh... makes me want to go there again just looking at those sites.

I like it all. RV/Houseboat camping is great for a week-long trip, roughing it in a tarp/bivy for a night or two way out somewhere, and driving up to a campsite with a big tent, good food and a ton of booze. I like anything that gets me disconnected and under the stars. Who cares if it's "camping" or not? It's better than being on your ass in front of the TV.

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Originally Posted by MMP

camping=going to a music festival and setting up a camp, while simultaneously having a hotel room within a couple miles. Rage at the festival, pass out in the tent, drive to hotel for shower, change, food, ice, then back to the festival. camping. ( i actually prefer the condo on site, but that isnt always an option) Wife's idea of roughing it is staying at a hotel with no spa.

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Mmmmmhmmmm....
http://nicedeb.files.wordpress.com/2008/07/hippies.jpg

My youngest son just got back from the Wakarusa Festival in the Ozarks. It rained everyday and was a mud fest, but he still had a great time.
http://www.wakarusa.com/
Oh to be young again.

Last time I camped was on a raft trip in the Grand Canyon and it was great.

I cant think of much I like better than sitting around a fire getting drunk with my friends. Haven't tried camping with the kiddo yet ( 1 yr old) but will this summer in OR.

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Originally Posted by commonlaw

My camping rules are as follows:

(1) If I miss more than two showers, its too long
(2) Rule (1) is negotiable depending upon quality and quantity of booze around
(3) Daily spend on grounds and booze must be equal to or less than the pro-rated amount I pay on my mortgage
(4) No kids, otherwise we find a rental house

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But hey, at least when you're camping there's no river of shit flowing under your accommodations, right? (sorry, I had to)

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Originally Posted by hutash

Hyatt.

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Many Hyatts are like camping these days. Eeesh. ;)

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Originally Posted by Shredhead

My youngest son just got back from the Wakarusa Festival in the Ozarks. It rained everyday and was a mud fest, but he still had a great time.
http://www.wakarusa.com/
Oh to be young again.
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There's some funny band names at that festival and I haven't heard of any of them save 3 or 4.

I always confuse Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem with Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros.

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Originally Posted by Phildo_Baggins

Houseboat camping

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I have been seriously considering buying a houseboat and living on it. They really aren't that expensive!

Any time I go camping, I can never sleep. I typically do 1 or 2 days at a time car camping, if I do it at all. So, I've had a lot to drink, I'm sleeping on the hard ground, and I'm used to a Tempurpedic. I'd like to do some actual backpacking, traveling and car camping, etc. Need some equipment.
Try looking at a weather report, and not going camping if it's supposed to rain that weekend.

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Originally Posted by systemoverblow'd

I have been seriously considering buying a houseboat and living on it. They really aren't that expensive!

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Only do it if you can connect to shore sewer and water. Portapots on the houseboat start to get ripe pretty fast!

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Originally Posted by systemoverblow'd

I have been seriously considering buying a houseboat and living on it. They really aren't that expensive!

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If you don't mind the shipping charges you can find some unbelievable houseboats for sale from the birthplace of houseboating; Summerset, KY on Lake Cumberland. Some examples here on YachtWorld

A 90' for less than $360K, 70' for less than $90K... not to mention all the raging parties that come with owning a houseboat. Of course you do open yourself up the question of "Where do you park your house?" on first dates.

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Originally Posted by KQ

See how this works? Just reading this thread and thinking about my camping experiences I'm walking down memory lane...... when I was little Dad used to take me and the brothers to REI (the one and only store at the time). Man did we LOVE going there. We'd run around the place like wild animals - up and down the ramp to tent section and if we were lucky we got to ride the old open freight elevator.

I can still *almost* remember the smell (it was quite unique to the store) and see all the staples smashed into the old wood floors. One of our favorite treats were the freeze dried strawberries that came in those foil packs. They used to display all their freeze dried stuff in half barrels tipped on their sides at an angle. We thought it was a blast to eat the stuff. LOL!

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Amazing, I have these same memories from that REI up on Capitol Hill from the 70's and me being in that age 4-10ish range. That smell was sort of a combination of new boots/snow seal/sunscreen/ and tent fabrics.

I've been taking the family on a 5-7 night hike in and camp trips every year since the kids were old enough to carry their own gear @ age 5. No phones, no electronics, no distractions, just playing with knives, fire, building dams on rivers and swimming in cold water lakes.

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Originally Posted by BmillsSkier

If you don't mind the shipping charges you can find some unbelievable houseboats for sale from the birthplace of houseboating; Summerset, KY on Lake Cumberland. Some examples here on YachtWorld

A 90' for less than $360K, 70' for less than $90K... not to mention all the raging parties that come with owning a houseboat. Of course you do open yourself up the question of "Where do you park your house?" on first dates.

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Originally Posted by Phildo_Baggins

Only do it if you can connect to shore sewer and water. Portapots on the houseboat start to get ripe pretty fast!

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That's why guys like this exist!

Shitter's Full!

http://ww2.hdnux.com/photos/07/20/22.../7/628x471.jpg

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Originally Posted by stuckathuntermtn

Try looking at a weather report, and not going camping if it's supposed to rain that weekend.

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Point taken, but it only said chance of rain, and everyone else was going, so I ran the risk of my friends calling me a whiny pussy and being talked about for 2 days.

Plus, if it rained for only a short time there was a good chance I might see a rainbow, or even a double rainbow.

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Originally Posted by BmillsSkier

That's why guys like this exist!

Shitter's Full!

http://ww2.hdnux.com/photos/07/20/22.../7/628x471.jpg

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That photo makes me think of Caddyshack. "Don't you people have homes!?"

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Originally Posted by Mofro261

Amazing, I have these same memories from that REI up on Capitol Hill from the 70's and me being in that age 4-10ish range. That smell was sort of a combination of new boots/snow seal/sunscreen/ and tent fabrics.

I've been taking the family on a 5-7 night hike in and camp trips every year since the kids were old enough to carry their own gear @ age 5. No phones, no electronics, no distractions, just playing with knives, fire, building dams on rivers and swimming in cold water lakes.

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Do you remember those pictures that hung on the wall along the ramp by then unknown Art Wolfe? I LOVED the picture of the Northern Saw Whet owl in the tree trunk and always had to stop and look at it on my way (running) by.

http://cache.desktopnexus.com/thumbn...gthumbnail.jpg

Yes, all of the pictures and running up and down the wood floored walkway...

Back then I didn't really know it as REI, it was simply referred to as the "Co-op."

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Originally Posted by BmillsSkier

That's why guys like this exist!

Shitter's Full!

http://ww2.hdnux.com/photos/07/20/22.../7/628x471.jpg

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The folks got a houseboat. So if the body of water is large enough (i.e. Lake Cumberland), CC regs allow sewage to be discharged directly into the water (it does go through a grinder and get a squirt of disinfectant). We don't let the kids swim when boat's in the marina.

There's a whole fleet of houseboats (house barges really, they don't have motors) at Woods Hole (Cape Cod) every summer. Some are just little things but some of them are pretty spectacular. No grass to cut, no properyt tax, not bad. images: https://www.google.com/search?q=wood...w=1438&bih=682

I've seen this one a few times (still at the dock here), very cool:

http://i397.photobucket.com/albums/p...psc2057333.png

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Originally Posted by Timberridge

Point taken, but it only said chance of rain, and everyone else was going, so I ran the risk of my friends calling me a whiny pussy and being talked about for 2 days.

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Best off not going with the chance they might think you are a whiny pussy then to go and remove all doubt (to paraphrase a famous platitude):fm:

S'ok if you don't want to camp.

But man I got memories of living in the woods all summer, hitch hiking across OR/WA/ID/MT/WY/ND/SD/MN/MI/WI backpacking around the Missions, Bob Marshall amd Pintlers. Gorging on trout fished from lakes up in cirques in the Rockies and Cascades...all cold and scratched and lumpy sleeping scared of bears or hobos or weirdos railyard sneaking. Soaking cold and wet in the Coast Range by Siletz as it was being torn down, stamping in the dark morning trying to keep warm. Dizzled amazed up in da UP blazing in the Porkies. Planting trees down by Stevenson, WA, cutting Xmas trees in November in Oregon living under tarps.

Yeah, it blows, but so does pumping out on the bike or the gym or the skin track really, All part of what I need to continue to challenge myself so that I can remember to be grateful for all the little things.

Everyone needs something and maybe something else.

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Originally Posted by Mofro261

Yes, all of the pictures and running up and down the wood floored walkway...

Back then I didn't really know it as REI, it was simply referred to as the "Co-op."

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Yup - just "co-op". Dad's membership number was sub-100 or something like that. Eventually he became Chairman of the board and was one of the main proponents of opening new stores. He was on board for the opening of the Berkeley store.

Can he get us a discount?

Best way to camp without doubt is out of a canoe.

Usually plenty of wood about on the banks so I don't feel guilty about harvesting deadfall.

Canoe is a big tub to load gear in. Real comfortable to spend a day in. Dogs like it. Fishing, wildlife encounters, remote camping and occasional white water are big pluses.

Read parts of the whole thread, but did not seen any mention of tarps. If you are canoe or car camping in NE, get good setting a tarp up.

I must say in winter I have definitely moved away from the tent to huts or day tripping from friends, hostels, hotels. Having a warm shelter is so much nicer and I seek out places that have them.

You need more psychedelics and booze.

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Originally Posted by KQ

Yup - just "co-op". Dad's membership number was sub-100 or something like that. Eventually he became Chairman of the board and was one of the main proponents of opening new stores. He was on board for the opening of the Berkeley store.

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Was there a book written about him? I read a book about REI and a guy that rose to the top. Very interesting read. Made it to the top, and crashed and burned a couple times.

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Originally Posted by hutash

Best off not going with the chance they might think you are a whiny pussy then to go and remove all doubt (to paraphrase a famous platitude):fm:

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As far as they know, I loved every minute of it. One guy is planning the next trip already.

I'm gonna have to go lick some railings at the local elementary school a few days before that trip.

Camping experiences are probably some of the best memories in my life... just saying.

You pussies suck it up and stop trying to f up my chi... ;)

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Originally Posted by KQ

Yup - just "co-op". Dad's membership number was sub-100 or something like that. Eventually he became Chairman of the board and was one of the main proponents of opening new stores. He was on board for the opening of the Berkeley store.

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Was that the second store? I remember the Anchorage store opening in 79. First one I ever went to in person.

Glamping. Yes, I said glamping.

http://glamping.com

This actually looks pretty cool. If money was no object, you know?

It's like the world is reverting to the high days of the British Empire.

Of course there was the time I picked this site in NH that happened to be next to the some race track where it was the "midnight races". It poured, too, and our neighbors played same Bad Company cd all night. At least the wives were exotic dancers...

I've been camping a few times, mostly short 1-2 day stints but did take a 5 day retreat last summer in the Adirondacks. I love it, except for shitting in the heart of black fly season.

Last spring went on 3 day camp fishing small tribs for brookies in VT. Very fun trip, found a whole network of beaver ponds filled with them.
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Originally Posted by BigDaddy

At least the wives were exotic dancers...

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No wonder you have happy memories as a kid.

Canoe camping is like the car camping of backpacking. True wilderness (if you choose the right location) with ice chests, cold beer and thick steaks. The Green River in Utah is one of my favorite canoe camping trips (all down stream.)

With kids it was go with a group to a state campground with showers and toilets. Take turns as kid recreation leader. Get drunk and roast marshmallows.

Without kids. 12 x 12 tent with 12 x 6 screen porch. Queen size air mattress. "Boat access only" to a small island with one site on a reservoir with 128 miles of sand beach. No tan line sunbathing. Great fishing. I do miss it.

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Originally Posted by Benny Profane

and get super drunk while the kids roam free.

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And that's a bad thing how?

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Originally Posted by hutash

Can he get us a discount?

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Well he died back in '86 but as a past chairman he did get a lifetime 30% discount. I lobbied unsuccessfully several times in my youth for the ability to use it but he was felt it was meant only for him to use (didn't want to abuse the privilege). I know he did use it for Christmas presents for us kids - skis/boots/etc.

One of the cool things about Dad being at REI was that we would get prototype equipment to test. I remember when he brought home one of the first generation dome tents - it was the wildest thing we'd ever seen and boy did we love it. It was bright yellow with a grey floor and the poles were stiff fiberglass. A bit hard to get the poles together and with use the female ends would crack and split.

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Originally Posted by MMP

Was there a book written about him? I read a book about REI and a guy that rose to the top. Very interesting read. Made it to the top, and crashed and burned a couple times.

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No book and surprisingly very little on the internet about him considering he was an elected public official and served on the Seattle City Council (under Dixie Lee Ray). He was just a guy who loved the outdoors, joined the mountaineers and was a Scout Master - one of their big trips every year was to hike the Bailey Range in the Olympics.

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Originally Posted by grrrr

Was that the second store? I remember the Anchorage store opening in 79. First one I ever went to in person.

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Yeah, Berkeley in 1974 was the beginning of the great expansion. I read somewhere that they now open 4 - 7 new stores a year. Crazy.

Whittaker and my Dad were all about expansion but others weren't which is why Jim left. Here is an article that talks about the two of them as President and Chairman pushing for expansion:

Sporting Coop is Cutting Back

I used to camp once a month, rain or shine, snow or not. That was when I was young, with the Boy Scouts.

Did a couple 2 week treks too, one in New Mexico, one in Maine on canoes.

Now, this is how we do it:

Car camping

http://adaps.smugmug.com/Children/My...1020492-XL.jpg

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Originally Posted by cat in january

Best way to camp without doubt is out of a canoe.

Usually plenty of wood about on the banks so I don't feel guilty about harvesting deadfall.

Canoe is a big tub to load gear in. Real comfortable to spend a day in. Dogs like it. Fishing, wildlife encounters, remote camping and occasional white water are big pluses.

Read parts of the whole thread, but did not seen any mention of tarps. If you are canoe or car camping in NE, get good setting a tarp up.

I must say in winter I have definitely moved away from the tent to huts or day tripping from friends, hostels, hotels. Having a warm shelter is so much nicer and I seek out places that have them.

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I've done both IME except for being slow on the portage Sea kayak trumps canoe, reason being it can be cold and raining sideways but I'm totally protected in the kayak, a good gortex shell kept me dry but I would end up sitting in a wet seat so now its the gortex dry suit with the built in feet which is just fucking awesume AND I don't have to paddle with that ass hole in the bow/stern

an amusing chateau cardboard, a flask of scotch and a bag of dope for when the booze is all gone which usually seems to run out about 10 days in

You definatley need a good tarp IME the super lightweight silicon tarps are the shit for living under when I get to shore and based on the last trip a spare tarp is a really good idea

I usually don't do any cooking on a gas stove, all the cooking is done on the beach fire which also keeps me warm

shit in the inter-tidal zone wipe yer ass with a piece of seaweed and douche with a mild saline solution AKA ... the pacific ocean

2 days of laundry? I'm out on the edge of canada and I won't see anyone for 3 weeks, before the awesume dry suit I wore light nylon pants which got completely saturated multiple times with saltwater so they could stand up on their own, its usually so fucking cold I'm wearing everything I brought, if got extra clothes I brought too many clothes SO one set for being out there and one set in the truck


yeah the winter camping just sounds like more shit to buy and still be fucking cold ... ski huts for me eh?

As a younger buck, I did it wrong. Freeze dried food, overweighted packs, no beer, no hammock and way too many miles in a day. That blows.
Now, we'll bring some brew, some kabobs for dinner, mangos and eggs for breakfast and chill in the hammock. Maybe a summit of two nearby and a little fishing to catch dinner. It's awesome.
This is where we were last weekend. Nice and quiet and away from everything.
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