I hate camping

[BmillsSkier]

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

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.

[Mofro261]

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!

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.

[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.

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

That's why guys like this exist!

Shitter's Full!

[Timberridge]

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

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.

[Supermoon]

That's why guys like this exist!

Shitter's Full!

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

[KQ]

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.

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.

[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."

[Skistack]

That's why guys like this exist!

Shitter's Full!

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.

[iceman]

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:

[hutash]

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.

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)

[Buster Highmen]

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.

[KQ]

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."

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.

[hutash]

Can he get us a discount?

[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.

[RockChalk]

You need more psychedelics and booze.

[MMP]

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.

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.

[Timberridge]

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)

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.

[BigDaddy]

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...

[grrrr]

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.

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

[Benny Profane]

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.

[BigDaddy]

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...

[east or bust]

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.

[hutash]

At least the wives were exotic dancers...

No wonder you have happy memories as a kid.

[hutash]

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.)

[wooley12]

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.