Let me say right up front that my idea of roughing it is a Holiday Inn Express. I'd much rather be at a Ritz-Carlton. However, I grew up in a camping family in the 1950s, and I don't mean camping in one of those cute little trailers that everyone loves now.
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| Vintage postcard of a 1964 Mobile Scout at the Alamo in San Antonio, Texas tincantourists.com |
No siree. My parents' idea of a great vacation was to pack all four of us, plus a ton of suitcases, folding lawn chairs, air mattresses, aluminum J. C. Higgins ice chests, a Coleman stove and a couple of lanterns, cast iron skillets and the biggest tent sold by Sears into the family Chevy and head out for parts unknown.
I looked for photos from those vacations, but I'm sure I got rid of them years ago to destroy all the evidence of what a bad sport I was, because I looked surly in every photo that was ever taken on one of those vacations. It's not that I was a pampered, ruffle-and-bows kind of girl. On the contrary, I was never happier than when I was riding horses or climbing trees. I just never liked smelling Off mosquito repellent, sleeping on the ground or getting campfire smoke in my eyes.
Other people apparently loved all those things though. But you never would have caught me on camera smiling like some of these crazy folks...no siree.
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| pbase.com |
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| teahaus.com |
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| acanadianfamily.wordpress.com |
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| eta.co.uk |
A backpack and a tent and that is real camping. Done plenty until Mrs. could not walk any more. Anything else is just like living in a house. Oh, I like my fancy hotels, Stayed in plenty as long as the company paid for it. I won't pay the over inflated high prices. I guess I'll just have to stay in a Motel 8 .... "and we'll leave a light on for you."
ReplyDeleteMy daughter loves "real camping" too. I don't know where she gets that from. :)
DeleteDana, we used fo love to tent camp, but as we've aged moved up to a little Aliner pop up. I admit to loving camping and just enjoying nature's peace and quiet. We favor the State Parks and stay away from the "party" campgrounds. Hubby does all the cooking, is that another reason I enjoy it? ;)
ReplyDeleteYour photos are great and I enjoyed reading your colorful description of your family camping trips, too funny! Enjoy the Ritz!
I will admit that I loved my mother's cooking when we camped. She went all out, and the meals were delicious. If your husband cooks, so much the better! :)
DeleteI could imagine your surly young self in camping photos haha! I would still go camping on the condition that there's fishing. And restrooms. (:
ReplyDeleteOh, I know I was a real joy to be around. When I became a teenager and hormones and boyfriends were thrown into the mix, they finally told me I wasn't invited anymore and made me stay at home with my grandmother.
DeleteAfter I got married and left home, they bought a big, luxurious RV with all the comforts of home and gave up tent camping forever. The irony wasn't lost on me. :)
Great post Dana!! I laughed out loud imagining your surly face in the photographs. I am totally with you on the whole camping caper - it just ain't for everyone! They are some great photographs you found - I love the car in the teahaus.com pic.
ReplyDeleteI'll take a room next to yours at the Ritz Carlton and meet you in the lounge bar at 8pm. : )
I chose the teahaus.com photo partly because of the car. It's a 1958 Chevrolet, and we didn't have the station wagon, but we did have a two-tone 4-door...that color blue with white. It was the interior of our '58 Chevy I was thinking about when I described the cramming-in of all the camping gear. :)
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