WHAT is CAMPING...Yes....What is Camping to you...?????

[doug1980]

Well the title says "What is camping to you?" So there will not be a right answer or a wrong answer in here at all. Everyone has their own perception on what camping is. Camping to me would just be another day in the life of hope. I think it could almost be defined as "putting oneself into an evironment that they are unfamiliar with and surviving." Like crash said pioneers, cowboys, adventurers etc were/are living a lifestyle. So for them camping could be staying in the Marriot.

[Sourdough]

What would Britney Spears consider camping.....? What would the Queen of England consider camping.....? If you were born on the ground in a grass hut in a village in Africa, live your whole life in the hut, and die in the hut, did you camp all your life. Can a Nomadic People ever camp....?

[pocomoonskyeyes]

So were the pioneers camping, were the mountain men camping, are the astronauts on the space station for one year, are they camping....???? Were the cowboys on cattle drive camping....? Fredrick C. Selous spent many, many years on end 24/7 hunting and exploring Africa in the 1870'ish to 1912'ish was he camping, or was that his home, and he camped for a week in some port while picking up supplies...?

Does it make a difference if it is work or recreation.....? If I am guiding Hunters for three months continuously living in a two man tent is that camping for the hunter if I cook all his meals, and wash the dishes.....? Is it camping for me if it is my employment.....?

Just my opinion Hope, But the only ones listed in your example that are NOT camping is the Astronauts. Whether it is your way of life or not is irrelevant. Everyone listed in your example (except the Astronauts) would, at the end of the day say..." time to set up Camp".

[doug1980]

I got one for you. Is this camping?

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It's a tent. Has full electric, A/C and pretty darn comfy.

[pocomoonskyeyes]

Yes and no, Yes it is a Temporary residence utilizing Tents.yes they are called "camps" In the strictest sense of the word Camping No it has electricity. Even when I was in the military I did not consider that camping, Not even Bivouacing. That is a temporary more or less fort. It is most likely surrounded by Barbed wire or Concertina wire Demarking the boundaries of the "fort". Although the Army calls these Camps I.E. Camp Junebug, Camp Cedar or whatever name they decide, I don't consider that Camping. Neither would the soldiers there.

[COWBOYSURVIVAL]

Anybody for a camping trip? Oh wait, define camping?

[Sourdough]

Anybody for a camping trip? Oh wait, define camping?

You joke....But when people ask me to go on a hike, I get a real clear picture of what they call a hike, real clear. I don't want to go if it is to short or to long, are they going to turn back when...??? When "THEY" are tired, or at 3:PM or when we get to the waterfalls. Just because as you say we all have a different idea of what is a day hike, or a camping trip.....?

[Rick]

And the point is? I guess you're loosing me. It's no different than me asking you if you want to go to dinner with me. McDonalds or Ruth Chris? How will you know unless you ask me? How will you know what a hike is unless you ask? And how will you know what camping is unless you ask?

[doug1980]

Yes and no, Yes it is a Temporary residence utilizing Tents.yes they are called "camps" In the strictest sense of the word Camping No it has electricity. Even when I was in the military I did not consider that camping, Not even Bivouacing. That is a temporary more or less fort. It is most likely surrounded by Barbed wire or Concertina wire Demarking the boundaries of the "fort". Although the Army calls these Camps I.E. Camp Junebug, Camp Cedar or whatever name they decide, I don't consider that Camping. Neither would the soldiers there.

I don't believe that to be camping either. My tent was the second from the front. Very comfy actually better than hard billets....more privacy.

[COWBOYSURVIVAL]

You joke....But when people ask me to go on a hike, I get a real clear picture of what they call a hike, real clear. I don't want to go if it is to short or to long, are they going to turn back when...??? When "THEY" are tired, or at 3:PM or when we get to the waterfalls. Just because as you say we all have a different idea of what is a day hike, or a camping trip.....?

Yes I was joking, but not at your post...It is a good post, caused me to sit and try and list what I bring camping and I found out real quick I wasn't up for typing it. Having been on few trips lately I will be scaling back my gear considerably. Thanks Hope!

[Pal334]

I got one for you. Is this camping?

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It's a tent. Has full electric, A/C and pretty darn comfy.

Bless you my son I was feeling bad about retiring. Now not so much

[doug1980]

Bless you my son I was feeling bad about retiring. Now not so much

Oh come on now....those were some of my best times in the Service. Nothing better than sleeping on a cot in a tent while falling asleep to the sound of mortars. Now that is heaven.

I have only been out now for 5 months and already miss it. Guess I could always join again.

[COWBOYSURVIVAL]

OK Hope I will relent. Is it the purpose of the post to say that everyones idea of camping is varied to say the least? Hat's off good post! I wouldn't be happy at the KOA or even the $5 primitive site. For me I don't wanna see anyone or hear anyone. I really like it if I think I may be standing where no man has stood. Many peoples idea is much different than mine which is more obvious to me now. Thanks, I learned something here!

There I said the same thing only longer, it is what i meant by my sarcasm.

[Pal334]

Oh come on now....those were some of my best times in the Service. Nothing better than sleeping on a cot in a tent while falling asleep to the sound of mortars. Now that is heaven.

I have only been out now for 5 months and already miss it. Guess I could always join again.

Aaah the spirit of the youth. did that in 73 and again in the sand box. I dare say was more fun in 73 (when I was a kid). Mmmm,, if you join again, go Security Forces, they willbe glad to have you aah,, maybe not a good idea

[doug1980]

Aaah the spirit of the youth. did that in 73 and again in the sand box. I dare say was more fun in 73 (when I was a kid). Mmmm,, if you join again, go Security Forces, they willbe glad to have you aah,, maybe not a good idea

Well you see I tried to go Security Forces but I'm color blind so I couldn't. However on all my deployments that what I did. Security, gate guard, convoy escort, etc.... And it was a blast.

[Pal334]

Well you see I tried to go Security Forces but I'm color blind so I couldn't. However on all my deployments that what I did. Security, gate guard, convoy escort, etc.... And it was a blast.

An FP guy? Was glad to have you guys! A blast? I guess your right, would have been something to have you aboard when I was there, could have shown you what "if you ain't cheating, you ain't trying" was about . My days are over with that. Now working on that little farm, and a big porch in upstate NY and a huge wood shop. Just a couple years to go.

[doug1980]

An FP guy? Was glad to have you guys! A blast? I guess your right, would have been something to have you aboard when I was there, could have shown you what "if you ain't cheating, you ain't trying" was about . My days are over with that. Now working on that little farm, and a big porch in upstate NY and a huge wood shop. Just a couple years to go.

Yes sir FP. Once the cops got of their "high horses" they weren't too bad. Most of my days were spent babysitting. Can't complain though, did 8 months there (2 months longer than the cops) and had my own vehicle, 2008 Chevy Silverado. Got to come and go pretty much as I wanted. Being the VCNCO had it's perks.

[Sourdough]

Many peoples idea is much different than mine which is more obvious to me now. Thanks, I learned something here!

You got it......And I would think more along the lines of Wild Woman, to me having everything you need and nothing you don't need on my back, and starting on a "SOLO" ten day walk-about is a feeling of Freedom few will ever know. No set destination, just a rough target, wonder where ever looks inviting or interesting. Sleep near fresh pure water. The joy of a "Life well WASTED".

[TomChemEngineer]

When I was a child, camping was something that my Dad did to introduce me to "being able to take care of yourself". At first, it was cold and uncomfortable, wet or hot, buggy and smoky, but I stuck with it, absorbed a lot of the basics (more than I knew) and learned much less than I should have learned from the WW2 veteran, hunter, fisherman, and proud mountaineer. He left this earth before my training was done.
Later in life, camping turned into a trailer in a park with fire rings and purchased firewood and a couple hundred people packed closer than I ever was packed growing up on the farm. I didn't get that. I turned away from it for several years and pursued a career... and my camping turned into days of working and nights in hotels in cities and towns that I did not know.
Then, camping turned into a way to get away from the noise and the light, and I was happy to see the swath of the Milky Way flowing across the sky, awed by the nearer stars and planets that were brighter than lightning bugs in the fields.
And, when I was a little older, camping turned into a way to make sure that I could still take care of myself, away from the influences, away from the noise and lights again, learning new things, enjoying practicing skills and acquiring knowledge the way my Dad wanted it to be. I may need those skills for real, at some point. Kinda like a big circle, it seems. The further we go, the closer we get to the beginning.

[FVR]

Wow! That tent city looks like a paradise compared to where I stayed.

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