Do you camp to travel or travel to camp?

Betsey made this statement recently on another forum:

Everybody’s definition of “Camping” and “Travel” is different. I usually camp so I can travel. Other people travel so they can camp. Some people cook over an open fire, others dine at a restaurant in the area. Some people camp with the bare necessities, others bring a trailer full of “toys.” Some take a few long trips, others stay closer to home and go more frequently.

I'm guilty as charged - I travel to camp with all the toys. I do like to travel, but I like to get there and sit and enjoy too. I've been reading others posts about going somewhere, then going off for the day and LEAVING THEIR TEAR/RAINDROP ALL ALONE! SHAME! ....but then...I do like to go exploring too. I just like to cook outdoors and see new country. Maybe that's why I like lving in a fifth wheel rather than a house...and you? Which are you? A traveler or camper or a bit of both like us? Minimalist or take all the toys?

 

Linda,

I am a mixture of both. My RV journey began with the thought that I would bag it all, buy an RV and hit the road. (Just turned 50.) Fortunately, reality set in. I will not be able to retire for awhile so I decided that I would like to get something that my Forester can tow and that I can store in the garage. My journey led me to Camp Inn and a 560 Ultra. I see myself using it for weekends as well as extended trips to explore our country.

My toys include my bike and one of these days, a kayak.

 

Joan,
Us too! We thought we'd haul the 5th wheel around, but it proved to be too much for us, but since we loved living in it compared to a 4,000 sq. ft. home, we decided to just live in it and that's why we bought the Raindrop - to travel, both short and long hauls. We have folding bikes but what I meant by "toys" were "kitchen toys" - anything to make life easier or just basic camping stuff?

 

Whenever I have gone camping, I have been fortunate to have others do the cooking. I was always good at the clean up.

So, the kitchen will be a learn as you go experience for me. I do have two cast iron frying pans that have been in the family for quite awhile. Other than these, it will be fun buying 'toys' for the kitchen.

 

I enjoy cooking but I like doing things pretty fast so I can just enjoy other things. But I like to see how good I can cook using things other don't (like gadgets) but an open campfire and dutch oven for Bread. But I don't make bread normally so I'm probably not going to do that - but I do like to bake cakes in DO'S, but Bill's diabetic and doesn't need it! Nor do I, so that's out probably too unless it's a small one in the Redi Set Go - that's how I do cakes now - just grab and piece and go.

 

Even thought I've always been a fairly decent "at home" cook, we were very fortunate to be part of a Boy Scout troop in which a number of the adults were very enthusiastic outdoor cooks and I learned a lot from them. It was fun to help the young scouts earn the cooking parts of their ranks and merit badges and then watch them take over the meal preparation and do a really good job of it. Our 21 year old son, who made it all the way through to Eagle Scout, is now very capable in the kitchen. So, in answer to the travel to camp or camp to travel question, we are a bit of both AND I like to camp to cook! I am very excited to have a kitchen set up all the time and not have to schlep stuff from the car to the campsite.
Kathy

 

Kathy,
Bill & I are are both frustrated Boy & Girl Scout Wannabees - and that's why we probably like living in an RV in a campground. We feel like we're on a perpetual campout of sorts. But with the Raindrop we will be camping and traveling. Don't know if you've ever heard of Royal Rangers, but it's a Christian based Boy Scout program through Assemblies of God churches - Bill was the Senior Commander (like the ScoutMaster) for years and took our boys out with other kids and did all the scouting things. Now that our boys are grown we still have that itch, so we are living this lifestyle.

Cooking outdoors for me is fun - not work - I guess I would have made a good pioneer woman crossing the mountains, baking cornpone and biscuits in my Dutch Oven. One day we'll meet up and cook together, hopefully!

 

Linda, would love that. Have a sister in Denton, TX, so if we make another trip to see them, maybe we can meet up somewhere with you and Bill.

 

Anna and I love to camp to travel we both feel there is no other way to see the good old USA. We have already seen the east coast many times as you can see by our map. It is only because of limited vacation time we stayed close to home. When I retire,hopefully in a couple of years,we plan on traveling to every state at least once and seeing all there is to see.

 

Guess it depends on what you plan to do for your outing. If Jenny and I go for the weekend, we're just traveling to camp (and fish). However last year we went to Yellowstone, which was a camp to travel adventure. Traveled 4000 miles round trip, camping in a tent at Yellowstone, and drove another 500miles or so just in the park to see everything. Think next time we go to Yellowstone, our sightseeing will be more selective and leave some more time for fishing.

JP

 

JP - you're just the person I need to ask a question of:

This past week we were out on our Maiden Voyage and one person told me that Yellowstone won't allow any pop up campers with canvas due to bears. And yet you camped in a tent...so I was wondering if Yellowstone allows Teardrops - I would think the answer is yes. Anyone out there go to Yellowstone with their CI? Thanks!

 

What that person told you is not true, well not totally anyway. Popups and tents are allowed in Yellowstone. There is one campground, by the Fishing Bridge, which only allows hard sided campers because of the bears (which are there because of the fish) but all the other campgrounds allow popups and tents.
Many of the campgrounds in Yellowstone are now managed by a private company. Go to the Yellowstone website and follow the links for "Things to do" and then camping. If you plan to stay in Yellowstone during the summer months, I suggesting reserving a campsite.

JP

 

JP - thanks! That makes sense! I'll tell her...

 

BTW - I posted a review of Yellowstone in the Parks forum. Go to the one for Wyoming.

JP

 

And yes, a teardrop qualifies as a hardshell.

 

I think out 550 factory rental was to Yellowstone 3 times last year. Kind of like a boomerang, just kept going back.

Cary

 

That's a good reason to open shop out there Cary - a subdivision - CI-2 !

 

Jenn,
Don't know what your plans are (to live in the trailer or use it for occasional camping.) Sounds sorta like you're moving into it full time...anyway:

We sold everything we owned in a 5 bedroom/3 bath home and moved into our 5th wheel trailer, bought the Raindrop to travel cause the 5'er was too big to haul around. Living small(ish) in the 5'er we have made some of the same choices you're making. Sitting stationary has given us the freedom from weight issues however. It's just a matter of where we can stash the things we want and/or need. We have a small storage unit close to us that we store the things we need seasonally as well as a few precious family items.

As to books, which we had tons of, we sold or donated all of them and I bought a Kindle from Amazon and now I can carry a complete library and have instant access to a bookstore, cheaper than purchasing, so that would be a suggestion. I also have my Iphone with the Kindle app on it so I can read it anywhere I want to go. I also pay my bills online with my Iphone and/or laptop. We have a mail forwarding service that sends us our mail wherever we happen to be.

 

We don't have our raindrop yet, but I am hooked on my kindle. Having hundreds of books (and free internet) anywhere I go is priceless. I've used it camping before and it was so much better than lugging all sorts of books around. However, I still keep my favorites in paper. Downsizing is always a challenge. Props to those of you who can do it!

 

I love my iPad for this stuff too. I have Kindle for iPad (and have it loaded on my smart phone too) along with several other book apps (my favorite being Stanza...I get a lot of books for free there, but they are all classics, which has been so much fun to go back and discover). Not only do I have my books, but I have my tutorials and music for learning my ukulele, and we have over 50 movies to watch as well. We still need the laptop to load the movies (I suppose you could download them as well or stream through Netflix, which we do a lot of too). Any tablet would be great for that stuff! Just one more option!

Best of luck!