RE: CAROLINA CAMPERS

[topcat7736]

 
Just in case the old board contents disappear, I thought I d move this one over for my buddy Mr.Gadget (who I miss, along with Flyfisherman).
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 Howdy Folks!
 
 I ve not been on this board for probably a year and I just wanted to come back and put in my 2 cents on the fact that Dave has advanced the popup camping community a great deal through his efforts. He has brought a sense of community to this great hobby / adventure / lifestyle to many of us.
 
 About a year ago, a number of us from this board created our own board in the form of nothing more than a email group. Essentially it s nothing more than a group of people who know one another and talk about things concerning them.
 
 IT IS NOT a board or group where we post something like " How to fix a Propane Leak" , etc. It s more like a place where we get together and just tell about what is going on in our lives. We camp together from time to time and we know one another personally vs. just another handle on the board.
 
 We did the group through Yahoo Groups, but a person can t be a member unless they re " invited" . Also the group doesn t come up in a search and we have tried to limit access from folks who aren t members.
 
 About a year ago, we mentioned this group on PUT and had some folks who had known one another become members of the board. I think the main rules were that you had to be associated with popup camping, etc. and that you lived in (or very very near) to the two Carolinas.
 
 When a person asks to become a member, they have to tell us quite a bit about themselves. We ask them to tell us who they are, not Bob and Sally, but Bob and Sally Smith from Route 123 Smithboro, N.C. and that Bob works as a (whatever) and Sally works as a (whatever). They have three children, John (5), Sally (4), Bob (1), and that they like to (hunt, fish, go to NASCAR events, play cards, fix cars...whatever). Generally folks tell us their ages and how long they ve been camping, etc.
 
 Once we essentially find out who they are, where they re from, etc. etc. if they live in the general area and want to be part of the group, we have always let folks come on board. Once they come on board, most of the group (about 25 families) will respond to their initial email with an introduction from everyone saying who they are, where they live, etc. etc. It s like getting together at a favorite restaurant and sitting down for coffee.
 
 We don t use any handles, in fact it s been so long that we probably don t remember each other s handles. Names like " Camperman Dan"  has now become simply " Dan" .
 
 This group has been a bit of a secret I guess as it s been a really tight knit group...but if someone lives in (or very very near to the Carolinas) and you might want to be part of the group, send us an email.
 
 The group s email address is CarolinaCampers@Yahoo.com. I won t be checking the email address but about ONCE a week (as doing so and answering all the emails can be a full time job).
 
 NOTE: If you send an email, please tell us who you are, where specifically you live, why you want to join, etc. etc. and I ll try to get back with you. If you don t send this info. along with the email, I ll have to say " thanks for your email, but can you tell us a bit more about you?"  Last year we had folks from all over the country trying to get in the group and we were trying to create a regional group.
 
 (Due to all the other stuff I have going on, I don t get back over to PUT that much anymore, so I may not see posts you place on this board.) I was once a regular to PUT, and really enjoyed it, but after answering some of the same questions numerous times about battery voltages, propane use, alternate solutions to ____, I felt like a broken record and quit responding. I just wanted to know a group of people not calling themselves by handles and were folks where their families and my family could camp together. I m happy to say that after about a year, we re a very close group.)
 
 Carolina Popup Campers is not some sort of " exclusive"  group. It s just a bunch of people who originally met on PUT as regular members, and formed a local group. It s just somewhat like asking friends to come to the house. We don t want the group to get too big, because we ll lose the close-knit relationship and trust we ve all enjoyed.
 
 So, if you re from the Carolinas, like to camp, and want to be part of of local group, send us an email!
 
 Happy Trails, Y all!
 
 Marty Cooke
 aka " MrGadget"  
 
 

[wahoonc]

 topcat7736
Thanks Al,
 We (CPUC) also know as Carolina Campers have a posting area under Camping Club Forums here on PUT. Thanks Dave!
 I can tell you that Mr. Gadget and Flyfisherman are doing well, Mr Gadget is involved in a project that is keeping him away from the virtual side of camping for a while. Fly is just waiting for warmer weather and for some more of my cooking ;>). byrdr1 is handling the admin duties for CPUC (don t let the tongue slip when you say that, there be ladies and children present!). Right now most CPUC members are just want a chance to go camping NOW! Quite a few of us are digging out from the most recent ice storm.
 
 Aaron[]