Camping Withdrawl

[dpomroy]

I just had to write to see if I am nuts...For the last few months I have been going through camping withdrawl. I haven't been camping since September because of the weather here and I'm staring to get this depressed feeling knowing that I have to continue to wait until April to get out there again.

Am I the only one feeling this way??

Is this a crazy thing?

Any suggestions...

 :confused:

thanks,
D

[tlhdoc]

No you are not alone. :eyecrazy:  Many of us, me included suffer through the winter season.  You asked for any suggestions here is one, COTOC is planning a trip in February to help get us through the winter.  If you would like to join us please do.
 
http://www.arveeclub.com/showthread.php?t=56649

[TroutBum]

What is wrong with winter camping?  I went steelhead fishing a month ago and even though I couldn't use my onboard water, I was just fine.  Granted my wife told me I was crazy when I invited her along.  I am used to sleeping in a tent (I spent 2 months in a tent in Kenya and 6 weeks in one in Venezuela- a 1 person backpacking model at that).  Having a PUP with a furnace to sit in in the evening was a luxury I could hardly have imagined.  I turned the thermostat down to 40 at night and with a reasonable sleeping bag I was toasty.  I didn't do any real cooking, just dehydrated stuff that required boiling water so I didn't have to do dishes.  The hardest thing I encountered was trying to level the camper in the snow.  Also I had to run the heater when I got home to make sure any condensation dried up before storing the PUP again.  All things considered it was a great trip.  The fishing was a little slow.

Just my 2c.  And it is probably biased since I seem to be the youngest person on the board by at least 10 years.

[dthurk]

Well, 40 degrees is about our intentional maximum range for a low.  I think we've occasionally and accidentally gotten into the high 30's.  We can keep the inside of the camper toasty, but we don't like to spend all our time in the camper.  That puts us from about sometime in April to about Colombus Day weekend for us.  I guess we could find a few other nice weekends, but nothing we could count on during the down time.  I don't think the family would enjoy anything colder than what we do.  The whole point of camping for us is the enjoyment factor.  So, we wait...and wait...and wait...

[tlhdoc]

I seem to be the youngest person on the board by at least 10 years.

Well how old are you?

[TroutBum]

Well how old are you?

I turn 30 this wednesday.  My DW is 30 as well, and signatures of most posters on this board seem to be 40-50 with kids. (though I didn't notice until after I posted that the person who started this thread was in his/her 30's as well)

I spent many, many years tent camping.  I have a Masters in Anthropology and the Kenya and Venezuela trips (and resulting long tent outings) were for field research.  Before that I was an Eagle Scout, and I have done a fair ammount of adventure backpacking.  I figured that I had nothing left to prove in the tent camping department, and love my PUP as a portable fishing lodge.  It is nice to return to lights and a table after long days of fishing.  The bunks are much nicer than a thermarest.  Plus, I am 6'5" tall and trying to change clothes in a 7'x3'x2' solo tent is not an enjoyable experience.

I was being kind of flippant with my post, but other than a few minor difficulties my PUP proved more than satifactory for a trip when the temperature ranged from 10 degrees at night to 35 degrees during the day. My point was that you don't _have_ to stay home when the mercury drops.

BTW the labrador weathered the winter camping unscathed as well.

[tlhdoc]

I turn 30 this wednesday. My DW is 30 as well, and signatures of most posters on this board seem to be 40-50 with kids.
 
BTW the labrador weathered the winter camping unscathed as well.

Sorry to tell you, but you are not the youngest.

[Shelly]

Hey I spend the nights planning mods for the pup.  With all the info on this other forums I have found I have enough to keep DH busy till we go camping.
Let's see make hanging pantries, make/adapt 12 volt lighting, new pole holder for awning as well as new poles, CHWOD to buy, storage containers to arrange, new 2 PU carpeting, shower "cabana", and more.

I also am busy planning trips already.  4 planned I just need to confirm dates & holidays!  and there will be more to come.  

Here in BC we just beat the 1953 record for consecutive days of rain so I spend time thinking of our camping trip to the interior where it will be nice, hot, dry, and a lake to play in.  My feet and hands are becoming webbed!

Shelly

[zamboni]

Hmm... last camping trip:  Late December; 3 days.  Before that, mid-November.

Next trip: Feb (3 days)

Yeah, it'll be hard not using the camper for almost 8 weeks (winter-ish, though it was in the low 60's today and this past weekend).

[wavery]

Hmm... last camping trip:  Late December; 3 days.  Before that, mid-November.

Next trip: Feb (3 days)

Yeah, it'll be hard not using the camper for almost 8 weeks (winter-ish, though it was in the low 60's today and this past weekend).

HMMMMMM! Our last camping trip was over New Years, next one is this weekend. Gotta love SoCal

[ScoobyDoo]

Last nite we camped was 1/1/06.  Was planing to go last weekend but had a chance to work, paydays are too rare this time of year to miss one. (d**n car payments).

[NIAGARA05]

I have had since I parked the trailer in october of last year.  But on the bright side of the coin.  When you are able to go it makes it that much more exciting then being able to do it all year round.  Just to make tlhdoc feel better DD will be 32 in may and DW will be 28 in april.

Mark '74
Susan '78
Marbles the 10 yrs old code name missy

05 Fleetwood Niagara w/sway bar

TV: A. 05 Explorer 4dr 4.6L V8 sohc 3.73 gear ratio (part of tow pack) 4x4
      B. 03 Explorer Sport Trac 4.0L V6 4.10 gear ratio (4.10 part of 4x4 Sport      package w/ tow pack)

[Hargus]

No you are not alone. :eyecrazy:  Many of us, me included suffer through the winter season.  You asked for any suggestions here is one, COTOC is planning a trip in February to help get us through the winter.  If you would like to join us please do.
 
http://www.arveeclub.com/showthread.php?t=56649

It was unseasonally warm here in Massachusetts on Friday and Saturday almost 60 degrees. I opened up the camper to check a couple of things and I took one of the bunk end curtains out. I'm thinking about mods I can do for the spring. DW found some unique material for some curtains. (We want to look our best when we go to the rally!). Then that night we took some friends and went to the RV/camping show that was in town. That was a real tease.

[Chez Way]

Nothing like living in southern California to keep the camping season going year round.  This time last weekend we were camping at Malibu RV park.  It rained on Saturday but the rest of the weekend was gorgeous.  Our next trip is probably Presidents' weekend, not sure where we are going yet.  Last year it was Newport Dunes in Newport Beach and we had a huge rain storm with hurricane advisories...didn't stop us!  We even had a campfire...stood under the canopy to keep dry.

[TheViking]

That cinches it!  We are going camping this weekend.  All this talk about withdrawl this, withdrawl that, I'm gonna do something about it!  Now, I just have to get the TT back from the dealer and we're out of here!!