This is serious question that I would like everyone to answer

[munchkin]

Cajun,

Just took the time to read all the replies to this thread. May God keep you and bless you, Cajun and family. I feel closer to God camping--it sounds like Alex and you did too. God be with you.

[HappyFLCampers]

We love to camp, whether it's in a tent or a pop-up.  We bought our pop-up to extend our camping season - it gets pretty hot and miserable here in the summertime without A/C.

[cndlzrus]

I'm curious; are you  in a pop up right now because it was the camper that fit your budget and you have hopes of moving to a larger unit some day? Or is the pop up a step up for you?

CajunCamper

Well we did one weekend tent camping with the Girl scouts and after waking up in the morning to 50 degree weather and sleeping on a air mattress.  My arthritist said.... Are you Crazy?  I was stiff and in pain.  So we happen to find our pup for $4000, that was 2 years ago... Do I dream of moving up? yes and no.  I would love to have all the amenities of home, when we are away for the weekend and its raining out... But I think you call that a CABIN.  :confused:  I like the Pup, its a good get away.  It gets us closer to nature.  Maybe a new Pup with a bath/shower and stove, would be in order.  But my PUP is Paid For!  So the only expenses is camp fees and maintence and any repairs we have to do because of our stupidity...

[cjpoppin]

I can't remember not camping don't know when I started most likely when I was around one.....My Dad loved to camp my Mom did it because she loved my Dad..
We have always camped with our kids (tent Camping)
Now for the last three or so years we have camped in a pop-up and love it however it's getting close to the time when we'll be getting a TT......With age and bad backs it is getting harder to set up and take down the pup.......Like so many others we can't see a time when camping will not be in our future at least we sure hope not.....Love the out doors and the people we meet along the way. Nothing better then sitting around the fire telling stories and eating somore's......

[chasd60]

My dad never got real interested in recreational tenting. I think it may be related to a year in Korea and two tours in VietNam, he was all camped out.
 
I tent camped for several years and loved it. I had no desire to stop camping and buy a popup. Yep, that is the way I saw it..... get a popup and you are really NOT camping, or so I thought.
DW didn't want anything to do with tenting so I looked at popups. Looked hard enough to buy one. We camped in our popup for three years and covered about 5000 miles. We found we were spending a lot more time together and seeing many things that we would not have seen had we not chosen that route. I had no desire to stop camping and by a hybrid........ oops I said that once about the popup, didn't I?
 
The hybrid came to us in the spring of 2004 and we have used it to the tune of about 6500 miles. I added solar panels so we would find it more enjoyable to camp at National Parks.
The hybrid has given us all the room we could ever want, at least after we arrive at the CG. We now find that the truck is too small. We only use our truck as a tow vehicle and I really don't want to upgrade to a larger tow vehicle so it can sit in my driveway most of the year. I commute 47 miles each way for work so the TV as a commuter isn't the greatest of ideas.
 
We have decided to sell both the truck and the hybrid and move on to a motorhome. I can always tow my commuter car behind the MOHO. I know it's not real camping like it is with a popup that has a furnace, refrigerator, water heater, slideout, gray water tank, freshwater tank, shower and cassette toilet but I think we will be able to imagine it as camping.

[smoecamping]

I have always wondered how people get the "camping bug".

My story is a short one as I had never experienced any!! camping when I was young. To tell you the truth I don't think the word camping was ever used in our house as I was growing up.  :confused: I think it may have been the fact that my mom did not have indoor plumbing until she was 17 and my father (if I remember correctly) grew up for part of his youth with a dirt floor. I think they felt in the big scheme of things they may have already "roughed it".
My 1st camp trip was with my stepson to Starved Rock in northern Illinois with his cub scout group. (October 2006) We froze in our tent but had a blast!!!! My husband and I had a free Sat/Sun (June 2007) so we went tent camping about an hour from our home. We tucked ourselves in that night and when I got up the next morning I had to pull myself up off the ground using my husband's tshirt he was wearing. MAN was I sore!!!!
As if a sign from God, when we exited the tent laughing at ourselves there was a pu across from us that had set up late the night before.
2 weeks later (July 2007) we bought a 1998 Rockwood from a friend of a friend.
We have camped 6 nights and love it too death.

We may eventually "upgrade" but with our age that may be 25 years from now when we retire. We always "shop" the campgrounds we visit, but even this early on in our camping life, we are beyond satisfyed with our pu  :-()

We feel our pu is theraputic as I am sure many do. We used too be these people:beeper this, cell phone that. Since we bought the pu one of us will look at the "family schedule" and say wanna pack the cooler and get out of Dodge?
Camping is MUCH cheaper than therapy and we get so much more out of it!!!!!

Have a great day and thanks for such great stories and such a great topic.
Sara

[AZsix]

Well for me, I have been wanting to get a travel trailer for years. The budget didn't allow it and we didn't have a tow vehicle. We were going to buy one last Spring but decided on taking the DW and the four kids back east to MA where I grew up for vacation. My wife kept asking me about getting a PUP. I resisted for some time but then told her it had to at least have a toilet for me to consider it. Well we had the opportunity to get an 88 Coleman Plantation with a toilet, shower, stove with oven, new canvas, new tires, wheels and axle and new water pump for $500. It was a deal I couldn't say no to. We had purchased an Expedition so we had a tv. In the years to come we may get into a hardside with bunk beds for the kids and a little more room for us but I am not ruling out staying in a PUP especially after finding this forum and seeing the loyalty that so many of you have towards your PUP's. I like the convenience of storing it and the set up takes only a few minutes with all the kids helping. I could see us maybe moving into a bigger PUP instead of a hardside. For now I am looking forward to exploring AZ and beyond with our new PUP and for spening time with my kids away from the TV and Nintendo DS's! I'm 50 and I feel like a kid with a new toy!

[waygard33]

Some of my all time favorite memories are camping as a kid. The folks would load us kids and some friends into the camper and we'd head out. Once arrived, the parents and their friends would set up camp and relax with a cold one while us kids ran around like crazy. At night, the camper lights came on and it was magical.

Just a couple of weeks ago I ordered some awning lights from cheesylights.com just because it reminds me of camping as a kid. Only now I set up camp and relax with a cold one and my kids and their friends run around like crazy.

Funny camping story: My folks were big drinkers...I mean big. One year we loaded up for a week long trip with my brothers, sisters, a couple of friends and a second camper with friends of the folks and their kids. We usually headed up to Wisconsin somewhere and us kids never knew exactly where until we got there. This year my Dad rolls the camper into the parking lot of Pete's Fox River Tavern, just south of the Wisconsin boarder (If I remember right). It turns out he was friends with the owner and got invited up. The owner of the tavern had us park both campers in the backyard of the house right next door to the tavern. Turns out 'Pete' owned the house and rented it out to a young couple with a small kid.

Can you imagine sitting in your kitchen, eating dinner with your family when 2 campers suddenly turn in to your backyard and set up camp? Too funny. Again, us kids never thought twice about it. The tavern and the back yard were right on the Fox River in Illinois. The adults spent the whole week sitting in the tavern, doing what you do in taverns, while us kids fished, and ran around like crazy as usual. We befriended the young Dad who was renting the back yard we were camping in. He helped us fish and taught us how to shoot match sticks out of a BB gun. Who knows when you might need that skill.

It was a great trip overall. I remember it all the more because Monster Mash was the big hit on the Tavern Juke box and Pong was a new and exciting bar game. I don't think us kids ever thought there was anything unusual about that trip until I grew up, had my own kids and had a flashback one day. I remember thinking..."Wow, my folks took us camping at a Bar!"

I think the moral of the story is just throw the family in the camper and go. The destination and the memories will take care of themselves.

Can't wait to go camping again. Anyone know a good bar?

[JAL&JKL]

The very first time I camped was in the late 1960's in a tent in the San Bernadino Moutains in CA. We were newly weds (married a year or so), DH in the Air Force, stationed at Norton AFB in San Bernadino. Friends talked "US" into going camping with them. Inexperienced DH used fresh cut tree limbs to stake tent. Creatures  chewed on the stakes ALL night! I did NOT sleep at all. When we returned home on the NEWS: Woman killed by bear in (you guessed it) SB Mts. That was it for me  :yikes:  

In 1997 I was desparate to find an inexpensive way to escape DH's 24 hr./day, 7 days/week, "on call" job. Friends in our church had an '85 Coleman, Sun Valley popup for sale. No frills; did include a 3 way, portable refrigerator. We borrowed it for one week. Thought I could handle it as long as my BED was up off the ground! That week was the most relaxing, peaceful week we had spent in the last 25 years.  Came home & bought the popup. With the addition of a porta potti and an electric tea kettle for HOT water conveniences, we used it for 2 years. We loved it so much that in '99 bought a NEW Coleman/Fleetwood Nevada with ALL the conveniences. Continued "popup" camping through this past Spring. Reluctantly (for me), we sold the popup after purchasing a '01 Jayco 21C Kiwi. It was a COMPROMISE -- I still love the popup but DH was tired of "popping" up & down. We will see how it works out in the future.

P.S. Cell phones have "intruded" on the peacefulness but I still enjoy getting away & experiencing the beauty of nature.

[skamper75]

My grandparents had a small TT on a permanent site in a campground,on the Mississippi, since I was VERY young, younger than I remember. We countinued useing the camper till I moved away at 13. Mostly for family gatherings, sometimes just me, bro, dad and g. dad, and other times just a place to crash after the drag races my mom took us to.  We lived in a TT for 5 months while my parents built their house, I was 5.  My dad had a slide in to go hunting in and g.dad would take my brother and I fishing up in Wis. and Min. for a week or two every couple years.   I started backpacking during boyscouts in PA and am still a very active backpacker.  Ive been taking my DD tent camping since she was 4 and backpacking since 9.  I got DW to tent camp one time, after a Nascar race.  She never went tent camping again.  To get her out and enjoy the camping experiance with DD and I, it took a camper. We barrowed a freinds pup and went for 4 days, then 3days about a month later. We had our own p up 2 months after that.  We have NO disire to have anything bigger, or anything like walls to block nature out anymore. If it was up to me, we would still be tenters but, if it takes a p up to get everyone in the mountains together, Im all for it.

[kjcamper]

I purchased a new Flagstaff Pop Up last year after tent camping most of my life. I had borrowed a PUP or 2 before, rented TT's and Motorhomes. Outside of that I always packed a tent. I considered buying a Pop Up many times and looked at them when we went to campgrounds often to see what type I would buy someday. Then last summer we decided to get one and that was that. I don't think I will ever buy an upgrade such as a TT but as long as we are able to camp and our health holds out using a decked out Pop Up is just as good as a TT. Since getting the Flagstaff we have endured cold, snow, thunderstorms, and heat. We have not had any problems outside of a few hours of missed sleep when the thunder rolls. With a furnace the camper is plenty warm and we even have heated mattresses! Love this site and read posts every day, many good tips and great recipes! Thanks to all.

[Lifeangel1]

When we were young my father was a truck driver. After many weeks on the road all he wanted to do on his vacations was stay home. We never went anywhere. When I was 10 my best friends family took me camping with them. It was the greatest experience. They had a little strip of land in the middle of a State Forest in Upper Pennsylvania. It got so dark and scary at night but it was so much fun. It became a yearly thing and I made up my mind that there would always be a yearly vacation when I had kids.
Luckily I married a man who loved camping. His family had a TT but we bought a tent and went with them. My Daughter was 6 mos. when she started camping and my son was only a few weeks old when we took him. We went many places that we could never have gone had it not been for the economy of camping. I held true to my word about the yearly vacation. Even after my husband and I split, I still took the children camping. During those years we camped in state parks because it was all I could afford but we always had a great time.
My 2nd husband is not a camper. He has no desire for the outdoors. He told me before we got married that I would never have to spend another night in a tent because we could afford hotel rooms. I was ok with that for a few years but started missing camping.
My daughter married and had children of her own and wanted them to know the joys of camping. I bought a tent and started going again. I told DH he would never have to join me if he didn't want to but he was always invited. He came along a few times but still doesn't get it and that's okay with me.
Last year I decided it was time to get off the ground and stop carrying the camping stuff out of the basement everytime I wanted to get away and I bought my first pup. Again I thought DH would come around if he didn't have to sleep on the ground and had luxuries like air and a furnace but he still doesn't get it. My DD, two grandsons and I  go every chance we get. I can't imagine ever giving it up. We just got back from Gettysburg Pa. last weekend and in two weeks we are off to Ocean city Maryland for a weekend. We are creating memories for my DGS and they love it. Hopefully it will always remain in their blood and carry on the camping tradition long after I'm gone.   I have no desire to move up or down. Everything I need is in that pup sitting in my driveway. it makes me happy when I look at it as I walk by everyday.

[leefamfun]

I've been tent camping since I was an infant.Mom and dad loved camping.Me and my 3 sibs started camping as infants.In tents.I didn't see the inside of an RV until I was 10.My mom told me my reaction was one of complete confusion.I couldn't understand why people wanted to bring their house camping with them.My DW started camping as an infant also.Her family always had pups.My DW started tent camping at about 8.She would have her tent next to mom and dad's pup.Between the 2 of us,we have a long history of tent camping.Both car and backpacking.We still backpack,and car camp when we want to go to places where we can't get the pup into.I can't really see getting into a hard-sidded trailer.We enjoy kayaking,atvs,mountain biking,etc...We are able to take our toys along,so,no need for toy haulers and such.Besides,nothing beats the combined comfort,convieniance,and views in a pup!

[ForestCreature]

As always Cajun, very good post.  I can't sing very well, so I thought I'd type (don't do that so great either)

I grew up camping. My mother and I would take vacations camping goin way back when many thought she was nuts going alone (single parent) with kids.
We had a blast traveling together....fast fwd to now...I was lucky enough to marry a man who also loves to camp. My son was camping before he popped out into the world. 8 mos and pregnant on the ground...tons of fun but not the most comfy.  We tented until about 8 - 9 yrs ago when we bought the Aliner.
It wasn't long after that I found PUT..great resource and have made some great friends along the way.

Will we upgrade...yes, some day. We had wanted to be in a small 5'er by now, but small things like money got in the way. Plus the gas cost... lets see... I get 18 or so MPG in the van towing...hard to give up right now.

Some day when the van dies ( right now no payment is kinda nice) I'll get my truck (thinking E2 or 350 crew cab, disel) ... then the 5 er will follow soon after... till then, we are happy to keep poppin the A.

[jruddy]

CajunCamper
I am glad to see that you are open minded.
I got in volved with camping when I was a young cub scout.
My parents then got involved, enjoyed it but did not like the whole sleeping on the ground.  They ended up getting a TT.
My wife started camping at a younger age then me.  Her parent had TTs.
We have a 1992 Rockwood pop up and we love it.  We feel that it is a bit small and we are looking at getting one that is just a bit bigger.
We have two kids and two dogs and everyone loves to go camping.
We will always stay with a pop up as we keep it stored in our garage.  HOA won't let us store a trailer on the property and we don't see it necessacary to pay to store it off site, besides out of site out of mind.  We feel that we go camping more because our trailer is in our garage.  All we have to do is hook up and go.