Over-the-road "camping" vs. Real Camping

One of the interesting things about things about this trip is the diversity of the campgrounds.  When we go on our usual camping trips, be it a two-week vacation or just a long weekend, we try to find a place that is as close to “real camping” as possible. 

I grew up going to our island property, an old fish camp that had no electricity or regular plumbing, then eventually, as a young adult, to the same island after the building had burned down.  It was primitive camping, and if it didn’t fit in the canoe, we didn’t have it.  As a teenager, Ray used to throw a few things into the back of his International Scout and have a night or two in the woods with his buddies.  Ray and Eric have gone on a few hike-in camping trips.  That’s “real camping.”

Our family vacations are not quite that primitive, but they are at least in the woods, with trees, bushes, and dirt.  Hiking and biking trails.  Lakes, rivers, alligators.

On this trip, we’re finding places to set up our camper, mostly along the interstates.  KOAs and other privately owned campgrounds, or more properly, RV parks.  In Oklahoma, we were in a gravel lot with no trees and lots of wind.  The RVs were not too terribly close together, but a lot closer than we’re used to.  And no buffer between sites, which is usually very important to us.  At least we were up in the mountains, and, well, that’s the terrain in that area.  In California, it was like a resort.  Very pretty, but still not like the camping we’re used to.  We were the only pop-up among a sea of huge, million-dollar RVs. 

Tonight (Thursday, 06/21), the place where we’re camping is basically a parking lot.  The whole place is paved, and there is a cute little tree between each parking spot, um, I mean campsite.  There is apparently an airport very nearby, as every few minutes an airplane, jet, or helicopter flies by, VERY low and VERY close.  (Please see ray's blog post from today!) It was advertised in Woodall’s as riverside camping in beautiful shady sites.  I guess it is, comparatively for this area. This is definitely NOT “real camping,” but you know what?  It’s really OK.  We’re only here (Reno, NV) for one night on our way to Yellowstone.  And it IS all an adventure. 

These places are easy in-and-out, and that’s great for one-night-stands.  Most do have swimming pools like a hotel or motel would have, but they’re better than hotels because we can grill our own food, and we still have our own little piece of home, right here with us.  We get to meet interesting neighbors and trade traveling stories.  And, most importantly, we’re all on this trip together.   

We’re enjoying these new sights, experiences, inside jokes, highs and lows, all together as a family.  We’re loving it, and I wouldn't have it any other way.