Camping Season..Wahooooo!!!

[brewmaster15]

Hi all,
Spring has finally come to New England and with it the camping season!.. After 5 months of hearing my Son ask when we could go camping again....I can finally give him a date within his 4 year old mindframe!:)

Campfires, flame grilled food, open spaces, fishing and hiking......and smores:) ...It brings me back to a more simple time in my life.

So... any campers out there? where do you go? Do you RV or Tent it? ( we tent...though my kids want the RV...so who knows maybe a small used old clunker can be found)

WE'll camp thru out the state forests and parks in CT,New york and VT....planning on a trip to florida this summer for some camping as well...and theres a good chance we'll be in the great lakes region as well.

So any campers in the group here?

-al

[phidelt85]

Man, that sounds like fun!! The last time we went camping was about 3yrs ago. I picked a bad time to go. We went in July and boy was it HOT!! I like to tent it myself although during the hunting season we may end up in the friend's RV or the GP medium. :) Let's see that trip we went to Lake Eufala which is a state-run park, beautiful lake and the fishing was ok. This is something I may have to put on the calendar this year, but I think we may try a cabin this go around.

[midazolam]

Brew,

July might not be the best time to camp in a tent in Fla. Might have a better time in the fall or winter :)

I do mostly ultralight backpacking. I sleep under a tarp or in a bivy sack. Its fun, but not for everyone (just ask my wife).

[gump]

I can't wait either, although we still have snow here and anticipate more snow tomorrow and another Noreaster this Sunday/Monday!! (Batten down the hatches). we haven't ventured very far in the last 25 years or so with the kids, we built a remote log cabin on our woodlot which is located on a lake, so we spent most of our time there. It kinda like camping but a little more comfortable. Now that we are "empty nesters" we hope to get back into canoe / camping. We spent our honeymoon in northern Quebec canoeing for a couple of weeks & only saw one other canoe the whole time. We are planning to get away for a week trip this year.
Pierre

[brewmaster15]

July might not be the best time to camp in a tent in Fla

I'd prefer to go in the winter...and have many many Times...I used to lead Biotours and birdwatching tours thru out florida....made many a solo trip as well...and winters always best... but summers not to bad....plenty of campsites availible...mosquitoes are a bit of a nuisance...so you the campgrounds wisely.:) Reason we can't go inthe winter is my wifes a teacher...and though we have plenty of latitude with scheduling in the summer..winter is not easy....you're limited to a week at peak.

Pierre, Sounds like a great little spot you have there...someday maybe I'll get smart...cut back to a tank or two and buy some property somewhere quiet.:)


Jose,

3 years is too long! time for a road trip!:)

-al

[GrillMaster]

I use to hook the bass boat up an head to Hopeville state park. We use to go several times a year. The kids have grown and pretty much doing their own thing so we havent gone in a few years. I remember tellen them ghost stories by the camp fire out there when they were young.

I love Hopeville state park with a passion! We usually get a camp site near the water so I can launch the boat as soon as we get there, drive it around and tie it up to the tree and leave it there the whole time. Needless to say we do alot of fishing. :)

My daughter wants to go to Hopeville really bad this year though with the grandkids. That will probably happen a couple of times this year.

We always tent. Would't really be camping for me anyway if we didn't.

Thanks for bringing this up Al! I have to get the cob webs off the boat this year for sure!! :)

tc
Mark

[brewmaster15]

Mark,

My father-inlaw has that property out on Billings lake.... we can camp there anytime...might be fun getting the kids together for a weekend some time.

-al

[Green Country Discus]

Good topic Al my friend. We are getting anxious to get to the lake ourselves. Yesterday was 75 and sunny and really felt like Spring. I spotted the first Purple Martin of the year and a lot of bulbs are blooming. I will post a few pics taken by our son yesterday.

We have a lot of lakes in "Green Country" to choose from but usually go to Ft. Gibson Lake (30 minute commute) and camp in the Paradise cove area. We usually use tents and camp just off a secluded cove with a sand bottom and sheltered so we can tie the boat off right next to camp. Our kids are always ready to go and we always have a blast. Fishing can be fair to excellent but we always catch something.

Jose, I must agree that camping in July in a tent is a bit of a struggle. You guys should come up for a weekend. I would love to toss you around on the tube behind the boat :D.

[Kindredspirit]

I would love to toss you around on the tube behind the boat :D.

Please, Andrew, do not forget pictures on this one!

[GrillMaster]

Sounds like alot of fun Al! I know the kids would love it...:)

As long as theres smores!! :D :D :D

tc
Mark

[alxjss]

I usually camp off the Muskegeon River. Great camp site. Pretty quite also. I mean, is totally rustic. So much that there r no cars or bbicycles, nothing but foot. This place is such a nice spot. Its the last spot that is campable and its huge. My whole family went one yr and i tell u, nothing like camping it in July off the river.;)

[TrevorB]

Getting ready for my 4th trip to the BWCA (Boundary Waters Canoe Area) in northern Minnesota in May. This year starts with about a 3/4 mile portage, carrying canoes and all the gear. Then we canoe to camping site, set up the tents, and proceed to do nothing but fish for 4 days. Can't wait!

[GrillMaster]

Mark,

My father-inlaw has that property out on Billings lake.... we can camp there anytime...might be fun getting the kids together for a weekend some time.

-al

I have actually fished a couple of tournaments at Billings lake Al...Very beautiful lake! A freind of mine went scuba diving there years back by the boat launch. Thats pretty much the deepest part of that lake and said he saw a few huge bass hanging around the big rocks! I have caught my share of bass out of there but nothing real big. Fun place to fish no dought...:)

Thats a great thing about camping up here in New England. The weather is usually perfect for it!

tc
Mark

[salth20]

Love camping! We try to go at least 2x a month from April to November. Camped in a pop-up for years, then moved up to a 29 foot TT (travel trailer). Ruined the transfer case in the Chevy half ton inside of 1000 miles towing the trailer, wound up getting a Ford F250. Campfires, sweet sun tea, walks, grilled food... all a great part of camping. We go to Carlyle Lake.http://www.carlylelake.com/
and camp at Dam West. We also go to Harmonie State Park in Indiana http://www.in.gov/dnr/parklake/properties/park_harmonie.html for a week at Memorial Day every year. Probably the prettiest state park in our driving range with the trailer. Harmonie has great hiking trails, a 4 mile loop around the park for moped riding, swimming pool.. anything one could need for a great trip. Come on Spring!

[alpine]

I have always like camping. When I was going to college in Trenton, NJ I talked the ranger in the state park to let me stay through the winter , he said , hey if you are up for it go ahead... I froze , took cold showers , had a big size coleman tent(very heavy) and two coleman heaters .. It ended one day I was told I had to go because the delaware river overflowed. It was an experience. Now I camp when I go to motorcycle rallies, take the tent and bag with me.
As I get older the ground seems to be getting harder and harder.. :)

Roberto.

[brewmaster15]

As I get older the ground seems to be getting harder and harder. I hear you there Roberto.. My backs not in the best of shape and I used to be able to just sprawl out on the hard ground... Now...I use those wonderful self inflating air pads...Its just thick enough to take the edge off.

BTW...I used to camp a bit down in NJ as well.. in the Pine Barrens...one of my favorite state forests there is Wharton State Forest.:)

-al

[Organic Farmer]

Ah trenton state teachers Renamed The school of nj Because the police dont even go into parts of Trenton even after you call .Dont want to be camping near trenton.Washingtons Crossing is alright.Thats near were Im from,Left out one day on a camping trip and stayed out over 4 years,just my bike and my nylon condo,been to about 28 states on my scoot.The Smookies are cool in the park is deals gap, 311 turns in 17 miles up and down a mountain the other side is Ashville Nc.In one summer I always came back 2 or 3 times to build a house or 2 and take in the mc hillclimbs in steel city pa, then jam back to az for the winter.Did about 35,000 miles in one year.Parts of NM are very nice.Every state for that matter has something different and therefore cool about it.My fish are about the only thing keeping me from going right back out there