Just Go RVing
I was recently invited on a camping trip with the group Go RVing as part of a paid partnership. The trip included a two night stay in an RV, events, and a lot of bonding. There was a group of maybe 10 or so creators and we learned a lot about the benefits of RVing, some of the new models of campers and met with some industry leaders. I thought it would be a typical brand/PR trip but it ended up being so much more.
It has probably been close to 30 years since my last camping trip. I hike almost every weekend and spend so much time outdoors, but camping is something I hadn’t really gotten back into since my school days. So, I wasn’t exactly sure how this trip would go. After meeting everyone, I retired to my camper and drifted off to sleep.
Past and Present
I am an early riser and that didn’t change in the campground. I woke up to the quiet that I never get in the city. Even the trees were whispering as to not disturb the peace. The loops of campsites took me back to Young State Park in Michigan. Growing up we spent a few weeks every summer there and I put about a million miles on the loops between walking and biking. I thought I would put a few miles on this loop as well. It didn’t take long for me to go back 30 years to the same sights, sounds and smells like I never left.
The first thing I noticed was the smell of camp fires. Not as prevalent as the night before, but the early risers had the wood sizzling. The feel of the soft gravel under my feet brought me back to the Velcro days. A quick glance at my new neighbors showed coffee pots and flat irons over some fires. Eggs frying here, bacon sizzling there. Everyone started their day the same way. A slow stretch, a few extra blinks, wrapping the sweatshirt a little tighter, and the wave. The wave, the head nod, something that you don’t see in the cities. Friendly acknowledgement of a shared joy.
Two kids ride past me on their bikes as I flashback to my days exploring the endless roads of a campground growing up. Those two wheels were freedom! Now, my two feet have found a different type of freedom. No alarm clock can be heard. No traffic. Hustle and bustle is a foreign concept here in the world dictated by the rising sun. A dog looks as I walk by. It too nods and then settles deeper into the camp chair it has claimed. The whole loop is exactly how I remembered it. Uncomplicated, stress free, perfect.
First Memories
Each step I took that morning was like a jog down memory lane. I was taken back to the “Boy’s Fishing Trip” my dad took us on every Mother’s Day weekend to give mom some peace and quiet. That trip is where I caught my first fish. It is where I built my first campfire. Past another site, where the kids had a tent outside of the parents camper, I was taken back to my first night staying in a tent next to the camper. Not sure I made it through that first night but was sure I was staying in the coolest spot in the world.
As the road turned into a more wooded area, I was reminded of that first time I saw all the trails in the woods in Michigan. My 9 year old map doubled in size when I realized you didn’t have to stay on the road, and that the paths opened up so many adventures. I could almost taste that first S’mores in all its wonder. Listening to the stories from the older folks. There was no kids table around the fire. All were welcome.
As the sun rose over my morning walk, the temperature began to rise. I didn’t notice at first as I was already warmed by the memories of my youth spent in these very campgrounds. The technology has changed over 30 years, the campers are a bit different but the faces were the same. The relaxed look that only comes by sipping coffee by the morning fire. It isn’t just escaping for a few moments but a lifestyle that lasts for generations.
Who New?
Now, the nostalgia was with me on this trip but this was not the same campground I grew up on. One of my favorite campgrounds had a small camp store that served ice cream cones. Occasionally, there would be a swing set. The Sun Outdoors I stayed in for this trip was something that took a bit to comprehend. It was like a 5-star resort!
There was a pool, hot tubs and pool side bar. Fishing ponds and looking ponds. I saw basketball, pickleball, and volleyball courts. The giant clubhouse even included a full gym. Everything you could possibly want in a property was here! Sure they had some more primitive campsites but they also had sites with outdoor kitchens. When we were kids, we were lucky to have Mad Libs and an Archie comic to pass the time. Now, there is so much to do!
I know there are also campsites that are more remote, more primitive but it is nice to know that these options are out there now. Just like there are options for where you stay, there are now so many options in how you stay. We were able to see a handful of RV’s and some of them are frankly amazing. Big Screen TV’s, full kitchens, and wrap around couches are all an option now. For me though, nothing really beats that bunk above the cab in a Class-C motorhome. The options are endless on how you can go RV-ing these days and it is really impressive.
Change, The Memories
While there are endless options on how you can explore the outdoors in an RV, what my morning walk around that campground told me is that the important parts will never change. What makes RVing so great isn’t the machines, it is the moments. Playing cards around the picnic table. Watching that first marsh-mellow burn and then having Mom say she loves it that way. Seeing so many stars that you wonder if you are still on Earth. Coming back to the campsite just long enough to eat a sandwich before jumping back on the bike and riding until your legs can’t peddle anymore.
These moments are only surpassed by those we share them with. I remember making some amazing friends in the campsites so many years ago. One neighboring camp had some really cool toy trucks and they invited me over to play with them and their kids. That one interaction led to our families camping together for the next several years. And the group grew every year until we were taking up half a loop!
This is what happened on this trip as well. The dozen or so of us at the camp all entered as strangers. We knew of each other to one degree or another but had never met. Two nights later we left as friends, all trying to make plans to get together again.
That is the magic of RVing. The memories that you make in the moment and the friends you make along the way. The campfires act as beacon, a welcome light, telling others that there is always a spot. The fire warms the body and the stories warm the soul that last until the next memory, next new friend, all to be found at the next campsite.
More from the Fatman
If you enjoyed this post you may enjoy more of the posts on my Fatman’s Rambling page. Blogs such as “Screw it, I’m Trying”, “Hiking Alone not Lonely Hiking“, “Winslow, Arizona” and “Another Year” as well as many others may interest you there. If you have any comments or topics you would like me to cover, feel free to email me at fatmanlittletrails@gmail.com. Or you can keep the conversation going by following me on any of the below social media platforms.