Moderators SeaDawg Posted July 2, 2022 Moderators Share Posted July 2, 2022 Just for fun, I thought I'd throw this out there. For me, the very first "independent" camping experience was army surplus, from my uncle, thrown over a clothesline wire, between two trees, on our farm. Summertime, of course. Army blanket for a ground cloth, and some kind of cotton batten sleeping bags. I think I was not quite four. Maybe just over four? Not sure. My sister and I (she's a year younger) had a grand time. Of course, I had to "watch" her. That was ok, and still is. My little bff. And, of course, mom and dad were just steps away, in the house. If we needed them. 5 2008 Ram 1500 4 × 4 2008 Oliver Elite, Hull #12 Florida and Western North Carolina, or wherever the truck goes.... 400 watts solar. DC compressor fridge. No inverter. 2 x 105 ah agm batteries . Life is good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators topgun2 Posted July 2, 2022 Moderators Share Posted July 2, 2022 Mine wasn't so glamorous - I "ran away" from home and decided to sleep with my dog in the back yard in his dog house. I still don't know just how it was that I awoke the next morning in my own bed! 3 3 2023 Ford F150 Lariat 3.5EB FX4 Max Towing, Max Payload, 2016 Oliver Elite II - Hull #117 "Twist" Near Asheville, NC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rideandfly Posted July 3, 2022 Share Posted July 3, 2022 Our Dad bought us a canvas 2 person pup-tent. Started camping in the back yard. Eventually started back packing and camping in local woods. When camping in the woods would take side meat, eggs, and cook with Sterno stove. Really enjoyed that! 🙂 2 1 Bill & Debbie / 2015 LE2 #75 / 2024 F-150/5.0L / North Carolina Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Morris Posted July 3, 2022 Share Posted July 3, 2022 Wow! I can’t remember my first camping experience! That surprises me. I remember going to Kiser Lake State Park (Ohio) in my grandparent’s Shasta in the late ‘50s. It had the canvas bunks suspended on rods above the bed. All I remember about that trip is how hot those bunks were, that there was an artesian spring to cool off in, and that all the parents were worried about a bobcat howling in the woods behind our camp. My first tent camping was probably with the Boy Scouts, but we did have a canvas tent at home. I just don’t remember using it. We built a tree house (on 4x4 posts) and slept in that many times. I’ve been backpacking and car camping ever since, only having the squaredrop the past five years. Everything before was in a tent. Thanks for making me (try to) remember! 2 ----- Steve - Northern Ohio, USA Wandering around on occasion, always lost. 2021 Toyota Land Cruiser - 2023 Oliver Elite II Twin Hull #1360 “Curiosity” Facebook - Instagram Camped in Curiosity = Green —— Visited with Curiosity = Gray Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BackofBeyond Posted July 3, 2022 Share Posted July 3, 2022 Boy Scouts = Hike in, Tents, camping over open fire. California mtns. Long time ago. 2 Cindy, Russell and "Harley dog" . Home is our little farm near Winchester TN 2018 Oliver Legacy Elite II - 2018 GMC 2500 Duramax "Die young - As late as possible" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 3, 2022 Share Posted July 3, 2022 The earliest I remember is similar to SeaDawg’s, but I was older. We were on our farm, canvas tent, blankets with cotton sleeping bags. It was in the winter and we were deer hunting. Has a great time with my two brothers. Kirk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Landrover Posted July 3, 2022 Share Posted July 3, 2022 I was 7-8 not sure. Dad had a new 1965 Chevy C30 4x4 step side, with a slide in camper. Mom Dad and my two brothers spent many times at Charleston Beach RI. On the breach way. Driving a couple of miles on the sand to get to the ocean front. My brothers and I got our fill of digging in the sand, when the truck got stuck in deep sand. We always made it. Camped for three four days on the ocean front no one around for miles. With just a ice block refrig small porti potty toilet and 20 gals of water. Good memories. 2 Grant 2022 GMC Denali 2500 HD 2019 Elite 11😎 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Mike and Carol Posted July 3, 2022 Moderators Share Posted July 3, 2022 Mid 1960s, Boy Scouts in southern Oklahoma. Hiking, campfires, little tents. When my dad got back from Vietnam the first time we got an 8X10 canvas tent that my parents and us five boys and two dogs could fit in. Then we got a pop up that we towed, I was 15 and it was my first towing experience with my dad in Vietnam the second time. We 5 boys could set it up while mom watched. Good times. As part of my career as an adult I got to camp all over Europe and many places in the US. Mike 3 Texas Hill Country | 2016 Elite II #135 | 2020 Ram 2500 6.7L Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dewdev Posted July 3, 2022 Share Posted July 3, 2022 YMCA camp when I was 10 and again when I was 11. My dad bought a Apache pop-up camper when I was 12.. It had a double bed (for my Dad) and the pop-up canvas went to the side and made a side room. We had two cotts on either side of the door, one for me and one for my best friend who was from NYC. We went all over New England and Canada each summer. Mom stayed at home and worked in her restaurant. (she did not like camping anyway because there was no toilet in the popup or so that was her excuse). We would eat supper and Dad would go visit with the neighbors while we boys were assigned to washing the dishes. Those were the good old days as a kid. We never needed to get a reservation at campgrounds so we just traveled whereever Dad drove us. 2 2018 Oliver Elite II, Twin Bed, Hull #354 2024 RAM 1500, 4 x 4; Gas. 5.7L V8 Hemi MDS VVT Torque; 3.21 rear axle ratio Maine Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trainman Posted July 3, 2022 Share Posted July 3, 2022 3 hours ago, BackofBeyond said: Boy Scouts = Hike in, Tents, camping over open fire. California mtns. Long time ago. Me to, I find I still use my Boy Scout experiences today when camping, it's funny what other campers say, how did you know to do that. I do carry my Boy Scout Handbook with me in the trailer and yes, I have looked up things in it at times. The book is some 64 years old and still going strong. Too bad the B S aren't what they used to be. trainman 3 2019 RAM 1500, 5.7 Hemi, 4X4, Crew Cab, 5'7" bed, Towing Package, 3.92 Gears. Oliver was sold. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mcb Posted July 3, 2022 Share Posted July 3, 2022 I was 8 or 9 I’m guessing. Somewhere in NH in an old Army surplus tent, full of old army surplus gear…it rained and rained.. I remember sitting on a cot with my little sister and brother eating cold spagettios and trying to keep our feet above the water as it rose, and watching stuff float around the tent. The three of us got a kick out of it.. not sure my mother felt the same.. 1 3 Mark & Deb..2020 Elite II..Dearie..Hull #685..2016 Tundra Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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