"We like camping better!" --Raymond Alexander Kukkee



view of the north shore Critter Pond, KOA Canandaigua NY [c] 2009 jcb

About Me

"Well, if we lose the house, we'll still have the camper"
   --my wife to me, when times got tough

We used to camp in a tent, and swore we loved it. We lied. By the time we finally had things arranged to make tent camping comfortable, we had a truckload of gear, literally.

Heading out for a simple weekend of camping at a nearby state park had become an ordeal. Empty my truck of all work tools. Gather and pack bags and tubs of stuff. We had found a lovely tent from Columbia, the respected sportswear people. We bought a screen house, finally. Dick's had a nifty gas cooker on sale, so we redeemed a coupon. We had tarps of several sizes, and pans from yard sales.

One of our early camps, from '07
The whole get-up put a strain on the concept of "camping fun." And it rained every time we camped out. Hands on her hips, my wife declared, "enough's enough," and she began the hunt for a suitable camper for our family. Our budget -- $1,000.

We did it; we found a lovely old Shasta trailer for less than a grand. We drafted my boys to help fix 'er up, and now she's our dowager campress. I learned all about towing, about electric brakes and anti-sway systems. And now, when we go camping we grab some money and toss in the camp chairs, hook her up, and hit the road.

We're the 'tweeners of camping -- more than a tent, and far less than a Class-A Motorhome. These pages hold our voyages, and much more.

~Jim

Few of life's simple pleasures compare to a perfect camping outing. ...a soft wind in the trees, the crackle of the campfire, crickets harmonizing with cicadas, and a steaming cup of camp coffee. Heaven!

Here we'll share camping stories true and fictional, campground reviews, nature photography, opinion pieces, gear reviews...whatever wanders into this corner of the campsite. 

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