So... why the hell do people camp?

[xyster]

I just went camping last week in northern alabama. I turned off the cellphones, and just spent a few days with my g/f just chilling out, cooking over open fire, hiking up to overlooks, etc. It's all about relaxation, and sorta like TMS said, proving I'm a manly enough man to chop wood, build a fire, and cook over it...heh.

[srpowered240sx]

^word, i like your thinking. and for views like this.

[wickedpelf]

i dont ...i hate the outdoors...the closest i get to camping is going to my paretns condo at Timberline Ski Resort.... and besides havent any of u seen horror movies...damn, if you go camping with ur friends your going to get killed...if you go on a road trip cross country with ur friends your going to die...i just dont do it... i hate bugs, i dont trust wild animals...and i DONT want to sleep in a sleeping bag on the ground...**** that ****

[HashiriyaS14]

i dont ...i hate the outdoors...the closest i get to camping is going to my paretns condo at Timberline Ski Resort....

My family used to have a house in Timberline, it's pretty sweet.

That's actually one of the places I used to go cold-weather camping, up on Dolly Sods.

Anyway, good skiing out that direction, at least by East Coast standards. Both Timberline and Canaan Valley are solid areas.

[wickedpelf]

timberline is opening up 1 or 2 new runs this year...and i think canaan opened up a couple in the past years...ive only skied canaan like twice...but i really liked their trails.

[xyster]

i dont ...i hate the outdoors...the closest i get to camping is going to my paretns condo at Timberline Ski Resort.... and besides havent any of u seen horror movies...damn, if you go camping with ur friends your going to get killed...if you go on a road trip cross country with ur friends your going to die...i just dont do it... i hate bugs, i dont trust wild animals...and i DONT want to sleep in a sleeping bag on the ground...**** that ****

Never go camping without it. I don't worry about most murderers and wild animals...there's not much that 20+ .40 Golden Sabers won't stop.

As for the bugs and sleeping on the ground...well, I guess the outdoors just isn't for you.

[nchopp]

2 summers ago I went canoeing in the boundary waters between minnesota and canada for 8 days with barely any contact with anyone besides for the 6 people I was with. I thoght it was awesome. We brought enough food for all 8 days and purified water while we were out there. It's definetly one of the greatest things I have ever done. My confidence was alot higher knowing that I could do that.

I also like skiing so I have gone winter camping a few times but not as many as I would have liked. Camping for me is also a way to experience something I would definetly not experience otherwise.

The Boundary Waters = GORGEOUS. One of the few things about Minnesota worth travelling here for. I HIGHLY suggest anyone who loves the outdoors to look into spending a week or two up there.

[vvaffle]

The Boundary Waters = GORGEOUS. One of the few things about Minnesota worth travelling here for. I HIGHLY suggest anyone who loves the outdoors to look into spending a week or two up there.

Yeah they really are great, and damn, this thread makes me want to go camping.

[themadscientist]

I take offense to this post. You are generalizing all white people the same. This, in its very nature, is racist.

being a pasty white guy I feel qualified to make a generalization. Your attempt to be offended is comical, get a life, seriously. If you are that bored might I suggest a hobby, a emu farm or a chia pet. A disproportionate amount of whites camp, is that racist? Not by definition, it's just a fact, a non-predudicial number. Does that mean black people don't camp, no. Does that mean all white people camp, again no. I don't fit the stereotype as far as camping goes, I detest that crap. I pay rent every month so I can live inside, WTF would I voluntarily hang out in the woods and become part of the food chain?

hmm...so I guess racism is only racist if you're talking about a race other than your own? kay

I think so. If black guys can call each other the word I am not allowed to say because I am white are they racist, hmmm? That is the problem with racial issues, too many people who can't laugh at themselves getting touchy when others do. People are so quick to offend in America, it's like a sport now. Every group walks around with a chip on their shoulder waiting for it to get knocked off by the slightest stumulus so they can piss and moan and cry foul. America is a land of victims crying for attention. Grow up already, the world does not owe anyone an apology and some people aren't nice, it's life. If you let it consume you you will not have very much fun. I wish I can go on but I am late for my blue-eyed devil-latent homosexual-male chauvanist pig golf tournament and mayanaise tasting. Todays subject "why everything is our fault"

[Red coupe]

Mad, you disgusting bigot shut yo mouth! (wait a minute were taking TMS seriously now?!?!?excuse me I have to go hit my self in the face with a tack hammer)

I think a lot of people (maybe just white people? ) find the outdoors to be tranquil or relaxing...I know I enjoy the occasional hike, camping is just an extention of that...

[themadscientist]

damned light-skin whites is whack!

[AZhitman]

TMS, I love you....

Reading this thread makes me want to go camping... sadly, i own no equipment, have no idea where to go, or what I'd do.

It's really sad when you consider that from age 7 to 13 I went camping almost every other weekend, in backwoods Alabama and Mississippi, and a few times a year it was for a week or longer. Did 2-week "Survival Camp" in Order of the Arrow annually, and was a Boy Scout (reached Life Scout).

AllI know is there better be fishing involved, and lots of fried bologna sammiches!

Somebody take a brotha camping!!!!

[Bubba1]

Camping can be fun. My father came along to my first boyscout overnight, he sat down in his lounge chair, turned on the ball game on the radio and asked when's dinner....

[Jesda]

Just looking for a reason to use this picture.

[NISTECH]

Shall I point out also TMS wasent the first one to point out it was predominantly white folk that go campin??

I agree 100% with what TMS said about americans preocupation with be offended then pitching out the race card. I mean HELLO this country is the "melting pot" There is residence of all nationalities in this country. Get real people.

On another note I will be takin the boys campin this comin spring when the vacation kicks in.

[EZcheese15]

TMS is a cracka'

[CrimsonQ]

I only go camping when some nice mushrooms are around.

[Mr1der]

Escape.

me, I like to run around in the woods and hunt and kill things from time to time...call me a ****in' pyscho, but I enjoy it.

[The Mic]

When I took an interest in joining the boy scouts at age 7, my parents told me it was a weird thing white people did, so I didnt join.We have climate controlled buildings with big cushy beds, wireless Internet, and flush toilets. Why do people insist on camping, when we've spent thousands of years putting nature in her place?

My grandfather goes camping, but thats for fishing. Where he's at in rural Thailand, there isn't exactly a Wal-Mart nearby with prepackaged lobster.

I'm not criticizing the practice. I just dont understand why Americans do it. Enlighten me!

I've been invited many a time to camp, only to give a harsh "**** that, why can't we just get intoxicated at someone's apartment, where theres television, indoor plumbing and is a place the pizza man can find ?"

I've been camping, and its causes more anxiety than it does relaxation. "oh man this is hilarious, I forgot to pack food!"; "Where'd Tim go, he has our cannabis!"; "Oh, I brought charcoal for your propane grill."

You can't be as wreckless on a campsite as at someone else's place.

[Ozzie]

Guess camping in australia is different from camping in th US. Yes, I am white.

It's all about discovering the country you live in, and living off of the land ( I don't consider a weekend away as camping, unless I catch/gather some sort of food and eat it. ie wild berries, fish, a lizard or snake or even a widgeddy grub)No phones, computers, traffic... just getting away from it all, to recharge.

You feel rejuvenated after a weekend away, compared with a weekend in front of the computer, or driving to town for shopping or whatever.

It's about realising there is more to life than our jobs or possesions.Besides, theres nothing like getting drunk and not having to worry about making the neighbours you worst enemy for life!

Just my 2 cents...

[EZcheese15]

Guess camping in australia is different from camping in th US. Yes, I am white.

It's all about discovering the country you live in, and living off of the land ( I don't consider a weekend away as camping, unless I catch/gather some sort of food and eat it. ie wild berries, fish, a lizard or snake or even a widgeddy grub)No phones, computers, traffic... just getting away from it all, to recharge.

You feel rejuvenated after a weekend away, compared with a weekend in front of the computer, or driving to town for shopping or whatever.

It's about realising there is more to live than our jobs or possesions.

Just my 2 cents...

Couldn't have said it better myself. I went camping a couple weeks ago, and I hadn't been in years before then. I forgot what it's like to not be bothered by a computer or phone calls or whatever. In fact, I feel guilty turning off my cell phone, but because there was no cellular service where I was, I found it relaxing because I could rationalize no phone by saying "well, I just don't get service here, oh well." It was also fun to go hiking and stuff. It's like remembering back when you were a kid, getting dirty and climbing rocks, trying to follow the river. I had a blast and look forward to my next time!

[SeVa-S13]

I used to when in Boy Scouts, only made it to Life Scout myself. I mainly went because I could shoot as much as I wanted to. (I would later compete and place in junior rifle marksmanship competitions.)

But what was really fun was just having fun with my friends and building enormous fires...as I'm a bit of a pyro: but isn't every red-blooded male? The allure of "roughing it" and proving your masculinity is big part too, even at a young age.

I haven't been in a very long time but would definitely go again with the right group...

[PoorManQ45]

TMS, I love you....

Reading this thread makes me want to go camping... sadly, i own no equipment, have no idea where to go, or what I'd do.

Come on greg, you live in AZ. You have mountains! Take the family, or friends, for a weekend hiking trip. You don't need that much gear in the summer/fall.

Anyways, back to jesda's question. Basically, camping is peaceful. When else can you be completely alone, or with only those that you choose to be with? When else can you get away from scum sucking telemarketers?

I personally love to go camping. Actually, it has been over a year sinse I truely wenting camping. I'm talking actually sleeping in a tent. And I must tell you, I froze my A$$ off! We were in northern WI visiting a old friend, and decided to stay the night. So we stayed at a camp site about a mile from his cottage. Well, that night the temperature dropped down to ~25~35 degrees. Now normally this would be fine, but I didn't bring my mat, or a sleeping bag! I only had a sheet, two towels, and a fuzzy blanket. Needless to say, I didn't get much sleep that night. Dad on the other hand at least had a mat, which keeps you off the cold ground. So he slept fine. So anyways, I woke up at the crack of dawn, ~5am, and went and pushed over some dead trees to get firewood. The other campers weren't to happy about having 20~30ft trees falling down every few minutes at 5am . So, I got the fire going and warmed up a bit. Then comes the good part. The camp site was right on a boat landing with a stream flowing into the lake. There were some decent dropoffs there. So I grabbed my ultra-light fishing rod and put on a skirted spinner and headed off. After only two casts the fun began. First up was a tiny small mouth that was sitting in a pool below a waterfall. Then comes the really good part. I moved downstream a little into a section of rapids. Threw out the lure, and BAM a fish strikes. It fought like a biotch. What was it you ask? A 14inch brook trout! So, I caught breakfast!

That's what it's all about jesda. Getting away from the modern comforts. Catching your own food. Freezing your butt off. Making fire. Depending on noone but yourself.

On a side note, why are people so lazy?

[BadMojo]

hmm...so I guess racism is only racist if you're talking about a race other than your own?

Yeah, pretty much.

Anyway, as a white guy myself, I can't quite figure out the camping thing. It, well, sucks.

You get wet, bugs bite you, the food sucks, there's often some sort of intestinal problems involved, the ground is uncomfortable to sleep on and it's cold (except for those times when it's unbelievably hot).

Our love of camping, like our love of Dockers, is something we just can't rationalize, I guess.

[dft24ds]

I think SOME people camp for the same reason SOME people ride a bike to work rather than a car...they enjoy it...I used to go camping all the time out in the sticks of southwest GA (Smithville find that on a map). Its very enjoyable to get away from work, girlfriends, parents, sobriety, and the hussle and bussle of ordinary life. The best part of it though has got to be when you get to sleep in your bed the night after returning from the camping trip, makes you appreciate it a lot more.

**EDIT** Oh I forgot one of my best friends that went camping with us was black so nobody can say its a race thing...and thats all i have to say about that
Modified by dft24ds at 9:56 PM 10/28/2005

[The Mic]

It's not racist if you like the race.

[PantherRacer]

well I guess it depends on where you are.we camp here and over here we're predominantly black.SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

[Nismo_Freak]

I wish I can go on but I am late for my blue-eyed devil-latent homosexual-male chauvanist pig golf tournament and mayanaise tasting. Todays subject "why everything is our fault"

Is there something you wanna tell us?

[Nismo_Freak]

Nothing makes you feel more manly than shooting an animal, gutting it, and eating it while the cayotes fight over the entrails. It's a return to our roots, only I'm not chucking a spear, or clubbing seals, besides fat white man go hungry if he has to catch dinner. Fat white man has .308 rifle (aka the thunderstick) for reason.

[Urabus GodofTraction]

Weird. I love camping, have been camping my whole life (Eagle Scout, bishez!), yet when Jesda posed the question I couldn't come up with a firm answer why I love it so. Too many intangibles. It can't be to escape the city, as I lived in a very rual area. Maybe it was a sense of being at ease, or maybe it is doing everything for yourself. I dunno, but I do enjoy it.