Camping
One of the things that Elaine and I did in preparation for this time away was to purchase a travel trailer and a truck to pull it. It’s one of the most extravagant things we’ve done, but it has given us a reasonable place to spend two months. I wasn’t at all sure that I would like RV style camping. When I was younger, I did a lot of backpacking, but got away from that when we moved to Pennsylvania for my new and demanding responsibilities at Messiah. I think that may have been ill advised as I look back and realize that camping was one of the activities that I could have done together with my son Jon. Anyway, RV camping always seemed a little like cheating the “authentic” ways I used to camp. Actually, RV’ing is a way to get many of the benefits of the tougher forms of camping for people who would struggle to get out in nature otherwise. I think it serves other purposes too, some of which are not necessarily helpful, but on the whole I’ve decided I like RV camping. We’ve been at a variety of campgrounds from ones that supply only electricity, to ones that are in remote locations, to the KOA’s. I like anything that is as close to a natural camping experience as possible (whatever that means). The KOA’s are my least favorite setting because, I think, they are furthest from my sense of ideal. As of this writing we are in our fifth campground. It’s middle of the road with respect to a natural ideal, but we were lucky in the location of the site we’re in and we are enjoying it.
…Campsite in wooded setting overlooking a pond
Tuesday 17 Jun 2008 | dent | sabbatical, 2: walking 1: DC to Hancock