I have looked for this photo for several years. Since I cannot remember if I have shared before, I am going to share now.
This was taken in Harrison Michigan during what I believe is our first camping trip. So, 1973 or 74.
We took the 2 sons, the collie dog Thor, the HUGE 9 foot by 20 foot camping tent, and tons of camping gear packed in my dad's open utility trailer, and off we went. Ford Motor Company insisted we take two weeks vacation, along with every other plant rat, the first two weeks of July. Man's parents joined us for much of the time.
Below, left to right, Man's mother, Millie. Moi (the one in the rain coat with the hoodie - - to try to keep dry in the rain/drizzle). Man. And, some one we don't know. LOL . Man's father took the photo with his camera, loaded with slide film.
If you study the photo you might catch the fire blazing tall and warm. You might also note that the bench on the far right, is dripping wet. No gear on the soaking wet picnic table. Cause it was raining. I have no idea why Man has on no jacket of any kind, but, I do know he hates rain coats, I do not. He likes umbrellas, I do not. He did not get cold, I always did.
The first year camping and my memory is that it rained just about 80 % of the time. It was probably more like 60 %, but, hey, this is my story and my memory. It rained and rained and rained some more! We played cards in the tent while outside it was pouring down deluges. It came down so hard the water seeped up through the floor of the tent. Did I say, it rained?
You would think that after that I would put a stop to all this camping nonsense. Yet, here it is, well over 40 years later and we are still at it. No tent, that's long gone. We did the popup camper, long gone. We did the tow behind with a bunk house and no slides (bestest ever camper for a family with young boys), long gone. We did the tow behind with no slides, a rig meant for 2, long gone. And, now, we tow with big ole Jolly, the Heritage RV, Miss Tana, strongly loved. If you are interested, I have a page on another blog that shows the rigs.
In the 40 plus years, we have traveled from the Mexican border to the Canadian border and a time or two over to Ontario and in 2016 to Nova Scotia. We have traveled from east coast, Atlantic Ocean to west coast, Pacific Ocean. We have camped in most of the 50 states, sans, Hawaii, Alaska and a couple of states along the eastern seaboard. Lost count of the National Parks and Monuments we have visited and no idea of how many nights we have spent in various state campgrounds/parks. We have experienced glorious sun and more than one tornado threat/near hits. We have winter camped (cross country skied there, just open the door, step out in the snow and ski!). We have traveled during such cold weather that we had no running water for 2.5 days. We have done 1700 miles in 5 days of hard travel and 1750 miles in 14 days/nights. These days, 14 nights are so much more enjoyable. We have visited so many museums and gardens that, again, I have lost count. Every little burg, county, town, village has something to offer those who are interested in history and the heritage of our country, they teach us to be humble and to understand the struggle of our ancestors. We have had to shoehorn Tana into some unbelievable situations. We had a flat tire on the 101 north of San Francisco, hope to never have that experience again. We towed Tana up to a campground near Yosemite at 15/20 MPH, with no guard rails and me looking down hundreds of feet down at tree tops. It has been quite the journey, 40 plus years and counting!
You would think that after that I would put a stop to all this camping nonsense. Yet, here it is, well over 40 years later and we are still at it. No tent, that's long gone. We did the popup camper, long gone. We did the tow behind with a bunk house and no slides (bestest ever camper for a family with young boys), long gone. We did the tow behind with no slides, a rig meant for 2, long gone. And, now, we tow with big ole Jolly, the Heritage RV, Miss Tana, strongly loved. If you are interested, I have a page on another blog that shows the rigs.
In the 40 plus years, we have traveled from the Mexican border to the Canadian border and a time or two over to Ontario and in 2016 to Nova Scotia. We have traveled from east coast, Atlantic Ocean to west coast, Pacific Ocean. We have camped in most of the 50 states, sans, Hawaii, Alaska and a couple of states along the eastern seaboard. Lost count of the National Parks and Monuments we have visited and no idea of how many nights we have spent in various state campgrounds/parks. We have experienced glorious sun and more than one tornado threat/near hits. We have winter camped (cross country skied there, just open the door, step out in the snow and ski!). We have traveled during such cold weather that we had no running water for 2.5 days. We have done 1700 miles in 5 days of hard travel and 1750 miles in 14 days/nights. These days, 14 nights are so much more enjoyable. We have visited so many museums and gardens that, again, I have lost count. Every little burg, county, town, village has something to offer those who are interested in history and the heritage of our country, they teach us to be humble and to understand the struggle of our ancestors. We have had to shoehorn Tana into some unbelievable situations. We had a flat tire on the 101 north of San Francisco, hope to never have that experience again. We towed Tana up to a campground near Yosemite at 15/20 MPH, with no guard rails and me looking down hundreds of feet down at tree tops. It has been quite the journey, 40 plus years and counting!
I have no explanation as to why I have loved this for over 40 years. But, I have and I still do. I feel more like me in my Tana than I do in my stick built, and our home in SE Michigan is very nice and filled with my heirlooms, my family. I have no explanation and, thus, make none.
And, to think it all started with 2 weeks of rain and me in my rain coat, standing by the campfire IN the drizzle/rain. Not sure if you can see it, but, I have a smirk on my face. Maybe I knew even then - -
And, to think it all started with 2 weeks of rain and me in my rain coat, standing by the campfire IN the drizzle/rain. Not sure if you can see it, but, I have a smirk on my face. Maybe I knew even then - -
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