Camping
 

Camping is one of my favorite things to do.I do prefer the motor home type camping but I promised my husband that we would get a new tent and camping supplies and go out to the river and camp and canoe.Its been ages since I have done this.I can say over twenty years but I am game especially if fishing is involved.Its probably going to be a good thing.I hope.
Does anyone here camp? I should probably mention I love to hike.Especially if its mountain hiking like in the Smokies etc.Outside is such a relief for me because I work in a prison.I am enclosed behind security bars for twelve hours a day eight days out of two weeks.Its a stressful place.
Anyway besides the mosquitos I am getting soft to the idea.

Brother why do you think this topic belongs in the doctrinal discussion area?

Since it has been 20 years you may find that getting up from the ground isn't as easy as it once was. :)

Did somebody say "camping"?

Now you're talking my lingo! I prefer to rough it in my new air conditioned, sleeps eight-with a kitchen - and all the amenities of home camper.

To me, camping is just an excuse to go fishing. :bubble

Deep Waters! Heavy rain during the night, and your tent starts to fill, ya know?

I love to camp. We go once every year or couple of years.

I love primitive camping. Throw on a backpack and head back into the woods. I usually only have time for an overnighter. Living in South Central Ky we are not far from the Red River Gorge. It is the best hiking camping area I know of.

Not that the hills are particularly high. The ones 30 miles south are higher. Its just the quality of the trails. There are lots of great cliffs and some good arches.

Anyway my wife and I get there about 4:30 pm giving plenty of time to get set up. We head down the trial almost a mile to our favorite spot. Get the campfire going and "feel out" the surrounding forest.

We sit around and talk about the creation of God. Bear sightings have become much more common there in recent years. That adds to the excitement not knowing if you will get a 400 pound visitor!

Sleeping is an on again off again thing when I am camping. I was so used to sleeping in the wild at one point I could sleep pretty good. At least for me it takes practice to do this. When Im not going often enough I will sleep an hour and wake up. Sleep an hour or so and wake up again.

But once you are used to sounds and feel of the night you can sleep right on through. Then I like to get up just at dawn and do some hiking. For me hiking is not just going for a walk. Its exploring whats around the next bend!

If you choose to do your camping in Smoky Mountains National Park I think you have to get a permit if you are backpacking. That would be a wonderful trip but be advised. There are Bears in the woods and carrying a sidearm in the National Park was a felony last I knew.

The Lord bless your hiking/camping experience. I wish I could do more!

A lady from our church just got back from the Smoky's. She saw a bear in the wild. It freaked her out!

I love wilderness camping too, but before we found some good spots, we went to a more populated area. We were still surrounded by trees and the bathroom was quite a ways off. Well...wouldn't you know, I had to go in the middle of the night. Well, I was doing my business when I heard this loud noise! I hurried up and got into the tent and woke my husband saying I thought there was a bear or wild hog or something. He listened and started laughing. It was the guy in the tent down the path snoring. I haven't lived that one down yet.

My first camping trip it poured rain for several hours. Mud and water began seeping through and we had to take down the tent in the rain and drive 3 hours home! What a disappointment.

But then I discovered you can buy some silicone product and put it along the seams of the tent and no more leaking!

Now I enjoy camping in the rain as long as I can get there before the rain starts. When you are back in the wilderness at night and its pouring rain it is less likely that "strangers" will be out prowling the woods looking for trouble.