Camping

[MgoBlue-LightSpecial]

I love camping. But I hate campgrounds. The sound of flip-flops flipping and flopping, children screaming, and rednecks whooping it up at 2 a.m. with their seemingly endless supply of Bud Rice. That's why I dig dispersed camping aka going out into the wilderness and throwing up a tent.

There is a lot of public land in Michigan where you can legally do this, but few spots near Lake Michigan, which is where I like to be. There is one place though in the Lower Peninsula called the Nordhouse Dunes Wilderness Area. It's a small area of federal land, about 3,500 acres of forest sandwiched between beach towns, Ludington and Manistee. Throughout the forest is a series of unmarked hiking trails that take you out to the shore line. It's a five mile hike out to the beach, up and down dunes, bluffs, and various terrain. May not seem like much, but with gear and a heavy pack, it's enough to keep a lot of people away. And the payoff is a large portion of undeveloped Lake Michigan shoreline all to yourself, where you are allowed to set up camp 400 feet from the water.










So other than your tactical bunkers, where do you fucks go to "get away from it all?"

[smackaholic]

Maine.

Haven't been there in a few years, but it is cool as shit. All of it. From the Maine woods to the coast. And the people are kinda cool as well. Love their fucked up accent.

And yes, campgrounds are hell. Much prefer camping in the woods.

[Moving Sale]

We call that backpacking.

[BSmack]

I'm going to Maine in a month. Going to a camping area near Acadia National Park. It will be my first time in Maine. Looking forward to some nice craft brews, great scenery and some fresh lobster.

[MgoBlue-LightSpecial]

I'd save Maine for a fall trip, but I'm sure it's still nice this time of year. Take pics.

[BSmack]

Got an 8 year old. Summer trip means no missed school. At least it is mid August. That's like September in Rochester.

[Screw_Michigan]

I went camping the last couple years at Prince William Park in northern VA. It's near Quantico Marine Corps Base so you ear explosions in the background. You have to drive pretty deep in the woods off 95 to get there but, yes, it's a campground.

[Screw_Michigan]

Mgo, do you ever run into crazy "woods" people while you're camping off the grid?

[War Wagon]

I'm done camping.

We have gone every year (along with a float trip on an Ozark stream) for the last 30 years and some fucking thing always goes wrong. I have come back from camping/float trips pissed off, lately, one too many times.

I have setup my last tent. I have patched my last air mattress at 3 am. I have spent my last dollar buying camping gear that we didn't need.

I will build a camp fire in the back yard and wifey can bring home the firewood. When that fire burns down to embers, I shall blissfully wake up the next morning in my own damn bed in my own damn house and fuck the wife.... again.

[BSmack]

I have found that bare bones cabins are a nice compromise. Sure you still have public toilets, but that's what water shoes are for. Fuck flip flops. We spent Labor Day weekend in one. The best part? The increased expense drives out the trailer park crowd.

[Dr_Phibes]

I'd require a small army of coolies to transport the amount of alcohol, cigs and food a journey like that would require. Out of the question. Better mooch off moneyed friends with cottages and drive in your supplies.

Looks ideal though, that close to the lake you won't get eaten alive by bugs.

[MgoBlue-LightSpecial]

Mgo, do you ever run into crazy "woods" people while you're camping off the grid?

Sure, but not from camping. Woods people usually settle much further inland. Think like Grayling, Roscommon area.

[Rooster]

That area is very close to where my parents own a lakeside "cabin" -- all of a mere 5000 sq feet and total lakeside glass. Beautiful views, but miserable in the winter. Mind the poison ivy, though.

[Diego in Seattle]

Ever encounter bears there?

[Wolfman]

Hey Bri.You should enjoy Maine--Acadia. Be sure to do Cadillac Mountain. There is actually a small beach if you don't mind freezing cold ocean water. Hope the weather cooperates for you all.

[Mikey]

Looks like a nice spot.

We used to take the kids camping (when they were kids) to Mammoth (Lake George was a nice spot) or Sequoia National Park. Did some wilderness camping with my son's Scout troop, and that was fun.

No camping for the past few years, though we still talk about doing it again. The wife prefers places like we stayed at in Mendocino last year.

A little pricey, but there's plenty of hiking within walking distance.

[Wolfman]

I forgot to add to BSmack's trip that he should make a side stop in Freeport ME at LL Bean's and get his kid a cool pair of LL Bean Camp Mocs.

[trev]

I've done my share of tent camping. Never more than 3 or 4 nights at a time. In a camp ground. We've camped at Squaw Lake in the desert. They call it "The River" here. The Colorado River. It's usually a big group of people with boats/motor homes, partying, floating, skiing, sitting in the water to keep cool.

We've beached camped a lot. Carlsbad, Dana Point, San Onofre, Coronado. Usually with families and our/their kids. Fun times.

We mountain camped a few times, which is my favorite. A couple years ago, the husband asked where I wanted to go for our anniversary and I said, tent camping in Laguna. He obliged and it was pretty darn fun.

Yes, I schlepp myself to the campground bathroom in the middle of the night. I have had to pee in the woods a time or 2. But mostly, the guys set up the tent and take it down, it's really not that bad.

We camp less and less now, not sure we will do it again at this point. We'll see.

[Moving Sale]

So your reputation as a fat lazy cunt is well deserved.

[Goober McTuber]

We call that backpacking.

Between backpacking and buttpacking, you must be a busy little guy.

[Goober McTuber]

So other than your tactical bunkers, where do you fucks go to "get away from it all?"

Up north to the best smallmouth lake in Wisky for an early summer getaway. Stay in a cabin.

St. Maarten in the winter. No camping there, either.

[Moving Sale]

We call that backpacking.

Between backpacking and buttpacking, you must be a busy little guy.

Yes girls these days like it in the butt. What is your point fat face?

[Moving Sale]

Why are you groping a tranny you big fat fuck?

[smackaholic]

I'd save Maine for a fall trip, but I'm sure it's still nice this time of year. Take pics.

Early fall is nice. Maine tends to be quite a cunt in late fall. All the color is gone and the temps range from about 45 to absolute zero.

B, You will not be disappointed Acadia NP is the most beautiful spot on the east coast. Hike to the top of Cadillac Mt. Do a sunrise there, if possible. Amazing.

[smackaholic]

We call that backpacking.

Not necessarily. Did a lot of backpacking as a kid, and a little now with the scouts, but with the family, it is generally, was, anyway, till I sold it, in our RV. This is called boondocking, by RV folks.

Here is TiVo's backpack.



He is the passenger.

[Moving Sale]

I guess I wasn't clear. We call it backpacking so will will know what we are talking about. Hiking is a day hike. Backpacking is overnight (or longer) carry what you need into the woods. Camping is car camping. RVing is with a trailer or RV.
Its just to be clear what we mean. Broadly speaking if there is a camp fire you are camping. Hope that helps.

[trev]

So your reputation as a fat lazy cunt is well deserved.

You talking to me, son? I do laundry, prep, shop, cook, clean up, etc. Pitching tents is man's work.

Got an issue with that?

[smackaholic]

Camping, by my definition, means spending a night outside somewhere, generally in a tent. Backpacking falls in the camping category, IMO. You can certainly have a campfire while packpacking, although, I suspect out west it is generally illegal, given the west's tendency to burn itself to the fukking ground on a wim. How about if you take an RV to a campsite, you sleep inside, but the kids are outside in a tent? Is it camping then? That was a typical situation with us.

[Carson]

Moving Fail was the technical consultant for the tent scene in Brokeback Mountain.

[Moving Sale]

Never saw the movie or the scene. What's it about?

[MgoBlue-LightSpecial]

Ever encounter bears there?

Not there. Bears are more prevalent in the UP and Northern Lower Peninsula but I'm sure there are some in those woods.

[Dinsdale]

I've done plenty of camping, but I think my days of camping-for-the-sake-of-camping are about done. If it involves catching fih, then I'll camp anywhere.

[Mikey]

catching fih

You use that to make pho?

[Moving Sale]

I'm nipping? Eat another turd fatty.

[Moving Sale]

Eat another poop dixie cock.

[Wolfman]

Didn't you love it when you could feel little critters running over you in your sleeping bag? Remember one time in the high peaks of the Adirondack's when I woke up in the middle of the night and the forest "floor" was all aglow with foxfire, a phosphorescent fungus. I was startled at first because I had never seen it before.

[BSmack]

B, You will not be disappointed Acadia NP is the most beautiful spot on the east coast. Hike to the top of Cadillac Mt. Do a sunrise there, if possible. Amazing.

I'm plotting to do just that. Ideally on my 50th birthday, but if not, I'll settle for anytime that the weather allows.

Wolfman,

A trip to L.L. Bean will be happening.