When it comes to camping everything is not always relaxed and fun. Sometimes we deal with equipment failure, horrible weather, bad neighbors, bad location, or just a bad campground. When someone talks about their camping trip, they will never tell you bad stuff. It’s always how perfect everything was. In reality most camping trips have a few bad things that will happen, but you will always find some way to make the most out of it. How many times have you had something go wrong while on vacation.
The disasters!
When it comes to camping it never seems like something little can go wrong. Like forgetting a toothbrush or a hair comb. It’s always something extreme like a tent breaking or tearing, horrible flooding rain, campground with no amenities (even though the website said they have lots of amenities), or tornados. I know you laugh because, “a tornado” really? Yes! I have personally been in a few tornados. The winds destroyed lots of tents, and campers. I have learned many tricks to help avoid the negative outcomes of the disasters. When it comes to campgrounds that will not let you pick up kindling wood or use any amenities (it was a KOA campground) it just ruins the fun you were planning on having.
Making the best out of the worst situations.
All you can do is take a bad situation and try to make it better by having humor and staying positive. I know sometimes I will just laugh and make fun of the situation. I always try to stay positive by saying “well it can’t get any worse!” sometimes it proves me wrong but most the time I am right. Even though we have these bad things happen to us during camping it will bring everyone closer. Years down the road we will still talk about the experiences and fun we had. Bad things do not necessarily make bad memories.
Some of the worst things happened to me.
I have had some of the worst stuff happen to me while camping. But looking back I have learned from it or just made it into a great memory.
One of the first times camping was with my mom. She took us to a campground, the spot we got was on a hill. That night it rained really hard all night. We woke up in six inches of water. Everything was soaked. Luckily it was a hot day the next day, so we hung everything to dry. We learned to buy a massive tarp and cover the tent at night or during bad weather. Never flooded since then (also do not camp on a hill or the bottom of a hill).
My brother and I used to participate in relay for life with our friends. One year the weather was so nice and seemed like a perfect day. As the day went on the weather got worse and worse. We had two tents, one screen room, and 2 canopies. As the weather started to worsen some people started leaving. We all were determined to stay the full 24 hours. I tied my tent down where it was not going to blow away or get damaged. My friends and my brother were making fun of me and saying how ridiculous my tie down was. When the tornado hit, it wiped out everything except my tent. They had a bonfire pit in the center of the track which we burned most of everyone’s stuff (that got destroyed in the weather) to stay warm from the rain.
I always take a full set of basic tools with me. Once while camping my truck blew a belt which no problem replaced the belt with a new one. The neighbors thought it was funny I was working on my truck when we were camping. The next day they came over aske to borrow my tools because they blew a water pump. I think they got a lesson learned – bring tools!
My first camper mistake was leaving the awning out through the night while it was raining. I figured light rain won’t hurt it. The awning somehow filled with water and tore it off the camper.
My wife used to ask why I had so much camping stuff. I used to tell her because you never know when we need it. I get where she was coming from because the pickup truck is overstuffed, and we had a lot of stuff especially for a long weekend only. That trip we had a tornado hit near by and we used all the tarps and tie downs to save all our stuff. She will never question how much stuff we bring ever again.
While driving home from camping my friends and I were having fun and goofing off. Nothing bad or harmful, just being silly and goofy. While the driver’s window was down my glasses flew off my face and landed somewhere on the freeway. Luckily my eyes at the time were not bad so I was able to still drive with no issues.
One camping trip I got mad at my cousin and my brother that I walked barefooted from our camping spot to the camping store and back it was over four miles. Lesson learned walking that distance over rocky and dirt roads gave me blisters all on the bottom of my feet.
These are just some of the bad stuffs that has happened. Some memories I am sure I have forgotten about. But this is what makes camping the best sometimes.
Lesson learned!
As you see, even though some situations were bad and scary as we were living in it, we learned valuable lessons and looking back we laugh at all these bad times. It’s what made some of the best memories. Sometimes the experience is what makes something so great. So, when people have a bad thing happen this is why they still had a good time because of the memories made.
What is your worse camping trip or thing to happen to you while camping?
For questions or comments post below.
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