Enjoying
Your Camping Trip
Each year,
thousands of people throughout the United States choose to spend
their vacations camping in the great outdoors. Depending on an
individual's sense of adventure, there are various types of camping
to choose from, including log cabin camping, recreational vehicle
camping, and tent camping. Of these, tent camping involves
"roughing it" the most, and with proper planning the experience can
be gratifying. Even with the best planning, however, tent camping
can be an extremely frustrating experience due to uncontrolled
factors such as bad weather, wildlife encounters, and equipment
failures.
Nothing can
dampen the excited anticipation of camping more than a dark, rainy
day. Even the most adventurous campers can lose some of their
enthusiasm on the drive to the campsite if the skies are dreary and
damp. After reaching their destination, campers must then "set up
camp" in the downpour. This includes keeping the inside of the tent
dry and free from mud, getting the sleeping bags situated dryly,
and protecting food from the downpour. If the sleeping bags happen
to get wet, the cold also becomes a major factor. A sleeping bag
usually provides warmth on a camping trip; a wet sleeping bag
provides none. Combining wind with rain can cause frigid
temperatures, causing any outside activities to be delayed. Even
inside the tent problems may arise due to heavy winds. More than a
few campers have had their tents blown down because of the wind,
which once again begins the frustrating task of "setting up camp"
in the downpour. It is wise to check the weather forecast before
embarking on camping trips; however, mother nature is often
unpredictable and there is no guarantee bad weather will be
eluded.
Another
problem likely to be faced during a camping trip is run-ins with
wildlife, which can range from mildly annoying to dangerous. Minor
inconveniences include mosquitoes and ants. The swarming of
mosquitoes can literally drive annoyed campers indoors. If an
effective repellant is not used, the camper can spend an
interminable night scratching, which will only worsen the itch.
Ants do not usually attack campers, but keeping them out of the
food can be quite an inconvenience. Extreme care must be taken not
to leave food out before or after meals. If food is stored inside
the tent, the tent must never be left open. In addition to swarming
the food, ants inside a tent can crawl into sleeping bags and
clothing. Although these insects cause minor discomfort, some
wildlife encounters are potentially dangerous. There are many
poisonous snakes in the United States, such as the water moccasin
and the diamond-back rattlesnake. When hiking in the woods, the
camper must be careful where he steps. Also, the tent must never be
left open. Snakes, searching for either shade from the sun or
shelter from the rain, can enter a tent. An encounter between an
unwary camper and a surprised snake can prove to be fatal. Run-ins
can range from unpleasant to dangerous, but the camper must realize
that they are sometimes inevitable.
Perhaps the
least serious camping troubles are equipment failures; these
troubles often plague families camping for the first time. They
arrive at the campsite at night and haphazardly set up their
nine-person tent. They then settle down for a peaceful night's
rest. Sometime during the night the family is awakened by a huge
crash. The tent has fallen down. Sleepily, they awake and proceed
to set up the tent in the rain. In the morning, everyone emerges
from the tent, except for two. Their sleeping bag zippers have
gotten caught. Finally, after fifteen minutes of struggling, they
free themselves, only to realize another problem. Each family
member's sleeping bag has been touching the sides of the tent. A
tent is only waterproof if the sides are not touched. The sleeping
bags and clothing are all drenched. Totally disillusioned with the
"vacation," the frustrated family packs up immediately and drives
home. Equipment failures may not seem very serious, but after
campers encounter bad weather and annoying pests or wild animals,
these failures can end any remaining hope for a peaceful
vacation.
These three types of camping troubles can
strike campers almost anywhere. Until some brilliant scientist
invents a weather machine to control bad weather or a kind of
wildlife repellant, unlucky campers will continue to shake their
fists in frustration. More than likely, equipment will continue to
malfunction. Even so, camping continues to be a favorite pastime of
people all across the United States. If you want camping to be a
happy experience for you, learn to laugh at leaky tents, bad
weather, and bugs, or you will find yourself frustrated and
unhappy.
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