Last week’s poll asked what your favorite pizza variation was and Chicago came out the clear winner by a wide margin. Other than Old Chicago’s Double Deckeroni, I have absolutely no interest in Chicago style pizza but it’s obvious that I am just out of my mind according to everyone else. Lately we have been eating a lot of campfire pizza made in simple pie makers over hot coals and while they’re tasty they’re nothing like the real deal.
So as I mention above and have used as the basis for another weekly poll (I swear, it’s the last one) about Dutch oven use, we spent the weekend camping–the fourth time this summer–with Josh down in Rice County. It was a nice weekend for the most part. It rained a little bit in the morning on Saturday and threatened again at night but overall we were much better off than we were during our camping trip to WI the weekend before. Josh and I spent time hanging out, fishing, and drinking Hamm’s (yeah, for $12.50/case it’s not bad). We used the Dutch oven for doughnuts, sausages and eggs and it worked well. I still haven’t gotten my ass in gear to do any cobbler or fun shit like pizza. Yes I suck.
Anyway, the wife only came up on Saturday even though Josh and I had been there since Thursday. She was giving me a little grief about how much we’ve been camping this year so far and that she didn’t really want to stay around that long this time. So my question is, how many times do you normally go camping a year or how many times would you like to go camping? Are there reasons, aside from scheduling, that makes camping as many times as you would prefer impossible?
Camping: How Many Times a Year?
- 0 (44.0%, 20 Votes)
- 1-3 (33.0%, 15 Votes)
- 4-6 (11.0%, 5 Votes)
- 10+ (7.0%, 3 Votes)
- 7-9 (4.0%, 2 Votes)
Total Voters: 45
Loading ...Whatever you are thinking, go ahead and vote and then comment on letting us know what you think. After that please be sure to check out our expired polls in the archive or read through the previous posts about polls here.
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July 6th, 2009 at 11:28 am
I voted 0, since I haven’t been camping since…2002, I think.
As for why:
1. I don’t have a strong desire to do it right now.
2. I don’t have any camping equipment and would have to either buy new stuff or borrow my dad’s old gear that’s up in his attic.
3. My wife pretty much hates it.
I could see myself going camping again someday, but I went camping so much when I was younger (and did everything from winter camping in cabins to backpacking to canoe trips) that I don’t feel I’m missing out now.
July 6th, 2009 at 11:29 am
I would go camping every weekend if I could. Unfortunately, my husband doesn’t feel the same way. I’ve been camping/backpacking three times this year, each time alone without him.
Now our schedules are crazy and it looks like I won’t be able to get back out until August 15.
July 6th, 2009 at 12:23 pm
I picked 1-3 we’re lucky if we get out onnce, and ecstatic if we get out more than that. We don’t have a lot of camping friends, and we just haven’t gotten around to going just the two of us.
July 6th, 2009 at 12:27 pm
The wife and I used to camp together quite often without anyone else there, especially when we were just still dating. Recently we’ve started going with others but I wouldn’t mind it just being her and I again once in a while.
July 6th, 2009 at 2:34 pm
As a family, we make it out 3-4 times a summer. But my son and I get out once a month year-round plus two 1-week trips in the summer with our Boy Scout Troop. In fact, we’re leaving on Saturday for a week in the BWCAW :-D
July 6th, 2009 at 2:57 pm
WC, Josh jokingly said we should go once a month–through the winter. Unfortunately due to the passing of time I am no longer geared up for that type of camping. Do you guys do snow camping, tenting, or what?
July 6th, 2009 at 6:37 pm
I’m not sure what WC’s troop does, but in ours we did the same thing re: frequency of camping (though we skipped December due to people’s family plans). In November through March we slept in cabins or lodges; all of the Scout reservations around here had them. I think I slept in a tent on one November campout, though.
July 6th, 2009 at 6:46 pm
Yuck. Once. In my life. Hopefully never again.
July 6th, 2009 at 10:06 pm
I haven’t gone much in the last few years. We have a two kids under the age of two, so we probably won’t go for another year or two. I’m looking forward to taking them when they’re older though. I want to start some traditions with them and take them places my parents took me as a kid.
I used to camp four or five times a year, but now once or twice and I would be good. One thing I noticed is that I wanted to camp a lot more when I lived in a townhouse. No yard and the high density made me want to get the hell out of town and back to something that made sense to me.
July 7th, 2009 at 8:17 am
Our winter camping is mostly in tents. Usually our January outing is in the adirondack shelters (a lean-to type structure with 3 walls and a roof, open to the front) at our Scout camp. Kind of neat to know that you slept outside when the temp was -2*F
For all that fun and roughing it with the Scouts, our family camping has “graduated” to a pop-up camper. Not quite the same experience but then I still get to do my favorite part of camping: sitting around the campfire.
July 7th, 2009 at 8:20 am
I took the above picture while waiting for Josh to show up. It was just me, a Lee Child novel, the fire, and my dog. What a great night–until the coyotes started howling ;-)
July 7th, 2009 at 11:38 am
I’m sad to say it but 0, and best guess is that it has been 5+ years since we last went. I’d love to go more, probably even once a month, but as to why not:
- First and foremost we could not take our dog, she’s just not suited to it, and therefore would have to send her to the kennel, which she survives but hates going to.
- We end up with plans nearly every weekend, and often for the entire weekend, weeks or months in advance. I can’t complain since most of it is for fun, but none the less, leaves precious “free” weekends.
- This is going to sound old foggie-ish but there’s a lot of things that just need to get done on the weekends that are not conducive to being gone: yard work, cooking, grocery shopping, gym visits…
July 7th, 2009 at 11:39 am
Yeah Buddy is a pain in the ass when other people with dogs walk by but otherwise he’s ok when we camp. I need a muzzle for the little shit ;)
July 7th, 2009 at 12:09 pm
I used to go 3 or 4 times a year with My dad. Since that time not too often. I went to the Pine City Stockyard camping out two years straight when my kids 3rd grade class had overnight camping there. I camp once a year up at Brainerd for the Muscle Car Shootout.
The MCS isn’t exactly peaceful or serene. It’s more of a non stop party starting sometime on Friday night running into very early on Sunday morning. Nearly had my tent wiped out with me in it a couple years ago when a drunk ATV rider plowed over one corner of it around 3am Sunday morning.
I’d like to go more, but my idea of camping is a tent and nature for a bathroom. My wife’s idea of camping is a 28 foot motorhome with all the comforts of home. she is not an outdoors woman.
July 7th, 2009 at 3:23 pm
I would LIKE to go about 3 times a year. When my husband and I first started dating, we went a few times that summer. In a tent, with an air mattress and a dog. The first trip was overrun with flies, rain and a barking dog. Our second trip had better potential with good friends, beer and great weather, but the dog barked and went into attack mode at EVERYONE who walked by for two days. My then boyfriend had enough and we left early.
I feel like it’s not right to go camping without the dog (they’re practically made for the outdoors!), and my husband won’t go WITH the dog. We haven’t gone in a few years.
I grew up going on 2-week camping trips across the US in a pop-up camper every summer. The trips weren’t all great experiences, but they are fond memories.
July 7th, 2009 at 4:53 pm
Dear Lord,
Please keep me from EVER having to go camping again in my life. Please allow me to always have a bed and roof and a warm place to shit, and if it’s not too much trouble, a decent restaurant.
Thank you.
July 7th, 2009 at 7:43 pm
That’s the thing about camping…it can be the best experience ever or the absolute, most horrific failure. I’ve experienced both.
I do love having Lebanon Hills within biking distance from home. The campgrounds are meticulously managed and facilities clean. Even Sank wouldn’t mind shitting in their bathrooms. We’ll often take the kids over there and the wife will sleep in the tent with the boys and I’ll take the daughter home (she’s 2.5 now…almost reliable enough to sleep in the tent.
I’ll be camping 4 of the 5 nights of the MS TRAM in a couple of weeks. Bike 60 miles, camp, repeat. But that’s in a baseball field or similar, full of hundreds of other tents/campers. Should be fun.
July 7th, 2009 at 8:20 pm
MSPD – Thanks for the idea. As stated before, kids aren’t our issue, but the dog. Your kid solution does seem to be one that we could try out with our crazy mutt as we are also very close to Lebanon Hills.
July 8th, 2009 at 12:16 am
Sank likes to have private hotel bathrooms to shit in. At his age, he needs the serenity to feel secure enough “un-clench”. :)
Lets face it, men don’t like doing that in a public restroom no matter where it is. Comfortable, familiar surroundings… I’ll admit to having to leave the shoppoing center to go home.. Goes back to High School and the fact that in my day, no one DARED to crap at school.
So, a warm place and comfortable shoes are all I need. And a coffee cup. But that’s it. Oh, a thermos would be nice and maybe an electric fillet knife.
BUT NUTH’N ELSE.
July 8th, 2009 at 6:50 am
Sank, you are reminding me of my friend Carly, about whom we say “Carly loves to sleep under the stars, 5 of ‘em”
:)
July 8th, 2009 at 9:53 am
Dawnmarie –
“Carly loves to sleep under the stars, 5 of ‘emâ€
I don’t get it (well, I get that she’s not an outdoorsy type), but what 5?
July 8th, 2009 at 9:54 am
5 star hotel.
July 8th, 2009 at 9:06 pm
what Bill said.
July 9th, 2009 at 10:05 am
I’m sorry, I don’t see an option for negative numbers on the camping poll.
Oh, and ‘AMEN, brother Sank!’
Mr. Marcos loves to camp. I think it is entirely too much work to pack up 1/2 the house, cart it out to the woods where a lot of things I don’t like live (ticks, snakes, spiders, OH MY!), and pretend to be homeless for 2 nights. Sure, there are moments of fun but nothing that can’t be achieved around the fire pit in the backyard.
July 9th, 2009 at 10:36 am
Hmmm, I think I envision a camping trip yet this summer. Good reason to get Bill, Mr. Marcos, and others out for a weekend in the wilderness and be one with nature. (Excuse to get out of the house with the guys, to have some adult beverages and toss some bags in the woods.)
July 9th, 2009 at 10:37 am
There’s no way you’ll get Mrs. M out there–unless there’s a lot of boxed wine and Coke involved ;-)
July 9th, 2009 at 7:12 pm
Thought Leader is smart enough to know the high maintenance Mrs Marcos isn’t likely to go camping…he was addressing the MISTER Marcos.
Maybe the “Mrs Gang” can go eat at Chili’s while all you nature guys hang out at the camp fire. We might even do some “drive by honking” by the HOC! We’re rebels!
July 9th, 2009 at 9:50 pm
Not so sure about the smart comment, but you are correct that I was addressing Mr. Marcos. I encourage the honking as every morning at 6:30 AM I give the Mayor a wake up call (actually honk to make sure someone does not open their car door as they are parked in front of Jo Jo’s and I do not take them out) on my way to the transit station!
July 12th, 2009 at 2:05 pm
I’m a little late coming to this post, I guess.
I go at least once/month during the summer with a scout troop, and my wife and I go 3-4 times a year by ourselves.
I have actually found Minnesota to be a pretty difficult place to camp – relative to my home state of Nevada. In Nevada, you just camp wherever you want, whenever you want. State Parks/Forests exist, but it never really occurred to me to camp there. Since the vast majority of the state is no-man’s land (Bureau of Land Management cattle grazing land), anything goes. No such thing as Rangers, camping fees, permits, firewood restrictions, etc.
Now that I’m in MN, I have an incredibly difficult time finding places to camp. State parks aren’t generally my thing (fees, restrictions, someone else camping 50′ from you, showers, etc). It just feels so restrictive…. State Forests are a little better – lower fees and less crowded campgrounds. And you can even camp wherever you want in State Forests, but I’ve never really done this because I’m not really familiar with places and wouldn’t know where to go other than the official campgrounds.
The best camping I’ve done in MN is on river islands when my wife and I have been canoeing. It actually feels like camping.
If anyone has any good ideas about where/how to camp without using official state forest/park campgrounds, I’d love to hear them. For real – especially because I’m supposed to take a group of 11-year-old scouts camping this friday and I still have no idea where I’m going to take them…
July 12th, 2009 at 3:06 pm
i’ve done my time on lake of the woods and the bwca. no more. at the end of my day the only rocks i want to see are in my beverage of an adult nature!
bb