Those who don’t do it, don’t understand how much goes into it. I’m talking about going camping. No matter whether it’s the simplest tent overnighter or a several week-long camping trip, stuff has to be done. So who gets to do it? My wife Chris and I have our prep responsibilities—these unwritten rules of the road that keep us going no matter how long or how far we go. The planning and execution of camping trips has to come off like perfection otherwise somebody doesn’t enjoy it as much as others. For example, if I forget my backpack with my work computer, no matter how far we have driven, we gotta go back and get it. Even if it’s about 150 miles, and it was. That was not a good start to a trip.
Our planning starts with a conversation or several about where we want to go and how long we want to be gone. Then Chris starts planning out the itinerary. This is a critical step. We try to plan stops along the way for what we would like to see and also where to camp so I’m not driving more than 250 miles a day. Once we have the dates and places, we start to figure out what we need to take. An advantage of having a motorhome is leaving certain items in it so the packing is not such a chore. Chris plans out the meals, the food we need to take, and we both check the weather for the clothing. Service Dog Charlie has a special diet and Chris has to cook up his food and freeze it ahead of time.
We both load up and do a final inspection, making sure we have everything—no more missing backpacks, if you know what I mean. Basically, we divide the responsibilities after planning the trip into two categories—inside the RV and outside. Chris does the inside. In fact, if there is cooking to do, she is a fantastic cook. You wouldn’t want to eat what I cook. From Toad in the Holes to breakfast burritos to the cheese and crackers with a glass of wine in the evening, Chris is the “go to” chef on the road. My deal is to make sure we get there, set up camp and break camp. I have my pre-trip check list: Water, propane, bikes or scooter, tire pressure, fuel, fire starters, etc.
Once we are at camp, my job is to set up. Hook up the electric and water. Level the RV. Put out the extension. Set up the rug, camp chairs, table, extend the awning, and hook up my precious TV, lol. Later on, I do a campfire. We generally do a walk around the campground to familiarize ourselves with our new temporary home. We have come a long way from when I camped as a kid—two-man canvass pup tent, sleeping bag, a box of matches, a couple of patties for hamburgers and a can of beans. Generally speaking, camping for Chris, Service Dog Charlie, and me is kind of like a dance. We each have our steps. Whether it’s a tango, a two-step or a waltz, camping for us is like dancing through the good life.
