Friday Five: Camping!

It's that time again! Yaaaay! Let's look at five different styles of camping. I am not a nature lover, and I can count the times I've camped on one hand, I have absolutely no business writing this. However, I am well trained in the art of gazing out car windows at vehicles in holiday traffic and also junior certified in tv episodes about camping. Let's do this!

1. TENT

Pro: Stealth- You can store a tent in a lot of places like the back of a Mini Cooper or a Motorcycle!
Pro: Convenience- You can tent camp just about anywhere.
Pro: Affordable- A trailer can be thousands of dollars. A tent might set you back $100.
Con: Weather- Tents are the lightweight jacket of camping. They block wind and rain but you might wake up flipped over and in a puddle.
Con: Set up- The set up of a tent can truly test the relationship you have with your fellow camper(s).
 Con: Security- A tent is pretty useless in bear country.
2. TEARDROP TRAILER
Pro: You look Awesome- So classic and stylish
 Pro: Lightweight- Can be towed by anything

Pro: Heat- If one body can fill up most of the cubic space in the trailer that makes it easy to stay warm.

Con: Tiny- You have to go outside to do everything except sleep- Let's face it, if you're camping in the Pacific Northwest, the only guaranteed nice summer days are the 5th of July and the first day of school. Chances are you're going to encounter some rain. Since the teardrop trailer's kitchen is in the back, you're cooking in the rain.
Con: Tiny- Can't store much in a teardrop trailer Con: Tiny- The teardrop trailer is not a family camper.
3. POP-UP TRAILER

Pro: Space saving design- Aerodynamic on the road, roomy in the campsite.
Pro: Easy hauler- (Again, I'm not a camper and I think the last time I was in a pop-up trailer was probably in grade school and the "camping" consisted of spending the night in the pop-up trailer in a buddy's driveway.) I see a lot of pop-up trailers on the road and their tow vehicles are not limited to trucks.

Pro: Keeps cool- The mesh "walls" keep the it cool.
Con: Stability- It is essentially a tent on wheels (see cons of tent above).
Con: Privacy- Don't forget about the mesh "walls." Even curtains can't block all noise and shadows.
If you can see out, we can see in

Con: Keeps cool- Pacific Northwest rain isn't really a warm rain.
 4. Fifth Wheel

Pro: Detachable- Once you're set up and camping you have a vehicle with which to travel about the area.

Pro: Self-contained- At this juncture we reach the point where we are now able to do everything indoors! Cooking, eating, bathing, and all the other things you can't do in a tent or a pop-up you can now do in your 5th wheel camper! Oh the convenience!!
 Pro: Lingo- Now you can get into deep conversations with your camping buddies and use words like "pop-outs," "dualies," and "awnings."
 Con: Towing- Lots of weight, fuel and traffic
Con: Location- Camping is limited to certain campsites that can accommodate such a monstrosity. Con: Is it really camping? Is it?! Is it REALLY camping?!
5. Class A RV

Pro: Convenience- It's a house on wheels and it's a tour bus c'mon! At this point, you're rollin' like a rock star

Pro: Towing- Again, you can tow a vehicle for day trips. Cool!

Pro: Socialization- There is an entire sub-culture of "rv-ers" that you will be surrounded by, meeting, getting to know, and who will happily embrace you into their fold.

 Con: Fuel- You very well may have to take out a loan to afford the fuel to go "camping" in this behemoth.

 

Con: Again, is it really camping or is it "second home-ing"? If I had to choose, this is about as close to camping as I'd get. I like camping with my own bathroom and shower, tv, fridge, stove and recliner.

Con: Socialization- There is an entire sub-culture of "rv-ers" that you will be surrounded by, meeting, getting to know, and who will happily embrace you into their fold.

 I feel we've just scratched the surface! I didn't get to the yurt, Airstream, truck camper or the semi camper...perhaps there will have to be a second installment...

Camp The Harbor!

Memorial Day weekend is coming up and you know what that means: it's stylish to wear white pants again! Oh, and it's the official kick off of the camping season.  If you haven't yet pulled out your trusty blue tarp do so now and start packing your camping gear because true to tradition, the weather for this weekend is looking iffy at best. Actually, if you haven't already made reservations to camp at a formal campground by now, you're most likely going to be camping in your backyard - everyone it seems, is heading out to the Harbor's best campgrounds this Friday to celebrate the unofficial start to summer.

But even if you end up spending Memorial Day weekend "camping" in your backyard, there's still an entire summer ahead of you to enjoy all the close-to-home camping opportunities. Have you camped locally before? The great thing about Grays Harbor is that our terrain is so versatile you can camp nearby and feel worlds away- beaches, lakes, rivers and forests all offer you the chance to reconnect with nature without ever really leaving home. Here are some options for you to consider; go ahead and mark a weekend on the calendar now and make your reservation ahead of time (yes, camping is so in-demand these days that reservations are needed at most places):

If you love falling asleep to the soothing sound of waves and waking up to the salty sea air, try the following beach campgrounds:

Pacific Beach Campground: On the northern end of Grays Harbor's shores, this campground is open year-round for those willing to brave the cooler months. You can even have fires on the beach!

Ocean City Campground: Just north of Ocean Shores, this campground is also year round and offers not only your typical beach activities, but is also a great place to view migratory shorebirds.

Twin Harbors Campground: On the Westport end of our shores, this park is open in its entirety from June 16- October 31. 

If you're looking for a really quick trip that still gets you in touch with nature, try one of the following two very local parks:

Lake Sylvia

Lake Sylvia State Park: Located in Montesano, this is a great place for a one-night stay if that's all you have time for. The camping is still excellent despite its proximity to the city and there's plenty of hiking, fishing and outdoor activity to keep you occupied.

Schafer State Park:  Ok, just outside of Grays Harbor, Schafer is technically in Mason County. But it's such a great camping location along the Satsop river, it has to be mentioned. It's also a very close camping option for those living in East County.

If you'd rather enjoy the Olympic National Forest and all its versatility, try the following:

Lake Quinault Area

The Pacific Ranger District of the Olympia National Forest maintains four campgrounds around Lake Quinault that allow you to take in the rain forest at its finest. All are first-come, first-served campgrounds.

Coho Campground at Wynoochee Lake: My personal favorite campground locally. I remember visiting this campground frequently growing up. I even blue-tarp camped there with a group of friends like a true Washingtonian on the 4th of July weekend in 2008, 7 months pregnant and all! This campground is a bit tricky - it's a long (bumpy) drive to get out there and its still your traditional first-come, first-served campground so head out on a Thursday just to be safe!

Some things to keep in mind when planning your camping experience:

-Reservations really are recommended whenever possible. You don't want to disappoint your family by getting all the way out there and seeing "Reserved" notes on every spot that is sitting empty. I've been there- and slept in the car, in a parking lot, as a result. All State Parks are reserved on their website. Olympic National Forest campgrounds are, unfortunately, still first-come, first-served.

-You will need a Discover Pass if you are visiting any State Park this summer. It's $30, and you can get it here or at any place that sells hunting/fishing licenses.

-Bring a blue tarp! You know how the weather can be.

-Respect burn bans and campfire rules. Some campgrounds, like the beaches, may only allow campfires on the beach and not at the campsite. Other times, a burn ban may be in effect because the weather's just been too nice for too long (it happens!).

-Have fun, enjoy nature, run wild! Just remember to keep all your trash to yourself so that those after you can enjoy the beauty too. Take pride in the fact that these beautiful, scenic areas are in our community and people come from all over the northwest to enjoy them!

We've all been there. Living in the NW, there's no way to avoid it.