Why Do We Camp???

Why do we camp....this is a question we hear a lot - especially way back when we tent camped.  I can't answer this for anyone else but for us it is our reset button.

Why would you want to cook outside, use bug spray like it's hand lotion, hover over a hole in the ground to do unspeakable things???  Also - there is lots of discussion about what is really camping and what is just staying somewhere else other than home.  Some say if you use an RV then you aren't really camping.  Others call it Glamping.  For us our little camper is a safe haven.....we still cook outside, still use the bath house at campgrounds and spend a good deal of our time outside the camper.  But I am the first to admit that we are not the hard core campers who are out in the woods in a tent with no running water.  We are old and those days, for the most part, have passed us by.  I like knowing that I have a place to go if I need to use the bathroom at night and its dark outside.  I like having a hot shower in the bathhouse and I like the combination of the comforts of home along with the experience of staying in a campground.

Now why do we do this - well here is a list of our reasons - I am sure there are others but these are the ones that come to mind.  I love knowing why others enjoy it too.  We have met so many people along the way and we share our stories and we find so much more in common that we could imagine.  It is an awesome community!

1. It is a reset - a back to simple things trip that gives us time to do things that we just don't take the time to do at home.
2. It makes us thankful - for running water, hot showers, a clean place to sleep, and good food to eat.  When we get back home we are ever more thankful for the ease of life there and we appreciate simple things so much more.
3. The nature - I can't say this enough.  We have seen things at campgrounds that we would never experience at home.  Having a  young deer lick your hand and look you right in the eye is something I will never forget.  Seeing a little family of raccoons scamper up a tree and sit and watch is was just amazing.
4. Walking....we walk and exercise so much more than at home.  We drive less and force ourselves to do things and we actually like it.  If you knew me then you would know that is quite the accomplishment.
5. People - campers are just the best.  We meet the most remarkable people and they teach us so much. We meet their awesome dogs and learn about where they are from and what camping means for them.
6. The food - you just learn a new appreciation for how to make things over a fire or on a small grill.  You learn to combine the skills you use at home with making the best of what you have on hand.  When you sit down to enjoy that meal you just created it just tastes better, smells better and you linger over your meal and enjoy the experience.
7. The atmosphere.  One of my favorite things is a walk around the camp at dusk when there are smells in the air of fires and dinners being prepared.  Lights of all sorts and types glow around the campsites.  Kids are playing outside and you hear laughter and joy.  I so enjoy seeing the different setups, tents, campers and more.  
8. Travel - camping allows us to travel and is so much more affordable.  Exploring our state and neighboring ones is something we otherwise would not be able to do.
9. The stars - you can't see stars in many places like you can in a campground or out away from light pollution.  We had never seen anything like the evening sky show we glimpsed each night on our last trip. 
10. The sounds - the chirping, croaking, humming, singing of nature is magical and so very peaceful for us.

Now I am sure there are many more advantages that don't come to mind but these are the highlights for us.  I
love discovering the joys others find.  In my mind camping is not just a leisure activity but a healthy habit.  Already planning our next adventure.