No RV....No Problem! How We Started Camping With a Tent and Simple Gear!
Monday, October 9, 2023
Since the Covid-19 pandemic began in 2020, many people decided to take up camping as a means of traveling with less restrictions, and that is how the RV boom was born! Seasoned and new campers alike were purchasing RV's at much higher rate than usual, and that's how RV's became more unaffordable then in year's past.
Now, don't get us wrong, we love our RV....and, if you follow our YouTube Channel @adventuringwithjeffandtina, you will know that we have a 40ft travel trailer which has all the creature comforts one could want. But, that wasn't always the case and, that is not how we began our camping adventures.
Jeff and I began our camping adventures with our four children with the purchase of a six person tent and some simple camping gear! We eventually graduated to a pop up camper. It doesn't have to be fancy or expensive to be fun. In fact, when Jeff and I reflect back on those camping trips, we feel that those were the BEST camping trips. At this moment, you might be asking yourself "Why." Why would those camping trips with the simplest of gear, and next to no creature comforts be the best?
The answer to that question is a simple one. Family, teamwork, and quality time are just some of the reasons that come to mind.
No television, no constant distractions. Nothing but God's beautiful creation and quality time with loved ones, minus the typical stressors of daily life.
During those trips, our children learned Jeff's motto which is "A Clean Campsite is a Safe Campsite." I write this chuckling a bit, as our kids have never forgotten Jeff's motto which he meant in all seriousness by the way. And, that motto is now remembered by our kids with laughter...at dad's "super serious" camping PSA.
Our kids joyously remember family hikes through the woodlands of Florida to find small felled trees. Each of our kids loved collecting their own tree limb and stripping it of all its bark to make their own special walking stick.
Jeff and I remember sipping hot coffee from our Bass Pro travel mugs as we headed out to a hike, just the two of us!
We remember the smells of smoked meat wafting throughout the campground as Jeff tended to his smoked Boston Butt, while the kids played cornhole.
Our kids still to this day remember swimming in the Florida springs until dusk, and then gathering around the campfire at night to make s'mores.
This is why we love camping.
It's not about the money you spend, the RV you buy, or extravagant experiences.
It is the quality time you spend with each other.
It's about team work and working toward a common goal.
It's about pressing the pause button on the stressors of life, and remembering what and who truly matter.
And, it all started with a tent and some simple camping gear!
It's never about things. It's always about the time you spend together.
We hope that this post inspires you to spend quality time with the ones you love, whatever you love doing!
