Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

I have enjoyed the thread, and didn't think I had much to contribute. When I read parnold's note, Cape Cod sure made me remember camping, I grew up in the slums of Cambridge, Ma, and like parnold I grew up in a camping family. I remember camping at Shawmee Crowel and other local state parks as a kid. More than likely I played with parnold as a kid, I was camping during the same time period.
The last time I camped with the family was the summer of the moon landing, everyone at the campground in Virginia was listening to the radio. Between the landing and spending a week in DC at the Smithsonian, it was a great camping trip.
My parents retired and and joined the RV world full time for 15 years, no home, just a 5th wheel and a 3/4 ton pick up. My dad is gone now, but I know hewould be pleased with the teardrop I built.

1950 Scout Camp that no longer exists. In a pup tent.

Nope, don't remember my first camping trip. It was just to long ago. As far back as I can remember we were always camping in the summer months either with my Grand Parents or my Parents. Below the first picture was around 1947 and the second picture was in the middle 50's. I'm the second from left in the second picture. Never sleep in the teardrop. Didn't need to, I had my own tent. I was a big boy.

Awesome photos!

1974 With my grand parents and mother at lake taconic in upsate ny.

I can't believe I have missed this thread all this time.

My first camping trip was 1975. I was in 7th grade. Mom and Dad had their own business and never really had time to go anywhere, but they decided we needed a camper. Bought one second hand, don't remember what kind it was, but just remember thinking that it was the most awesome thing I had ever seen. It was a 19'er, and I had to sleep on the dinette made into a bed. We went to Grenada Lake, not too far from our home in MS. We only kept the trailer for 3 or 4 trips when it was decided we actually didn't have time to camp, so it was sold.

So that is why I am setting out tomorrow morning with my oldest to camp at the 2012 Shiveree, and sleep in the back of the Explorer in sub freezing temperatures.

Tom

My dad taught college geology, and during the summer sessions when I was very young he taught at summer field camps in Wisconsin, Montana, and Idaho. Somewhere in my mom's collection of pictures is one of baby me in a baby-pack, hanging from a Forest Service campground sign (sound asleep) in front of the tent-top trailer that my grandfather built. That would have been in Wisconsin in the summer of 1961.



Catherine

1954, I was 1 year old.
Here we are at Lake Lenore, Grand Coulee, Washington.
That's me in dads arms.

I'm not sure if it was the first camping trip, or even if it was a collective memory of several, but I remember fondly the trip(s?) specifically, to the piney woods of East Texas while in the Boy Scouts. Every time we went, it was rainy and very cold, but I still remember the smell and smoke of the burning pine. Exploring the woods of the huge International Paper acreage, oh boy!; it was really great for a kid that only knew the suburbs of Dallas, or sometimes the flat nothingness of West Texas. The year(s) were '59-62, or thereabouts. Ghost stories around the campfire, no, but mention of the "giant footprints" recently found out West were giving some the willies (maybe I should relate those stories to my wife...that's another story entirely). Didn't camp out again, except for sleeping in my vehicles when hunting or fishing in the mid '70s, or using my camper-shelled truck(s) as refuges when travelling, or stranded at work during ice storms (still using my HHR panel for that). Bought a Puma TT in 2006 for my wife's business use , but I've never used it. Now I'm determined to camp out again, while I'm still able, and as I've related in previous posts, though ostensibly the TTT is for my wife, it's actually my vision and I will make it happen.

Mid 50's. My family would load up and go camping and fishing all over the western states.
Hazel

I believe it was in Letchworth State Park circa 1976. We tented in a giant canvas tent. I was about five-years-old. I can still remember laying on a large quilt and looking at the clouds. It is one of my absolute favorite memories. I've tent camped ever since. Starting this summer we will be teardropping!

Up date, My sister tells me we camped at Big Basin Redwoods State Park when I was 3 which make it 1952. Do not remember it at least I don't think so, but I will be able to find out as we will be camping there in June

Outside of the real (very first car campers), many of us are campers born in the post war era. Back then...no one who took a vacation flew anywhere, unlike now...it was all done in a car. Mom still did the cooking, dad drove and read the map, we were just kids running in the woods, and trying to stay out of trouble in the back seat.

While I can't remember the "first" time, I do remember being about 6, 1959...catching my first fish on my own, dad cooking it on the family Coleman stove...still have the stove. A crappy umbrella tent with a torn floor that weighed about 100 pounds dry and stunk like an old canvas tent should. A trip that seemed like eternity in a 57 Ford station wagon, fighting in the back seat with my sister.

Dad forgot the center pole for the tent and we had to cut a pole. Mom, not letting him live it down. Dad also picked up the dogs crap with the vintage GI shovel, that I also still have...now cleaned.

I built my first stove, with dads help....a coffee can with some beer can opener punched holes in the bottom and a coat hanger rack to cook a burger. Simple times....lots of fun...great memories.

At that time RV was just a couple of letters in the alphabet! Doug

The first trip I can actually remember is remarkably similar to Doug's. A year earlier and we went to Yellowstone, but pretty sure we had the same tent! I vaguely recall another camping trip with the family where there was some sort of tent debacle, I will have to ask my brother ( I think he has ( or had) all of the family Coleman). Most of our other trips were to Honeyman state park near the Oregon coast where we would run down the huge sand dunes and jump in the lake.
Fun times!

I recall going camping with my dad for the first time when i was 6 or 7. the field had alot of mint and when i smell it it reminds me of that trip. also it was the first time i carved my initials in an aspen tree and disapointed teh next morning that it had not scared over. we had beef stew but my dad forgot the can opener and the spoon. luckly my mom had packed my antibotic i was taking and it had a medicince spoon so we used that. found a snake and caught it on the way back to the truck and my mom was not to happy we brought it back. good times.