Uggg....the long haul till camping season....

[doug hodder]

For many of us, the camping season is for the most part over. I find myself pushing the end and start of the season to get in more trips, but there is most certainly a long dry spell in the winter. I"d still be going, but the USFS closes down all the sites, and in the places I like to go...they don't plow the roads.

So what do most of you do during these times? I try to have a number of gas pressure appliances to restore that I acquire over the summer, or other projects, a Victrola I haven't done yet, + putzing with the trailers and doing some maintenance on them. Still scrounging items for a new build as well.

So what do you do? Doug

[jlreyburn]

For us here in middle Ohio, we look forward to the campgrounds with no crowds, hikes with no bugs and building a fire we actually need for warmth.
Having just moved to the great state of Ohio, some campgrounds will plow the site if you request it. Most will keep at least one bath house open with hot water. Every park looks totally different in the winter months. So if you
Are able, bundle up and try some winter camping, it's a blast! (Not sure I could go without until spring)

[Gage]

Hey Doug, you'll have to plan on coming to Buckskin mtn. sometime in the future. It's always the first weekend of Dec. and makes for a good break in not being able to camp for 3 to 4 months and is always nice, no snow or rain.

[Kevin A]

I'll be doing some "winter camping" this year. You can come join us.....

[doug hodder]

Kevin...I know of your "winter camping" and it's certainly a well earned badge of honor. That's a tough one for me to make while trying to run a retail store however, but my business partner certainly owes me some time.

For those of you that don't know of their "winter camping" experience....they have to camp out days in advance to get a good date for the IRG 4.0 when the office opens the first business day of '12, similar to a Black Friday sale at WalMart.

Kudos to all of you that go out of your way to make it happen. There are plenty of IRG attendees that have no idea on what it takes to get those dates! Dean and Joanie go way out of their way to make it a pleasurable experience, despite the inclement weather. Doug

[daveleb55]

We will be camping at Lake Mead Las Vegas for New Year's Eve weekend. Come on down!

[Gaelen]

In frozen New York, most state parks and forests are closed to wheeled campers, and no such luck about leaving a bathhouse open or even a tap running.

I'll be working on getting the teardrop all tricked out and ready for spring camping.

[Shadow Catcher]

Some state parks are open in Ohio during the winter. http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/parks/overni ... fault.aspx Nancy is however a fair weather camper so probably not for us. Compass rose is up on jack stands and the wheels off for the winter.

[len19070]

A lot of the Pennsylvania State Parks rent Cabins. Real nice ones too. To Break things up I try to get one once a year in the dead of winter.

Nothing like being semi snowed in in a nice cabin for a weekend.

Usually split the cabin with 2-3 couples.

THEN!

A local TearJerkers Chapter Hosts a "Snow Fest" at a remote State Park and about 20 of us attend. The Cabin is over 100 years old and really Rustic so its a lot like Camping. No electricity, No Plumbing, Propane lights and a Coal Stove for heat ....That really Breaks up the Cabin Fever.

http://www.fototime.com/ftweb/bin/ft.dl ... es?userid={4A739671-81EE-4F0C-BBB7-23C94895EEB3}&AlbumId={1E963B6D-FCE2-4048-B92E-37FD7CFE2B29}&GroupId={A4265511-C2DC-489A-9220-C80164D740D4}&nt=a

Happy Trails

Len

[Ratkity]

I can usually camp until the first of Dec. Then the MD state parks close.

My winter projects usually involve house projects. This year, I get to repair all the window sills that the unit AC units have destroyed over the last 11 years that I've been here. I am getting central air this year for my 1935 house.

Hugs,
Ratkity

[bobhenry]

I am starting to think about my 5th shivaree........


2008

2009

2010

2011

Miss Vickie has decided after 4 years in a row she is done with this insanity
( Hide and watch I bet she goes again this year )

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Other projects will be continuing to work up the designs for the 8x20 caboose. In the dead of winter our plant generally experience a 2 -3 week shut down due to demand. During this lull I hope to be able to pre build the bow top trusses and the sidewalls for this newest build.

And as others have stated the "honey do" list has become a bit overwhelming as I have been lazy ( and busy camping) this summer. So its time to fix whats broke and finish projects that I have started.

[kirkman]

I am still camping mostly planing the winter backpacking trips.

[Redgloves]

Most Minnesota State Parks keep a few spots plowed for winter camping. There is usually at least one winter friendly water source and pit toilet available. There are two state parks that have "hot showers" available all winter.

I hope to experience one weekend this winter. Electric heater runs well on State Park hook ups.

[bobhenry]

there might be one camp out this winter. I am getting the itch to go ice fishing again.

slow

Damn Slow you just remided me of my ice fishing experience....

caught over 53 pounds.....

Damn near drowned when we tried to fry it .

apologies to Foster Brooks !

[bobhenry]

Can ya stand one more...

There were two old boys from Florida who love to fish, and they wanted to do some ice fishing. They'd heard about it up in Canada, and they took off up there. The lake was frozen nicely.

They stopped just before they got to the lake at a little bait shop and got all their tackle. One of them said, "We're going to need an ice pick."

So they got that, and they took off. In about two hours, one of them was back at the shop and said, "We're going to need another dozen ice picks."

Well, the fellow in the shop wanted to ask some questions, but he didn't. He sold him the picks, and the old boy left. In about an hour, he was back. Said, "We're going to need all the ice picks you've got."

The bait man couldn't stand it any longer. "By the way," he asked, "how are you fellows doing?"

"Not very well at all," he said. "We don't even have the boat in the water yet."