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Camping Grinch?

Discussion in 'Outdoors' started by BuckWallace, Sep 1, 2022.

  1. Sep 1, 2022 at 8:40 PM
    #1
    BuckWallace

    BuckWallace [OP] Ball don't lie.

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    So we do a fair amount of camping/glamping each year, and I feel like I'm either turning into the camping grinch or most other people are becoming inconsiderate a*******. I'm not super old (born in the late 80s), and growing up camping the most light we had was Coleman propane lanterns. I've gotten my family into camping over the past couple years, and I feel like about 75% of fellow campers have ridiculous LED floodlights that blast across multiple campsites. We have some front blue LEDs and some white LEDs along our awning, which have been on for about 0.000001% of the time we've been camping.

    Just for full disclosure, I'm not legit "camping", meaning we are mostly in state or county park campgrounds, but we're not in flashy RV parks/resorts. Anyway, am I being a grump for expecting people to have a small amount of common decency to turn off their blinding LEDs at night, or is this just how it is now and I need to learn to roll with it?
     
  2. Sep 1, 2022 at 8:56 PM
    #2
    MadMaxCanon

    MadMaxCanon New Member

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    Too many, but not enough....
    Pretty sure the LEDs will be here to stay. I haven't had issues with other sites lights but campers are usually nice people, ask them to lower brightness or turn the light more to the ground.
     
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  3. Sep 1, 2022 at 9:17 PM
    #3
    TundyMcTunra

    TundyMcTunra Irrational people are not often convinced by facts

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    Maybe its the type of camping you're doing. Do we not camp to get away from the city and neighbors? Campgrounds are nothing but cities outside of the city especially state and county campgrounds. Do some real camping and avoid all the A-holes you speak of and do some boondocking. Go find a place AWAY from everyone else and set up camp. Its so much more enjoyable and you're actually camping.
     
    Last edited: Sep 20, 2022
  4. Sep 1, 2022 at 9:48 PM
    #4
    BuckWallace

    BuckWallace [OP] Ball don't lie.

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    Yep, I get that I'm not "camping" as in roughing it in the woods. I'm just referring to camping in the context at hand, and just feel like there should still be some common courtesy regarding blasting lights into other people's sites. I don't have a problem with LEDs themselves, just when people use them as flood lights to illuminate half the campground. :notsure:
     
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  5. Sep 2, 2022 at 2:54 AM
    #5
    Retired...finally

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    I have found this too. Not sure why some like to light up the night with their bright lights. Couple of theories on this. 1,) City folk afraid of the dark. They are used to living under streetlights, leave all the porch lights on at night and even leave multiple lights on in the house.
    2,) The attitude of I paid for it so I'm going to use them as much as possible to get my money's worth.
    3,) Some people think all those lights just look cool. Sorry, you don't have to look at them while you're sleeping. I do.
    4,) To be noticed. We went to Aztec RV park near Ft. Lauderdale last year to visit family and these swanky folk are all about being noticed. The front of their Entegra truck campers have million lumen white LED lights to announce to the rest of the world that you are rich enough to afford one of the land yachts.

    Before I get off my wobbly soap box, I hate the blue lights. It's supposed to be soothing and relaxing but not to me. It's about the worst color imaginable to ruin night vision.

    Carry on.
     
  6. Sep 2, 2022 at 4:29 AM
    #6
    BGoodiE

    BGoodiE New Member

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    NONE! Lasted about a month, Firestone bags, Decked system, ARE CX HD, WeatherTech mats/rainguards, TRD RSB...
    And there's certainly been an influx of new 'campers'. People who didn't grow up camping and now this glorious idea I can take my house into the woods. I have very little interest in being neighbors with anyone, let along some flatlander who tugged his 'house' to the woods.
     
  7. Sep 2, 2022 at 4:41 AM
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    Retired...finally

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    I chuckled when I heard one of these new campers referred to as Blue Light Specials. As soon as they set up and the sun goes down they turn on all the blue lights.

    I started 60 yrs ago with a borrowed Boy Scout tent. And one flashlight.
     
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  8. Sep 2, 2022 at 4:56 AM
    #8
    Melikeymy beer

    Melikeymy beer No cooler for you!

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    For us it largely depends on where and when we camp. We often go to a COE about 60 miles from the house and the sites are pretty far apart and it's mostly dark after about 9 PM. It also helps to avoid the weekends. We try to go Sun thru Thursday. If we book a couple of weeks we'll often leave the camper and go home on the weekends.

    The lights are obnoxious but what I hate most is they draw bugs.
     
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  9. Sep 2, 2022 at 5:30 AM
    #9
    BravoDeltaRomeo

    BravoDeltaRomeo Old Man Little Blue Finger

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    We keep outbsmall
    That's me too. The less people I see and hear, the better.

    As for lights, we keep a small orange light on over the outside door of our little trailer. It's a factory light, not bright and non-led. It helps the kids see the trailer if they go out during the night or want to come in from their tent.

    One of the kids sleeps in this REI tent we purchased 20+ years ago.

    PhX9-cm8alGEoDqLXRJtfHpVv_jBc-EBFhPEFb_T_dde8fd232e05559fb6edd45cf00d3a0226083b3a.jpg
    -bYqDh-Uc2KcJD_WmCyo5N7GkAjCo_gmlL9DK8ql_8db467b9cc24d36b41ed65f20569e31a0dbf248f.jpg
     
  10. Sep 2, 2022 at 5:44 AM
    #10
    Cpl_Punishment

    Cpl_Punishment Young men never die.

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    My trailer has one of those lights but I'll be damned if I can figure out how to turn it on. The switch for the outside lights only turns on the row of LEDs under the awning.

    I only flip those on for a few minutes while I clean up the campsite before bed if I stayed up late (i.e. just before 11 and quiet hours) and it's dark.
     
  11. Sep 2, 2022 at 6:29 AM
    #11
    BravoDeltaRomeo

    BravoDeltaRomeo Old Man Little Blue Finger

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    Ha.

    Our switch is just inside our trailer door on the left. It's a small, single light under our awning. Because it's orange (amber), it's not intrusive and doesn't really light anything up, besides the door for night emergencies or if the dog needs to go out etc.

    The trailer is 20y old, 17f hybrid with soft floors, freezer door that I hold in place with cut up pieces of garden hose, bathroom door that doesn't close properly and a toilet I don't let anyone poop in....but it gets out camping. Some of the outdoor lights don't work either. Those are issues off the top of my head, there are plenty more, but I can't justify a $30k+plus trailer for a few weeks a year. With no luxuries inside, we aren't tempted to spend the entire day inside a sweat box with no A/C. Oh, and I knocked the trailer steps on a giant rock a few years ago, so they are mangled under the trailer and we have to use homemade wood block stairs.


    gpn5kNhR1gY3a0R0bso159AI4ZfzmElgvM_mSmiJ_2a5029a5e9c347aa381c7184923b6275a952a146.jpg
     
  12. Sep 2, 2022 at 7:00 AM
    #12
    Jernik

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    I think Retired might have it right. I recall talking to a "city guy" years ago. He was telling me about "The Time" a college buddy invited him out to his family farm for a weekend. Yep, dark sky and silence freaked him out. I suppose it could be frightening to spend your whole life in the noise and distraction of a city to suddenly find yourself in a situation where you're alone with only your thoughts and our maker, look up at that dark sky full of stars, and for the first time realize how small and insignificant you (we) are in the grand scheme of things.

    But I've also read where a lot of people who camped for years gave it up post covid due to inconsiderate douchebags displayimg worse behavior than just using LED lights all hours of the day. The best we can hope is for these ill mannered folk to be typical "flavor of the month" idiots who will be on to something else soon. Which may bode well for old time campers who need to upgrade, assuming these people flood the market with fairly new, hardly used RV's the savvy can pick up for a dime.
     
  13. Sep 2, 2022 at 7:02 AM
    #13
    Cpl_Punishment

    Cpl_Punishment Young men never die.

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    May get lucky with these or you may not. One guy on an RV forum I'm on asked why we were talking about ladders and why anyone would ever need to access the roof. :facepalm:
     
  14. Sep 2, 2022 at 7:08 AM
    #14
    Jernik

    Jernik New Member

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    Very true. Who doesn't know you stand up there to throw Mardi Gras beads to the girls below? :rofl:
     
  15. Sep 2, 2022 at 7:12 AM
    #15
    BayRunner

    BayRunner I’m here, except when I’m not

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    Campground courtesy is to turn off all your lights around 10:00-11:00 pm. Some folks are affected by blue light and even a little coming through blinds can affect sleeping patterns. I usually turn off all awning and porch/utility lights by 10pm. As you noted, others are not that considerate.
     
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  16. Sep 2, 2022 at 7:15 AM
    #16
    Mr.bee

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    If people play bad music or run their generator, let your dog poop next to their car door. If they're watching, hold eye contact.
     
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  17. Sep 2, 2022 at 7:18 AM
    #17
    Warreng

    Warreng New Member

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    For me its the MF generators that drive me nuts. You dont need a microwave/toaster/tv and who knows what else. Some lights and some power for your water pump should be all a person needs to “survive” while camping.
     
  18. Sep 2, 2022 at 7:21 AM
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    Retired...finally

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    One thing I do at every campground we go to is grab my harbor freight I'm to lazy to bend over grippy thingie and pick up litter. I get a chance to meet some of the other campers and set a good example.
     
  19. Sep 2, 2022 at 7:23 AM
    #19
    Warreng

    Warreng New Member

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    Golden rule of camping, leave it better then when you arrived. That and put your fire out properly.
     
  20. Sep 2, 2022 at 7:26 AM
    #20
    Outbound

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    Bright lights, loud music, generators, pot and cigarette smoke, drunk idiots...all reasons I almost never camp in an established campground and if I do it's an extremely remote one and in the middle of the week. I go camping to get away from people. As far as I'm concerned, if I can hear you, you're too close. If I can see you, you're probably too close as well.

    The Great Panic was the worst thing to happen to the outdoor sports. All the city people decided to head out in the woods with their new toys and ruin it for everyone else. They should have stayed in the city where they belong.
     
  21. Sep 2, 2022 at 7:39 AM
    #21
    Cpl_Punishment

    Cpl_Punishment Young men never die.

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    My parents in law had to leave their bread maker at home on their last camping trip so they'd have room for the rice cooker. :rofl:

    They only camp in full service sites so they try to cook on electric appliances rather than propane ones as much as possible to save money.

    Also, they found out that the bread maker sets off the CO monitor in their trailer so, if they use it, they have to put it in the bed of the truck.
     
  22. Sep 2, 2022 at 7:41 AM
    #22
    Outbound

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    May as well stay in a hotel with a kitchenette at that point. LOL.
     
  23. Sep 2, 2022 at 8:05 AM
    #23
    Cpl_Punishment

    Cpl_Punishment Young men never die.

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    But it's not camping. It's also about 10x the price of a campsite.
     
  24. Sep 2, 2022 at 8:10 AM
    #24
    Outbound

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    Staying in a full service site running a rice cooker and bread maker isn't camping either. ;)

    Fair point on the price. That said, campground prices blew me way last time we had to stay in one. It was around $25/night for a no service tent site (Wildhorse Lake near Hinton).
     
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  25. Sep 2, 2022 at 8:18 AM
    #25
    BayRunner

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    I guess it’s all in one’s perspective. Sure, it’s not primitive but some people like to include the niceties of life. I used to have the same mindset but the wife was not like me and didn’t like roughing it. Now she can be included and enjoy her air conditioning and cook what she wants as well as take the nature walks through the mountains. So my perspective has changed and now it’s a win in my view.
     
  26. Sep 2, 2022 at 8:32 AM
    #26
    BravoDeltaRomeo

    BravoDeltaRomeo Old Man Little Blue Finger

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    $47.50 (includes one vehicle) (Canadian), plus reservation fee & taxes for an Electrical spot in Ontario.

    our 2 week trip was $708 this year. That said, it's a beautiful campground and we get the best spot in the park, little to no neighbors, quiet and right on the water

    Sd23Z6SP7d3N5GTcNwaOt7wTUX6tb02XO2kCDA_o_e699097b728d0a4008375c3977801302bba9845e.jpg
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  27. Sep 2, 2022 at 8:34 AM
    #27
    Outbound

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    I was just busting his balls. It's an age-old debate on what constitutes camping. I konw people who drive their monster motorhome to a paved RV park in the middle of town and spend their evenings at the local movie theater who call what they do "camping." I know other people who walk into the bush with a knife, axe, tarp and pack with 2 days of food and live off the land for a week. Whatever floats your boat and keeps everyone happy is acceptable. Some people like the amenities, others don't. Gotta find that balance.

    I'm fortunate that The Woman is much like me and prefers off grid, remote tent camping though it's vehicle based since she's not into backpacking. We're actually planning to buy a boat next year in order to get more remote, both up rivers and out on some of the big lakes we have up north here. I did have the acquiesce to her request for cots though. Apparently sleeping on a thin foam mat is a little too rugged for her. Oh well. LOL
     
  28. Sep 2, 2022 at 8:35 AM
    #28
    Outbound

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    I could sip whiskey around that fire.
     
  29. Sep 2, 2022 at 8:39 AM
    #29
    BravoDeltaRomeo

    BravoDeltaRomeo Old Man Little Blue Finger

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    And I'd gladly have you over, but you'd have to bring your own as we only drink pop!

    That said, I scavenge firewood too. On my daily hike with the dog and kids, we would take note of people leaving who had firewood and then drive the truck around and pick it up after they leave......yup, I'm that cheap and refuse to pay $10 for a bundle. One of the kids grabbed a bundle from people who had left and even grabbed the logs under the corner of the picnic table that was levelling it out. ;)
     
  30. Sep 2, 2022 at 8:58 AM
    #30
    Outbound

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    No problem bringing my own. I'll bring a case of Coke for you too.

    I've been called the firewood bandit before. There's a couple forest service campgrounds we pass on our way to where we camp, so I'll take a spin through them and pilfer the firewood left behind at vacant sites. Saves me running my chainsaw and swinging my splitting maul.

    A couple years ago we were out for a drive to one of the provincial parks and just outside the park boundary was a huge stack of firewood rounds. I can only assume they were there in preparation to be split and put into the park's firewood pile for which they'd then charge that $10/bundle. Being as they were still outside the boundary though and dumped in a clearing on public land, I considered them fair game. Pulled roughly a cord of firewood out of there. :D
     

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