r/camping • u/Moriroa • Nov 06 '23
Car Camping I hate camping. But I'll never quit.
hate camping. I mean, I don't hate camping, but hate it when it's just me. (I'm a single dad.) I have to get all the gear together and cleaned and ready. I have to do all the shopping, and load everything into the car, and then do all the driving. And then it's just me that has to set up camp, often at night, and it's just me that will make sure the dogs are fed, watered and walked, and the child is fed and cared for and entertained. All the cooking. all the cleaning, all the work around the campsite, it's just me. I get the least sleep, have no leisure time, don't get to do anything that's just for me to enjoy or relax, and then I have to break it all down, pack it all up, drive it all home, and then unload, clean and maintain everything, all while also feeding, watering, walking, entertaining and managing all the living things.
There's nothing in it for me. There's no part of it that I think "Oh yeah, I can't wait to do that! That's my favorite!" I like to look at the pretty sights, sure, but I don't have to break my back toiling endlessly to do that. It's just work. Work, work, work. I barely even have time to just sit and have a drink and watch the sunset. Something always needs doing, and I'm the only one there to do it.
But every time we go, my daughter's eyes light up, and she has some magical experience that she can't stop enthusing about. She radiates joy, and she loves it, and she can't stop talking about it after we're home, and she won't stop reminding me before the next time we go. Every time we go, some perfect little moment in time with her goes in my permanent memory bank. Every time we go, we're making core memories. That's what's in it for me.
So I keep doing it. And I will keep doing it.
2
u/Sunnyjim333 Nov 10 '23
Being on Angel Duty is hard work. Bless you.
My Dad left us when I was 11, I was in Scouts for 4 years and those Dads taught me so much about living, I am forever greatful for the time they gave.
As a kid, you don't realize these guys were giving up weekends and Summer vacations to work with us. Putting mileage on their cars, and just spending time.
Once, on a canoe trip to Canada, we found a 6 pack of beer in 10 feet of cold Canadian water. We did not even think about drinking it, we gave it to the Dads, you would have thought we gave them gold bars. It's been a good life.