Thoughts on Camping Preferences

I’ve discovered something during our summer camping trip this year: I’m not a pioneer woman. My ancestors were, but somewhere between them and me, my part of the family line has mutated into a whiny, gotta-have-my-electricity-and-shower camper. My foremothers are probably letting out a simultaneous groan.
There’s something about one shower a week that just doesn’t feel right with me. I’m not OCD about dirt but after a week, I feel like I’m covered in it and everything I’ve touched is covered in it. I try very hard not to think about it while I’m preparing food and eating. I wash my hands and soak them in hand sanitizer, but it’s just not the same as running water and soap. However, I’m happy to report that nothing we ate was gritty and none of us got sick.
After two weeks of primitive camping, we moved to a campground that has electricity and showers. I was elated. I had two showers in three days and felt and smelled great. At the same time, this campground has its own drawbacks. The primitive campground sites are relatively far apart and it’s very quiet (no radios, loud music, etc.). In this electrified campground, the sites are close together and there’s lots of noise. Granted some of the noise is from the many children running around playing. That’s a pleasant noise. But the loud music, the radios, the conversations of the neighbors, and the noise from the nearby road make it much different than the quiet of the primitive site. Plus there are still Harleys in the Hills—nothing deafens your hearing like a Harley going by.
When we got to our electrified campground, we got cleaned up and almost immediately, our neighbors at the adjacent site came over and visited for a while. They were a couple from Minnesota with their two elementary aged children. Nice people. The same thing happened on the way to the restroom. I walked alongside several other women and we struck up pleasant conversations about where we were from and what we were doing. I really enjoyed it. That never happened in the primitive site. So are electrified people friendlier than primitive people? My experience seems to indicate that.
So, halfway through our summer camping trip, the jury is still out on the best places to camp. I guess it depends on your point of view and what you are looking for while camping. Hubby is looking for solitude, peace. and quiet and places to hike and bike. I’m looking for solitude and electric or solar power to use my laptop and write. I’m hoping these things are not mutually exclusive.
Maybe what’s needed is a change of attitude. So many people in this big world are much worse off than me and I feel guilty for not being content with what I have as the Bible instructs. That includes being content with one shower a week. I guess I have more work to do on myself.