I'm just curious - how many of you are involved in a camping club, or camp with a standard group (not a formal club per se) vs. just striking out on your own? My wife and I camp with our two kids and the dog, but we're always by ourselves once we get to the campground. Sometimes it would be nice to have some folks we know camping along with us to swap stories by the fire. Growing up, my parens were in a club for Fleetwod Prowler owners in the DC Metro area - made for some great weekends. Is anyone aware of a club (inclusive of young families) in the Central NJ, Eastern PA region?
QUOTE(edcornflake @ Aug 13 2010, 06:54 PM) [snapback]23521[/snapback] I'm just curious - how many of you are involved in a camping club, or camp with a standard group (not a formal club per se) vs. just striking out on your own? My wife and I camp with our two kids and the dog, but we're always by ourselves once we get to the campground. Sometimes it would be nice to have some folks we know camping along with us to swap stories by the fire. Growing up, my parens were in a club for Fleetwod Prowler owners in the DC Metro area - made for some great weekends. Is anyone aware of a club (inclusive of young families) in the Central NJ, Eastern PA region? I always thought RV Park Review ought to get up a camping club. Yes, it's more fun when you are with someone you know. However, we meet a lots of new friends while camping but it isn't the same. So lets get a club together.
QUOTE(Skymessenger @ Aug 13 2010, 08:26 PM) [snapback]23522[/snapback] I always thought RV Park Review ought to get up a camping club. Yes, it's more fun when you are with someone you know. However, we meet a lots of new friends while camping but it isn't the same. So lets get a club together. Where are you based?
same here. I grew up with my parents being very involved in the FAN Coach Club. I prefer to came with someone, family, a club, but we like to go to out on our own too. We are members of Good Sam, and FMCA, but have never camped with the groups.
As a rule we prefer to go alone. When we camp we do it so that we can just get away and relax and with other people around we usually end up on someone elses schedule. Since our RV is a bus conversion we do enjoy, on occasion, attending bus rally's. At the ones we enjoy most there is no real schedule other than dinner and we have lots of time to just sit and visit with old and new friends or to chill out in our own bus. We were invited to drop in at an FMCA rally once. Other than the couple that invited us (they were hoping we would join) and one other couple we were treated like we had some infectious disease. The few that even spoke to us weren't friendly and the rest literally turned their backs to us and never spoke. Since that time we refused to join any group.
QUOTE(dalsgal @ Aug 14 2010, 12:41 PM) [snapback]23533[/snapback] Other than the couple that invited us (they were hoping we would join) and one other couple we were treated like we had some infectious disease. The few that even spoke to us weren't friendly and the rest literally turned their backs to us and never spoke. Since that time we refused to join any group. dalsgal, I can see how that might turn you off. Any club that would not be inviting to potential new members is probably not going to just open their arms and be welcoming if you do join, so why bother. I do enjoy going out with just the family, but it'd be nice to have some company sometimes too.
We belong to 2 camping clubs with both having their own forum. I enjoy chatting with the members, as I do here. They both have rally's, regrettably we have not been able to attend. They have state, regional and national rally's. They had an Alaskan caravan with members from all over attended. Both clubs seem like a very friendly group. We look forward to meeting them. Our friends and I used to go on weekend trips. I guess you could call me the wagon master. I would pick a place, make the reservations and collect the money. Sometimes there would be 6 or 7 trailers and sometimes only 2. It was a lot of fun to camp with friends. Although sometimes trying to get that many people to do something as a group was tough. Myself and my DW would also go out on our own. That was also enjoyable. Nice peaceful nights by the fire. We would go somewhere new and see what the area was like. If we thought our group would like to go, then we would set something up. When we get around to retiring, we would like to hook up with some of the people we have met on the computer and actually meet some of them. Sounds like they have a good time at all the rally's.
QUOTE(edcornflake @ Aug 13 2010, 08:24 PM) [snapback]23525[/snapback] Where are you based? South Alabama
QUOTE(Skymessenger @ Aug 16 2010, 12:20 AM) [snapback]23558[/snapback] South Alabama Hmmm, never been to Alabama. A little far for a weekend. Been looking all over the web for a club in Central NJ. No dice.
I know that there are a few clubs(chapters) in NJ on the Good Sam site. Do you have friends that camp? Another family may be all you need. I know I would get tired of a group after a while. I would rather be on my schedule than anyone elses. LINK Best Regards, Norm
Im not part of a club, but more like a group. We started as 2 families going camping. We would go to a campground and request 2 sites next to eachother. A few years later, we have grown to 6-8 families camping together. When we call for reservations, we ask for 6-8 sites together. We sometimes get a group rate but never ask for it. Everywhere we stay, the owners always stop by to see how we are doing right after we check in.
QUOTE(meatwagon45 @ Aug 22 2010, 01:07 PM) [snapback]23664[/snapback] We started as 2 families going camping. We would go to a campground and request 2 sites next to eachother. A few years later, we have grown to 6-8 families camping together. Sounds like a lot of fun!
We camp with a group (4-5 families) 2 or 3 times a year. Most of the rest of our trips are just us. Camping with a big group can be fun, but it also can be a lot of work. Our last group camping trip we tried the "no plans" thing, not making any group plans -- no planned meals, no group activities. I didn't really enjoy that. I would have preferred to do things as a group... that is why we were there. We'll see how next year works out, it seems like we are getting away from "group" camping, at least for now.
I belong to FMCA mostly because my parents did when they had a motorhome in the 1970's & 80's, and I had a lot of good memories from then. We went to a local rally a few years ago, and it was fun, but we were looked at kind of funny because we were the only ones with kids and an older motor home. I still like their magazine and I look for local rallies I might be able to attend, but with my work schedule and kids sports schedules, it's difficult to find time.
I belong to the Elks, and probably 2/3 of the Elks Lodges around the USA have camp spots, sites, or even a full blown campground on their property. Used to be cheap to camp at the ELKS, but most lodges charge what a RV park would so we don't take that into consideration anymore. Their RV spots often full so the Elks RV parks are usually just an in route stop if available. Most Elks lodges have RV clubs too. They usually plan a once a month RV trip under 4 hours away from their lodge. Some lodges will throw in one mega-trip to perhaps someplace in Mexico or a US resort city as an annual event as well. We had 15 spots along the Rose Parade Route that we bootlegged into 30, and we built a fantastic RV park with full hookups behind our lodge for visitors. I'm very young compared to most members and when a key active RV club member would pass away, only then did most realize the energy and enthusiasm and time it took to keep the club and RV park fun and active. If you don't drink and don't have the thick skin it takes to hang out with crusty opinionated drunks, then the Elks may not be for you.
