It all started five years ago. Five years ago I was a normal mom with a normal family. Then one day I overheard two other moms talking about going camping in a popup. Having grown up in the inner city I didn’t know what a popup was and was told to visit a nearby RV dealership to see one. When I went to check it out, little did I know that I was about to be bitten by something called “a camping bug”. I was so impressed by the popup at the dealership that I brought my husband and children to see it. Needless to say they were also bitten by “the camping bug” as well (apparently those bugs love to hang out at RV dealerships and RV shows). After being bitten, my husband and I decided to buy a popup even though we have never been camping before and have been camping fools ever since! At first, I didn’t think anything about being bitten by the camping bug but recently I’ve noticed little changes in me and my family. It always seems to start every year right after the craziness of the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays were over. At the dinner table my family would reminisce about our camping trips the previous summer and being to plan for the upcoming summer. Soon afterwards I would start to have dreams about warmer weather and I would wake up thinking about camping. One night while tucking my youngest daughter in bed, she told me that she was going to dream about camping. Later on that week both my husband and older daughter also said that they were dreaming about camping. Our symptoms from being bitten by the camping bug were getting worse. Our minivan that we use to pull the popup is 12 years old and we didn’t think that it could handle the strain of another camping summer so we decided to buy a pickup truck . . . our first one ever! I found out that when left untreated, the camping bug turns into Chronic Camping Syndrome (CCS). Early symptoms include: • Dreaming about camping • Planning many trips • Thinking about purchasing a pickup truck Apparently the purchase of a pickup truck brings on the full blown case of CCS. Symptoms include but are not limited to: • Upgrading your RV • Dreaming about retiring so you can camp more • Telling your children that they are only allowed to date and later marry people who love to camp • Dreaming about future grandkids and introducing them to camping People with severe cases of CCS have been known to become “Full timers”. My husband and I are in the process of purchasing a pickup and now that we’re going to get a pickup we decided to upgrade from a popup to a travel trailer. We’ve also talked about getting a fifth wheel once the girls are grown, married and out of the house . . . and yes, we’ve also discussed becoming full-timers once we retire. Oh no! I think I have Chronic Camping Syndrome!!! Does anyone else suffer from CCS or is it just me and my family?
I guess it is like any other addiction.Some can control it and some can`t But there is a lot worse things to be addicted to.After seven years and three RV`s we sort of have it under control. We have the unit we both like and go home most of the time after around three weeks. :unsure: Some times we fall off the wagon and stay longer.We are retired but do not want to full time.We still like having home to come back to.Plus some day I am a realest and know we will not be able to do what we do now. But while it last we are content with the RV we have and just enjoy our time together and camping with friends.
Hello moderators. Can you move this to general chat? I am guilty of posting on it also but a good question.
Welcome to the CCS support group. My name is Cat and I'm hooked. The bad part of my addiction is that my RV of choice is buses. We have an antique bus that was converted to an RV. We are in the process of selling this one so that we can get a larger one. Unfortunately the addiction just gets worse, never better. Might as well Just relax and enjoy yourself.
QUOTE(Wink @ May 4 2012, 07:34 PM) [snapback]29450[/snapback] Hello moderators. Can you move this to general chat? I am guilty of posting on it also but a good question. That is above my pay grade, but maybe the webmaster will do it. If not, just keep posting here. It is not the first thread was started under the wrong forum. The system will not blow up because this happened. :lol:
I agree with Wink, DW and I have about 12 yrs to "hopefully" retirement and we have always liked the idea of a home base, I don't foresee doing 6 month trips during retirement but more like 3 to 5 week trips. Most importantly, things change and we realize life could deal us some different cards, so for now it's just hopes! Mike
QUOTE(Texasrvers @ May 4 2012, 10:47 PM) [snapback]29453[/snapback] That is above my pay grade, but maybe the webmaster will do it. If not, just keep posting here. It is not the first thread was started under the wrong forum. The system will not blow up because this happened. :lol: At least maybe this is a thread no one will get mad at any one else.
Wink, I hope I don't disprove your thought that nobody will get mad in this thread. For starters, I am one of those snooty purists that those of us in RVs are not "camping" (It ain't camping if your butt is more than a foot off the ground when you're sleeping!). Unlike most people on this forum, I had 15+ years of tent camping as an adult from the mid-70s until 1990. I probably tented in more national and state parks during that period across the "48" and western Canada than most people here have been. By 1986 I had spent at least one night in all "48" states. As for a cure for "CCS", the most obvious answer is health issues. The OP is too young to even consider the possibility of debilitating health problem. Right now we have a forum member who authored a thread in this forum explaining how he hoped to come back from heart surgery to get back on the road. For those of us closer to the "I've fallen and I can't get up" generation, this is a cure we don't want. Back in January I feared that familial health issues (mainly 2 strokes) would put my normal May start to the travel season in jeopardy. It turns out, the stroke victim has recovered well enough, but there is now an ability to even drive issue (torn ligament/tendom in right ankle). So, for the first time in over 15 years, I am still home the first full week of May with no certain recovery date in sight. With our May trip gone, our normal 8-10 week summer trip is still up in the air. Trust me, you don't want to be cured.
QUOTE(Jerry S. @ May 5 2012, 08:06 PM) [snapback]29457[/snapback] Wink, As for a cure for "CCS", the most obvious answer is health issues. The OP is too young to even consider the possibility of debilitating health problem. Right now we have a forum member who authored a thread in this forum explaining how he hoped to come back from heart surgery to get back on the road. For those of us closer to the "I've fallen and I can't get up" generation, this is a cure we don't want. Back in January I feared that familial health issues (mainly 2 strokes) would put my normal May start to the travel season in jeopardy. It turns out, the stroke victim has recovered well enough, but there is now an ability to even drive issue (torn ligament/tendom in right ankle). So, for the first time in over 15 years, I am still home the first full week of May with no certain recovery date in sight. With our May trip gone, our normal 8-10 week summer trip is still up in the air. Trust me, you don't want to be cured. If you read my first post on here the last part says ( I am a realest and realize that some day I will not be able to do this.) I bought our first RV from a couple that had to come off the road.I still talk to him and the first thing he told me was enjoy it while you can,So we try to.My wife has some health problems we have to work around but still going. If you still want to go camping or drinking in the woods or what ever you want to call it you are not cured.
QUOTE(Wink @ May 4 2012, 08:34 PM) [snapback]29450[/snapback] Hello moderators. Can you move this to general chat? I am guilty of posting on it also but a good question. Oops. Sorry about that. As you can see, CCS manifests itself in many ways . . . apparently it also affects my ability to read. QUOTE(Wink @ May 4 2012, 04:17 PM) [snapback]29449[/snapback] We have the unit we both like and go home most of the time after around three weeks. :unsure: Some times we fall off the wagon and stay longer.We are retired but do not want to full time.We still like having home to come back to.Plus some day I am a realest and know we will not be able to do what we do now. You're right, it is nice to come home after a camping trip. The anticipation of going camping and the sweet joy of coming home from a trip is wonderful. I think you have struck a good balance, one that I may use later in life. It's nice to know that someone has a grip on their CCS. QUOTE(Jerry S. @ May 5 2012, 10:06 PM) [snapback]29457[/snapback] As for a cure for "CCS", the most obvious answer is health issues. The OP is too young to even consider the possibility of debilitating health problem. For those of us closer to the "I've fallen and I can't get up" generation, this is a cure we don't want. So, for the first time in over 15 years, I am still home the first full week of May with no certain recovery date in sight. With our May trip gone, our normal 8-10 week summer trip is still up in the air. Trust me, you don't want to be cured. Oh, didn't really think about that. I guess I really don't want a cure. I'm not really too young (in my mid to late 40s) more like super naive if you're being nice and dumb if you're not. I am young to camping though and I will say that it has put some pep in my step. It does give me something to look forward to each year. I'm sorry to hear about your health problems and I wish you a speedy recovery. QUOTE(Wink @ May 5 2012, 06:04 PM) [snapback]29456[/snapback] At least maybe this is a thread no one will get mad at any one else. I've notice that some threads seem to get rather nasty as it continues . . . yes, let's keep it light.
Also, like many other less pleasant addictions, it can be passed from generation to generation. My parents started "camping" in a converted city bus in the 1960's and they loved it so much, they sold their home upgraded to a 1957 Fitzjohn bus and we full timed for 8 months until they found a new home in Colorado. Being teachers they were able to take 2-3 month trips each summer with us kids and I was also hopelessly addicted. After our first child was born, I was able to scrape together enough money to buy a motor home in 1997. I lost this one in 2003 when the dot-coms and telecom industry busted, but then purchased a pop-up and had a blast in this for several years. We are now in a motor home again and my whole family has the bug. My name is Chris Guenther and I have a problem: I can't get enough camping in with my limited schedule.
We go out on 4-6 month trips (have to get out of Florida in the summer). We plan to continue doing this as long as possible, while keeping the stick-and-brick as a winter base. We did meet an 88-year-old man two summers ago in Colorado who was traveling in a Class A by himself. He said his wife had died 8 years ago and he had been traveling by himself since then. He had to use a walker and it took him a while to get up and down out of the coach, but he was having a great time. Loved his spirit! We hope to be able to stick with the fifth wheel as long as we can, before we have to switch over to a Class A or C.......you don't see many 88-year-old's trying to unhook a Fifth Wheel....
Before my wife and I retired from the Air Force we camped quite a bit, but now that we have "regular" jobs, my schedule prohibits us from camping much. I no longer have weekends off and that hurts...we are planning a trip to the gulf coast next month though and I hope that will get us back in the swing of things again.
Eloquently stated 'coacbcps'! May you and all camping moms' have a wonderful mothers day today. My late mom was a camping mom, and some of my best memories as a kid was tent camping with her and dad. We need more moms' afflicted with your condition!!!
CCS seems to intensify this time of year as the camping season starts. I am downright giddy. I have had CCS for most of the last 35 years. I hope I don't find a cure. Good luck with the travel trailer looking.
