Chit Chat

When expectations don't live up to reality.

So, we went camping this weekend. Our usual place doesn't open up until Memorial Day, so we found another place closer by. Their website was very nice and impressive. We invited friends along, and arrived Friday. 

This was my face when we pulled in. 

image


It was definitely much more "rustic" (haha) than I expected, and what their website lead me to believe. 
We couldn't find the owner for a good 20 minutes. Finally he shows up and lets us in the office. His store is BARE. There was nothing there. When we asked for charcoal, he said, "Oh yeah, I don't have anything in here yet. 

Ok, it was their first weekend open. But don't you want to make money? Throw some shit in there. Damn. 
He then couldn't even find a pen for us to fill out our registration form. He handed my H a yellow highlighter. He also didn't give a crap about seeing my dog's rabies certificate, which is concerning for sure. 

He didn't have a map to give us, and told us some cockamamie directions. We finally found the tent sites after driving all over the place. 

The bathrooms did not flush. Thankfully we brought buckets with us that we filled up from the shower, and we used that water to force the toilets to flush. 

Their clean, hot showers were neither clean nor hot. In fact, the water that came out of the shower was dark brown. 

Totally not the campsite's fault, but holy fuck, the place had SO many bugs. I did this for 3 days. We all all types of bug spray and candles, and whatnot. It didn't work. 

image


Saturday H's other friends showed up with their kid, who then decided he wanted to burn everything within reach, including his Jiffy Pop, which he waved around like a fucking torch while he parents just laughed. Awesome. 

Sunday morning, I was all, Peace Out fuckers!

image

So yeah, that was my weekend. We did have fun, mostly when it was just us. And when I was drinking. 

Re: When expectations don't live up to reality.

  • Oh yuck! That does not sound fun at all. I'm glad you were able to see the humor in it all.

     

    H and I are going camping with his family this weekend. I am keeping my fingers crossed that it isn't the same experience that you had!

    Daisypath Anniversary tickers
  • It really can be so hit or miss. We found a campground last year that we ended up loving. They had no pictures on their site, so we were really taking a gamble. But it was my far the nicest and cleanest campsite I've been to. 
  • julieanne912julieanne912 member
    1000 Comments 500 Love Its Fourth Anniversary First Answer
    edited May 2015

    Ugh that really sucks.  We go camping fairly often, although I compare it more to glamping as we have a 2 year old toy hauler (even though we have no toys to haul... the dogs sleep in the "garage" that is way fancier than needed.  Even has a flat screen TV.  I find reviews online of places before I'll try them, although I'm guessing it's harder for tent camping.

    Last year on our annual trip we stayed at an RV park for a couple days where we were by far the youngest people by at least 30 years.  We felt like we couldn't have music on as soon as the sun went down.  Not fun.

    Married 9.12.15
    image
  • Oh boy.That sucks. I'm glad you were at least able to have fun. I agree campsites are such hit or miss. 

    We went to a place last year and they had no firewood which was so disappointing because we didn't bring any. We had to go to bed early because we didn't have enough dry wood for a fire. We left the second day because it's super lame to not even be able to sit by the fire at night. I'll pee in the woods but I want a freaking fire. 
    Wedding Countdown Ticker
    image
  • I knew you went camping so as soon as I saw the title I was like oh crap, I bet the campsite wasn't good. That sucks!!

    We're trying to figure out a small anniversary trip for Sept and we're thinking of driving up to Acadia National Park in Maine. I'm over here looking at all the fancy B&B's. H is like "You don't want to give camping a try?" I'm like uuum think about after we hike around all day and get sore. Wouldn't you rather lie in a bed and a hot tub? So I think that's happening lol.

                                                                     

    image

  • I really do love camping, but I do prefer to have a toilet that flushes and a working clean shower. 

    Also, because of the fire threat, the governor of NY put out an order that you can't have any open fires. So we actually camped all weekend without a campfire, Thankfully we had a charcoal grill, and cooking on that wasn't a problem. 
  • I really do love camping, but I do prefer to have a toilet that flushes and a working clean shower. 


    Also, because of the fire threat, the governor of NY put out an order that you can't have any open fires. So we actually camped all weekend without a campfire, Thankfully we had a charcoal grill, and cooking on that wasn't a problem. 
    Oh man, that sucks. I think they said that as of Friday or Saturday last week, campfires were fine but brush burning was still banned. We were at my in-laws and they have a fire pit dug into the ground and we were discussing whether it was legal or not. I know one of my girlfriends up in the ADKs this weekend had a campfire as well. But it sounds like you wouldn't have been able to get firewood at this place anyway!
  • Yes, even if we were allowed to have a campfire, he wouldn't have had any to buy! But there was a letter hanging on the door that said no campfires until the 21st I think. 
  • I hate camping.
    image
  • I hate camping.

    Yep.  Poor climbing, that sounded like a personal hell to me, lol!

    If I'm going camping the campgrounds better have a resort, a 5 star restaurant, a full service spa, and cabins with king sized beds and hot tubs.


    None of this rustic cabin or tent shit, sorrynotsorry.  I'd stay in a tent only if the word "glamping" is involved.

    And WTF is the point of camping if you can't have a fire and make smores?  I wanted smores last night but I don't have any poker accessories for my firepit right now. . . I lost mine and Home Depot was all out despite their app claiming the pokers were in stock.  So I had to improvise. . .I used DH's creme brulee torch.  Booyah, smores!  I'm likie a bougie fucking MacGyver!

    "Love is the one thing we're capable of perceiving that transcends time and space."


  • larrygagalarrygaga member
    2500 Comments 500 Love Its First Anniversary First Answer
    edited May 2015
    City people. 


    EDIT: I mean this in a funny and loving way.
    Wedding Countdown Ticker
    image

  • larrygaga said:

    City people. 



    EDIT: I mean this in a funny and loving way.
    Hey, I live in the suburbs, thank you very much :-P 
  • larrygaga said:

    City people. 



    EDIT: I mean this in a funny and loving way.
    Hey, I live in the suburbs, thank you very much :-P 
    Where I'm from, the suburbs ARE the city. 


    Wedding Countdown Ticker
    image

  • Camping = Motel 6 with a mint on my pillow.
  • This reminds me of the ONE time my parents went to Atlantic City on a drive down the East Coast. It was before the days of Yelp or Trip Advisor so they only had the pamphlet of their hotel to go on. Of course, it showed a charming seaside hotel, with a sparkly pool, and views of the ocean.

    They arrive to an absolute flea-bag structure, the "pool" drained with a giant crack in it, they had a view of a dumpster, and the room smelled of cigarettes and bad decisions. They sucked it up and stayed one night. When they pulled the sheets up, they apparently fell into hysterics. The sheets (clearly discarded from their former establishment) were stamped with "Marriott".
  • kvrunskvruns member
    Tenth Anniversary 5000 Comments 500 Love Its First Answer

    thank you for reminding me why I don't camp!


    sucks that your fun weekend was affected by a crappy site

This discussion has been closed.
Choose Another Board
Search Boards