Oregon Ho
We have this in common, Randie and I… except for the part about the bear. I remember a camping trip, I think it was my first… to Oregon… and Oregon Caves… there was a lake… and I remember there was card playing at night. I’m sure there were bears out there.
We definitely do have bears here. 🙂 I grew up in the country, so we had the occasional bear or cougar. We also have pictures of my dad feeding a bear (with his hand that had a bloody, bandaged finger!). We do things a little differently up here. :p
Worst we had was the night I grabbed a midnight snack and didn’t put the bread back in the locked storage box. Yep, raccoons got it. Dad had to make a run back into town to get more bread and I got a lecture on why we keep food locked up when camping.
I recall a childhood traveling/camping trip with a big group of people. I think we were tenting it around Yosemite at the time. Some of the folks from another tent came around early in the night, scratching the outside of our tent and making growling noises. They then laughed at us, or was it themselves, and disappeared. Seems as though someone had brought some candy into our tent for a late night snack though and sure enough, later in the night… more scratching and growling noises. Some of us got up groggy and upset over the worn joke, pulled open the door open, turned on our flashlights and stared eye to eye with a real bear maybe a foot away. Lots of yelling happened and the bear scampered off sans candy.
The band-aid is a nice touch. Lil’ Randie is awesome!
In modern times, that bear can be a hairy guy guarding a pot field.
My one experience camping in Oregon was back in 1988. We’d closed the store and were moving to Philadelphia, but took a month to get there by travelling around the US. When we camped out that night, Bethlynne couldn’t believe how wonderful is was. She’d grown up with lousy camping trips and had never been out with an experienced camper/backpacker.
We had a fun trip.
Teach…. oh, yes… Oregon has it’s share of wildlife and then some! You have Ducks & Beavers, as well. I, myself, love the Ducks.
Wolf… I’ve heard of feeding the ducks (with bread) but feeding raccoons? Oh, well… I’m sure THEY thanked you even if yer dad didn’t.
stick… hmmm…. perchance was the candy “Bit o’ Honey”? I’d nose around the tent for one of those.
Jack… yah… Wee Randie always seems to have had band-aids. When climbing trees, you get scratched by sticky-out parts.
Pete… One lousy camping trip can really put a stink on the whole concept… or in Bethlynne’s case, a series of lousy camping excursions. I, personally, lost my fondness for camping in my teens. I don’t enjoy hiking to use the bathroom. I prefer a cosy lodge with an evening toddy option… and day hikes. Yes, I prefer comfort over rustic-ness.
Oh, pleeeeease tell me you’re doing a flashback story!
…. in the future, Dada. In the future.
Camping with a family of 8 (6 kids) and two little dogs in Colorado in the mountains. We woke up to the dogs barking and my dad trying to shut them up and keep the little kids quiet because there was a skunk outside the tent flap! Never been so quiet in my entire life! That was our first time camping in Colorado in July–we didn’t have enough blankets and had to borrow some from the campsite owner (KOA). There was still fricking snow around!! We learned from that one and were better prepared next time. (Hey, I’m an Okie, what do I know from snow in July anywhere?)
GAh! 6 kids!?? That’s even scarier than a curious skunk outside yer tent! As far as blankets go… I usually have cold feet, so down comforters and socks would be standard procedure for me…. especially in Colorado… oh, wait… I’d be at a lodge. Still, the same applies.
Feeding the racoons wasn’t intentional, but yeah I’m sure they liked it. Dad was more upset about the following night, though. After learning that yes critters run around our tents at night I thought it would be prudent to keep a flashlight with me. The one we had was one of those old flashlights that used the big huge square batteries (even called them “lantern batteries” for obvious reasons).
Hit the switch in my sleep and left the light on all night (was between my pillow and the corner of the tent, which is why the light didn’t wake me up … oops). Yep, drained the battery.
Those batteries were expensive, back then – Dad was NOT pleased. >.<