Well, I'm back from vacation. It was just lovely. 3 glorius days cooped up in a pop-up camper with an 8 and a 9 year old whose attention span is just about as long as... well, you know. Plus, their MOTHER!

All the while it's raining. And then it rained. Then it rained some more. And guess what, IT RAINED!And after all was said and done, it rained again. And then it was a dark, and dreary night, the rain fell in torrents...alright, get the picture?

Geez, I need a vacation from my vacation.This one was #2 on my all-time list of worst vacations. #1 was the leaky tent up at Nantahala. Well, there was that one at South of the Border.....

If you need a mental picture, how about the Griswold's.

Anyone ever have a vacation like this?

Chuck
:-X23

 

So, you had a good time "Noah". I guess you came out of the pop-up after the dove never returned....
Brian A

 

Hello Chuck. I know what you mean. Sometimes it's nice to get back home and rest up after a vacation. I haven't had any bad weather experiences like that, although the tent almost blew down at 3 am up in Mammoth. I had to get out and sinch up the ropes, reposition the tent poles. Next morning some other campers were talking about the bear that went through the camp ground at about that time. I'm glad we didn't meet up with each other.

 

Tents (leaked), 5 boys (9 to 13 years old) No mother!and oh yeah... the same rain storm!

 

yeah. it pured, wind super strong, motorhome was leaking, tornado warning in the middle of nowhere, no shelters, lighting killed all power, eevrything flooded, and the motorhomes roof was leaking right over where i sleep.

 

At least the dog wasn't dragging on the leash from the bumper

 

Yes but think about it which vacation are you going to remember the most and tell the most stories about? And while you're telling those stories and laughing about it you'll reap the enjoyment of this vacation for years to come.

 

>Yes but think about it which vacation are you going to
>remember the most and tell the most stories about? And
>while you're telling those stories and laughing about it
>you'll reap the enjoyment of this vacation for years to
>come.

So true, so true. Funny how sometimes the worst things become the best memories years later. When we think back on what we went through, how we survived and what we learned makes great story telling around the campfire on later trips. "Remember the time...."

 

The year was 1982. Fourth of July weekend. Just bought a new (used) 79 Bronco. Hooked up newly acquired (also used) Venture pop-up camper , loaded up the 3 kids, and headed for the Beach.

Weather was great during 1.5 hour drive to the campground. Picked out site, and backed camper into position. Got out of truck and unhooked camper. Unhooked latches on camper and started to crank up the top.

CLOUDBURST! Rained so hard I could hardly see! Got back in truck and waited. (Surely it can’t rain like this for long). Rain let up, got out and started to crank again.

CLOUDBURST #2! Got back in truck again.

Repeat 4 times.

Finally got out and stayed out. By this time I’m soaked to the skin. Cranked up camper in the rain.

It rained almost nonstop for 3 days

Everything in camper is wet. Beds, food, sheets, clothes, you name it! Wife is swearing this is the last time, etc. etc., and kids are out of control!.

Truly, the vacation from Hell!!


Bru

2002 F150 Super Crew
Black 4X4 Lariat
5.4 Engine Ford Chrome Bars

1979 Bronco 351M 75K orig.

 

Vacation? Is that some foreign word, something I heard people do to rest & relax. Seems like I had some a long time ago with young kids, tents, rain, and raccoons rumaging through trash in the night. Other times dragging through airports to destinations with lousy food and accomodations that proved less than promised. I used to go to my condo regularly in Bahamas but the cockroaches in the supermarkets crawling over the pastries was pretty gross. Wondered where else they were in the store? There were some trade offs but sold the condo soon after anyway. Too much a third world country when you own property there and really get to know the islands. Can't keep going to the same place every year, too much like time share. I do have some very good vacations in the logbook, though, mostly in Maine. Can't do those type anymore. Not enough time & have a business to run full time. Perhaps the 3-4 day long weekends will suffice. They are all to short.
Went to England once for ten days and came back to a mess in my business so bad that I almost regretted going over there. Now I stay put, except for those long weekend forays. No kids (they're gone now) and no tents. Just luxury cars, beautiful boats, good friends, fine dining, cold beer, smooth whiskies, fine macanudos, and excellent accomodations. Cryptic destinations with no excuses. No offense, but I hope not to see you all there.
F-3 Brien

 

I quit trying so hard. Since then all our vacations have been great. I picked a theme... boat. I invested ( ha! right, just a word to make it feel better than the phrase "sunk money into" ) in a cabin cruiser with all we need to survive on board. We pick a place and go ( notice the "we", well my wife says "I'd really like to go..." and I agree with whatever follows ). I don't make ANY plans other than when to get there and when we'll leave. Then if it's raining in one direction, we go another. If we see a place to stop, we stop.

Anyway, it's been much better now. I noticed that all of our previous vacations involved stress mainly because we were either on a schedule or our plans and God's didn't mesh. I remember wandering around a theme park in the pouring rain. Riding a chair lift in the pouring rain. Fishing/hiking/walking/looking you name it... in the pouring rain because that's what we had planed for the day. So now I don't have ANY plans to speak of.

It was scary the first couple of times we tried it, but now we love it.

We are going to Destin July 11 to 22. Plans involve arriving and leaving. In between we plan to meet up with a SeaRay gettaway group and scallop... or not. We might visit the Gulf Aquarium... or not. We might even stop in Panama City and go to a theme park... or not.

:-)

Robert