I was watching a Steve Carrel movie called “Dan in Real Life” and they were leaving the ‘burbs for a weekend family gathering at the beautiful family lakeside cabin. You know…just like we all do.

I took particular note of Dan packing the station wagon for the trip up with his daughters. Sure reminded me of many family trips in a car – trying to fit a pile of camping gear together like horizontal Tetris so everything and everybody fits.

What it also made me think of was I really don’t have to do that much anymore and haven’t for a long time. I load up the trailer with most everything, hitch it up and I’m ready to beat feet down the highway. Most everything stays in the trailer so these days there’s very little loading and packing.

It’s kind of strange in a way. It seems like something is missing…and it’s the ritual of pre-trip packing. It’s just so easy to go with my trailer when it’s minimal effort to go. I always clean and organize everything after each trip so it’s ready to go pretty quickly for a last-minute trip.

I kinda miss those trips. It was so much fun sitting around a campfire in the Rockies looking up at the jet black sky on a starry night, watching the satellites fly over, the shooting stars and a faint version of the northern lights a couple of times. Then there was waking up to make bacon & eggs over the fire for a warm, filling, smoky breakfast. One time we roasted 50 ears of corn and our group of around seven ate every one.

Then, it all comes back to me and I remember how bad I hurt in the morning, or how I froze my ass off, or got wet…I think I am good. Nice cushy bed, warmth and a shower does a body good. I just can’t sleep on the ground anymore.

I am happy to give up all that plus solving the packing puzzle every trip in exchange for having everything always ready to go in a nice, warm (or cool) and dry trailer. It’s really a great compromise of comfort, convenience and camping, but it’s not a giant luxe bus.

And, I think that with a trailer (for me) it is enough like tent camping (at least how I like to go) and I’m still able to get off into remote areas. I prefer the solitude as much as possible.

But, full-service campgrounds can be an oasis after a few days boondocking. Dump & flush the waste tanks, use city water for a shower and lastly fill the fresh water before you leave. I have said before that I’m not really much for campgrounds but they are not all bad and are great for a nice break. Along with camping and sites to see, the Roadtrippers app has RV dump station locations and you can sometimes get potable water as well.

Even boondocking in a campground in a National Forest is actually pretty good. You’re kinda roughing it but not. I always have enjoyed the National Forest camping, mostly in dispersed areas but sometimes in a campground.

Back in the day I had a small foreign car that got 42 mpg. I would pack a cheap tent, ramen, mac & cheese, a Sterno stove, a sleeping bag and a few clothes in there (some shorter trips I’d just sleep in the car!).

I’d have $50-75 in my pocket for the entire week, and that was for a trip from KC to Colorado and back. That was for gas, food, camping fees, and very little else. They were awesome trips. I’d camp in all these awesome forest campgrounds all over Colorado, where I had a toilet and sometimes potable water.

These were also the kinds of trips I’d drive all night on my last day off and go straight to work. I would wring every last drop of vacation out of it that I could.

And there was the time driving to Tennessee and was beyond tired driving in the middle of the night. I had a Cherokee at the time and it was a bit chilly so the heat was on, further weakening the wall of sleep.

Cut forward to the sun coming up. We woke up…car still running. Doors were wide open because the heat was on and it was a sauna inside. I can hardly type this I’m laughing so hard. I was so tired I just pulled over and fell asleep with it still running. For several hours.

It’s funny how seeing something like that can trigger so many memories. I guess it’s why I like to travel. I have so many memories of all the traveling I have done and it pushes me to see more and experience more.

It’s something for me.

That’s it for now.

Shawn