my first tent camping trip

[lucy_love]

I just got back from my first camping trip in a tent, we went to Bryson City, NC to visit a friend who is a White Water Raft Guide. I realized that I am not cut out for tent camping, I have a new found appreciation of the 40 foot coach

I will tell you the story in pictures... this should be interesting. You have been warned. I should also add that when we first decided to go, my bf insisted we tent camp and by the end, we ended up cutting our trip a day short because we couldn't take it! So i'm not the only one who prefers the fort and coach to rural NC.

You know, he had been watching Man vs. Wild and thought he could be Bear Grylls

we first arrived, "hmm this is pretty"

Ok, I am ready to get to camp and set up our site. But wait, our friend decides to take us on a hike. He tells us it's a short hike to a top of the mountain for a beautiful site, Ok easy, cool!!

the start:

after 2 MILES UP A MOUNTAIN. I am out of shape (working on it) and I almost blacked out a couple times. My bf said that I am probably the only person to climb that mountain with Tiffany's and Pearl earrings. Hmm Tiffany's and Tics, LOVELY

but the view was worth it!

Ok wait, now that we saw the sun set, we have to go back down, IN THE DARK. Are you kidding me!
Oh btw, one flashlight died so I had no flashlight! Talk about dangerous.

so we get back and set up camp in the dark, here is our set up

us city slickers thought we could get away without an air mattress...

we also forgot chairs and a lot of other stuff

so the next day the boys went rating on the Occee river...

on the way back, we pass a Wal-Mart which means AIR MATTRESS

then our friend decides that he wants chickens! Ugh you mean you want me to put 2 chickens in my Lexus?
yep

this is where our friend lives

I was petrified of Tics, do you think the fort has tics? You will notice that in every picture I am wearing a hat. I really thought I was going to get Lyme disease and die.

This was my tic-free zone, notice I am even wearing a hat in the tent

Then we went to the Biltmore, which is AMAZING

and that's it! We were suppose to leave this morning but we left yesterday morning. We both have had enough and REALLY looking forward to the fort now

I don't see myself tent camping again in a while, I just don't think I am cut out for it, or the tics.

 

[djblu883]

well I have to say I'm sorry you didn't enjoy your trip! I have a 29ft. TT and would still love ruffing it in a tent...which I still do from time to time...I loved your friend's "home" it certainly had a lot of character! But I'm just an old tree hugger hippie so what can I say....Maybe the Biltmore is more your style??? Well Tiffany earrings and all made me think that lolol

 

[2goofycampers]

I've never been tent camping, but I know I'm not cut out for it either. DH knows it too.

 

[lucy_love]

Well we enjoyed the trip, we were just ready to come home. I was kinda excited to rough it, but it's just not me

 

[djblu883]

Well we enjoyed the trip, we were just ready to come home. I was kinda excited to rough it, but it's just not me

that is what makes us all different and isn't that great...I'm glad we don't all love the same things!!!!No worries...good to know your mind!!!! Makes future decisions easier!...I think I would have skipped on the Chickens!!! lol

 

[VACAMPER]

Your friend has am interesting set up. Looks happy with his chickens though. Thanks for the report and pics. I love to read about other peoples adventures.

 

[PolynesianPixie]

What a fun report! Your friends place definately looks interesting! Kudos to him for doing it now...while he's young...... Really, though, I liked it. Lots of rustic charm.

I used to enjoy tent camping a lot. Then I got hips....hips and hard ground don't go together so well.

Oh and btw....Tiffany earings go with everything...even tics! And you are not the only one to hike while wearing them...

 

[clkelley]

Looks like a fun weekend!! Yep, not having the air mattress and chairs probably was miserable!!

Wow, you should have joined them on the Ocoee, I LOVE Whitewater rafting!! We did a run down the Ocoee through the Olympic run last August, I had a blast!!!!

 

[lucy_love]

What a fun report! Your friends place definately looks interesting! Kudos to him for doing it now...while he's young...... Really, though, I liked it. Lots of rustic charm.

I used to enjoy tent camping a lot. Then I got hips....hips and hard ground don't go together so well.

Oh and btw....Tiffany earings go with everything...even tics! And you are not the only one to hike while wearing them...

Yeah his place is quite interesting to say the least! I don't know how he does it. He is single and just graduated from college so he is trying out all kinds of cool jobs before the real worls. He actually googled "cool jobs" and that's how he found this one

I'm glad i'm not the only one hiking in style

Looks like a fun weekend!! Yep, not having the air mattress and chairs probably was miserable!!

Wow, you should have joined them on the Ocoee, I LOVE Whitewater rafting!! We did a run down the Ocoee through the Olympic run last August, I had a blast!!!!

The olympic run was closed due to low water levels I was a little nervous so they were going to go first and then I would go the second time. Since he is a guide, we get to go free but a nasty storm came so I didn't get to go. He works on the nahantala (spelling!!) river but his company does both. Pretty cool

 

[TheFlame]

The only time I came close to tent camping was when I agreed to go to the remote North GA mountains to camp and fish on a trout stream and we camped in the back of my new husbands truck that had a camper top. What a big mistake!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Didn't he realized we were now married and could do all that stuff legally any where we wanted(including in air conditioning and no BUGS?!?!?!?) He didn't have to drag me into a nightmare just to fulfill some kind of fantasy, I would have given it up anywhere!!!!!!!! Oops, sorry, I was young, newly married and in love!! Yes, obviously confused also!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Didn't last long!(all of it!!) I am still a bit of a city girl as he calls it and was not raised to sleep in the back of trucks or on the ground! We have had a motorhome and are trying to get rid of our 2nd fifth wheel(downsizing-just not to a tent or truck camper thing!)

Looks like you had a beautiful trip despite the HORRIBLE LIVING CONDITIONS!

 

[PanFanAL]

Sounds pretty fun to me. I stayed in Bryson City once(in a hotel though), and did the white water rafting. We did the Olympic section, a few months after the Olympics. As a matter of fact, our guide had not been down the river since that time, and the rapids had been beefed up for the Olympics. Well when we got to the last of the rapids, it had gone from a 3 to a 4. Those who have done this know what I mean. Anyway, we ended up flipping the entire boat upside down, and dumping everyone into the river. And this was in March. Very cold! Anyway, everyone was alright, and that was the funnest part of the trip for me.

 

[ntsammy5]

I've been tent camping since about 1955 - I haven't stopped yet. When I get home I'll post some pictures from the High Peaks - one of my favorite places to backpack. I'd like to do the AT end-to-end, but with a TKR, I don't think I should or could do that alone!

 

[Pirate-Jeff]

I didn't know Wal-Mart sold LIVE chickens

How did you like the Biltmore?

During the Depression my Grandfather and Great Grandfather worked at the Biltmore as carpenters (the last big renovation). One of the benefits was all of the recycled material went home with them and they built My Grandparents house(now aunts). Anothor benefit was if you bent a nail in the board you were installing you replaced the hole board not just the nail you bent. They bent a lot of nails as they were finishing my Grandparents home and needed more lumber. Thanks to the Biltmore My Grandparents had a new house in the Depression. With top of the line materials for close to nothing. My Grandfather also said the renovation time (years) would have been shorter if all of the tradesman worked on the biltmore as much as they did building there own homes.

 

[Pirate-Jeff]

I forgot:


Lucy is that a tic crawling on your leg


just kidding

 

[clkelley]

He works on the nahantala (spelling!!) river but his company does both. Pretty cool

I've heard the Nantahala is Cooooooold water, even in July, but still a fun run.

 

[BigDaddyRog]

The 12 year old in me (who, btw, makes many decisions for me) would LOVE to call THAT home!!! How freakin cool is THAT!!!!!!!! And he's right....that living space NEEDS a guard-chicken!!!

 

[lucy_love]

The only time I came close to tent camping was when I agreed to go to the remote North GA mountains to camp and fish on a trout stream and we camped in the back of my new husbands truck that had a camper top. What a big mistake!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Didn't he realized we were now married and could do all that stuff legally any where we wanted(including in air conditioning and no BUGS?!?!?!?) He didn't have to drag me into a nightmare just to fulfill some kind of fantasy, I would have given it up anywhere!!!!!!!! Oops, sorry, I was young, newly married and in love!! Yes, obviously confused also!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Didn't last long!(all of it!!) I am still a bit of a city girl as he calls it and was not raised to sleep in the back of trucks or on the ground! We have had a motorhome and are trying to get rid of our 2nd fifth wheel(downsizing-just not to a tent or truck camper thing!)

Looks like you had a beautiful trip despite the HORRIBLE LIVING CONDITIONS!

my bf suggested we bring his truck and sleep in the back!

Sounds pretty fun to me. I stayed in Bryson City once(in a hotel though), and did the white water rafting. We did the Olympic section, a few months after the Olympics. As a matter of fact, our guide had not been down the river since that time, and the rapids had been beefed up for the Olympics. Well when we got to the last of the rapids, it had gone from a 3 to a 4. Those who have done this know what I mean. Anyway, we ended up flipping the entire boat upside down, and dumping everyone into the river. And this was in March. Very cold! Anyway, everyone was alright, and that was the funnest part of the trip for me.

The olympic section was closed when we were there so they did the lower part, it was still 3's and 4's but I bet the olympic part is crazy

I've been tent camping since about 1955 - I haven't stopped yet. When I get home I'll post some pictures from the High Peaks - one of my favorite places to backpack. I'd like to do the AT end-to-end, but with a TKR, I don't think I should or could do that alone!

Oh I would love to see pics

I didn't know Wal-Mart sold LIVE chickens

How did you like the Biltmore?

During the Depression my Grandfather and Great Grandfather worked at the Biltmore as carpenters (the last big renovation). One of the benefits was all of the recycled material went home with them and they built My Grandparents house(now aunts). Anothor benefit was if you bent a nail in the board you were installing you replaced the hole board not just the nail you bent. They bent a lot of nails as they were finishing my Grandparents home and needed more lumber. Thanks to the Biltmore My Grandparents had a new house in the Depression. With top of the line materials for close to nothing. My Grandfather also said the renovation time (years) would have been shorter if all of the tradesman worked on the biltmore as much as they did building there own homes.

I LOVED the Biltmore! AMAZING! We did the audio tour and it was worth it (well we got it for free ) I love history and really enjoyed it. That is really fascinating about your grandpa

I forgot:


Lucy is that a tic crawling on your leg


just kidding

I am still convinced they are in my duffel bag and car waiting to get me, so far so good

I've heard the Nantahala is Cooooooold water, even in July, but still a fun run.

I think it is a constant 47 degress

 

[lucy_love]

The 12 year old in me (who, btw, makes many decisions for me) would LOVE to call THAT home!!! How freakin cool is THAT!!!!!!!! And he's right....that living space NEEDS a guard-chicken!!!

There was a boy scout troop there on our last night and they were drooling over it, you would have fit right in

 

[ntsammy5]

Try climbing these mountains:

and carrying this:

My daughter (in yellow) her husband and a friend. I'm taking the pictures!

Actually, once you get in shape it's not bad. Whitewater rafting is fun, but I haven't done it in years. Being a guide sounds like fun. I want to do New River sometime, but probably won't. That's a great report. Soundslike you had fun.

 

[lucy_love]

Wow that's what I called prepared!!! Man, they would have laughed if they saw me hiking, hahahaha. Awesome view!