Day 55... Happy Fathers Day weekend

Happy Fathers Day to all the Dad's out there. I am sure there are lot's of BBQ's, Picnic's, Camp-outs and fun day events planned for all. Of course, our weather doesn't sound too promising, but, somehow it always manages to work out anyhow. If all else fails, we have our blue tarps....and most of us here in the Pacific Northwest are true "Blue Tarp Campers".

We are pretty adapt at camping and picnicking in all types of weather. If you stay home in this area, because the weather report isn't good, you will never do anything or go anywhere. So, we pack up our tents, our picnic baskets, BBQ's and blue tarps and head out regardless. And we always have a good time. When our girls were kids, we camped in a tent and the first thing we would do each trip, was string up the tarp. It didn't matter how sunny it was , or what the weather report said. The tarp went up !! Other  NON-Local campers would point and laugh at us as we spent a good 1/2 hr securing our giant blue tarps and we would just smile and wave. Almost every time, by the next day, we would be sitting dry and comfy under our tarps while all the other campers were frantically struggling to put up their tarps in the rain that had, of course, arrived. Just take a drive thru any campground on the peninsula and look for the blue tarps... that is where you will find all the locals.
We have advanced a little now, of course, having the 5th wheel. We can sit inside and watch the rain and stay dry, but I still love that good old blue tarp. I know we will always have one on hand. We are going to camp this Fathers Day at Old Fort Townsend Campground and you can bet we will have that tarp up because , of course, the weather man is calling for rain.
One thing has definitely changed since the girls were young... and that is the cost of camping. I reserved a spot for us to go this weekend, and was shocked when , for just two nights, my credit card was charged $57.50. YIKES. I then read the entire web site and realized that amount included a reservation fee of $8.50. Wow, just to talk to a women on the phone for maybe 3 minutes, who never really answered a single question of mine...just rushed me thru the process, and before I realized it, I had reserved and paid for my "spot". OK, well, $57.50 later, at least I am guaranteed a place to park for the weekend. Now, it turns out, and my girls who will be joining us on Saturday, also have to pay $10 each for their extra vehicles... even tho one of them will be staying over, and one only for the day. That means that for us to go and spend a couple of days in one of our state campgrounds with our kids it costs us $77.50. ..... Before the fuel to get there and the food. It used to be, that one could pack up a cooler and supplies and head out for the weekend camping with the family and at most, it might cost $12 a night and that was at the "better" campgrounds. It is no wonder that when you drive thru the campgrounds now, mostly what you see are big fancy motor homes, giant 5th wheels and trailers and gray haired retired couples..... Because....they are the only ones that can afford to camp. (Yes, it's true, we are gray haired and have a 5th wheel too, but remember, we are not retired.. and our 5th wheel is not new nor is it giant ).  It's such a shame, because it is the one thing that , if you loved the outdoors, it was something that everyone could afford to do with their families. All you needed was a bit of firewood and a bunch of hot dogs...and you were set for a good time.
Now on top of the cost, there is also the fact that unless you reserve.. you more than likely can't camp in your own neighborhood if you work. By the time you get off for the day and head out to find a spot ... the campground will be full. It is one more sign of how populated and popular we have become here. At least in Alaska we can still find places, lot's of them, where it is like it used to be. Places where you can still enjoy the outdoors without planning for a month in advance, paying half your paycheck for a weekend and where you can still be ... by yourself.
I guess it is just a sign of the times, and I guess I have "ranted" enough. Back to  a HAPPY FATHERS DAY to all, no matter what you are doing for the weekend... Have fun !!