May 31, 2023
National Camping Month
By Mary Schricker Gemberling
“Wander Often, Wonder Always”……Anonymous
Those of you who have followed my articles know how much I enjoy traveling in the RV. Last Thursday we headed to the Quad Cities for our 2023 inaugural camping trip to celebrate Mother’s Day with our Iowa kids and grandkids. Our usual destination, Buffalo Shores, was closed due to the recent flooding, but we were able to get into a spot at West Lake Park. This is a beautiful campground with sites nestled among the trees and great opportunities for taking long walks. On Friday my two-day mother’s day celebration began with Lucy (11) and Pearl (9) spending the night. We cooked out, had s’mores over a campfire, played games, laughed and then laughed some more. Spending time with these happy little girls just fills my soul to the brim. On Saturday we joined their parents and Uncle Matt for more food and fun! I ended the weekend feeling loved and appreciated beyond words.
Our next RV trip is planned for June which is actually National Camping Month. Officially declared in the 1970s, it was intended to increase participation in outdoor activities, especially among youth. Campaigns during June encourage people to join camps or go camping with their friends and family.
Thomas Hiram Holding is said to be the father of modern-day camping. Thomas, one of eight children, was born in 1844 in a village in England. His parents decided to leave Great Britain and emigrate to America. After arriving in their new land, the family had to spend five weeks camping on the banks of the Mississippi River until they were able to join a wagon train heading west. It was under the star-filled skies of North America where nine-year old Thomas developed a passion for the outdoor life. Each day as he travelled on the wagon train, he learned skills of a life permanently on the move. As he grew up, returned to Great Britain and had a family of his own he retained his great love of the outdoors. He later wrote The Campers Handbook which published in 1908 and described the basics of camping.
What is likely the first commercial campground opened in Ireland in 1894 and was called Cunningham’s Camp. After the first World War, the camping movement continued to evolve and increase in popularity, and all types of camping came into existence. During the Covid pandemic many people turned to camping as an escape from the confinement of their homes. In 2021 over 9.1 million people tried some form of camping for the first time. RV sales surged creating a shortage of recreational vehicles and camping supplies. A 2022 survey of manufacturers determined that total RV shipments for 2021 totaled over 600,000 breaking the previous record of just under 505,000.
Camping remains popular around the world with Canada coming in as the number one spot. Based on potential for stargazing, types and amount of wildlife, number of national parks, pollution levels, and varied scenery, other popular countries for camping include Finland, Brazil, Spain, Sweden, Australia, Norway, and Argentina. The United States is in fourth place with approximately 59 million U.S. households camping in 2022. With the present economic woes many people now view camping as an affordable way to take a vacation.
When you think about it on its surface, camping could be considered a fairly silly pastime. People ditch their comfortable homes with all the amenities to go out in the middle of nowhere, walk around in the woods, stare at a fire, while sometimes even cooking over it. If you discuss camping with someone from a developing country that has struggled with life’s essentials, they would think you are a bit crazy. But there’s something irreplaceable about camping. By giving up a nice home with conveniences and being away from the usual, life becomes simplified. Time slows down and an environment void of stuff and clutter supports a refreshing scenario. Senses are sharper when not clogged with traffic, noise and pollution. The way is cleared to hear the birds, feel the breeze, and gaze at the clear night sky. Scheduling no longer governs our actions.
Camping also provides a host of long-term benefits; it is good for both the mind and body. Benefits include relationship building, opportunities to learn and develop new skills, unplugging and getting away from screens, connecting with nature, stress reduction, and increasing physical fitness. One of the top reasons people say they like to camp is the freedom to just be themselves with no walls to box them in. For many camping is the epitome of freedom.
Beginning with June 1 there are four-plus months to venture out and give camping a try. Somewhere out there you might just find your soul and set your mind at peace. So pile into your car, find that secluded spot to set up a tent, rent a camper or RV and unplug your life from its hectic pace. Find the great outdoors and perhaps a little bit of yourself that might be lost!
“Wilderness is not a luxury
but a necessity of the human spirit”
…. Edward Abbey
Mary, a former educator and Seniors Real Estate Specialist, is the author of four books: The West End Kid, Labor of Love, Hotel Blackhawk; A Century of Elegance, Ebenezer Methodist Church; 150 years of Resiliency.
