Camper Camraderie

The more we experience of USA campgrounds, the more we notice the camraderie culture. Usually our fellow campers have been retirees like ourselves, but during USA's big holiday months of July/August, you see a lot of young families as well. Obviously by staying in the one location for 3 weeks, we have got to meet some of the regulars and observe patterns. Don't get me wrong, there are campers and there are campers. Most people are friendly and enjoy a chat, but there are others who walk their dog and keep their eyes down so they don't make contact and have to talk - but fortunately they are definitely in the minority, and most are really pleasant.

We stayed at this same campground last year, and some of the folk we met last year returned again this year. They were the group we had the Hawaiian party with the other week. They comprise about 5 couples and they live not far from this campground, so I daresay we will see them if we come here again next year. A lovely group. One couple in this group grow their own vegies - the first time she dropped into our RV for a visit, she bought a pail of fresh green beans from her garden. Boy, do they taste so much better than anything you can buy in the supermarket. They have already left the campground, but her and her husband drove back out here for a visit 2 days ago and this time she bought us some cucumbers, kolrabbi (looks a bit like an artichoke and you just cut it and eat raw sprinkled with salt), spinach, zucchini and an onion. A few hours later, our friend Wes turned up with our dinner - he had promised to make us his favourite pheasant dish, and tonight was the night we got to have it. He caught the pheasant himself, and after cutting up and browning the bird, he cooked it in the oven in a white mushroom sauce. We had some mashed potato and fresh green beans ready to serve with it. Simply delicious. That same day his wife had made Fish Enchiladas for an older couple who were staying at the campground.

After the hail storm that I mentioned in a previous blog, one chap was on top of his RV and was taping up his broken vent covers when he looked over and saw there was damage to the roof of the camper next to him. The husband of that camper was out fishing, so this chap offered to get up and tape the vent to keep the next rain showers out. Needless to say, the husband was very grateful. It is nice to see people supporting each other in such a selfless way. When you live in a neighbourhood community you experience this, but I guess when you stay in motels you just don't get to see this side of human nature as everyone is sequestered away in their rooms. In a campground these community attributes are more transparent.