If you are in a warm and cozy trailer, are you really camping? Last year on my birthday, my husband gave me a gently used “Canned Ham” style trailer. It’s a 1967 Aladdin, made in Oregon. After cleaning it up and a wee bit of decorating, we headed for the Oregon Coast. Our first departure from tent camping.

I just couldn’t sleep on the ground anymore! Every morning I’d wake up, climb out of my tent, and make my way to the campground restroom, while others stepped from their trailers, dressed and ready for the day. No more!

If you haven’t been camping lately, there is one important thing to know: make reservations! When I was a kid, we just grabbed the tent, a pack of hot dogs, and hit the road. Today, campgrounds are booked a year in advance. Because we hadn’t planned ahead, we found ourselves begging for a spot at Beverly Beach State Park, near Newport, Oregon. We got lucky when someone canceled their stay, giving us the chance to try out all the amenities of our new toy in a full-service hook-up site with water, sewer, and electricity.

Happily, my husband knows how to back a trailer into a narrow camping spot. This is not true of all drivers. As we watched the sun set over the Pacific, we giggled as couples tried to park their fancy RVs, some as big as Greyhound buses. “Am I getting close, Marge?” “No! The other way! Stop!” Crunch. It was a long and noisy evening. And those RVs had generators and big screen TVs! Camping? I think not!

 In the morning, with coastal fog floating above the evergreens, I decided to cook outside, even though my trailer had a stove. Don’t pancakes taste better that way? We built a fire, pulled out the griddle, and had the best breakfast ever. Buttermilk pancakes with real butter and maple syrup, thick bacon, and eggs over easy. Yum!

 Since we only had the camp space for one night, it was time to clean up and go. It was so easy to tuck away our equipment, fold up the bed, and head for home. Next time, we’ll try to find a spot far from the RV crowd.

 

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