Going Camping!

[dalynnrmc]

Hey all!

We're going camping for the weekend, as soon as dh gets back with ice for the cooler.

It's with our science co-op group, but several of our (new) homeschool cub scouters will be there as well. (Two of the three families are also in science. LOL)

We'll be back Sunday evening! Don't miss me too much! ;)

[sixcloar]

Have lots of fun! I'm ready for a camping weekend, myself!

[homeschooler06]

I so want to go. Just cannot right now. Need some things and courage to pull our 25ft camper. We are sleeping in it tonight. :) Nana and Papa Campground

[Jo Anna]

So jealous here! Have fun!

[MonkeyMamma]

We were supposed to go camping last weekend but Samantha had a last minute dance class for 3 hours on Sat. She is dancing at the Crawfish festival this weekend. Next weekend we plan to go.

Daylnn - where are you camping?

[MamaBear]

Have fun!

I'll go camping in a nice trailer with a toilet and shower. I don't care to rough it again in a tent and wake up to a heard of cattle poking their head in our tent, chewing their cud and mooing at us! :shock:

[ABall]

I just wanted to pass on some info....... I've mentioned I'm a bzz agent and i recently was sent some ziploc twist'n loc containers....... they should be really neat to use for packing up a cooler because they are leak-resistant and stackable.(there I bzzed-- but I really do like them)

[MamaBear]

I just wanted to pass on some info....... I've mentioned I'm a bzz agent and i recently was sent some ziploc twist'n loc containers....... they should be really neat to use for packing up a cooler because they are leak-resistant and stackable.(there I bzzed-- but I really do like them)

What is a bzz agent?

I always use those containers, they are perfect for storing small amounts of paint too!

[ABall]

katie, I sent you a PM about bzz agent

[Jo Anna]

I love those containers. I use them for just about everything.

[Deena]

DaLynn, I'm sooo missing you....where are you?!!

:D There, thought I'd say that to help you feel better! :D

Really, I hope you're having fun, stay safe, and get home safely!

[dalynnrmc]

HAHAHA, thanks ladies!

We just went to McKinney Falls State Park... which is all of 3 minutes from the house. :lol: Literally. So, it was a bit like camping in the backyard... only we paid almost $50 to do it. (And are going to purchase a state park pass because that's just NUTS!! But, the science co-op mom reserved them, the more expensive sites of course, and we just had to reimburse her for them.)

So it was a little silly, but it was fun. Kinda. Rained on us Friday night, and again this morning. Friday night it wasn't that bad; just enough to send us into the tent a little early. Only one scarey crack of thunder. And then the racoons came out to play.... LOL This morning though, it rained pretty hard until almost 10.

I'm sore today. I'm alright on an air mattress on the ground for one night, but that second night always gets me. ;)

But it was fun, and the kids had a good time. Perfect ending to a year of science co-op, and there was a fishing activity put on by the park itself and so several of us participated in that and the boys received certificates and pins (Junior Angler from TDPW), and will earn some cub scout things as well.


DH and I will go camping again in two weeks, as we'll be participating in the cub scout outdoor training for the Webelos level. Funstuff.

We're back! You can all chat and have fun again now! ;) :lol:

[sixcloar]

DaLynn, really check into the Park pass thing. We were going to camp a couple of weekends ago, but decided against it because it was going to be $92 for 2 nights. We asked about the Park pass, and it only covers entrance fees (which only 13+ have to pay), not the camping fees or activity fees. The lady we talked to said we'd have to use it at least 3 more times this year for it to be a benefit. She did say you would get some coupons to lower the costs camping fees.

[dalynnrmc]

Thanks, Pam! Yes, we knew that it only covers the camp site and that you still have to pay the per-day fee. Bill was told when he asked about it in Feb, that (when you buy the park pass) they give you 10 coupons that are free day passes good for up to 5 adults each. (Or maybe a couple were for free, and a couple were for discounts?) The park right here by us only charges per-day fees for kids 13 and over; I think that varies by park though.

And, we plan to go camping once a month until it gets too cold - October or November, so it'll definately pay for itself this year! We're excited! (The site we camped at last night was $16/night, so we paid $32 for it. UGH. That's almost half the price of the pass and we'd have gotten the $16 we paid for the per-day fee for FREE!)

Anyway, we plan to use the schtuff out of it this year! We almost did it last year, but weren't sure how often we'd go, and so we didn't. It wouldn't have benefitted us price-wise last year, but I'm certain it will this year. ;)

[Jo Anna]

You pay to camp? I have never paid to camp. I also live in the mountains too.

[dalynnrmc]

LOL We hadn't until we moved here to Austin, either. ;) We'd have to drive quite a ways, it seems, to find a place to camp that's not a state park. Plus, I really like that there are "real" bathrooms.... LOL!

[sixcloar]

Yes, we knew that it only covers the camp site and that you still have to pay the per-day fee.See, we were told that the pass only covered the cost of the daily entrance fees (per day), not the camp site fee. You'd still have to pay that nightly. We need to call back, because if it's the way you understood it, it would make much more sense, and it would benefit us.

You pay to camp? I have never paid to camp. I also live in the mountains too.We've always paid to camp, but it's always been in a State Park.

[dalynnrmc]

Wow! Well, we'll check again too then! LOL That's strange that we'd be told different things... maybe the park people understand it differently? How odd. I'll check though to make sure I'm not remembering it incorrectly! Thanks!

Yes, that's what we've been doing as well that we're having to pay for - state parks.

[KrisRV]

She glad you are back and had a wonderful time. We needed the rain so bad so not saying anything about that.

[timkelmom]

Glad you are back and that you mostly had a good time. Sorry the weather did not cooperate. That seems kind of steep for camping. State parks are usually much less than other camp grounds. I think the pass will be a good idea if you plan on going more often.

[MonkeyMamma]

DaLynn glad you had a nice trip. Too bad you got rained on. We almost always get rained on.

Pam is right about the state park pass. It covers all entrance fees but you still have to pay for camping. I have researched the crap outta campgrounds.

We never camp in state parks because it is too expensive and some of the parks have really strict rules. Dh and I like to have a few beers or a glass of wine by the fire at night and some TX state parks don't allow any alcohol at all. I understand they dont' want party people getting trashed at a family park but if dh and I can't have a beer or glass of wine at our own campsite then we wont' stay there.

We usually camp in National Forests in East Texas. No entrance fees and low campsite fees. Primitive sites where we stay are $15 per night. Electric with water are $24 I think. We have also stayed in private campgrounds and they are higher but we've only done that once when we floated the Guadalupe.

I can't wait we are either going this weekend or next depending on which weekend we get our house painted.

[dalynnrmc]

Yes, ours were NOT the primitive - they were the more expensive sites with electric hookup and water, and were $16 per night. We were camping with a group, or we'd have just gone with the primitive sites.

I'll definately make sure of what we're getting with the park passes! Thanks, ladies!

And, the rain didn't bother us much. Allowed us to sleep in Sunday morning, and got the kids in the tent and down to bed Friday night, so... all's well! LOL Our tent didn't leak and nothing was ruined; it chased a few of the others away, as there was talk of severe weather, but it was fine. ;)

[MonkeyMamma]

I have often thought of going to that state park actually because we have never been to a TX state park. I then saw how close it was to downtown Austin. Could you tell from being in the park you were that close to town or did you feel secluded?

[dalynnrmc]

Oh, oh - it is SO not close to downtown. LOL We could hear the traffic on McKinney Falls PKWY, but other than that, it was just like any of the half dozen other state parks we've been to.

It's easy to get to, straight down 35, straight down one of the major arteries (and right past my house within 2 blocks!!), straight up McKinney Falls PKWY for about 3 miles to the park. That's it.

Yes, the very city-fied Austin-ites felt very out of place this weekend. :lol:

[MonkeyMamma]

They have a video of the park on the texas State Parks Website. Looks really nice! If you go to teh website there are a lot of parks that have video links to them. The ones that caught my eye the most were Tyler State Park (were supposed to go at Christmas and they were booked) and Pedernales Falls State Park (which is also very close to Austin). I would love to go to one of those soon.

[MamaBear]

Our cousins went camping a few years back and invited us for a bbq at their camp.

They had asked if my kids wanted to spend the night but after they were throwing food on the ground we decided it was not a very good situation to put our kids in. This is bear country and throwing food on the ground and sleeping with a cooler full of food is quite foolish.

Glad you had a great time!

[MonkeyMamma]

You have got to be kidding me. They put food on the ground in bear country??? Did they want to be eaten? Good thing you didn't let your kids stay. You must always be extra careful in bear country.

[MamaBear]

You have got to be kidding me. They put food on the ground in bear country??? Did they want to be eaten? Good thing you didn't let your kids stay. You must always be extra careful in bear country.

My kids looked like monkeys with their mouths hanging open when they were watching them throw the food down. My kids just told them, "That's not a good idea if you don't want bears to come and visit". Needless to say, they didn't make it through the night and left early. Guess they weren't ready for the very, very cold nights. We told them they didn't have heavy enough sleeping bags and clothes.