Why We Have a Travel Trailer

We would probably have bought a travel trailer anyway, but the main reason we got a hard-sided trailer was because of the last tent-camping trip we took. Carole and I went to the Standing Indian Campground in the summer of 2005. We got the best campsite in the entire campground (something like 180+ sites, so you know it was a good one when I say it's the best). We really had a nice tent-camping set-up in those days. We had it down to a science.

So, we were having a great time camping and hiking and canoeing. And then, second night we were there, a huge black bear invaded our campsite and proceeded to ransack the joint. Yes, we know the rules for camping in bear country and followed them all. But this bear had learned that people store food in containers and other places and went methodically about knocking over anything that looked like it might have food in it and tearing it open.

You would know this happened at midnight. I came out of the tent and reacted the way you're supposed to--I yelled at the bear and he did initially run away. But as we were cleaning up the campsite he barged right back in. I figured if he was such a big and aggressive bear, the best thing to do was back off. So we climbed into the truck. I started the engine and revved it and that finally scared him away, for good.

He did come back, but messed with the folk in the site adjacent to ours, chasing them into their station wagon. The next morning the campground host told us that the bear had pretty much terrorized everyone from one end of the campground to the other. Fortunately, no one (not even the bear) was injured.

But that's why we went out and bought a trailer.

Taken in 2005 with my old (and first) digital camera. Campsite #13 in Standing Indian Campground. And the last time we tent-camped as a family. (I still tent camp when I go backpacking, of course.)

Another shot of the site. That's our old Nissan Frontier. The only motor vehicle for which I ever developed any affection.

This kind of scenery is just a short drive or hike from Standing Indian Campground.

This is one of a number a great waterfalls close to the campground.

The day we bought the Casita from her previous owners in Georgia.

And the day we brought her home to Charlotte.