Amusement Parks

I grew up in a family that loved amusement parks.  We were lucky, the company my father worked for closed down every summer for two weeks (paid)....the week of July 4th and the following week.  My mother was always able to get the same two weeks off and we were able to go on vacation every summer for those two weeks.

Since we all loved amusement parks, the decision on where to go camping every summer revolved around which amusement park we were going to go to that summer.  For the first few years that I remember (probably 4 or 5), we always camped with my uncle and his family at a campground where he was a member.  There was an amusement park about an hour away from the campground.  That's where the love of amusement parks started.  That amusement park was known as Riverside Park and was in Agawam MA (Near Springfield).  It is now owned by Six Flags and is Six Flags New England. 

One year (1986?) we went down to Virginia to see Virginia Beach, Old Williamsburg and also went to Busch Gardens.  While we were walking around the park, I had seen a vendor that was selling hand-painted parasols.  I wanted one in the worst way, and was told we'd get one before the park closed, because we'd have had to carry it around all day if I got it then.  So, we continued our day, and shortly before closing, I reminded my dad what he had said, and he had forgotten.  He grabbed my hand and we ran to where we had seen the vendor and they were still open!  I picked out the one I wanted (white with purple ruffles on the edges, and pink flowers painted on it), and we had the person paint my name on it.  We had to leave it opened up for a certain amount of time for it to dry.  I was so happy walking around with my parasol!!

Another year (1987?) Hershey Park in Hershey, PA was our destination.  We also saw Lancaster and the Amish, and the surrounding area.  When I was younger, I hated roller coasters.  Hated them so much!  I was made to go on them as long as my mom would go on.  In retrospect, I realize no one wanted to sit out with me and not ride, lol.  It was never a forceful kind of thing....it was more that I just knew not to complain about going on them.  I would always sit with my mom, and we would always sit in the middle of the coaster (the tamest part of the train).  The year we went to Hershey Park, the Super Dooper Looper Coaster was pretty new.  I'd say it was no more than two or three years old, so still pretty new.  I spent the entire coaster ride with my eyes clamped shut (nothing new) and my head buried under my mom's arm, completely terrified of the ride.  I'm guessing it was because of the corkscrews, as I had never been on them before.  I was sooooo glad when the ride was over.  It didn't ruin the trip or the day for me, I still had a fantastic time and was excited to be there.

We also went up to Darien Lake Campground and Amusement Park around 1990 or so.  The coolest part is that the amusement park is connected to the campground and you can just walk right to the park!  This trip was also a monumentous turning point in my roller coaster hating life, lol.  It was during this trip that I went from hating rolling coasters (and tollerating them) to loving them!!  (amazing, I know!).  The coaster that did it was the Viper.  We went on as a family, my mom and I sitting in the middle and my dad and brother sitting up front (they loved the front seat).  We rode the coaster and when we got off I asked if we could go again.  I'm pretty sure I shocked the three of them, as I had never asked that about a coaster before!  They quickly said yes and we got back in line (probably before I could change my mind, lol).  We got up to the platform and I asked my mom if we could sit in the back and she said sure.  We sat in the last seats on the coaster, and I actually had fun!  We got off and I asked if we could ride again.  My parents said they were done.  My brother said he'd go with me, but we had to sit in the front seat.  I said okay, and we got in line.  I LOVED it!!  From that point on, my dad and brother sat in the front seats, and my mom and I sat right behind them.  I don't know what happened, but it was a turning point, lol.  I even went on the Sky Coaster at the same park many years later with a friend's daughter (but that's another post, lol).

Since the amusement park days of my youth, a good friend and I have been going to Six Flags New England multiple times for the past twelve years or so.  We get season passes every year, and always wait in line for the first seat in every coaster that allows it.  We have a ritual when we go, lol.  Superman is always our first ride of every trip (unless we're going specifically for the water park, then it's the first one we ride after the water park.  We always wait and sit in the front seats, and always go down the first hill (and the rest of the ride) with our arms up in the air, screaming for all we're worth.  It's awesome, and very disappointing when the ride is closed for maintenance.  The first time we rode it (the year it opened) we waited almost two hours in line to ride it.

We are heading up to Cedar Point Amusement Park the beginning of August and can't wait to ride all the coasters!  There are 17 (yes 17!) coasters at the park.  Though we are not camping (she's not a camper), I will still report here how the trip went!  We will be driving from Hartford CT out to Sandusky OH.  It's about a 10.5hr drive, and we'll be doing the drive in one day.  We're planning on spending two days at the park, and then driving home the next day.

All of the newer type coasters and such are awesome, but we sometimes find ourselves missing some of the old rides (Spider, Musik Express, Rotor).  Supposedly these rides are at Cedar Point, so we may try to ride them while we are there. 


Do you like amusement parks?  What's your favorite ride?

Entertainment

Having camped a lot in my life, both as a kid growing up and now as an adult, I've noticed there are many different ways people entertain themselves while camping.

As kids, my brother and I usually had our bikes, and would ride around exploring the campground.  We would check out the whole place the day we arrived, and would know our way around for the rest of the trip (usually 2wks).   As a family, we would also play cards sometimes (though I don't remember what we played).  Board games may be have been brought along too.  We had a pop-up camper, so getting in out of the rain was easy.  Besides that, we swam in the pool, played on the playground, tried fishing (lol), and explored.  I never remember being bored while camping as a kid.  We also used to go out from the campground at least every other day, usually sightseeing or an amusement park. 

As an adult, I find that I enjoy reading or playing cards for the most part.  When there are kids with us, it's fun to pick blueberries, take nature walks, swim, or just watch them invent games.  What I enjoy the most though, is escaping tv, video games (even hand-held), and phones.  None of it is allowed when I go camping, except the cell phone.  It's only turned on for emergencies, and once or twice to see if anyone needs me (espeically if I'm camping alone).  I also enjoy the occasional bike ride.

My most favorite though, has to be playing cards.  Specifically rummy.  Most rummy games are played to 5000 points or so.  A friend and I decided on one of our 7 day trips to play to 50,000.  Yes, you read that right, 50,000.  The day before we were leaving, we were only up to 20,000, and we played every afternoon, evening and night.  At around 10pm or so, we decided to 'adjust' the rules of rummy a bit, so that we'd get to 50k, lol.  We decided that all positive points were doubled, and there were no negative ones.  We made it to 50k.....at about 3am!  It is a game that neither one of us is ever going to forget, lol.

Another fun game to play is Skip-Bo.  It's very loosely based on the rules of rummy, but with a twist!  Phase 10 is also fun, and again, is based on the rules of rummy.  Thought these two can be played with regular decks of cards, it is much easier to use the special decks. 

Books..............always a necessary component of a camping trip - especially a solo one.  Nothing better than laying in the hammock, pillow under your head (or folded up towel), reading and napping all afternoon.  I went on a solo trip last summer and read 7 books in 4 days!  There are many different kinds of books I enjoy reading.  Some of my favorite authors are James Patterson, Debbie Macomber, Janet Evanovich and Sophie Kinsella. 

So what do you enjoy doing in your spare time?

Food

As I was gathering the non-perishables for my upcoming trip (3.5 wks!!), I started thinking about the foods people bring camping, and whether meals/menus are planned out in advance.  I am a bit anal, lol, so I tend to plan out every meal of the trip so I can be sure I pack/buy what I need and don't have to run out to the corner store to buy it (much more expensive than the grocery store).  Of course I have done this, because I inevitably forget some crucial ingredient.

It also got me thinking about WHAT people cook when camping.  It can range from the simplistic (pb & j sandwiches) to the truly gourmet (crackers and caviar?).  I am at a point in my life that I like to cook meals similar to what I'd cook at home (ironically, I hate to cook at home but love to do it camping - go figure!).  I absolutely LOOOOOOVE a cooked breakfast, so usually plan on a few of them for a trip. 

For example, here are the meals planned for my upcoming trip (lunches are either sandwiches or heated up leftovers on the stove):

Breakfasts: pancakes (twice), french toast, eggs (twice), cereal (couple of times)
Dinners: Rotisserie chicken (twice), Hot dogs (twice), steak tips, pasta & meatballs, and linguica patties.

Each meal also has a side and vegetable to go with it.  Some of them are repeated because I am camping with two different sets of people, and they both wanted the same things.

The most surprising/adventurous meal I have cooked camping would have to be boiled dinner (daisy ham, not corned beef).  There was a daisy ham, cabbage, potatoes, and carrots.  This was all cooked on two coleman stoves, one big pasta pot and a smaller pot (both wouldn't fit on the same stove).  It probably took me a few hours to do it, but in the end it was all hot and ready to eat at the same time.  I first half-cooked everything, transferring food between pans, bowls and plates a few times to get things in the pots to cook, then finished cooking everything through.  When the potatoes and carrots were done, they went into the steamer basket of my pasta pot to keep warm.   It was quite an accomplishment for me when I did it.  I don't think I'd try to do it again either, lol.

I sometimes think back to my early solo-camping days (friends, but no parents) and am in awe that we cooked/ate some of the stuff we did.  Here are some memorable ones: pancakes cooked on an inadequate campfire (half cooked pancakes anyone?), soup/spaghettios again heated on an inadequate campfire (my friend ate cool/lukewarm cream of mushroom soup - yuck!), hotdogs on a stick (that got more soot than heat).  Back in those days, we had a tent and that was it.  No stove, no screenhouse (not even a dining fly).  When it rained (fortunately it wasn't that often) we hung out in the tent until it was over (quick way for a tent to become small!).  Somehow it never rained when it was time for meals.  I sometimes miss the care-free attitude we had back then, but I can say with absolute certainty I don't miss the half cooked food!

What kinds of food to you bring/buy to cook/consume on a camping trip?

Rain Rain Go Away............Sometimes........

Rain.  It can make or break a camping trip.  A lot also depends on your attitude about the rain: if you let it ruin your trip, it will.

No doubt there are many downsides to tent camping in the rain.  Walking in it every time you need to use the bathroom.......tough to get a campfire going, and if you do, who wants to sit by it.........making sure you don't touch the sides of the tent.......etc...  Nothing gets me up out of bed faster on a camping trip then the sound of rain when my tent windows are open! 

For me, there is at least one upside to tent camping in the rain.  The sound.  I absolutely LOVE it!  Especially when sleeping.  Waking up with it raining in the morning makes for a very lazy day!

It's pouring outside right now, and how I wish I was camping in it!  Instead, I'm at a friend's house, sleeping on the couch, with the windows open to hear the rain :)

Thunderstorms are pretty cool while camping too........with a dog though, not so much.

I went camping a few years ago and took my dog (77lb black lab).  He might have a ferocious bark, but he's a big 'ol baby when it comes to thunder.  He all but climbed in my sleeping bag with me, and I sat up and held him and talked to him for most of the night.  Everytime I tried to go to sleep, he'd nudge me to keep petting him.  I seriously didn't think I'd be getting any sleep that night.  I was shocked when I woke up the next morning.  He didn't stray far...he was next to me sleeping :)


Another favorite place to shop for camping supplies is LLBean.  I especially love driving up to the main store in Maine to browse.

An Introduction

Where to start............. As the title of the blog suggests, I'm female, and I tent camp.  I started a blog a few months ago about my cake decorating hobby, and enjoy it so much, I thought with summer coming up I'd start one about camping.

A little background to start:
I grew up camping.  In fact, I went camping before I was born :D (god love my mother for camping at 6mths pregnant).  My parents camped before I or my brother were born.  Once we were born, they continued camping, albeit with a lot more 'schtuff' since we all know infants and toddlers require!  The extra work did not deter them, and for that I am eternally grateful.  As a family, we camped for two consecutive weeks every summer, usually in the vicinity of an amusement park.  We were, and I still am, an amusement park fiend.  My friend Jen and I get season passes to our local Six Flags park every summer, and make very good use of them!

We started out camping in a canvas cabin-style tent.  I don't actually remember those days, though I have seen pictures of the campsite.  I'll post some if I can get them scanned into my computer!  We then graduated to a pop-up camper with an attached screenhouse.  This is what we camped in during my childhood.

When I started camping on my own with friends, it was a tent that I bought.  That was 18 years ago, and I love it more than I did as a kid!  To save you the trouble of trying to figure it out, I'm 35, and started camping on my own shortly after graduating from high school.

I look back on those early days and wonder how we did it, lol.  I own so much camping schtuff now, that it's amazing how little I brought back then.  I do pair it down (somewhat) for just a weekend, but for a trip that is 3+days I bring it all.  It just makes it that much nicer, and really isn't all that much work.  I would post pics if I had them, but I never seem to remember to take pictures camping, despite bringing the camera on every trip :|  I am heading out for 10days the middle of July, and will try to take some pictures then.

The ultimate authority in camping....... www.coleman.com    (at least in my opinion)