Date:         Wed, 2 Nov 94 9:29:18 PST
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         Steve Johnson <sjohnson@pcocd2.intel.com>
Subject:      Re: generators vs. camping (long and tiresome)

So Richard Sellers says:
> 
> I don't feel as though I'm being slamed on, dumped on or otherwise "flamed".

Darn!!  Oops....just kidding ;)
> 

Just some input.  I've read along the thread and I actually agree mostly
with John about the population thing and the lack of consideration for
others.  This is not to say that everyone with a generator is not
considerate.  I had a bad experience with just such a person although 
I was never face to face with the offending party.  We were at a
campground at Spicer Reservior up in Alpine County and had a spot next
to a family that had pulled in a pop-up trailer.  Of course, they had
the generator going all day.  It was kind of warm.  Dad would go off
fishing and the rest of the family would sit inside the pop-up with
the TV and fan on the whole time.  Now I understand that people have
different ideas about going camping, but this is rediculus!  What is
the point of going to a camping spot and bringing all the comforts of
home and sitting around watching TV?  I thought that camping was to
get away from that shit and get outdoors and enjoy nature and rough
it a little.  If you want to watch TV or play video games, then why
don't you just stay home?  I really felt the family next to us was
really pathetic.  I'm almost positive that the father was the only
one who really wanted to go camping and the rest of the family was
along only because they got to have the TV with them.  Anyway, I
wanted to confront him about having the generator on all of the time,
but my wife and sister-in-law were dead set against it, so I let
it go.  They were probably right and that was that.  Needless to
say, we spent alot of time away from the camp site hiking, fishing
and swimming.  Since that's what I go camping for anyway, it was
no biggie.

We've had other encounters with kids that come with their boom-
boxes and you all know how that is.  You can ask them to turn
it down and most kids are pretty compromising unless they're 
too drunk.  Then ya just move along.  

As far as finding things to do that don't require electricity/
generators.  When we were kids and weren't hiking all over the
place (by ourselves) or fishing or swimming, we'd play table
games, read books, or play cards or make up games.  Toss the
football around.  Whatever.  We used our heads instead of
relying on some electronic box to do our thinking for us.  I
know this sounds like a slam.  But it really is happening to
our generation.  When most of the parents rely on a video player
and TV to baby-sit the kids, it's pretty sad because the kids
and grown-ups are loosing there ability to think for themselves.  


Steven

sjohnson@pcocd2.intel.com