By Jerry Yeatts, F390000
August 2015
I recently ordered a T-shirt that I saw on Facebook from my new friends at Teespring (www.teespring.com). No, it wasn’t one of those shirts with “Keep Calm, I’m the Executive Director” on it. Rather, it was a shirt that really lists some of the great reasons we do the things we do. The top of this special limited-edition T-shirt reads “Camping Rules.”
The rules are:
Nap often
Watch the sunset
Wake up smiling
Sit by the fire
Relax and unwind
Eat s’mores
Make memories
Drink a cold one
Visit with friends
Be grateful for this day
What a simple, but important, set of instructions we can follow as campers. Some of you are fortunate to live this mantra every day. Some of us look forward to the holidays, long weekends, and vacations when our alarm clock is the sun peeking through the window, and the stress of the day is deciding whether to sit by the fire or take a hike around the lake. No matter what the activity may be, it sure is to be less stressful than sitting at a desk or staring at the blinking cursor on a computer screen.
FMCA has provided the opportunity for thousands of members to live by these “rules” for more than 50 years. Whether you are at a chapter gathering, an area rally, or an international Family Reunion — or just relaxing and unwinding in a campground with newly discovered friends — FMCA can be the catalyst for enjoying these camping guidelines.
Camping brings families together as nothing else can. I love hearing stories from members talking about the cross-country trips they have taken with their children or grandchildren. It’s wonderful to hear kids playing hide-and-go-seek in the campgrounds while parents are enjoying conversation around a campfire. It’s encouraging to read blogs from families such as the Gulds (www.geeksontour.com) , the Wynns (www.gonewiththewynns.com), the Wendlands (www.roadtreking.com), and the Roadzies (www.roadzies.tumblr.com). Each of them exemplifies many positive aspects of family, fellowship, and living by the unofficial “camping rules.”
As we progress through the summer months, I challenge you to embrace the camping rules, especially the last two regarding visiting with friends and being grateful for this day. Okay; perhaps the last three rules!
Consider walking to a neighboring campsite and striking up a conversation with the young family with children. Approach a veteran or someone in law enforcement (maybe not after you have obeyed the “cold one” rule!) and thank them for their service. Teach your children and grandchildren the lost art of communicating, playing, and existing without an electronic device — just being kids. Make the positive memories that will last a lifetime.
And while you are greeting those new friends at the RV park, invite them to become members of FMCA.
By the way, while we’re talking about rules, I thought I’d share the etiquette rules that FMCA subscribes to as it relates to staying at a Walmart or other business locations that allow overnight camping.
RVers’ Good Neighbor Policy
FMCA joins with other respected RV consumer clubs in supporting your right to park on private businesses’ parking lots overnight under the following code of conduct:
- Stay one night only!
- Obtain permission from a qualified individual.
- Obey posted regulations.
- No awnings, chairs, or barbecue grills.
- Do not use hydraulic jacks on soft surfaces (including asphalt).
- Always leave an area cleaner than you found it.
- Purchase gas, food, or supplies as a form of thank-you, when feasible.
- Be safe! Always be aware of your surroundings and leave if you feel unsafe.
FMCA publishes this important industry-sanctioned Code of Conduct in the January and June issues of Family Motor Coaching magazine. While private businesses may provide convenient locations to pull off and stay for the evening if you are feeling tired, they should not be used as a launch pad for activities in the area.
If you are searching for a campground or resort, please visit FMCA’s Campground and Resort Connection on FMCA.com for hundreds of campgrounds in the United States and Canada. Look for the Campground and Resort Connection feature box in the center of the home page. Or download the FMCA app (which includes the Campground and Resort Connection) from the Apple store for iPhone or iPad use or from the Google Play store for use with Android devices. Then simply choose a destination, click on the “push pin,” and be directed to the campground or resort’s website, if available, for more information and reservations. Tell the campground/resort host you are an FMCA member and received the information through FMCA. Many FMCA campgrounds and resorts offer discounts on your stay.
For now, I’m finished staring at the computer cursor and am thinking about how I’ll be slipping into my new T-shirt soon and heading for a local campground for the weekend. I’m just going to sit by the fire, unwind, drink a cold one, and be grateful for this day!
Safe travels.