Campers Come in All Forms
You meet some interesting folks in campgrounds – from all walks of life with varied social, religious and political beliefs. Most of the time the camping experience creates a common immediate bond that transcends differences in “other” beliefs. So you find yourself talking to people with whom you might not normally interact. Such was the case at one campground in Oregon for us, and it was a learning lesson.
Across the way at one particular campground in Oregon was a woman seemingly traveling with her son (maybe about 10 years old) and a dog. The woman’s age was hard to pinpoint, and she was covered with quite a bit of ink (I now know that lots of ink is the norm in Oregon, especially Portland). On our second night there, I walked over to introduce myself and offer some of our firewood. She was traveling in an older and smaller Winnebago, weathered by years on the road and worn around the edges. Their campsite was filled with various outdoor furniture that had also seen better days. Two dogs were scampering around and two cats were lounging nearby. No camper is large, but a smallish Winnebago is not blessed with commodious volume, especially shared between a growing boy, two dogs, and two cats. And yet, they still had room to squeeze in a full grown PIG, not a small pot belly pig, but a full grown pig. Okay… weird, right? Well, maybe, she might have been weird, but as we chatted I found her to be very endearing. She was a graphic designer, working on the road, making ends meet and home-schooling her son. Her son, who patiently sat with us as we chatted, was quite eloquent and polite, a testament to her efforts. As we concluded our conversation, I thought to myself – this is why I love camping. It creates an environment where you inevitably chat with people you would otherwise avoid or by-pass (sometimes with a wide berth).
Don’t get me wrong, this woman may be quite weird, but some (most?) might say I am, too. However, the camping experience helps break down cultural barriers and you find yourself having very pleasant interactions with people you might otherwise ignore.
To this day, I still wonder where the pig poops.