by Scott Freeman

Created on: July 20, 2009

Camping is a fun, relaxing way to enjoy time with friends and family. Getting away from it all, experiencing new places, meeting new people, the smell of a campfire. These are things beyond value.

Sadly, all this can be spoiled by a small group of people who do not respect others.

Most of camping etiquette comes down to a few simple rules.

Do not steal. Mine is mine, your is yours. Most people do not lock everything up when they leave their site. Tables, coolers, stoves, chairs, toys and bikes may be left out but I am not inviting you to take them. On the flip side, if you forgot something, need a hand or other help, stop by and ask, I am more then willing to help a fellow camper out.

Do not cut thru my site. If a site is occupied, even if they are not "home" do not cut thru. Walk around to the bathhouse or beach or your friends camper but please stay out of the site. Again, I didn't lock up all my stuff, and for the time I rented this site, it is mine. At home I wouldn't alk into my neighbors house unless invited and I expect the same courtecy here.

Do stop by and say hi! Even if just walking by, please nod and say good morning. I have met many great people just walking around. Just two weeks ago I had a great conversation with a lady regarding the towing capabilties of my truck while cooking breakfast. This brings us to the next "do not".

Do not let your kids wander over to stare while we are eating. While we may be funny looking, we are not monkeys in a zoo.

If you must come in late at night, please, lower your lights, keep the engine as close to idle as possible, avoid slamming doors, banging poles, yelling etc. Keep in mind that others are trying to sleep. The same goes for pulling out first thing in the morning. If need be, do most of your packing the night before and try to sneak out without waking anybody.

Respect "quiet time". If you want to sit around the fire, keep voices to a wisper and avoid any loud noises. Sound really carries at night and with people sleeping under canvas it is very disturbing. Also, any conversation spoken over a wisper should be intended for everyone as everyone will be able to here it. I do not need your off color joke or story of your latest conquest.

Control your kids and pets. Both should be cleaned up after and supervised. All pets should be on a leash. While little Fido my be the nicest dog in the world, not everybody like dogs and all dogs react differently in strange places with strange smells.

Fire should be kept in the fire ring, should not smoke out the neighbors, should be put out before bed and should not contain trash.

Clean up your site before you leave. Take care of your trash, do not leave it for the next guy.

Relax! Just relax! So the kids are a bit dirty, the burgers a bit overcooked, just relax. Remember, you are here for a good time and not to fight with everyone.

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