Marilyn's Musings

Though I don't remember exactly, I was probably six when we made a wonderful camping trip to Yosemite National Park.We camped in a spot like this right next to the river.  My father had constructed a trailer of wood and canvas that folded flat, but when we reached the campground it opened up to be a tent-like, with a bed on either side, and a pullout kitchen. He was way before his time. As far as I can remember, that's the only time we used it. My sister was small enough, around one-year-old, that she spent a lot of time in a play pen. My folk's best friends, the Timmons, camped nearby in a regular tent. They had a daughter my age and a son a bit older than my sister.  Yosemite was much different way back then. Deer roamed around everywhere. Every night they had a fire fall--yes, fire was thrown off one of the higher cliffs. In the evening you could visit the dump and watch bears eating the garbage. Every evening you could join one of the rangers telling great stories about...

The first family camping trip I remember was to Yosemite. My Dad built a tent camper much like the ones of today where the whole things folds out with a bed on either side. He was way ahead of his time.I don't remember sleeping it it, but I know we did. My sister was still small enough that she could be confined to a play pen. My parents best friends were along and they had a toddler too. I must've been nearly six. Yosemite was different back then. Everyone had a campfire. People fed the deer that wandered through camp. At night we drove to the dump to watch the bears come and eat. Every night there was a fire fall. Yes, fire was thrown off a cliff like a waterfall. As we grew older, tent camping at Bass Lake was our favorite 3 week vacation. Dad and Mom had a tent, and sis and I shared one. These were not easy tents to put up. Dad did all the cooking. He liked to throw everything together in a frying pan--didn't always turn out so good. We had boats--an ou...