Tweet
I used to camp at public campgrounds with my family when I was a kid.
Then, I got into backcountry camping for several decades.
Now, I am getting back into campground camping. Aaaahhh. Never say never.
Anyway, I wonder if etiquette has changed while I was "away".
My question to you folks is this: "is there some kind of commonly understood etiquette about campsite lighting at public campgrounds?"
When I was a kid, Dad would fire up the Coleman two mantle gas lantern at dusk and he would leave it going all night supposedly to keep the varmin away.
Well the past couple of times I have been camping a the state campgrounds, I notice that most lights are out around 9:30 or so. I noticed this when I went for a walk in the campgrounds around that time and it was DARK - oh, a few folks had some Christmas trees around their pop-up trailers and there were some subdued battery operated lights, but the only "sunshine of the night" Coleman two mantle gas lantern that I saw blaring was MINE which I could see even far from my campsite. In fact, I didn't see many of the GIANT bonfires that were so common in years past either.
It made me a little self-consious. Of course, I like to read and write at night and the Coleman not only provides that light, but gives me some warmth to snuggle around while I do my writing. Of course, I always have the gas lantern dark by midnight or when the reading/writing is done - whichever comes first. At that point, I switch to candles for ambiance.
So, modern Folks, what is the word on night lighting at camp?
Then, I got into backcountry camping for several decades.
Now, I am getting back into campground camping. Aaaahhh. Never say never.
Anyway, I wonder if etiquette has changed while I was "away".
My question to you folks is this: "is there some kind of commonly understood etiquette about campsite lighting at public campgrounds?"
When I was a kid, Dad would fire up the Coleman two mantle gas lantern at dusk and he would leave it going all night supposedly to keep the varmin away.
Well the past couple of times I have been camping a the state campgrounds, I notice that most lights are out around 9:30 or so. I noticed this when I went for a walk in the campgrounds around that time and it was DARK - oh, a few folks had some Christmas trees around their pop-up trailers and there were some subdued battery operated lights, but the only "sunshine of the night" Coleman two mantle gas lantern that I saw blaring was MINE which I could see even far from my campsite. In fact, I didn't see many of the GIANT bonfires that were so common in years past either.
It made me a little self-consious. Of course, I like to read and write at night and the Coleman not only provides that light, but gives me some warmth to snuggle around while I do my writing. Of course, I always have the gas lantern dark by midnight or when the reading/writing is done - whichever comes first. At that point, I switch to candles for ambiance.
So, modern Folks, what is the word on night lighting at camp?
A canvas campateer
Comment