by Donna Swagerty Shreve
I have such fond memories of camping with my family at some point each summer. Camping was an inexpensive way for our family to have a vacation. To enhance my memories, I have a copy of our home movies.
When Grant, my youngest sibling, was still a baby, we went camping to Big Basin State Park with my parents and fraternal grandparents. The original plan was to leave the baby with Grandpa and Grandma in Escalon. Grandpa had a better idea. He decided he and Grandma would come with us. He promised to help. This was when Mom rolled her eyes.
Mom now had to bring all of the extra equipment and supplies needed to support a baby not yet walking. I can still visualize Mom hand washing dirty cloth diapers and hanging them near the fire to dry. Mom had stopped nursing Grant so she had to bring and deal with bottles in a camp site.
Grandpa felt he helped by taking the kids on a hike which included pushing Grant in a stroller. Mom had looked forward to having a much needed break but instead got a lot of extra work. Grandma was very helpful but I was so aware of Mom’s disappointment.
Another family camping memory was when we went to a state park at Carpinteria near Santa Barbara. The camp was located right on the beach and sand was always an issue for our camp site. The beach had a long sloping shore that allowed us to wade out a good distance before the water got deep. We did all of usual beach activities that kept us quite entertained. Brian volunteered to be partially buried under a mound of sand. We had hula hoop contests as they were the current craze. We practiced until we were quite proficient and had contests on who could last the longest. I was just developing hips so I had an advantage that I enjoyed. When we got back home, we were the first on our block to own the newest toy and others had to quickly buy a hoop to be included.
Back at our camp site, Dad had created glamping before it was a thing. Our camp site contained three tents that surrounded a large tarp that served as our flooring. Mom swept it several times a day. A large picnic table was near the camp stove. In this kitchen area, Dad had installed several boxes and placed them on their sides to hold our supplies and eating ware. Dad found some hooks for our cups. Tarps were extended from the tents and served as a roof. Other tarps were hung around our site so we had privacy. Grant was now 6 years old and when we got home, for several weeks he kept asking when we were going back to our other home.
My last standout memory from family camping was when we camped in Yosemite. Mom had worked in Yosemite during college and had fond memories. This trip Brian got to bring a friend Bill DuBois and I got to bring my friend Ann LaRue. It was now the early 1960s. We had a girls’ tent that housed Jane and the two of us. The boys tent had Brian and Bill. Grant decided he would prefer to sleep in a hollowed out tree in our camp site.
The boys, which consisted of Brian, Bill, Grant and Dad spent most of their time fishing. First they had to catch grasshoppers as bait and Brian remembers spending most of their time looking for grasshoppers. The area had many hiking trails that led to shallow lakes set in granite. Dad had to spend most of his time untangling Grant’s fishing line. Somehow Grant had a real talent for creating chaos out of his fishing gear.
Ann and I had found two college age boys from southern California. They were nice enough to pass my parents scrutiny and fun enough to keep us interested. We both dated them a bit after our Yosemite trip. I remember my gentleman friend coming to visit us in Stockton after Christmas from Santa Barbara. Ann dated her friend while she attended Occidental College. Brian has said that his family camping experience and especially the trip to Yosemite inspired him to pursue a career that involved the great outdoors.
In 1985, I wanted to expose my sons to camping based on my own childhood experiences. I found a family camp through a dear friend. She had attended Camp Tuolumne as a child with her family and was now taking her children. Vinnie had three children that were close enough to my two sons. I also brought my two nieces, one was the same age as Brad and Wendy was a few years younger and close enough to Vinnie’s youngest daughter Katie. Vinnie brought along her nephew and her sister-in-law brought her three children. The extended group of us filled a table in the dining room all by ourselves.
This family camp thought of activities and services that appealed to all ages. I was thrilled that all three meals were served daily in the large dining room full of its traditions. There were songs for those who forgot their good tale manners. Elbows on the table had its own song and the culprit got sung to by the entire group and then clapped around the dining room in a parade of shame. “Around the table you must go…” Birthdays were celebrated and Jennifer, my niece, has an August 3 birthday which tended to fall during our summer week in camp. She got a cake with candles and a rousing birthday song. This time the parade around the dining hall was in celebration. Meal times were at a constant time and woe to those who dared to be tardy. That had another song.
Our morning started with a loud bell that was heard all around camp. The first bell signaled 45 minutes to breakfast. The second bell was 15 minutes before the meal began. The third bell determined who was late and who just made it in time.There was rarely a sleep-in. During breakfast we got announcements which ranged from activities for the day to special events or celebrations. Sometimes weeks had themes. One year we had the camp olympics. Aaron, my oldest, had the thrill of being our leader. Various events appropriate to camp activities were made into competitions. Each team could enter their set number of participants. Points were kept and then there was an award ceremony with medals. We received our winning medals with pride. Another year the camp had a luau week that even included exotic food to compliment the theme.
If it wasn’t a special event day we had a variety of activities to keep us busy during the day. There was a craft tent where various art projects were created from materials from nature or more tradition camping crafts. Brad became obsessed with making lanyards and had his own business during his time in middle school. Hiking was always an option on very well marked trails. Usually the hike was designated with miles involved and level of skill needed. Camp Tuolumne is situated quite near to Yosemite and many beautiful and varied hikes were available. The basketball court area was used for both basketball and volleyball. Ping pong table were set up in another area and there were horse shoe pits.
Younger campers could join Junior Rangers where they had a special tent full of such treasures as snake skins, bird nests and other items found in nature. Rangers also picked up litter around camp and worked towards winning their prized Junior Ranger Badge presented at meal time.
The nature tent usually had wild life that was available for observation. I remember various nature reference books for those who wanted to look up the local birds, fish or other wild life. Fishing was a possibility but anything if was caught, one had to agree to clean and eat it. A swimming hole was situated on the river that ran through camp. Melting snow made the water quite invigorating and swimming was only really appealing on a very hot day. Within this swimming was a huge rock named Beaver Head Rock due to its shape. A challenge to all kids who entered the swimming area was to climb up slippery the enormous rock and then jump from its tall peak back into the water. I remember both of my boys conquered Beaver Head Rock but I am not sure about the girls. I do remember the agony of almost attempts. The water was freezing, Beaver Head Rock was huge and very slippery. Then if you made it to the top of the rock you had to stir up the courage to jump off into the freezing water. Usually by the time you had made it up to the top of the rock and gathered the courage to jump, your bathing suit was dry and the shock of the cold water would hit again. There was another water area called Lower Beach which had calmer warmer shallow water and less activity.
The Camp Store had limited hours and sold candy, camp themed tee shirts, sweat shirts, aprons and a daily Sunday Chronicle. Many adults bought the paper and then sat in green Adirondack chairs that were located in a circle by the dining room entrance. Morning coffee was drunk here by early campers or cocktails by some before dinner. Our group of friends and families usually consisted of about three tents. The adults would gather in one of these tents and have cocktails before dinner. As the kids got older they would chose to join us and almost dare us to kick them out. Aaron had driven our family pick-up with extra camping supplies as five of us plus suitcases just did not fit in one car. His challenging drive up Priest’s Grade entitled him to adult drinks. It was his coming of age and camp was a great place to celebrate his new status.Many adults agreed that rest time was a favorite enforced time in camp. This quiet time meant campers either left camp or stayed in their tents while the U (utility) boys cleaned the bath room and shower area and sprinkled down the dust on the trails in and around camp.
There were different evening activities each night. One day early in the week, the staff put on the evening entertainment at the camp amphitheater. The campers got to be introduced to the staff in a very fun and entertaining manner. Camp songs were introduced around the fire in front of the stage. One night was dedicated to indoor board games and bingo in the dining room after the evening meal. A family dance night was held at the basketball court. Age was not a factor for partners. There was a wonderful atmosphere that was inclusive and non-judgmental. Group games filled up an evening of entertainment. My boys were introduced to the rigorous game of Capture the Flag which came home to be introduced to our neighborhood and friends.
The night, that was anticipated by many, was family talent night. Our yearly challenge was to included all of the kids in a way that was fair and featured those who wanted to star and those who preferred the background role. One year stands out for this group. Kres, Vinnie’s brother, had joined us for a few days and he brought his guitar. His son Carson, Vinnie’s son Dana and Brad became the cool background singers in the style of the Temptations. They all wore shades and snapped their fingers in rhythm in the back of the stage. Kres sang “Little Miss Red Riding Hood” to the three youngest dressed in pajamas as this was to be their bedtime story. The PJ crowd was Katie, Vinnie’s youngest, Wendy, my youngest niece and Jay the youngest nephew of Vinnie. They were situated in front of the stage to the right side. On stage was Jen, the oldest niece and Aaron. Jen was wearing a red hooded sweat shirt and carrying a basket. Aaron did his best to look like a wolf. They acted out the words to the song and at the end Jen reached into her bag and pulled out a handful of shaving cream and pushed it into Aaron’s face.
Over the years the boys were allowed to bring one friend who was brought into the family skit and shared the week with all of us. One year I brought along our Japanese exchange student who we had living with us for six weeks. She was intrigued with this week long family tradition and she joined in quite well. She was a few years older than most of the kids. She proved herself to be quite the excellent badminton player and very quickly the word spread throughout camp. Some of the young fathers lined up to take up the challenge of her excellent game. She quickly quit as she was standing out because in her culture standing out is frowned upon. Camp let all of us get to know each other much better in a different environment.
Fortunately Aaron has continued the camping tradition with his family. He gathers with about nine other families for a week at Ruth Lake that is located west of Red Bluff and is out of cell phone range. The various kids are close enough in age to find things to do and adults have known each other for years. I have faith that camping will continue to be passed down through the generations as a special experience all children should experience.
Swagerty-Aldrich Family Web Site 