The Birth of a Project

I have always loved camping. I used to camp a lot when I was younger. As a kid growing up in Ohio in the summer the neighborhood kids and me would pitch a tent in the backyard.

In high school, some good friends of mine were avid campers and backpackers so I got into it too. We lived in a suburb that was within walking distance from some great rural camping spots. Our philosophy was to be as prepared and self-sufficient as possible. Also to be innovative and creative with your camping gear. We camped under a railroad trestle. We camped in an abandoned barn. We camped in wooded areas. There are reclaimed strip mining areas, tuned back into parks, where we camped.

But I haven't camped that much since I moved to Florida. Part of the reason is Florida is a horrible place to go camping. The insects and the heat are two things that make camping in Florida terrible. Another part is I've just been lazy.

Camping at the 2001 Rolex 24 at Daytona.

In addition to camping, I've always been a huge fan of automobile racing. In 2001 my wife and I attended and camped at the Rolex 24 Hour endurance race at Daytona. We slept in the back of her Volvo 245 wagon. In 2003 my wife and I attended the Sebring 12 hour race. We tent camped and got rained on.

In 2018 some dear friends of mine came to Florida for the Sebring race. They rented RVs. I had the most fun I've had in a long time. We camped and enjoyed the full 4-day event.

Based on that experience I decided it would be so much fun to be able to camp at more races. Especially here in Florida in the late winter when it's the racing season. And to also camp at the many Florida state parks, National Parks and forests. 

I'm not 20 years old and I can't sleep on the ground anymore. My old bones, arthritis, and sore muscles demand a certain level of comfort. In January I purchased a pop-up trailer, which was only one step up from tent camping. Not many amenities. We took it to Sebring this year and it turned out to be a bit of a disaster. With a 15-year-old, 4-inch foam rubber mattress I woke up feeling like I'd been beaten with a nightstick.  For my wife and I, the pop-up didn't provide any respite from the constant noise of the race track. After three days I felt like the walking dead. We had to leave early which was so disappointing for me.  I never want to experience that again.   

Now I'm super excited to start a new project that will get me back to camping again. And in a way that fits the way I live today.

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