shhhh…do you hear that?

When I was a young whippersnapper, my sibling and I would be running around the campground yelling our heads off while my parents set up our coleman pop-up that we shared with our extended family. Eventually, my Old Man would have enough of it and he would call us over, “Kids, kids, come here!” We would obediently trot over to him and wait to hear what he had to say.

He’d look us dead in the eye, put his finger to his lips and say, “Shhhhh….do you hear that?”

Of course, being gullible small children, we’d all get as quiet as we possibly could and listen for a good long while. We’d say, “No, what?” and he’d shush us again and ask us if we heard it. Eventually, he would say to us, “It’s the sound of quiet. The rest of the campground is here for that, not to hear you running around screaming.” Then he’d send us off, chastened, to play and explore once more.

I think about that a lot when I’m camping these days and I hear children and adults yelling, blasting music, shouting, or otherwise being downright disrespectful and un-neighborly towards their fellow man in the pursuit of outdoor recreation. Being outside is a good time, and it’s one that can be had by all. But campsites are often close to one another, and we must live in harmony so that everyone can enjoy the outdoors.

Many of us, myself included, are outside for the peace and quiet. To get away from the hustle and bustle of modern urban living. We don’t want to hear your rants, arguments, screaming kids, barking dogs, and poor taste in music. We want to be able to relax and enjoy the out of doors.

Now, some things are “unavoidable”. I don’t like generator noise and I’m not the biggest fan of UTVs but I’ll never try and stop someone from pursuing their recreation as they see fit. I like to hunt, and that’s a factor as well to others enjoying the woods and streams. It would be hypocritical for me to say, “Let me shoot my shotgun at sunrise, but you don’t dare run your dirt bike at midday.”

However, it is not hypocritical to ask you to keep it down when you’re in your campsite. There’s no need to be shouting and carrying on, and your screaming kids probably need to be taught the same lesson I was before they grow up into the kind of people that drink and boat while blasting the latest and greatest of what passes for country music these days (don’t get me started on Nashville). Be neighborly. It’s something small you can do to make everything better.

Well, for once I’ll get down off my soap box. Send me your thoughts and horror stories of bad camping neighbors so we can commiserate, and maybe I’ll share them in the newsletter or on the blog.

Have a question about camping you need answered? Ask Uncle Biv.