Camping Adventures with Mark & Dawn
Camping, adventures, funny stories, family friendly
recent posts
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- Smokin K’s BBQ & Cajun Cuisine in Marion, IL – Come Hungry!
- Big Blues Que: Worth the Trip to Creal Springs
- How Long Does It Take to Set Up an RV Campsite? Our Fifth-Wheel Camping Routine
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Category: Camping Stories
Stories of our camping adventures.
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How long does it really take to set up a fifth-wheel campsite? From leveling our Grand Design 295RL and hooking up utilities to flags, bikes, grilling gear, and finally that first Arnold Palmer, here’s what our campsite setup routine really looks like.
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Three couples head from Southern Illinois to Oxford, Mississippi, for an RV-resort trip with a Grand Design 295RL, a lazy river and plenty of heat.
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Our camping story spans canvas tents, a motorcycle camper, teardrops, travel trailers and fifth wheels, ending with our Grand Design Reflection 295RL.
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A humorous look at trends, technology, old habits and why I am usually just late enough to miss whatever everyone else is already doing.
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Winter is hanging on in Southern Illinois, but camping season is getting close. Here is what spring fever looks like when the RV has been parked too long.
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Football season is over, baseball is starting and our attention has turned to planning the 2026 RV camping season and the trips we want to make.
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A humorous look at how an extremely organized planner approaches campground reservations, camping dates and building an RV travel calendar.
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From childhood outhouses to Marine Corps field life and primitive camping, this is a funny look at outdoor bathroom options and lessons learned the hard way.
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A look ahead at our 2026 camping plans, future retirement travel and the growing list of RV adventures we want to fit into the coming years.
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Why do we keep camping when one loose sewer hose, bad weather or a noisy campsite can change everything? Because the good trips are worth the chaos.
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The last trip of the season is always bittersweet. It is time to winterize the RV, put away the camping gear and start planning the next adventure.
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A lighthearted look at camping, marriage and the little things our wives do that make life—and RV travel—a lot more interesting.
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You do not need alcohol to enjoy a campground, a campfire or a group trip. Here is our experience camping and socializing as people who do not drink.
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Once the camper is winterized, the long wait for spring begins. A humorous look at what happens to campers when cold weather ends the season.
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The last trip of the season is always bittersweet. It is time to winterize the RV, put away the camping gear and start planning the next adventure.
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When the rain traps two people and a dog inside an RV all day, even a simple camping trip can turn into a full day of entertainment and cabin fever.
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How did your camping story begin? Mine started long before fifth wheels and RV resorts, with family trips, simple gear and memories that lasted.
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A father, two boys and a few basic knots turned into one of those small campground moments that reminds you how valuable simple outdoor skills can be.
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Camping with Odie raises an important question: what exactly does a dog who already lives a comfortable life need from an RV vacation?
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Camping in Southern Illinois in August means heat, humidity and insects. Here is what a 108-degree heat index feels like from inside the campground.