Jim here.

I think it’s probably time for me to start adding my voice and perspective to this blog.

As a participant in the Runaway Ridge adventure, I think it’s probably time for me to start adding my voice and perspective to this blog.  I am not the articulate writer that Tammy is, but after living with her for so many years I’m hoping that some of her talents have rubbed off on me.  Tammy has already been describing my endeavors and activities on The Ridge with you, but I would like to share more of my side of some of these stories and add more to the technical side of things. I also think that my background and experiences have in many ways led us to where we are on The Ridge.

I was raised in a family that loved the out-of-doors.  For as long as I can remember, our family would take long summer camping trips.  My father would typically take two to three weeks off in the summer.  We had an old, 1950’s vintage camper and a station wagon.  These would get loaded up with supplies, my parents, my three siblings and me and we would drive to camping destinations all over the United States.  I think we visited some 35 of the 50 states.

In the times before the interstates, we would be traveling on state routes and country roads.  We would go through small towns and rural countryside.  We would eat our daytime meals on picnic tables that were set up on the side of these roads.  We would have all our food and drinks with us.  These early, and primitive, “rest stops” had a widened area off the side of the road to park the vehicles, and if there were toilet facilities, they were probably multi stall outhouses.

My father fashioned himself as a handyman and added numerous features to our camper in order to accommodate his growing family.  He added a canvas cot over the small dining table in the front of the interior of the trailer and a canopy outside the main door gave us more sheltered space.  The camper only had a true ice chest for keeping our food cold and fresh.  This had to be kept stocked with a large block of ice.  We had a small propane stove for when we needed to cook meals inside.  Most meals were cooked over an open fire outside and we had a portable table where we ate together.

As my oldest sister and I got old enough, we were moved outside into a tent to free up space inside the camper for the two younger siblings.  We ended up spending most of our time outside, sometimes getting in trouble, but always having fun.  I know that these experiences inspired my love for the out-of-doors and my desire to be close to nature.  They also formed my goals for family experiences away from the rat race.  I’m glad that both of our sons grew up getting into good trouble and having fun at Runaway Ridge.

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