For Lotti Klassen of Steinbach, the answer is no, and she blames herself. Klassen suspects that her openness about her preferred camping spots led to others snapping up the reservations before she could. Consequently, she’s now more secretive about the best camping locations.
However, Klassen did share her go-to camping foods. She diverges from traditional camping fare, opting for more unique choices. “We’re pretty non-traditional. We’ve scrapped the hot dog and hamburger thing. One must-have for me is vereniki,” she says. Klassen explains that it’s easy to cook up pre-made pierogi and farmer sausage, then add cream gravy and rhubarb sauce.
Despite missing out on her top camping spot, Klassen remains determined to camp extensively this summer.
Susie Dyck of Steinbach echoes the sentiment regarding specific camping meals. “I want to do camping breakfast,” she states. “The hashbrowns, toast, the bacon… all that. I don’t know why, but eating that type of breakfast is so much better outside.”
Dyck, a last-minute planner, has a favorite spot in mind for this summer. “Rushing River would be one of my favorites. I like that there are no boats on the lake so you can kayak, and it’s quieter. I enjoy that more than the busyness of lots of boats around.”
Dyck admits that her spontaneous approach often involves searching online for campground cancellations just a couple of days before leaving. Although planning a camping trip requires some effort and money, she believes it’s worth it.
Camping preferences vary, with some people preferring to “rough it” and others seeking a bit of luxury. Vaughn Bergen recalls when luxuries began to influence camping experiences. His most memorable camping trip as a child coincided with his family purchasing a new vehicle, although it lacked air conditioning—a feature their friends had.
The contrast was evident upon arrival at the campsite. “I remember my dad’s best friend stepping out of his truck and saying, ‘Yeah, there’s nothing like getting to the campground all nice and cool, refreshed, not sweating, nothing.’ And we all piled out of our truck, panting,” Bergen laughs. “That’s probably my fondest camping trip.”
Despite the challenges and varying preferences, Steinbach residents continue to cherish their camping adventures, each with their unique approach and memorable experiences.