JOURNEY TO MY BIGFOOT FAMILY

By JEFF & TRISH CREED�& dogs Cricket, Amber & Tucker

MyRvingjourneystartedbeforeIcouldevenwalk...andthatwaswelloverhalfacenturyago.Myfirsttrailerwasmadebymyfatherwhohadtolaminatesheetsofplywoodtogethertomakeawaterprooftop.Itwastinybytoday’sstandards,butitwasamagicalplaceindaysgoneby.Wehadaninsidetoiletthatconsistedofpullingoutacupboardandplacingoneselfoveraholecutintotheplywoodtop.Idon’tknowwhatcollectedthosedeposits;IwasindiapersandIcouldn’tcareless.IdothoughvividlyrememberhowourColemanlanternwasmountedonabracketthatcouldbeswunginsidethetraileroritcouldbeswungoutsidetolighttheentirecampsite.Atbedtimethetablefoldeddownandmyselfandmytwosisterssleptbeneathit,momanddadsleptontop.Itwasalwaysamazingtowatchdadtransformourtrailerfromsomethingthatwasonlythreefeethightoahugetrailerthateventheadultscouldstandupin.Itevenhadhardshellsidewalls.Iwonderwhateverhappentothatoldtrailer,andthe1956Chevythatpulledit.Howmanyotherfamiliesexperienceditsmagictransformationfromcampingmodetotowingmode?Howmanycherishedmemoriesdiditfacilitate?

Our1959trailerthtDadbuilt,pulledbyour1956sChevy!Itevenhadhardshellsidewalls!

Momhandlingherkidswithease.

Hey,wheredoesDadsit?

Dadthenupgradedtoournewtous16footGlendaletrailer,itwasarealheadturner;itwassohightechthatitevenhadapropanelanternmountedonthewallabovethetable.

DadjoinedtheBurnabyTrailerClubthefirstyearitwasformed.Istillrememberwhenheproudlycamehomeonenightandheproclaimedthatwewerenowinatrailerclub!OurfirstoutingwasinafieldatBelcarra.InthosedaysthereweredozensoftrailerclubsintheGreaterVancouverarea.Asachilditwasaspecialtimeastwiceamonthwewouldhaveatraileroutingwith20to30rigs.InthosedaystherewereVolkswagenvans,campersandtrailers.Weregularlyhad50ormoreotherkidsthatwemettwiceamonthtoplaywith.Momusedtojokethatshewouldfeedusbreakfastandthennotseeusagainuntildinner.ThePopShoppopwasastaple,wewouldgowithmomandfillupacoupleofcaseswitheveryflavorofpopthattheyhad.Inretrospecthavingraisedmyownchildren,Icanseewhyweranaroundsomuch...wewereonasugarhigh!WewouldcampatplaceslikeBirchBayandwewouldallgorollerskatinginthebigbarn...itisnolongerthere.WhenwecampedatLindenwewouldsneakovertoafarmer’sfieldandstealsomedeliciouscarrots...atleasttheywerehealthierthanallthejunkfoodthatwenormallyconsumed.WealwayscampedonthebanksoftheChilliwackRiverwhenthecornwasripe.Everyoneateasmuchcornastheycouldduringourcornfeeds.Pancakebreakfastscookedinmeetinghallswasalsoastaple,aswasHobostew;everyonewouldthrowacanofwhateverintoabigpottomakedinnerforthegroup.Andofcoursewehadpotluckdinners;norestaurantcanmatchanofferinglikethosehomecookedmeals.

OnceayearallthetrailerclubswouldcamptogetherattheAldergrovefairgrounds.Everytrailerclubproudlydisplayedtheirclubbannerandcoloredflagswerestrungeverywhere.Therewasalwaysaparadewhereeveryrallyattendeewouldparticipate.Manyclubshadtheirowncolourcodedjackets.Ourclub’swerebrightyellowwithabeeonthemthatmyfatherhaddesigned.

Uskidswouldalwayssneakunderthestadiumbleachersandlookforanychangethathadfallenthere.WealsoharvestedallthediscardedPopsiclestickstomakeflyingcontraptions.Thiswasbeforeweknewanythingaboutinfectiousdiseases,wewerejusthavingfun.Sometimeswegottoseeandpetthehorsesandevenseeahorserace.

Gameswerealwayspopular,especiallyrotationgameswherethewinnerwouldhavetomoveontothenexttrailer.Wewouldalsooftenbikerideorcanoetogetherasagroupandatonetimesquaredancingwasverypopular.Lawndartswereverypopularbackthen,andyeswehadourshareofclosecalls,nowondertheywerefinallybanned.Horseshoeswerepopulariftherewasapitnearby,ifnotweimprovisedgamesliketossingaraweggbackandforth.Thetossinvolvedeveryonestartingbystandingacrossfromtheirpartnerononeoftwoparallellines.Theruleswerethataftereverysuccessfultossyouwouldtakeonestepbackward,whoeverputthemostdistancebetweenhisorhersteammatewithoutbreakingtheeggafteritwastossedwon.

Therewasneveranyonethatdidnotparticipate,everyonealwayshadfun.Eveningsmostofteninvolvedacampfirewithchairscircledabout.

Whenevertheclubwascampedatalocationthathadsomeformofpowerorwater,theadaptersandcordsandhosescameoutinabundance.Therewasquiteajokesterintheclub,Inthelaterdays,whenevertheclubdrycampedhewouldpoundintothegroundaweatheredpostthathadawatertapandanelectricalbox.Itwasverylegitimatelookingandinevitablyanewbieorothercamperwouldaskifhecouldalsohookuptoit.Whentheunsuspectingcampercouldn’tfigureoutwhyhedidn’thavepowerorelectricitytheanswerwasalwaysthesame“Mineisokay,youmusthaveaproblemwithyourrig.”Thiswasusuallygoodforafewhoursofentertainment,usuallybythenitinvolvedagroupofmentroubleshooting.Thegigusuallyendedwhenanothermemberwoulddeclarethathewouldliketohookuptoobutthepower/waterpostwastoofaraway.Atthatpointthepostwouldsimplybepickedupandmoved.Itishardtobelievebuteventhisdidnotclueafewcampersintothejoke.

WegraduatedfromourGlendaletrailertoabrandnew20½footTerrytrailer.Mydadpulleditwitha1969Fordpickuptruckwithacanopyontheback.Mydadmadeseatsinthecanopythatalsofoldeddownintoabedsothatwekidscouldhavesleepoversinthecanopy.Noseatbeltstoworryaboutinthosedays,wewouldpile6kidsintothebackwhenwewereheadingoutforoutings.Mydaddidaddaheaterinthebackwhichkeptusalltoastywarm.Weusedanintercomontheoddoccasionthatwehadtoconversefromthecabtothecanopy.Afewyearslatertherewasabadaccidentwherepeopletravellingmuchlikewhatwedidwerethrownoutofthebackofapickuptruck.ICBCruledthattheirinsuranceonlycoveredthreepeoplebecausethetruckwasonlymanufacturedwiththreeseatbelts.SoonafterthatmydadpurchasedaChevySuburbantocarryallofus.

CheckingourthesanddunesWhileusing

ourbrandnewtrailer

AsayoungadultImetoneofmyoldneighboursthatwasfouryearsmysenior,whichisaneternitytoaboy.Hestatedthathesolongedtogowithusononeofouroutings.Hesaidhenoticedthatwheneverwedepartedonacampingtrippullingour

trailereveryonewasalwayslaughingandsmilingandhavingagoodtime.Hesaidthathewassoenviousandjealousofusthathecouldnotgo.Itoldhimthatifhehadofasked,wewouldhavebeengladtotakehimcamping.Whatanopportunitymissed.AsanadultIrememberedthisandalwaysallowedmychildrentobringanyfriendsalongcampingthattheywantedtoo.OurfundswerequitelimitedbackthensooftenatsidetripslikebustouringoftheColumbiaIceFields,mywifeandIwouldstaybehind,butourchildren’sfriendsalwayshadtheadventureoftheirlifetime.

WhenmychildrenweresmallIsearchedforatrailerclubfamilyjustlikeIhadgrowingupinmytrailerclubdays...alastherearenomoretrailerclubslikeindaysgonepast.Mostofthecampsthatwestayedatintrailerclubdayshavevanishedorhavebeentransformedintotimesharesorpermanentcampsites.Thefewtrailerclubsthatsurviveddidnothaveenoughkidsinthemtomakeitworthwhile.Insteadwhenwecampedwewouldalwaysletthekidsjustbringsomefriendsalong.

Ihavebeenfortunateenoughtohavecampedintents,afoldingtrailer,atenttrailer,hardsidetrailers,campers,afifthwheelandnowamotorhome.WheneversomeoneasksmewhatisthebestkindofRVtoownIsaythereisn’tone,justpickthetypethatsuitsyourneedsthebest.ThetroubleisneedschangeandthensodoesyourchoiceofRV.Agoodexampleisourcurrentmotorhome,ithaslotsofspacebutwesurecan’tgoplacesthatweusedtowithour4X4truckandcamper.IfIcouldIwouldhavetwoRV’sfordifferenttypesoftrips.

EnterourBigfootyears;wepurchasedourfirstBigfootCamperin2006anditincludedafreemembershiptoBigfootOwnersClubInternational(BOCI).Ihadnointerestinthat.Yearspassedanditwasn’tuntilin2011thatmybuddytoldmeabouthisHondamotorcycleforumthatIrememberedthatBigfootalsohadaforum.Idecidedtocheckitout.WhilesearchingtheBigfootforumInoticedtherallies.Ithoughtthatweshouldgiveoneatry.Mywifewhohatescrowdssaidokaywewillsignupandsufferthroughthefirstdayofoneandthenwecanleaveifwedon’tlikeit.Thatwas2011andnowwithoursecondBigfootwehaven’tmissedarallysince.MywifesaysthatIamjustlikeakidwhenweattendourrallies.ShesaysthatIamalwayssmilingandsheneverknowswhereIam.IthoughtaboutthatforawhileandIrealizedthatsheisright;themagicthatIexperiencedasachildinourtrailerclubyearsisexactlywhatIfeelagainalltheseyearslater.It’stoobadthatfeelingdisappearedforthreedecades.

Ralliesaremorethanjustspendingtimewithfriends,theyalwayshaveteachingseminars.DuringoneoftheseseminarsGrantBilodeauofBigfootRVimpressedallofuswhenhetookahammerandpoundedonawindowcutoutofaBigfoot.Hekeptstrikingthefibreglasswindowshapedpanelwithsomuchforcethathisfeetcameofftheground.Notevenadentonthewallpanel;whoknewthatthefibreglasswallcouldstanduptothatabuse.IfIhadnotseenthatinpersonIwouldneverhavebelievedit.

Atthisyear’srallyatOsoyooswealsohadAlCohoefromtheOkanaganCollegedoanexcellentpresentationonpropanesafetyandRVownerstips.EvenaretiredFireCaptainlikemelearntsomethingaboutpropanesafetyandsomenewRVtips.

Atourralliesallofourbreakfastsarecateredto,aswellasmostofthedinners.Wealsoalwayshaveaserendipitypotluckdinner...justhopethatyourtabledoesn’tgetcalleduplast.ThisyearwealsorodeontheKettleValleysteamrailway,wealwayshaveafewvolunteerswhostaybacktolookafterpets.Johnwhohasvolunteeredtodothisthelastfewralliescarriesanotebookwithhimwithnotesabouteachpet.Whattheirnameis,whattheirpersonalitiesarelike,theirfavoritesnacksetc.Whenwereturnedthisyearwenoticedthathehandedbackasmallbaggietoeachownerwhentheyreturned.Weallthought,whatdedicationheevensavestheirpoop...itturnedoutthatthesebaggiescontainedthekeysforeachRVthathehadtovisit.

Wealwayshaveanafternoonsetasideforrigtours;thisisagreatwaytoseehowothershavecustomizedtheirrigs.Caution;thesetourscanbedangerous;thisiswhyweareonBigfootnumbertwo.

AswepullawayfromthecampsiteandrallyfriendsIcanfeelthetearsstartingtoswellupinmycheeks.Whatgives;mendon’thavefeelingslikethis.Itisthatsamelongingthatyoufeelwhenyouareleavingafamilyreunion.Therealityhitsthatthismaybethelasttimethatyouwillsomeofthesefriends.Lifecircumstanceschange;asIageIamacutelyawareofthisreality.Inmyownretrospect,whowouldhavethoughtthatthelasttimewehadallthechildrentogetherforafamilyvacationwouldbeourlasttriptogether,orwhocouldhavepredictedthatvisitwithGrandpawouldbemylast.Thelistgoesonandon,theonlycommondenominatorischerishedmemoriesandchange.Thatemptyfeelinginthepitofyourstomachmeansthatsomethingveryspecialhasbeentakenaway.Likethefeelingyouhavewhenyourbestfriendmovesaway.Yesyouprobablywillstillseethemagain,butmaybenot,thingswillbedifferentfromnowon.SoitiswithfellowfriendsyoumeetinRVclubs,somewillstayinyourlifeuntilthebitterendandotherswilldriftinandout.

SomeofmyveryfavoritememorieshavebeenformedaroundRVingandcampingwithmyparents,andthenmychildren.MynewestmemoriesarebeingformedwithmyextendedBigfootfamily.OurBigfoot’sarewhatbroughtustogether,butthefriendshipsformedatourralliesarethegluethatkeepsthosememoriesaliveforever.Ifyouwanttorekindlethatcamaraderiethatyouhadinyourtrailerclubdaysofyouryouth,orifyouhaveneverbeenembracedbysuchawarmfellowshipandwanttoexperiencesome,getaBigfootRVandcomeandjoinusathttp://www.bigfootowners.com

Jeff&TrishCreed&dogsCricket,Amber&Tucker