Joe and Vicki Kieva

Joe: Most campers are pretty gregarious. Meeting and getting acquainted with them isn’t difficult. If you want to meet your fellow campers, Vicki and I recommend that you take two walks around the campground. The first walk should take place after most of the travelers have arrived but while it is still daylight. You will have the opportunity to look at the various types of camping vehicles, inspect any interesting camping gear, and take a look at the ingenious gadgets that people come up with.

This walk also provides an opportunity to meet new people. Just observe the body language of the campers who are outside. Some will be sitting way to the rear of their campsite with their backs to the road. These folks are not particularly interested in socializing at the moment. Other campers, though, will be sitting under their awning, facing the road, hats on the back of their head, and a cold drink in their hand. Their dog will be eagerly wagging his tail. These folks are ready! A real giveaway is the guy who is sitting so close to the road he has to pull back his feet every time an RV passes by.

A sure-fire conversation starter is “hello”. Works every time. Follow that with an admiring word about their rig, dog, or hat and you have just made a new friend. The best conversation starters in a campground are “Where are you from?” “Where are you going?”and “Where have you been?”

The second walk should be taken after dark. RVers have a tendency to leave their blinds open for an hour or so after dinner. Now you have the opportunity to see how they have decorated the interior of their rig and to see if they have the good sense to drink your brand of soft drink. Both of these subjects make excellent conversation starters when you see these folks outside the next day.

Vicki: Many KOAs create opportunities for their guests to socialize. They conduct campfires with singing, story telling and other forms of entertainment. We’ve also seen quilting bees, exercise classes and craft fairs offered at KOAs.

The campground laundry room is one of my favorite places to meet folks. If you are waiting for your clothes to wash or dry, you might as well start talking to the others who are also waiting for their clothes.

This is an excellent way to find out what’s down the road. We have gotten some of our best camping and traveling information from people we’ve met in campground laundry rooms. There is a good chance that the people you are talking with have just come from the direction you are heading. They can tell you about road and traffic conditions, campgrounds, tourist attractions and good places to eat.

Speaking of places to eat: You will discover that a number of KOAs offer morning coffee, doughnuts, breakfasts, barbecues and dinners right on their grounds. You have the opportunity to buy your morning or evening meal without the bother of leaving the campground. What better place to socialize with fellow campers than over a meal?

Start with “hello.” You will discover that campers are the nicest bunch of people in the world.Enjoy The Journey!