View Full Version : What I learned while camping with In-laws....
What I learned while camping with In-laws:
1. My hatchet needs to be sharpened.
2. People are inherently stupid.
3. Most people do not plan/pack well.
4. I really need a new car.
5. It is possible to have a good time with In-laws.
6. Other people have no sense of common courtesy.
We went down to a place called Elephant Butte/lake in Southern New Mexico. It's about an hour south of Soccoro, which is about an hour south of Albuquerque. The drive SUCKED. My, the wife, niece, nephew, and dog stuck in a tiny car with no air conditioning for a 6 hour drive. Outside temps reaching close to 100. The niece is a drama queen and very selfish. If you saw her mother, you'd know why. The nephew is a little trooper though, I chalk it up to his Indian blood. lol.
The wife's cousin who originally set up this "get away" had to back out at the last minute... along with some other people that were going. So the party ended up being the wife, neice, nephew, brother in law, mother in law, Buddy (my dog), and myself.
So place was nice. man made lake. $8 to camp right on the beach. Yes, you heard that right. They have actual sand beaches. The water was fairly clear and had fish.
The antics: Brother in law got his car stuck in the sand. Mother in law forgot to bring - everything. Buddy caught a rabbit that became dinner along with some fish. Nephew has a fascination with fire (he's only 18 months). Niece is NOT a camper... Wife had the time of her life. Almost got into a fight with drunken idiots. I got my butt worked straight for 3 days setting up/clearing camp, cooking, finding wood, tending the fire, et al.... but I got brownie points.
Always a good idea to carry pocket knife and a fire starter!!
All in all, it was a fun time. No major fights and I survived. HAHA.
[Beer]
Sorry, no pics. Wife didn't want to chance sand getting in the camera or ruining a lens.
ChunkyMonkey
09-07-2010, 08:53
5. It is possible to have a good time with In-laws.
Good, you can take my in laws next time! [Tooth]
Glad to hear you had good times!
I wouldn't say it was "good"... but more of "entertaining" watching them type of good.... lol.
And I ain't takin' no one else's in-laws! My own are enough!!!
OgenRwot
09-07-2010, 09:11
You sir, are a brave brave sole. I would never go camping with my in-laws. That's just way too much up close and personal time with them. I'm glad you made it out in one piece. Pretty sure if I did that I wouldn't be talking to the in-laws or my wife for a while haha.
You sir, are a brave brave sole. I would never go camping with my in-laws. That's just way too much up close and personal time with them. I'm glad you made it out in one piece. Pretty sure if I did that I wouldn't be talking to the in-laws or my wife for a while haha.
HAHA. It's not like I "wanted" to go... more of like my wife saying, "Honey, we WILL be going camping on such and such date... with my mother." HAHAHA
I know Elephant Butte... if you go south of T or C you run into another reservoir (Cabella I think), and south of that is a tiny (ghost) town where my Great Uncle had a chili farm. Pretty area if you like desert.
H.
Daniel_187
09-07-2010, 10:06
I try to stay heavily intoxicated while with the inlaws, Got 2 sets to vist Her mom and step-dad and dad and his GF. And in the wonderful city of Shitcago. Good to hear you had a good time. What kind of dog do you have? Great that he caught his diner, more them i can say about my mutts lol
I know Elephant Butte... if you go south of T or C you run into another reservoir (Cabella I think), and south of that is a tiny (ghost) town where my Great Uncle had a chili farm. Pretty area if you like desert.
H.
It actually was a nice little area... minus an occasional scorpion or two. We didn't go much past Truth or Consequence, but the area we stayed at I wouldn't mind visiting again. Speaking of Chili's, there were a few roadside roasted green chili setups. We stopped at one and they were delicious on top of our hamburgers! I wouldn't mind going back sometime with just me and the wife.
What kind of dog do you have? Great that he caught his diner, more them i can say about my mutts lol
He is a Boxer... which is not known to be a "hunting" or predatory dog. However, squirrels/rabbits/etc he LOVES to chase. He caught one (rabbit)as a puppy, but let it go. He's never actively hunted/killed and brought it back to me. I was kinda proud and creeped out at the same time. Hard to look at a dog you raised as a premature puppy and love as a full blown "beast" if you understand what I'm trying to say. I've posted pics of Buddy before on here somewhere...
ChadAmberg
09-07-2010, 12:39
It actually was a nice little area... minus an occasional scorpion or two. We didn't go much past Truth or Consequence, but the area we stayed at I wouldn't mind visiting again. Speaking of Chili's, there were a few roadside roasted green chili setups. We stopped at one and they were delicious on top of our hamburgers! I wouldn't mind going back sometime with just me and the wife.
We were down that way about 2 months ago. Turned right past TorC to head out to Silver City. The drive through Gila National Forest and the Black Range was incredible, it's one of those things you must do at least once. Great trip until the last day. The Mrs's got meningitis (again) and we ended up staying an extra week in the hospital. New Mexico is a fairly depressed area, but overall very nice folks live there which was great if you're stuck in a strange town.
I think you should give your car more credit. Honda's will run forever. If your car is as bad as you say it is, it would have died 10x over already if it were a Cavalier or an Escort. If you ever have any specific problems with it, let me know and I'll tell you where you can go to get into contact with people that can help you out with it. Many of them live in the Springs as well.
I think you should give your car more credit. Honda's will run forever. If your car is as bad as you say it is, it would have died 10x over already if it were a Cavalier or an Escort. If you ever have any specific problems with it, let me know and I'll tell you where you can go to get into contact with people that can help you out with it. Many of them live in the Springs as well.
Rgr, we didn't take my car for this trip. Two kids, two adults, a dog, and all the camping gear would be way to much for my little two door Honda Civic. We took my wifes car (4 door Saturn sedan).
About my car, the "main" problem is the lack of suspension. It needs the whole thing reworked. I just don't have the $1,500 it would take to fix it. And the car isn't even worth that according to KBB and some dealers I've talked to in attempts to trade it in. The other problems (lack of working electronics, missing front bumper, etc) I can live with. It's just teh suspension that is unsafe.
This is a Honda Civic and I would buy another one in a heartbeat. You're absolutely correct, it is a great little car that runs and runs. I've taken as good of care as I can with her and I'm sure with a little TLC she'll last me another 100K miles or so.
So, if you know anyone that could rework the suspension...
http://208.90.155.93/2010/03/02/men-can-fix-anything-2.web.jpg (http://ebaumnation.com/2010/03/02/men-can-fix-anything-20#2)
http://cache.jalopnik.com/assets/resources/2008/01/Red-Green-Civic-2.jpg
All I can say is "wow" mtnman... lol.
ChunkyMonkey
09-07-2010, 15:17
cozy..
http://pictures.topspeed.com/IMG/jpg/200605/funny-car-pictures-19w.jpg
The biggest part of the cost will probably be labor. You might even be able to get after market stuff for cheaper than factory. I'd look into some of the non-adjustable KYB shocks. You actually probably only need shocks and maybe some bushings. Springs don't necessarily wear out. I have a 1999 Infiniti that I had to replace all the shocks on and it cost me about $1,000.
I bet you could get someone to put them in for you for a few hundred bucks as long as you supplied the parts.
If I remember right from taking it to a friend of a friends, I need:
front shocks, back struts, new rotors on the front and brakes... could also stand some new tires.
These KYB GR-2s are what I put on my Infiniti. I've had the KYB AGX shocks before on an Integra, and wanted them again, but couldn't afford them at the time.
The GR-2s look like they should run you about $50ish a pop. All you need is some hand tools and a spring compressor to put them in. I don't want to whore him out, but I bet that BlackFord76 could help you do it in just a few hours.
Yeah put him too work,,, he needs it....LOL
Seamonkey
09-07-2010, 17:39
I lived in Las Cruces for a couple years and liked it. Elephant Butte was fun, road trips to the Gila were good also. Most of the festivals sucked unless there was wine involved. Fell in love with the sweet NM wines. Winery in Deming has white/red on tap and will mix it for you in your containers.
Plus, it's an open carry state so even more brownie points!
Scanker19
09-07-2010, 19:04
Elephant Butt?
Like this.....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A2y_LEbdEVE
Oh Elephant ButtE, sorry didn't see the "e".
I should have know better i did live in NM for almost all my life.
claimbuster
09-07-2010, 20:48
I know Elephant Butte... if you go south of T or C you run into another reservoir (Cabella I think), and south of that is a tiny (ghost) town where my Great Uncle had a chili farm. Pretty area if you like desert.
H.
Caballo Lake (Horse). Great spot.
Camping with the inlaws.....NEVER! As Harry Callahan said in Magnum Force, "A man's got to know his limitations". I know mine! [Tooth]
Powered by vBulletin® Version 4.2.3 Copyright © 2025 vBulletin Solutions, Inc. All rights reserved.