Saturday, January 26, 2013 – Article Assignment #5
Spencer Knowles

Picking a Camp Site – Tim Allard

Rating **

With Spring and Summer just around the corner, camping preparations such as knowing what camp site to pick is important know in advance.  So to ensure your camping experience is not ruined, you must know how to pick the right camp site. 

 I found Tim Allard’s article a bit misleading.  The first thought I had when I read the title was that this article was going to be about picking a campsite in the wilderness where you would have to set up your tent, build a fire and fight against the elements.  When you first start reading, you get the feeling that this article is going to turn out as you expected, however, Tim Allard does not elaborate on his first thought which was picking a campsite and setting up camp.  Tim starts talking about RV parks, and amenities such as running water, electricity, playgrounds and even swimming pools.  To me this was an instant turnoff because my personal camping experiences have been more outdoor-oriented, such as the Frontenac Hiking trip.  Also, Tim does not finish what he has started to explain and that is another negative about this article.  However, he does include a few links to possible campgrounds in Ontario and Quebec which can be helpful in finding a camp ground.  One redeeming quality of his article was his short explanation of the first things you should do when you arrive at your camp site like building a fire and making sure your campsite is safe.  Although, he still does not elaborate enough to make this article as useful as you may have wanted it to be.  If you take Tim’s advice you will most likely end up in a resort-type camp ground and not enjoy the full outdoor experience that you may have wanted.

I did not enjoy this article because it seemed that Tim Allard’s thoughts were unfocussed and underdeveloped.  Also, it is misleading because the title states that it will help you to choose a camp site but it seems more about choosing a campground or resort.  Tim provides minimal information that will help you choose a camp site and further research is needed to make a good decision about what camp site you should choose for camping this coming season.

I do not recommend that you read this article if you are looking for an outdoor experience.

 

Allard, Tim.  “Picking a Camp Site”.  Ottawa Outdoors Magazine.
OttawaOutdoors.ca Online. Spring 2007
http://www.ottawaoutdoors.ca/articles/camp/230-picking-a-camp-site