Food storage

Here in Chicago, things changed in the late 60's/early 70's as far as leaving doors open, etc. As kids we'd be out playing in the 'prairie' all day, and would head home when we heard our dads whistle, signaling dinner. There'd be kids everywhere. Now, most kids are inside - watching TV? playing video games? I don't know.

I think I'm turning into a codger. (That's an old man always talking about 'the good old days', for you youngsters.)

But there was no interweb back then...
 
I agree. Grew up in Chicago as kid, suburbs as teen and adult. Wandered everywhere a a kid and had to be home when street lights came on. Noticed difference when my kids were small and world changing. Didn't feel comfortable with them roaming like I did. Was locking doors to house and garage after robbery in the mid 70's. Moved to central IL 10 years ago. Found people here still don't lock doors. They think I'm overdoing it but once a victim, don't want to be one again. I just smile and keep locking up when gone.
Gina
 
OK people!! That is NOT what I meant...
Campgrounds are probably the SAFEST areas in the country...
I mean, WHO would really mess with your campsite?
Everyone knows that campers are a little CRAZY!

I was referring to the critters. You know, the ones that can open up coolers. I was just curious to know if the fridge had a lock to keep THEM (raccoons, bears, strong armed squirrels) from opening it.
 
Susan_Alan said:
I was referring to the critters. You know, the ones that can open up coolers. I was just curious to know if the fridge had a lock to keep THEM (raccoons, bears, strong armed squirrels) from opening it.
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And make sure you lock your doors at night because those cute little raccoons can open camper doors, too! And persistent ones will try to get in through your screens...or through your sunroof! :o

:cool:
 
I agree. Never felt uncomfortable in a camp ground. Was amazed when we first started camping that people left your stuff alone and looked out for you too. Never camped as a kid but my husband did and he said it has always been this way. Too bad the rest of the world can't be the same.
 
Opps sorry, I thought you were referring to the two legged pests. The fridge wouldn't be any challenge for a bear,maybe a little for a raccoon. They can be pretty determined and agile critters though.
There does seem to be kind of a code of ethics among campers. Most are friendly and watch out for each other.
I do keep my camper doors locked from the inside at night no matter where I am. Who knows, I might lean on the door handle and dump myself out in my sleep. Someone told the story about the dog leaning on the door handle and ending up on the ground outside the camper. Hey, I haven't seen them post for a while. Where are you guys?
 
Of all the years we've been camping, there's only been one incident of theft (by a person) that we're aware of. It was a couple years ago in Brown County state park in Indiana. It's a beautiful, large, popular park outside of Indianapolis. The family next to us had several valuables stolen from their car, and we later heard there were a couple more 'hits' in the nearby loops.
Those are pretty darned good odds, though, considering all the 30+ years and all the places we've camped. But, since it's so easy to do, I continue to lock up the vehicle at night.
 
We saw signs up in Moab about locking coolers up at night to prevent theft. I think being in town made us a little more prone to theft, plus, being a resort town, we are all easy prey. I just put the cooler in the galley, but I left my tables out.

We also always lock our bikes up (growing up in a University town with the highest bike theft rates in the country teaches you fast hard lessons...once someone just walked into the garage and took a bike!). I also always lock my car due to my bike usually being in there. I am sure it is overkill, but better safe than sorry.

I also always lock my trailer doors at night. I think it was Slumry that had someone try to get in their trailer one night (the person was drunk or confused or something), but the locks were one thing that helped me talk Mick into this style of camping. I can lock my doors at night, which you can't do in a tent. It helps me sleep better at night.

That said, we have never noticed any problem, and I feel looked after when I camp. There is something about a woman and her child camping where folks keep an eye on you to make sure you are safe, which can be a little strange sometimes, and very reassuring other times. It just depends on how folks go about it.
 
We've always felt safe in campgrounds. Maybe we're naive, but neither of us has ever had a problem, except for animal prowlers. If bears or weather aren't an issue, we usually leave the Dometic out on its table and close the hatch at night. We lock valuables in the TV and lock the trailer if we'll be away from it for a while. We don't lock the doors when we are inside, and yes, we have slept with the doors open and the screen in place; Delightful in a cool light breeze.
 
birder526 said:
Was hoping I could sleep with the doors open at night for air flow...does anybody do that in warm weather?

Diane
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Diane, we do it whenever there's no rain in the forecast. Slept with the screens in the mountains near Santa Fe with temps in the low 40's - very pleasant with a down comforter. The screens were an add-on for us, and well worth it.
 
Can we get back to theft-by-varmints, rather than theft-by-humans?

The Dometic has no "lock" on it, but it closes by friction and is pretty solid. I am not sure that a raccoon could open it. Cartainly a bear could (obviously) and if the raccoons knocked the Dometic off the table to the ground, I am guessing the Dometic would open.

I had never thought about creatures opening my TD cabin door. Thanks for blazing that image into my memory. :)
 
More often than not, we sleep with the TD doors open.

If one door is facing the "road," we may close that door. It is more about privacy than safety.

but pretty much everyone who goes camping knows that you don't peer into someone else's tent/camper because you may see something you didn't mean to see

-Al
 
AlCat said:
Can we get back to theft-by-varmints, rather than theft-by-humans?
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Theft-By-Varmints is a good topic ;)

I posted this a while back. We were in a park in CO where a bear had been sighted. Ani, the prudent one, suggested we put the Dometic in the galley overnight. I slept right through it, but she heard rustling out back in the night. In the morning, this was on the hatch:

14445026791_42af4ae5bc.jpg
 
AlCat said:
but pretty much everyone who goes camping knows that you don't peer into someone else's tent/camper because you may see something you didn't mean to see

-Al
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I have seen a lot of bad camping etiquette lately. I constantly have people looking in my doors when they are open or trying to look through the window when they are closed. I have always said, nothing brings out the crazy like a national park. State parks are much better and they at least ask first. People still have been cutting through my campsite though these past couple of years, which is a bit annoying. We never do that and were always taught that you just don't.

For my fridge I also just got the cozy for it. It might be tougher for critters to get into, but they have to work the zipper and the latch. Bears will have no problem, the raccoons should make nought noise to get you up. Squirrels and birds and tired 6-year-olds (well rested ones can work it out) don't stand a chance.
 
Halleluiah Alcat!!
YOU got it!
But I am betting that a pack o' coons could open the fridge...

We almost ALWAYS sleep with our 1 Door 500 Special open thru the nite...even if it's rainy, you can still position an ALCOVE over the tear to prevent rain from coming in on the sides.

That way we will be sure to hear any alligators creeping up on us here in Florida!
 
I was out tent camping once and left a Playmate cooler on the picnic table, the kind you have to press the button on the side and pull down on the handle to open. I found claw marks all over the button area. The raccoons did not get it open, but they had the right idea, I would never underestimate their ingenuity when it comes to obtaining food.
 
I think this thread is both informative and hilarious! I am glad to hear you all sleep with doors open...we did order the screens so we will be in great shape.

Once we were camping in GA near the Okefenokee Swamp and we were sitting at the picnic table in the evening eating dinner. Suddenly Michael looked at me like he saw a ghost behind me and I jumped up and ran, not even knowing what I was running from! Turns out a raccoon had climbed on the bench and sitting right next to me like he had been invited to dinner! We still laugh about this!

Diane
 
when one of us finds that a raccoon has opened a closed Dometic, I'd like to hear about it. Opening the Dometic requires ingenuity AND strength, and I just don't see a raccoon opening it (unless they knock it to the ground, or unless one of us doesn't really CLOSE the Dometic).

I've also had the raccoon-Playmate experience - the raccoon(s) snuck a little paw inside the small gap and yanked pretty much everything out of the cooler without actually "opening" it. They managed to rip open the bags of fruit inside the cooler and pulling pieces of fruit out of the cooler. What a mess. And we somehow slept through it, which is a testament to fresh air and deep sleep.

-Al
 
I know there is probably some perfectly simple explanation for this but ........... I received my new Dometic fridge today and I am at a loss to understand what the wire grid is for - it appears to have no bottom so I guess it is not a basket. Can anyone enlighten me please?
 
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