apnea-friendly parks and campgrounds

[wolewyck]

I thought I'd start a thread for people to share their experiences with parks and/or campgrounds that have facilities or staff that are supportive of people with apnea. I just went on my first camping trip since diagnosis, and we went to Nickerson State Park (on Cape Cod, MA). The campsites do not have power, but I brought my ResMed backup battery. That certainly was not going to last the duration of the trip without recharging, but the park rangers at the front gate were very willing to recharge it for me each day. I just left it there in the morning and picked it up in the evening (and gave the a box of donuts at the end of the trip to help preserve the attitude for future XPAP campers!). They said they did this all the time. It was awesome, and it allowed us to stay there for our whole trip instead of having to decamp to a private campground with outlets at the sites.

[chunkyfrog]

That is lovely!

[robysue]

In June hubby and I did some tent camping in Wisconsin's Apostles Islands and Michigan's UP. We were in campsites without power and we brought a DieHard Platinum Portable Power source to power my BiPAP.

In the Apostles Islands, we camped at Big Bay State Park. Our campsite had no power (although sites with power were available). We ask at the Ranger Office at the front gate about recharging the battery, and they said it would be fine to bring it by there and plug it in for the day. I didn't actually need to do that: The battery powered Kaa for three nights without any problem. (First night I tried to go without the humidifier, and found that I couldn't; second and third nights I used the humidifier as usual.)

We were at Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore in Michigan. This was a much more primitive campground with no power and the nearest ranger station was something 15 or 20 miles away. We had charged the battery at an old friend's house when we visited him between the two sets of camping. Since we were only staying two days at Pictured Rocks, I didn't bother with trying to figure out a way to charge the battery.

[graham77]

This is lovely and encouraging. I like their attitude. Loving it. If you find helping hands it will double your fun in parks and campgrounds as it is in your case. Truly admirable.

[Sheriff Buford]

Wole: glad of your reference to Park Rangers likin' donuts.... we aint' the only ones...

I'm fixin' to retire and me and the wife are eyeballin' a travel trailer. We plan to travel north during the late spring, all summer and early fall due to the dreadful Texas heat. We'll stay in our house in Texas (near the grandkids) during the winter. Our thoughts are to stay at KOA spots and if we like a certain area, we'll stay a whole month. Of course, that's not the "camping" you were referring to. I'm too old of a geezer to stay in a tent on the floor... gotta have my coffee, recliner and electricity and such... .

Sheriff

[nanwilson]

I camp with a small motorhome, when I have electricity I use it but when I am in a primitive site, I just plug into my battery set up. Been doing that ever since I started on the hose and love it. The friends I caravan with will help me re-charge my battery if and when It needs it, as several of them have gas generators. I have camped all over Alberta and have gone to Arizona for the winter months a time or two........the opposite to what you want to do Sherriff Summers spent in home territory and winter down south
When hubby was still around we had a big fifth wheel trailer and truck, when he passed away I figured I would be in trouble hauling that rig around, would probably take out the first gas pump I tried to gas up at Sold the truck and fifth wheel and bought my motorhome......never looked back since.
Happy camping...
Nan