Back in the 70's, when I was just a kid, we had
a beautiful Apache camper. With a family of six (4 kids), camping was the ultimate
summertime family activity. I fondly remember hitching the Apache to the family station
wagon, connecting the massive rear-view mirrors to the hood, and scrupulously
testing the lights and signals. All six of us, sometimes with a cat and a canoe, pulled
ceremoniously away from our home for another great adventure.
We spent weekends and even weeks camping in state parks and private campgrounds throughout the Midwest and beyond. Each kid had their own camper set-up roles, and once the Apache was up, we were gone running. Mom cooked all our food on the propane stove, and served our meals on picnic tables. She wouldn't allow us near the camper in the day time - it was her seclusion spot. We ran around the playgrounds, journeyed down paths, swam in lakes & rivers, and generally hung around with all the other campground kids. It was the stuff dreams are made of - some of the finest memories of my childhood. Through it all, the Apache rolled on.
Flash forward to 1998: The kids have all grown - we have kids of our own. The allure of the camping experience tugs at me when I play with my son outdoors. We try the tent thing, but it just doesn't cut it with a 1 year old. My sister calls and tells me of an Apache in our old neighborhood that's for sale - the sign went up yesterday. Within hours I'm stepping through the door back in time. The Apache smell brings a flood of memories. This camper is perfect - original owner, original curtains, all the manuals and paperwork, everything meticulously cared for through the years. I slap down my $1400.00 and pull away back in time.
We've done dozens of trips with our Apache since that day, each one an experience in itself. Our son loves the Apache - can't get enough of it. I see myself in him, at home in our mobile world. What a great way to grow up - what a wonderful family experience!
Today, more time is spent on my computer than in a campground. I figure there must be some cool Apache web sites out on the old www. I greedily fire up my search engines and head out at full speed for a virtual camping experience. I believe you know how this turns out - I hit a brick wall. The only thing I find is a phone number for a place in Michigan that has Apache parts, and a short posting on a big camping site that has a few Apache inquiries. I post to the site, make a few contacts, and decide it's high time someone did something about the shortage of quality Apache information on the web!
Well, here you are now, dear reader. My goal is to make this a helpful, informative web site for Apache owners past, present, and future. Hopefully along the way, a few more folks will spend more time outside and appreciate our earth's natural wonders and glimpse our place in it all. The success of this site is really in your hands - it will be what you make it (along with me keeping it up-to-date). Together, we can share a whole lot of information. Send me your questions, your answers, your stories, your pictures, your ads, your information, and I'll gladly post it right here for the world to share. Thank you for reading my story - are you ready to share yours?
-Doug
