Campground showers

We installed a hook above the tub immediately and hung our hamper bag there. Soon, the detergent and all large boxes or heavy objects found their way to the tub. Then, the fruit bowl began living there. Originally it had been out on the counter and only stored away when traveling, but with larger persons, we needed the counter space for other things.

So, now when choosing a campsite, we try to find one with showers and look at the Trailer Life Campground Directory rating, hoping to find clean ones. A rating of 7 or higher is usually pretty good. However, the TL Directory takes into consideration cleanliness and completeness - not comfort - so we have to draw our own conclusions.

First, there is the size. Some campground showers seem to be made for very small, very skinny people, while others are quite roomy and spacious Some have shower curtains between the shower and the changing area that actually work; however, most seem to flood the changing area, or not have a curtain at all.

Second, there is the changing area. Some have a nice large, dry private changing area, and others have almost no space. Some have hooks for your clothes and towel, but not all. If the changing area gets flooded while you are showering, then there is no way to get dressed afterward without getting your clothes wet.

Third comes the faucet in the shower Some are very high, while others are really low The water pressure is also an issue. There are faucets that gush and others that barely trickle, making it difficult for people with long, thick hair to get a good hair wash. The temperature control is almost always a problem. It often seems to alternate between scalding and freezing, with no way to get it just right. And we all know what happens when someone else is taking a shower or if someone flushes the toiletinstant temperature change!

Then there are showers that gobble quarters. Most give three to five minutes per quarter; however, we recently encountered one that required eight quarters for five minutes and the water never got warm. My son was so mad about this shower that he forgot his shampoo. Often, the quarter machine is not in the shower itself, so when the water abruptly stops, you have to go out to the changing area and put in another quarter if you're not done. This is uncomfortable and annoying. My husband prides himself on always just using one quarter regardless of the time limit. The rest of us love long showers and use more quarters.

This year we have encountered several campgrounds that use a different method to limit time in the shower: a push-in button which you have to keep pushing in order to keep the water running. We all complained bitterly about this and kept trying to figure out which showers gave you the longest time per button-push. At one campground, the host told us that the push buttons averaged 45 seconds per push. The shower that my husband used lasted 20 seconds per push, and the one I used lasted a whopping 4 seconds. Obviously there must have been another shower that lasted a very long time, or else the host really didn't know the correct duration. We all agree that we hate this type of shower, and hope it does not become commonplace.

One of my most unfavorite showers was one that was filled with bugs. Of course, this is a very effective way to get me to take a quick shower, as I don't like to dodge mosquitoes.

When we get to a campground now, the first person to shower gives a report to the rest of us on what to expect. It is interesting to see how important something that seems so trivial can become. Whenever we have a particularly nice setup, before we leave, everyone takes another shower just because we don't know when we will have it that good again. Taking showers has become part of the RV adventure.

We all have a different shower routine. I never bring my glasses, watch or barrettes, and never wear socks to the shower My husband always wears water shoes and minimal clothing. The boys both change into clean clothes when they return. I change before I walk over there. We try to drape our wet towels over chairs in the sun to dry, but if it is a rainy day, they stay in the trailer.

Some mishaps that we have had with campground showers involved our sons when they were younger Once, one of them accidentally broke the quarter machine and my husband had to go over and repair it. More than once, they forgot their toiletries. As a matter of fact, this still happens. My most common problem is to walk all the way over to the showering facility only to discover that I have forgotten my towel, or the code to the restroom or something else. In nice weather, this is not a problem, but it's no fun on a rainy or very cold day

I wonder if people who run campgrounds have ever tried to use the showers that they provide for us. If this were required, I bet many of them would change some of the designs. Cleanliness, comfort and convenience should all be considered when designing a campground shower.