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This is a friend of the family, Ernie.

When Ernie and his wife Tina signed-up to go camping with us, we didn't know this was their first camping trip as a family. Before the trip got started, I wondered how Ernie would pack his stuff and bring it camping as they only own smallish cars and I knew they weren't bringing a travel trailer.

When they arrived with this giant utility trailer packed with their things, I was totally shocked.

Ernie is a grown man, but has a penchant for toys that makes the 5 to 18 crowd envious. He's invested many a dollar in R/C vehicles - monster trucks, cars, boats, sea doos...you name it; he could probably control it remotely. He was so generous with his toys and the kids at the campground; even kids that weren't camping with us. At night, Ernie would break out the projector and the kids would watch movies on a large white sheet right out in the open. After the movie, he would break out the PS3 and play games with the older kids. He brought a couple of electric scooters too. Not just your run-of-the-mill scooters either. These were engineered by Ernie to be super-scooters. The yellow one could go at least 45, if not faster.

Ernie is a stud.

I love this picture of him as he proudly slapped the tent porta-potty in the back of the trailer that's connected to his BMW.

He and his family were such troopers - even in the rain. Did I mention that they are gourmet cooks too? Tri-tip steaks for breakfast or chorizo, egg and potato breakfast burritos. For the dinner they made for everyone? Rosemary pork loin barbecued on the Weber.

We hope they come back next year.