Nearly every summer, Calvin and his family go camping. They are all forced by Calvin's father to go on the trip, no matter how much they try to avoid it.
On such camping strips, something bad often happens, such as a rainstorm occurring or Calvin's dad losing his glasses. But Calvin's dad insists that it builds character and continues to bring the family along every year.
Calvin once nicknamed an island "good ol' Itchy Island, Home of the Nuclear Mosquitoes." He also told Hobbes that the island they went one summer was "some desolate rock at the end of the earth".
Bill Watterson acknowledged that the camping strips were replacements for Calvin's short-lived Cub Scout strips.
First Trip
The first trip Calvin and his parents go on, Calvin is excited, not knowing how much he will hate it. After they start paddling to the island, it starts to pour, as it will continue to do all week. Once Calvin's dad finally gets the tent up Calvin immediately goes in to change clothes when Hobbes gets him wet. For dinner they have "cold canned ravioli' as Calvin calls it. The next day Calvin says,"if I survive this I'll never set foot outside again". The second that Calvin's dad says they're going home the weather clears up, ending that camping trip.
Second Trip
This time Calvin and family get to the island without any problems, but as soon as they get to the island, Calving accidentally drops the bag with the camera in the water. In his haste to get the camera out of the water, Calvin's Dad accidentally stacking a ton of bags on top of his glasses, thereby breaking them. The rest of the trip Calvin spends annoying his parents and insulting his Dad's rather meek efforts at art.