Pitch a tent...
Photo of my dad and I (age 8?) camping taken by a photographer staying at the next campsite. He sent it to us after his camping trip.
When I was a kid, my family went camping all four of us or as in the photo above just my dad and I; I can still remember the yellow 4-person tent. Camping is a great way to get outdoors, commune with nature, and make some family memories. These days with pop tents and portable propane grills or stoves, it has gotten easier. However, camping can still be hard, but if my memory serves me correctly, always fun.
First time camper?
“Even if you’re the most urban of creatures, the urge to get out of the city—to camp out, in fact—can seize your imagination at any time. If you find yourself contemplating car camping for the first time, but also find the gear and the prep to be a little daunting, don’t despair.” —REI.com
As your planning your camping trip, here are a few basic things to consider:
1. Drive-up site or hike in site?
2. Where to go? How far from home?
3. Rent, Buy or Borrow gear?
4. How long to go for— 2 nights, 3 nights, etc.?
5. What are camping friendly foods beside roasted marshmallows? (Check out this camping cookbook…NOLS Cookery)
According to REI, when choosing a tent you should look at overall space, the number of people it needs to sleep, season it will be used and amenities such as pockets on the inside, ventilation, and a rain tarp. After this you’ll need sleeping bags, flashlights, first aid kit, solar charger (for phones), clean water and food. Think of camping as living in the stone age cooking over a fire except there’s a tent instead of a cave.
Another thing I remember about camping is that we played cards. Camping is a great opportunity to disconnect from devices and reconnect to each other. Since most games come in a travel size version and/or magnetic, you can take any game with your without taking up a lot of space in your car or pack (or worrying about losing pieces).
There is a plethora of information online about camping — how-tos, where to camp and what to bring. Better than this is to speak with an expert (try your local outdoor store) or a friend who camps regularly.
I am hoping in the next year, to get back to camping and maybe even get my city slicker daughter to join me.
From an old edition of NOLS Cookery…
BANANA BREAD
1/3 C. wheat flour
2/3 C. white flour
1 ½ tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt
¼ tsp cinnamon
¼ C. margarine/butter melted
1/3 C. powdered milk
1 Tbsp. powered egg
3 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 C. crushed banana chips
¾-1 ¼ C. water
Mix all dry ingredients including the banana chips. Add the melted butter and margarine/butter and then gradually add the water to form a “pancake” like batter. Pour into frying pan and cook on the fire 15-25 minutes and test for doneness. Serve warm!