Lets Go Camping!

Hurry with Fall just around the corner the time is now.
As the seasons change from Summer to Fall this could mean less elements to face,and less camping gear required to enjoy a family getaway or just some quality time outdoors with friends or a loved one.

What you will need to bring depends on how many people or pets are coming,and how far you will be traveling.Clothing will depend on the terrain (desert,rugged,rocky,brushy,forest trails etc) and the varied temperatures between night and day for your location. For example: Shorts and a T shirt with boots or sneakers may be all you need if your warm blooded and the weather is still nice,or sweat pants,jeans and a flannel shirt might be needed for your comfort level.
It never hurts to pack an extra bag with jackets,thermals,rain gear etc and leave it in your vehicle if you have the room.

Food and its preparation depend on your location once more,are there stores nearby?or a camp grill already at your site?If not then a cooler and a camp stove are going to be needed among other items such as cookware and utensils. And they vary greatly in size and cost. Some coolers don't require ice but need power from your vehicle so your camp cant be to far away or a hike will be involved,but that could be fun also.

The camp stoves vary as well. Some are like portable kitchens complete with double sinks and detachable cutting boards with a wire rack cooking surface. For example: The GSI outdoors gourmet kitchen station with sinks and cutting boards is portable,but maybe more than you need for just a few days or a few people.
The well known and very popular Coleman dual fuel stove is light and easy to carry,compact,easy to set up and operates on dual fuels (propane gas or liquid).

The 1st thing I look for when choosing a site to camp in is the tent area and how level it is,after all this is where your going to retreat in case the elements pull a "surprise attack" (rain,hail,snow,wind,rabid squirrel's lol etc...) and also get that well deserved nights rest after a long day of mountain biking,hiking,canoeing,bird watching or just chasing the children around. So the larger the tent the less likelihood of "cabin fever" setting in if to much time has to be spent inside.  So you see the time spent to prepare an area for your tent is "time well spent". Is it far enough away from the campfire so as not to catch popping embers?Is it clear of rocks and tree roots ? Pine needles are fine and act like padding but need to be swept or cleared out between the tent and campfire area in case of embers again. I would hate to wake up to a roaring campfire only to find its the tent I'm in lol.

If the rocks and roots are small enough a little shovel full of dirt to smooth them out should do the trick.If you don't have a small 1 or 2 foot long camping shovel ( and you should in case of small campfire escape) an old quilt or sleeping bag on top of a drop cloth or tarp should take care of problem and will feel like carpet padding when you walk or kneel down in your tent. So before I set the tent on the ground. I put a tarp down on the leveled out area.. then a pad of some kind.. then the tent itself. Because if you pad the floor of the tent itself it will be constantly shifting around. Whereas under the tent it is out of sight and trapped in place between the plastic tarp and the tent floor.

I recommend bringing a 1st aid kit ,bucket/pail along with that camp shovel and placing them near the tent or campfire area.Fill the bucket with water of course, but not to close to either because that's where people walk especially at night in the dark. These items are not required but if needed could save a life and be priceless.

Once your tent is set up take a brake and relax. Your past the hardest part (if that was hard for you ). You have a refuge. Now its time to find out where all the kids ran off to. (some help they were right) And I thought camping was supposed to bring people together :)

I didn't want to make an A-Z list of what your going to need and do. I just wanted to build a little fire under your you know what...and a thought in your head to get outdoors and go camping before Winter sets in. Then its going to be snowboards,skis,sleds and inner tubes... and hot coco for the kids and another form of anti-freeze for the adults:)

Please Take Care and Have Fun :)

camping camping gear