Sorry I haven't posted in a while - it hasn't been camping season, as you know. I'd be interested to know, however, if any of you camped during hunting season or over the winter. I think I wouldn't mind camping during a winter weekend if I had an RV to sleep in and there wasn't snow on the ground. As long as the temperatures were in the 40's or 50's, I wouldn't mind a brisk hike and a campfire.
In Illinois, reservations for state campgrounds start via mail on January 4, so we will be sending in our reservations for either Memorial Day weekend or Labor Day weekend tomorrow. Compounding the decision as to which holiday weekend we will make reservations for is the fact that my son is in marching band at his school. They usually march in the Memorial Day parade but not in the Labor Day parade. However, the parade has been rained out the last few years. We used to camp on both weekends, but with the State of Illinois raising the cost to $30.00 a night for holiday weekends, we just can't afford to go both weekends anymore. That's $90.00 for a three night stay, not counting the extra expense to use the pool, food, and beverages. Yikes! So much for camping on the cheap!
I hope to go camping more often this year. I quit the choir at church because 2 out of the 4 Sundays, it was taking up more than three-quarters of the day through singing in services and rehearsals in the afternoon. My husband works in the bookstore at church on the other Sundays, so camping those Sundays are not an option. And if the results of my diagnostic mammogram on January 15 are not good (see more details on that here), I may need some camping trips to cheer me up.
I hope that you all have a Happy New Year and are looking forward to the camping season, like I am. Until next time -
Happy camping!
Diane
Friday, January 1, 2010
Saturday, October 3, 2009
Camping Etiquette
Sorry to take so long between posts. :( My son is on a camping trip with his Boy Scout troop this weekend, so I don't have to share the computer with him. LOL!
For this post, I will discuss camping etiquette. Not only will these make your camping experience more enjoyable, it will make it more enjoyable for the other campers in the campground.
Follow the list of rules that you are given when you pay the campground host your camping fees. These rules vary by campground, depending on the amenities available.
Keep your campsite tidy. When we go camping, we will go for a ride around the other camping areas. Nothing turns me off more than a untidy campsite with stuff all over the place. At home this is fine, since no one is there but you and yours, but at a campground, everyone who passes by can see what you have laying around. When you are done using something, put it away. Stack things neatly on the picnic table.
Wave and say hi to whoever is passing by your campsite. You might make some new friends this way, and ones who enjoy the activity you do, to boot.
Help others who are having difficulties. If you see someone struggling to put up a tent or start a campfire, stop by and offer to help. It's the friendly, neighborly thing to do. Who knows, the person you are helping may be a newbie to camping, and your helpfulness may be what he or she needs to go camping again.
If you fish, don't clean your fish at the campsite! Dead fish = nasty smell. Most campgrounds have a place especially for cleaning fish, so use it.
Don't use foul language! There are usually children at a campground, since camping is a family event. You wouldn't want your children hearing that language and asking you what that person was talking about. Save the cursing for when you're out on the lake and there's no one else around except the fish - and they may not want to hear it either.
Don't walk through other people's campsites on your way to somewhere else. Talk about an invasion of privacy! The Golden Rule applies to camping too.
Observe the quiet time, which is usually after 11 PM. Don't drink and get loud around the campfire all night. We all need our sleep, some more than others. Some people (and I am one) have to have it quiet in order to get to sleep.
If you are an early riser, try not to disturb those who aren't.
After you pack up all your camping gear to leave, check over your campsite one more time to make sure the campsite is clean. We were taught in Girl Scouts to leave the campsite cleaner than when we arrived. That means picking up all the small pieces of trash, etc.
Well, that's all for now. I welcome your comments and any other camping etiquette items I might have missed. Until next time -
Happy camping!
Diane
For this post, I will discuss camping etiquette. Not only will these make your camping experience more enjoyable, it will make it more enjoyable for the other campers in the campground.
Follow the list of rules that you are given when you pay the campground host your camping fees. These rules vary by campground, depending on the amenities available.
Keep your campsite tidy. When we go camping, we will go for a ride around the other camping areas. Nothing turns me off more than a untidy campsite with stuff all over the place. At home this is fine, since no one is there but you and yours, but at a campground, everyone who passes by can see what you have laying around. When you are done using something, put it away. Stack things neatly on the picnic table.
Wave and say hi to whoever is passing by your campsite. You might make some new friends this way, and ones who enjoy the activity you do, to boot.
Help others who are having difficulties. If you see someone struggling to put up a tent or start a campfire, stop by and offer to help. It's the friendly, neighborly thing to do. Who knows, the person you are helping may be a newbie to camping, and your helpfulness may be what he or she needs to go camping again.
If you fish, don't clean your fish at the campsite! Dead fish = nasty smell. Most campgrounds have a place especially for cleaning fish, so use it.
Don't use foul language! There are usually children at a campground, since camping is a family event. You wouldn't want your children hearing that language and asking you what that person was talking about. Save the cursing for when you're out on the lake and there's no one else around except the fish - and they may not want to hear it either.
Don't walk through other people's campsites on your way to somewhere else. Talk about an invasion of privacy! The Golden Rule applies to camping too.
Observe the quiet time, which is usually after 11 PM. Don't drink and get loud around the campfire all night. We all need our sleep, some more than others. Some people (and I am one) have to have it quiet in order to get to sleep.
If you are an early riser, try not to disturb those who aren't.
After you pack up all your camping gear to leave, check over your campsite one more time to make sure the campsite is clean. We were taught in Girl Scouts to leave the campsite cleaner than when we arrived. That means picking up all the small pieces of trash, etc.
Well, that's all for now. I welcome your comments and any other camping etiquette items I might have missed. Until next time -
Happy camping!
Diane
Friday, September 4, 2009
Arriving at the campsite - what to do
Hi everyone! Sorry it's been so long between posts. Is anyone camping this long holiday weekend? We thought the son would be marching in the Labor Day parade, so we didn't reserve a campsite (and we really couldn't afford $30.00 a night for camping). But we are going camping next weekend. Hurray!
So here's what to do when you get to the campsite. Our favorite place to go camping is about 45 minutes from our house, and after that long drive, the first thing I need to do is go to the bathroom! LOL! Your mileage (literally and figuratively) may vary. :)
You will remember from the last post that I had you pack the tent and the optional screenhouse on the top of the gear. Here's why - the first thing you want to do is put up the tent and air up the air mattresses or set up your cots. You're going to be sleeping in there and if you get to the campsite after dark, you can always set up the rest of camp the next day.
After you set up the tent, set up the screenhouse, if you have one. Then put the sleeping bags and your duffle bags in the tent. Don't forget the campfire - the smoke will help keep away the bugs. Set up and light your citronella candles and torches too. Many hands make light work, so make sure you have the kids help out. Our son whines about helping, but we make him help anyway. :p (Blogger, please give us smilies!)
After camp is set up, you can sit around the campfire and relax. Tell some spooky stories, sing some campfire songs, and enjoy each other's company. You deserve it!
Until next time -
Happy camping!
Diane
So here's what to do when you get to the campsite. Our favorite place to go camping is about 45 minutes from our house, and after that long drive, the first thing I need to do is go to the bathroom! LOL! Your mileage (literally and figuratively) may vary. :)
You will remember from the last post that I had you pack the tent and the optional screenhouse on the top of the gear. Here's why - the first thing you want to do is put up the tent and air up the air mattresses or set up your cots. You're going to be sleeping in there and if you get to the campsite after dark, you can always set up the rest of camp the next day.
After you set up the tent, set up the screenhouse, if you have one. Then put the sleeping bags and your duffle bags in the tent. Don't forget the campfire - the smoke will help keep away the bugs. Set up and light your citronella candles and torches too. Many hands make light work, so make sure you have the kids help out. Our son whines about helping, but we make him help anyway. :p (Blogger, please give us smilies!)
After camp is set up, you can sit around the campfire and relax. Tell some spooky stories, sing some campfire songs, and enjoy each other's company. You deserve it!
Until next time -
Happy camping!
Diane
Saturday, July 25, 2009
How to pack your car for camping
Sorry to take so long between posts. I've been busy and the son keeps hogging the computer. He is backpack camping with his Boy Scout troop this weekend, so the only person I have to fight over the computer with is my husband! LOL!
In my last post, I said I was going to discuss how to pack your car with all your camping gear. First, get all of the stuff together. The night before we go camping, the couch by the front door has all of our camping stuff on it (except for the tent, the screenhouse & the totes - they are out in the shed). Having everything in one place is important. That way, you don't forget anything. (That sounds like a Yogi Berra quip, doesn't it?)
I drive a Jeep Liberty and the back seat folds down, a 60/40 split. We fold the 60 side down. My husband drives a S10 truck, so the majority of the stuff (tent, screenhouse, totes, grill, coolers) goes with him. We could probably put everything in the Jeep (and on top of the Jeep) if we had to though.
So here's how I'd pack if we only had one vehicle. I would pack the coolers and the totes first. (Take a soda out first if you need one.) This will also give you a level surface to put everything else on. Then, I would put the duffel bags, the cooking gear, and any dry food (in grocery bags, of course) on top of the first layer. On top of all of this, I would then put the tent, the air mattresses (deflated), the screenhouse, the bag with your health and beauty items, the first aid box, and the grill (if you're bringing one). You want to make sure you pack last the stuff you'll need first. Make sure you have enough seats for everyone!
If you don't have a SUV or you have a smaller car, you can put stuff on the roof. If you need to put stuff on the roof, I suggest stuff that won't slide around on the roof. The totes and/or the grill would be best for tying on the roof. Be sure to put fold a tarp and put it on the roof before you add the items so that the roof of the car doesn't get scratched up. Secure the items tightly with bungee cords so they don't slide around.
You could also have your passengers hold on to their duffle bags and the groceries can ride along with the passengers, as well as the dry food, the health and beauty bag and the first aid box. If all else fails, use two vehicles. It will make for a more comfortable ride for all parties.
On a side note, I have added two new links in the links section. The Woodall's link is for a campground directory. You can do a search for campgrounds here. This will be handy if you want to go camping in other states or in Canada. I have also added a link for Reserve America, where you can make reservations for various campsites across America. The Army Corps of Engineer campgrounds are also listed on this site.
Well, that's all for today. Until next time -
Happy camping!
Diane
In my last post, I said I was going to discuss how to pack your car with all your camping gear. First, get all of the stuff together. The night before we go camping, the couch by the front door has all of our camping stuff on it (except for the tent, the screenhouse & the totes - they are out in the shed). Having everything in one place is important. That way, you don't forget anything. (That sounds like a Yogi Berra quip, doesn't it?)
I drive a Jeep Liberty and the back seat folds down, a 60/40 split. We fold the 60 side down. My husband drives a S10 truck, so the majority of the stuff (tent, screenhouse, totes, grill, coolers) goes with him. We could probably put everything in the Jeep (and on top of the Jeep) if we had to though.
So here's how I'd pack if we only had one vehicle. I would pack the coolers and the totes first. (Take a soda out first if you need one.) This will also give you a level surface to put everything else on. Then, I would put the duffel bags, the cooking gear, and any dry food (in grocery bags, of course) on top of the first layer. On top of all of this, I would then put the tent, the air mattresses (deflated), the screenhouse, the bag with your health and beauty items, the first aid box, and the grill (if you're bringing one). You want to make sure you pack last the stuff you'll need first. Make sure you have enough seats for everyone!
If you don't have a SUV or you have a smaller car, you can put stuff on the roof. If you need to put stuff on the roof, I suggest stuff that won't slide around on the roof. The totes and/or the grill would be best for tying on the roof. Be sure to put fold a tarp and put it on the roof before you add the items so that the roof of the car doesn't get scratched up. Secure the items tightly with bungee cords so they don't slide around.
You could also have your passengers hold on to their duffle bags and the groceries can ride along with the passengers, as well as the dry food, the health and beauty bag and the first aid box. If all else fails, use two vehicles. It will make for a more comfortable ride for all parties.
On a side note, I have added two new links in the links section. The Woodall's link is for a campground directory. You can do a search for campgrounds here. This will be handy if you want to go camping in other states or in Canada. I have also added a link for Reserve America, where you can make reservations for various campsites across America. The Army Corps of Engineer campgrounds are also listed on this site.
Well, that's all for today. Until next time -
Happy camping!
Diane
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Meal suggestions for camping trips
Sorry to take so long between posts. It's mighty hot this weekend - hope you're staying cool! My son was at Boy Scout camp this week and we picked him up yesterday evening. It was rather warm at closing ceremonies.
Let's talk about meal suggestions. My personal theory is that you're not going camping to eat - you're going camping to spend time in the great outdoors. Therefore, the simpler the meal, the less time it takes to prepare, and the more time you can spend enjoying the outdoors. So here's some ideas for meals.
Unless you have one of those propane ovens, biscuits or cinnamon rolls are out, unless you buy them ready made. I usually make pancakes, using the pancake mix that you only have to add water to. You can make a lot of pancakes fairly quickly. I usually heat up sausage in a separate skillet to go with the pancakes. The precooked sausages are very good for this.
The next morning, I usually make scrambled eggs. For a side dish, I warm up the precooked bacon you can purchase at the grocery store. It doesn't take long to heat up, and most of the grease has already been cooked off of the bacon.
For lunch, we usually have sandwiches and chips. You can't get easier than this.
You may want to cook something a little more substantial for dinner. If you have a boat and you've been out on the lake all day, or if you've been hiking, you're probably pretty hungry. Cooking in advance can be helpful. Here is a recipe from a friend of mine:
Burritos
Ingredients:
2 lbs. precooked taco meat or Old El Paso (or other brand) precooked taco meat
Shredded lettuce
Shredded cheese
Flour tortillas
Chopped tomatoes
Cook taco meat in advance. Allow to cool, then place in a freezer bag. Put this bag inside another freezer bag. Or use the Old El Taco precooked taco meat in a tub.
When it's time to eat, warm up the taco meat. Warm up the tortillas one at a time in a small skillet. Combine meat, lettuce, cheese, and tomatoes on tortilla and roll up into a burrito.
You could cook some Spanish rice (like the Lipton brand) to go with this.
You could also precook sloppy joes for dinner and serve with Kraft mac & cheese. Barbecuing meat is easy and makes a filling meal. Please use the comment section and advise as to whether you want more dinner recipes.
That's all for now. Next time, I'll talk about how to pack your vehicle with your camping supplies for easy campsite set up. Until then -
Happy camping!
Diane
Let's talk about meal suggestions. My personal theory is that you're not going camping to eat - you're going camping to spend time in the great outdoors. Therefore, the simpler the meal, the less time it takes to prepare, and the more time you can spend enjoying the outdoors. So here's some ideas for meals.
Unless you have one of those propane ovens, biscuits or cinnamon rolls are out, unless you buy them ready made. I usually make pancakes, using the pancake mix that you only have to add water to. You can make a lot of pancakes fairly quickly. I usually heat up sausage in a separate skillet to go with the pancakes. The precooked sausages are very good for this.
The next morning, I usually make scrambled eggs. For a side dish, I warm up the precooked bacon you can purchase at the grocery store. It doesn't take long to heat up, and most of the grease has already been cooked off of the bacon.
For lunch, we usually have sandwiches and chips. You can't get easier than this.
You may want to cook something a little more substantial for dinner. If you have a boat and you've been out on the lake all day, or if you've been hiking, you're probably pretty hungry. Cooking in advance can be helpful. Here is a recipe from a friend of mine:
Burritos
Ingredients:
2 lbs. precooked taco meat or Old El Paso (or other brand) precooked taco meat
Shredded lettuce
Shredded cheese
Flour tortillas
Chopped tomatoes
Cook taco meat in advance. Allow to cool, then place in a freezer bag. Put this bag inside another freezer bag. Or use the Old El Taco precooked taco meat in a tub.
When it's time to eat, warm up the taco meat. Warm up the tortillas one at a time in a small skillet. Combine meat, lettuce, cheese, and tomatoes on tortilla and roll up into a burrito.
You could cook some Spanish rice (like the Lipton brand) to go with this.
You could also precook sloppy joes for dinner and serve with Kraft mac & cheese. Barbecuing meat is easy and makes a filling meal. Please use the comment section and advise as to whether you want more dinner recipes.
That's all for now. Next time, I'll talk about how to pack your vehicle with your camping supplies for easy campsite set up. Until then -
Happy camping!
Diane
Sunday, June 14, 2009
Back from camping!
We arrived Friday night at Dam West and checked in with the attendant, then set up camp. Then I went back into Carlyle and picked up some KFC for dinner. I had to wait for biscuits, so the nice lady gave me a free soda while I waited. I could get addicted to that Lipton sweet tea!
After we got all set up, we turned on the radio & listened to the Cardinals play the Orioles (the Cards lost :( ). Three girls (well, they were in their early 20's but I'm old enough to be their mother) stopped by and asked if we could help them start a campfire. I volunteered to help and went back with them to their campsite. I had one of them go back to our campsite and get the lighter fluid; I just couldn't get the wood to light. It's OK to cheat a little bit; we use those firelogs to get our fires going. I told them about this blog, so any of them have stopped by, hi!
The campground was all right, but there wasn't a lot for the 12 year old son to do. They had a movie night, but it was on Thursday, a strange night. How many kids are at a campsite on a Thursday night? There was a playground, but he's getting too old for that. There were a couple of programs at the ampitheater, but the son isn't interested in squirrels or water safety. The next time we go camping, we will pay the extra $4.00 a night and go back to Eldon Hazlet.
There was a showerhouse with individual stalls and each stall had an adjoining shower. These smelled rather musty. I was glad I remembered my flip flops for when I took a shower. No athlete's foot for me! I should have went to the big showerhouse at the entrance to the park. It was nicer and didn't smell. It had a laundry with a fold down ironing board - who irons their clothes when they go camping?
On Saturday, we went into town for supplies. We went back to the campsite and filled up the coolers with fresh ice. We then went for a ride and checked out the other two Army Corps of Engineers campgrounds at Carlyle Lake, Coles Creek and Boulder. They appeared to be nice sites, but they take longer to get to and longer to get somewhere to purchase supplies, so we probably will not be going to either one of those campsites.
The water level of the lake was really high, probably due to all the rain we've been getting in southern Illinois these past few weeks. The weather was really nice, not too hot during the day and not too cool at night.
We left around 10:30 AM this morning and came home. We got all unpacked and I discovered that my bottle of shampoo came open in the bottom of the health & beauty duffle bag. We need a new one anyway, so I just threw away the bag rather than attempt to clean up the shampoo.
After we got all set up, we turned on the radio & listened to the Cardinals play the Orioles (the Cards lost :( ). Three girls (well, they were in their early 20's but I'm old enough to be their mother) stopped by and asked if we could help them start a campfire. I volunteered to help and went back with them to their campsite. I had one of them go back to our campsite and get the lighter fluid; I just couldn't get the wood to light. It's OK to cheat a little bit; we use those firelogs to get our fires going. I told them about this blog, so any of them have stopped by, hi!
The campground was all right, but there wasn't a lot for the 12 year old son to do. They had a movie night, but it was on Thursday, a strange night. How many kids are at a campsite on a Thursday night? There was a playground, but he's getting too old for that. There were a couple of programs at the ampitheater, but the son isn't interested in squirrels or water safety. The next time we go camping, we will pay the extra $4.00 a night and go back to Eldon Hazlet.
There was a showerhouse with individual stalls and each stall had an adjoining shower. These smelled rather musty. I was glad I remembered my flip flops for when I took a shower. No athlete's foot for me! I should have went to the big showerhouse at the entrance to the park. It was nicer and didn't smell. It had a laundry with a fold down ironing board - who irons their clothes when they go camping?
On Saturday, we went into town for supplies. We went back to the campsite and filled up the coolers with fresh ice. We then went for a ride and checked out the other two Army Corps of Engineers campgrounds at Carlyle Lake, Coles Creek and Boulder. They appeared to be nice sites, but they take longer to get to and longer to get somewhere to purchase supplies, so we probably will not be going to either one of those campsites.
The water level of the lake was really high, probably due to all the rain we've been getting in southern Illinois these past few weeks. The weather was really nice, not too hot during the day and not too cool at night.
We left around 10:30 AM this morning and came home. We got all unpacked and I discovered that my bottle of shampoo came open in the bottom of the health & beauty duffle bag. We need a new one anyway, so I just threw away the bag rather than attempt to clean up the shampoo.
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Menu planning
Well, we will be camping the weekend of June 12th - hubby had me make reservations at the Dam West campground at Carlyle Lake, which is run by the Army Corps of Engineers. You can make reservations online for any federal campsite here. It allows you to make reservations up until the end of May 2010. You can see a map of the campsite and if you click on or hover over the campsite, it will tell you how much shade is at each campsite, whether it's near the lake, etc. It amazed me that this campground was already completely reserved during Memorial Day weekend 2010.
It's time to talk about menu planning. The first thing to determine is how you're going to cook at your campsite.
If you have an electrical hookup and an electric skillet and a two burner electric stove, you can pretty much cook like you do at home. If you don't have an electrical hookup, figure out if you're going to cook over a fire, cook on a BBQ grill, or on a camp stove.
You should make a menu plan for the days you'll be camping. Once you figure out what you want to cook and write it down, you can then make a shopping list for the grocery store. As an example, here was our menu plan for Memorial Day weekend:
Friday dinner - McDonald's
Saturday breakfast - Pancakes, sausage, milk
Saturday lunch - Sandwiches, chips, soda
Saturday dinner - Bratwurst, macaroni and cheese, soda
Sunday breakfast - Scrambled eggs with cheese, bacon, milk
Sunday lunch - Sandwiches, chips, soda
So my shopping list was:
Pancake mix
Precooked sausage (like Banquet or Armour)
Bread
Lunch meat
Potato chips
Bratwurst
Macaroni & cheese mix
Eggs
Bacon (get the precooked variety; you just need to warm it up in the skillet and you won't have all that grease)
Shredded cheese
Margarine or butter
Milk
Soda
If you have any questions, please feel free to comment and I will answer. Next time, I'll talk about menu options. Until then -
Happy camping!
Diane
It's time to talk about menu planning. The first thing to determine is how you're going to cook at your campsite.
If you have an electrical hookup and an electric skillet and a two burner electric stove, you can pretty much cook like you do at home. If you don't have an electrical hookup, figure out if you're going to cook over a fire, cook on a BBQ grill, or on a camp stove.
You should make a menu plan for the days you'll be camping. Once you figure out what you want to cook and write it down, you can then make a shopping list for the grocery store. As an example, here was our menu plan for Memorial Day weekend:
Friday dinner - McDonald's
Saturday breakfast - Pancakes, sausage, milk
Saturday lunch - Sandwiches, chips, soda
Saturday dinner - Bratwurst, macaroni and cheese, soda
Sunday breakfast - Scrambled eggs with cheese, bacon, milk
Sunday lunch - Sandwiches, chips, soda
So my shopping list was:
Pancake mix
Precooked sausage (like Banquet or Armour)
Bread
Lunch meat
Potato chips
Bratwurst
Macaroni & cheese mix
Eggs
Bacon (get the precooked variety; you just need to warm it up in the skillet and you won't have all that grease)
Shredded cheese
Margarine or butter
Milk
Soda
If you have any questions, please feel free to comment and I will answer. Next time, I'll talk about menu options. Until then -
Happy camping!
Diane
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