Spring awakening (and housekeeping)

The calendar says March, but the warmer temperatures stir my heart to thoughts of spring. My son is going camping with his Boy Scout troop the last weekend of March and I have to say I'm envious. I enjoy so much being out in the warm sunshine and breathing the fresh, crisp air. Being outdoors inspires my writing. My husband says that we may be able to go camping one weekend next month, and I can't wait. I've been looking at web sites of private campgrounds and wondering if they would be nicer than state or Federal run campgrounds.

But before you can go camping after the long, cold winter, you will have to do some housekeeping chores. Here's a list of spring housekeeping duties for a happy camping experience:

Camping Supplies

• You should inspect your supply boxes to see if any supplies need to be replenished, or thrown away if they have spoiled.
  
• You also should check your air mattresses for leaks and repair them, or purchase replacements.
  
• Check any lanterns or flashlights to make sure they still work. Buy a package of the appropriate batteries and extra bulbs to keep with the camping supplies in case your flashlights and/or lanterns burn out.
  
• If you have lights that you hang on your screen house or over your campsite, plug them in and make sure they still work and they're not falling apart.
  
• Make sure any bedding, whether sleeping bags or comforters and/or sheets, are clean and make any necessary repairs, or purchase replacements.
  
• If you use citronella candle buckets or torches with citronella oil, make sure the candles aren't melted and you have plenty of citronella oil. Keep replacement wicks on hand. My husband also uses rubber gloves to pour the citronella oil in the torches so his hands won't get dirty.
  

Living and Dining Quarters

• Put the tent up and check for rips or leaks. Don't forget to clean it. Spray waterproofing on the tent, and apply new seam sealant if necessary. Sweep out the inside.
  
• Make sure you have all the stakes for the tent and rainfly. Check to make sure the ropes for the rainfly are not rotted.
  
• You should put your screen house or gazebo up to make sure it doesn't have any tears and clean it if it's dirty.
  
• If you have an RV, travel trailer, or 5^th wheel, dewinterize it and replenish the supplies.
  
• Make sure the tires are all inflated and the hitch is not rusty and the tongue on the hitch moves freely – if not, get out the WD40 and spray it on the hitch.
  
• Hose the trailer down if it's dirty. Make sure all awnings work and are not ripped or dirty.
  
• Make sure the propane tanks are full and remove any tire covers (on the tires that hit the road, that is – leave the cover on the spare tire).
  

This sounds like a lot of work, but once all of this is done, you'll be ready to go camping the first warm weekend and not have to worry about getting things together at the last minute. You can decide on a Thursday evening, "Let's go camping this weekend!" and all you'll have to do is plan your menu, get food supplies, and pack your clothes and health and beauty items!

Well, that's all for now. Until next time –

Happy camping!

Diane

Happy New Year!

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

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

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

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

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

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.