Camping Fan

It seems that this economic mess we are in currently in the U.S. has given some industries some extra and unexpected success. Several articles I have read recently all suggest that the camping industry is seeing increases in campground reservations, gear purchasing and even RV purchasing.

I guess that if people don’t think they can afford to drive or fly to Disney next spring they are turning to campgrounds and RV’s instead. While I see this overall as a good thing because it will help the campground owners get through a rough time on a personal note it’s a little unsettling.

One of the aspects of camping that I really don’t enjoy is sharing a campground with people who have not respect for the outdoors. It frustrates me to spend most of my time hiking picking up other people’s trash because they can’t take the 3 seconds it takes to bring a trash bag with them.

I keep getting emails and comments from people that say I must be nuts for camping in the wintertime!I say: don’t knock it until you try it!Winter camping can be fun, exciting and even relaxing and peaceful as long as you prepare for it properly.There is actually a book out now that discusses the best way to truly enjoy your winter camping experience. I highly recommend it to anybody thinking about taking their first winter camping trip.It’s called: The Winter Camping Handbook: Wilderness Travel & Adventure in the Cold-Weather Months, Updated Edition (Paperback) it was written by Stephen Gorman  and just recently updated.It literally covers everything from start to finish! Well worth the $17 at Amazon.com

Here is some really good recipes for campground cooking that I thought you all might like:

Stove Top Beef Stew: http://camping.about.com/od/recipes/r/ucrec422.htm

One Pot Bubble & Squeak: http://camping.about.com/od/recipes/r/ucrec093.htm

Vegetable Beef Stew: http://camping.about.com/od/recipes/r/ucrec134.htm

and my favorite (worth listing the whole recipe!):

Mountain Man Breakfast
1 lb.bacon
10-12 medium potatoes; sliced
2 medium yellow onions;
diced 12 eggs; beaten
1 1/2 cups fresh mushrooms; sliced  
salt and pepper to taste
1 green bell pepper; diced
3 cups grated Cheddar cheese
3 cloves garlic; minced  
picante sauce

Heat a 12″ Dutch oven using 18-20 briquettes bottom until hot. Cut bacon into 1 inch slices. Add to Dutch oven and fry until brown. Add onion, mushrooms, bell pepper and saute until onions are translucent. Add potatoes and season with salt and pepper. Cover and bake using 8 briquettes bottom and 14-16 briquettes top for 30 minutes. Season eggs with salt and pepper then pour eggs over top of potatoes. Cover and bake another 20 minutes. Stir gently every 5 minutes. When eggs are done, cover top with cheese and replace lid. Let stand until cheese is melted.

Serve topped with picante sauce.

Serves: 10-12
 

I never would have thought of it myself but I just found a bunch of blog posts that talk about various campgrounds and camping activities in the “Down Under” that I thought I would share with you all.This first post is all about a 4×4 off-road and camping trip on “Fraser Island” which sounds really cool: http://realtravel.com/fraser_island-journals-j7918681.htmlHere’s another one that talks all about an area called “The Basin” which is in New South Wales. It sounds absolutely gorgeous!. http://www.australiablog.com/planning-a-trip/sydney-camping-in-the-northern-beaches.html

I just had to include this one, it’s all about “glamping” which is glamour camping…not exactly roughing it but it sounds like it’s lots of fun and acceptable to that group of people who thinks of a Holiday Inn as roughing it: http://blog.luxuryproperty.com/luxury-camping-northern-australia/

Creating A Camping Supply List

Bringing along the right camping supplies and gear is a vital part of any successful camping trip.  The following camping checklist is a general guide for the average family camping weekend.  Your camping supply list may differ, depending on the climate, location, and type of camping facilities you are visiting.  If you are backpacking, kayak or canoe camping, or enjoying another type of camping where gear weight is crucial, check our lightweight backpacking tips.

Shelter and bedding are two of the most important items on your camping supply list.  Primitive camping trips may require nothing more than a tarp to protect you from the ground’s moisture and a good sleeping bag, but your family camping checklist should include 1 or 2 adequately sized tents, tent stakes and extra stakes, and a hammer and stake puller.  Ground covers, or tarps slightly larger than the bottom of your tent, are great for protecting your camping tent from moisture and dirt.  You may also want to bring along a small broom to keep your tent clean and an outdoor mat for your entrance.

Check out the full list here: http://marcustrover1.blogvis.com/2008/11/17/creating-a-camping-supply-list/

I came across this article the other day and I thought it was worth reposting as having somewhere to “take care of business” that doesn’t include leaning against a tree can be very helpul!

Personal hygiene usually flies out of the window when you go camping. Many campsites now have good, clean toilet facilities; but some of the smaller, more basic sites are severely lacking. And, of course, you have no choice but to go back to nature at backcountry sites. But there is a solution if you are car camping; the portable camping toilet. It’s a dirty job but somebody has to do it. I’m going to delve deep to look at some of the best camping toilets on the market.

source: © shopzilla - ukayed 20l camping toilet

The Fiamma Bi Pot 39 camping toilet is a strong, self-contained fresh water flush portable toilet. A very simple system that is both strong and easy to clean because it can be completely dismantled, including the valve, for thorough and total cleaning. Its sturdy handle makes it easy for transportation.

source: © shopzilla - kampa khazi

The UKayed 20L camping toilet has a large, practical, removable cap making it easy to use and empty even by children. It is ultra hygienic with water flushing and two flushable tanks.

The cleverly named Kampa Khazi is an excellent compact, lightweight and cheap camping toilet. It’s about half the price of the other camping toilets on this list but its nifty design makes it an ideal option for light use on camping trips.

Originally posted at: http://ontheroad.buy.co.uk/blog/best-camping-toilets/

If you are going to be anywhere near this, you should check it out:

Top 5 Places To Go Camping In Washington State

Washington State is one of the most beautiful areas in North America. It’s filled with natural beaty everywhere you look. The variety you’ll find in Washington is simply astounding. You’ll find rivers, mountains, rainforests, lakes, and more. Washington has nearly every outdoors feature that you can ind in North America. Of course, all this makes Washington a tempting place to go camping. The good news is that there are lots of great spots, too!

Deception Pass

Deception Pass State Park, a 4134-acre marine and camping park is outstanding for its spectacular views, abundant wildlife and old-growth forests. The park offers an astounding 33,900 feet of freshwater shoreline around three lakes and 77,000 feet of saltwater shoreline. 167 camp sites, fabulous hiking trails and plenty of opportunities for saltwater and freshwater boating, fishing, white-water kayaking, sail boarding and bird watching are what attract 3.5 million campers to this park every year.

Mount Pilchuck

The 1,893-acre Mount Pilchuck State Park features mountainous alpine terrain with spectacular scenic attractions. The park’s main recreational attraction is the 3 mile strenuous hike to the summit of Mount Pilchuck, which offers spectacular views of the Olympics, Cascades and Puget Sound. Other activities offered at this park include show shoeing, mountain climbing, rock climbing, wild life viewing and bird watching.

Flaming Geyser

The most unique feature of the Flaming Geyser State Park, a 480-acre day-use park, is its geysers, which are fueled by the park’s underlying coals seams. Over 3 miles of freshwater shoreline along the Green River provide plenty of opportunities for swimming, fishing, tubing and white-water kayaking. Other features of the park include an exclusive area for remote-control, model-airplane flying, a 25-acre open field for equestrian use and several rugged hiking, biking and horse trails.

Steamboat Rock

A gigantic columnar basaltic rock, with a 600-acre surface area dominates the landscape at the 3,522-acre Steamboat Rock State Park. Summer activities at this park include water skiing, fishing, swimming, boating, rock climbing, mountain biking and bird watching as well hiking. Winter brings exciting opportunities for Nordic skiing.

Wallace Falls

The Wallace Falls State Park Management Area, a 4,735-acre camping park, features a magnificent 265-foot waterfall, fast-moving streams and rivers and dense old-growth coniferous forests. The park offers opportunities for kayaking, rafting, swimming and fishing as well as plenty of mountain biking and hiking trails with the possibility of cougar and peregrine falcon sighting.

No matter where you choose to go camping, Washington state offers amazing beauty and is a great place for camping.

Check out this post:

Barack Obama’s victory November 4 marked the end of an era. It signaled the dominance of the World War Two generation and its influence is now over. The victories they won, the conflicts they lived with and the struggles they endured are now part of the past or left to their grandchildren to solve. To the greatest generation, as tabbed by newsman Tom Brokaw, we salute you. But the time has come for your grandchildren and great-grandchildren - the next generation - to assert its greatness.

The accomplishments of our parents and grandparents generation should not be underestimated. This generation survived the Great Depression, won World War Two, ushered in an era of prosperity unmatched at the time in the history of the country, oversaw conflicts in Korea and Viet Nam, endured the upheavals of the sixties, oversaw conflicts in Korea and Viet Nam, saw a president resign due to the Watergate scandal, sent a man to walk on the moon, almost experienced a nuclear war, saw the Berlin Wall come down, witnessed a culture clash which divided the country and experienced a the first attack on US soil since Pearl Harbor in 1941. Finally, this generation saw the rise of the Civil Rights movement which laid the foundation for the election of the first African American man to be President of the United States.

Read the rest at:

http://viewdc.blogspot.com/2008/11/obama-victory-no-accident-offers-many.html

short and sweet checklist info for setting up in the dark:

If you’ve ever arrived at a campsite after dark, you know what a pain it is to set up your tent and  sleeping bags in the dark. That’s why good, dependable camping  flashlights should be at the top of your camping checklist. If you forget the flashlights, camping won’t be nearly as much fun.

There’s another thing to remember to add to that camping checklist, and that’s  replacement batteries for your camping flashlights and other battery-powered gear. It doesn’t do much good to take along a flashlight that goes dark  midway through your camping  trip.

Camping checklists can help you remember all these little details that might slip through the cracks, otherwise. Print one out and use it every time you go camping, and soon your camping trips will be much more organized and that much more enjoyable.

eric