Image Courtesy bgautrea

Our last camping trip was with friends, some of whom had not gone camping in a while, some who had never been camping. What they had in mind for camp food was items like underdone pancakes, runny eggs and burnt hot dogs. What they got was a bit different.

Planning Meals For Camping

The key to eating well while camping is planning. First, decide the kind of camping you'll be doing. Family camping where you can load up the car or truck will provide you with many more options than if you are backpacking it in with a friend. Those who backpack in tend to have a different mindset about food in camp, so we'll be focusing more on family camping. But that doesn't mean you can't eat well even if you do choose to throw it on your back.

For example, head down to your local camp gear store or find them online) and check out the variety. We did a quick search and found Grilled Chicken Breasts and Mashed Potatoes, Beef Stroganoff and Raspberry Crumble among the many foods designed for the backpacker. These items come in special foil pouches and require no more than some hot water. Pour the water into the pouch, wait a few minutes and you have a tasty treat. They require no pots or pans, just a vessel to heat the water. You can even find flameless cooking kits that let you warm the water without striking a match. These foods are based on the same freeze-dried concepts that have been used in the space program for years, but have come a long way in taste. And the small size of the packages allow you to pack a week's worth of meals into a small space.

Back in the world of family camping, you can afford to plan more space-consuming meals. Before you pack your gear, sit down and take stock of who will be with you. Try to keep in mind what different campers likes and dislikes are, and start to plan your meals. As a rule, plan for two sit down meals a day (breakfast and dinner) and one on the go.

Keep your breakfast plans fairly simple. The last thing you want to do is spend an hour of your glorious mornings doing the camp dishes. But that doesn't mean you have to skimp.

Breakfast

First ingredient to stick on your list: Bacon. There is nothing that smells - or tastes - better than sizzling bacon in the woods. Bacon is easy to store, easy to cook, and a surefire hit. Bacon does need to be kept cool, so make room for it in your food cooler. Also, save yourself hassle before you leave - repackage the bacon into a zippered plastic bag, making it easy to remove and cook. It's also easier to reseal.

Next, some pancake mix, the kind that requires water only. And here's another tip - repackage the mix as well into premeasured amounts. Look at the package and decide which batch size (number of pancakes) you'll most likely cook. Then put that amount into a plastic bag. Take a 1-2 quart plastic container with you. When you're ready to cook your pancakes, just drop the bag and the water into the container, close it up and start shaking. Quick and easy batter is made, and all you need is a griddle!

Eggs - There's no need to resort to the powdered stuff! All you need for success is a way to keep your eggs fresh. There are two ways to achieve this - a cooler, or more frequent trips to the camp store. Either way, eggs scrambled, whole or in an omelette provide a variety of yummy ways to enjoy breakfast.

Wait - did I say omelette? Yup! Why stick to basic stuff? By taking along some additional ingredients, you can create some delicious breakfasts in no time. For example, avocados travel extremely well, as do many cheeses. Try bringing along some Swiss, then toss a slice of it  in as well as some bacon and a couple of slices of avocado, and you've got a tasty omelette. Or some American cheese for a classic omelette. Cookware? All you need is a non-stick pan and a silicone spatula.

Another favorite? French toast. Use the same bread you'd use for sandwiches, beat up some eggs, dip and toss on the griddle. Simple, tasty, and filling. For a special treat, toss on some jam (you can use it for sandwiches later), and they'll be clamoring for more.

All of these are easily fixed on a camp stove in minutes and will get you on your way with a minimum of fuss. Looking for even less hassle? Package cold cereal into plastic bags, and you can easily have a quick breakfast. If you're really feeling adventurous, put the cereal into smaller bags, and just add milk for a quick on-the-go breakfast.

Keep Warm

If the mornings will be cold, be sure to bring along hot chocolate mix. And don't forget to bring along coffee for those who prefer it. Instant coffee works, but a little investment of $15-$20 will let you brew your favorite Starbucks grind a cup at a time. One-cup filters allow you to place a cup's worth of coffee into the filter, drop it into a mug, and add hot water. Wait a few minutes and you'll have a fresh steeped cup of Joe.

There's no reason to skimp on breakfast just because you're out in the woods. And with a little planning, you can do it with a minimum of ingredients and gear!

What's your favorite camp breakfast?

The Treepee

Looking for a new experience in camping? The Treepee may be just for you!

This ingenious new tent is designed to hang from overhead tree branches, and holds about 150kg (330 lbs.). You hang it from a sturdy tree, and four tiedowns let you tether the corners to keep it from swinging too wildly.

It comes with a bag and pulley system to keep gear suspended, and the windows are all bug-netted to give plenty of airflow.

It looks to be a lot like sleeping in a hammock, albeit a more roomy one. The gentle motion you would get in a slight breeze might be like napping in a boat. The one drawback we can see to it is the lack of space. That, and remembering you're a couple feet off the ground when you step out.

If you're interested, you can get one here for about $600. Oh, and it's available in green, brown, and the ever popular pink.

Image Courtesy bzo

Spring is upon us, and if you're like us, you're itching to get in the first camping trip of the year. But before you load up the gear and head out into the wilderness, you might want to try a trip into the wilds of your backyard first.

Getting The Gear Together

It's probably been a few months since your last camping trip, so the first thing you need to do is get all your gear together. For your backyard adventure, assemble all your gear as if you were heading out for a trip. Put together sleeping bags, tent, camp cook gear, that inflator for your air mattress - the whole kit and kaboodle. Get it all together in one place as if you were preparing to load it into your family vehicle.

Now take an inventory. List everything you have assembled. When you are done, you'll have a checklist for the real trip. Now take everything outside and set-up camp. Remember the cardinal rules for setting up camp - Shelter first, then sustenance. Get the tent up then set up your outdoor kitchen. Finish setting up camp. Soon enough, you'll start realizing that you've forgotten something.

Resist the urge to immediately run in the house to go get it. Instead, grab that list you were working on first, and add the forgotten items. Now go and find the stuff you forgot. Expect to make this trip a number of times. The useful part of this exercise is that you are building a complete list of the things you need for your trip so you can get the right gear together when you head out.

In the evening, if your backyard has the space and you have a good spot, you might want to try a campfire. Again, note if you have everything you need. That spatula for turning burgers? Put it on the list, then go get it out of the kitchen. If you aren't working with a campfire, you still need to set-up your camp stove. Got everything? If not, add to your list. If at all possible, don't go into the house for anything, except possibly for bathroom breaks.

While you're out there, pay attention to a few things. First, what condition is your tent in? Does it have a funky stench, or does it smell clean? How about those sleeping bags - what condition are they in? Here's one test you might try: Grab a garden watering can, fill it with water, and pour it over the roof of your tent. Then check inside for leaks. Did you remember to lay down a ground cloth? Did you tuck it under the tent properly? It's better to find the problems with your tent now, when you can grab towels and fix things than out in the middle of a storm in the forest.

Wrapping It Up

When you're ready to call it a weekend, start packing things up exactly as you would at the end of a real trip. Pretend you're loading the van or can back up. This has two purposes. First, it ensures that you know how things have to fit back in the vehicle. Second, you can start identifying the items that can be kept together, and therefore ready for your next trip. As you put things away, try to keep like items together. Were there things you had trouble funding when you were making camp? Put your gear together in groups that are needed together. This will make things easier when you head out.

Backyard camping is a nice, easy way to get ready for those bigger trips later, and lets you shake out all the bugs before you head out for the real thing.

From Who Else Wants to Easter Camp? | TheCampingGuy.com Blog | Camping Tips

Celebrating your Easter weekend is special when you incorporate it into a great camping trip. Springtime is the best time to enjoy Mother Nature; the air is still cool, there’s usually a crisp breeze and since the rains… everything is clean and clear. There are still, however, plenty of campsite ideas, tips and suggestion I have for your Easter camping trip.

Image Courtesy russelljsmith

The first day of spring is upon us, and for those with a little adventure in them (or great weather) camping season is here as well.

The Camping Guy has a whole bunch of ideas for what you can do if you head out this Easter weekend for a camping trip, including some great game suggestions to keep everyone entertained.

One thing to consider before you head out is where you'll be going. While some areas are getting warmer, this also can be an active time of year for changing weather. This requires some additional thought before heading out.

Prepping For Spring Weather Camping

The first thing to keep in mind is staying comfortable when the weather can change in an instant. Key to this is wearing clothes in layers. Depending on where you're camping, temperatures can swing wildly when the sun goes down. By simply adding or removing layers as needed, you and your fellow campers can keep comfortable.

When it comes to gear, make sure your tent is ready for the challenge, and have sleeping bags that are rated for lower temperatures than you expect to find. If it's warmer than expected, it's easy to cool off the sleeping bag. But if it gets cold, sleeping in an inadequate sleeping bag can be miserable. The same goes for a tent with leaks. If your tent has seen better days, pack an extra tarp or two. You can use them to cover spots on the tent that leak in the rain.

On the subject of tarps, make sure you have one that is slightly large than the floor of your tent. But you won't set it out that way. Once you have laid out the tent on the tarp and set-up, fold the edges of the tarp under the tarp and under the tent floor. In the case of rain, this lets the tent shed the water onto the surrounding ground, and folding the tarp under keeps it from colleting water like a kids' play pool.

Staying Warm

There's nothing like a crackling campfire to warm up a cool night. The downside of this is that when you hop into the tent, the sleeping bag will be cold, the tent will be cold. And you will be cold.

Again, layers will help. The more layers between you and the cold air means more comfort for you the whole night long. Another option is a small heater. These are often electric or propane powered. One caveat with these heaters - don't run them when you sleep. Warm the tent, then shut them off.

If you visit your local camping store or sporting goods outlet, you may be able to find "hand warmers", chemical packs that heat up when activated. These are usually inexpensive. Just activate one, and toss it into the foot of your sleeping bag. When you get in, the foot of the sleeping bag will be warm, your feet will be toasty, and you'll feel comfortable instantly.

During the day, dress warm enough to be comfortable, but not so warm that you start to sweat. The dampness created when you sweat will come back to haunt you as the temperature drops. If you feel you are working hard enough to sweat, peel off layers. Staying dry is of high importance when temperatures can vary.

Where To Go

Early spring camping can present a challenge when it comes to finding a place to camp. Many of the more popular camping destinations may still be snowbound into May and June. But there are still plenty of places you can start your camping season. Try some of these:

• Big Cypress National Preserve, FL - This National Park Service preserve is a good choice for early spring camping on the edge of the Everglades. Here, the sea meets freshwater in a 720,000-acre swamp. Cooler weather keeps bugs away, letting you enjoy the camping without worrying about bites. Wait till later and you may be fighting off skeeters the size of your Dad's Buick.
• Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, CA - Another great spring spot is this 600,000-acre park, where early visitors can see wildflowers in full bloom before the scorching desert heat is there to bake you. There's a Visitor Center and Ranger Station, and for those who just can't resist, Wi-Fi Internet access when you are within 150 ft, of the ranger station.
• Pine Flat Campground in Oak Creek Canyon, AZ - Streams stocked with trout, Ponderosa pine forests and nearby Sedona make this a very popular campsite. As the season moves on, it gets tougher to get a site in this campground. But in early spring (the 2008 opening date was March 7th), sites are a little easier to obtain.

Enjoying The Trip

When the weather is cooperative, the cool nights and mild days can make for a perfect escape before things hit the pre-summer stretch. It's a long way to summer break for the kids. Take a mini-vacation and head for the campsites.

Do you have a favorite spring campsite? Share it with us!

From the KOA website

Shown below are KOA campgrounds from throughout North America participating in the May 9-10 Come Camp & Care With Us Weekend. To make reservations for this special weekend of camping, just click on the campground where you’d like to camp, and follow the simple directions. Remember, you must stay as a paying guest on the participating campground on Friday, May 9 in order to be eligible for a free night night on Saturday, May 10.

The proceeds from charity events being held go to the KOA Care Camps for children with cancer. This is a great opportunity to take a weekend for half price, have a great time, and help a great cause.

Click the link to see the participating campgrounds.

If you are a fan of the movie "Close Encounters Of The Third Kind", you'll recognize the image of Devils Tower almost instantly. In the movie, this is the location of the UFO landing site at the plot's climax.

The folklore and history of this area is rich with mystery, right down to how it was formed. To date, the exact nature of its origin is unknown. Some think it is a laccolith, a plug of igneous rock that worked its way through layers of sedimentary rock, but never reaching the surface. As erosion washed away the surrounding rock, the tower was left behind. Another theory is that this is the the remains of a volcano, the rock left behind when the mountain around it eroded away. Regardless of how it was formed, the rock tower soars above the surrounding landscape.

The name Devils Tower itself is a misnomer. When explorer Colonel Dodge was given the translation of the native American name for this geological feature. This translation, "The Bad God's Tower", was altered by Dodge to "Devils Towers". The translation has since been questioned and the correct translation should have been "Bear Lodge". Some Plains Indian tribes have objected to the negative connotation of "Devils Tower", and have petitioned for a name change. The process involves Congressional involvement, and would take quite some time to achieve.

The folklore surrounding the tower abounds, and one legend is of particular interest. The story explains the vertical striations on the tower. As the Sioux legend goes, two boys had wandered far from home, and Mato the bear began chasing them. Mato was an immense beast and thought the boys would make a good snack. He chased them and the boys, fearing their lives, prayed to their creator to save them. Their prayers were answered as a great rock rose beneath him, and try as the might, Mato could not reach them. The sides of the mountain are said to exhibit the scratches of Mato's great claws as he tried in vain to reach the boys.

The tower is an impressive site, jutting into the sky and easily seen for miles. The site is a sacred place for many tribes, and when you visit you can see why. It has a very otherworldly feel, even it if isn't an alien landing site.

The monument is open year 'round, although the visitor center nearest the base of the tower closes during the winter months. Roads are easy to drive, and the main routes in come from I-90 to the south. The are is abundant with wildlife, who seem to be at ease with visitors to the monument. The Belle Fourche river meanders past the site. You can camp on the grounds from late April to late October. Park rangers are very helpful and a Junior Ranger program is available for kids.

Devils Tower National Monument
PO Box 10
Devils Tower, WY 82714
(307) 467-5283

Some landmarks are truly iconic. They represent not only a location and a time, but a sentiment. Mt. Rushmore National Monument is one of those landmarks.

Work on this monument started in late 1927, and took 14 years to complete at a cost of a little less than $1 million. Carved out of Black Hills granite, the monument depicts four of America's transformational presidents: George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln.

Accessing the monument is easy by way of well-maintained roads, the best of which comes in from Rapid City, SD. Parking is $10 for Cars and RVs starting March 1, 2008, but it's an annual pass, allowing multiple visits. This is not a federal entrance fee, so National Park Passes won't work.

The site is open year round, with summer being the busiest, as one would expect. Fireworks for the 4th of July (actually held on the 3rd) are spectacular, and as such generate huge crowds. Rangers report that in 2007, visitors arrived in the early morning and parked all day to get a good spot for the viewing that night. There is an amphitheater between the visitor center where performances are held, and on July 3rd, the festivities are shown on jumbo-sized TV screens in the parking areas.

If you are a little more hardy, visiting in the off-season can be rewarded with greatly reduced crowds, allowing you plenty of time to look at exhibits and enjoy the sights without the jostle of thousands of visitor. But be prepared - it can be windy and very cold, limiting hiking to those with great cold weather gear and a willingness to brave the breezes.

The monument features a Visitor's Center as well as the Lincoln Borglum Museum, with great exhibits on the men, the equipment and the lore surrounding the creation of this magnificent memorial. You'll even see the plaster castings made by the sculptor Gutzon Borglum used in scaling the sculpture to mountain size. The museum offers spectacular views of the mountain, making it a comfortable place to take in the majesty of the memorial even when the weather isn't cooperative.

Hiking trails from the museum plaza offer you a chance to see the memorial from its base, giving you a chance at dramatic perspectives of the four presidents depicted. The hikes should be easy enough for most visitors on well-maintained trails and walkways.

The memorial was featured in the 2007 movie "National Treasure: Book of Secrets", although the depiction was brief. Rangers still get calls about the "lake" that was seen in the movie that was purportedly behind the monument. The lake shown is Sylvan Lake, approximately 17 miles away.

As for a cave, there is a short tunnel with a door behind the faces, known as the Hall of Records. Originally, this was to be a future location to store the countries founding documents, such as the Constitution and Declaration of Independence, but work was halted before a room could be created. All that exists is the entrance. It cannot be seen from the ground.

Mt. Rushmore National Memorial is a definite must visit if you are in this part of the country.

From the Pokonobe Resort website:

Pokonobe Resort is a family resort on the shores of Lake Mary in the Mammoth Lakes Basin. We offer a general store and marina in the middle of what is one of the most beautiful wilderness areas in the United States. We offer a beautiful area for all of your special events, from weddings to BBQs. Come and join us in our Eastern Sierra paradise.

Pokonobe Resort
760-934-2437

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From the California State Parks website:

Bodie State Historic Park is a genuine California gold-mining ghost town. Visitors can walk down the deserted streets of a town that once had a population of 10,000 people. The town was founded by Waterman S. Body (William Bodey), who had discovered small amounts of gold in hills north of Mono Lake. In 1877, the Standard Company struck pay dirt and a gold rush transformed Bodie from a town of 20 people to a boomtown.

Only a small part of the town survives, preserved in a state of "arrested decay." Interiors remain as they were left and stocked with goods. Designated as a National Historic Site and a State Historic Park in 1962, the remains of Bodie are being preserved in a state of "arrested decay". Today this once thriving mining camp is visited by tourists, howling winds and an occasional ghost.

Bodie State Historical Park:
P.O. Box 515
Bridgeport, CA 93517
760-647-6445

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From the National Park Service website:

Established in 1911 by presidential proclamation, Devils Postpile National Monument protects and preserves the Devils Postpile formation, the 101-foot high Rainbow Falls, and pristine mountain scenery. The formation is a rare sight in the geologic world and ranks as one of the world’s finest examples of columnar basalt. Its columns tower 60 feet high and display an unusual symmetry.

Devils Postpile National Monument
P.O. Box 3999
Mammoth Lakes, CA 93546
(760) 934-2289

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