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PICKING A GOOD CAMP-SITE
Our family enjoys camping in state parks as well as on private property. One of our favorite places is a small acreage in North Texas owned by some friends. The property has a lot of Cedar trees which make a good wind break in cold weather. We like to select a spot to pitch our camping tent that would be nestled between two trees. It makes tying up a tarp, for an additional rainfly, easier. Once our spot is selected, we walk the area where the camping tent will sit to make sure we are not pitching the camping tent on large rocks or big sticks. That could damage or cut the floor of the tent. Rocks do not make good pillows either.
We place a ground cloth or tarp on the ground. This provides an additional layer of protection against water seeping into the camping tent. The ground cover needs to be a little larger than the bottom dimensions of the tent. If the camping tent is 10' by 10' use a 12' by 12' tarp. Once the camping tent is pitched, we roll the edges of the tarp under the camping tent on two sides and the back of the camping tent. This allows any water on the tent to drip to the ground. If the tarp sticks out, rain water will get between the camping tent and the tarp. We form a "porch" area with the extra tarp in front of the tent. We normally bring a small throw rug to place on our "porch". This prevents us from tracking dust or mud from our shoes into our camping tent. We unroll the camping tent right on top of the tarp. We assemble the camping tent per directions, being careful not to stretch the elastic cord inside of the tent poles to a breaking point. We place the entrance of the camping tent in a direction facing the campsite itself. We use tent stakes provided with our camping tent to "nail" the bottom of the camping tent to the ground. We put the rainfly up that comes with the tent. It prevents a heavy dew from getting everything wet. We put up an additional tarp to provide more rain cover for our camping tent. We tie a rope between two trees above the camping tent. We drape a tarp over the rope, dividing the tarp in half. The four corners are tied off into the trees. Draping the tarp over the rope, allows water to drip off to the ground. Inexperienced campers tie a tarp by the four corners. In even moderate rain, the tarp becomes a bowl of water. Now that our camping tent is protected, we load all of our camping gear into the tent, setting up our cots and sleeping bags. We are ready to enjoy a fantastic week-end.
HOUSEKEEPING MAKES CAMPING EASIER
A little housekeeping during and after a camping trip, will make your outdoor adventures easier. Let’s start at the beginning. You and your best friend get a chance to go camping. This is how I take care of start packing my camping equipment. I pull all of my camping gear out of the garage, closet and storage building and put it in a big pile. I start packing my hatchback vehicle by putting my folded tarps on the bottom. My good housekeeping practice from my last camping trip means my tarps are dry and folded flat. My tarps protect my vehicle seats from getting dirty. I put in my Sportz Dome tent, my sleeping bag, camp cot and folding chair in the back end of my hatchback. I have a plastic box that is about two feet square, with a lid. A lot of smaller items go in the box, like cooking utensils and mess kit. The camp box also serves as a bedside table once the camping tent is set up. .I can stow it in the back of my hatchback easily. An igloo cooler holds all the perishable food items and fits on my back seat. I put my cast iron skillets and dutch oven in plastic garbage bags, before packing, to keep my car clean. Dry food items, paper towels and toilet paper can be stuffed in little corners in the car. I also pack a couple of rugs. I am ready to go camping and use all of my camping gear. Once my friend and I get the tent set up, we bring all of our personal camping gear into the tent. I put a rug down at the front of the tent. This keeps us from tracking in dust and dirt from our boots. I place a larger rug in the middle of the tent floor. We put our camping cots to the sides of the tent and have the rug to walk on in the middle. This is great in the night when your feet are bare. It also helps protect the bottom of the camping tent. I bring a small whisk broom and dustbin to sweep the floor of the tent, especially on a long campout. My camp cot is one of those light weight ones with an aluminum frame. It keeps me off the ground by about 6 inches or so. I put my shoes under the cot at bedtime. I also put my flashlight there so I can find it for that night time trip to the latrine Your campout was a lot of fun. You relaxed and got away from everyday life. The week-end is over too quickly. You broke camp and packed everything to bring it home. You need to unpack right away. This is the housekeeping I told you about. I know you are tired and all you want is a shower, but an extra half hour now will set you in good shape for your next campout. Get all leftover food unpacked and put away in the fridge. If your camping tent was damp when you packed up, unroll it and hang it in the garage or someplace to dry out thoroughly. If you store a damp tent, mold will grow. Mold will give your camping tent that very musty smell and may be hard to remove. The same goes for your tarps. Lay them across the bushes or in the garage to let them dry out completely. Fold your tarps neatly when they are dry, so they are ready for next time. Is your sleeping bag OK? If it got wet, unzip it all the way and find a way to let it dry before you roll it up for storage. You can run your camping dishes and any non-cast iron wear through the dishwasher. Once they are dry, pack for the next trip. Proper care for cast iron wear will be discussed in another article. Gather all your dirty clothes and take to your laundry area. Now you can take your shower. A little housekeeping goes a long way in having a successful campout. Taking good care of your camping gear will make it last longer and serve you well on many future camping trips.
DRESSING IN LAYERS, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?
I started camping many years ago. I took some training to know what to
expect. The instructor told me to dress
in layers. It took me several camping
trips before I knew what he meant when he said “dress in layers”. Think about what kind of weather you will be experiencing
on your camping trip to help you plan your layers. The same thinking can be used for other
travel you do. What time of year is
it? Will the weather be hot or cold? Wet
or dry? I live in north Texas.
We have three good camping seasons each year, fall, winter and
spring. The 100 degree days of summer are
too hot for all but the most dedicated camper. The weather in the fall can be unpredictable. The daytime temperatures might be in the 80s.
Nights can drop down into the 40s. Planning
in advance will make you more comfortable for the whole camping week-end. We usually start our camping trip on a Friday night after
work. A T-shirt, jeans and hiking boots
make a good starting point for fall camping. The
temperature drops as the sun goes down so have a long sleeved shirt or light
jacket handy to add another layer. If I
get hot while setting up my tent or the camp kitchen, I can take off the long
sleeve shirt and have a T-shirt underneath.
Once it gets dark, the temperature might go way down.
I will put my long sleeved shirt back on and add another layer like a
heavy canvas coat. You can sit in front
of a campfire to warm up. But you will
get hot on one side and stay cold on the other.
I have even put on a pair of long johns when the weather was really
cold. Then sitting by the fire and
watching the coals is an enjoyable pastime. Texas does have cold winters. Evenings will get below freezing. I start layering my camping clothes with a
medium weight pair of long johns. I like
the two piece kind with a bottom and a top. The next layer will be a long sleeve
shirt and jeans. I use a washable wool
pair of socks to keep my feet toasty in my camping boots. Now I am ready to add my outer wear, my heavy
canvas jacket. I have a knitted cap to
keep my head and ears warm. Don’t forget
gloves. You will probably get warmed up
while setting up your tent, even in winter.
You can remove your outer coast and still stay warm. Once I stop moving, everything is put up, put
away and I am just sitting watching the fire, I will need my coat again. I sleep in PJs in my sleeping bag. Some people just sleep in their underwear. Those
are warm-blooded people! I add a fresh
clean pair of socks to keep my feet comfortable all night. Do not wear the pair of socks you wore during
the daytime. They have perspiration on them
and will allow your feet to get cold during the night. I like the mummy sleeping bags, because you
can pull a drawstring and you are getting the sleeping bag close around your face
and neck. Cold air does not get in
during the night. Layering your clothes in spring is more like dressing in
the fall. Start with a lighter weight
layer, your T-shirt and jeans. It is a
good idea to wear long pants for walking through tall grasses or wildflowers so
you will not get scratched. Long pants will
help keep the bugs away.. You may want
to change into a pair of shorts to stay cooler while at your campsite. It is always nice to have one long shirt and
one long set of slacks with you just in case.
No matter what the weather, it is important to wear closed toed shoes or
hiking boots on a camping trip. There
are too many sticks and briars that can poke you through open toed
sandals. Save the sandals for the beach
or city walking. Layering clothing for your camping trip is providing levels of protection for your body against the elements. The colder it is outside, the more layers you need. You need less protection when the weather is mild or moderate.
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