OK, so what is any different about camping in fog? Other than dampening your spirits and perhaps your tent and sleeping bags, camping in fog is not too different than camping in normal conditions. With ONE major exception: visibility.
Fog limits visibility. It makes it harder for you to see where you're going and it makes it harder for others to see you and your camp site. If you're out and about and get caught in fog, you might have to hole up for a time and wait for it to clear if it gets too bad. You can get yourself thoroughly lost if you keep moving when you can't see landmarks that would keep you on track. Driving in fog often means reduced traction as well as inhibited visibility as the fog condenses on the road or trail surface. Turn your headlights on DIM so other driver's can see you better. High beams usually light up the fog in front of you and glare back making it even harder to see where you're going. If you have fog lights, use them. If you don't have fog lights and encounter fog with any regularity, consider adding them. They are not terribly expensive nor difficult to install. Fog can make it hard to see tents and vehicles in camp. After nearly running into my own unlit motorhome when returning to camp in the fog one night I added reflective strips down both sides to make it easier to see. I also placed reflective strips near the front and rear of both sides of my motorcycle trailer. You might put reflective tape on your tent or hang chemical light sticks at strategic places to protect it. Solar lights may also add some visibility and you can often pick them up at dollar stores so they don't have to be expensive.
Driving in fog is challenging to say the least and you may often encounter fog between home and your camping destination. After an hour or so of trying to peer through thick fog my eyes usually feel like burned holes in blanket. Proper fog lights are helpful. The amber or yellow lens, low mounting position, and flat beam pattern help illuminate the roadway without reflecting too much glare back at you. Never use your headlights on bright in fog (or heavy falling or blowing snow). The glare will make it really hard to see what's ahead of you. As in other situations of decreased visibility, you need to adjust your speed so you don't run into stopped or slow moving vehicles, but try not to become an obstacle yourself. The central valley in California gets something they call "toole" fog -- it is thick as pea soup but very shallow. Sometimes drivers of big semis are high enough to see over it while ordinary cars are swimming through it. When I encountered this situation I couldn't even see the hood ornament on my car, but I could see blue sky above me! I waited for a truck to pass me and then locked onto his tail lights and followed him for many miles. If nothing else, having a big truck to clear the road in front of you should reduce your chances of being hit head on. Be sure to maintain a safe distance. You don't want to run into him if he stops. Even if he stops and you do run into him, the impact will be a lot less than if you'd hit an oncoming vehicle head on. Using a truck as your "front door" (as CBers say) not only protects you from on coming traffic, most truckers are familiar with the roads and will be aware of potential problems either from experience or from warnings via CB radio from other truckers, long before you do.
I once had some yellow tinted sun glasses that actually made it easier to see in the fog. Ordinary sun glasses will make it harder. The yellow tinted lenses are sometimes found at sporting goods stores that cater to hunters and shooters.
In camp, you need to make your tent, RV, and other equipment visible to avoid someone from running into it. Lights or lanterns can help make your tent and your picnic table easier to see in the fog. To protect your RV, reflective tape on all 4 sides will help it show up in the headlights of any approaching vehicle. One of the most visible formats is the alternating white and red reflectors you often see on semi-trailers but that may not be very attractive on the side of a nice motorhome. 3M makes a variety of colors of reflective tape so you may be able to find something that blends with or complements the existing color scheme while giving you high visibility. I chose a 2" wide white strip for one of my motorhomes and installed it over an existing white strip of nearly the same size. It was nearly invisible in daylight, but the high reflectivity showed up brightly in headlights at night or other times of decreased visibility. Before installing the reflective tape I nearly ran into my own motorhome when returning to camp one foggy evening which is why I decided to install it.
Minimize the chance of someone running into your camp by choosing a safe location in the first place. NEVER set up your camp on a trail or road. Keep your camp a safe distance from trails and roads. Avoid setting up camp next to an outside turn on a road or trail, where someone missing the turn might run into you. Fog, rain, or snow may make it difficult for them to see the turn or slick conditions caused by rain or snow may cause them to loose control and head smack into your campsite. Camping on the inside of a turn is a little less risky. If someone misses the turn they aren't as likely to run into you, but they may still loose control if the road is slick and then they could spin out and go anywhere!
If you encounter fog while out on the trails on an OHV, horse, or just hiking, you will need to take extra precautions to remain safe. Other travelers may not be able to see you or you may not be able to see them in time to avoid a collision so you need to be ready to take evasive action at a moment's notice. If the visibility gets too bad you may want to seek a safe place to take a break until it improves. If your OHV has lights, make sure you turn them on. They might not help you see any better, but they will make it easier for other travelers to see you.
If the weather turns cold you may encounter freezing fog. Branches on trees and bushes and power lines will become coated with something called rime, which is a form of frost. Sometimes freezing fog creates what is knows affectionately as "diamond dust" -- brilliant ice crystals that collect on horizontal surfaces as they fall from the freezing fog. I've even seen crystals suspended in the fog, glistening like tiny stars when illuminated by street lights or head lights. While it is incredibly beautiful, it isn't much fun to breath it and it can inhibit visibility, making harder for you so see and be seen!
See and be seen!
Information on recreational vehicles (RVs) and Off Highway Vehicles (OHVs), Camping, Sailing, and Survival
Showing posts sorted by relevance for query camp stores. Sort by date Show all posts
Showing posts sorted by relevance for query camp stores. Sort by date Show all posts
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Monday, September 24, 2012
Camping Ovens
If you have a self-contained motorhome or travel trailer chances are it has an oven. Many RVs these days include a microwave or microwave/convection combo oven and many have a range with a gas oven. If you're tent camping, or your RV doesn't have an oven (some RVs have only "cook tops" with 2 - 4 burners and no oven), you may have to seek other options. Tear drop trailers usually have just a one-burner portable butane or propane stove to be used in the rear "kitchen" or you just use your own Coleman stove. The gas oven in an RV will function pretty much like the one at home, but it's smaller size may limit how much food you can prepare at one time. For example, you may have to bake each layer of a cake by itself, instead of doing 2 or more at a time like you might do at home. The smaller size may also mean the heat sources are closer to the shelves which may affect baking temperatures and times. If the bottom burns before the whole thing is cooked you either need to use a higher shelf or turn down the heat and bake longer.
Microwave ovens are wonderful conveniences in RVs or even tent camping if you have power. You'll need shore power from a campground pedestal or an on board or portable generator or an inverter and strong battery bank. Microwave ovens in RVs are often installed at eye level. Be careful removing food from the microwave. It can be VERY hot -- hot enough to create 2nd degree burns if it spills on your skin! That is one reason microwave instructions on many foods say to let it set for 2 minutes before serving. The other reason is to let the food continue to cook, so don't be in too big a hurry to pull it out of the oven! Having a convection microwave may eliminate the need for a conventional gas oven.
But what do you do when your only option is cooking on a Coleman stove or a campfire? Coleman stoves typically have 2 or 3 burners but no oven. Campfires are just a big batch of flames or, if you are patient enough, coals. Sometimes you have have a grill over a campfire to support cooking devices.
The Coleman Camp Oven has been a traditional camping oven solution for camp stove users for years. It is light weight, folds to 12"x12"x2" for storage and transport, and expands to 12"x12"x12" for use on a 2 or 3 burner gas stove or an RV cook top. You might even be able to use it on a campfire if you have a grill or grid to set it on. It is an easy way to bake biscuits, rolls, entrees, and pizza in camp. You might even be able to do bread, brownies, and cakes once you've gotten the hang of using it. Since it sits on top of your gas stove, it is somewhat affected by wind if you're using it outside. Using a wind guard around the stove will improve performance on windy days. Expect to pay $25-50 for a brand new oven or watch garage sales, thrift stores, ebay, etc to get a bargain on a used one. Unless they have been badly bent or otherwise abused, there isn't much that can go wrong with them. You might have to give it a good cleaning.
For a more home-like solution, Camp Chef and Coleman both sell a portable outdoor range and oven for about $200 -$300. I've seen used ones offered on the 'Net for around $160. This is scaled down version of your kitchen stove at home, with 2 gas burners on top and an oven with 2 racks. It even looks like a miniature stainless steel kitchen stand alone range. Here is a link to the Camp Chef Portable Oven. so you can get an idea of what they are like. Pretty luxurious. It comes equipped to run on a standard 1 lb propane bottle but can be adapted to use larger propane cylinders. This also makes an excellent survival stove for emergencies. Since the oven is not dependent on an outside heat source, it isn't affected by wind but you may still need a wind guard on the top burners when the breeze picks up. If it you have the budget for it, this is an excellent way to bring along complete cooking facilities for tent camping or for use in any RV that doesn't have a functional range and oven and as a home emergency stove. You might even find it less expensive and more convenient than replacing an RV range and oven if yours has failed. Just be sure to provide adequate ventilation anytime you use it in an enclosed space.
Dutch ovens are always a good option when camping. A Dutch oven is simply a cast iron (or sometimes heavy aluminum) pot with a sturdy lid. They can be used on your gas stove or in the campfire or heated with charcoal briquettes. You can cook just about anything in a Dutch oven but you will usually want to seek out special Dutch oven recipes for best results. They are very adaptable and can cook almost anything from soups and stews, to one-pot main dishes, to breads and desserts. It is common to combine meat, potatoes, and other veggies together and let them simmer for a few hours for a really easy, tender, tasty, meal. I think of it as a pioneer crock pot. A favorite Dutch oven dessert is a kind of "dump cake". Check the Internet for specific recipes but the general idea is to dump a can of your favorite fruit or pie filling into the bottom of the pan, dump a box of cake mix on top of it, and bake. Always line your Dutch ovens with aluminum foil to make cleanup easier, especially when cooking sticky desserts. Dutch ovens are perfect for cooking foods that benefit from long simmering, like chili, stew, chicken, and pot roast. Think of them as kind of a pioneer crock pot. Set up your Dutch oven before you begin your recreational activities for the day and by dinner time you'll have a hot and tasty meal waiting to be ladled up. You typically need charcoal underneath and on the lid. Figure on putting one briquette on top for each inch of diameter of the Dutch oven. A lid lifter is a handy accessory or use a pair of Channel-lok style slip-joint pliers. The cast in loop on the lid gets very hot.
Not exactly an oven but kind of related are camp toasters. Typically they consist of steel disk with a wire frame on top that holds 4 slices of bread for toasting. They are inexpensive (usually under $5) and fold flat for easy transport and storage. You need to keep a close eye on your toast to make sure it doesn't burn and you'll need to turn the toast to cook both sides, but it makes really good toast on a Coleman stove, an RV range or even a campfire.
An alternate way, with a pioneer flair, to cook breads etc is to make the dough thick and wrap it on a stick and cook it over an open flame (campfire or camp stove) to make campfire twist bread. A forked stick works best. Or heat some non-porous flat rocks in your fire until water sizzles when dropped on them and drop the dough right on the rocks. You might even try making a stone oven of flat rocks and put your dough in there for baking. Ash cakes can be cooked by dropping dough directly on hot coals. It is surprising how little the coals stick to the bread but be sure to brush the ashes off the bottom before you eat them!
Solar ovens are a nice eco-friendly way to go. And using them is easy on your pocketbook although ready-made solar ovens can be a little pricey. However, you can find numerous plans for building your own solar oven on the Internet. Usually all you need is some cardboard and some aluminum foil. Your only fuel is sunlight. Not going to do much baking on rainy days, but solar ovens are an interesting and economical option for fair weather, and, after all, don't we all try to do most of our camping in fair weather?
If you are always camping with full hookups or have a generator, you could consider bringing along microwave or toaster ovens to make meals in camp more convenient even when tent camping. With today's quiet, light weight generators, they're even feasible for tent camping. Many RVs have built in microwaves. If yours does not, you can probably add one or just bring along a small model that can sit on the counter (see my post on Replacing or Installing a Microwave Oven for additional details).
Campfire pizza. You can make campfire pizza in a frying pan. A cast iron skillet is the best choice for direct use on the campfire, but you could make pizza in a regular frying pan on your camp stove or, if you are careful, even on the campfire. Dutch ovens are another option for making pizza in camp. I have seen pizza ovens advertised for campfire use but to me they were way to expensive and way to cumbersome for use in camp. Might be worth it if you were selling pizza in camp!
Military field cookers might be an option for car camping, but from what I've learned about them, they're large and heavy to haul around and use a LOT of propane -- IF you can find the right regulators to make them work properly and that seems to be a common problem. I've heard they often have regulators and orifices that aren't compatible with civilian propane systems. Keep in mind they're literally designed to feed an army. Individual military equipment is worth looking into for camping, but unit level stuff is mostly designed to be transported in 2 1/2 to 5 ton trucks and feed hundreds of soldiers. Probably too big, too heavy, and too expensive for most of us and way overkill unless you have a really big family or plan to frequently feed the whole campground on a regular basis.
Bake up!
Sunday, October 28, 2012
Tent Camping in Campgrounds
Tent camping in campgrounds has several advantages and a few disadvantages. Campgrounds usually provide level, often grassy spaces, free of debris to set up your tent. You will usually have designated parking places that are paved or at least graveled, close to where you will set up your tent so you don't have to carry your stuff too far. Very often there will be community water spigots where you can get water as you need it. There may be toilets, sometimes even full service bathrooms with hot showers but sometimes just primitive pit toilets. But that still beats digging your own latrine! Some campgrounds provide an area with sinks and counter space where you can wash your dishes. Campgrounds will usually provide picnic tables and approved fire pits. What is special about an approved fire pit? Well, it has been constructed according to Forest Service standards and has been inspected and approved for use. Forest areas often come under fire restrictions during hot, dry summer months when fires are only allowed in approved fire pits. The fine for having an open fire in a restricted area can be very heavy and the penalties for allowing your unapproved fire to get away from you and start a brush fire or forest fire can run into the millions of dollars in fire fighting costs and property damage which you could be ordered to pay for!
Access to campgrounds is usually via good roads making them within easy reach by family car. Primitive/remote sites may be require more rugged transportation to be reached. If you are planning to camp "off road" you may need a high-clearance 4 wheel drive vehicle just to get there.
Campgrounds may also give you access to camp stores and local businesses in case you need some supplies and to a ranger or camp host who is knowledgeable about the area and can give excellent advice regarding trails, activities, and even weather. You will also have fellow campers around you who can be a good source of information and assistance. Most campgrounds try to have at least some shade, natural or artificial (canopy) for your comfort.
Disadvantages mostly consist of increased proximity to civilization, including fellow campers, that can intrude on your solitude if you are seeking a truly pristine camping experience. Light from parking lots, streets, and nearby businesses may limit your view of the night sky. You might experience "noise pollution" from nearby highways, railroads, or large event venues. Some frequently used camp sites may suffer from abuse. You may encounter dirty or damaged tables, left behind trash, non-combustibles in the fire pit, and nasty bathrooms.. Of course, if everyone observed proper camping etiquette, you wouldn't run into these problems, but, unfortunately, not everyone is as considerate as they should be. Sites in some campgrounds may be closer together than you might like. And, of course, you must pay a fee to use most developed campgrounds, especially if there are amenities for your convenience.
Unless you are in an open camping area you will be in a designated site. Be careful to keep your stuff within your designated area and not intrude on space allocated to other campers. It is also a good idea in open or primitive camping areas to keep all your belongings close. Not only is it more considerate to other campers, it keeps them more convenient for your use and allows you to maintain better security over your things.
Some commercial campgrounds include many resort style amenities. Some typical examples are badminton, table tennis, shuffle board, swimming pools, bathrooms, showers, camp store, and restaurant.
Some, but not all, campgrounds accommodate both RVs and tent campers. Many Forest Service Campgrounds do not allow RVs. Some RV parks do not allow tent camping. Don't just assume you can set up your tent in an RV space. You may get an unexpected visit from local law enforcement -- or at least the camp host evicting you! If you do occupy an RV space expect to pay the standard RV rate unless told otherwise.
Happy camping!
Access to campgrounds is usually via good roads making them within easy reach by family car. Primitive/remote sites may be require more rugged transportation to be reached. If you are planning to camp "off road" you may need a high-clearance 4 wheel drive vehicle just to get there.
Campgrounds may also give you access to camp stores and local businesses in case you need some supplies and to a ranger or camp host who is knowledgeable about the area and can give excellent advice regarding trails, activities, and even weather. You will also have fellow campers around you who can be a good source of information and assistance. Most campgrounds try to have at least some shade, natural or artificial (canopy) for your comfort.
Disadvantages mostly consist of increased proximity to civilization, including fellow campers, that can intrude on your solitude if you are seeking a truly pristine camping experience. Light from parking lots, streets, and nearby businesses may limit your view of the night sky. You might experience "noise pollution" from nearby highways, railroads, or large event venues. Some frequently used camp sites may suffer from abuse. You may encounter dirty or damaged tables, left behind trash, non-combustibles in the fire pit, and nasty bathrooms.. Of course, if everyone observed proper camping etiquette, you wouldn't run into these problems, but, unfortunately, not everyone is as considerate as they should be. Sites in some campgrounds may be closer together than you might like. And, of course, you must pay a fee to use most developed campgrounds, especially if there are amenities for your convenience.
Unless you are in an open camping area you will be in a designated site. Be careful to keep your stuff within your designated area and not intrude on space allocated to other campers. It is also a good idea in open or primitive camping areas to keep all your belongings close. Not only is it more considerate to other campers, it keeps them more convenient for your use and allows you to maintain better security over your things.
Some commercial campgrounds include many resort style amenities. Some typical examples are badminton, table tennis, shuffle board, swimming pools, bathrooms, showers, camp store, and restaurant.
Some, but not all, campgrounds accommodate both RVs and tent campers. Many Forest Service Campgrounds do not allow RVs. Some RV parks do not allow tent camping. Don't just assume you can set up your tent in an RV space. You may get an unexpected visit from local law enforcement -- or at least the camp host evicting you! If you do occupy an RV space expect to pay the standard RV rate unless told otherwise.
Happy camping!
Monday, December 5, 2011
Camp Trash
The "camp trash" I'm talking about is not be be confused with "trailer trash". Unlike "trailer trash", it isn't people, it is the garbage people sometimes (too many times!) leave behind when camping. That being said, people who do leave their trash behind quickly gain a reputation as "trailer trash". Why would anything as mundane as camp trash deserve its own post? For one thing, way too many people fail to clean up after themselves when camping. Too many have the "I'm on vacation" attitude and think someone else should clean up after them. Or they're just careless and let things blow away. The old back packers adage "Pack it in; pack it out" definitely applies to all kinds of camping. I've seen beautiful national forest campgrounds that, after a holiday weekend, looked like the downwind area next to a landfill. Such behavior is inexcusable. I was amused and inspired by an innovative park ranger who, after collecting two large bags of identifiable trash from a single camp site at the end of a holiday weekend, sent a letter to the city folks who had left it behind, notifying them they had left some personal belongings behind and he was shipping them to them C.O.D. and to watch for the package. Then he boxed up their trash and sent it to them -- at their expense! Imagine their surprise when, after paying the C.O.D charges, they opened the box, expecting to find a lost camera, cell phone, sweater or camping equipment and finding instead all the garbage they left behind for someone else to clean up. As I recall, these particular campers had consistently ignored posted rules and basic guidelines for acceptable behavior in general. I'm pretty sure they broke every possible rule. So they pretty much deserved it. I'm pleased to report that the offenders were NOT OHV riders and that every time I've been camping with OHVers we've left our camp sites and the surrounding area cleaner and in better condition than we found them. That isn't to say that all OHV riders are so considerate. However, when our Desert Rat group sponsored a cleanup day at one of our favorite staging areas, we filled a 40-yard dumpster and very little of the trash we collected could be traced to OHV activities. Most was household and construction debris dumped by residents of surrounding towns. I've run other service projects and talked to organizers of other similar projects and they've consistently experienced the same thing. How anyone can think OHVers are hauling sofas and toilets around on their dirt bikes and ATVs and dumping them is beyond me!
For all the conveniences of home of included in modern RVs, trash containers are usually conspicuously absent. In nearly 40 years of RV ownership I've only had one or two that came with even a small built-in trash can, about the size you normally use in a bathroom, certainly not adequate for a weekend family outing. Some of the huge, luxury, bus conversions may have trash compactors, but even those seem to be few and far between. A couple of motorhomes I owned had little a wastebasket built in to the counter top behind the sink. In all other cases, we've had to "make do" with plastic trash bags or putting a modest sized trash can in a cabinet or even in the shower in some cases. RV stores have plastic bag holders that can be attached to the inside of a cabinet door that will turn ordinary plastic grocery bags into convenient temporary trash containers. If you have to resort to putting a wastebasket in the shower, use a bungee cord or other strap to secure it so it doesn't tip over on the road. The lack of trash receptacles in RVs reminds me of the anecdote about an architect who was designing a new cathedral. He sent the plans to the Cardinal for review and they came back with just one question "Are they angels?" After puzzling over the comment for some time, the architect discovered he had not included any restrooms in the design! I guess RV designers must think their customers are angels and don't generate any trash while camping. In reality the opposite is true. Camping often generates more trash than at home since we have a tendency to use more convenience foods, which means more packaging to dispose of. I suppose the lack of a permanent trash container in an RV makes people use plastic bags and take the trash out more often instead of letting it collect and spoil in an enclosed space, but it sure is nice to have a handy trash can, especially when preparing meals. And tent campers are not exempt! You'll want to keep a trash receptacle handy when preparing your meals and cleaning up afterwards, even it its just a plastic bag clamped to the edge of your picnic table or counter top.
Controlling outdoor trash. Most developed campgrounds will have trash cans and/or dumpsters conveniently located so you can easily dispose of your trash. They will often even have trash barrels at each camp site. When boondocking you'll need to provide your own -- and remember: pack it in, pack it out! Most of us don't have room to carry around a big trash can, but you can use large contractor trash bags, with or without a collapsible holder to corral your outdoor trash so it doesn't end up all over the landscape. Even the slightest breeze will send loose napkins, paper plates, and paper cups, scattering. Collapsible trash cans take up little room during transit but function like "real" garbage cans in camp. Put a large plastic trash bag in one and you have really convenient garbage can. When it comes time to empty it or head home, just pull out the bag and tie it off for transport to a proper disposal site. I modified some "quad" camp chairs to hold plastic bags and serve as medium sized trash receptacles. I removed the fabric seat then removed the back test. The result is a sturdy square framework that takes up little room during transit but conveniently holds large plastic trash bags in camp. I've since discovered leaf bag holders designed to hold large contractor trash bags for yard work that work the same way. These collapsible containers are a handy way to handle trash in camp.
Incinerating your trash. You can often reduce the amount of trash you have to store and bring home by burning combustible stuff in your campfire. Make sure there are no pressurized containers (like whipped cream, shaving cream, paint, or cleaning supplies) in the trash you put into the campfire. Otherwise you're going to get a nasty surprise that may cause serious injuries when the cans explode. Even tightly capped plastic water and soda bottles can explode with surprising force when they heat up, not to mention the toxic fumes from burning the plastic. While plastic bottles don't generate the kind of lethal shrapnel that metal cans do, the explosions can send out a rain of hot coals and flaming debris. Don't put batteries in the campfire. They do not burn well, actually, not at all! However, paper goods (plates, napkins, cups, bowls, and packaging) can be burned. Some folks prefer to avoid styrofoam or other plastic containers as they think they may emit toxic fumes when they burn, if you burn a lot at one time. Most of the vapors from burning styrofoam are water and carbon dioxide, but they also emit a small amount of styrene and incomplete burning may result in carbon soot. Tin and aluminum cans often find their way into fire pits, but someone will just have to fish them out and cart them away sooner or later. Some light-weight aluminum cans may melt and even burn in a very hot fire, but here again, you don't want to be breathing the fumes from burning metal. Campfire coals can get surprisingly hot, especially if they are fanned by a light breeze, which effectively acts like a blacksmith's bellows. Aluminum vapor doesn't make a good lining for your lungs! Better to crush cans and keep them separate for proper disposal or, better yet, recycling. Crushing them reduces the space they'll take up and can be made into a game for the young people in camp. Stomping down aluminum cans is pretty easy. I've seen guys who think they're macho, smash them against their foreheads, but I certainly don't condone or recommend the practice! Putting non-combustible materials in your campfire will soon fill the fire pit and make it ineffective and unsafe. You can probably get away with burning paper plates that still have food on them if no one is sitting around the campfire. Burning food can sometimes produce offensive odors, so burn such things before people gather around the fire or after they've gone or, at the very least, get their permission before dumping a bunch of smelly garbage into the fire. Wet kitchen garbage won't burn well and may smolder and give off smoke and offensive odors for a long time. Some people are allergic to certain foods, and exposing them to the smoke could cause serious reactions. If you insist on burning your peanut shells, you may need to have an epi-pen handy to counteract the anaphylactic shock that can result from an allergic reaction in someone who is allergic to peanuts. Be considerate.
Tent campers should follow the advice above for controlling outdoor trash. You may also find it convenient to hang a grocery bag inside your tent to collect candy wrappers, napkins, tissues, etc. Another convenient spot for a trash bag is near your "kitchen" area or on the picnic table. Having a place to collect trash instead of leaving it all over the place keeps your tent and your camp site neat and tidy and will save you a lot of time chasing errant trash and cleaning up at the end of the trip. Leaving trash lying around inside your tent invites pests -- insects and vermin -- that may chew up your gear as well as leave unwelcome, unpleasant, and unsanitary droppings.
Make it convenient. The secret to keeping trash under control is to make it convenient to put it where it belongs. Have trash cans or bags close where ever you are opening packages or preparing food. Clamp one to the end of your picnic table. Hang one on a door handle of your vehicle or RV. If you have to go all the way to the trash can in the shower in your RV to get rid of a hand full of trash it is likely to end up left out and get blown away. But if you have trash bag handy, you can keep it all together and make only one trip to the trash can at the end of the activity. Keep a bag near the entrance to your tent. You might have a tendency to push it back out of the way, but then it won't get used. Few RVs have garbage disposals. Adding more solid waste to holding tanks isn't a very practical thing to do. So food wastes go into the garbage. Using small trash cans or bags and emptying to disposing of them frequently helps prevent the accumulation of smelly garbage in your tent or RV.
Collapsible trash cans are a convenient way to corral camp trash. They are inexpensive and take up little room in transit. Line them with a plastic bag to avoid permanent stains and odors. The bags can be deposited in the local dumpster or tied tight and hauled home for proper disposal. Collapsible trash cans come in a variety of sizes so they can be easily adapted to just about any need -- kitchen, bathroom, or outdoors. They are especially useful when you have a place to dispose of the bags of trash so you can close them down again for the trip home. Before the nylon collapsible trash bags became readily available, I cut down some inexpensive camp chairs to make them into trash bag holders. Essentially I reduced the chairs to their metal frameworks and removed the backrests, leaving a 4-posted collapsible frame to which I could attach trash bags. Worked like a charm. Another handy tip is to use or re-purpose an old collapsible clothes hamper as a trash bag holder.
At the end of your outing, have everyone make a pass through your campsite and adjacent areas and pick up an errant trash that has managed to escape. When I was in the army they called it "policing the area" and the drill sergeant who sent us out about arms length apart barked all he wanted to see was "backsides and elbows". Of course his exact words were a little more colorful but you get the picture. That way you leave the site in good condition for the next camper (who could be you again!). If you leave your trash behind you invite the next person to do the same. If you clean it up, you're setting a good example and encouraging subsequent users to keep it clean. Involving everyone in your group will also help them appreciate how important is it keep control of their trash through the outing and make the task go faster.
Most developed campgrounds have large trash receptacles (cans or even dumpsters) for your use but when boondocking you'll be responsible for hauling out your own trash. Never leave your trash bags in camp or along the road. Be sure to close the lids on any public trash receptacles when you use them.
Make sure any leftover trash you have to take home is well contained. Tie off plastic trash bags, even those in waste baskets to prevent them getting spilled and to control foul odors. Double-bag anything that has potential for making a mess -- things with sharp edges and particularly nasty or gooey stuff. I'd rather waste a couple of trash bags than have to scrub crud out of my carpet or have it seep under cabinets! Ordinary plastic grocery bags make pretty good trash bags. For larger, stronger choices, purchase kitchen trash bags or even contractor trash bags.
Keep it clean!
For all the conveniences of home of included in modern RVs, trash containers are usually conspicuously absent. In nearly 40 years of RV ownership I've only had one or two that came with even a small built-in trash can, about the size you normally use in a bathroom, certainly not adequate for a weekend family outing. Some of the huge, luxury, bus conversions may have trash compactors, but even those seem to be few and far between. A couple of motorhomes I owned had little a wastebasket built in to the counter top behind the sink. In all other cases, we've had to "make do" with plastic trash bags or putting a modest sized trash can in a cabinet or even in the shower in some cases. RV stores have plastic bag holders that can be attached to the inside of a cabinet door that will turn ordinary plastic grocery bags into convenient temporary trash containers. If you have to resort to putting a wastebasket in the shower, use a bungee cord or other strap to secure it so it doesn't tip over on the road. The lack of trash receptacles in RVs reminds me of the anecdote about an architect who was designing a new cathedral. He sent the plans to the Cardinal for review and they came back with just one question "Are they angels?" After puzzling over the comment for some time, the architect discovered he had not included any restrooms in the design! I guess RV designers must think their customers are angels and don't generate any trash while camping. In reality the opposite is true. Camping often generates more trash than at home since we have a tendency to use more convenience foods, which means more packaging to dispose of. I suppose the lack of a permanent trash container in an RV makes people use plastic bags and take the trash out more often instead of letting it collect and spoil in an enclosed space, but it sure is nice to have a handy trash can, especially when preparing meals. And tent campers are not exempt! You'll want to keep a trash receptacle handy when preparing your meals and cleaning up afterwards, even it its just a plastic bag clamped to the edge of your picnic table or counter top.
Controlling outdoor trash. Most developed campgrounds will have trash cans and/or dumpsters conveniently located so you can easily dispose of your trash. They will often even have trash barrels at each camp site. When boondocking you'll need to provide your own -- and remember: pack it in, pack it out! Most of us don't have room to carry around a big trash can, but you can use large contractor trash bags, with or without a collapsible holder to corral your outdoor trash so it doesn't end up all over the landscape. Even the slightest breeze will send loose napkins, paper plates, and paper cups, scattering. Collapsible trash cans take up little room during transit but function like "real" garbage cans in camp. Put a large plastic trash bag in one and you have really convenient garbage can. When it comes time to empty it or head home, just pull out the bag and tie it off for transport to a proper disposal site. I modified some "quad" camp chairs to hold plastic bags and serve as medium sized trash receptacles. I removed the fabric seat then removed the back test. The result is a sturdy square framework that takes up little room during transit but conveniently holds large plastic trash bags in camp. I've since discovered leaf bag holders designed to hold large contractor trash bags for yard work that work the same way. These collapsible containers are a handy way to handle trash in camp.
Incinerating your trash. You can often reduce the amount of trash you have to store and bring home by burning combustible stuff in your campfire. Make sure there are no pressurized containers (like whipped cream, shaving cream, paint, or cleaning supplies) in the trash you put into the campfire. Otherwise you're going to get a nasty surprise that may cause serious injuries when the cans explode. Even tightly capped plastic water and soda bottles can explode with surprising force when they heat up, not to mention the toxic fumes from burning the plastic. While plastic bottles don't generate the kind of lethal shrapnel that metal cans do, the explosions can send out a rain of hot coals and flaming debris. Don't put batteries in the campfire. They do not burn well, actually, not at all! However, paper goods (plates, napkins, cups, bowls, and packaging) can be burned. Some folks prefer to avoid styrofoam or other plastic containers as they think they may emit toxic fumes when they burn, if you burn a lot at one time. Most of the vapors from burning styrofoam are water and carbon dioxide, but they also emit a small amount of styrene and incomplete burning may result in carbon soot. Tin and aluminum cans often find their way into fire pits, but someone will just have to fish them out and cart them away sooner or later. Some light-weight aluminum cans may melt and even burn in a very hot fire, but here again, you don't want to be breathing the fumes from burning metal. Campfire coals can get surprisingly hot, especially if they are fanned by a light breeze, which effectively acts like a blacksmith's bellows. Aluminum vapor doesn't make a good lining for your lungs! Better to crush cans and keep them separate for proper disposal or, better yet, recycling. Crushing them reduces the space they'll take up and can be made into a game for the young people in camp. Stomping down aluminum cans is pretty easy. I've seen guys who think they're macho, smash them against their foreheads, but I certainly don't condone or recommend the practice! Putting non-combustible materials in your campfire will soon fill the fire pit and make it ineffective and unsafe. You can probably get away with burning paper plates that still have food on them if no one is sitting around the campfire. Burning food can sometimes produce offensive odors, so burn such things before people gather around the fire or after they've gone or, at the very least, get their permission before dumping a bunch of smelly garbage into the fire. Wet kitchen garbage won't burn well and may smolder and give off smoke and offensive odors for a long time. Some people are allergic to certain foods, and exposing them to the smoke could cause serious reactions. If you insist on burning your peanut shells, you may need to have an epi-pen handy to counteract the anaphylactic shock that can result from an allergic reaction in someone who is allergic to peanuts. Be considerate.
Tent campers should follow the advice above for controlling outdoor trash. You may also find it convenient to hang a grocery bag inside your tent to collect candy wrappers, napkins, tissues, etc. Another convenient spot for a trash bag is near your "kitchen" area or on the picnic table. Having a place to collect trash instead of leaving it all over the place keeps your tent and your camp site neat and tidy and will save you a lot of time chasing errant trash and cleaning up at the end of the trip. Leaving trash lying around inside your tent invites pests -- insects and vermin -- that may chew up your gear as well as leave unwelcome, unpleasant, and unsanitary droppings.
Make it convenient. The secret to keeping trash under control is to make it convenient to put it where it belongs. Have trash cans or bags close where ever you are opening packages or preparing food. Clamp one to the end of your picnic table. Hang one on a door handle of your vehicle or RV. If you have to go all the way to the trash can in the shower in your RV to get rid of a hand full of trash it is likely to end up left out and get blown away. But if you have trash bag handy, you can keep it all together and make only one trip to the trash can at the end of the activity. Keep a bag near the entrance to your tent. You might have a tendency to push it back out of the way, but then it won't get used. Few RVs have garbage disposals. Adding more solid waste to holding tanks isn't a very practical thing to do. So food wastes go into the garbage. Using small trash cans or bags and emptying to disposing of them frequently helps prevent the accumulation of smelly garbage in your tent or RV.
Collapsible trash cans are a convenient way to corral camp trash. They are inexpensive and take up little room in transit. Line them with a plastic bag to avoid permanent stains and odors. The bags can be deposited in the local dumpster or tied tight and hauled home for proper disposal. Collapsible trash cans come in a variety of sizes so they can be easily adapted to just about any need -- kitchen, bathroom, or outdoors. They are especially useful when you have a place to dispose of the bags of trash so you can close them down again for the trip home. Before the nylon collapsible trash bags became readily available, I cut down some inexpensive camp chairs to make them into trash bag holders. Essentially I reduced the chairs to their metal frameworks and removed the backrests, leaving a 4-posted collapsible frame to which I could attach trash bags. Worked like a charm. Another handy tip is to use or re-purpose an old collapsible clothes hamper as a trash bag holder.
At the end of your outing, have everyone make a pass through your campsite and adjacent areas and pick up an errant trash that has managed to escape. When I was in the army they called it "policing the area" and the drill sergeant who sent us out about arms length apart barked all he wanted to see was "backsides and elbows". Of course his exact words were a little more colorful but you get the picture. That way you leave the site in good condition for the next camper (who could be you again!). If you leave your trash behind you invite the next person to do the same. If you clean it up, you're setting a good example and encouraging subsequent users to keep it clean. Involving everyone in your group will also help them appreciate how important is it keep control of their trash through the outing and make the task go faster.
Most developed campgrounds have large trash receptacles (cans or even dumpsters) for your use but when boondocking you'll be responsible for hauling out your own trash. Never leave your trash bags in camp or along the road. Be sure to close the lids on any public trash receptacles when you use them.
Make sure any leftover trash you have to take home is well contained. Tie off plastic trash bags, even those in waste baskets to prevent them getting spilled and to control foul odors. Double-bag anything that has potential for making a mess -- things with sharp edges and particularly nasty or gooey stuff. I'd rather waste a couple of trash bags than have to scrub crud out of my carpet or have it seep under cabinets! Ordinary plastic grocery bags make pretty good trash bags. For larger, stronger choices, purchase kitchen trash bags or even contractor trash bags.
Keep it clean!
Monday, November 12, 2012
Hygiene and Sanitation Options for Tent Camping and Survival
One of the fundamental features of RVs that is so appealing to people is how they emulate many the conveniences of home. On board systems provide sleeping, cooking, water, climate control, and bathroom services. But you don't have those same built in facilities when tent camping or in a wilderness survival situation.
Campground facilities can sometimes be used. Commercial campgrounds often have full service restrooms with flush toilets, sinks, and hot showers. More primitive places may have only a few central water faucets and some pit toilets -- or just pit toilets, which are usually adequate (though often quite nasty!) for most tent camping needs. However, if you choose to take advantage of boondocking in "open camping" and other primitive areas such as those offered by the BLM in many locations and by forest services in some areas, you will be dependent on what you bring with you.
Boondocking options are limited to what you can reasonably transport along with your regular camping equipment. The most basic tools for personal hygiene and washing dishes is a water jug and a small, plastic dishpan. If you want hot water for dishes, washing, shaving, etc, you can heat it in a pan or teapot on your campfire or camp stove. For more convenience there are portable sinks, some with built-in water reservoirs and manual pumps that make them pretty easy to use. In some cases you may be able to dig your own latrine for temporary toilet facilities. A really simple toilet option that I've seen used in truck campers and very small camping trailers, is a folding toilet. It consists of a toilet seat with legs that fold up like a camp stool. Plastic bags are fastened underneath the seat to collect wastes for proper disposal. It is not the ideal solution, but is far more convenient and familiar than an open latrine. For a more home-like solution, get a "Port-a-potty". These are made of plastic and the box-like construction includes a built-in clean water reservoir and pump and a small holding tank. The lid is usually padded so they can be used as an ordinary seat or footrest when not in actual use as a toilet. Some other variations, often offered as disaster toilets, are seats that attach to an ordinary plastic 5-gallon bucket. I've seen some that fasten into the hitch receiver on the back of a tow vehicle. No doubt these are much sturdier than the folding type if there is any question of sturdiness. Port-a-pottys require chemicals like those used in RV holding tanks to break down wastes and control odors and must be dumped in toilets or in approved dump stations. Dumping chemically treated wastes in some pit toilets or septic systems may be prohibited because the chemicals interfere with the normal process in the system. Holding tank chemicals may be used in plastic bags on folding portable toilets and bucket toilets to reduce odors. You can buy special waste collection and disposal bags called "wag bags" that contain a gel to control odors and reduce spillage.
Disposal of gray water usually isn't a major problem. Many primitive campgrounds provide sumps where dishpans can be safely dumped. These are often old perforated 55 gallon drums buried in the ground and partially filled with sand and gravel. If the campground has any sewer plumbing at all, you may be able to dump dishpans down a sink drain or toilet (check with your camp host first). Always follow the posted guidelines you will usually find near a common sink in a campground. When boondocking in remote areas, you may be able to dump lightly contaminated water onto the ground, but check with the land manager prior to exercising this option. In many places dumping of ANY waste water onto the ground is strictly prohibited. If it is allowed, make sure you are a safe distance from any spring, stream, lake, or well (usually at least 200 feet) and dump it where it won't flow onto any camp site, trail, or road.
Toilet wastes can only be disposed of in a toilet or an approved dump station. Even dumping Porta-a-pottys into a pit toilet may cause problems and may be prohibited. NEVER empty your Porta-a-potty onto or into the ground! If you happen to be tent camping in a site with full RV hookups, do not attempt to dump your Porta-a-potty into the sewer connection at the site. These connections do not include a catch basin to prevent ground contamination. Some portable toilets may have a connection for an RV style dump hose and those might be used successfully in a sewer connection, but take extra care to ensure the hose doesn't slip out of the sewer pipe while you are emptying your toilet. You won't like cleaning up the mess it makes!
Portable hot water heaters add a level of comfort and convenience seldom found in tent camping until the last few years. Until they came out, you had to heat your water in pans on your campfire or camp stove. That worked OK for doing dishes and shaving, but was pretty inconvenient for showers or bathing. Propane powered portable hot water heaters can be hooked up to provide home-like showers. You'll probably need a shower enclosure, an inexpensive self-standing 360 degree shower curtain that provides enough privacy to enjoy your hot shower.
Sun showers are a very economical and ecological option. They consist of a plastic bag, usually about 3 gallons, that is left out to be heated by the sun. Putting it on the hood of your car is a good place for it to get full sun and be safe. When you're ready to use it, hang it high enough to use the attached hose and shower head. You may also want to use a shower enclosure for privacy, depending on just how remote your camp site is.
Food wastes should be incinerated or placed in tightly closed plastic bags. That includes scraps from meal preparation and any left overs from plates at the end of the meal. Food wastes can attract unwanted visitors from the local fauna, including large and dangerous animals such as bears as well as pests such as ants and rodents. Another option is to dispose of food wastes in your campfire so there are no scraps left to attract pests. I find using paper plates a good way to reduce washing dishes -- and an easy way to dispose of scraps by putting the whole mess into a roaring fire . Just make sure what you're burning will not create obnoxious fumes for your fellow campers around the fire.
Portable sinks can make life in camp more comfortable. A simple plastic wash basin or dishpan will provide minimum functionality. You can pick up a sink stand at a military surplus store. It folds flat, like an old camp stool for transport and storage, but securely holds a large plastic bowl when opened. I have a portable sink I bought years ago. Glad I did. I haven't seen any more like it since then and the closest ones I've found on the Internet are pretty pricey. It is molded into a water jug so it has its own reservoir built in. It is about the size of a 5-gallon water jug. A small hand-operated plastic pump pumps water from the reservoir through the faucet for brushing your teeth, shaving, and washing up. A hose connected to the drain on the bottom of the sink carries away waste water to a bucket under your table. An quick Internet search revealed a variety of portable sink options, ranging from simple manually pumped ones more or less like mine to large ones with battery operated pumps that give you near residential functionality. They're not cheap. Even the manual, self contained version runs about $75-80. Or you can make your own. I've seen people cut on opening in a portable portable plastic picnic table to accommodate a plastic dishpan, then add a faucet and hook it up to a campground faucet using a potable water hose. If you want hot water, you'll need to heat it in a pan on your camp stove or campfire or break down and buy a portable hot water heater. A water jug and a simple battery operated pump can add convenience. Some portable camp kitchens have a sink option, making food preparation and doing dishes a lot easier.
Wet wipes are convenient for quick touch ups between showers. Sometimes you can buy generic wet wipes or baby wipes at dollar stores, so they don't have to be expensive. Make sure you dispose of them properly when you've finished using them. They don't break down well in Porta-Pottys and RV sewer systems.
Cat baths are a good way to clean up when tent camping. All you need is a small pan or pool of water and a sponge or rag and a towel -- or some wet wipes. Cat baths won't be very effective in handling large amounts of dirt and grime but can take care of dirt normally accumulated in routine daily activities.
Hand sanitizer is a quick and easy way to make sure your hands aren't contaminated with dangerous germs when eating or preparing food. You can usually find several different sized containers at your local dollar store, making it cheap and easy to provide individual bottles for each person.
Survival hygiene. If you find yourself in survival mode, you'll probably have little or no hygiene supplies with you. Wash up in a stream or lake if you get the chance. Fine sand or silt might help remove grease or heavy grime. Lacking sufficient water for any kind of clean up, air or smoke showers will help freshen your body and your clothes. Both sunlight and smoke can kill offensive and unhealthy bacteria. To take an air shower remove as much clothing as modesty permits and expose your body to fresh air and sunlight. Take care not go get sunburned! For a smoke shower, add punky wood, sage brush, or green leaves or branches to your fire, then let the smoke flow over your body. The smoke will help kill bacteria that causes odors and disease and burning sage brush or pine boughs will add a pleasant fragrance that can further disquise body odors. You can chew pine or juniper needles to help clean your mouth. Doesn't taste very good (kind of bitter), but it does kill bacteria and clean your teeth. Don't swallow. If you need leaves for toilet paper, be sure to test them on your arm about an hour before using them to avoid some VERY unpleasant itches and rashes in sensitive places! Crush or fold the leaves and rub some of the juice on bare skin. If there are no problems within an hour, they should be safe to use. Far better to deal with skin irritations on your arm where you can treat them than on more sensitive and remote body parts. You can add ashes from your campfire to greasy pans to create a rudimentary sort of soap to help clean them. Here is link for making homemade soap from ashes and animal fat. Here is a Youtube video that shows how. Simply using ashes to scrub greasy pans is a kind of short cut and may be useful for quick cleanups in a survival situation.
Clean up!
Campground facilities can sometimes be used. Commercial campgrounds often have full service restrooms with flush toilets, sinks, and hot showers. More primitive places may have only a few central water faucets and some pit toilets -- or just pit toilets, which are usually adequate (though often quite nasty!) for most tent camping needs. However, if you choose to take advantage of boondocking in "open camping" and other primitive areas such as those offered by the BLM in many locations and by forest services in some areas, you will be dependent on what you bring with you.
Boondocking options are limited to what you can reasonably transport along with your regular camping equipment. The most basic tools for personal hygiene and washing dishes is a water jug and a small, plastic dishpan. If you want hot water for dishes, washing, shaving, etc, you can heat it in a pan or teapot on your campfire or camp stove. For more convenience there are portable sinks, some with built-in water reservoirs and manual pumps that make them pretty easy to use. In some cases you may be able to dig your own latrine for temporary toilet facilities. A really simple toilet option that I've seen used in truck campers and very small camping trailers, is a folding toilet. It consists of a toilet seat with legs that fold up like a camp stool. Plastic bags are fastened underneath the seat to collect wastes for proper disposal. It is not the ideal solution, but is far more convenient and familiar than an open latrine. For a more home-like solution, get a "Port-a-potty". These are made of plastic and the box-like construction includes a built-in clean water reservoir and pump and a small holding tank. The lid is usually padded so they can be used as an ordinary seat or footrest when not in actual use as a toilet. Some other variations, often offered as disaster toilets, are seats that attach to an ordinary plastic 5-gallon bucket. I've seen some that fasten into the hitch receiver on the back of a tow vehicle. No doubt these are much sturdier than the folding type if there is any question of sturdiness. Port-a-pottys require chemicals like those used in RV holding tanks to break down wastes and control odors and must be dumped in toilets or in approved dump stations. Dumping chemically treated wastes in some pit toilets or septic systems may be prohibited because the chemicals interfere with the normal process in the system. Holding tank chemicals may be used in plastic bags on folding portable toilets and bucket toilets to reduce odors. You can buy special waste collection and disposal bags called "wag bags" that contain a gel to control odors and reduce spillage.
Disposal of gray water usually isn't a major problem. Many primitive campgrounds provide sumps where dishpans can be safely dumped. These are often old perforated 55 gallon drums buried in the ground and partially filled with sand and gravel. If the campground has any sewer plumbing at all, you may be able to dump dishpans down a sink drain or toilet (check with your camp host first). Always follow the posted guidelines you will usually find near a common sink in a campground. When boondocking in remote areas, you may be able to dump lightly contaminated water onto the ground, but check with the land manager prior to exercising this option. In many places dumping of ANY waste water onto the ground is strictly prohibited. If it is allowed, make sure you are a safe distance from any spring, stream, lake, or well (usually at least 200 feet) and dump it where it won't flow onto any camp site, trail, or road.
Toilet wastes can only be disposed of in a toilet or an approved dump station. Even dumping Porta-a-pottys into a pit toilet may cause problems and may be prohibited. NEVER empty your Porta-a-potty onto or into the ground! If you happen to be tent camping in a site with full RV hookups, do not attempt to dump your Porta-a-potty into the sewer connection at the site. These connections do not include a catch basin to prevent ground contamination. Some portable toilets may have a connection for an RV style dump hose and those might be used successfully in a sewer connection, but take extra care to ensure the hose doesn't slip out of the sewer pipe while you are emptying your toilet. You won't like cleaning up the mess it makes!
Portable hot water heaters add a level of comfort and convenience seldom found in tent camping until the last few years. Until they came out, you had to heat your water in pans on your campfire or camp stove. That worked OK for doing dishes and shaving, but was pretty inconvenient for showers or bathing. Propane powered portable hot water heaters can be hooked up to provide home-like showers. You'll probably need a shower enclosure, an inexpensive self-standing 360 degree shower curtain that provides enough privacy to enjoy your hot shower.
Sun showers are a very economical and ecological option. They consist of a plastic bag, usually about 3 gallons, that is left out to be heated by the sun. Putting it on the hood of your car is a good place for it to get full sun and be safe. When you're ready to use it, hang it high enough to use the attached hose and shower head. You may also want to use a shower enclosure for privacy, depending on just how remote your camp site is.
Food wastes should be incinerated or placed in tightly closed plastic bags. That includes scraps from meal preparation and any left overs from plates at the end of the meal. Food wastes can attract unwanted visitors from the local fauna, including large and dangerous animals such as bears as well as pests such as ants and rodents. Another option is to dispose of food wastes in your campfire so there are no scraps left to attract pests. I find using paper plates a good way to reduce washing dishes -- and an easy way to dispose of scraps by putting the whole mess into a roaring fire . Just make sure what you're burning will not create obnoxious fumes for your fellow campers around the fire.
Portable sinks can make life in camp more comfortable. A simple plastic wash basin or dishpan will provide minimum functionality. You can pick up a sink stand at a military surplus store. It folds flat, like an old camp stool for transport and storage, but securely holds a large plastic bowl when opened. I have a portable sink I bought years ago. Glad I did. I haven't seen any more like it since then and the closest ones I've found on the Internet are pretty pricey. It is molded into a water jug so it has its own reservoir built in. It is about the size of a 5-gallon water jug. A small hand-operated plastic pump pumps water from the reservoir through the faucet for brushing your teeth, shaving, and washing up. A hose connected to the drain on the bottom of the sink carries away waste water to a bucket under your table. An quick Internet search revealed a variety of portable sink options, ranging from simple manually pumped ones more or less like mine to large ones with battery operated pumps that give you near residential functionality. They're not cheap. Even the manual, self contained version runs about $75-80. Or you can make your own. I've seen people cut on opening in a portable portable plastic picnic table to accommodate a plastic dishpan, then add a faucet and hook it up to a campground faucet using a potable water hose. If you want hot water, you'll need to heat it in a pan on your camp stove or campfire or break down and buy a portable hot water heater. A water jug and a simple battery operated pump can add convenience. Some portable camp kitchens have a sink option, making food preparation and doing dishes a lot easier.
Wet wipes are convenient for quick touch ups between showers. Sometimes you can buy generic wet wipes or baby wipes at dollar stores, so they don't have to be expensive. Make sure you dispose of them properly when you've finished using them. They don't break down well in Porta-Pottys and RV sewer systems.
Cat baths are a good way to clean up when tent camping. All you need is a small pan or pool of water and a sponge or rag and a towel -- or some wet wipes. Cat baths won't be very effective in handling large amounts of dirt and grime but can take care of dirt normally accumulated in routine daily activities.
Hand sanitizer is a quick and easy way to make sure your hands aren't contaminated with dangerous germs when eating or preparing food. You can usually find several different sized containers at your local dollar store, making it cheap and easy to provide individual bottles for each person.
Survival hygiene. If you find yourself in survival mode, you'll probably have little or no hygiene supplies with you. Wash up in a stream or lake if you get the chance. Fine sand or silt might help remove grease or heavy grime. Lacking sufficient water for any kind of clean up, air or smoke showers will help freshen your body and your clothes. Both sunlight and smoke can kill offensive and unhealthy bacteria. To take an air shower remove as much clothing as modesty permits and expose your body to fresh air and sunlight. Take care not go get sunburned! For a smoke shower, add punky wood, sage brush, or green leaves or branches to your fire, then let the smoke flow over your body. The smoke will help kill bacteria that causes odors and disease and burning sage brush or pine boughs will add a pleasant fragrance that can further disquise body odors. You can chew pine or juniper needles to help clean your mouth. Doesn't taste very good (kind of bitter), but it does kill bacteria and clean your teeth. Don't swallow. If you need leaves for toilet paper, be sure to test them on your arm about an hour before using them to avoid some VERY unpleasant itches and rashes in sensitive places! Crush or fold the leaves and rub some of the juice on bare skin. If there are no problems within an hour, they should be safe to use. Far better to deal with skin irritations on your arm where you can treat them than on more sensitive and remote body parts. You can add ashes from your campfire to greasy pans to create a rudimentary sort of soap to help clean them. Here is link for making homemade soap from ashes and animal fat. Here is a Youtube video that shows how. Simply using ashes to scrub greasy pans is a kind of short cut and may be useful for quick cleanups in a survival situation.
Clean up!
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Stocking Your Camp Kit
Building a well stocked camp kit for tent camping may be a little more difficult than stocking an RV. RVs give you places to organize your supplies and store them between uses so they're always ready to go. Doing the same for tent camping requires a little more creativity. Instead of cabinets, closets, and drawers like you have in an RV, you'll have to put your stuff in bins, bags, or boxes. You'll want to find a place to keep it where it will be safe but easily accessed when you want to use it.
Properly stocking your camp kit is important for supporting spontaneous trips and so it can be useful in a disaster situation. Having basic, non-perishable supplies and equipment ready to go will make every trip easier. You will want to organize your camping gear in a logical manner. Everything should be stored where you can get to it easily and where it is safe. Putting things in plastic tubs makes it easy to grab and go and protects your gear against moisture, insects, and vermin. I like using translucent tubs so I can kind of see what is inside, but you can label opaque containers using a Magic Marker or adhesive labels (or just masking tape) so you know what is where. If you don't have the budget for plastic tubs or the room to store them, duffle bags, contractor trash bags,or even ordinary cardboard boxes can be used. If you can't see what is inside and it isn't obvious (like sleeping bags and tents) mark the outside of the container so you can find what you need when you need it. Duct tape makes a good label to write on with a marker. If you are worried about being able to remove it, use blue painter's tape.
It will be easier to use your stuff if like things are stored together. Put all your kitchen stuff in one or two tubs. I put big stuff like pots and pans in one and smaller things like cooking utensils, table cloths, dishtowels, and spices in another. You might want to allocate some of your dishtowels to pad the pots and pans or other dishes too to reduce noise and minimize scratching or otherwise damaging items.
A chuck box is a good way to organize your kitchen stuff for camping. It gives you a place to store, organize, carry, and used your kitchen items. For maximum flexibility in creating a custom space, build your own. If you choose to purchase a commercial version, be sure to measure your vehicle carefully to make sure it will fit.
Food requires special consideration. You don't want to store any perishable foods in your camping tubs. But you will want to organize durable basic ingredients so they're always ready to go. Things like sugar, salt, flour, and pancake mixes can be stored in air-tight plastic containers and they should keep for many months if they weren't contaminated to begin with. Things like spices and packaged sauce mixes usually do well if they are also kept in sealed containers. You want to make sure you don't have anything exposed that will attract mice or other vermin. Our volunteer fire department found MREs on our wildlands fire truck and in storage that had been chewed on by mice and had to be disgarded. These were factory sealed foil pouches you would think wouldn't give off any scent, but the mice still went after them. Basic spices, like salt and pepper, can usually be safely stored in your camp kit in sealed plastic containers to protect them from moisture and pests.
Cleaning supplies and sundries are often overlooked until you need them. Think about what you normally use at home and which of them will be needed in camp. Dish soap and hand soap come immediately to mind. Paper towels are always useful in camp. Hand sanitizer will be useful if you have to visit a less than stellar restroom and hand lotion will relieve the suffering from a variety of camp tasks you may not be accustomed to doing like chopping wood or doing dishes by hand. A roll of paper towels will find many, many uses in camp. In addition to the standard cleaning tasks for which they were intended, they can be used as place mats, napkins, and handkerchiefs and as temporary covers to protect food from marauding insects. They can even be used to clean wounds or as pressure pads to control bleeding.
Clothing is something you may want to pack specifically for each outing rather than have a lot of stuff packed away in bins. If you do choose to have some clothing prepared, inventory it periodically to make sure it isn't damaged and that it is appropriate for the time of year. Hauling around bins full of parkas and snowsuits all summer will be a waste of space and energy. Having your favorite bikinis or speedos tucked away on winter outings probably won't be very helpful even if they don't take up a lot of room. Not very many of us pursue 'polar bear' dipping in frozen waters. BTW, regardless of how cold the air may be, fresh water, in liquid form, will never be less than 32°F. Anyplace (like a canteen or drinking glass) that contains both ice and water will be exactly 32°F. Since salt water freezes at a lower temperature than fresh water, salt water could be colder than 32°. The actual freezing point depends on how much salt is in the water. If it is fully saturated (has as much salt as possible, about 23.3%) the freezing point is around -69°F.
Camping gear should be clean, dry, in good repair, and well organized in storage. Try to keep like things together. Put all your tents and canopies on one shelf, hang sleeping bags to air out, store lanterns together, keep stoves and BBQs in a similar place. Remember to store your fuel safely. It isn't a good idea to store propane cylinders or gas cans in your living space or anyplace (like a garage, attic, or basement) connected to your living space. Miscellaneous supplies, like backpack pins, cord locks, lantern mantles, sewing kits, tent repair kits, etc. should be among your basic provisions and should be well organized and labeled so you can find them easily. I like to stock up on these items before hand so I always have them on hand when needed. I once paid something like $1.50 for two cord locks at a sporting goods stores when I needed them right away for a trip, then I was able to buy 50 of them on ebay for a few bucks. Watch for mangers specials, closeouts, and end of season sales to get the most bang for your buck.
First aid kits should be kept up to date. I suggest you have a personal size pocket first aid kit for each member of your family or group and a larger group first aid kit for more serious injuries. From time to time I've found pocket first aid kits at Dollar Tree, so they don't have to be expensive. Check the condition of adhesives on bandaids and adhesive tape. As it gets old it either dries out and no longer sticks at all or it gets slimy and lets the bandage slip all over the place. Some medications may show signs of deterioration. Liquids may change color or consistency, tablets may flake or get powdery. Aspirin gives off a strong vinegar smell when it gets old. Keep your medications up to date and make sure you replenish anything you use before your next trip. If you do a lot of hiking, moleskin is good to have in your kit to prevent and treat blisters.
Canteens, water bottles, and hydration packs should be cleaned and sanitized, then stored where they won't get dirt or bugs in them. Putting them in large Ziplock bags or sealable plastic storage containers will help. Let them dry thoroughly before sealing them up.
Camp tools should be clean, well maintained, and conveniently organized. Axes and hatches should be sharp and the blades covered or protected. Protecting the blades is as much for your protection as for the sharpened edge. An exposed blade can be a hazard and may be dulled by rubbing on things in transit. Metal parts should be lightly oiled to prevent rust. Shovel handles and other wooden handles should be smooth and kept oiled using linseed oil to avoid splinters. Hammers and other tools should be clean and free of rust. Handles that have dried out and gotten rough should be sanded and oiled. BBQ tools should be clean. Any residual food or grease may attract insects or vermin or turn rancid and affect the flavor of your meal the next time you use them.
Periodically examine your camp kits and eliminate items you don't use. You may have things you brought along for a specific purpose for one specific outing that are just taking up valuable space on other ventures if no longer needed. You may have thought something would be useful but never got around to using it. If you aren't using it, take it out. The only exception to this rule is emergency supplies. By their very nature, emergency supplies are things you (hopefully) don't need very often, but will be essential in an emergency situation. Every unnecessary item you take out gives you that much more room for useful and essential items.
Build up your supplies over time to save money. Unless you have an urgent and immediate need, make and prioritize a list, then watch for good deals on the things you need. Check out garage sales and thrift stores and online sites like ebay and craigslist for durable goods and watch for sales on other items. You local "dollar store" can be a treasure trove for cleaning supplies, sundries, OTC medications, and kitchen utensils. I've even found hats, gloves, socks, t-shirts, and sunglasses there. Try adding just one camping item to your regular shopping each week. It usually won't add much to your expenditures, but over time you'll build up stock to sustain your outdoor activities.
Get it together!
Properly stocking your camp kit is important for supporting spontaneous trips and so it can be useful in a disaster situation. Having basic, non-perishable supplies and equipment ready to go will make every trip easier. You will want to organize your camping gear in a logical manner. Everything should be stored where you can get to it easily and where it is safe. Putting things in plastic tubs makes it easy to grab and go and protects your gear against moisture, insects, and vermin. I like using translucent tubs so I can kind of see what is inside, but you can label opaque containers using a Magic Marker or adhesive labels (or just masking tape) so you know what is where. If you don't have the budget for plastic tubs or the room to store them, duffle bags, contractor trash bags,or even ordinary cardboard boxes can be used. If you can't see what is inside and it isn't obvious (like sleeping bags and tents) mark the outside of the container so you can find what you need when you need it. Duct tape makes a good label to write on with a marker. If you are worried about being able to remove it, use blue painter's tape.
It will be easier to use your stuff if like things are stored together. Put all your kitchen stuff in one or two tubs. I put big stuff like pots and pans in one and smaller things like cooking utensils, table cloths, dishtowels, and spices in another. You might want to allocate some of your dishtowels to pad the pots and pans or other dishes too to reduce noise and minimize scratching or otherwise damaging items.
A chuck box is a good way to organize your kitchen stuff for camping. It gives you a place to store, organize, carry, and used your kitchen items. For maximum flexibility in creating a custom space, build your own. If you choose to purchase a commercial version, be sure to measure your vehicle carefully to make sure it will fit.
Food requires special consideration. You don't want to store any perishable foods in your camping tubs. But you will want to organize durable basic ingredients so they're always ready to go. Things like sugar, salt, flour, and pancake mixes can be stored in air-tight plastic containers and they should keep for many months if they weren't contaminated to begin with. Things like spices and packaged sauce mixes usually do well if they are also kept in sealed containers. You want to make sure you don't have anything exposed that will attract mice or other vermin. Our volunteer fire department found MREs on our wildlands fire truck and in storage that had been chewed on by mice and had to be disgarded. These were factory sealed foil pouches you would think wouldn't give off any scent, but the mice still went after them. Basic spices, like salt and pepper, can usually be safely stored in your camp kit in sealed plastic containers to protect them from moisture and pests.
Cleaning supplies and sundries are often overlooked until you need them. Think about what you normally use at home and which of them will be needed in camp. Dish soap and hand soap come immediately to mind. Paper towels are always useful in camp. Hand sanitizer will be useful if you have to visit a less than stellar restroom and hand lotion will relieve the suffering from a variety of camp tasks you may not be accustomed to doing like chopping wood or doing dishes by hand. A roll of paper towels will find many, many uses in camp. In addition to the standard cleaning tasks for which they were intended, they can be used as place mats, napkins, and handkerchiefs and as temporary covers to protect food from marauding insects. They can even be used to clean wounds or as pressure pads to control bleeding.
Clothing is something you may want to pack specifically for each outing rather than have a lot of stuff packed away in bins. If you do choose to have some clothing prepared, inventory it periodically to make sure it isn't damaged and that it is appropriate for the time of year. Hauling around bins full of parkas and snowsuits all summer will be a waste of space and energy. Having your favorite bikinis or speedos tucked away on winter outings probably won't be very helpful even if they don't take up a lot of room. Not very many of us pursue 'polar bear' dipping in frozen waters. BTW, regardless of how cold the air may be, fresh water, in liquid form, will never be less than 32°F. Anyplace (like a canteen or drinking glass) that contains both ice and water will be exactly 32°F. Since salt water freezes at a lower temperature than fresh water, salt water could be colder than 32°. The actual freezing point depends on how much salt is in the water. If it is fully saturated (has as much salt as possible, about 23.3%) the freezing point is around -69°F.
Camping gear should be clean, dry, in good repair, and well organized in storage. Try to keep like things together. Put all your tents and canopies on one shelf, hang sleeping bags to air out, store lanterns together, keep stoves and BBQs in a similar place. Remember to store your fuel safely. It isn't a good idea to store propane cylinders or gas cans in your living space or anyplace (like a garage, attic, or basement) connected to your living space. Miscellaneous supplies, like backpack pins, cord locks, lantern mantles, sewing kits, tent repair kits, etc. should be among your basic provisions and should be well organized and labeled so you can find them easily. I like to stock up on these items before hand so I always have them on hand when needed. I once paid something like $1.50 for two cord locks at a sporting goods stores when I needed them right away for a trip, then I was able to buy 50 of them on ebay for a few bucks. Watch for mangers specials, closeouts, and end of season sales to get the most bang for your buck.
First aid kits should be kept up to date. I suggest you have a personal size pocket first aid kit for each member of your family or group and a larger group first aid kit for more serious injuries. From time to time I've found pocket first aid kits at Dollar Tree, so they don't have to be expensive. Check the condition of adhesives on bandaids and adhesive tape. As it gets old it either dries out and no longer sticks at all or it gets slimy and lets the bandage slip all over the place. Some medications may show signs of deterioration. Liquids may change color or consistency, tablets may flake or get powdery. Aspirin gives off a strong vinegar smell when it gets old. Keep your medications up to date and make sure you replenish anything you use before your next trip. If you do a lot of hiking, moleskin is good to have in your kit to prevent and treat blisters.
Canteens, water bottles, and hydration packs should be cleaned and sanitized, then stored where they won't get dirt or bugs in them. Putting them in large Ziplock bags or sealable plastic storage containers will help. Let them dry thoroughly before sealing them up.
Camp tools should be clean, well maintained, and conveniently organized. Axes and hatches should be sharp and the blades covered or protected. Protecting the blades is as much for your protection as for the sharpened edge. An exposed blade can be a hazard and may be dulled by rubbing on things in transit. Metal parts should be lightly oiled to prevent rust. Shovel handles and other wooden handles should be smooth and kept oiled using linseed oil to avoid splinters. Hammers and other tools should be clean and free of rust. Handles that have dried out and gotten rough should be sanded and oiled. BBQ tools should be clean. Any residual food or grease may attract insects or vermin or turn rancid and affect the flavor of your meal the next time you use them.
Periodically examine your camp kits and eliminate items you don't use. You may have things you brought along for a specific purpose for one specific outing that are just taking up valuable space on other ventures if no longer needed. You may have thought something would be useful but never got around to using it. If you aren't using it, take it out. The only exception to this rule is emergency supplies. By their very nature, emergency supplies are things you (hopefully) don't need very often, but will be essential in an emergency situation. Every unnecessary item you take out gives you that much more room for useful and essential items.
Build up your supplies over time to save money. Unless you have an urgent and immediate need, make and prioritize a list, then watch for good deals on the things you need. Check out garage sales and thrift stores and online sites like ebay and craigslist for durable goods and watch for sales on other items. You local "dollar store" can be a treasure trove for cleaning supplies, sundries, OTC medications, and kitchen utensils. I've even found hats, gloves, socks, t-shirts, and sunglasses there. Try adding just one camping item to your regular shopping each week. It usually won't add much to your expenditures, but over time you'll build up stock to sustain your outdoor activities.
Get it together!
Tuesday, October 30, 2012
Kitchen Utensils for Camping
You probably haven't given much thought to choosing kitchen utensils for camping. And that's OK. Most people have enough experience in the kitchen to know that they're going to need and just duplicate that, or as much as they think they'll need for camping. However, there are some choices for camping that work better than what you normally use at home and having dedicated utensils for camping will make loading and unloading for each trip easier. What you take with you may depend partially on whether you're in an RV or are tent camping. If you're in an RV, you probably want to maintain a pretty well stocked kitchen, similar to what you have at home. However, you may have space limitations. If you're tent camping, you may need to limit the amount of stuff you have to carry around. Even in an RV your drawer space will probably be a lot smaller than at home so you may want to downsize some items and seek multi-use tools to reduce how many things you have to sort through when you need something. You probably won't need everything you have at home. Your menus will, to some extent, dictate what utensils you will need. If you stick to a simple menu, you should be good to go with basic utensils. Another factor is the potential to be cooking on a campfire. For campfire cooking you will not only need fire resistant utensils, but you will probably want ones with extra long handles for safety and comfort. Plastic utensils that work just fine at home and may even be preferred for non-stick pans may not be the best choice for campfire cooking.
The biggest difference will be the need for durability and resistance to fire. The plastic utensils we favor to protect our Teflon cookware at home may not hold up to the rigors of camp cooking, especially if you're cooking on the campfire. Camping also brings frequent distractions and plastic utensils left in the pan may quickly begin to melt. I prefer solid stainless steel utensils, but steel items with wooden or heat-resistant plastic or wood handles usually work well, are sometimes less expensive, and last a long time if you keep the handles away from flames. Stainless steel items can get hot so you might need gloves or hotpads. Old-fashioned porcelain covered "speckleware" has a nice pioneer ambiance and works well for camping. I have a meat fork, serving spoon, and ladle in "speckleware" or "graniteware". I also have a set of speckleware soup spoons that are fun to use. For really heavy duty stainless steel utensils, check out a restaurant supply store. However, you probably don't need to invest that much. I've used the ones I bought at my local "dollar" store for decades without any problems. The only issue I've had, is my wife liked my ladle so well she commandeered it for the home kitchen and I had to find another one.
Which utensils you need will ultimately depend on your menus and cooking style, but here are some basics most everyone will find useful:
* cooking/serving spoons (I suggest at least 2)
* slotted spoon
* meat fork
* spatulas (again I suggest having 2)
* ladle
* paring knife
* small and medium butcher knives
* dish towels and/or paper towels
If you are into basting, you'll need a baster and/or a basting brush. I would get a plastic baster rather than a glass one since it is less fragile and less likely to break rattling around on the road. If you like spaghetti or pasta, a claw-style spaghetti spoon is good to have. You'll need some cutlery too. I like to have at least a couple of different sized butcher knives, a bread knife, and a paring knife or two. Having sharp instruments rattling around in the kitchen drawers dulls them and makes retrieving anything from the drawers dangerous so I like to keep them in one of the wood-block knife holders on the counter or in a cupboard and secure it with Velcro or small bungee cords. Another good way to keep them safe and handy is to store them on a magnetic knife rack. Or you can put protect each one in its individual PVC pipe container. Cut a section of PVC pipe a bit longer than the knife from pipe with an inside diameter big enough to accommodate the widest part of the blade and/or handle. Then cap it on both ends with PVC pipe caps, but don't glue them on! Then mark the pipe using a permanent marker so you know exactly what is inside (3" paring knife, 5" butcher knife, etc.). The only problem with this solution is it takes up more room in the drawer.
Make sure you have can and bottle openers. I once arrived in camp many miles from home and didn't realize until I started to fix some canned chili for dinner that I didn't have a can opener on board. Now I make sure I have manual can opener in my motorhome, in my truck camper, and in my tent camping tub. And I carry a supply of Army "P-38" or "P-51"can openers. They are small and sometimes difficult to use, but they are better than trying to open a can with a pocket knife. P-38 and P-51 can openers are especially convenient for hiking and back packing but are a handy addition to any camp kit. They take up almost no room. P-38s are about 1 1/2" x 1/2".The P-51s are larger, giving you a bit more leverage. Either one can be carried on a key ring with your keys but I found the sharp edge sometimes cut my pockets.
Measuring cups have many uses in camp. Most sets stack within themselves so they take up little room but collapsible measure cups are even more compact. They can even be hung on the inside of an RV or chuck box cabinet door for convenient access without taking up much usable space.
An item I've seen promoted as the best kitchen utensil ever for RV use is a pot strainer. This is a flat, crescent shaped strainer with a handle that you can use on just about any pot or pan, eliminating the need for a collander or bulky strainer. Would be really handy if you cook a lot of pasta.
Having dedicated utensils for camping adds convenience and helps reduce the possibility of forgetting something you need. I have a Class A motorhome, a truck camper, and a tent camping setup and I keep all three stocked separately so I'll have what I need when I need it without having to remember to transfer things for each outing. My RV and camper stuff is conveniently stored in the galley cabinets and drawers. Our sailboat has its own sliding galley made from a chuck box that we keep fully stocked. Tent camping utensils reside in a translucent plastic tubs that are easy to transport to the campsite and keeps things clean and sanitary in camp and between trips. I know for sure from experience that if I have to switch things around for each trip, I will forget something!
Don't let these recommendations keep you from camping with what you have on hand. If dedicated utensils for camping aren't in your budget yet or you don't have time to get them before your trip, borrow from your kitchen and hit the road. Just be careful that you don't destroy or lose your home utensils in camp. When you are ready to buy a set of utensils dedicated to camping, check our your local dollar store or thrift store before spending lots of money in department or restaurant supply stores. That way, if something does get lost or destroyed, you're not out a lot of money and can easily replace it. Sometimes it makes sense to upgrade your home cookware and re-purpose the old stuff for camping. Also, before you head to the store, be sure to check out what you have on hand. If you have duplicates you can spare or some old stuff you were saving to give to charity, you may be able to fill your camping needs without spending any money. If painted handles have worn you can easily sand them down and repaint them to give them new life in your camp kit. That way you can even make a matching set out of a bunch of odds and ends. Using a unique color will also help you keep track of your stuff in camp and avoid getting them confused with other people's stuff or with the stuff you use at home.
Camp cooking is fun!
The biggest difference will be the need for durability and resistance to fire. The plastic utensils we favor to protect our Teflon cookware at home may not hold up to the rigors of camp cooking, especially if you're cooking on the campfire. Camping also brings frequent distractions and plastic utensils left in the pan may quickly begin to melt. I prefer solid stainless steel utensils, but steel items with wooden or heat-resistant plastic or wood handles usually work well, are sometimes less expensive, and last a long time if you keep the handles away from flames. Stainless steel items can get hot so you might need gloves or hotpads. Old-fashioned porcelain covered "speckleware" has a nice pioneer ambiance and works well for camping. I have a meat fork, serving spoon, and ladle in "speckleware" or "graniteware". I also have a set of speckleware soup spoons that are fun to use. For really heavy duty stainless steel utensils, check out a restaurant supply store. However, you probably don't need to invest that much. I've used the ones I bought at my local "dollar" store for decades without any problems. The only issue I've had, is my wife liked my ladle so well she commandeered it for the home kitchen and I had to find another one.
Which utensils you need will ultimately depend on your menus and cooking style, but here are some basics most everyone will find useful:
* cooking/serving spoons (I suggest at least 2)
* slotted spoon
* meat fork
* spatulas (again I suggest having 2)
* ladle
* paring knife
* small and medium butcher knives
* dish towels and/or paper towels
If you are into basting, you'll need a baster and/or a basting brush. I would get a plastic baster rather than a glass one since it is less fragile and less likely to break rattling around on the road. If you like spaghetti or pasta, a claw-style spaghetti spoon is good to have. You'll need some cutlery too. I like to have at least a couple of different sized butcher knives, a bread knife, and a paring knife or two. Having sharp instruments rattling around in the kitchen drawers dulls them and makes retrieving anything from the drawers dangerous so I like to keep them in one of the wood-block knife holders on the counter or in a cupboard and secure it with Velcro or small bungee cords. Another good way to keep them safe and handy is to store them on a magnetic knife rack. Or you can put protect each one in its individual PVC pipe container. Cut a section of PVC pipe a bit longer than the knife from pipe with an inside diameter big enough to accommodate the widest part of the blade and/or handle. Then cap it on both ends with PVC pipe caps, but don't glue them on! Then mark the pipe using a permanent marker so you know exactly what is inside (3" paring knife, 5" butcher knife, etc.). The only problem with this solution is it takes up more room in the drawer.
Make sure you have can and bottle openers. I once arrived in camp many miles from home and didn't realize until I started to fix some canned chili for dinner that I didn't have a can opener on board. Now I make sure I have manual can opener in my motorhome, in my truck camper, and in my tent camping tub. And I carry a supply of Army "P-38" or "P-51"can openers. They are small and sometimes difficult to use, but they are better than trying to open a can with a pocket knife. P-38 and P-51 can openers are especially convenient for hiking and back packing but are a handy addition to any camp kit. They take up almost no room. P-38s are about 1 1/2" x 1/2".The P-51s are larger, giving you a bit more leverage. Either one can be carried on a key ring with your keys but I found the sharp edge sometimes cut my pockets.
Measuring cups have many uses in camp. Most sets stack within themselves so they take up little room but collapsible measure cups are even more compact. They can even be hung on the inside of an RV or chuck box cabinet door for convenient access without taking up much usable space.
An item I've seen promoted as the best kitchen utensil ever for RV use is a pot strainer. This is a flat, crescent shaped strainer with a handle that you can use on just about any pot or pan, eliminating the need for a collander or bulky strainer. Would be really handy if you cook a lot of pasta.
Having dedicated utensils for camping adds convenience and helps reduce the possibility of forgetting something you need. I have a Class A motorhome, a truck camper, and a tent camping setup and I keep all three stocked separately so I'll have what I need when I need it without having to remember to transfer things for each outing. My RV and camper stuff is conveniently stored in the galley cabinets and drawers. Our sailboat has its own sliding galley made from a chuck box that we keep fully stocked. Tent camping utensils reside in a translucent plastic tubs that are easy to transport to the campsite and keeps things clean and sanitary in camp and between trips. I know for sure from experience that if I have to switch things around for each trip, I will forget something!
Don't let these recommendations keep you from camping with what you have on hand. If dedicated utensils for camping aren't in your budget yet or you don't have time to get them before your trip, borrow from your kitchen and hit the road. Just be careful that you don't destroy or lose your home utensils in camp. When you are ready to buy a set of utensils dedicated to camping, check our your local dollar store or thrift store before spending lots of money in department or restaurant supply stores. That way, if something does get lost or destroyed, you're not out a lot of money and can easily replace it. Sometimes it makes sense to upgrade your home cookware and re-purpose the old stuff for camping. Also, before you head to the store, be sure to check out what you have on hand. If you have duplicates you can spare or some old stuff you were saving to give to charity, you may be able to fill your camping needs without spending any money. If painted handles have worn you can easily sand them down and repaint them to give them new life in your camp kit. That way you can even make a matching set out of a bunch of odds and ends. Using a unique color will also help you keep track of your stuff in camp and avoid getting them confused with other people's stuff or with the stuff you use at home.
Camp cooking is fun!
Thursday, June 23, 2011
Options for Powered Tent Camping
When I was growing up, the gasoline powered Coleman stove and Coleman lantern were the top of the line equipment for tent camping. Most of us cooked on the campfire and used flashlights, candles or kerosene lanterns for light. Kerosene lanterns were -- and still are -- generally less expensive and many people in my rural neighborhood used kerosene for several purposes around their ranches or farms so fuel was readily available. Tents were mostly bulky canvas things with heavy wooden poles. I envied the more affluent campers who brought white gas powered Coleman lanterns that produced a bright white light similar to an electric light bulb. The kerosene lanterns produced a modest orange-yellowish light that seemed (and is) dim and inferior by comparison. Some folks still use kerosene lanterns, mostly for nostalgic reasons, and they are still a viable and economical option. If you don't like the smell, run them on liquid paraffin, which is odorless, or scented lamp oil. Citronella oil helps repel insects. There is a nostalgic feeling that comes with campfire cooking, but a good camp stove gives you far greater control, is a lot easier to u use, and is ready much faster. Few of us have the patience to wait for a campfire to burn down to coals that are best for cooking, which is one reason so many marshmallows go up in flames! Camp stoves are usually less likely to be affected by fire restrictions. Tents have come a long way. A large family can be quite in a surprisingly light weight nylon dome tent.
Today there are many options for light and cooking, plus tent heaters and even portable hot water systems to add convenience and comfort to our outings. Portable generators, having become smaller, quieter, and less expensive, are also becoming more popular, allowing tent campers to enjoy electronic entertainment systems and small appliances previously only available to RVers. Many portable generators are fairly light weight and easy to transport. They are very quiet and quite fuel efficient. If you have room for them they make a good addition to a truck camper, small travel trailer, or tent camping gear.
Camp stoves. Where once the legendary Coleman gas stove dominated the scene there are now many options to choose from. Coleman has added propane powered stoves in both the 2-burner and 3-burner sizes in addition to their traditional gasoline models. There are advantages to each fuel. Propane doesn't spill. Gasoline is usually cheaper, especially if you have a dual-fuel stove that will run on ordinary unleaded gas in addition to "Coleman Fuel" or white gas. Such a stove would be a good candidate for emergency preparedness since you could siphon fuel from your vehicle if necessary. For tent camping, backpacking, or anytime space is limited, there are single-burner butane powered stoves, the camping equivalent of a "hot plate". They are compact and light weight but require special fuel cylinders about the size and shape of a can of shaving cream. The small size and relatively high cost of these fuel cylinders make them more expensive to operate and require more frequent changing of fuel cylinders than propane-powered units. There are some small single-burner propane stoves, sometimes called "grasshoppers" because of their silhouette. They usually run on the small, 1-lb propane cylinders. Extremely light weight backpacker stoves are also available. They usually run on small butane canisters and take up little space in your pack. They are suitable for preparing single servings. It would take a long time to cook a meal for a family of 4 using one of these. There are conveniently sized butane powered stoves that come in a plastic case about the same size as cordless electric drill case. The are handy for fixing meals or hot drinks for one or two people. For larger groups, Camp Chef offers a variety of larger propane-powered stoves with a delightful set of options including grills, griddles, and a BBQ box. These tend to be a little bulky and heavy if you have far to carry them so they're best used in car-camping or to supplement the RV lifestyle. They are especially useful if you have to prepare large quantities to feed a group. The size and BTU ratings allow you to use full-size stock pots that would overwhelm ordinary camp stoves or be difficult to manage on a campfire. Another fairly recent addition are propane powered residential styled stoves like this one from Coleman, that look and function much like a gas range at home. The are smaller, but have 2 or 3 burners on top and a fully functional (if a little small) oven. They're quite a bit more expensive than the traditional camp stoves, but offer more familiarity and convenience. They run around $250 new but I've seen used ones on ebay for as little as $100.
Tent heaters. For years the gasoline-powered Coleman infra-red heater was the standard for tent heaters.
I used one of these to heat an enclosed motorcycle heater for several years until I installed a propane furnace out of a wrecked camper. One downside is you have to plan ahead to get them going outdoors for about an hour before bringing them into the area to be heated. The style I had required you to hold it up-side-down until a dollar-size spot of wet fuel showed on the fabric dome. Then light it and wait several minutes for the flames to die down. Once the flames died down the heater could be moved inside the trailer or tent. The dome usually gave off a faint red glow when it was working. You may have to search ebay or other online sites for "vintage coleman tent heater" to find one for sale. More modern, propane powered catalytic heaters are easier to ignite and use but while catalytic heaters do not give off smoke or toxic fumes, they do consume oxygen so they MUST be used with adequate ventilation. Even seasoned campers have been known to lose their lives when they forgot to leave a window open when using a tent heater. Military style tent stoves sometimes used gasoline or used motor oil or wood as fuel. You might still get your hands on one of these at a garage sale or army surplus outlet. They are usually rather heavy and bulky and can be dangerous to use if you are not familiar with their operation and follow instructions precisely. These types of stoves do give off smoke and toxic fumes and require a chimney to the outside, which presents its own hazards. The area where the stovepipe passes through the tent fabric to the outside must be fireproof. Large tent heaters are only practical in base camps where you don't have to carry them far from your vehicle. Some of the smaller propane-powered catalytic heaters might be light enough to carry in your back pack.
Illumination. The venerable Coleman lantern is still a standard fixture for most campers. Propane versions avoid the dangers of spilling liquid fuel and eliminate the need to periodically pump up the fuel pressure, but you can't easily refill them if you run out of fuel. However, they share the vulnerability of the gas lanterns in the use of silk mantles that are burned to ash to be used and are very delicate. If you are using a lantern that needs mantles, always bring a pack of a half dozen or so for a weekend outing. Your lantern will be useless without them. Battery and solar powered lanterns are becoming more popular as battery technology provides longer life and higher power and LED bulbs reduce power requirements. Battery powered lanterns eliminate the fire hazard often associated with gas or propane lanterns and therefore are ideal options in tents. However, gas and propane lanterns are also a source of heat that is sacrificed if you use battery lights. Some battery powered lanterns include remote controls so you can turn them on and off from the comfort of your sleeping bag, a very nice feature on cold nights. Some are rechargeable and can be recharged from an ordinary 120 volt AC power source or from the cigarette lighter style power receptacle in your vehicle. Some have built-in solar chargers so you can charge your lantern for free during the day and have it ready to use at night. Some use ordinary "D" or "C" cell or big square 6-volt batteries so you can just bring along plenty of spares and you'll be in good shape. The most efficient versions use LEDs instead of energy-hogging incandescent bulbs.
Larger propane cylinders can be refilled at propane sellers. The smaller ones normally used in lanterns are usually just tossed and replaced but you can but an adapter that lets you refill them from a bulk propane cylinder, like the one used for your BBQ. The easiest way to deal with running out of propane is to carry plenty of spare cylinders. Stock up on them when you find them on sale.
Portable hot water heaters. These days you can buy portable hot water systems you can take tent camping. They are propane powered and usually provide enough hot water for 1-2 showers. They are too big and heavy to consider for back-packing, but if you are car-camping, they might be a nice addition. Bring along a shower enclosure and you can have an almost residential-style shower anywhere. These can be nice additions to any RV that is lacking shower facilities or if you have so many people you overwhelm the hot water heater as well as serving tent campers. Sunshowers are solar-heated bags that rely only on sun to heat the water and on gravity to feed the shower head to they are environmentally friendly and economical to use. Simply fill the bag with water, let it lie in the sun for a while. Putting in the hood or roof or your vehicle or laying it directly on hot blacktop are good options. When it has been heated to the desired temperature, simple hang it from a tree, canopy, or any convenient location. Here again, use a portable shower enclosure for privacy.
Electricity in camp was once almost the exclusive prerogative of large motorhomes. Even few travel trailers had on-board generators in "the old days". Today many travel trailers come with generators as options or sometimes standard equipment and many more owners bring along portable units. Many portable units are also suitable for car-camping in a tent. Large motorhomes and trailers need 4000 watts or so to power roof air conditioners. Smaller units are less expensive, quieter, are easier to transport, and are more fuel efficient while providing adequate power for most camp use -- TVs, laptops, battery chargers, simple kitchen appliances like mixers and blenders, and even microwaves. Come night time, they can be used to run electric lights to illuminate your camp site as well as power entertainment systems. Modern portable generators are light weight and quiet, lending themselves well to tent camping. In a pinch you might also run a small electric heater in your tent. Just be sure to keep away from the walls or anything else combustible. Or hook up your electric blanket!
Portable refrigerators. Motorhomes and travel trailers usually have propane powered refrigerators that provide performance that nearly matches that of your residential unit. Tent camping has traditionally been limited to using ice chests to preserve perishable foods and keep our drinks cold. Today there are ice chests that use theromelectric technology that can either heat or cool the chest. Most of these units run on 12-volt DC power and can be plugged into any cigarette lighter style 12-volt receptacle. Long haul truckers often use these to good advantage on the road but they can also be used in camping and avoid frequent trips to the camp store for more ice. As with an RV refrigerator, turn it on a day or two before your planned departure to get it cooled and ready to use. Keep an eye on the charge level of your batteries so you don't run down your starting battery keeping your beer cold! And periodically check the function switch to be sure it hasn't accidentally been turned from "COOL" to "WARM".
Solar and wind power. Solar panels are slowly becoming more affordable and more portable. A small solar panel for helping maintain battery charge in storage is available at automotive supply stores for under $20. You plug it into your cigarette lighter and leave it on the dashboard to provide a trickle charge to help maintain batteries during storage. These little units aren't enough to recharge depleted batteries or meet the demands in camp. Larger units are available, with enough power to run TVs and laptops, but they are still quite expensive and fairly bulky. I've seen some innovative campers set up wind generators. I haven't tried this so I can't attest to the effectiveness, but it might be worth looking into. Commercial wind generators can be quite expensive. I've seen home-made ones that use an automotive alternator that may be able to provide enough power to maintain the charge on a couple of 12-volt deep cycle batteries -- if you get enough breeze. The trick is building and then transporting the blades and support tower. The tower must be tall enough to reach the wind, sturdy enough to withstand the wind and the vibration of the alternator, and yet be light enough and able to be dismantled for transport. Plans for such home-made wind generators can be found on the Internet. Personally I would think a home-made wind generator would be better suited for a mountain cabin or emergency retreat than for tent or even RV camping. Solar panels can be mounted on RV roofs or set up externally outside a tent or RV making them quite convenient. Initial cost and installation is bit pricey, but once installed or set up in camp you get your energy from the sun for free!
Tent cooling. I've yet to see a practical air conditioner for tent camping, but there are plenty of battery-powered fans that can help evacuate heat from tents and provide a comfortable breeze to improve personal comfort. I have seen people spray the window screens with mist or even hang wet towels near windows to create a kind of rudimentary evaporative cooling system. If you want to try either of these techniques, take care not to let the mist or wet towels drip on your sleeping bag, clothing, or gear, or create puddles on the floor of the tent. Use your rain fly, if your tent has one, or add a tarp over the top of your tent to shade it from direct sunlight to help keep it cooler. Or just set it up where it will be shaded most of the day. I did see plans for a tent air conditioner Basically it is a foam ice chest, a battery powered fan, and a LOT of ice. I don't know how well it would work and you would need a continuous supply of ice to keep it going. I have tried small battery powered cooling units (about the size of a softball) that use specially frozen cold packs or just evaporative cooling pads and found they didn't put out enough air to be very helpful. They might work as personal cooling systems to cool your face but they're too small to cool very much space in a tent or RV.
Power up!
Today there are many options for light and cooking, plus tent heaters and even portable hot water systems to add convenience and comfort to our outings. Portable generators, having become smaller, quieter, and less expensive, are also becoming more popular, allowing tent campers to enjoy electronic entertainment systems and small appliances previously only available to RVers. Many portable generators are fairly light weight and easy to transport. They are very quiet and quite fuel efficient. If you have room for them they make a good addition to a truck camper, small travel trailer, or tent camping gear.
Camp stoves. Where once the legendary Coleman gas stove dominated the scene there are now many options to choose from. Coleman has added propane powered stoves in both the 2-burner and 3-burner sizes in addition to their traditional gasoline models. There are advantages to each fuel. Propane doesn't spill. Gasoline is usually cheaper, especially if you have a dual-fuel stove that will run on ordinary unleaded gas in addition to "Coleman Fuel" or white gas. Such a stove would be a good candidate for emergency preparedness since you could siphon fuel from your vehicle if necessary. For tent camping, backpacking, or anytime space is limited, there are single-burner butane powered stoves, the camping equivalent of a "hot plate". They are compact and light weight but require special fuel cylinders about the size and shape of a can of shaving cream. The small size and relatively high cost of these fuel cylinders make them more expensive to operate and require more frequent changing of fuel cylinders than propane-powered units. There are some small single-burner propane stoves, sometimes called "grasshoppers" because of their silhouette. They usually run on the small, 1-lb propane cylinders. Extremely light weight backpacker stoves are also available. They usually run on small butane canisters and take up little space in your pack. They are suitable for preparing single servings. It would take a long time to cook a meal for a family of 4 using one of these. There are conveniently sized butane powered stoves that come in a plastic case about the same size as cordless electric drill case. The are handy for fixing meals or hot drinks for one or two people. For larger groups, Camp Chef offers a variety of larger propane-powered stoves with a delightful set of options including grills, griddles, and a BBQ box. These tend to be a little bulky and heavy if you have far to carry them so they're best used in car-camping or to supplement the RV lifestyle. They are especially useful if you have to prepare large quantities to feed a group. The size and BTU ratings allow you to use full-size stock pots that would overwhelm ordinary camp stoves or be difficult to manage on a campfire. Another fairly recent addition are propane powered residential styled stoves like this one from Coleman, that look and function much like a gas range at home. The are smaller, but have 2 or 3 burners on top and a fully functional (if a little small) oven. They're quite a bit more expensive than the traditional camp stoves, but offer more familiarity and convenience. They run around $250 new but I've seen used ones on ebay for as little as $100.
Tent heaters. For years the gasoline-powered Coleman infra-red heater was the standard for tent heaters.
I used one of these to heat an enclosed motorcycle heater for several years until I installed a propane furnace out of a wrecked camper. One downside is you have to plan ahead to get them going outdoors for about an hour before bringing them into the area to be heated. The style I had required you to hold it up-side-down until a dollar-size spot of wet fuel showed on the fabric dome. Then light it and wait several minutes for the flames to die down. Once the flames died down the heater could be moved inside the trailer or tent. The dome usually gave off a faint red glow when it was working. You may have to search ebay or other online sites for "vintage coleman tent heater" to find one for sale. More modern, propane powered catalytic heaters are easier to ignite and use but while catalytic heaters do not give off smoke or toxic fumes, they do consume oxygen so they MUST be used with adequate ventilation. Even seasoned campers have been known to lose their lives when they forgot to leave a window open when using a tent heater. Military style tent stoves sometimes used gasoline or used motor oil or wood as fuel. You might still get your hands on one of these at a garage sale or army surplus outlet. They are usually rather heavy and bulky and can be dangerous to use if you are not familiar with their operation and follow instructions precisely. These types of stoves do give off smoke and toxic fumes and require a chimney to the outside, which presents its own hazards. The area where the stovepipe passes through the tent fabric to the outside must be fireproof. Large tent heaters are only practical in base camps where you don't have to carry them far from your vehicle. Some of the smaller propane-powered catalytic heaters might be light enough to carry in your back pack.
Illumination. The venerable Coleman lantern is still a standard fixture for most campers. Propane versions avoid the dangers of spilling liquid fuel and eliminate the need to periodically pump up the fuel pressure, but you can't easily refill them if you run out of fuel. However, they share the vulnerability of the gas lanterns in the use of silk mantles that are burned to ash to be used and are very delicate. If you are using a lantern that needs mantles, always bring a pack of a half dozen or so for a weekend outing. Your lantern will be useless without them. Battery and solar powered lanterns are becoming more popular as battery technology provides longer life and higher power and LED bulbs reduce power requirements. Battery powered lanterns eliminate the fire hazard often associated with gas or propane lanterns and therefore are ideal options in tents. However, gas and propane lanterns are also a source of heat that is sacrificed if you use battery lights. Some battery powered lanterns include remote controls so you can turn them on and off from the comfort of your sleeping bag, a very nice feature on cold nights. Some are rechargeable and can be recharged from an ordinary 120 volt AC power source or from the cigarette lighter style power receptacle in your vehicle. Some have built-in solar chargers so you can charge your lantern for free during the day and have it ready to use at night. Some use ordinary "D" or "C" cell or big square 6-volt batteries so you can just bring along plenty of spares and you'll be in good shape. The most efficient versions use LEDs instead of energy-hogging incandescent bulbs.
Larger propane cylinders can be refilled at propane sellers. The smaller ones normally used in lanterns are usually just tossed and replaced but you can but an adapter that lets you refill them from a bulk propane cylinder, like the one used for your BBQ. The easiest way to deal with running out of propane is to carry plenty of spare cylinders. Stock up on them when you find them on sale.
Portable hot water heaters. These days you can buy portable hot water systems you can take tent camping. They are propane powered and usually provide enough hot water for 1-2 showers. They are too big and heavy to consider for back-packing, but if you are car-camping, they might be a nice addition. Bring along a shower enclosure and you can have an almost residential-style shower anywhere. These can be nice additions to any RV that is lacking shower facilities or if you have so many people you overwhelm the hot water heater as well as serving tent campers. Sunshowers are solar-heated bags that rely only on sun to heat the water and on gravity to feed the shower head to they are environmentally friendly and economical to use. Simply fill the bag with water, let it lie in the sun for a while. Putting in the hood or roof or your vehicle or laying it directly on hot blacktop are good options. When it has been heated to the desired temperature, simple hang it from a tree, canopy, or any convenient location. Here again, use a portable shower enclosure for privacy.
Electricity in camp was once almost the exclusive prerogative of large motorhomes. Even few travel trailers had on-board generators in "the old days". Today many travel trailers come with generators as options or sometimes standard equipment and many more owners bring along portable units. Many portable units are also suitable for car-camping in a tent. Large motorhomes and trailers need 4000 watts or so to power roof air conditioners. Smaller units are less expensive, quieter, are easier to transport, and are more fuel efficient while providing adequate power for most camp use -- TVs, laptops, battery chargers, simple kitchen appliances like mixers and blenders, and even microwaves. Come night time, they can be used to run electric lights to illuminate your camp site as well as power entertainment systems. Modern portable generators are light weight and quiet, lending themselves well to tent camping. In a pinch you might also run a small electric heater in your tent. Just be sure to keep away from the walls or anything else combustible. Or hook up your electric blanket!
Portable refrigerators. Motorhomes and travel trailers usually have propane powered refrigerators that provide performance that nearly matches that of your residential unit. Tent camping has traditionally been limited to using ice chests to preserve perishable foods and keep our drinks cold. Today there are ice chests that use theromelectric technology that can either heat or cool the chest. Most of these units run on 12-volt DC power and can be plugged into any cigarette lighter style 12-volt receptacle. Long haul truckers often use these to good advantage on the road but they can also be used in camping and avoid frequent trips to the camp store for more ice. As with an RV refrigerator, turn it on a day or two before your planned departure to get it cooled and ready to use. Keep an eye on the charge level of your batteries so you don't run down your starting battery keeping your beer cold! And periodically check the function switch to be sure it hasn't accidentally been turned from "COOL" to "WARM".
Solar and wind power. Solar panels are slowly becoming more affordable and more portable. A small solar panel for helping maintain battery charge in storage is available at automotive supply stores for under $20. You plug it into your cigarette lighter and leave it on the dashboard to provide a trickle charge to help maintain batteries during storage. These little units aren't enough to recharge depleted batteries or meet the demands in camp. Larger units are available, with enough power to run TVs and laptops, but they are still quite expensive and fairly bulky. I've seen some innovative campers set up wind generators. I haven't tried this so I can't attest to the effectiveness, but it might be worth looking into. Commercial wind generators can be quite expensive. I've seen home-made ones that use an automotive alternator that may be able to provide enough power to maintain the charge on a couple of 12-volt deep cycle batteries -- if you get enough breeze. The trick is building and then transporting the blades and support tower. The tower must be tall enough to reach the wind, sturdy enough to withstand the wind and the vibration of the alternator, and yet be light enough and able to be dismantled for transport. Plans for such home-made wind generators can be found on the Internet. Personally I would think a home-made wind generator would be better suited for a mountain cabin or emergency retreat than for tent or even RV camping. Solar panels can be mounted on RV roofs or set up externally outside a tent or RV making them quite convenient. Initial cost and installation is bit pricey, but once installed or set up in camp you get your energy from the sun for free!
Tent cooling. I've yet to see a practical air conditioner for tent camping, but there are plenty of battery-powered fans that can help evacuate heat from tents and provide a comfortable breeze to improve personal comfort. I have seen people spray the window screens with mist or even hang wet towels near windows to create a kind of rudimentary evaporative cooling system. If you want to try either of these techniques, take care not to let the mist or wet towels drip on your sleeping bag, clothing, or gear, or create puddles on the floor of the tent. Use your rain fly, if your tent has one, or add a tarp over the top of your tent to shade it from direct sunlight to help keep it cooler. Or just set it up where it will be shaded most of the day. I did see plans for a tent air conditioner Basically it is a foam ice chest, a battery powered fan, and a LOT of ice. I don't know how well it would work and you would need a continuous supply of ice to keep it going. I have tried small battery powered cooling units (about the size of a softball) that use specially frozen cold packs or just evaporative cooling pads and found they didn't put out enough air to be very helpful. They might work as personal cooling systems to cool your face but they're too small to cool very much space in a tent or RV.
Power up!
Thursday, March 8, 2012
Camp Dinnerware
Camp dinnerware? Yeah, right! As if there is anything really to be said about it. Well, actually, there is. My all time favorite is paper plates, bowls, and cups. I hate doing dishes when camping, either in my RV or in a tent. While some eco-freaks will complain about the waste of natural resources, it isn't really as bad as they like to make it seem. Using paper does consume some renewable resources, but consider the eco-impact of manufacturing, warehousing, shipping, and selling permanent dishes along with heating water and making and using detergents and disposing of the waste water. The overall ecological footprint of disposable goods is actually rather favorable -- and it's more convenient and saves time, which are both significant advantages when camping . A few years ago we had an eco-freak where I worked who was boycotting styrofoam cups and campaigning mightily for management to discontinue using them at the coffee machine -- until someone posted an article that described -- in accurate scientific detail -- the eco-impact of paper cups versus styrofoam. While styrofoam cups are slow to deteriorate in land fills, it's manufacture and use has a LOT less impact on the environment and smaller overall carbon footprint than paper cups. Net result: styrofoam wins! Using disposable items is not frivolous or irresponsible. It adds a great deal of convenience and saves a lot of time when camping, conserves propane and water, and reduces filling holding tanks,.
There may be times when paper plates won't cut it. Sometimes they're too flimsy for hot, heavy foods like steaks and baked potatoes or maybe you just feel like being a little fancier. Buffet style potluck dinners may demand larger and sturdier items. Y ou may be able to solve the flimsy problem by using plastic or wicker paper plate holders. I like the plastic ones that have a built in groove on the bottom that grips the rim of a soda can, making the can a convenient handle to hold the plate and keep track of my drink. The brand is Loc-a-plate but I think they are no longer being manufactured. If you happen to come on some anywhere, snag them up while you can! My favorite permanent camp dinnerware is the blue enameled "speckleware" or graniteware. It adds a kind of pioneer or Old West ambiance and it is easy to clean and pretty darn sturdy. If you want REALLY sturdy, go for stainless steel plates or even cafeteria trays. We've tried both stainless steel and plastic cafeteria trays. I like the stainless steel ones best -- they're stronger and don't flex or break. The cafeteria trays are especially handy for potluck dinners and make a good platform for eating around the campfire. Resting a wide tray on your lap is a lot easier than balancing a skinny plate. Again, they are easy to clean and practically indestructable. I have cups and bowls to match both my speckleware and stainless steel plates and trays. A speckleware coffee pot is a good way to heat water on the campfire for hot beverages.
Fancy dinnerware usually isn't necessary or even desirable for camping activities, but you may have a special occasion now like an anniversary or special birthday when you want to dress things up a bit. China plates, bowls, and cups may not survive the vibration and bouncing in RV cupboards or tent camping transport tubs without special packing. Variations of plastic or Melmac dinnerware can be quite attractive and aren't as heavy or as+ fragile as china. Personally, I'll stick with my favorite speckleware or stainless steel dinnerware, but I do have some fancy acrylic glasses that can really dress up a table when wanted and yet are nearly unbreakable. Some of them look almost as good as real crystal, even though they lack the resonance. And, compared to paper cups, they're down right elegant!
Disposable plastic flatware also helps avoid the need for doing dishes. If you want dressy stuff for a special occasion, there are really nice clear plastic and even shiny silver versions that are almost as nice as sterling silver, but for everyday use, ordinary plastic is cheaper and just as functional. Even so, I do keep a set of stainless steel flatware in my RV in case I run out of plastic or want something sturdier for a nice steak dinner. I find plastic flatware totally inadequate for steaks. Of course, there are different grades (and prices) of plasticware. I've seen forks so flimsy they melt when used on anything hot enough to eat but they're OK for baked beans, potato salad, and cake and ice cream at picnics.
Regardless of what kind of dinnerware you choose, you only need to bring along as much as you need for the number of people on that trip. No sense hauling around complete service for 8 when there is only two of you. When we camped regularly with 6 kids the service for 8 was necessary but now that we're retired, 3/4 of that stuff can stay at home most of the time, reducing weight and freeing up valuable space.
Paper table cloths, especially red and white checkered ones, are traditional on picnic tables. For a fancier dinner, use a lacy white paper or plastic table covering. Real cloth table cloths take up a lot of room and have to be taken home and laundered. Paper or plastic create an attractive, sanitary surface and can be disposed of after use. Plastic coated table cloths provide an easy to clean surface that invites multiple uses. Table cloths tend to blow up or even blow away when the breeze kicks up. Pick up a set of table cloth clamps or table cloth weights to secure your table cloth -- or make sure it is anchored by ice chests and "Round-a-bouts" or rocks.
Of course, if you REALLY want real china, crystal, and sterling silver for a special event, go ahead. Just take appropriate precautions packing it to survive the bumpy ride and allow enough time to wash it properly and re-pack it when you're done using it. You might even use real cloth table cloths and napkins to pack and pad the fragile items. Hey, you could even bring along some silver candlesticks to highlight the meal and add a romantic touch for special occasions. You might recall the elegant setting in the movie Hildalgo when the English lady invites Frank to tea in her tent. It rivaled service in any royal court. Of course she had servants to do all the heavy lifting.
Serving. At home you probably don't serve your meals right out of the pan, but when camping that makes perfect sense -- takes less time and there are fewer dishes to do. Condiments are most convenient served right out of the original containers. Lest you think that is too crass, that's the way they were served at Hearst Castle in its hay day entertaining high level politicians and celebrities. Have your dinner guests bring their plates to the camp fire or BBQ for their burgers or steaks instead of dirtying an extra plate just to bring them to the table. I like over-sized serving spoons. I found some speckleware serving spoons and forks I like to use. Of course, stainless steel utensils are sturdy and easy to clean and are ideal for camp use. Plastic versions may be less expensive, but might melt if used around the campfire and they don't stand up to the rather rambunctious use they often get around camp. You can usually find both plastic and stainless steel utensils at your local dollar store so they don't have to be expensive. Of course you can get professional grade utensils at a restaurant supply store that will most likely last forever -- if you don't lose them. Really nice ones sometimes have a tendency to be "acquired" by envious campers. I've found the dollar store versions quite adequate for camping and they're inexpensive to replace if they get lost or damaged..
Glassware is often too fragile for camping, but there are lots of acrylic and plastic options that are quite attractive and will survive travel better. You can also serve soft drinks and other beverages right out of the can or bottle, unless you need or prefer them over ice. Then you might use paper or plastic cups, which are convenient and save water and time you would spend washing permanent items. If you prefer something sturdier, plastic tumblers are lighter weight and less fragile than glass. Porcelain cups are often preferred for hot beverage, but again, they are fairly breakable. If you must use porcelain cups, be sure to store them safely where the sometimes violent maneuvers of travel won't break them. Stainless steel, tin, or enameled cups are sturdy and stand up better to the rigors of camping while adding a pioneer ambiance. They are sturdy and are easy to clean and store.
Sometimes you can avoid using any dinnerware at all. Simple hot dogs can be cooked over the campfire on a stick or wire coat hanger then slipped directly into a bun and garnished with your favorite condiments with out dirtying a single plate. Pre-packaged meals, like MREs and TV dinners, can be eaten directly from the disposable containers they come in which can then be disposed of in the trash or the campfire.
Some camp cook sets include plates, bowls, and cups. The plastic plates and cups are usually kind of light weight, sometimes even bordering on flimsy, but they are convenient and get the job done. These camp cook sets can conserve weight and space in your RV or camp set. They are usually designed so everything stacks together for storage and transport and usually come in a carry bag.
Military mess kits are designed for field use and so are ideal for camping. Boy Scout and other camp mess kits are usually lighter weight and less durable but quite convenient, functional, and reasonably priced. You can get mess kits at military surplus stores and in most camping departments. A one-person mess kit is usually well under $10. Military kits are usually made of stainless steel while camping kits are often made of aluminum. The stainless steel will hold up better but will be heavier if you are back packing or have to carry it very far.
The right dinnerware will be fun and easy to use, durable, and easy to clean and store. It may even be festive, like the cowboy themed enameled set I inherited from my Grandfather.
Eat up!
There may be times when paper plates won't cut it. Sometimes they're too flimsy for hot, heavy foods like steaks and baked potatoes or maybe you just feel like being a little fancier. Buffet style potluck dinners may demand larger and sturdier items. Y ou may be able to solve the flimsy problem by using plastic or wicker paper plate holders. I like the plastic ones that have a built in groove on the bottom that grips the rim of a soda can, making the can a convenient handle to hold the plate and keep track of my drink. The brand is Loc-a-plate but I think they are no longer being manufactured. If you happen to come on some anywhere, snag them up while you can! My favorite permanent camp dinnerware is the blue enameled "speckleware" or graniteware. It adds a kind of pioneer or Old West ambiance and it is easy to clean and pretty darn sturdy. If you want REALLY sturdy, go for stainless steel plates or even cafeteria trays. We've tried both stainless steel and plastic cafeteria trays. I like the stainless steel ones best -- they're stronger and don't flex or break. The cafeteria trays are especially handy for potluck dinners and make a good platform for eating around the campfire. Resting a wide tray on your lap is a lot easier than balancing a skinny plate. Again, they are easy to clean and practically indestructable. I have cups and bowls to match both my speckleware and stainless steel plates and trays. A speckleware coffee pot is a good way to heat water on the campfire for hot beverages.
Fancy dinnerware usually isn't necessary or even desirable for camping activities, but you may have a special occasion now like an anniversary or special birthday when you want to dress things up a bit. China plates, bowls, and cups may not survive the vibration and bouncing in RV cupboards or tent camping transport tubs without special packing. Variations of plastic or Melmac dinnerware can be quite attractive and aren't as heavy or as+ fragile as china. Personally, I'll stick with my favorite speckleware or stainless steel dinnerware, but I do have some fancy acrylic glasses that can really dress up a table when wanted and yet are nearly unbreakable. Some of them look almost as good as real crystal, even though they lack the resonance. And, compared to paper cups, they're down right elegant!
Disposable plastic flatware also helps avoid the need for doing dishes. If you want dressy stuff for a special occasion, there are really nice clear plastic and even shiny silver versions that are almost as nice as sterling silver, but for everyday use, ordinary plastic is cheaper and just as functional. Even so, I do keep a set of stainless steel flatware in my RV in case I run out of plastic or want something sturdier for a nice steak dinner. I find plastic flatware totally inadequate for steaks. Of course, there are different grades (and prices) of plasticware. I've seen forks so flimsy they melt when used on anything hot enough to eat but they're OK for baked beans, potato salad, and cake and ice cream at picnics.
Regardless of what kind of dinnerware you choose, you only need to bring along as much as you need for the number of people on that trip. No sense hauling around complete service for 8 when there is only two of you. When we camped regularly with 6 kids the service for 8 was necessary but now that we're retired, 3/4 of that stuff can stay at home most of the time, reducing weight and freeing up valuable space.
Paper table cloths, especially red and white checkered ones, are traditional on picnic tables. For a fancier dinner, use a lacy white paper or plastic table covering. Real cloth table cloths take up a lot of room and have to be taken home and laundered. Paper or plastic create an attractive, sanitary surface and can be disposed of after use. Plastic coated table cloths provide an easy to clean surface that invites multiple uses. Table cloths tend to blow up or even blow away when the breeze kicks up. Pick up a set of table cloth clamps or table cloth weights to secure your table cloth -- or make sure it is anchored by ice chests and "Round-a-bouts" or rocks.
Of course, if you REALLY want real china, crystal, and sterling silver for a special event, go ahead. Just take appropriate precautions packing it to survive the bumpy ride and allow enough time to wash it properly and re-pack it when you're done using it. You might even use real cloth table cloths and napkins to pack and pad the fragile items. Hey, you could even bring along some silver candlesticks to highlight the meal and add a romantic touch for special occasions. You might recall the elegant setting in the movie Hildalgo when the English lady invites Frank to tea in her tent. It rivaled service in any royal court. Of course she had servants to do all the heavy lifting.
Serving. At home you probably don't serve your meals right out of the pan, but when camping that makes perfect sense -- takes less time and there are fewer dishes to do. Condiments are most convenient served right out of the original containers. Lest you think that is too crass, that's the way they were served at Hearst Castle in its hay day entertaining high level politicians and celebrities. Have your dinner guests bring their plates to the camp fire or BBQ for their burgers or steaks instead of dirtying an extra plate just to bring them to the table. I like over-sized serving spoons. I found some speckleware serving spoons and forks I like to use. Of course, stainless steel utensils are sturdy and easy to clean and are ideal for camp use. Plastic versions may be less expensive, but might melt if used around the campfire and they don't stand up to the rather rambunctious use they often get around camp. You can usually find both plastic and stainless steel utensils at your local dollar store so they don't have to be expensive. Of course you can get professional grade utensils at a restaurant supply store that will most likely last forever -- if you don't lose them. Really nice ones sometimes have a tendency to be "acquired" by envious campers. I've found the dollar store versions quite adequate for camping and they're inexpensive to replace if they get lost or damaged..
Glassware is often too fragile for camping, but there are lots of acrylic and plastic options that are quite attractive and will survive travel better. You can also serve soft drinks and other beverages right out of the can or bottle, unless you need or prefer them over ice. Then you might use paper or plastic cups, which are convenient and save water and time you would spend washing permanent items. If you prefer something sturdier, plastic tumblers are lighter weight and less fragile than glass. Porcelain cups are often preferred for hot beverage, but again, they are fairly breakable. If you must use porcelain cups, be sure to store them safely where the sometimes violent maneuvers of travel won't break them. Stainless steel, tin, or enameled cups are sturdy and stand up better to the rigors of camping while adding a pioneer ambiance. They are sturdy and are easy to clean and store.
Sometimes you can avoid using any dinnerware at all. Simple hot dogs can be cooked over the campfire on a stick or wire coat hanger then slipped directly into a bun and garnished with your favorite condiments with out dirtying a single plate. Pre-packaged meals, like MREs and TV dinners, can be eaten directly from the disposable containers they come in which can then be disposed of in the trash or the campfire.
Some camp cook sets include plates, bowls, and cups. The plastic plates and cups are usually kind of light weight, sometimes even bordering on flimsy, but they are convenient and get the job done. These camp cook sets can conserve weight and space in your RV or camp set. They are usually designed so everything stacks together for storage and transport and usually come in a carry bag.
Military mess kits are designed for field use and so are ideal for camping. Boy Scout and other camp mess kits are usually lighter weight and less durable but quite convenient, functional, and reasonably priced. You can get mess kits at military surplus stores and in most camping departments. A one-person mess kit is usually well under $10. Military kits are usually made of stainless steel while camping kits are often made of aluminum. The stainless steel will hold up better but will be heavier if you are back packing or have to carry it very far.
The right dinnerware will be fun and easy to use, durable, and easy to clean and store. It may even be festive, like the cowboy themed enameled set I inherited from my Grandfather.
Eat up!
Sunday, October 28, 2012
Remote or Primitive Tent Camping
Tent camping offers opportunities to REALLY get "off the grid". You can start by car camping in remote or primitive campgrounds. If you really want to get away from it all, try back packing, hiking in, or horse camping. Remote camping lets you experience nature in ways you cannot in developed areas. The proximity of other campers in campgrounds often disturbs the peace and tranquility you might be seeking. Light pollution is another problem in many developed campgrounds. Light from offices, camp stores, street and parking lot lighting, nearby communities, and other camp sites can inhibit your view of the stars. It is surprising how far the glow from city lights will extend into the surrounding countryside, especially when the sky is overcast so it reflects off the clouds. Getting out into raw country minimizes these problems. Unless you depend on getting your water from the campground and prefer even smelly pit toilets to digging your own latrines, tent campers have no need to be tied to developed campgrounds.
Primitive car camping is a good way to start remote camping. You may choose remote Forest Service campgrounds or even seek out open camping areas on completely unimproved BLM and Forest Service lands. The biggest difference between really boondocking in a tent and staying in a primitive campground is that most campgrounds have a source of water and at least pit toilets, if not flush toilets or even complete restrooms with showers. When really roughing it in undeveloped, open camping areas, you'll have to bring along all your own water and may have to dig your own latrines. Developed campgrounds usually have fire rings or fire pits for your use at each designated camp site. In an undeveloped area you may have to build your own fire pit. If you are camping in an area where others have camped before, take advantage of any fire pit that may already exist. If you have to build your own, do it right. Clear the ground where you're going to build your fire and at least 5' all around it of any combustible material. Create a ring of rocks or dig a hole and make a berm around it to contain your fire. In some popular primitive camping areas you may find rock fire pits left behind by previous campers. Try to take advantage of these whenever you can. It will save you time and effort and reduce your impact on the environment. If you are creating a new fire pit, make sure it is far enough way from trees and bushes to be safe -- and that there will be room for you and your companions to move safely around the fire. Build it downwind from your tent and vehicles so blowing sparks don't create a fire hazard. Be sure to observe all fire safety practices. Check on fire conditions BEFORE you build any fire in a remote location. Be sure to check on whether there are any fire restrictions in effect. Open fires except in approved fire pits are often prohibited during fire season. When you go completely off grid you'll have to provide for your own sanitation needs. That usually means digging a latrine but some campers prefer to bring along a folding portable toilet. It makes "going" more comfortable but you have to deal with disposing of the waste collected in plastic bags.
You may be able to drive right to a remote campsite in some forest service and BLM areas. That may give you the best combination of getting away from civilization but not having to pack a lot of equipment very far on your own back. Some forest service campgrounds provide fairly good privacy and separation from other camp sites. In places like that you can have the best of both worlds -- a primitive camping experience but still have access to safe potable water and maybe pit or even flush toilets.
In most primitive camping areas you'll have to deal with rocks, twigs, and other debris that could damage your tent floor or interfere with a good night's sleep. With that in mind,it is a good idea to bring a small, collapsible rake so you can clear your spot before you set up your tent. Using a site that has been used before may give you a spot where someone else has already cleared the debris.
For the utlimate natural experience, back packing combines hiking and camping and gives you really good chance to practice your survival skills. For back packing you'll need light weight gear -- tent, sleeping bag and a single-burner back-packing stove. You can forgo the stove if you can do all your cooking on a campfire. Fire restrictions may prohibit open fires, so be sure to check with the local ranger before you hit the trail. You will want to pack some extra clothes in case you get caught in a sudden storm and what you're wearing gets wet. It is also nice to have something to wear while you rinse out the clothes you've been hiking in for days before they take on a life of their own. Dehydrated meals are compact, light weight, and easy to prepare on the trail, but they are somewhat expensive. Military "MREs" (Meals Ready to Eat) are also popular choices but can also be kind of pricey and a little heavy and bulky to carry. If you'll be hiking in an area with lakes or streams you might be able to catch your dinner. Unless you are really good at foraging or fishing you'll need to bring along enough food for your entire trip. Energy bars are sometimes adequate for lunches and can give you a much needed afternoon boost from time to time. When planning a back packing trip, be sure to do your homework. Know your routes. Carefully plan your menus and calculate your water needs. Unless there is proven safe potable water along the trail you'll have to find a way to carry all you need with you or be prepared to purify available water along the way.
Horse camping offers a chance to explore a cowboy experience. Horse camping can give you greater range than back packing and you can usually take more food and equipment along, especially if you have a pack horse. Cowboys got by with what they carried on their saddles, usually a canteen, a bedroll, and what would fit in their saddle bags. A cowboy bedroll is a canvas enclosed sleeping cocoon. The canvas protects you from ground moisture and from rain. Cowboys usually didn't carry tents, but you can always tuck a back packing tent into your bedroll or saddle bags or carry a larger tent on a pack horse. There are detailed instructions on the Internet for making your own cowboy bedroll or you an buy one for around $100. Depending on availability of pasture for your horses along the trail you may need to carry feed for them as well. You will need to provide a way to keep them from wandering off when you camp. Hobbles will restrict how quickly they can move. Some trail systems that cater to horse back riders have corrals along the way or you might make your own from fallen timber or even just rope. A common way of tethering horses is a "high line" -- a rope to which horses are tethered with a long enough lead to allow them to graze. A battery-powered electric fence is also a modern option. For a true cowboy experience, plan on doing all your cooking on the campfire. For more convenience, bring along a back packing stove. If you have an extra horse and a pack saddle, you may be able to bring along a little more equipment and creature comforts than you could carry in your saddle bags.
Camp OUT!
Primitive car camping is a good way to start remote camping. You may choose remote Forest Service campgrounds or even seek out open camping areas on completely unimproved BLM and Forest Service lands. The biggest difference between really boondocking in a tent and staying in a primitive campground is that most campgrounds have a source of water and at least pit toilets, if not flush toilets or even complete restrooms with showers. When really roughing it in undeveloped, open camping areas, you'll have to bring along all your own water and may have to dig your own latrines. Developed campgrounds usually have fire rings or fire pits for your use at each designated camp site. In an undeveloped area you may have to build your own fire pit. If you are camping in an area where others have camped before, take advantage of any fire pit that may already exist. If you have to build your own, do it right. Clear the ground where you're going to build your fire and at least 5' all around it of any combustible material. Create a ring of rocks or dig a hole and make a berm around it to contain your fire. In some popular primitive camping areas you may find rock fire pits left behind by previous campers. Try to take advantage of these whenever you can. It will save you time and effort and reduce your impact on the environment. If you are creating a new fire pit, make sure it is far enough way from trees and bushes to be safe -- and that there will be room for you and your companions to move safely around the fire. Build it downwind from your tent and vehicles so blowing sparks don't create a fire hazard. Be sure to observe all fire safety practices. Check on fire conditions BEFORE you build any fire in a remote location. Be sure to check on whether there are any fire restrictions in effect. Open fires except in approved fire pits are often prohibited during fire season. When you go completely off grid you'll have to provide for your own sanitation needs. That usually means digging a latrine but some campers prefer to bring along a folding portable toilet. It makes "going" more comfortable but you have to deal with disposing of the waste collected in plastic bags.
You may be able to drive right to a remote campsite in some forest service and BLM areas. That may give you the best combination of getting away from civilization but not having to pack a lot of equipment very far on your own back. Some forest service campgrounds provide fairly good privacy and separation from other camp sites. In places like that you can have the best of both worlds -- a primitive camping experience but still have access to safe potable water and maybe pit or even flush toilets.
In most primitive camping areas you'll have to deal with rocks, twigs, and other debris that could damage your tent floor or interfere with a good night's sleep. With that in mind,it is a good idea to bring a small, collapsible rake so you can clear your spot before you set up your tent. Using a site that has been used before may give you a spot where someone else has already cleared the debris.
For the utlimate natural experience, back packing combines hiking and camping and gives you really good chance to practice your survival skills. For back packing you'll need light weight gear -- tent, sleeping bag and a single-burner back-packing stove. You can forgo the stove if you can do all your cooking on a campfire. Fire restrictions may prohibit open fires, so be sure to check with the local ranger before you hit the trail. You will want to pack some extra clothes in case you get caught in a sudden storm and what you're wearing gets wet. It is also nice to have something to wear while you rinse out the clothes you've been hiking in for days before they take on a life of their own. Dehydrated meals are compact, light weight, and easy to prepare on the trail, but they are somewhat expensive. Military "MREs" (Meals Ready to Eat) are also popular choices but can also be kind of pricey and a little heavy and bulky to carry. If you'll be hiking in an area with lakes or streams you might be able to catch your dinner. Unless you are really good at foraging or fishing you'll need to bring along enough food for your entire trip. Energy bars are sometimes adequate for lunches and can give you a much needed afternoon boost from time to time. When planning a back packing trip, be sure to do your homework. Know your routes. Carefully plan your menus and calculate your water needs. Unless there is proven safe potable water along the trail you'll have to find a way to carry all you need with you or be prepared to purify available water along the way.
Horse camping offers a chance to explore a cowboy experience. Horse camping can give you greater range than back packing and you can usually take more food and equipment along, especially if you have a pack horse. Cowboys got by with what they carried on their saddles, usually a canteen, a bedroll, and what would fit in their saddle bags. A cowboy bedroll is a canvas enclosed sleeping cocoon. The canvas protects you from ground moisture and from rain. Cowboys usually didn't carry tents, but you can always tuck a back packing tent into your bedroll or saddle bags or carry a larger tent on a pack horse. There are detailed instructions on the Internet for making your own cowboy bedroll or you an buy one for around $100. Depending on availability of pasture for your horses along the trail you may need to carry feed for them as well. You will need to provide a way to keep them from wandering off when you camp. Hobbles will restrict how quickly they can move. Some trail systems that cater to horse back riders have corrals along the way or you might make your own from fallen timber or even just rope. A common way of tethering horses is a "high line" -- a rope to which horses are tethered with a long enough lead to allow them to graze. A battery-powered electric fence is also a modern option. For a true cowboy experience, plan on doing all your cooking on the campfire. For more convenience, bring along a back packing stove. If you have an extra horse and a pack saddle, you may be able to bring along a little more equipment and creature comforts than you could carry in your saddle bags.
Camp OUT!
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