Posted by ARVC on October 27, 2009 under Uncategorized | 
Take your deer camp in the roadParks cater to huntersMany of us enjoy fall camping – finding that perfect, peaceful spot to watch squirrels scurry through fallen leaves gathering their winter supply of food, or strolling through nature’s beautiful color palette. But there are others among us campers, who use fall camping time to experience deer hunting in other areas of the country – deer camp on wheels.
Now, I grew up in northern Michigan, so deer season was always like an extra holiday for us. Opening day of gun season was a school holiday when I was kid, although that’s changed a little now and it’s an excused absence with a copy of a deer license. It also meant family coming in to hunt, eat, tell stories and hunt some more. My grandma and mom may have liked it more if these hunters had considered taking their hunt to the road with their campers.
Today, there are several parks that welcome the fall hunters. And for those non-hunters who enjoy the fall season and camping out in the brisk weather, there’s still plenty to do at the campground or RV park while the hunters are out.
Here are a few ideas from which to choose:
- McCaslin Mountain Campground, Silver Cliff, Wis. – The 300-acre campground borders the Ncolet National Forest in northeastern, Wis., making it an idea spot for hunters and outdoor enthusiasts alike. Trout streams and the nearby Governor Thompson State Park also make it an outdoor haven. In addition, there are nearby ATV and snowmobile trails, as well as hiking and biking trails. And hunters can find guide service for guided deer, bear and turkey hunts. For the times when you are not out and about or hunting during season, the park also offers a game room and mini golf course. The campground offers 80 primitive sites, both wooded and open, and 48 water and electric hookup sites.
- Four Seasons RV Park, Herrin, Ill. – This park offers peaceful, spacious shaded sites, with full hookups. With an abundance of wildlife, the family-owned park welcomes hunters and fishermen. For those times you are back at camp, there is WiFi access available and laundry for the 30 sites.
- Moosehead Family Campground, Greenville, Maine – Located in the heart of Maine’s north woods and just minutes from Moosehead Lake, this campground welcomes hunters, as well as nature lovers who can watch the deer and moose walk freely. Just minutes from Greenville with its golf, public beaches, restaurants and shopping, the campground is nestled in a stand of apple, spruce, fir and pine trees. With 20, 30 and 50-amp sites, RVers are also offered a game room, playground and modem hookup at the camp store.
So, whether you enjoy hunting or enjoy watching the wildlife, get out in your camper before the snow flies and enjoy the third season for camping!
Posted by ARVC on under Uncategorized |
Reservations are a requirement in today’s campingWhat happened to those first-come, first-serve days for procrastinators like me?Labor Day, the unofficial end of summer, has come and gone. But it wasn’t unnoticed. Although AAA reported fewer people would be traveling for the holiday weekend, the roads we traveled were filled with RVs and campers.
The weather was wonderful for camping, but sometimes if you leave the planning to someone else, it doesn’t get done and then you’re scrambling at the last minute. Earlier this year, we had planned to be in Tennessee camping and partaking in a family reunion. However, a death in the family that brought everyone from around the country together earlier, kept them from making the same trip in September. So, we were going to change our plans.
The problem is, we didn’t get the changes made in time. And, as often as I remind everyone here to make reservations early – we didn’t get ours made. And calling around just days before the holiday weekend left my husband and myself looking at each other knowing that for the first time in years, we had no camp site for Labor Day weekend.
We frantically called around to private and public parks, only to get the same message – no open sites. Finally, we found one, but there was a problem, the only open site couldn’t accommodate our 29-foot travel trailer.
So, you guessed it; we had no place to go. There used to be a time when reservations were considered odd in the RVing and camping sector of the industry. People got out of work on Friday and took off to the nearest or most desirable campground and put up camp. For the most part, those days are gone.
It makes sense that campground owners and operators want to know they have a full park for any weekend, but especially the holiday weekends. But planning too far in advance takes the thrill out of the open road and finding a destination by chance. While that can be done, for the most part, on other weekends throughout the summer, don’t leave the holiday weekends to chance. Learn from my lesson – MAKE YOUR RESERVATIONS EARLY!
Now here are some campgrounds that take reservations and would love to open their sites to you:
- River Trail Crossing RV Park, Butler, Ohio, is on the Clear Fork Mohican River in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains. The campground offers 44 total sites, from primitive tent sites to full hookup sites with 50-amp service for “big rigs.” Amenities include fishing, biking and hiking, a playground and even the chance to pan for gold in the river.
- My Brother's Place Campground, Houlton, Maine, is just two miles from New Brunswick, Canada. With 80 total sites, guests can stay in tents or RVs, or rent a cabin or 5th-Wheel Travel Trailer. WiFi is also available in the park, along with fishing, hiking and biking trails and nature trails, and swimming in a lake, pond or the ocean.
- Pioneer Trails RV Resort & Campground in Anacortes, Wash., is located among tall evergreens and including an adult spa, sports courts and 60 campsites. There are also six cabins and 24 RV rentals. WiFi is available throughout the resort, as well as a playground, basketball courts, regulation horseshoe pit and covered picnic areas.
- Indian Point RV Resort, Gautier, Miss., is surrounded by the Sioux Bayou that leads to the Escatawpa and Pascagoula rivers, leading to the Gulf of Mexico. There are 100 total sites and 16 cabins for guests without RVs. Amenities include cable TV, Internet access in the park, fishing, mini-golf, a playground and a swimming pool.
Posted by Roy Scribner on under Camp Cooking, brats, dutch oven, hotdogs, recipe, sauerkraut, sausage makers |
Hamburgers and hotdogs are a regular camping meal for most people, including our family. Sometimes, though, the regular meals get a bit boring and we like to spice it up with beer sausage, which is equally simple to prepare and tastes a lot better than a hotdog. The biggest problem with cooking a decent beer sausage is actually finding good sausage. For this meal, we tried “Hofbrau Brats” from Trader Joe’s® and they were just okay. Like almost all sausage that you can buy in a grocery store, they were a bit greasy. You are much better off sampling the sausages from local meatpackers and sausage makers in your local area. If that does not pan-out, the next best option is to go mail order from a reputable sausage house, like the Mt. Angel Sausage Company, in Mt. Angel, OR. I really like their Fricadelwurst, which is a very lean, spicy chicken sausage.
The first step to beer sausage perfection is to combine the sauerkraut with half a bottle of (preferably) pilsner beer and just a bit more water – about one cup. I used Corona® for this batch, which lacks the hoppy flavor of a good pilsner, but it’s a popular summer camping beer here in California.
With the kraut in the dutch oven, it’s time to take a look at your sausage casings, or the skin. Ideally, you want a sausage with thicker, tougher, casing so that you can simmer it longer in the dutch oven, which allows the flavors of the kraut and beer to blend better with the sausage. If the sausage has a light, thin, casing, then you are limited to about an hour of simmering before the sausage starts to fall apart.
When it’s time to grill the sausage (immediately for thick casings, an hour before meal time for thin), cook them just like hotdogs – about 5 minutes per side at 300 degrees. Then transfer to the dutch oven and simmer.
As all of us who camp with gas stoves know, simmering can be quite a challenge over these hot burners. One trick I use is to offset the dutch oven from the burner so that it is not entirely over the direct heat from the burner. The liquid will boil-off throughout the cooking process, so be sure to keep adding beer and water, periodically. Provided there is someone at the campsite, this meal can be started anytime in the morning, and the sausages will be ready whenever people get hungry throughout the day.
The proper way to serve a sausage is to smother it in kraut and a hoagie bun holds a lot more kraut than a puny hotdog bun! Sweet potato fries are another welcome break from the regular and add another interesting flavor for your palette.
See also…
Resources: Free eBook: Introduction To Family Camping
Beer Sausage: A Camping Staple
Posted by Roy Scribner on October 25, 2009 under Camping & Kids, Family Camping, kids, koa, santa cruz koa |
Even a camping birthday requires cake
When we began camping as a family, some years ago, we camped at a few private campgrounds to see how the kids would react and to test all of our gear. Private campgrounds, such as KOA® or Jellystone Parks™, are good places to get some camping experience because they have stores with food and camping gear and activities to keep everyone busy.
Of course, nowadays we camp in county, state and federal parks or just go find a suitable backcountry spot on Forest Service land to camp on. Recently, however, my oldest daughter decided that for her ninth birthday she wanted to spend the weekend at a nearby KOA because some friends of ours had camped there a few times, and their kids had a lot of fun.
The awesome playground at the Santa Cruz KOA
I briefly considered trying to talk her out of it, since camping at one of these places is crowded and less than serene, but it was her birthday and a weekend at a private campground was certainly preferable to the alternative, which might have been an afternoon at Chuck E. Cheese® (yikes!).
Honing skills on the endless climbing wall
With subdued expectations, we made the short trip over to the beach where this particular KOA was located. The Santa Cruz / Monterey Bay KOA isn’t in Santa Cruz or Monterey, but that’s a good thing as it borders an ecological preserve and three great beaches, just outside of Watsonville, California. We got setup and walked around to check the place out. This was definitely not your average KOA, but more like an outdoor version of Disneyland®, with an awesome playground for the kids, a giant bounce “pillow”, a large swimming pool and tons of other fun stuff for the kids.
The bounce pillow was a huge hit
Taking the bull by the horns
The kids all had a great time, of course – and maybe that’s one of the best reasons for visiting a place like this, as the place was filled with families so the kids make a lot of new friends and have a great time socializing. And, of course, when the kids make friends the parents do too, so we met a lot of great people. This isn’t something that I would want to do every weekend, but maybe once a year is okay.
See also…
Resources: Free eBook: Introduction To Family Camping
Ultimate Birthday Camping Party
Posted by Roy Scribner on under Camping & Kids, Family Camping, kids, koa, santa cruz koa |
Even a camping birthday requires cake
When we began camping as a family, some years ago, we camped at a few private campgrounds to see how the kids would react and to test all of our gear. Private campgrounds, such as KOA® or Jellystone Parks™, are good places to get some camping experience because they have stores with food and camping gear and activities to keep everyone busy.
Of course, nowadays we camp in county, state and federal parks or just go find a suitable backcountry spot on Forest Service land to camp on. Recently, however, my oldest daughter decided that for her ninth birthday she wanted to spend the weekend at a nearby KOA because some friends of ours had camped there a few times, and their kids had a lot of fun.
The awesome playground at the Santa Cruz KOA
I briefly considered trying to talk her out of it, since camping at one of these places is crowded and less than serene, but it was her birthday and a weekend at a private campground was certainly preferable to the alternative, which might have been an afternoon at Chuck E. Cheese® (yikes!).
Honing skills on the endless climbing wall
With subdued expectations, we made the short trip over to the beach where this particular KOA was located. The Santa Cruz / Monterey Bay KOA isn’t in Santa Cruz or Monterey, but that’s a good thing as it borders an ecological preserve and three great beaches, just outside of Watsonville, California. We got setup and walked around to check the place out. This was definitely not your average KOA, but more like an outdoor version of Disneyland®, with an awesome playground for the kids, a giant bounce “pillow”, a large swimming pool and tons of other fun stuff for the kids.
The bounce pillow was a huge hit
Taking the bull by the horns
The kids all had a great time, of course – and maybe that’s one of the best reasons for visiting a place like this, as the place was filled with families so the kids make a lot of new friends and have a great time socializing. And, of course, when the kids make friends the parents do too, so we met a lot of great people. This isn’t something that I would want to do every weekend, but maybe once a year is okay.
See also…
Resources: Free eBook: Introduction To Family Camping
Ultimate Birthday Camping Party
Posted by Roy Scribner on October 15, 2009 under Family Camping, camping tips, checklists, raccoons |
This looks like a good spot!
When it comes to camping there is no substitute for experience, and the best way to gain knowledge is to get out there and make some mistakes. Fortunately, there is a lot of good, common sense, information out there, like learning to setup your tent before you go camping and using checklists to reduce your chances of forgetting something important. I thought I’d share some of the mistakes that are permanently engraved in my memory, so that you can hopefully spare your family from a frustrating camping experience.
Arriving in the dark
I’ve done this once and it was definitely not the way to begin a relaxing weekend of camping. I intended to make it to the campsite before dark, of course, but it took a bit longer to get everybody ready and the drive was longer than I had planned. Needless to say, everybody was hungry and we must have looked pretty silly fumbling around the campsite with flashlights, trying to figure out where to put our stuff. Oh, and we still had to fix dinner. In the dark.
Not emptying the trash
I keep a collapsible garbage container at the campsite to cut down on the number of trips I have to make to the garbage cans. Of course, I always empty this in the evening so we don’t have a raccoon party in our campsite, at night. On one particular evening, however, I was pretty tired and I convinced myself that the garbage only had cans and paper in it and the raccoons wouldn’t be interested in it. I spent the better part of the next morning collecting the trash that was strewn about, all over our campsite and the surrounding woods.
Not putting on the rain fly
We have a great campground in the Santa Cruz mountains that is only about 20 minutes from our house, so it’s one that we tend to frequent quite often. The first time we stayed there, it was in August and the temperatures were well into the 80’s during the day, so I didn’t bother to put the rain fly on our tent. In fact, I didn’t even consider it, since it hadn’t rained in over six months and there wasn’t any precipitation in the forecast. What I failed to take into consideration, however, was the effect of the coastal fog which can roll in during the night and park itself in the treetops of the Santa Cruz mountains. Needless to say, it must have rained half an inch that night, just from the fog condensing against the treetops and everything got thoroughly soaked.
Picking a bad campsite
I pride myself in picking great campsites online. I will study the campground map, check Google™ Maps and even hunt for pictures on Flickr®. On one particular trip, however, I really messed-up and chose an area of the campground where the campsites were very close together and we ended up with the neighbor’s tent only about six feet away from ours. I love meeting new people when we camp, but that was a bit too close!
Running out of propane
We were camping one winter and the temperatures were dropping into the low twenties at night, so I brought along one of those small tent heaters that use the 1 lb disposable propane bottles. I thought this was a great idea, since my camp stove and barbeque grill use the same canisters. The propane ran out sometime around 2:00 or 3:00 in the morning and much wailing ensued.
Not keeping the tent zipped-up
One angry black widow spider
On a camping trip in the high desert of Eastern Washington, the kids were playing in-and-out of the tent all morning and I forgot to make sure that they zipped-up the door. Later that afternoon, my oldest daughter came to me saying that, “there’s a big spider in the tent.” Sure enough, a female black widow had found a cool, dark place to make her new home. In our tent.
Not bringing a lantern or headlamp
We did not pack a lantern or headlamps at all, when we first started camping. We had flashlights, of course, but in the evening, we did things around the fire so there we never really had a need for artificial illumination. Then we camped in a campground that did not have lights in the restrooms. Sure, we had flashlights, but it’s mighty inconvenient trying to hold a flashlight while you’re using the facilities. The other alternative is for someone else to hold the door open, but that doesn’t provide a lot of light and you have to find a “buddy” every time you go to the restroom. We now pack headlamps, which are probably one of the greatest inventions ever (thanks mountain climbers!).
See also…
Resources: Free eBook: Introduction To Family Camping
Camping Mistakes I’ve Made
Posted by Roy Scribner on under Family Camping, camping tips, camping trip, campsite, checklists, raccoons |
This looks like a good spot!
When it comes to camping there is no substitute for experience, and the best way to gain knowledge is to get out there and make some mistakes. Fortunately, there is a lot of good, common sense, information out there, like learning to setup your tent before you go camping and using checklists to reduce your chances of forgetting something important. I thought I’d share some of the mistakes that are permanently engraved in my memory, so that you can hopefully spare your family from a frustrating camping experience.
Arriving in the dark
I’ve done this once and it was definitely not the way to begin a relaxing weekend of camping. I intended to make it to the campsite before dark, of course, but it took a bit longer to get everybody ready and the drive was longer than I had planned. Needless to say, everybody was hungry and we must have looked pretty silly fumbling around the campsite with flashlights, trying to figure out where to put our stuff. Oh, and we still had to fix dinner. In the dark.
Not emptying the trash
I keep a collapsible garbage container at the campsite to cut down on the number of trips I have to make to the garbage cans. Of course, I always empty this in the evening so we don’t have a raccoon party in our campsite, at night. On one particular evening, however, I was pretty tired and I convinced myself that the garbage only had cans and paper in it and the raccoons wouldn’t be interested in it. I spent the better part of the next morning collecting the trash that was strewn about, all over our campsite and the surrounding woods.
Not putting on the rain fly
We have a great campground in the Santa Cruz mountains that is only about 20 minutes from our house, so it’s one that we tend to frequent quite often. The first time we stayed there, it was in August and the temperatures were well into the 80’s during the day, so I didn’t bother to put the rain fly on our tent. In fact, I didn’t even consider it, since it hadn’t rained in over six months and there wasn’t any precipitation in the forecast. What I failed to take into consideration, however, was the effect of the coastal fog which can roll in during the night and park itself in the treetops of the Santa Cruz mountains. Needless to say, it must have rained half an inch that night, just from the fog condensing against the treetops and everything got thoroughly soaked.
Picking a bad campsite
I pride myself in picking great campsites online. I will study the campground map, check Google™ Maps and even hunt for pictures on Flickr®. On one particular trip, however, I really messed-up and chose an area of the campground where the campsites were very close together and we ended up with the neighbor’s tent only about six feet away from ours. I love meeting new people when we camp, but that was a bit too close!
Running out of propane
We were camping one winter and the temperatures were dropping into the low twenties at night, so I brought along one of those small tent heaters that use the 1 lb disposable propane bottles. I thought this was a great idea, since my camp stove and barbeque grill use the same canisters. The propane ran out sometime around 2:00 or 3:00 in the morning and much wailing ensued.
Not keeping the tent zipped-up
One angry black widow spider
On a camping trip in the high desert of Eastern Washington, the kids were playing in-and-out of the tent all morning and I forgot to make sure that they zipped-up the door. Later that afternoon, my oldest daughter came to me saying that, “there’s a big spider in the tent.” Sure enough, a female black widow had found a cool, dark place to make her new home. In our tent.
Not bringing a lantern or headlamp
We did not pack a lantern or headlamps at all, when we first started camping. We had flashlights, of course, but in the evening, we did things around the fire so there we never really had a need for artificial illumination. Then we camped in a campground that did not have lights in the restrooms. Sure, we had flashlights, but it’s mighty inconvenient trying to hold a flashlight while you’re using the facilities. The other alternative is for someone else to hold the door open, but that doesn’t provide a lot of light and you have to find a “buddy” every time you go to the restroom. We now pack headlamps, which are probably one of the greatest inventions ever (thanks mountain climbers!).
See also…
Resources: Free eBook: Introduction To Family Camping
Camping Mistakes I’ve Made
Posted by Roy Scribner on October 13, 2009 under Camp Cooking, camp kitchen, camp stove, cast iron cookware, dutch oven |
There are few things more traditional about camping than the camp kitchen. Whether you are baking beans over a campfire, grilling steaks, or cooking up a perfect Saturday morning breakfast in the backcountry, equipping yourself with the right camp cooking tools is an essential part of whole camping experience. These camp kitchen accessories will go a long way toward helping you ensure that your next camping menu is a success.
Camp Chef® Yukon Stove
The foundation of any good camp kitchen is the stove itself and nothing tops the venerable Camp Chef brand and their dual 30,000 BTU burner Yukon model. The Yukon measures a full 32 5/8 inches wide and the burners are spaced a generous 16-inches apart, which means it can easily accommodate a large frying pan without crowding the second burner. Sure, it’s $170, but the Yukon model is so popular that you can find it at the big warehouse stores for a lot less.
Lodge® Cast Iron Cookware
If your camp stove is cranking out 30,000 BTUs of heat, you’re tempting fate if you try to use flimsy pots and pans from your kitchen. Lodge cast iron cookware is the standard in heavy-duty outdoor cookware, because it’s thick, durable and will stand up to the rigors of camping. A 7-quart dutch oven runs about $90 and a 15-inch skillet about $60 but, like the Yukon stove, these are popular items that can be found for a lot less. Best of all, they’re virtually indestructible so you can hand them down to your children, someday.
Camp Time® Roll-A-Table®
Sure, you’re probably camping at a site with a large picnic table, but one of the first things you notice about camp cooking is a distinct lack of counter space and that’s where the Roll-A-Table comes in. There are a lot of rollup camping tables on the market, but the Roll-A-Table is the best, by far. The table is 32-inches square and is very sturdy, with a vinyl-covered top that cleans up easily. If you are boondocking outside of an established campground and don’t have a picnic table, you will appreciate the Roll-A-Table’s lack of bracing between the legs, which provides a lot more space for chairs than other rollup tables.
See also…
Resources: Free eBook: Introduction To Family Camping
Basic Camp Kitchen Gear
Posted by Dorrie on October 12, 2009 under Camping |
Chances are, unless you’re going camping with children, you’ll probably be drinking some alcohol. As long as that’s the case, why not try to have as much fun drinking as possible? Here are some drinking games to try when camping:
Beer Pong
This is a popular drinking game on college campuses, but it’s perfect for a camping drinking game as well.
What You Need:
* A long, flat surface (like a picnic table or the tailgate of a truck)
* Plastic Cups
* Ping-Pong Balls
* Beer
This game can be played one-on-one or in teams of two. Players set up 10 cups “bowling pin” style on each end of the table. The cups are filled about halfway with beer. Players on one end of the table try to throw their ping pong balls in the cups on the other end of the table. If a shot is made, the other team must consume the beer in the cup. Each team gets two shots. If they make both shots, it remains their turn, if one or both miss, it is the other team’s turn. The game is played until one team has made a shot in every cup.
Alphabet Game
This is a great way to have fun and get drunk in a hurry. Go around in a circle and say a word that starts with the next letter in the alphabet. Create a theme. So if the theme were “cities”, the first person would say “Annapolis”, the next person would say, “Annapolis, Baltimore,” while the third person would say, “Annapolis, Baltimore, Cincinnati,” and so on and so forth. When a person forgets one of the cities, they forfeit their turn and must take a shot.
I Never
While sitting around the campfire, participants take turns saying “I never…” statements. Anyone in the group who has done that particular thing has to take a drink. For example, if someone said “I never have had sex outside,” anyone who has had sex outside would have to take a drink.
What Lodden Thinks
Professional poker players started a game called “What Lodden Thinks” where they bet on the answer to a question that was asked of poker player Johnny Lodden. You don’t need Johnny Lodden to play this game though. Two people come up with a question and bet (either money or a shot) on what they think a third party’s answer to that question will be. For example, Bill and Bob are betting on how many times Jimmy thinks the average person gets bitten by a mosquito in one year. The actual answer to this question is irrelevant. All that matters is what Jimmy thinks the answer is.
So Jimmy thinks of his answer and keeps it to himself. Then Bill and Bob hold a “Chinese auction” where they establish an over/under for Jimmy’s number. So Bill might say “40,” Bob could counter with “55,” Bill could say “60,” Bob would say “72,” and Bill would say “sold”. This means Bill is betting that Jimmy’s answer is under 72 and by default, Bob wins if Jimmy’s answer is over 72. Ask Jimmy to reveal his answer and the loser takes a shot. Of course, if your “Jimmy” happens to be untrustworthy, just have him write his answer down before the auction begins.
Posted by Kirsten on October 10, 2009 under Uncategorized |
I have to disagree about making sure you have loads of space in the tent, I am sorry to say 
. I am the sort of person who is always cold even in summer, it has to be bloomin hot for me to warm up!
With these larger tents that is more room to have to warm up while you sleep. I have a 3 person 4 season tent that we went camping in last winter just before christmas and it was amazing how warm it was inside the tent in comparison to outside the tent.
I think next time I may think about bringing a jar for those midnight urges to go water the forest! The great thing was it didn’t take long to warm the tent back up again.
We store our gear in the porch area of the tent under the rain fly. We have a spirits cooker, a trangia, and with it in the porch we could make a cup a coffee before getting out of bed! and with the fly sheet zipped up so the heat was held in.
Everyone I know who hates camping states being cold when they sleep as the reason, with the right gear this is totally preventable.
