Posted by Dorrie on July 30, 2010 under Camping, Camping and RV'ing | 
After your adventure-filled, great outdoor vacation is over, making sure your camper is neat, clean and sealed up tight is all part of the job. One thing some people may experience, even after completing these tasks, is the fact that when they are ready to take their camper out for another trip, they realize there may be traces of mice, squirrels, bugs and other pests. When you have this problem, it usually means you have to remove all non-perishable foods, such as, sugar, pancake and other mixes, crackers, etc. Having to do this is just an extra cleaning step than can be avoided if you take the proper steps to keeping these pests away.
All rodents, and other pests, depending on where you are located, may have different reactions to certain remedies. Therefore, we have listed below several different options you may want to try, until you find the one that works for you.
The first thing you may want to try would be a well known remedy that is already used in attics and basements and such. Moths balls have been known for ages now to keep vermin away. A good way to put the moth balls in use would be to put them in some tupperware with small holes poked in the top of it. This will prevent the balls from rolling around and possibly getting lost in your camper. Spread a few of these throughout your camper. When the time comes to put your camper to use, you can quickly air out the smell of the moth balls by removing the tupperware with the balls in it and open the windows for a couple of hours.
A couple of other options you may want to consider, would be soaking some cotton balls in peppermint oil and dispersing them through out your camper or Bounce dryer sheets. Both of these options have been known to do the trick as well, with the added bonus of a fresh smelling camper.
Also, if none of these do not seem to do the trick, you may want to try using ammonia or even sprinkling baking powder throughout your camper and vacuuming it up when your ready to use it again.
There are so many remedies out there to choose from. Knowing which one will work best for you may take a little trial and error, but it will pay off in the end with your vermin-free camper.
Posted by Dorrie on May 20, 2010 under Camping |
Safety should always be priority number one on any camping excursion. In the summer months, there are a few extra considerations that should be made with regards to safety. Here are some camping safety tips for the summer:
- Pack for cold weather. Just because it’s 80 degrees or more during the day doesn’t mean you’ll be hot at night. Temperatures can fall into the 60s or lower in the summer months depending on where you are camping. Sixty degrees might not sound too unpleasant, but it is very, very cold for sleeping outdoors. Imagine sleeping in your house with the air conditioning set to 60; you’d want lots of blankets, right?
- Use sunscreen. Sunscreen should be used year-round, but the risk for burning is even higher in the hot summer months. You also have more skin area exposed during the summer, so be sure to apply sunscreen liberally to any areas of your body not protected by clothing.
- Drink lots of water. When spending a summer day outdoors, it’s about impossible to drink too much water. Water intake is important for camping no matter what time of year, but in the summer months you’re more prone to sweating and dehydration. If you plan to drink alcohol while camping in the summer, try to drink one bottle of water for every alcoholic beverage as alcohol strongly promotes dehydration.
- Protect against mosquitoes and other insects. In winter months, insects do not pose much of an issue while camping. In the summer months, they can ruin your day. Guard against this by applying anti-insect spray and setting up several citronella candles around your campsite. A bee sting kit is also a wise thing to have on hand.
- Dress in layers. During the daytime, you’ll probably be comfortable in as few clothes as possible. However, as the day lingers on and becomes cooler, it is handy to have layers of clothing. By nighttime, you’ll probably have three or four thin layers of clothing on to stay warm in a cool night’s breeze. Again, don’t assume that just because it’s 80 during the day that you won’t get cold at night.
In addition to these summer safety tips, always be sure to come prepared basic camping first aid and common sense!
Posted by ARVC on May 6, 2010 under Camping, RVing, activities, tips |
Picture yourself lounging by the pool or relaxing at your campsite, lazily enjoying a really good book. It’s so good you finally finish it with a smile but that smile soon turns to dismay…you’re only into the 3rd day of your camping vacation and you've already used up your reading material. Enter the RV park / campground book exchange. Yep, most parks offer a “library” worthy of your attention.
Locate the library (sometimes in the laundry room) and you may find magazines, books, videos, games, puzzles, newspapers and more. It works like this – take one, leave one or borrow and return one. At the very least, book and magazine exchanges can be found at many, many RV parks and campgrounds. The titles you’ll find in the camp’s library may be as diverse as a big city library – magazines from National Geographic to Cooking Light to Smithsonian to Highways, both fiction and non-fiction books - medical, travel, suspense, romance, etc. and often puzzles of every challenge level.
In some parks you might even come across a selection of movies – sometimes VHS, sometime DVDs. Movies are usually not for exchange but donations to the collection are always welcome. Borrow them for a day or two – free - but please remember to return them. Games follow the same procedure and are for everyone’s enjoyment.
If this is something that interests you, before you leave home gather up the magazines, books, videos, games, etc. you’ve already enjoyed and plan to visit camp libraries at every stop along the way. Don’t worry if they aren’t the latest and greatest. The magazines may not always be current but the content is as valuable as the day it came out. Recipes are still tasty; motivational advice still stands; touching family stories still have the power to move you.
You don’t have to exchange in the same genre, either. Exchange a novel for a cookbook, a self-help book for a AAA Travel Guide, a how-to guide for a children’s book. In some parks you might even come upon a “reference library”. Please respect their rules and requests when it comes to “reference” items. These items are typically for “in library” reading only.
So, when packing up your family’s home-away-from-home, bring along your “used” books, magazines or other entertainment items and know that more often than not interesting material is at hand – add or exchange as you see fit!!
All the more reason to
Go Camping America …see you on the road!
Contributed by Evanne Schmarder
Posted by Dorrie on May 5, 2010 under Camping, Camping Tip of The Week, camping games |
Camping can be a wonderfully rewarding, enjoyable, character-building activity for kids. It can also be one heck of a challenge! Taking children out into the woods away from their PlayStation and Wii while insisting they leave their handheld PSP behind already puts you in quite the hole in terms of helping them have a good time and keeping them entertained. Thankfully, as you and I both know, once they get out there and brighten up their attitude, they’ll see that camping can actually be quite fun!
Here are some ways to help make camping rewarding and enjoyable for your kids and their friends.
1. Build enthusiasm about the trip by including them as part of the planning. Take them to the grocery store so they can choose what snacks to bring and what games to play.
2. Make them have some modicum of responsibility during your camping excursion. Even if it’s something as simple as helping set up the tent or collect firewood. Give them some type of task that will help them feel like they’re a contributing hand in making the camping a success. Reassure them that there will be plenty of time for fun and games but that before you can do that, a little work must be done. This work-reward pattern is something many kids in this generation miss out on which is a shame because it’s very character building. You can make the camp chores fun by having awards for most sticks collected, fastest clean-up, etc.
3. Have an array of activities ready that your kids will enjoy. When I was a kid, my Dad brought out a bb-gun and had us shoot at empty cola cans from 30 feet away. I was only about 7 at the time and still remember how awesome it was to shoot a “real gun”! There are so many possible camping activities for kids and many of them are things they never get the chance to do in the city. Consider some of the following:
- Scavenger hunt (first kid to find all items on list wins)
- Rubbing souvenirs (place a leaf vien-side-up under a piece of paper, rub a crayon over the leaf)
- Frisbee, baseball, or football to toss around
- Camping races (one-legged race, sack race, backwards race with teams and partners)
- Alphabet nature hunt (have to find something that starts with each letter)
- Constellation and satellite search at night
- UNO, checkers or other picnic-table games
- Camping Olympics (organize a series of games with points awarded based on finish)
- Hide and seek (nature makes a great place to play hide and seek, just be sure to establish boundaries)
With any competitive event, be mindful of everyone and keep it fun for all. Winners should not be praised too much nor losers chastized. After all, it’s just camping!
4. Use your time out in nature to instill valuable skills with your kids. Teach them about fire safetey. Show them poisonous leaves so they know what to avoid.
5. When in doubt, have fun! I think you could agree that some of the best memories you form as a child take place while camping, so have a blast!
Posted by Dorrie on April 7, 2010 under Camping, Camping Destination of The Week |
Dinosaur Valley State Park
Located about an hour and a half outside of Dallas, Texas, Dinosaur Valley State Park is famous for its dinosaur tracks. Campers can view different dinosaur tracks located in the bed of Paluxy, which is a river that winds through the park.
Yellowstone National Park
There is perhaps no place more famous for its camping than Yellowstone National Park. Located throughout parts of Wyoming, Montana and Idaho, Yellowstone became the world’s first national park in 1872. There are a dozen campgrounds in Yellowstone and over 2,000 campsites to choose from. In addition to a vast array of fauna, the park is almost famous for its Old Faithful Geyser which spews hot water into the air every 90 minutes.
Cedar Hill State Park
Also situated near Dallas, Texas, Cedar Hill State Park is renowned for providing something for everyone. The park provides not only convenient access to a major metropolitan area, but also fishing, hiking, mountain biking, boat ramps, swimming areas, golf courses, and an agricultural history center. The park is located on the shore of the Joe Pool Lake where all requests for water activities can be met. This park has become a famous vacation destination thanks to its accessibility and amenities.
Bend, Oregon
From this city of 85,000 people lies access to some of the countries most beautiful and famous camping sites. The Oregon Trail Interpretive Center is in this area and a must-see for all camping enthusiasts. Outdoorsy folks will find everything they’re looking for in the parks surrounding this region. It is highly noted for its hiking, mountain biking, fishing, skiing, bird-watching, boating and scenery. Many citizens of Bend live there primarily because of the ease-of-access to these amenities.
Yosemite National Park
Some say Yosemite National Park, located in east-central California, is the most beautiful park in the country. The park is known for its cliffs, waterfalls, Giant Sequoias and diverse fauna. Its most famous cliff, El Capitan, looms over the park and is a rock-climber’s fantasy.
Manistee National Forest
Located in northwest lower Michigan, this national forest is famous for its access to Lake Michigan and diverse seasonal offerings. Popular summer activities include boating, canoeing and hunting. In the winter, cross-country skiing and snowmobiling are activities some visitors enjoy. The Nordhouse Dunes Wilderness, located on the shores of Lake Michigan, are one of the only wilderness areas in the U.S. that contain a dunes system.
Allegany State Park
Not far across the Pennsylvania border into the western part of New York is Allegany State Park. This spacious park offers over a dozen hiking trails, some more than five miles in length. The park has over 300 cabins, some of them winterized, available to rent. Tent and trailer areas are also accessible. One reason this park is so famous is thanks to its proximity to several large metropolitan areas. Residents of Cleveland, New York, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and Buffalo can all reach this park within a day’s drive.
Posted by Dorrie on March 4, 2010 under Camping, Camping Tip of The Week |
Camping is no easy chore. For beginners, you can save a lot of headaches by learning from the camping mistakes of others. Consider avoiding the following common camping mistakes on your next trip to the woods for a better time!
1. Arriving at your campsite exhausted and near dusk. Setting up camp in the dark can be a complete nightmare. Be sure to arrive with a sufficient amount of daylight left so you can get everything situated.
2. Leaving the mattress pad at home. If there’s nothing but the bottom of the tent between your sleeping bag and the ground, be ready for a restless night!
3. Leaving food or trash out overnight. Do this and you can almost certainly expect to wake up and find that an animal of some sorts has ravaged through everything.
4. Thinking a tent for four people will comfortably fit four people. Unless you like sleeping on top of your friends and family, always buy a bigger tent than you think you’ll need. Believe me, you’ll be glad you did.
5. Bringing too much stuff. People, you’re camping! You don’t need to bring your kitchen sink with you. Unless it’s an essential item, leave it at home and rough it up a bit!
6. Letting the dog off leash. Even the most obedient dogs will find it hard to contain themselves in an area full of new smells. Unless you want to be walking through the woods calling out “Sparky!? Sparky?!” all night, consider keeping your best friend curbed.
7. Setting up camp near a cliff. Going to the bathroom in the middle of the night should not be a life or death matter.
8. Bringing insufficient drinking water. If there’s one thing you don’t want to skimp on, it’s drinking water. Think about how much you think you’ll need and bring double.
9. Not bringing enough blankets. Do you know how cold it gets at night when you’re sleeping outdoors? Oh, double up on the socks too!
10. Leaving the flashlight at home. Bring several flashlights and spare batteries for each of them.
11. Forgetting bug repellent and/or sunscreen. Both of these items are crucial to enjoyable camping.
12. Not cleaning up. Camp responsibly. Clean up after yourself before you leave. The only evidence of you having been there should be your fond memories.
13. Building a fire or using a stove inside a tent. This is incredibly stupid. A torrential downpour is still no reason to start a fire in a tent. Never start a fire in a tent.
14. Setting up a beach campsite below the high water mark. Usually high tide is around midnight. If you set up camp close to the water line during the day, you’re likely to wake up to a wet campsite. You should be able to detect evidence in the sand of the high tide point from the night before. Set up camp considerably behind that mark.
15. Cooking elaborate meals. Even if you have a stove or grill, cooking at a campsite is nowhere near as nice as cooking in your kitchen. Keep the meals simple and easy!
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 Roy Scribner on August 26, 2009 under Camping, camping activities, kids, koa campgrounds, things to do |
Okay, maybe that’s not all she wants for her birthday, but with Chuck E. Cheese’s® just down the road, a bounce park in town and the lure of a sleepover party with her favorite friends, it makes this dad proud to say that his soon-to-be nine year old daughter chose a camping trip for her birthday. Camping has been a part of our kid’s lives just like going to movies or maybe a restaurant. It’s still something that is special to them, but it surprises me that they still get excited about it since it’s something that we do pretty regularly.
Because this is still a child’s birthday, though, she didn’t select just any regular camping spot to spend our weekend at. A normal camping trip for us is to get away from the crowds by heading up into the Sierras, or one of the lesser-known beaches along the central California coast. But not this time. On this weekend, we will brave the crowds at what has to be one of the more extravagant KOA campgrounds in the country – the Santa Cruz / Monterey Bay KOA. Hey, it’s a little girl’s birthday!
2006 Gilroy Garlic Festival - is that the smallest harness you have?
This won’t exactly be “roughing it” by any stretch of the imagination, but this place is a kid’s dream, with a train, a jumping pillow (I didn’t know what that was either – the kids did, though), a mechanical bull, a huge playground, an outdoor theater and the list goes on. They even have a climbing wall and a climbing rock, which my daughter is really excited about because she has been climbing since she was five.
It’s important to keep the kids interested in the outdoors and particularly in family outdoor activities. If that means enduring a weekend at a commercial campground once in awhile, I think I can live with that. I know that they will have a great time and I’m confident that they will still love the crisp mountain air and the quiet sounds of nature, next time.
See also…
Resources: Free eBook: Introduction To Family Camping
All I want for my birthday is to go camping
Posted by Dorrie on August 2, 2009 under Camping |
No one wants their camping trip to be ruined by mosquitoes. Check out the following information on how to keep mosquitoes away while you?re camping.
The first thing you need to do is to protect yourself. This means wearing long sleeves and long pants whenever practical based on the weather. Mosquitoes seem to be attracted to darker colors, so choose light colors when you can. If you?re camping in an area where mosquitoes are prevalent, you might also want to consider treating your clothing with special mosquito repellents made for clothing or perhaps investing in pre-treated clothing. However, be aware that the repellents that are designed for clothing can?t be applied to the skin. Follow the manufacturer?s instructions regarding their use and laundering.
The parts of your person that aren?t covered by clothing should be treated with a mosquito repellent. The most effect ones contain various concentrations of DEET. Depending on the concentration, a product with DEET can protect you from 2-5 hours without re-application. There are also some naturally-derived repellent products on the market, but they require more frequent reapplication to be effective.
If you don?t want to have to worry about slathering on some repellent, there are some products that are available in the form of towelettes, which may be easier for you to carry around. Whatever you choose, follow the label directions carefully when it comes to application and removal. Don?t apply mosquito repellent to broken or irritated skin, or to skin that will be covered by clothing. If you don?t have a combination sunscreen and mosquito repellent product, you?ll usually get better results by applying sunscreen first, then the repellent. Don?t forget the back of your neck!
Now that you have your person protected, it?s time to think about your campsite. First, your tent should have a mesh door ? keep it closed at all times to keep mosquitoes out. This is also a good time to think about using that mosquito repellent for fabrics again. If thing are really bad, you can even use a mosquito net inside your tent. Netting is also a good way to protect yourself when you?re sitting outside and eating or cooking. Many outdoor stores sell square tent-like structures with net on the sides to keep mosquitoes away from your campsite.
A camp fire is also good for keeping mosquitoes at bay, as they don?t like the smoke. Depending on your camp site, you may or may not be able to have a campfire and you may or may not be permitted to keep it burning all night. Always follow the rules and regulations of the site where you?re camping.
In areas where mosquitoes or other flying pests are prevalent, you may want to consider treating the area. One of the newer products available is a portable device that uses butane to infuse the air with repellent over a 15 foot by 15 foot space. There are models designed especially for camping, as well as mini-models designed for easy portability. Just a few of these would provide effective mosquito protection over your entire camping area, allowing you to enjoy your camping trip without the constant threat of mosquitoes.
Posted by Dorrie on May 21, 2009 under Camping |
Do you want to get more exercise, but find fitness clubs occasionally a bit boring, repetitive, competitive, or fluorescently lit for your motivational needs? Perhaps you could use a little more fresh air and sunshine while climbing the virtual hills on your stair climber? It is likely that hiking is just the activity to motivate your mind rejuvenate your body.
Hiking is a truly wonderful way to get some really good exercise in a healthy environment while enjoying the unique wonders that nature has to offer. There is nothing in an indoor fitness club that really compares to the refreshing air, the smell of flowers and trees, and the warm feeling of the sunshine on your skin producing some nice vitamin D to nourish your body. If the weather is right then now is the time to recoup any missed opportunities at natural bliss.
Hiking often seems, due to popular media and so forth, to conjure up images of people with huge mountain boots and potentially gigantic backpacks to carry on their potentially rigorous adventure through the wilderness. Taken to the extreme they may be carrying a pair of hiking poles and maybe even a knife to cut through any vegetation which may be in the way of their expedition into the vast unknown. This conceptual image of human against nature is a great misnomer and likely the reason that more people are sitting at home watching a rerun of a sitcom rather than out enjoying a refreshing hike through nature right now. Modern towns and cities can often be so void of natural vegetation that one can even forget what it is like to smell the dazzling myriad of refreshingly vibrant flora that abounds in natural environments. A patch of grass in the forest, no bigger than the size of a human, can potentially be more entertaining than any show on television. Looking closer and closer, one can see further and further mindboggling layers of the organic wonderland.
All you really need for a good hike is a pair of shoes that are comfortable to walk in. You don?t even need them, if you are hiking in a nice area and the weather is nice. We aren?t talking about trekking in the wilderness on a six-month expedition, just an hour or a few enjoying an invigorating walk through nature. It is advisable to bring a bottle of water or juice if you are hiking for more than an hour, as it is obviously wise to stay hydrated. It?s best to carry it in a small backpack or just use a small hydration backpack.
Finding a good spot to enjoy should be easy with the advent of the internet. You can likely even view the location with Google Maps or other such services. Once you have a good idea of the location, either check the forecast or be spontaneous and go on days when the weather inspires you most.
Once you start enjoying exercise in nature, it is likely that it will enhance much more than just your bodily fitness. You may even realize that you have found an even healthier health club that is free and has always been available to you.
