Camp Activities

Other than cooking and gathering firewood, which at times seems like that's all you do at camp, there are plenty of activities to make the trip pleasurable and worthwhile. Even though there is a definite Thoreau-esque sense of accomplishment when staying in the woods all week with minimal essentials to accomplish all the camp chores, what's the point of living in the woods for a couple days to a week if you can't enjoy a walk in the woods, some photography, or a good book?

When we go on our camping trips, there's always different activities that we look forward to, and if you've brought the right "gear" you can get closer to nature and enhance the relaxation it can provide.

Day Hiking

Most times we like to camp at Frozen Head State Park for our longer camping trips. Being there at camp gives us a distinct advantage that we "late to bed and late to rise" folks otherwise don't have. With over 80 miles of trails, being there at camp allows us to get on the trail for a nice long hike and not have to worry about driving back home when we get off the trail, totally exhausted. The only things to worry about after a good hike while camping is getting the fire going and what easy food we want to eat that night.

Bike Riding

Another great activity that we all love at camp is riding our bikes. In the campground and throughout the rest of the park, there's very little traffic, and it's usually slower than the bikes.You can really enjoy a good bike ride in this fashion as you don't have to worry about getting hit by a car like you might when riding in the city or some of the twisty and hilly country roads around here. Family bike rides are always a lot of fun and even more so while camping. It provides great exercise and the scenery is wonderful. If you are camping at a park with trails, you might even get the extra bonus of trail riding, but make sure bikes are allowed on the trail before you peddle down it.

Photo Walks/Scavenger Hunts

For those of us with an affinity for photography, what better time to whip out our cameras and start snapping away? Besides that, you want to be able to cherish these trips for as long as you live. There's always plenty of flora, fauna, and wildlife to capture not to mention all the silliness the family gets into out there. You might also decide to go on a photo walk. Taking walks with the camera at camp with the purpose of finding those once in a lifetime shots are priceless. You never know what you might come back with. You can also arrange a photo scavenger hunt. Just come up with a list of things, or find one on the Interwebs, to capture on film or memory card and take off. This is a great way to introduce the yougin's to the wonderful world of photography and nature. Whoever wins can be king/queen of camp for the day. They can choose what's for dinner, who tells the first ghost story of the evening, or any other cool prize that will put a smile on their face and never forget their camping experience.

There's plenty of other activities you can enjoy while camping: throwing a football around or a frisbee, riding scooters around the grounds, playing at the playgrounds, fishing, you name it. However, camp just isn't camp if you don't indulge in some lazy activities as well.

Read a Book

Reading is a another favorite time of ours in camp. We finally have some time to read that trail book we've put off because of our busy and hectic lives. There are plenty of perfect, relaxing times to crawl into the hammock or on the lawn chair and get to reading that book you got for Christmas that now has an inch of dust on it. I don't know about you but I probably get more reading done in a week at camp than I do the rest of the year around home.

Play a Game

If you are anything like we are, we typically bring a deck of cards and from time to time an easy travel game like Yahtzee or UNO. This really gets the family together around camp for some good solid quality time without interruption of the TV or telephone. A good game of rummy or plain ol' poker are excellent card games at camp. And you can use rocks and sticks for money. After all, you are in the woods, right?

Tell Ghost Stories Around the Campfire

If you are like Robin, then you are very creative and haven't got a problem coming up with a ghost story or two on the spot. Heck, she usually has them thought up before we even get to camp most times. However, if you are more of the analytical/logical type like me and lack creativity or story telling ability, then there's nothing wrong with bringing a good ghost story book along. This is a great time to pass down traditions or teach lessons to the little ones about wandering around in the woods after dark and things like that. Your oldest kids - the ones wanting a BIG scare - might enjoy the story of The White Screamer. Tween ages like a bit of a scare, so a little acting and a story called Taily-Po will have them jumping, screaming, and laughing in no time. But if you've got little bitty ones, you might try some of the funnier, cuter American Indian stories like "Why the possum's tail is bare." You can usually get some good screams and laughs for that matter by acting out the parts, changing your voice around, and maybe even tossing things their way - like a previously hidden beach ball.

Park/Campground Hosted Activities

Usually, in the parks we camp at, there is almost always some sort of program/activity given by one of the park rangers. These are great opportunities to learn more about nature and/or the area you are camping in. Anything from Owl Prowls to Salamader Hunts, ghost hikes to astronomy viewings, you name it. Usually on any of the trail kiosks or the park/campground visitor's center they have a list of activities for the day. Be sure to check them out and take part. The rangers always love to teach and share with visitors their expansive knowledge of the area's history or natural wonders.

There's so many more different activities and plain ol' silliness that one can enjoy while camping. So many that it would likely require a week's worth of posts. However, we'd love to hear from you. What are your favorite activities while camping?

Happy Camping,
Tim and Robin

Camp Safety

Tim and I try to take turns writing these posts. That way, one of us usually has something ready to post before it's time to post it. It keeps us on task, planned out, and our ducks in a row. But I couldn't help but giggle to myself when I seen I was tasked with Camp Safety.

See, I'm a pretty brave girl as long as bears, mayonnaise, heights, spiders or any combination of the four aren't anywhere near me. But I am also well-renowned as the world's most careless and accident prone person in the entire world. Well, maybe not the world, but absolutely the family. If anyone is gets hurt while camping, it will be me. Skinned knees, fire burns, pulled muscles, mysterious bug bites, and pitching a tent near a hornet's nest is only a small selection. I come home with bruises I didn't know I'd received. If there's one hole near the campsite, I will step in it. I've even had a hair product allergy causing an all-out body inflammatory and itching response (not good while camping!). I also usually win the honors of getting the first tick bite of the season -- but not this year! Tim's already had one. Can you believe it?!

Tim mentioned a day or so before I was due to write this that he'd always heard, "Bravery and stupidity go hand in hand." My pride would prefer me to think it's not stupidity, but rather indiscretion - blunders - oversights that get me into these hot spots. But I suppose all those years of being clumsy brave has also taught me the ins-and-outs of camp safety.

Fires
This is an easy one. Don't play in the fire. Don't burn down the forest. Put the fire out completely before leaving camp.

Bugs, Ticks, Bee Stings
The above can cause a lot of discomfort, and some bites or stings can be very dangerous. When you're camping, bugs are just inevitable. Use a good bug spray (we like Off! Deep Woods) to repel biting insects - especially ticks and mosquitoes. Learn how to properly remove a tick, how to identify Deer Ticks (below), and the symptoms of Lyme Disease. Know of any bee allergies, and keep an EpiPen handy if you are allergic. For those little menacing bites, keep hydrocortisone cream, StingEze, tweezers and alcohol swabs in your first aid kit. And don't forget to look UP when choosing a campsite - check for those hornet's nests!

courtesy of heartspring.net

Snakes

Anytime you're in the woods, you should keep a constant eye out for snakes. No snake bite is a good snake bite, but be especially concerned about venomous bites. Here in East Tennessee, we have two venomous snakes: the Northern Copperhead (right) and the Eastern Timber Rattlesnake. The best advice is to never approach a snake. Even a non-venomous snake bite can cause problems - think bacteria (and lots of it!). If you see one on your camping trip, don't panic! After all, you are a guest in its home. Just give it lots of room, and soon it will move on about its business. Be especially careful when you're looking for deadwood or - for whatever reason - moving rocks.

Improper Cooking
Camp cooking is not the same as cooking at home. Reaching proper internal temperatures is essentially important anytime you cook, but cooking outdoors can sometimes take considerably longer than cooking at home. The last thing you want is to interrupt your camping trip with a bad case of Salmonella poisoning. If you're overly concerned with this, a probe thermometer is an easy, small item to tote with you in your supplies box.

Potable Water
Along the same lines is potable water. Most campgrounds are going to offer a central potable water spigot, and hookup campgrounds have individual campsite spigots. Make sure you are using the potable water for drinking. It will be adequately marked as such. If you're in a campground that doesn't offer potable water like some of the more primitive type grounds, you'll want to make sure you've brought lots of water or you're using proper techniques to make existing water sources drinkable. There are plenty of ways to do this - another blog post in itself! - but boiling, filtration devices, and water tablets are all good choices.

Shower Shoes
This may seem like a silly addition to the list, but personal health fits right into the safety category in my world. Our favorite camping spot has a really nice bathhouse. And nothing beats a good shower in the evening after you've been outside all day in the East Tennessee humidity. But keep in mind that it is a public bathing place. You really don't want to go home to discover a bad case of foot fungus. Showering with a pair of plastic flip-flops is always a good idea. Think back to those college days.

Camping Gear - The Essentials and the Extras

So you've decided to go camping. You've figured out where to go camping, and now it's time to make ready and pack. What do you need to pack? That's what this post is all about. Depending on where you go, when you go, and how long you go for will determine what to pack. Regardless of those factors, there are some essential items you will need for every camping trip regardless of length, time of year, and location. Keep in mind that this post is more geared to camping in a campground out of a tent instead of in the backcountry (that would require a whole post to itself and more experience than I have at this time, which just so happens to be zero backcountry experience thank you very much, but hopefully that will change come April).

Let's get down to business. What are the essentials of every camp trip? First you need to have a tent or at least some sort of shelter be it a bivvy sack, a tarp, anything t hat will provide protection from the elements. How big or small is all a matter of necessity, choice, and personal preference. The things to consider here are what time of year are you camping and how many people do are you going to shelter. For us, we have two options, our big Eureka Tetragon 1210 tent and our Ascend Hiker 2 tent. The Eureka is more of a family camp tent that we take to the campground when the whole family (Robin, Ash, the Beene, and I) are going to camp for a couple of days or more. The Ascend is our backcountry tent that sleeps two comfortably even with the Beene, and would sleep all of us but we'd be very cramped. This tent is used for backcountry trips that Robin and I will be taking in the very near future and for short overnight camp outs like we did the other day.

Some of the things we consider important in tents are, floor construction (is a bathtub floor, does it require a footprint, etc). What about the seams? Are they already sealed or do we need to seal them before use? How simple or hard is the setup? Can I do it alone are am I going to need an extra set of hands? Finally, does it have a rainfly? These are all important when it comes to a tent and for everyone out there, the questions and answers will differ. That's why there are as many tent options as there are campers.

The next piece of camping gear that we consider essential is bedding/sleeping gear. Okay, so this might be more than just one piece of gear but comfort is different for everyone especially when it comes to sleeping in a tent. So some items of necessity include a sleeping bag, or at least some sort of covers. Sometimes in the summer months, a sheet is really all you need of course this again all depends on where you are camping.

A sleeping pad or an air mattress isn't necessarily essential but it can provide more comfort especially for us older folk who get stiff just thinking about sleeping on the hard ground. There are many different options in this arena so do your research. If we are roughing, then we will just bring our sleeping pads, of course after our impromptu camping trip we might upgrade to one of those pool floats, they are cheap and lightweight and has to be better than styrofoam. However, if we have the big tent and are out for more than a couple of days you may want to look into an air mattress or two depending on how many campers you have in the tent. Of course there's always military style cots too. If you aren't using a tent or a tarp then a hammock or a good reclining lawn chair has been known to work as well.

Once you've got shelter and bedding taken care of, the next piece of gear to have is lighting. This ranges from a good lantern for the campsite, flashlights or headlights for walking back and forth to the bathhouse and trash cans at night, and going on those fun nighttime, ranger led park programs. Additionally, you are going to need something for a campfire if there are no fire bans in effect, because let's face it camping isn't camping unless you have a good campfire to tell ghost stories by or to make s'mores and roast marshmallows. In this department there are several remedies.

Most parks here in Tennessee allow you to gather wood from the ground (windfall or deadfall), and some of them even have a woodshed already filled with wood. Once you have firewood acquired, you need to have something to start the fire. You can bring starter logs, lighter fluid, paper, or go the more survivor man route and have a magnesium block and flint. It's really all about preference here. Just remember to be careful and respect the fire.

Now you have shelter, a comfortable sleeping arrangement, and lighting taken care of, what to do when it comes to food? You gotta eat right? Well this again is all a matter of preference. Do you like to eat well and "fancy" like we do? If so then check out the camp food post. Robin covers the basics for taking care of the cooking portion of camp from Coleman stove to dutch oven, pots, pans and utensils, and let's not forget dinnerware. Unless of course you like to eat like a Marine, then you will want plates, bowls, spoons, forks, or better yet sporks. You will also need the items necessary to clean the camp dishes, unless of course you go the bare minimum route and plan on beanie wennies, vieanna sausages, hot dogs, etc. Then the most you will need is a good green stick from an appropriate tree. Of course you could always splurge and get some roasting sticks and save the tree branches.

We've got the bare minimum essentials pretty well covered now with the exception of clothing. Of course I don't think anyone goes camping naked do they? Wait, don't answer that, I don't want to know. So what extra pieces can one consider to make camp life a little more pleasant? There's plenty. Camp chairs to sit next to the fire. It sure beats sitting on a log, a rock, or the ground next to the fire for hours. Of course if it's all you've got then it's all you've got right? Another item of luxury that we absolutely love is our food tent, a full mesh canopy. We aren't much on bugs and stuff around our food items, and it also comes in handy when there's liquid sunshine looming. Most of the campgrounds we go to have picnic tables at the campsites, and our canopy is large enough to stand up over and around the table.

Another comfort item would be in the electronics department. What? I thought camping was about unplugging and leaving technology behind? Well for the most part it is, but I don't see nothing wrong with having a radio along. During the day when there's not much going on at camp or while meals are being prepared, the radio can be a welcomed treat. Another good reason to have a radio, late at night after the kids have gone off to bed and the ghost stories are done, you can tune into Coast to Coast AM and listen to the weird, unnatural, and paranormal stories and accounts. It's always a favorite pastime of ours when camping.

What about bikes? Nothing wrong with bringing bikes or scooters for the kids and for yourself as well. It give you time to spend with the kids around the campground and the rest of the park. Or if you need to get supper done or want some quiet time for a nap or to read a good book, the bikes and scooters are a great way to preoccupy the kids with some good relaxation time. If there are trails available where you are camping you might also consider bringing your daypacks along so you can get up and enjoy a walk in the woods. The best part you don't have to drive because you are already there. Finally, I think another great extra to have at camp is a deck of cards or some sort of game to play. Another way to have good family time around the camp or if there's inclement weather that forces you into the tent, then you've got something to help pass the time. A good book works, too.

So now we ask you, our readers, what are the essentials and/or extras you like to take camping with you? What makes camping all the more pleasing for you? Is there a particular item that you can't go camping without? Let know we'd love to hear from you.

Happy Camping,
Tim and Robin

P.S. It may be a little bit overboard, but sometime you bring some real extras, of course it takes away from the whole unplugging and escaping technology thing. But hey when you can talk to someone in the Azores with only 50-75 watts of power all generated from a Jeep battery, a Ham Radio can be worthwhile during a camp trip. Of course you need an amateur radio operator's license first.