It appears that camping is just like most things in life, if you are prepared for anything, everything goes much smoother. Unfortunately for many of us that means learning several lessons the hard way until we have perfected the level required to find that kind of satisfaction.
Camp in the rain and one quickly learns the importance of a good and efficient tarp system as well as a ground sheet under the tent. One also might learn that you can actually put a tarp over a fire pit and not have it catch on fire if it is done properly. That was extremely impressive to this outdoor woman.
Pitch a tent on rough, rocky or uneven ground and one might come to the understanding that thermarests are for when we are in our 20’s. An air mattress on the other hand, eliminates so much of the “need for perfect ground” worry and also allows a much warmer, drier and far more comfortable sleep especially with children.
Tent heaters…. oh my gosh, what a concept. Again, this might apply to those of us who are no longer in our youth. With that said, I have spent several nights this past long weekend thanking whomever designed this amazing unit. A little over $7 for a bottle of propane and a warm place to sleep in the outdoors, without worrying the tent will light on fire, or the children are rolling out of their sleeping bags and freezing, is amazing.
Bug tents for a kitchen area is something else I have come to appreciate with the variety of pesky bugs and wasps that seem attracted to warm food and warm bodies.
Totes and tupperware, proper camping utensils, hot dog and marshmallow sticks, and on and on, also tend to make life much more enjoyable when roughing it in the wild. Now while I use that term loosely, tenting regardless of the degree of preparedness, is still roughing it. Especially when compared to trailers, let alone those million dollar RV’s towing cars one sees driving up and down our highways in the north all summer long. With that said, I have decided that there is apparently a lot of wealthy people that pass through our home town and any way to get those fast passing dollars to stop is a good one.
Getting back to camping with children to give them a great appreciation for the incredible outdoors is a wonderful way to spend a weekend. While there is still many things I think one can perfect, I did not curse and complain at all this past time. Yet, if there comes a day when one could afford a little travel trailer, well lets just say I am still looking forward to that prospect. However for now, this outdoors woman no longer minds loading up the pickup truck and heading out on an adventure…. until the snow comes that is.
