I must apologize for any randomness of my posts. I'd like to have a blog filled with informative and enjoyable reading. If nothing else at least to crack a smile or provoke a thought. Being new to this blogging thing (if you haven't noticed) I'm at little scattered with my thoughts, stories and information that I'd like to share with you. One of my main focuses is to stay true to my self. That is, I want this blog to be about all the things I am proud of, the things that I have learned through my life and experiences that I have had. In staying true to my self and hoping to be informative for you I would like to talk about something very special to me in so many different ways. Camping!!! Oh, the word even give me goose bumps. I've been doing it since before I could walk. And so has my kid. Here's how we do it.
If you've read any of my previous posts you might have found that my husband and I are very different. When I first met him he hadn't been camping a whole lot. He would go with his buddies to a camp site with 50 other campers in a maybe 3 acre camp ground. He would bring beer, hot dogs, maybe a sleeping bag for in the car, a pillow and more beer. But mostly he was a city boy who liked to just party and listen to his music. The first few times we went camping together he gave me such a hard time about how much stuff we were bringing. He would say, "It's just the two of us. We are not supplying the whole gang. We are only going for like 3 days. ...Really? Do we really need all this??" And every time he'd be like, "Oh shit! Do we have a can opener?" Yes. "Crap, did you bring any band aids?" Yes. "I totally just stepped in the grossest, muckiest slop puddle ever. Wish I had a change of socks and dry shoes. What?? You have that TOO??" After 10 years he no longer bothers me about what I make him pack into the truck. :)
Normally we do not go to a traditional camp ground where you have a spot among 20 to 100 other paid camp sites. When I was growing up we did. Some times we did not when we would camp and motorcycle ride out in the dessert. So I had experience with both which is surprisingly helpful. But mostly up here in the Northwest we just park it where ever looks good and has a flat spot for the camper or tent. Something to think about when at a camp site with bathrooms. Some are just hole in the ground out houses and some are equipped with plumbing and showers even. Either way bring your own toilet paper. Chances are EVERY ONE will be using the same toilet or few. Yuk! Bring flip flops for any time you may think you want to be bare foot. If you don't have any of these to worry about because a bush is your bathroom, bring LOTS of toilet paper and a shovel. I've thought about crafting myself a home made john for my city boy husband (who insists on driving to the nearest plumbed restroom 10 miles or so away before he will use a bush and a hole for #2) and now even more since this will be the first year The Kid is out of diapers. I'll have to update you on that project. Just remember, double stock the cleansing products; T.P., water (lots of it!), wash clothes/towels, wipes (extremely handy and a must have for camping even if you don't have kids. I use one on my face every morning if nothing else while out in the woods), diapers (if needed), soap, paper towels, etc. It's a dirty world out there and it's all good, but clean at the end of the day is good too. :)
As for supplies I think of where we are going. What type of terrain will it be? I try to envision what we will be doing. What type of food will we be eating. We might take a hike one day so we'll need every thing we would need for sandwiches from containers to condiments to utensils for putting the condiments on and don't forget snacks (very important). I try to make cooking as easy as possible so I envision my menu too. I may make ahead spaghetti or fried chicken to reheat. What will I need to reheat it and eat it? I also like to do hobo bags of veggies and things. Chop those ahead too and don't forget heavy duty tin foil for throwing them in the fire. What if something happens like a booboo or a sunburn or lot of bugs or ?? Make sure you have an up-to-date first aid kit (also very important .. as much as the snacks). Are you going to be doing nothing at all? I mean you are out in nature, I like to take advantage of the free atmosphere and bring books (now I can just bring my kindle *giggle giggle*) and color books and crayons for The Kid (along with a whole stockpile of toys, her favorite being her own made detective kit complete with magnifying glass, tape measure, compass and enough room for a whole pile of cool rocks and maybe a pine cone or two for The Dog). And Hubby likes to catch up on missed sleep. Things we can all do in our own peaceful time.
Other than that just enjoy your time and each other. Nature is a wonderful gift for all of us to enjoy and engulf our selves in. Remember to respect it and all the things you bring into it, take it all with you. Growing up I've seen many ... way too many beautiful places shut down to the public because of the abuse and garbage people left behind. One of the many things my parents taught me when they were sure I was not listening was, if you pick it in you pack it out. So remember all the things to take all this stuff back home in. Trash bags, laundry bags, wet bags for bathing suits, etc. (to cut back on garbage burn paper and cans in the fire, but please recycle or throw away the glass and plastic. Glass will remain for unsuspecting tender feet and plastic is an even nastier chemical when it is not solid).
I would tell my then boyfriend that it was better to be safe than sorry when it came to being out in the woods far from conveniences that we take for granted. It is so wonderful to be out in the peacefulness of the woods and far away from technology. But in this day and age this is all much more enjoyable if you don't run out of T.P. with bushes for bathrooms or forget the can opener but decided to go the easy route and do canned dinners the whole trip. Maybe it was because I was camping before I new what camping was or maybe it's because I was a girl scout. How ever I developed a passion and knack for all this doesn't matter. What matter's is Tuesday it's going to be 71 degrees Fahrenheit and that means it's time to get the camping gear out and make sure it's all in shape and ready to go! YEAAAAAA! =) Hear I come, woods!!!
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