Camping
with Rob
Camping
with Rob is an experience every woman should have at least once in her lifetime! In all our camping trips together, we never
came home without stories to tell – and a few hundred photos of the trip.
So naturally, the first things on the camping list are cameras and lots of film or an extra memory card. It’s
important to always take more than one camera. This is something I learned camping with Rob. He waded into swirling water
at the base of a waterfall, lost his footing – and much to the amusement of other hikers – I yelled “Oh
no! The camera!” as Rob disappeared under water with just one arm, holding the camera, stuck up in the air. His version
of the tale is, of course, that he was drowning, and my first concern was the camera. Hey, those cameras are expensive. Those
photos are once-in-a-lifetime shots. And the moral of the story is…always, always, take more than one camera when you
go on a trip.
Another important item is toilet tissue. Not one campground in America
has nice, cushy Charmin tissue! It’s always slick, thin, grayish rolls of recycled-looking paper – so take
your own Charmin!
Rob’s idea of the ideal camp box is a huge wooden box he built. When filled, it takes two grown men and a horse
to lug around. Whatever you need is always on the bottom! But how much can I complain about a guy who thinks a bud vase and
candles for the picnic table are required camping equipment? (Try it guys! I promise you will find the effort worth your time!)
Still, for State Park camping, I prefer plastic storage tubs. They are great for packing almost all of your camping
supplies. Food can go in one, clothing in another, pots and pans in yet another. Packing things this way keeps them light
enough for even the kids to help carry, and sorted enough that you aren’t digging through a dozen bags to find a bar
of soap. While not waterproof, they will somewhat protect the contents from a sudden rain.
Other
little things I’ve learned: a pill container is great for taking along small amounts of spices you might want for cooking.
Plastic soap dishes can also be used for emergency sewing kits, small first-aid kits to take on a hike, and enough wet wipes
for a picnic. Kids need their own box of zip-lock sandwich bags for the fossil rocks and other treasures they collect. Take
along quart and gallon size bags, too. The gallon size is especially good for packing each person’s personal grooming
items...toothbrush, toothpaste, soap (in plastic container), etc. Stick in a quart size bag for wet washcloths.
An
old welcome mat in front of the tent helps keep the inside clean. Old shower curtains come in handy for use as ground cloths
under smaller tents, or as ‘tarps’ over camping supply containers. They can also be used as tablecloths.
For
real home-comfort in a sleeping bag, open it up and stitch an old sheet over its lining. Old bags that have seen better days
can also be repaired this way.
Plan
to buy firewood at the campgrounds! Due to an infestation of the Emerald Tree Borer, most campgrounds will not allow you to
bring wood.
If
you are just beginning to camp, a trip to your local thrift store might get all you need at a price you can’t beat!
Look for jeans, shirts, jackets, rain gear, old but good pots and pans, and folding camp chairs. Yard sales are also a good
place to look for camping equipment and supplies.
I would suggest that sleeping bags and your tent be bought new. Why? Because I've had new and I've
had used. The feeling you get when you see your brand new tent sitting on your campsite, and crawl in to sleep in brand new
sleeping bags is akin to moving into your first home! Without the mortgage payments, too.
We keep tents and sleeping bags in our van all the time. It gives the kids (and me) a feeling of
security. It feels like we're prepared for any emergency. Of course, that isn't quite true, but it helps.
Camping List
Cameras
and Lots of Film or extra memory card
Toilet
Tissue!
Tarp
or Ground cloth for each tent.
Tent(s)
with Extra Stakes
Sleeping
Bags
Pillows
Folding
Camp Chairs/Stools
Air
Mattress or Foam Sleeping Pads
Doormat
Camp
Stove and Fuel
Radio
and extra batteries
Lantern
with extra batteries or fuel
Flashlights
with extra batteries
Thermos
Travel
Alarm
Hand
saw, Sierra Saw
Hatchet
Hammer
Tent
Repair Kit (may fit into plastic soap container)
Fire
Extinguisher
Charcoal
and Starter Fluid
Small
grill (optional as most campsites have one)
Waterproof
Matches/Lighters
Pots
and Pans
Iron
Skillet
Cooking
Utensils: meat fork, slotted spoon, egg turner/pancake flipper/whatever you call it – long handles!
CAN
OPENER!
Filet
knife, other knives as needed
Aluminum
Foil
Aluminum
Mixing Bowl
Plates,
Bowls, Cups, Silverware (Amazon has a great backpack kit with service for four – and it’s very inexpensive.)
Paper
towels (lots of them!)
Dish
detergent
Dishcloths
and towels
Dishpan
Trash
Bags
Ziploc
Bags in different sizes
Bungee
Cords
Duct
Tape
Rope
Sewing
Kit – don’t forget a few safety pins!
Clothes
pins – 2 for each towel is usually enough
Whisk
broom
Cosmetics:
Mascara is all you really need, and maybe a light lipstick and moisture cream
Bath
Towels/Wash cloths
Soap
in plastic containers
Shampoo
(small sample or travel sizes)
Wet
Wipes
Toothbrush
Toothpaste
Deodorant
Sunscreen
Mosquito
Repellant
Flip
Flops for everyone
Kleenex
Anti-Bacterial
Hand Wash
Mirror
Lip
Balm
Water
– big 2 ½ gallon containers
Prescriptions
Food!
See separate list for camping food ideas! Here’s a hint: If you have a favorite restaurant, ask if they will sell you
a bunch of their little jellies, honey, etc. The last time I asked, I was given, free of charge, a lunch bag full! I packed
enough into plastic sandwich containers for the trip, and had plenty left over for the next couple of trips!
Clothing
of your choice: Always take a little more than you think you will need. If you don’t have what you consider ‘camping
clothes’, try the thrift store!
First
Aid Kit: Everyone has their own version of a first aid kit, but some of the basics include:
Band-aids
Peroxide for cleaning wounds
Gauze for cleaning wounds
and for bandaging
Bandage Tape
Small pair of scissors
Tweezers for splinters
Anti-bacterial ointment
Tylenol or other pain reliever
First Aid instructions!
We
have everything but the kitchen sink in our first aid kit – so we use a red, plastic storage container about 9”x13”x6”
deep. The kids’ doctor even gave us a few tongue depressors! Since it’s always in the van, it’s always packed
for our trips. For the kids’ feeling of security, we have another blue container the same size filled with Vienna sausages,
snack bars, and other ‘emergency food’ items that has come in handy for snacks on our camping trips.
Camping Food
Food is a big issue when camping with Rob. He plans to eat fish, fried potatoes, and roasted corn on the cob every
day. It’s delicious! No one can fry fish and potatoes like Rob! Still, I want assurance that if our fishing is not so
good, I will have something to eat. This is no problem – if we’re camped at Put-in-Bay. We can have pizza and
wine for dinner. But in the Boundary Waters of Minnesota, it’s a different story. And it’s not just access to
food. It’s a matter of weight – how much you want to portage from one lake to another. He really wants less weight.
I really want more food choices! Weight is a real issue when backpacking, too.
We’ve tried the pricey foods packaged especially for backpacking and camping. In general, our reaction has been
‘Ugh!’ The solution has been to find lightweight foods we like that can be easily prepared with a minimum
of ingredients. For example, au-gratin potatoes in a box can be cooked with the addition of nothing more than water and powdered
milk. Even the butter is optional, though a bit of butter substitute can be added. The potatoes/sauce mix can be taken out
of the box and put in a zip-lock bag. It takes up less space and reduces the weight a bit.
Pancake mix, needing only water, can be pre-measured at home, and put in a bag. Toss in a few containers of Waffle
House syrup and you’re ready to go. Or maybe you prefer biscuits and gravy. Both are available in little packs and require
only water to prepare. Add dried eggs or egg substitute and you have a good breakfast.
Dried fruits and veggies are also good choices. Even Hamburger Helper can be prepared, and is surprisingly good without
meat.
By pre-measuring and choosing foods that can be packed easily and without much weight, we can take along enough food
in one baja bag to last a couple of weeks!
It’s easiest to start with a ‘menu’ where you list meals for each day. There’s no law that
says you have to eat such and such on a particular day. Or that you have to prepare any particular item with any other. By
adding a few extra days to your list, you can have a choice each day of what to eat. Include things that don’t have
to be cooked for those days you just don’t want to cook!
Keep in mind that when you’re camping is not the time to try foods you may not like or that don’t turn
out the way you thought they would. It’s a good idea to try out all recipes at home before going camping! If you’re
going to be cooking on a Camp Stove while camping, then use a Camp Stove to try it at home. If it’s to be cooked over
a camp fire, then try it first over a camp fire at home.
Suggestions
The foods you take camping should be foods you like! Some people
can’t camp without beans and weenies. Others want a thick, juicy steak on the menu. My suggestion is to find a supermarket
near where you’re camping and buy perishable foods as you want them rather than trying to pack and carry from home.
Milk and other spoilable foods are also safer to buy as needed. Overnight in a cooler to have milk with breakfast is fine,
but it won’t last a week in a cooler!
Try fresh corn on the cob wrapped in foil and buried around the edges of
your campfire. Leave the husk on to cook. It adds a flavor all its own, and will peel off easily when cooked.
Apples can be pared, cored, and baked in foil the same way. Add a little
cinnamon sugar or a fat marshmallow and butter in the center for a delicious treat!
Camp cooking should be stress-free! With that in mind, the following suggestions
are just that – suggestions. Look at the foods you like – and ask how they can be repackaged, if necessary, to
take up less space, to provide more variety, to simplify preparation, or to weigh less if weight is important.
Cereal: Individual servings can be packaged in sandwich bags, then put in
a plastic container to keep them from being crushed. One container, smaller than a box of cereal, will hold at least six servings.
If sugar is used, packets can be put in the same container for convenience.
Oatmeal: Pre-measure for individual servings into sandwich bags, then into a larger zip-lock bag. Add a little cinnamon
or sugar if you like. Or flavor with a packet of jelly.
Gravy mixes: available in creamy pepper gravy, chicken or beef flavored
Pancake mix: Pre-measured into plastic bags; Spread jelly on them instead of syrup, roll them up, and call them crepes
instead of pancakes! Sprinkle with Confectioners sugar if you’re feeling fancy.
Syrup: Small quantities of syrup can be put in small plastic jars. I like to put them
into sandwich bags for extra peace of mind, just in case one leaks. Even
better – forget the syrup and use the jellies!
Instant potatoes
If you do use fresh potatoes, don’t throw the peels away! Wash them and simmer to golden in hot shortening for
a great-tasting ‘better-than-chips’ treat.
Powdered eggs or egg substitute
Biscuit mix: I confess I have never mastered the art of baking biscuits over a campfire! I have, however, learned
that I can make puffy looking things that taste a lot like biscuits by dropping spoons of dough into hot shortening.
Coffee: Pre-measured into filters, filters then folded over coffee and stored in plastic bag; Decent coffee can be
made just by pouring hot water over grounds, much as tea is prepared by steeping a bag of tea grounds.
Coffee creamer
Powdered Milk
Sugar Packets
Hot chocolate packets
Instant soups: add water for soup, but also use to season other foods
Spaghetti: This can be broken into smaller pieces and thrown into a pot of bouillon cube broth to make flavorful soup.
Can also be cooked and tossed with a packet of salad dressing for a simple pasta side dish.
Bouillon cubes!
Packets of salad dressing, ketchup, mayo, jellies, butter, tartar sauce, malt vinegar – all those little left-over
packets you’ve saved from fast food restaurants! Use them for seasoning, too.
Spices: Those little pill containers that hold a week’s supply of meds are great for carrying small quantities
of spices! Look over your menus and decide what spices will make your camp cooking fantastic!
Canned Foods: Corn, peas, green beans – your favorites. Don’t forget the can opener! Try mixing a little
creamed corn with cornmeal to make a stiff dough, roll into balls and ‘deep fry’ with fish for a tasty, simplified
version of hush puppies.
Put together Hobo Dinners: On squares of aluminum foil, chop up potatoes, carrots, onion, cubes of beef, whatever
veggies you like. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Add a few little dobs of butter. Fold and seal the foil. Lay on the grill
and let them cook!
Toasty bread pies: Take the crusts off two slices of bread. Put canned pie filling in the center of one slice of bread,
then the other slice on top. Squish the edges together. Toast on each side in a hot iron skillet sitting on a grid over the
campfire. *There is a tool, I guess you would call it, designed just for this purpose. But if you don’t have one, you
can still have these delicious little pies!
Almost weightless snacks: Fruit roll-ups, potato sticks
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