I really felt a follow up on my weekend o’ fun camping extravaganza was warranted. Despite the floods, pestilence, mosquitos which attempted to carry me off, car dying, and heat stroke induced couple of days, I really did have a wonderful time camping with my girls.
Which is somewhat surprising, considering that I’m a reluctant camper. It was just a few short years ago that I swore never to be caught dead in a tent. Motel 6 was my idea of roughing it.
But then I looked at my children, and remembered wonderful camping trips in my youth. Well, mostly wonderful, considering all of my scouting was done in the frozen tundra of Ohio. So we bit the bullet and bought a tent that attaches to the back of our van.
And after a good 5 or 6 camping trips over the last year or so, I’m thinking I’m a fairly seasoned camper. Especially considering some of my finest camping has been done at Fort Wilderness in Walt Disney World. Wherein electricity is just an extension cord away, and water comes with the turn of a faucet. It should be noted that the bathrooms are cleaner than my own at home. But still, it’s camping. If you stand back and squint.
We did discover that camping is at its best when shared with friends, so we don’t leave home without them. Our children function best when distracted by other children, and the adults enjoy the camaraderie, so we make it a point only to camp with a gaggle of other people that we like.
There are two more such trips planned over the next couple of months. In November we camp with Emme’s Classical Conversation group. Fingers crossed we speak nothing but Latin the entire weekend. In December we head back to Fort Wilderness to camp with about 12 of our closest friends and their children.
The secret I’ve discovered with regards to successful camping (besides taking reinforcements in the form of friends) is list making. I have an extensive checklist on my computer, and it has aided me every single time in making sure nothing crucial is forgotten. Of course my list spoke nothing of camping in sweltering heat, so I must make a note to render myself unconscious with my camp frying pan should I ever consider that again.
What is a must have item that makes your camping trip a success? And room service does not count!
{ 9 comments }
Wine. Since by the time we get to our destination, get ourselves “set up” and the children have already tracked all of the dirt within a 5 mile radius into our tent, plus 1300 ants and mosquitos… only wine will prevent me from making them all sleep outdoors for the bears to find.
Bacon. We love the aroma of breakfast wafting through the air of a campground in the morning.
I married a confirmed non-camper. And that is just fine with me. Seeing that I grew up in the jungle, and knew all the uses of leaves before I was 8, I really don’t need any more camping experiences.
We have a “camp chest” in our basement; pre-packed and ready to go. It has a list within that reminds me of all the other items that need to be remembered.
I don’t have one…but I think a Luggable Loo would be a nice addition to the camping list. No more trekking to the potty in the middle of the night when nature calls. : )
An portable air conditioner.
My airconditioned camper with heat/AIR CONDITIONING and full sized frig to hold all my diet coke!
I have seen a tent with a little window flap to set a window unit beside it on blocks and let a/c blow in. I about fell out when I saw that. Maybe THAT is what you need when you camp in Equator, Florida. : )
We haven’t attempted camping with the kidlets yet. I’d love a gander at your checklist, though. I’ll just bet I’d forget something important – like toilet paper.
Comments on this entry are closed.