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Episode-1920- Camping for Becoming More Prepared in Life

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I have found that many make camping over complicated, attempting to bring “all the comforts of home” with them.  To me this sort of defeats the point.  What you should focus on with camping is comfort.  By this I mean, sleeping comfort, ability to get clean, stay dry, not be too hot or too cold.  Much of this is more about planning than gear, though some gear is very helpful in this endeavor.

Let me say I am also a big fan of “car camping” especially if children or larger groups are involved.  This does let you take more gear but it also allows for the ability to get something if you forgot it without too much trouble.

Join Me Today to Discuss…

  • Why the hell do people go camping anyway
    • It reconnects us to our true selves
    • It is fun, well it certainly can be
    • It disconnects us from “the modern world”
    • It blends well with other activities (fishing, hiking, etc.)
  • Why people tend to not go camping
    • Time limitations
    • Reluctant family members
    • Finding a good location
    • Cost of gear and shelter
    • Lack of knowledge
  • My rules for an enjoyable camping experience that you will want to do again
    • Have good sleeping gear, comfort, comfort, comfort
    • Have a good shelter for your season
    • Plan a few activities, fishing, hiking, etc.
    • Pick a location where you can hike
    • Ensure water access is available
    • Make the food great
    • Find a place were you can have a campfire, and enjoy campfire time
  • What you learn by camping that applies to prepping
    • How to cook without the grid
    • How to be comfortable without a house
    • How to acquire food from nature
    • How to do without, or what you will need so you don’t have to
    • That all the shit you think is important, largely isn’t
  • Rules for keeping kids happy on camping trips
    • Pick the right time of year
    • Make individual activities brief unless they are really into it
    • Take away the cell phones, game boys, etc. yes really
    • Make the first trips shorter trips
    • Don’t get your personal expectations set too high about things
  • My personal thoughts on gear (not an essential or complete list)
    • Good sleeping pad, cot or hammock camping
    • Seasonally appropriate bedding/sleeping bag
    • A good cook stove – I love this one
    • Dutch oven and camp fire cooking gear
    • A quality tent, no one ever says, there is too much room in here
    • A good flash light and a good head lamp or cap light, LED lanterns
    • Toilet paper, um a few extra rolls
    • Eating utensils – consider paper plates, plastic forks
    • Rain gear – I like Frog Togs
    • Dish washing supplies
    • Water containers for a washing station – if needed
    • Insect repellent
    • Fire making supplies, (I have no problem with a lighter and fluid)
    • First aid kit
    • Cordage
    • Tables and chairs
    • Shade canopy
  • Final Thoughts

Resources for today’s show…

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Comments

Episode-1920- Camping for Becoming More Prepared in Life — 13 Comments

  1. Regarding campgrounds with public bathrooms … YES Jack! You’re SO right about bringing your own toilette paper! ALSO bring toilette seat covers and hand soap. Ask me how I know 😉

  2. Good show, Jack. I listened to it twice, not because I needed more detail, but to remind myself that life really is that simple. I don’t need to make it more complicated than it has to be.

    Alex Shrugged

  3. Spent 6 days last year camping at Huntsville State Park. Best week I’ve had in a long time. Day after Easter, I was talking to the ranger when he was doing his rounds, he told me that there were only 12 people in the entire park.

    We now have a converted Ford Econoline van. I took the seats out of the back and put a queen size bed in there. Swiped the idea from wranglerstar. It’s ready to go in 15 minutes. I’d say that has tripped our camping with just how easy it is to throw our stuff in it and go

    https://www.youtube.com/shared?ci=PFB8xcHpP0Y

  4. Wow, great show, Jack! The only thing that’s a bit of a downer for me is that it’s been a couple of years since I did this because of the difficulty of getting decent farm help (animal care)…another story.
    Here are a few more tips and tricks for fellow listeners:
    If you are taking your dog(s) be sure you check with the campground about what they require. You won’t go wrong taking the rabies certificate and a 6′ tie-out with you.
    For washing dishes, my buddy and I have 2 of the LLBean folding buckets. One is soap, one is rinse. If you wipe off any grease first (burn the paper used for wiping), the soapy water can be used even a couple of days. Then the rinse water gets some soap and the old soapy water gets poured out – for example, being sure your fire is out. No mud, very simple.
    We have a sort of miniature hammock that we tie up and put the dishes, pans, etc in there to air dry. A mesh laundry bag would work well too. This keeps the table clear for food prep, identifying plants, etc etc.
    You are so right about comfort. I joke that for every decade of life you need another inch under you for sleeping. My buddy and I went for cots a few years ago – best camping decision ever. We also noticed that two cots and a dome tent with vestibule take up very little added packing space over a simple dome and sleeping mats or air mattresses. The vestibule is terrific, especially if it rains; keeps your gear dry, even gives you a place to eat.
    If you take kayaks, don’t forget that the inside of the kayaks is gear space for travel. That’s where we pack our sleeping bags, fishing gear and other small stuff. This way, the whole station wagon trunk is free for the bulkier stuff. (The back seat, of course, is for the dogs.?)
    One of our favorite camping things is a small table of wood and canvas that folds and rolls into a compact tube shape. The man who gave it to us made it himself long ago from plans in Popular Mechanics. It’s more compact than a card table. There might be people who would want to look up plans for something like that.

    • Mmmmm, campfires, coons, cast iron and biscuits. I’m sure that isn’t allowed though.

      • Not around here. Our state/ County campgrounds have very strict rules. The DNR patrol the area. No hanging anything from trees. NO picking up wood from the ground for the fire . You have to buy it from the campground. You can’t even bring your own wood.

        • Which will do about as much to stop or even slow down the borer as cutting down all the chestnut trees did to save the chestnut trees. Government is incapable of logical decision making.

  6. Another item of the day:

    http://amzn.to/2inF7MN

    5 gal buckets should also not be overlooked for storage, especially for heavier items. We pull the cardboard out of rolls of butt wipe and pack them in quart ziplocks, just pull from the center and the roll can stay in the bag. I could go on for days on this after 25 years of week long trips in the swamps and rivers of N Florida. Most of it in canoes or 14′ boats.

    This would be a good topic for the forum.

  7. Also, if you go to a state park check the calendar for the park. A lot of them have events going on like dutch oven cooking demos, plant walks, hikes, bird watching etc. Some have canoes you can rent for like $35 a day. Galveston state park has a free fishing day in the summer, they provide all the gear and teach you how to fish. Also in Texas you don’t need a fishing license if you fish in boundaries of the state park. Theres also a junior ranger program but we never got into that so I don’t know what’s involved.

  8. I like to use the Primo manual water pump o. A 5 gallon water cooler bottle. It works great and only cists about 12 bucks at Walmart

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