Camping on the Cheap

Hunka hunka burning wood

2011-02-22T21:59:00.000-06:00

The warm weather we had over the weekend here really made me wish for camping. Mother Nature is such a tease, though - she brought the cold weather back for an encore.

We all know it's not a camping trip without a campfire. Sitting around a campfire toasting marshmallows and hot dogs, maybe drinking a couple of beers and swapping stories - well, there's just not much better fun to be had. Bundled firewood, however, can cost, well, a bundle.

The gas stations and grocery stores in the area of our favorite campground sell firewood for about $3.00 a bundle. We use 2 bundles of firewood a day; that's about $18.00 alone for firewood for a 3 day camping trip. Your mileage may vary. Here's how to save some money on firewood for your next camping trip.

Bring firewood from home. Check the rules and regulations of your local campground to see if this is permitted. There are signs around the campground that we frequent telling us to burn firewood where we buy it (at the campground, of course, not at the gas station) and not to bring the firewood home because of the State of Illinois' efforts to stop the spread of the emerald ash borer (an insect).

There are many ways to get free firewood. If one of your neighbors is having a tree cut down, ask the tree trimming company what they're planning on doing with the wood. If they tell you that they'll be putting the wood in a chipper, tell them that they'll take it and ask whether they could cut it in pieces for you. It will save you a lot of elbow grease - cutting wood is hard work. If the tree trimming company is leaving the wood for the homeowner (and if you're brave), ask the homeowner if you could have the wood. The homeowner may be relieves that he won't have to find a way to dispose of the wood. And of course, if you're having a tree cut down on your property, you can tell the tree trimming company that you want to keep the wood and that they need to cut the branches and trunk to an easy-to-carry size.

You can also check on craigslist.org and on freecycle.org for people who are giving away firewood. It may be well worth a bit of a drive to pick up free firewood.

Once you get the wood back to your house, however, you can't burn it right away - it's still green. You need to season (dry out) the firewood in order for the firewood to burn a long time when you make your campfire. The easiest way to season the firewood is to just stack it up in your garden shed or your garage for a few months. So you don't have a garage or garden shed? Stack the firewood up outside and cover it with a tarp. Secure the tarp around the wood so that water or snow doesn't get to the firewood. Fall is a great time to obtain wood and store it up for spring camping trips.

Look around the campground. While you're taking a hike through the forest or just walking around the campground, pick up branches and limbs to use for the campfire. You may even find a log or two. This is, of course, to supplement either store bought firewood or firewood you've brought from home. You're also doing the campground a favor by picking up branches and limbs to keep the campground clean.

Other sources for firewood. The convenience store at the campground we frequent also sells wood. They have a fenced enclosure with firewood in it - you pay $3.00 at the store and they give you a tote to use. You can take as much wood as you can fit in the tote, put the firewood in your vehicle and then return the tote to the store. We usually do this on the first night of our camping trip since we don't have time to go to town to purchase firewood.

If you bring wood from home to the campground, you might want to consider purchasing a large plastic tote so put the wood in so that the tree bark doesn't get all over your vehicle. It will be easier for you to cart the firewood over to the fire pit in the tote. Just don't leave the tote too close to the fire or the tote will melt!

Are there other places that you obtain firewood from? Comment below and let me know!

On another note, in order to make a reservation at any Illinois state park campgrounds, you have to use the recreation.gov website. This means you have to pay for your entire reservation in advance, plus a $5.00 handling fee. Ugh. It was nice when you only had to pay $5.00 plus the first night's camping fee in advance. We will finally have the money soon to reserve a campsite for Memorial Day weekend. I only hope they have some good spots left.

Do you have plans for camping soon? Comment below and let me know!

See you all soon!

Diane

Before you leave home to go camping

2010-09-01T20:41:00.000-05:00

Hi everyone! Sorry it's been so long since I posted last! I've had a major writer's block due to stress in my life.

It's been such a hot summer, we haven't been camping since Memorial Day weekend. Tent camping is miserable in the heat. We did that one July 4th week - never again! The annual Labor Day weekend camping trip is 2 days away, and I'm excited. It may even be too cool to go swimming (well, not by my son's standards! LOL!) The high on Friday is supposed to only be 78 degrees and it will be down in the 50's at night. Perfect weather for a campfire and perfect sleeping weather!

I've talked about what to pack when you go camping, how to set up your campsite, campsite etiquette, etc. But there is stuff you need to do at home before you leave for a few days. These tips are also useful before you leave home for vacation.

You want to make sure that no one can tell that you are not at home, to deter thieves. Here's what you need to do to take care of that:

1. Stop delivery of your newspaper(s) during the time you are gone.
     You can take care of this by going to the newspaper web site. You can enter a vacation hold under subscriber services. If your local newspaper doesn't have a web site, you can call the circulation department and they can take care of this. A bunch of newspapers accumulating in the driveway is a big hint that you are gone for the weekend.

2. Put a hold on your mail.
     This is done very easily on the U.S. Post Office web site - click here to go directly to the place where you can put your mail on hold. Or you can also go to your local post office and fill out a form.

3. Leave lights on in the house (or set them on a timer).
     We have 2 lamps that we leave on while we're gone. Both of them can't be seen by folks passing by, but they still make it look like someone is home.

4. Lock the doors and windows.
     That should be self-explanatory, but people often forget about locking the windows. Thieves can get in through the windows too.

5. Don't leave trash cans and recycling bins at the curb or out in the alley.
     When your trash cans and recycling bins are out at the curb and your neighbors' aren't, that's a big sign to thieves that no one's home. Conversely, if you're going to be gone (like on a week long trip) on a day that trash is collected, see if a neighbor will take your trash cans and recycling bins to the curb and put them back. If everyone's trash cans are out and yours are not, that's also an invitation to thieves.

Here's some hints for the inside of your house:

1. Take care of your pets.
     Most campgrounds allow you to bring your dog, provided you clean up after it and keep it from barking during quiet hours, but if you have to leave Fido at home, make arrangements with a neighbor or a pet sitting service to look after the dog. Cats can take care of themselves, but make sure that there is plenty of food and water and that the litter box is clean.

2. Turn off and unplug all electrical items such as the computer, TV, etc. or if not unplugged, make sure they are plugged into surge protectors.
     It would be horrible to come home from a fun camping trip to discover that all of your electrical items are fried due to a lightning strike or a storm.

3. Wash the dishes and put them away.
   It's no fun to come home from a trip with dirty dishes in the sink. Dirty dishes can also attract bugs and your cat or dog would love all the little leftovers, which can make your pet sick.

4. Water indoor plants.
     Plants can dry up quickly if you don't water them for a few days. You can also buy those water globes to make sure your plants are watered.

5. Put all food away.
     Any food that is left out on a counter top or table is a temptation for a house pet. It can also attract bugs.

6. Tell a trusted neighbor that you are going away for a few days and give them your cell phone number.
     You need to be reachable in case of a disaster that damages your house, or if someone breaks in your house despite all your precautions.

If you think of any other home preparation tips, please make a comment. I would love to hear from you! Hope you all are going camping this holiday weekend and that you have a great time with great weather! See you soon!

Diane

Memorial Day weekend camping trip coming up!

2010-05-26T21:55:00.000-05:00

I've been looking forward to this camping trip for several weeks. I have been following the weather on Accuweather.com for a couple of weeks (you can get a forecast for your selected location 14 days in advance). At first, it said it was going to thunderstorm 2 out of the 4 days. I was despairing that we wouldn't be able to go. Now, however, the forecast has changed and rain is only forecast for Monday. Hopefully, we can get our campsite packed up and drive back home before the rain hits. I still need to cancel the paper for this weekend and put a hold on the mail.

Tomorrow night will be hectic with packing up all the necessary items. I don't have a dedicated cookware set for camping, so I will be packing up the utensils and cooking equipment I'm going to need. I will also have to make our weekly library trip. Trash pickup is Friday, so we have to make sure the trash can and the recycling bin is out in front of the house for pickup.

My husband is off of work on Friday, so he and our son (whose last day of school is tomorrow) will pack up the tent, the screenhouse, and the coolers and they will head to the campsite. I will have everything else in my vehicle and will drive there once I get home from work.

Wow, just typing about all that work is making me tired! LOL! But it will be worth it once we sit in front of the campfire on Friday night, drinking a beer and relaxing. This has been such a long week at work!

I hope all of you are going camping this weekend! Don't forget the real reason for this holiday weekend - Memorial Day. May God bless and keep all our veterans and our military presently serving, and may all those who made the ultimate sacrifice rest in peace.

Our first camping trip of the year!

2010-04-19T19:08:00.000-05:00

My family went on our first camping trip of the year this weekend. We'd been talking about an April camping trip for a couple of months and we finally found a weekend that we weren't doing anything.

We went to the campground Thursday evening to set up the tent so we wouldn't have so much to do Friday evening when we arrived for the weekend, since we live an hour away from our favorite campground. We found a nice corner lot right across from shower house number 2 and set up the tent. Our tent takes about a half hour to set up. We paid the campground host, went back to the camp site and put up the ticket and left for home.

We should have went to shower house number 2 to see if it was open or not. We discovered on Friday evening that it wasn't. My husband complained to the campground host, and she told him that that particular shower house would not be open until May, due to state budget cuts. Thanks so much, Governor Quinn. [/sarcasm] You'd think that they would have put signs on the bathroom doors to let folks know the shower house was closed. Shower house number 1 was open, but there are only 3 shower stalls in each restroom. Six shower stalls for 175 campsites - yikes! Sure, not all of the campsites were occupied, but we had to plan our shower times carefully. Luckily, shower house number 1 was only about a 5 minute walk from our campsite.

It was chilly Friday and Saturday nights - the temperature dropped into the low 40's. Most of the week, the highs were in the 80's and the lows were in the 60's and we got spoiled. Even with a sleeping bag and a comforter, it was still chilly. I wish I had remembered to bring our space heater to use in the tent. Our tent has a "power port" - a 1" zipped opening to run an electrical cord through. I began to be jealous of folks with RV's and travel trailers.

I also forgot my husband's toothbrush and our hairbrushes. I discovered that I had forgotten the hairbrushes when I took a shower Saturday morning, and my hubby discovered that I had forgotten his toothbrush on Friday night when it was bedtime. There's a Walmart Supercenter about 2 miles from the campground, so we went there on Saturday morning to purchase the forgotten items and supper items for Saturday evening. On our way to Walmart, three does (female deer, not the song) crossed the road about 20 feet in front of our car. So cool!

On Saturday afternoon, we walked around some of the roads at the campsite. I saw some beautiful little white flowers with purple stripes (you can't see the stripes very well on the photo above). Does anyone know what kind of flowers these are? We also took a hike on one of the trails at the state park that the campground is a part of. This trail ended at a very old cemetery with graves from the 1860's. We then rode around the park.

Late Saturday afternoon and late into Saturday evening, we listened to the St. Louis Cardinals vs. New York Mets 20 inning marathon baseball game on the radio. When the Cardinals scored in the 17th inning (I think - I lost track), you could hear cheering all over the campground.

When we woke up Sunday morning, the guys were really cold, so I got up and made breakfast. We then packed up and went home. :(

Our next camping trip is set for Memorial Day weekend. That weekend will be a little warmer (I hope - it wasn't last year) and we'll be staying an additional day.

That's all for now - until next time -

Happy camping!

Diane

Spring awakening (and housekeeping)

2010-03-17T21:47:00.001-05:00

The calendar says March, but the warmer temperatures stir my heart to thoughts of spring. My son is going camping with his Boy Scout troop the last weekend of March and I have to say I'm envious. I enjoy so much being out in the warm sunshine and breathing the fresh, crisp air. Being outdoors inspires my writing. My husband says that we may be able to go camping one weekend next month, and I can't wait. I've been looking at web sites of private campgrounds and wondering if they would be nicer than state or Federal run campgrounds.

But before you can go camping after the long, cold winter, you will have to do some housekeeping chores. Here's a list of spring housekeeping duties for a happy camping experience:

Camping Supplies

You should inspect your supply boxes to see if any supplies need to be replenished, or thrown away if they have spoiled.
You also should check your air mattresses for leaks and repair them, or purchase replacements.
Check any lanterns or flashlights to make sure they still work. Buy a package of the appropriate batteries and extra bulbs to keep with the camping supplies in case your flashlights and/or lanterns burn out.
If you have lights that you hang on your screen house or over your campsite, plug them in and make sure they still work and they're not falling apart.
Make sure any bedding, whether sleeping bags or comforters and/or sheets, are clean and make any necessary repairs, or purchase replacements.
If you use citronella candle buckets or torches with citronella oil, make sure the candles aren't melted and you have plenty of citronella oil. Keep replacement wicks on hand. My husband also uses rubber gloves to pour the citronella oil in the torches so his hands won't get dirty.

Living and Dining Quarters

Put the tent up and check for rips or leaks. Don't forget to clean it. Spray waterproofing on the tent, and apply new seam sealant if necessary. Sweep out the inside.
Make sure you have all the stakes for the tent and rainfly. Check to make sure the ropes for the rainfly are not rotted.
You should put your screen house or gazebo up to make sure it doesn't have any tears and clean it if it's dirty.
If you have an RV, travel trailer, or 5^th wheel, dewinterize it and replenish the supplies.
Make sure the tires are all inflated and the hitch is not rusty and the tongue on the hitch moves freely – if not, get out the WD40 and spray it on the hitch.
Hose the trailer down if it's dirty. Make sure all awnings work and are not ripped or dirty.
Make sure the propane tanks are full and remove any tire covers (on the tires that hit the road, that is – leave the cover on the spare tire).

This sounds like a lot of work, but once all of this is done, you'll be ready to go camping the first warm weekend and not have to worry about getting things together at the last minute. You can decide on a Thursday evening, "Let's go camping this weekend!" and all you'll have to do is plan your menu, get food supplies, and pack your clothes and health and beauty items!

Well, that's all for now. Until next time –

Happy camping!

Diane

Happy New Year!

2010-01-01T13:10:00.002-06:00

Sorry I haven't posted in a while - it hasn't been camping season, as you know. I'd be interested to know, however, if any of you camped during hunting season or over the winter. I think I wouldn't mind camping during a winter weekend if I had an RV to sleep in and there wasn't snow on the ground. As long as the temperatures were in the 40's or 50's, I wouldn't mind a brisk hike and a campfire.

In Illinois, reservations for state campgrounds start via mail on January 4, so we will be sending in our reservations for either Memorial Day weekend or Labor Day weekend tomorrow. Compounding the decision as to which holiday weekend we will make reservations for is the fact that my son is in marching band at his school. They usually march in the Memorial Day parade but not in the Labor Day parade. However, the parade has been rained out the last few years. We used to camp on both weekends, but with the State of Illinois raising the cost to $30.00 a night for holiday weekends, we just can't afford to go both weekends anymore. That's $90.00 for a three night stay, not counting the extra expense to use the pool, food, and beverages. Yikes! So much for camping on the cheap!

I hope to go camping more often this year. I quit the choir at church because 2 out of the 4 Sundays, it was taking up more than three-quarters of the day through singing in services and rehearsals in the afternoon. My husband works in the bookstore at church on the other Sundays, so camping those Sundays are not an option. And if the results of my diagnostic mammogram on January 15 are not good (see more details on that here), I may need some camping trips to cheer me up.

I hope that you all have a Happy New Year and are looking forward to the camping season, like I am. Until next time -

Happy camping!

Diane

Camping Etiquette

2009-10-03T16:34:00.002-05:00

Sorry to take so long between posts. :( My son is on a camping trip with his Boy Scout troop this weekend, so I don't have to share the computer with him. LOL!

For this post, I will discuss camping etiquette. Not only will these make your camping experience more enjoyable, it will make it more enjoyable for the other campers in the campground.

Follow the list of rules that you are given when you pay the campground host your camping fees. These rules vary by campground, depending on the amenities available.

Keep your campsite tidy. When we go camping, we will go for a ride around the other camping areas. Nothing turns me off more than a untidy campsite with stuff all over the place. At home this is fine, since no one is there but you and yours, but at a campground, everyone who passes by can see what you have laying around. When you are done using something, put it away. Stack things neatly on the picnic table.

Wave and say hi to whoever is passing by your campsite. You might make some new friends this way, and ones who enjoy the activity you do, to boot.

Help others who are having difficulties. If you see someone struggling to put up a tent or start a campfire, stop by and offer to help. It's the friendly, neighborly thing to do. Who knows, the person you are helping may be a newbie to camping, and your helpfulness may be what he or she needs to go camping again.

If you fish, don't clean your fish at the campsite! Dead fish = nasty smell. Most campgrounds have a place especially for cleaning fish, so use it.

Don't use foul language! There are usually children at a campground, since camping is a family event. You wouldn't want your children hearing that language and asking you what that person was talking about. Save the cursing for when you're out on the lake and there's no one else around except the fish - and they may not want to hear it either.

Don't walk through other people's campsites on your way to somewhere else. Talk about an invasion of privacy! The Golden Rule applies to camping too.

Observe the quiet time, which is usually after 11 PM. Don't drink and get loud around the campfire all night. We all need our sleep, some more than others. Some people (and I am one) have to have it quiet in order to get to sleep.

If you are an early riser, try not to disturb those who aren't.

After you pack up all your camping gear to leave, check over your campsite one more time to make sure the campsite is clean. We were taught in Girl Scouts to leave the campsite cleaner than when we arrived. That means picking up all the small pieces of trash, etc.

Well, that's all for now. I welcome your comments and any other camping etiquette items I might have missed. Until next time -

Happy camping!
Diane

Arriving at the campsite - what to do

2009-09-04T19:07:00.002-05:00

Hi everyone! Sorry it's been so long between posts. Is anyone camping this long holiday weekend? We thought the son would be marching in the Labor Day parade, so we didn't reserve a campsite (and we really couldn't afford $30.00 a night for camping). But we are going camping next weekend. Hurray!

So here's what to do when you get to the campsite. Our favorite place to go camping is about 45 minutes from our house, and after that long drive, the first thing I need to do is go to the bathroom! LOL! Your mileage (literally and figuratively) may vary. :)

You will remember from the last post that I had you pack the tent and the optional screenhouse on the top of the gear. Here's why - the first thing you want to do is put up the tent and air up the air mattresses or set up your cots. You're going to be sleeping in there and if you get to the campsite after dark, you can always set up the rest of camp the next day.

After you set up the tent, set up the screenhouse, if you have one. Then put the sleeping bags and your duffle bags in the tent. Don't forget the campfire - the smoke will help keep away the bugs. Set up and light your citronella candles and torches too. Many hands make light work, so make sure you have the kids help out. Our son whines about helping, but we make him help anyway. :p (Blogger, please give us smilies!)

After camp is set up, you can sit around the campfire and relax. Tell some spooky stories, sing some campfire songs, and enjoy each other's company. You deserve it!

Until next time -

Happy camping!

Diane

How to pack your car for camping

2009-07-25T15:20:00.003-05:00

Sorry to take so long between posts. I've been busy and the son keeps hogging the computer. He is backpack camping with his Boy Scout troop this weekend, so the only person I have to fight over the computer with is my husband! LOL!

In my last post, I said I was going to discuss how to pack your car with all your camping gear. First, get all of the stuff together. The night before we go camping, the couch by the front door has all of our camping stuff on it (except for the tent, the screenhouse & the totes - they are out in the shed). Having everything in one place is important. That way, you don't forget anything. (That sounds like a Yogi Berra quip, doesn't it?)

I drive a Jeep Liberty and the back seat folds down, a 60/40 split. We fold the 60 side down. My husband drives a S10 truck, so the majority of the stuff (tent, screenhouse, totes, grill, coolers) goes with him. We could probably put everything in the Jeep (and on top of the Jeep) if we had to though.

So here's how I'd pack if we only had one vehicle. I would pack the coolers and the totes first. (Take a soda out first if you need one.) This will also give you a level surface to put everything else on. Then, I would put the duffel bags, the cooking gear, and any dry food (in grocery bags, of course) on top of the first layer. On top of all of this, I would then put the tent, the air mattresses (deflated), the screenhouse, the bag with your health and beauty items, the first aid box, and the grill (if you're bringing one). You want to make sure you pack last the stuff you'll need first. Make sure you have enough seats for everyone!

If you don't have a SUV or you have a smaller car, you can put stuff on the roof. If you need to put stuff on the roof, I suggest stuff that won't slide around on the roof. The totes and/or the grill would be best for tying on the roof. Be sure to put fold a tarp and put it on the roof before you add the items so that the roof of the car doesn't get scratched up. Secure the items tightly with bungee cords so they don't slide around.

You could also have your passengers hold on to their duffle bags and the groceries can ride along with the passengers, as well as the dry food, the health and beauty bag and the first aid box. If all else fails, use two vehicles. It will make for a more comfortable ride for all parties.

On a side note, I have added two new links in the links section. The Woodall's link is for a campground directory. You can do a search for campgrounds here. This will be handy if you want to go camping in other states or in Canada. I have also added a link for Reserve America, where you can make reservations for various campsites across America. The Army Corps of Engineer campgrounds are also listed on this site.

Well, that's all for today. Until next time -

Happy camping!

Diane

Meal suggestions for camping trips

2009-06-27T19:47:00.002-05:00

Sorry to take so long between posts. It's mighty hot this weekend - hope you're staying cool! My son was at Boy Scout camp this week and we picked him up yesterday evening. It was rather warm at closing ceremonies.

Let's talk about meal suggestions. My personal theory is that you're not going camping to eat - you're going camping to spend time in the great outdoors. Therefore, the simpler the meal, the less time it takes to prepare, and the more time you can spend enjoying the outdoors. So here's some ideas for meals.

Unless you have one of those propane ovens, biscuits or cinnamon rolls are out, unless you buy them ready made. I usually make pancakes, using the pancake mix that you only have to add water to. You can make a lot of pancakes fairly quickly. I usually heat up sausage in a separate skillet to go with the pancakes. The precooked sausages are very good for this.

The next morning, I usually make scrambled eggs. For a side dish, I warm up the precooked bacon you can purchase at the grocery store. It doesn't take long to heat up, and most of the grease has already been cooked off of the bacon.

For lunch, we usually have sandwiches and chips. You can't get easier than this.

You may want to cook something a little more substantial for dinner. If you have a boat and you've been out on the lake all day, or if you've been hiking, you're probably pretty hungry. Cooking in advance can be helpful. Here is a recipe from a friend of mine:

Burritos

Ingredients:
2 lbs. precooked taco meat or Old El Paso (or other brand) precooked taco meat
Shredded lettuce
Shredded cheese
Flour tortillas
Chopped tomatoes

Cook taco meat in advance. Allow to cool, then place in a freezer bag. Put this bag inside another freezer bag. Or use the Old El Taco precooked taco meat in a tub.

When it's time to eat, warm up the taco meat. Warm up the tortillas one at a time in a small skillet. Combine meat, lettuce, cheese, and tomatoes on tortilla and roll up into a burrito.

You could cook some Spanish rice (like the Lipton brand) to go with this.

You could also precook sloppy joes for dinner and serve with Kraft mac & cheese. Barbecuing meat is easy and makes a filling meal. Please use the comment section and advise as to whether you want more dinner recipes.

That's all for now. Next time, I'll talk about how to pack your vehicle with your camping supplies for easy campsite set up. Until then -

Happy camping!

Diane

Back from camping!

2009-06-14T20:14:00.002-05:00

We arrived Friday night at Dam West and checked in with the attendant, then set up camp. Then I went back into Carlyle and picked up some KFC for dinner. I had to wait for biscuits, so the nice lady gave me a free soda while I waited. I could get addicted to that Lipton sweet tea!

After we got all set up, we turned on the radio & listened to the Cardinals play the Orioles (the Cards lost :( ). Three girls (well, they were in their early 20's but I'm old enough to be their mother) stopped by and asked if we could help them start a campfire. I volunteered to help and went back with them to their campsite. I had one of them go back to our campsite and get the lighter fluid; I just couldn't get the wood to light. It's OK to cheat a little bit; we use those firelogs to get our fires going. I told them about this blog, so any of them have stopped by, hi!

The campground was all right, but there wasn't a lot for the 12 year old son to do. They had a movie night, but it was on Thursday, a strange night. How many kids are at a campsite on a Thursday night? There was a playground, but he's getting too old for that. There were a couple of programs at the ampitheater, but the son isn't interested in squirrels or water safety. The next time we go camping, we will pay the extra $4.00 a night and go back to Eldon Hazlet.

There was a showerhouse with individual stalls and each stall had an adjoining shower. These smelled rather musty. I was glad I remembered my flip flops for when I took a shower. No athlete's foot for me! I should have went to the big showerhouse at the entrance to the park. It was nicer and didn't smell. It had a laundry with a fold down ironing board - who irons their clothes when they go camping?

On Saturday, we went into town for supplies. We went back to the campsite and filled up the coolers with fresh ice. We then went for a ride and checked out the other two Army Corps of Engineers campgrounds at Carlyle Lake, Coles Creek and Boulder. They appeared to be nice sites, but they take longer to get to and longer to get somewhere to purchase supplies, so we probably will not be going to either one of those campsites.

The water level of the lake was really high, probably due to all the rain we've been getting in southern Illinois these past few weeks. The weather was really nice, not too hot during the day and not too cool at night.

We left around 10:30 AM this morning and came home. We got all unpacked and I discovered that my bottle of shampoo came open in the bottom of the health & beauty duffle bag. We need a new one anyway, so I just threw away the bag rather than attempt to clean up the shampoo.

Menu planning

2009-06-04T21:51:00.003-05:00

Well, we will be camping the weekend of June 12th - hubby had me make reservations at the Dam West campground at Carlyle Lake, which is run by the Army Corps of Engineers. You can make reservations online for any federal campsite here. It allows you to make reservations up until the end of May 2010. You can see a map of the campsite and if you click on or hover over the campsite, it will tell you how much shade is at each campsite, whether it's near the lake, etc. It amazed me that this campground was already completely reserved during Memorial Day weekend 2010.

It's time to talk about menu planning. The first thing to determine is how you're going to cook at your campsite.

If you have an electrical hookup and an electric skillet and a two burner electric stove, you can pretty much cook like you do at home. If you don't have an electrical hookup, figure out if you're going to cook over a fire, cook on a BBQ grill, or on a camp stove.

You should make a menu plan for the days you'll be camping. Once you figure out what you want to cook and write it down, you can then make a shopping list for the grocery store. As an example, here was our menu plan for Memorial Day weekend:

Friday dinner - McDonald's

Saturday breakfast - Pancakes, sausage, milk

Saturday lunch - Sandwiches, chips, soda

Saturday dinner - Bratwurst, macaroni and cheese, soda

Sunday breakfast - Scrambled eggs with cheese, bacon, milk

Sunday lunch - Sandwiches, chips, soda

So my shopping list was:

Pancake mix
Precooked sausage (like Banquet or Armour)
Bread
Lunch meat
Potato chips
Bratwurst
Macaroni & cheese mix
Eggs
Bacon (get the precooked variety; you just need to warm it up in the skillet and you won't have all that grease)
Shredded cheese
Margarine or butter
Milk
Soda

If you have any questions, please feel free to comment and I will answer. Next time, I'll talk about menu options. Until then -

Happy camping!

Diane

Photos from our camping trip - Part 2

2009-05-24T19:29:00.004-05:00

A pretty wooded area near our campsite.

Another wooded area near our campsite. You can see the lake (sort of) in the background.

"Is this burning an eternal flame?" Only until the citronella oil runs out! LOL! This is one of the little containers we burn citronella oil in to keep the mosquitoes away.

We had a great time - the weather was nice, a little warm even. The pool at the campsite was not open, however, and the son was very unhappy. I chalk it up to the cuts in funding that occurred under Gov. Blagojevich. :/

Hope you enjoyed the photos! Next time, I'll talk about menu planning. Until then -

Happy camping!

Diane

Photos from our camping trip - Part 1

2009-05-24T19:05:00.003-05:00

Here is our screen house with the lights on it. We didn't buy enough to go all the way around. That's my husband in the red shirt, next to his truck.

Here is the front of the screen house.

Here is our tent.

Here is the fire pit. When you look at the grill, now you see why I recommend you use aluminum foil on it.

Here is the whole campsite.

More photos on the next post.

Camping tomorrow night!

2009-05-21T21:54:00.003-05:00

As I type this, it's 9:54 p.m Central Standard Time. Tomorrow night at this time, I'll be sitting in front of the campfire, probably drinking a beer. After all, I won't have to drive! LOL! I'll be looking at more beautiful stars than I would ever see in the city. Saturday morning, after our morning grocery store run and gas station run (for the local newspapers), I'll walk down and take a look at the lake. I just have to get through tomorrow at work!

I've been busy all evening packing stuff to take. Hubby went to the store today to get groceries for the trip. He went to the shed to get out the camping stuff that is stored there. I had to keep nagging the 12 year old son to pack his clothes - he was too busy listening to music on the computer. :rolleyes (P.S.: Blogger, we need smilies!)

Hubby will pack up my Jeep Liberty while I'm getting dressed for work. So as not to have breakfast dishes sitting all weekend, he'll run to the store & buy donuts for breakfast. We have foam cups for milk.

We may come back home late Sunday afternoon - son is in marching band and is marching in a Memorial Day parade Monday morning. He has to be at the school at 8 a.m., and our favorite campground is 45 minutes away from home.

Once I get home, I'll post about our trip. Until then -

Happy camping!

Diane

Food preparation

2009-05-18T18:32:00.004-05:00

A big hello to my followers! Thanks for reading!

Unless you're planning on going to fast food restaurants during your camping trip (not very cheap and not very good for you), someone is going to have to cook. That is, unless you weren't going to eat, which is not likely since the fresh air and all the outdoor activity will increase appetites. In this post, I will discuss how to cook in the great outdoors.

Camp sites without electrical hookups (primitive campsites):

This will be a little more challenging than cooking at a campsite with an electrical hookup, but it can be done. There are several ways to cook at a campsite without electricity.

You can cook over a campfire. Most state campgrounds will have fire pits with a grill over them at each campsite. If you plan to cook on this, I would put aluminum foil over the grill (before cooking, please) if you are going to cook meat on these grills - these grills don't get cleaned very often. If you're heating up something in a pot, you can put that on the grill. If you don't have a fire pit with a grill, you can purchase a foldable grill that you can put over the fire. You can cook on the grill with pots and pans. There are also special holders that let you cook grilled cheese sandwiches over the fire.

Another option is a barbecue grill, either a charcoal grill or a gas grill. You can also buy grills that run on a propane canister. Barbecue grills are usually used to cook meat.

You can also cook on a camp stove. These are usually fueled by a propane canister. They come in different varieties. If you're comfortable cooking over an open flame, you can get a one or two burner stove. You would use the stove just like you would a stove at home. There are also camp stove with grills that can be used to cook meat, or you can use a pot or pan on them.

There are a few other ways of cooking without electricity, which you can find here. A couple of these are things I learned in Girl Scouts many moons ago. They cook food slower than my husband and son would like, however.

Camp sites with electrical hookups:

This is as easy as cooking at home. You can use the techniques above, or you can purchase a two burner electric stove. Be careful after you turn off the burners - they'll still be hot for a while. Don't forget the extension cords! We camp at a campsite that has an electrical hook up. I plug in a heavy duty orange three prong extension cord, plug an surge protection strip into the extension cord, and plug the stove into that. I also use an electric skillet to make pancakes and eggs.

One of the coolers I mentioned in earlier posts should be used for keeping food cold. We put meat in gallon size freezer bags and put them in the ice. Anything in a cardboard box that is to be put in the cooler (such as precooked sausage or bacon) should be taken out of the box and put in a freezer bag. The melting ice will make the cardboard soggy.

Next time, we'll talk about menu planning. Until then -

Happy camping!

Diane

Places to get camping supplies on the cheap

2009-05-16T12:12:00.003-05:00

Now that you have a list of the items you need for a successful and enjoyable camping experience, I'll discuss places you can purchase cheap camping supplies, and what you can get where.

For tents, air mattresses, sleeping bags, cooler, and screen house/canopies:

Craigslist.org: Go to this website and find the city closest to you. If you're looking for free stuff, look under the free listings. If you're willing to spend a few bucks, look under the Sporting Goods listing. You could also post under the Wanted listing.

Freecycle.org - Find your local chapter at the web site. It's free to join and once you do, you can place a post seeking camping supplies. There's no guarantee you will get them, but it never hurts to try.

Classified ads - Check the classfied in your local newspaper. You will want to search for the $100.00 or less" and/or the "Sporting Goods" headings.

Clearance sales - Towards the end of summer, stores will sometimes clear out their camping supplies to put in back to school or fall merchandise. In the spring, new models of tents will come out, so last year's models will be put on clearance.

Words of warning: If you buy or receive used tents and/or screen houses/canopies, be sure you receive the assembly instructions! A cheap tent or screen house isn't any good if you don't know how to put it together.

For food preparation supplies:

Discount stores such as Dollar General or Family Dollar - A good place to find cheap pots and pans and cooking utensils.

Yard sales or garage sales - A good sourch of used pots and pans and cooking utensils. You don't need brand new stuff if you're going camping. You're not trying to impress anyone - you just need stuff that will work.

For the large plastic storage totes, try Garden Ridge or Old Time Pottery. If you have neither one of those stores near you, go to Wal-Mart or Kmart. You may also be able to find them and the yard/garage sales mentioned above.

Miscellaneous supplies:

Dollar stores - A great place to buy aluminum foil, paper plates, matches, etc. Take a little time and explore at the dollar store - you can find some great stuff there.

Super cheap ways to get camping supplies:

Borrow supplies from friends. If they aren't going camping when you are, that means that they're not using their equipment. If you tell them that you're trying camping for the first time and you want to see what it's like, they may let you borrow their equipment.

You can also bring things from home, i.e., substitute blankets for sleeping bags, and your own pots and pans and cooking utensils.

Next week at this time, my family will be camping! I can't wait! If you're going camping next weekend, leave a comment and tell us where you'll be camping. Next time, I'll discuss food preparation and planning. Until then -

Happy camping!

Diane

Shopping and Packing List

2009-05-13T20:48:00.002-05:00

As promised in the last post, below is the shopping/packing list I promised. You can copy and paste it in a Word document or a WordPad document so you can print it off.

Outdoor Living

Tent
Screen house or canopy
Camping chairs
Radio or CD player
Air mattresses
Sleeping bags
Pillows
Duffle bags (for clothes)
Towels
Large plastic totes with lids for storage
Folding table
Flashlights
Lawn games like horseshoes or badminton (optional)

Food Preparation - Electrical

Extension cords - heavy duty with grounded plug (3 prong)
Electric skillet
Two burner electric stove
Surge protector strip

Food Preparation - Non-electrical

Camp stove or Coleman stove (powered by a propane cylinder)
Grill to go over campfire
Barbecue grill

Food Preparation - Miscellaneous Items

Skillet(s)
Dutch oven
Pots and pans
Mixing and serving bowls
Cooking utensils - mixing spoons, spatulas, meat forks, tongs
Serving platter
Measuring cup set
Colander
Paper plates, napkins and plastic silverware
Paper towels
Trash bags
Freezer bags
Dishwashing detergent
Dishtowels
Plastic tubs for dishwashing
Plastic tablecloth (with flannel backing)

Miscellaneous

Extension cords
Clothesline
Claw hammer
Lighter fluid
Matches (or lighter with long barrel)
Citronella candles or outdoor Tiki torches that use citronella oil
Insect repellent
Firewood
2 coolers
String lights
Pocket knife
Paper towels

First Aid Kit

Plastic shoe box

Band-Aids

Neosporin ointment

Small bottle of hydrogen peroxide

Aspirin, ibuprofen, or Tylenol

Tums or Rolaids

Sinus medicine (if you have allergies)

Benadryl stick (for insect bites)

Q-Tips (small package)

Tweezers (for splinters)

Nail clippers

Prescription medications

Ace bandage

Hand sanitizer

Day-of-the-week containers for prescriptions

Health & Beauty Items

Deodorant or antiperspirant

Shampoo and conditioner

Body wash or soap

Washcloths

Toothbrushes and toothpaste

Dental floss

Blow dryer (if you are at a campsite with a shower house)

Box of Kleenex

I hope having the list all in one location will be helpful. The next post will help you find the best, cheapest places to find camping supplies. Until then -

Happy camping!

Diane

Camping Equipment List - First Aid Kit and Health & Beauty Supplies

2009-05-11T15:05:00.003-05:00

First Aid Kit

In camping as well as at home, it is always good to be prepared in case someone has an injury, or someone gets a headache or a tummy ache. You never know (especially with kids) what might happen. To that end, here is a list of necessities to put in a first aid kit.

Plastic shoe box

Band-Aids

Neosporin ointment

Small bottle of hydrogen peroxide

Aspirin, ibuprofen, or Tylenol

Tums or Rolaids

Sinus medicine (if you have allergies)

Benadryl stick (for insect bites)

Q-Tips (small package)

Tweezers (for splinters)

Nail clippers

Prescription medications

Ace bandage

Hand sanitizer

Day-of-the-week containers for prescriptions

Once you stock your first aid kit, you shouldn't need to restock it, unless you run low on supplies or the medication has expired. If you have an injury that requires a larger covering than a Band-Aid, contact your campsite host or a park ranger. They will have access to gauze bandages and first aid tape. If more than one person has prescription medication, purchase one day-of-the-week container for each person and label them, or get the containers in different colors (i.e., yellow for Mom, red for Dad, blue for Junior).

Health & Beauty Items

Unless you are only going to be camping for a couple days, or you are really roughing it and there are no shower facilities, you will need to bring your normal health and beauty supplies. Even if you don't take a shower, take your toothbrush and toothbrush; bad breath makes for a very unenjoyable camping trip. Don't forget your deodorant either; body odor also makes for an unenjoyable camping trip. Here's a list of health and beauty items for your convenience:

Deodorant or antiperspirant

Shampoo and conditioner

Body wash or soap

Washcloths

Toothbrushes and toothpaste

Dental floss

Blow dryer (if you are at a campsite with a shower house)

Box of Kleenex

Do not pack hair spray, cologne, perfume or body spray! Hair spray will get very tacky and sticky in warm weather, and the container will blow up if the temperature gets too warm. The smell of cologne and body spray will draw insects that will bite you. As far as the cologne, perfume, and/or body spray are concerned, a camping trip is not a date (I sure hope not!), so you won't need that stuff to smell good to that special someone.

Now that we've discussed all the items you need for a successful, enjoyable camping trip, I will make a list of everything (without all the comments) for you to print as a list to purchase items and a packing list to make sure you don't forget anything. Until next time –

Happy camping!

Diane

Camping equipment list - Miscellaneous

2009-05-09T18:15:00.002-05:00

I'm going back to our regularly scheduled postings on camping equipment. What's on this list is stuff that doesn't necessarily fit on the other lists.

Extension cords
Clothesline
Claw hammer
Lighter fluid
Matches (or lighter with long barrel)
Citronella candles or outdoor Tiki torches that use citronella oil
Insect repellent
Firewood
2 coolers
String lights
Pocket knife

I mentioned extension cords in the food preparation list, but you'll need other electrical cords to plug other stuff in, such as an electrical pump for the air mattresses, radio, etc.

The clothesline is for hanging up wet clothes and/or wet towels. Cut the clothesline with the pocket knife and tie each end of the clothesline around a tree (2 separate trees).

The claw hammer is for hammering the tent stakes into the ground. You use the claw end to remove the stakes from the ground when it's time to pack up camp.

The lighter fluid is for when you're having trouble getting the fire started. You can also use the wax Firelogs for this purpose as well. Matches are great, but they can get damp and not work, so we usually use the lighters with the long barrels, the kind you light candles with. They're also childproof.

If you're in the great outdoors, you will always have bugs, especially mosquitoes. They are worse at dusk and at night. The citronella candles and the citronella torches not only light up your campsite, they keep the bugs away. Keep children away from flames, campfire and citronella.

You will need two coolers - one for food and one for drinks. In the morning, pull the plug, drain the water, and add new ice.

If you have a campsite with an electric hook up, the string lights make your campsite feel like home, and also help you find your campsite in the middle of the night after you've visited the latrine. You can get the string lights that look like fireflies, lanterns, etc. You can hang them around your screen house or canopy, or string them from tree to tree. Each set usually only has 10 lights, so I suggest buying two sets to string together.

The next camping list will be for personal items and a first aid kit. Until then -

Happy camping!

Diane

2 weeks until our camping trip!

2009-05-08T16:36:00.003-05:00

I'm interrupting the order of posting, but I'm so excited! Two weeks from today, we'll be headed to our favorite campground, the Illini campground at Eldon Hazlet State Park in Carlyle, IL at Carlyle Lake for a Memorial Day weekend camping trip. This campground has electrical hook ups at each site, shower houses with bathrooms, a pool and three playgrounds. Each site has a designated place for campfires. Click here: http://dnr.state.il.us/LANDS/LANDMGT/parks/r4/eldon.htm for more information on the park.

We send our reservations to the campground in early January. Normally, we go camping on Memorial Day weekend and Labor Day weekend. We only made reservations for Memorial Day, because the State of Illinois has jacked up the rates for holiday weekends to $25.00 a night. I think we will try to go camping another weekend, maybe in June, before the weather gets too warm. We tried going camping July 4th week one year, and it was so hot. We were miserable.

My husband will go to the storage shed this weekend, pull out the camping tote boxes, and see if we need to replenish any items in the boxes or purchase new items. I know we need to purchase more string lights and we will probably need new batteries for the flashlights and the battery powered lantern.

It will be so nice to be in the great outdoors and enjoy the beautiful weather. As I write this, it is a cool, gloomy, rainy day in the metro St. Louis area. I checked accuweather.com and the high for Friday the 24th will be 74 degrees, and it will be sunny. I pray the weather for the rest of Memorial Day weekend will be nice as well. I don't think it will be warm enough to swim, though. (Whew!)

The next post will be the list for miscellaneous items needed for a successful camping trip. Until next time -

Happy camping!

Diane

Camping equipment list - Food Preparation

2009-05-03T19:59:00.004-05:00

Tonight's post is on the supplies you will need for food preparation. You were going to eat, weren't you?

The method of cooking will vary by the type of campsite you have. For example, if you have a campsite with an electric hookup (a box with electrical outlets), you can bring an electric skillet and a two burner electric stove to cook on. If you have a campsite without an electric hookup, you will either be cooking over a campfire or will need a camp stove or a barbecue grill. I will split the list into two parts - items needed for cooking with electricity and items needed for cooking without electricity. At the end of the first two lists will be a list of items that are applicable to both types of cooking.

Food Preparation - Electrical

Extension cords - heavy duty with grounded plug (3 prong)
Electric skillet
Two burner electric stove
Surge protector strip

Plug the extension cord into the electrical box. Plug the surge protector strip into the outlet at the end of the extension cord. You can plug the electric skillet and the two burner electric stove into the surge protector. You can then cook like you would at home.

Food Preparation - Non-electrical

Camp stove or Coleman stove (powered by a propane cylinder)
Grill to go over campfire
Barbecue grill

You can use the barbecue grill to cook meat, just like at home. You can put pots and pans on a camp stove. If you don't have the barbecue grill or the camp stove, you can buy a grate that goes over the campfire and cook on it.

Food Preparation - Miscellaneous Items

Skillet(s)
Dutch oven
Pots and pans
Mixing and serving bowls
Cooking utensils - mixing spoons, spatulas, meat forks, tongs
Serving platter
Measuring cup set
Colander
Paper plates, napkins and plastic silverware
Paper towels
Trash bags
Freezer bags
Dishwashing detergent
Dishtowels
Plastic tubs for dishwashing
Plastic tablecloth (with flannel backing)

Most of this stuff is pretty self-explanatory. I use the freezer bags to store food in in the cooler. I use the Dutch oven to heat water to do dishes. (What, did you think they were going to wash themselves?) One plastic tub is for washing, the other is for rinsing. Put the clean dishes on the dishtowels to dry.

The next post will be a list of miscellaneous items needed for a successful camping trip. Until next time -

Happy camping!

Diane

Camping equipment list - Outdoor Living

2009-04-30T16:50:00.004-05:00

The next 3 posts will contain lists of vital things you will need for a fun and successful camping trip. The lists are outdoor living, food preparation, and miscellaneous. Each list will be covered in a separate post. The first list is Outdoor Living.

Outdoor Living
Tent
Screen house or canopy
Camping chairs
Radio or CD player
Air mattresses
Sleeping bags
Pillows
Duffle bags (for clothes)
Towels
Large plastic totes with lids for storage
Folding table
Flashlights
Lawn games like horseshoes or badminton (optional)

===============================================
Tent - Before you purchase a tent, you will need to know how many people are going. When you look at tents in the store, you will notice on the box how many people will fit in the tent. That doesn't leave much room for clothes, so you may want to get the next size up.

Screen house or canopy - A screen house will keep your supplies dry and the animals out of them. They will also provide shade if your campsite has no trees.

Camping chairs - You really don't want to sit on the ground, do you?

Radio or CD player - Self-explanatory.

Air mattresses - Unless you want or prefer to sleep on the ground (not me - I have hips), these are essential.

Sleeping bags - Check the temperature rating. If you're going to sleep outside in the winter, you will need a bag with a temperature rating of 0 degrees. Any other time of the year, a 32 degree temperature rating will be fine.

Pillows - just grab yours from home.

Duffle bags - You have to have somewhere to keep your clothes. Luggage is too much and grocery bags are not enough.

Large plastic totes with lids - These will keep your food and food preparation safe and dry.

Folding table - If you are at a campsite without a picnic table, you will need something to eat on.

Flashlights - You need to find your way around in the dark, especially after going to the showerhouse or the latrine.

Lawn games like horseshoes or badminton - Not absolutely necessary, but fun to play with the family.

The next post will be on food preparation items. Until then, happy camping!

Diane

The joy of camping

2009-04-27T19:05:00.002-05:00

Camping is a great way to spend time in the great outdoors. Breathing in the fresh air, hiking, and fishing (if you're at a campground that has a lake) is so relaxing and refreshes body and soul. Looking up at night and seeing moe stars than you ever imagined and sitting around a campfire swapping stories is magical. But like every kind of trip or vacation, there are always expenses involved. This blog will hopefully help you maximize the fun while minimizing the expenses. The emphasis of this blog will be on tent camping and not on trailer camping. My next few posts will help those who are new to camping and don't know what equipment is required for a successful camping trip. Stay tuned!

Diane