Tent all setup!

Click here for some fun things to do while you’re out camping. Have fun!

Merry Christmas 2010

Anyway, what’s on your list? I didn’t have it on my list but I’d like one of those portable camp stoves. Those look pretty nice. Tell me about what you wanted or received!

Kiwi Camp Dry cans

I wanted to share with you a great product for your camping tents, boots, jackets, or anything that is not as waterproof as it used to be. I used Kiwi Camp Dry on my jacket which is probably 3-4 years old, and had never had any sort of waterproofing done to it. My first test was to try sprinkling some water on the jacket. It balled up but eventually ended up soaking in. I sprayed the jacket with Camp Dry and let it dry for an hour. The next test showed great results. It was like my jacket repelled water. Water could not leave my jacket fast enough. At first I started sprinkling water but that got boring so I doused my jacket with water. The only parts that did have some water beaded up were the areas that did not yet get sprayed with Camp Dry. I am going to next try the other product on my tent, which is also 3-4 years old and has never been treated. I am sure it will help my tent out. We have not had much rain here in the mid-west this summer to actually do a real life test of the Camp Dry products.

Check out my pics below. I apologize in advance about the quality. I did not get to keep the digital camera in above mentioned life changing event.

My jacket before Camp Dry

My jacket after Camp Dry

Contest! I’m giving away 3 $1 off any kiwi product. Leave a comment to be entered. Want another entry? Go to my new site and subscribe (box on the right hand side). Leave a separate comment here when you do that. I’ll do the drawing on September 30, 2010 and announce the winner. Thanks for reading!

For some people, watching a near-death survival program is about as close as we get to the great outdoors. Setting up a tent for the weekend in a field in the countryside gets you one step closer to communing with nature, even if there are wash rooms, fully fledged toilets (with flushes and everything) and a gift shop nearby.

Arbudir, Iceland

The following is a pick of the best campsites worldwide; Sites that will bring you closer to nature without the need to fully abandon civilization.

Arbudir, Iceland

Iceland is infamous for it’s ‘basic’ variety of campsites, and Arbudir is no exception. Set against the beautiful backdrop of the , it really is a breathtaking way to wake up in the morning. There is no on-site accommodation, and the site itself is a small piece of meadow next to the mountain hut. Just a single shower and a handful of outdoor sinks and a sprinkling of toilets really will have you going back to basics.

Sudersand, Gotland, Sweden

Sudersand, Gotland, Sweden
Gotland Island just off the Swedish east coast is famed for its tranquil nature and landscape scenery. On the northern tip is a small island called Faro, where there is a quaint campsite called Suderland which is set close to one of Sweden’s longest and most beautiful beaches. Not too far away, on the west coast, is nature preservation area famous for its huge stone formations, called ‘Raukar’; truly magical.

Bahia Honda, Florida

Bahia Honda, Florida

Tucked away from the more touristy spots in the Florida Keys is this beautiful state park. It’s the first key you will reach after crossing the 7-mile bridge from Marathon. Bahia Honda is located next to one of the deepest channels of water between the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean. The spot makes for excellent swimming, snorkeling, diving and fishing or simply kick back and relax in what most people would visualize as paradise. The sandy shored lagoon really is a site.

If you decide to venture off to one of the places listed above, pack wisely, and don’t let the burden of dragging your bags around with you ruin your trip. Pack a limited bag, there is no need to bring the bathroom sink (although one would come in handy in some places). Pack light, but warm fabrics such as fleeces, and bring trousers with tear away knees so they double up as shorts. The North Face has great selection of outdoor attire and the quality is second to none.

If all else fails there is one last campsite which combines safety, familiarity, convenience and at arms’ length of all the mid-night snacks you could dream of: your back yard!

The big one!

Also this weekend is free entrance to US National Parks that normally charge. Another great reason to get outside this weekend! Looks like the closest for me is Ohio or Indiana. No Kentucky parks listed.

Tent all set up!

Here are some articles that might help you out on your camping adventure:

• Fun things to do when camping
• Things to take camping
• Quick and easy s’mores
• Basic trail mix

Now go waterproof that tent and let’s go camping!

The WondaWedge

• Fishing
• Reading outside
• Reading/watching TV in bed
• At the beach/pool
• At an outdoor concert

There are many uses for the WondaWedge, and since it’s inflatable storage is a snap. One thing I would like to see is a quick deflate opening. That is the one minus I saw as it took several minutes to squeeze all of the air out.

Info:

• Weight: Under one pound without carrying bag. (15 ounces)
• Height: ~18 inches
• Width: ~17 inches

What do you thing about the WondaWedge? You can purchase one on their site. Let me know what you think of it.

May 11, 2010 update: 20% off at checkout! Use the code WILD510 when checking out.

The wondaWedge

WondaWedge in use

I was not given any money for this review however I was supplied the product to review. Just letting you know.

• NWF
• John Amos

Please also check out this article on how they’re cleaning the birds. It takes up to 4 people up to 45 minutes to wash a large bird!

You can also help out by stumbling this article or the NWF article to help with traffic and building awareness. Thanks!

Womp'em Sticks

• Scrambled eggs with crumbled sausage
• Peanut butter mixed with jelly
• Marshmallows! (MMMM) Roasted marshmallows even better!
• A roasted hot dog with your favorite condiments

The Womp’em Sticks also come with a metal attachment that will hold your hot dog, marshmallow, or anything else you need to skewer and cook over your camp fire. The Womp’em Sticks also come in a handy container for easy storage in between uses. For more information about the Womp’em Sticks or to purchase them use this link. YouTube video.

Womp'em Sticks 2

Womp'em Sticks with attachment

Spot GPS Satellite Messenger

• Send a SOS/911 message. If you are in a serious accident or situation this one button call for help can be, quite literally, a life saver.
• Send a Help message. If your situation is not dire but you need some help from a friend then you can notify them of your need with the press of a button.
• Check in with loved ones with an ‘Ok’ Message.
  Send a custom messages back to your family with your GPS determined location.

Hike or camp with the peace of mind that your loved ones know you’re ok with the SPOT Messenger.

In all there are 74 ways to enter! Go here for full contest details and to enter the contest.

Rick Kratzke

I had the great opportunity to interview Rick on the phone. He’s a great guy who is way into deer hunting.

Rick’s Blog: Whitetail Woods. Rick writes something just about every day! You should really check out his blog.

Want to connect with Rick on campspace? Here is Rick’s Campspace site.

I asked Rick if he brings his phone or electronics out in the woods. He said he enjoys just watching the animals. First those chipmunks, then the squirrels. Too many times I see a facebook update of “in the stand now” but it seems like if you’re distracted my that you may miss your opportunity, and in the wild you seldom get a second chance.