Keep it Cool, Cook it Simple

Firstly, the key to camping is packing a good cooler. In preparing for your vegetarian camping trip you should first find several clean containers that can be used to freeze water. These gallons of frozen water will protect vegetables that need to be kept chilled such as mushrooms, spinach, tomatoes, broccoli, most fruits and berries, etc. Keep in mind that many vegetables do not need to be chilled so you can bring as many potatoes, zucchini, onions, turnips and garlic cloves as you like. Aside from the normal cookware one brings camping you’d probably be wise to bring along a small steaming basket. Bring along olive oil and cooking vinegar. The goal of vegetarian camping is a return to naturalism by eating food the way nature created it. Don’t assume the natural flavors of a campfire and cast iron aren’t enough to turn normal vegetables, very lightly seasoned, into exactly what your stomach craves after a day of activity.

Enjoy Fatty Snacks to Keep Your Body Full of Energy

Second, don’t forget to bring along some fatty foods. While it may be tempting to leave home with a bunch of greens and good intentions, it’s wiser to bring along familiar flavors and textures that your body will appreciate to fight hunger. Don’t hesitate to bring along the ingredients for pancakes, cornbread and other fireside favorites. Also, unless you are a regularly practicing vegetarian it’s probably best that you not attempt veganism over your vegetarian camping trip. Vegans do not eat any animal products, but your stomach will probably thank you for not cutting it off from things like milk, cheese and other sources of fiber and soluble fats. Don’t turn vegetarian camping into an endurance test; appreciate the experience of relying more closely on nature and its simpler pleasures. Go out and find berries that your phone can confirm are safe. If you have a mature knowledge of mushrooms you should definitely see what you can find after a light rain shower. If you are not knowledgeable as to which berries or mushrooms are safe to eat it is best to avoid them all together. You don’t want to have to be rushed to the hospital on your camping trip.

Natural and Fresh is the Best Way to Go

Lastly, to actually cook the majority of vegetables you need nothing more than a skillet, a bit of oil and ten minutes. The general rule of skillet cooking vegetables is to maintain crispness by using only a small amount of oil and salt on freshly cut vegetables. If you elect to use bags of frozen vegetables then you should increase the amount of oil used and cook vegetables to a point of firm, savory springiness. Your vegetables shouldn’t become too mushy or overly firm. Onions should be translucent, potatoes shouldn’t be cooked to an unnatural darkness and other vegetables should generally be crunchy and not soggy. Pre-cooked rice in the cooler leads to easy stir fry and pre-cooked pasta makes for an easy lunch or dinner with the appropriate vegetable additions.

When all is said and done, you’ll probably reach for the pop tarts. You will probably cheat and bring bacon. That’s all fine. The goal of vegetarian camping for the non-vegetarian is to create a more mature idea of what it’s like to live off the land. As you fish, hunt or just forage you’ll find additions to these culinary ideas and you should feel free to indulge. The true goal of vegetarian camping is to try something new that makes sense to you but still celebrates your amazing surroundings.

Author: Luke Garcia

Edited By: CampTrip.com

Tips to Help You Focus on the Positive Experiences:

1. Bring a Camera

Taking pictures throughout the trip can help you focus on the things you like instead of the things that bother you. It can also help you remember the best parts of the trip, years later.

2. Go With People You Like

Many awkward or embarrassing experiences can happen while camping, especially if you are new at it. Going with people you know and trust can lighten the mood and help you relax when unexpected things happen.

3. Laugh Often

Inevitably, bad things happen. A bear may steal your food or your tent could flood. Remembering to laugh at the oddities of life can turn a bad experience into a humorous memory.

4. Keep a Journal

Writing down your thoughts throughout the trip can help you relieve your frustrations and express your appreciation for the things you enjoy. It can also help you track your progress as you learn to focus on good experiences.

5. Focus on the Big Picture

People go camping because they like to be inspired, awed, and humbled by the beauty of nature. While everything in nature is not beautiful (mosquitoes) most of it is. Keeping this in mind can help you focus on what you like about nature instead of what you don’t like.

Following these tips and learning what helps you individually to enjoy camping can greatly improve your vacations. Remember that you don’t have to enjoy every experience, but choosing to focus on the good experiences can turn a nightmare trip into fun memories.

Author: Tambre Smith

Edited By: CampTrip.com

Let’s Have S’more Fun

If you have never experienced a S’more, you haven’t lived yet. S’mores are a tasty treat most commonly enjoyed outdoors over an open fire. It seems as though S’mores have existed forever; no one really knows when they were invented or who came up with this genius dessert. From my personal experience I would say that S’mores are best when sitting around a campfire while camping with friends or family. Nothing tastes quite as good as a messy S’more while sitting around the campfire at night with good company. So, if you’ve never had a S’more there are no more excuses, here is how to make a S’more.

Cooking S’mores Over the Campfire

Ingredients Needed:

• Graham Crackers broken into squares (such as Honey Maid Graham Crackers)
• Large Milk Chocolate Hershey bar (or another milk chocolate bar)
• Large Marshmallows ( not the flavoured ones)

Equipment Needed:

• Aluminum cooking sticks or long, thin but sturdy wooden sticks (tree branches)
• Campfire, bonfire, fire pit or open flame BBQ

Instructions:

S’more Preparation

1. Build your Campfire.
2. Get your metal roasting sticks or gather some long, thin and sturdy wood sticks from the forest near you.
3. Remove any bark from wooden sticks and make sure the point is sharp enough.
4. Sterilize the end of the sticks by putting the pointed end of the stick in the campfire flames.
5. Prepare all your ingredients: Break your chocolate up into squares of two and your graham crackers in half along the dotted line to make 2 squares. Take one square of graham cracker and put the two squares of chocolate on it.
6. Put 1 large marshmallow on the tip of your stick and push it on far enough so it wont fall off.

Roasting your Marshmallow

1. Have your marshmallow over the campfire so it gets very hot but does not touch the flames. Or put your marshmallow very close to the burning embers of the wood in the fire.
2. The idea is to roast your marshmallow until it is hot and golden brown the whole way around. You do not want it to touch the flames or it will ignite into a ball of flaming fire.
3. If your marshmallow does catch fire do not swing it around trying to put it out. Slowly bring it in towards your mouth and calmly blow it out. Please be safe when roasting marshmallows, many fire accidents are campfire related.

Get Ready to Enjoy

1. Once your marshmallow is golden brown, lay the hot marshmallow onto your prepared chocolate on the graham cracker square.
2. Pull the marshmallow off the stick using the other square of graham cracker.
3. You should now have a S’more sandwich consisting of  from the bottom: graham cracker, chocolate, hot marshmallow and a graham cracker top. Give it a good squish to smash all the gooey ingredients together.

“Dig your teeth into the crunchy crackers and warm melted gooey marshmallow & chocolate and savor that moment of pure bliss”.

4. Allow your S’more a minute to cool off so you don’t burn your mouth trying to inhale it. (I warn you it will be hard waiting while your S’more cools as they are incredibly tempting).
5. Once your S’more is not piping hot but still warm and the chocolate squares are warm and melting, your s’more is ready to be devoured.
6. Dig your teeth into the crunchy crackers and warm melted gooey marshmallow & chocolate and savor that moment of pure bliss. Be aware that the marshmallow likes to squeeze out the sides and make a mess.

The Aftermath

1. You will need to have either hand wipes or baby wipes on hand to help keep up with the inevitable mess that will be all over your fingers and face.
2. Be quick to get another marshmallow roasting as soon as possible, as the ingredients go extremely fast. If you are making S’mores with others, consider it a race, if you’re too slow you won’t get enough s’mores.

Now you know how to make a S’more and trust me you’ll be glad you do! They are so much fun to make and you’ll always want “some more”.

Enjoy kids!

Author: Kaitlyn
(CampTrip Team)

Edited By: CampTrip.com

Prepare with a Checklist

One of the best ways I have found is to make a checklist and use it just as a pilot would before flying his aircraft.  Make either a master checklist or specific checklists (ie. what to pack, supplies, food, campervan inspection, etc.). If you write out the checklists in advance and think in depth as to what you will need to bring, it will help you prepare and organize everything  before you head out camping.

Pre-Check Your Campervan

• You should make sure that you have plenty of propane gas in your bottles so you don’t have to buy it on the road where it is sure to be much more expensive than it is at home.
• Be sure to check the air in your tires with a tire gauge as tires will lose air if they have been sitting and not in use. Also check the air in the spare tire.
• Before a trip use a wheel wrench and check the lug nuts on the wheels.
• If you have a pull type camper, make sure you are properly hooked to the hitch. Check all the lights including the brake lights, turn signals and running lights.
• Put some water in the tank if the weather permits and check the water pump.
• Take inventory of your side pokes and make sure you have all the tools and hoses you will need when you get to the campsite.
• Check to make sure you have all your water related supplies, such as water hoses and drain flex pipes.
• Look underneath to make sure there is nothing dragging.
• Check the top to make sure you have lowered the antenna and everything.
• Crank up the levelers on all four corners.
• Check your battery and your slide-out room if you have one.
• This is a good time to lubricate the runners on your slide out. Now, do a complete walk around and make sure you haven’t missed anything.
• Go inside and make sure all the appliances, including the water heater, are working.
• Check for the desired supplies you will need in the fridge and your clothes in the closet.

It is also wise to spend a night, or at least a couple hours, in the campervan before you leave on your trip.  You will be surprised at the things you would have forgotten if you left in a hurry.

These pre-trip campervan preparations and inspections will make your  camping trip more trouble free and more enjoyable. Don’t forget the wife and/or family.

Author: Hershel Butts

Edited By: CampTrip.com

A Series of Unfortunate Events

First a crack of lightening, then the thunder caught up, the pelting rain deluged.  My husband was fishing, license free, in the crystal clear water. I was surrounded by 50-60 foot pines being blown about and perfect targets for the lightening. My husband came running up from the water. Being a Sergeant Major, he bellowed orders to the kids to pull stakes, loosen guide lines, pack stove and lanterns. I was assigned to the end of the van and to push, pull, pack and shove anything and everything into the back of the van.  The campsite was cleared in record time as we listened to about 15 cracks of thunder over our heads. Two of the pine trees near to us were hit and were dangling dangerously above the road. My husband started the car’s engine and commanded us to, “GET IN!” As I dashed for my car door, I saw his Garcia five star, pride and joy fishing rod where he had dropped it on the ground when he came up from fishing.  I grabbed the fishing rod, opened the back door, tossed the rod in to the back and slammed the door at the same time.  Of course the fishing rod landed on the nylon tent and slide back down the piled up heap of camping gear. Which sound came first I don’t know, the snap of the rod or the slam of the door. I couldn’t even look.

I grabbed the broken tip of the fishing rod, stashed it in my door pocket as yet another cascade of water and lightening surrounded us. Camping at the Bay of FUNdy was becoming more a Bay of RUNdy.  We got out, we got home, safe and sound…I let the kids run in the house, my husband went to greet a neighbor, I grabbed the broken rod and hid it away in my secret place.  I would have to find a way to fix this mess before he went looking for his prized fishing rod again ( lucky for me, vacations didn’t come that often, so I had some time).

Attempting to Repair the Non-Repairable

After some time to think about how I could possibly repair my husband’s prized possession, I eventually wrote Garcia (the fishing rod company) asking if they wanted to help save a marriage.  I told them what had happened and how I had tried to get the rod repaired before my husband knew what I did.  They didn’t respond, so I gave up and forgot about it and I decided to break the bad news to my husband.  He wasn’t mad and told me he would find another fishing rod.  At the end of Father’s Day week a triangle box arrived for my husband from Garcia.  We all waited with anxious anticipation of what was in the box.  Much to my and his amazement the Five Star Gold Tipped Garcia Rod was no longer available. Would he accept this 7 star gold-tipped rod, courtesy of the company?

As it turns out, Garcia enjoyed the  letter so much they took a cooperate vote to hang the letter in their office and send compliments to the “Erma Bombeck” of Woburn, Massachusetts.  So, Dad got a fishing  rod we could never afford and he was a very, very, very  Happy Camper.

My husband loves his Garcia fishing rod almost as if it were his child. If you are looking for a truly special fishing rod, here is a great selection of quality Garcia Fishing Rods.

Author: Veronica Andrews

Edited By: CampTrip.com

Hiking Boots are Called Hiking Boots for a Reason

Some friends and I decided that we were going to do a day hike out to the bridge to nowhere in Azusa Canyon, California USA. I wore a pair of low cut tennis shoes that were comfortable. After we were about 4 miles into the canyon, I was hiking along a ridge and rolled my ankle on some loose rocks…and snap (there went the ankle!). Needless to say, the low cut shoes that I was wearing offered no ankle support whatsoever. So, there we were 4 miles from civilization and I couldn’t even stand! Had I been wearing a pair of good hiking shoes or boots geared for hiking, we would have never been in that predicament.

Hiking Shoes are the Best Investment When Hiking

On top of that, a good quality pair of hiking shoes will help keep your feet warm, wick away moisture and make for a much more enjoyable hiking experience. When hiking, we rely on our feet and ankles to keep us upright and moving. Be sure to take care of them with good foot gear! Here is a great selection of the best rated men’s hiking boots and women’s hiking boots so you can avoid a disaster like mine and enjoy your camping trip with proper foot wear.

Author: Brian Wilkinson

Edited By: CampTrip.com

Plan Your Meals in Advance

Just a little bit of planning can turn your camping trip from a disaster (getting to the campsite late at night after getting lost on the road/in the woods is not the best time to realize you have no food!) into a truly spectacular part of your holiday. Will you bring everything you plan to eat with you? Is there a supermarket, or better yet, a local shop or farmer’s market near the campsite you can plan on visiting during your trip for perishable items? What can you bring that can be used in different ways for multiple meals?

One of my camping must-haves are potatoes. They are cheap, delicious baked with chives and cheese for dinner or chopped up and made into home-fries the next morning.

What inexpensive and healthy things would be on your must-have list?

Bring Non-Perishable Items for Snacks

When I was a kid, every once in a while my mom morphed into a crazy demon-lady who snapped at the slightest provocation. Now that I’m in my thirties, I realized that what I saw as a totally unpredictable freak occurrence was actually the result of low blood-sugar. When you’re camping, and going for hikes or even just hanging out in that fresh and lovely air, it’s important to have some food on hand to quell the potential demon-lady. Historically people have brought trail mix and gorp. (I’m still trying to figure out what gorp is, but most camper-type people seem to have it.) You can make your own at home pre-trip, putting in the foods that you like most. A friend of mine never goes on a trip without her Cheerios/chocolate chip/raisin/cashew mixture. I prefer a more substantial approach to my snacks. I bring whole wheat crackers, peanut butter and jelly, Nutella if I’m feeling naughty, cans of tuna and small packs of mayonnaise that I’ve collected for camping purposes (more about condiments later). I also plan my trips in advance, so I always have a few apples, clementines, or other long-lasting fruits on hand.

The Cooler is an Indispensable Part of any Camping Trip

If you’re driving you can hook yourself up with a big ol’ box cooler. If you’re going to be backpacking, a cooler bag is great for keeping smaller items or perhaps an ingredient or two for a special meal that evening. To save money, use reusable cooler packs, bags of homemade ice cubes, or bags of old frozen peas from home to keep your items cool. You can also get ice at a supermarket on the way to your campsite (this is one of the few exceptions I make to my rule), at gas stations or convenience stores. I’ve taken several cross-country camping trips so I usually top up my ice on an as-needed basis. If you have a cooler, your options for delicious camping food are endless.

Plan to Make at Least One Special Meal

It doesn’t have to be complicated, especially because being out in the open will sharpen your appetite and things will taste better than usual. My specialty meal is a fairly simple one:

White fish in a white wine butter sauce

Accompanied by parsley-butter new potatoes and sauteed asparagus.

The whole meal uses 1 pot and 1 pan and consists of 6 ingredients:

• White fish (tilapia if it’s available)
• Light white wine of your choice
• Butter
• Potatoes
• Parsley
• Asparagus

You use a little of the wine for cooking and serve the rest (chilled in the cooler) with dinner, which is instant perfect pairing of food and wine. The parsley adds freshness to the meal, the asparagus lots of nice vitamins, and the new potatoes cook pretty quickly as does the rest of the meal. Okay, so not the healthiest meal since I’m using butter in all three dishes, but we’re not eating it every night. I would only cook this the first night I have the fish in my cooler, since I don’t want to risk anything going off.

One-pot meals are also great for camping, chili being the stereotypical camping dish. But you could just as easily make another type of stew, a steak with red wine sauce, or grill over the campfire. You’d be surprised at how much that one special meal adds to the camping experience.

Condiments

They are, quite literally, the spice of life. I collect them in packets from places I eat in then use them instead of buying big bottles of things that might go off in the summer heat. Some favorites are mustard, mayo, ketchup, salt, pepper, sugar, soy sauce, spicy mustard, duck sauce, bbq sauce, and packs of jam. I include them in my planning and have also had some excellent results when faced with the end of the trip lunchmeat—pan fried ham in mustard with eggs and toast is a pretty nice start to your final day!

I hope these tips have been helpful and given you some inspiration for your next camping trip. I’m sure you can take these basic ideas and add to them to make your meals a memorable part of your holiday!

If you know of some additional advice or tips to eat cheap and healthy when camping we would love to hear from you. Please share your advice in the comment box below and share with us your expertise!

Author: Christine Boyle

Edited By: CampTrip.com

Clear Water Lake Campsite

The campsite was excellent it had everything we needed not to mention very beautiful and peaceful. Not only do they drive around making sure you have wood for your fire, they make you coffee in the morning! Don’t get me wrong, it is camping in tents and RV’s but near the canoe shed they offer free coffee.

Wells Gray Provincial Park

Camping in Wells Gray Provincial Park was the most amazing camping trip. There were so may things to do and see. We went hiking for hours and saw elk and evidence of bears, but no evidence of humans (which is always a good thing). While hiking in the provincial park we always felt very safe and without any real fear. We camped on the sandy beaches by the river with stunning snow-capped views. There were also 40 waterfalls, some running down into old volcanic craters.

I was expecting to see bears at this campsite like when we camped at Yosemite; we were woken to a bear tapping nicely on our tent and then having the rangers scaring it and others away. Luckily, the rangers had them on radar and got there in time. At the Clear Water Lake Campsite in Wells Gray Provincial Park  I saw no bears in the campsite. I only saw bears at dusk and dawn – they were sitting eating on the roads as we drove to the waterfalls.

The provincial park is 50min drive in length, so there is plenty of space to camp, explore and have a great time!  I would absolutely recommend camping in Wells Gray Provincial Park. This camping attraction has everything going for it, plus more!

Author: Fiona Johnson

Edited By: CampTrip.com

I stood there for a while enjoying the view, when I saw a big log floating down the bayou, it took a few milliseconds for me to realize the log was floating against the current.  I yelled at the kids to get out and away from the water.  It was a twelve foot alligator coming straight for my little step daughter.  I sent my son to get the video camera, but he returned without any film; by that time a boat had come along and scared the alligator away. I finally got a picture of it going across Half-Moon Lake. To this day I wonder what would have happened if I didn’t decide to check on the kids.That’s Louisiana camping for you, not so much the bears you have to watch for it’s more of an alligator area. Just be careful where you drop your fishing line.

Author: Dorothy Jones

Edited By: CampTrip.com

Where to Camp

There are less biting insects on higher ground because it tends to be un-sheltered and breezy.   Low-lying campsites in fields or near water will be fully booked by horseflies and midges. For more tips on where not to set up your tent read the article “Tips to Prevent Mosquitoes”.

What to Wear

I know it’s a shame in summer, but if you’re like me, you’ll leave your tee shirt and shorts at home and opt instead for lightweight trousers, which can be tucked into socks, and a light long-sleeved top.  That way you can enjoy your supper without being one.

What to Buy

I have found over the years that commercial repellents protect only the skin I have actually treated and do not prevent the insects from landing for a trial bite.  I needed a substance which threw them off the scent altogether.  A few years ago I walked with a friend who had smeared herself with citronella hand-wash.  She insisted it was the midge (mosquito) equivalent of a cloak of invisibility.  I thought, at the time, they were just ignoring her because I was tastier.

Citronella is a natural oil from lemon grasses and smells very pleasant, which is why it’s used in so many products.  I now take a soap for my morning wash, a spray for day-time top-up, and a scented candle for extra defense during the high-risk evenings.  I would love to report that I have the perfect solution, but the little blighters are too clever.  However, by protecting myself on all fronts, I have reduced my itchy hotspots to single figures and can concentrate on where I’m walking, rather than where I’m scratching.

If you know of some more strategies and techniques on how to avoid bugs when camping we would love to hear from you! Please share your expertise in the comment box below.

Author: Kay Ellis

Edited By: CampTrip.com

Surviving the Hurricane

As it turned out, the wind did not carry us or the trailer away in it, but you better believe that the next time we will get the wheels blocked before the storm hits. The only damage we received was a tree limb that came down across the propane tank cover. However my crazy husband went out during the storm to move our car that had a tree next to it that looked like it would come down. Fortunately for us the tree did not come down, even though the winds were very heavy that day. One month later we took another vacation camping in Maryland, our car had broken down so we were using a rental car. On the second day there was a heavy wind in the area (not a hurricane) and that same wobbly, suspicious tree fell across the windshield of the rental car. Which brings me to…

My Advice to You:

• Move all vehicles away from possible falling trees in the bad weather.
• Make sure you go to an area where there are no trees, such as the Wal Mart we were suppose to go to.
• It is also wise to block your wheels in a storm.

Author: Kathy Carrillo

Edited By: CampTrip.com

An Unfamiliar Land: Camping Oman

It had been a bit like a roller-coaster the day before, flying through the rough and unpaved wadis (dried up river beds) of the Arabian peninsula. In the back of the car the tents were thrown from side to side as Newton’s law took hold of them.
When we got to this secluded beach, the local fisher villagers came over, interested and intrigued by white man and his funny home-like tents. Children, teenagers and adults alike offered their helping hands to put up tents that they had never before seen. Unfortunately the tent poles were not quite study enough to survive their untrained handling.
It was that day that I learned the wonder of taking duct tape where ever you went. It is a wonder fix for broken tent poles.

Just Smile and Nod

That next morning was an experience unlike anything else, as the locals took us along to their annual boat races. Amazing to watch, although we didn’t understand a word of the Arabic with which they were cheering on their mates. I guess it always helps to know the basic language of the people who you will be staying near.

And then the festivities: breakfast. One man (there were no females other than myself and my mother there) brought in a large bowl, perhaps half a metre in diameter, filled with a white mush. I have never figured out what it was, but it seemed to be a regular on their menu. They offered us no utensils, instead led by example; hands straight into the food and scooping out a serving.
And so I learnt that when you go camping in Oman you have to be prepared to eat anything. And to make sure you take enough familiar food, so that you actually have something to eat when you can never possibly eat whatever else may be on offer. My advice for Camping in Oman – always take duct tape, learn a bit of Arabic BEFORE going, and be ready to eat anything.

Author: Cara Van Wyk

Edited By: CampTrip.com