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Camping
Out
by Adlen W. Robinson
Even my friends who
know me pretty well are
sometimes surprised to
learn how much I love
camping! While I might
not seem like the sort
of gal who likes to
“rough it,” I truly love
tent camping at our
beautiful and well
maintained state
parks---especially the
ones that dot the
shorelines of
Lake Lanier.
Few activities
unite a family as much
as camping. My husband
grew up camping in
northern Maine with his
grandparents. Their
brand of camping
involved much more crude
conditions than I could
ever handle---but even
so, his fondest
childhood memories are
of those camping
experiences. He was
extremely close to his
grandparents---especially
his grandfather Arthur.
Sitting around a
campfire telling and
re-telling stories
always reminds him of
listening to the stories
his grandfather told.
I did not grow up
camping---except for a
few camp outs with
friends or at camp. Even
so, I knew camping was
definitely something I
wanted my children to
experience. Our first
attempts at camping as a
family involved more
calamities than positive
memories, but now that
years have passed, even
those mishaps translate
into humorous memories.
One of my close
friends came right out
and said I was crazy to
enjoy camping. She said
it was way too much
work---from the packing
of every little item you
need to cook, clean,
etc, to the actual work
involved while camping
to the breaking down of
camp, to the unpacking
and putting away once
you arrive back home.
Yes, it does take
some work, and I will be
the first to admit that
pretty much every time
we go camping I think of
something we have
forgotten, or a way I
should have packed to
make the process easier.
But for me, that is part
of the fun of it:
figuring out ways to
make each camping trip
easier, more efficient,
and more enjoyable.
For me, enjoying
camping comes down to
one main ingredient:
comfort. The more
comfortable the camping
trip, the more enjoyable
the experience. We are
not minimalists when it
comes to camping. This
fact drives my husband
crazy and he is known as
the “grumbler” when he
loads and unloads the
car. But he does not
grumble when he is
enjoying a delicious
meal, or asks for the
first aid kit (or cards,
etc) and is quickly
handed the needed item.
Here are some tips to
make your family’s
camping trip the best
ever:
-
· Pack
most of your gear in
medium sized clear,
plastic containers. It might seem to make more sense to have one big one, but we
found that those are
difficult to carry,
find space for and
even worse to rummage
through. I have one
container that
contains all my pots,
coffee pot, cutting
board, coffee cups,
anything I use for
cooking. Another
container holds all
paper and plastic
products such as paper
towels, napkins,
plastic cutlery,
plastic wrap, and
trash bags. I also
keep dish-washing soap
and a scrub brush
inside a zip lock bag
inside a plastic tub
for washing dishes
here. One container I
use for dry food goods
such as cereal, grits,
crackers, bread,
cookies, chips, etc.
The container keeps
the chips from being
crushed as well as
making it easier for
me to see what we
have. Another
container, smaller
than these, houses all
kitchen knives,
spatulas, measuring
cups, scissors, can
openers, etc.
-
Plan your meals on
paper before the trip.
Write out what you
will have at each
meal, and do not
forget snacks. Keep
the menu list handy
when you are packing
the cooler and the dry
goods so you can check
yourself. I have one
cooler (a 5-day type)
for food and another
one for drinks.
-
Pray for sunshine, but
plan for rain.
No matter what the
weather people say,
plan for the worst.
Bring ponchos and
fishing poles for
sure. Children do not
mind a little rain at
all---in fact, the
younger ones think it
a blast to go fishing
in the rain. Pack
cards, board games,
art supplies and do
not forget to bring a
box of toys for young
children. I cannot
tell you how many
times a few hot wheels
or some plastic
animals have kept my
kids from being
miserable during a
surprise rain storm.
-
Keep your sense of
humor.
Children take their
cues from you. No
matter what is
happening, even if you
forget the
marshmallows, how you
react will set the
mood for the rest of
the family. Your
children are not going
to remember the
mistakes you make, but
they probably will
remember if you lose
your temper and ruin
the trip. Besides,
smores taste almost as
good with just the
chocolate and maybe
some peanut butter to
sub for the
marshmallows (can you
tell that has happened
to us?)
-
Count your blessings.
Camping offers an
incredible opportunity
to spend quality as
well as quantity time
with your family. No
television, no
computers, no cell
phones (well, two out
of three is not too
bad). I love the fact
that we are all
"forced" to be
together without these
outside influences
that often separate us
during the week.
Even if you think you
are not the camping
type, give it a try. If
nothing else, there is
nothing like a weekend
of Mother Nature to make
you appreciate a hot
bath and cozy bed! |
