It’s Camping Time!

Greetings friends and fellow campers!

It’s that time again to dust off your tent, check your gear and head for the hills! Or the lake, desert, or National Park. Hopefully, you have thought ahead and made your reservations in advance at your favorite campground, as camping has experienced a major wave of new enthusiasts. Many campgrounds fill up a year in advance, especially the popular sites in most of the National Parks.  Make it a habit of reserving a site at the end of camping season for the following year. I know it’s hard for many of us to plan our vacations that far in advance, but it’s better to guess at your future plans and cancel later if you have to than to try to get a reservation at the last minute and be disappointed.

Let’s go over a few things that will make your trip a success:  If you haven’t already purchased waterproof plastic bins in which to store your various gear, do yourself a favor and go to your nearest discount or hardware store and buy four or five. Use one for kitchen utensils, corkscrew, foil, trash bags, pot holders, tablecloths, napkins, plenty of dishtowels and other misc. kitchen related gear. Use another for pots and pans, plates, cups etc., being sure to use the space inside of pots and pans for smaller, breakable items. One can be used to pack smaller camping gear like headlamps, camp lights, hammocks, and smaller tents. Pack another with food-related dry goods like cereal, bread, spices, oils and of course your copy of The Gourmet Girls Go Camping Cookbook!  Try to keep the things you pack into each box related to specific uses. That way you won’t go rummaging through each box trying to find and making a mess of your campsite, and your efforts will pay off in less frustration and a happier camping experience. This bin is readily available, light weight, waterproof and costs about $18.00.

Speaking of tents, did you see the wonderful article in Sunset Magazine about the many types and prices for car rooftop tents? If not, you are in for a treat! Check them out here:https://www.sunset.com/travel/camping/car-top-tents?PromKey=XET&iid=newsletter-su——-weekend-04152018&utm_source=sunset.com&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=weekly-newsletter&utm_content=%7Bdate%28%27yyyyMMddhha%27%7D&utm_term=SUN%20Weekly%20NL

What a great idea to have a tent off of the ground. Having camped in the pouring rain in the past I can tell you it is no fun to wake up in a soggy sleeping bag!

I hope this info will help you get organized for your first camping trip of the season. As always, stay safe out there, be prepared, and have fun!

Denise, Gail and Lindsey