Camping with Sara
Follow my 2010 camping escapades from the comfort of your own space.
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
September 3rd, 2010
Saturday, July 10, 2010
CIGNA x3
The majority of us slept in one tent with a second tent being used as a storage tent. Nothing beats a slumber party. Except perhaps, a bedtime story; which was what was heard, from Stephanie and Lance's tent.
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Mount Rushmore
Destination: Mount Rushmore
Start date: Sunday, June 20, 2010
Traveling companions: Sara & Barrett
Goal of trip: site seeing, recharging, relaxing
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
some thoughts on camping.
Camping is a time out. A place and time where I don't have to worry.
Where meals are fun. Dress code is relaxed. Where you can just be and visit while sitting around the campfire. Where there is a variety of activities to choose from and not everybody has to do everything.
It is a time where you can watch others having fun interacting and you can join in or not. It's up to you.
It doesn't come without work, though . I remember camping as a family and the frustration of setting up camp. I remember long hikes that I was pretty sure was never going to end and wanting to disown my parents for even thinking I wanted to be marched through muggy bugs to the cadence of "left. right. left. left. you could've stayed home but you left. right. left." Really? I could've stayed home? I am pretty sure that was a lie. On the flip side, I remember fun dinners, swimming, and laughter.
I have expanded my camping with a few to organizing a slighter bigger outing. 7 of my favorite work people have joined me for 3 years now. It is a huge undertaking as far as planning. I may open my own outfitting store. Last night Barrett and I bought two more sleeping bags..that brings us up to 6. two tents. 3 camp mats, 3 air mattress, a camp slowcooker, dutch oven, propane stove, various tarps and bungee cords to name a few things. Choosing a date that all works for us, carpooling conversations, meal planning, reservations, who needs what, are we going to make a t-shirt, what about the rain, what activities are there and the pre-camp meetings. All of that goes into a camp trip; whether you are camping for a weekend or a week. whether 1 person is going or 10.
No matter how much work is involved, the rewards are worth it. bugs, rain, laughter, dead car batteries, charred food, mud, falling on rocks, cold, heatwaves, all of it is worth the shared memories. Here's to a lifetime of these.
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Starting a fire
1) gather your equipment
firepit matches tinder wood
2) a hatchet comes in handy to chop off small pieces of wood/tinder to start the fire. It is also handy to bring a store bought or home made fire starter. A favorite tool of mine is called the "fire dragon". A simple plastic tubing with a brass spout on one end and a wooden bead to blow into. It directs the air you are blowing to a specific spot and allows you to remain a safer distance away from the fire.3) construct your fire. building small to large. allowing the fire to catch before you add more wood. If the ground the fire is being built upon is mucky, I often lay a flat piece of wood down to build off off. see above picture.
4) There are three very important ingrediants to making a good fire. Memorize these and you will not only be able to build a successful fire but on those occasions when the fire just doesn't seem to get going you can use that knowledge to trouble shoot solutions.
temperature + fuel + oxygen
Fire start at about 570 degrees f. The fuel is most often wood. and oxygen. A match is often the tool used to increase the temperature. Lack of oxygen is why if you stack too much wood at one time the fire starting sometimes doesn't go well. You are most likely suffocating the fire. When it is raining, the water absorbs the temperature faster than the wood, again making it harder to start a fire.
Now you know what I know!
good luck!
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Millacs Kathio site 42E
" registration complete. i got the BEST site evahhhhh ... #42e
http://files.dnr.state.mn.us/maps/state_parks/spk00232_camp.pdf
be there or be square."
The date is set for....TOMORROW. My first camping trip of the year.
Mille Lacs Kathio State Park is top on my favorite campsites. Friendly staff, fantastic program lead often by Jim Cummings, a long history of great times, beautiful scenery, and the list goes on.
Although originally planned for 2 nights, life happened, and I need to be back for the very important baptism of my God-daughter. One night it will be. I toyed with two nights but finally decided that going reeking of campfire would be a little...wrong. Even though Barrett said she would need to get used to it. :)
My first camping supply item was purchased on Tuesday and partially packed on Wednesday.
Very cool to be able to organize by color; it will be so much easier to find things!
Today at lunch, I found a sunny spot to park my car and my friend Amanda and cleaned out the car.
I am so ready.
Sunday, April 18, 2010
Sniffing out the perfect campsite.
Duluth, MN
The crime scene tape and laundry was all we needed to see. So long "Knife" Island.
After a quick drink and much needed potty break, we headed home.