Camping 101 - The First Installment

Okay, so where do I begin? I recently mentioned about how we started camping in Europe. You can read up on those stories on that page. Other Camping When we got back to the Americas…..that sounds funny….we lived in Pennsylvania, not 30 minutes from the Appalachian trial. With 16 weeks of camping instilled, infused, ingrained, imbedded and unforgettable from our memory banks, we set out to do more camping when the opportunity arose. Several of the mistakes we learned from our lengthy Europe travels were solved.

The first fix was the tent. The tent we used in Europe was a Sears special….I use the word “special” loosely. We planned for big adventures and also planned on doing some hiking. So we bought (at that time very expensive) light weight 6-man North Face tent. It was a full season geodesic type tent for $500. A lot of money for us at the time…..Just as a note, we still have that tent and it still works awesome….money well spent!

The wonderful tent in the background
and my wife looking up enjoying the trees

The second fix was getting proper sleeping bags.  Before we had heavy quilt-like bags that wasn’t very warm either.  So one by one, bought new bags that were full mummy bags for below 0 degrees temperature. Lesson learned even when they say below 0…..doesn’t necessarily mean you will be that warm…also mummy….really means mummy…..I cannot move at all with my legs lashed together! Still much better than ever before and also very light weight.

The view of the trees from our campsite

The third fix was our cooking gear. We needed durable plates and cups, so we bought stainless steel plates, bowls and cups. We also loved doing the grill thing so I traded in our army issue stove (that could burn any type of fuel) for a whisper-lite. This thing weighed only 2 ½ pounds, not counting the small fuel container and was awesome. We also found that it would be necessary to get a water filter system and collapsible water jugs for all the water we needed.



Hiking up Crabtree Falls



The fourth fix was my backback.  We planned on hiking, not car camping. Since the kids were still very young, the chances of them carrying much more than their clothes and their own sleeping bag was slim and none.  My new Kelty backpack had to handle the tent (which was still a bit heavy since it was a 6 man tent), all the cooking gear, stove and plates included, much of the food, my sleeping bag and anything else that we might need for the adventure.

So with all the "fixes" in mind, we set out to do some camping.  We went camping pretty much everywhere we went. Driving home to Oklahoma...if we didn't drive straight through...we stopped some place to camp.  We have camped at the christian youth camp, Branson Missouri on Vacation, Applichian Trail several times, Boy scouts etc.  Each trip was unique in itself and yet everyone of them typically had the same issues.  ISSUES? You might ask.  Well.....DAD....me, being overly dictatorlike and wanting absolutely everything to be organized and in it's perfect place.  No wonder my kids have perfectionist tendencies.

Let me start off by describing the beginning of one of our camping trips.  Let's account for all the fours kids and two tents.  The great big North Face tent and a smaller one for the two older boys. It would be a car camping trip to a national park campsite.  I would get off work on a Friday and even if I tried to get out early it still meant that once I got home I needed to pack the car with all the gear and get it to fit.  That feat alone would seem to take a hour or so.  After many attempts, we got it all loaded up.....I got better at this with each trip. Then we would head out....usually would get lost on the drive there.....we didnt have GPS back in those days.....I know.....such a barbaric time when we had to actually use a paper map.



Our first visit to
Crabtree Falls in 2010.
We have gotten better at camping!



Flash forward a few hours and place us at the campsite. Just arriving slightly before dusk.  And yes, we have made it to several campgrounds after dark....just add the difficulty factor of setting up a tent and the rest of the gear in the pitch dark by flash light...from the beginning. Usually, the North Face tent would take about 40 minutes to set up....why so long, well because we ...okay I...would forget how we set it up the last time. And having  8 or 9 year old boys assist wasn't exactly expert help.  Looking back at it they were actually masters.....masters of dealing with a cannibalistic father who would eat his young if they didn't follow exact directions....even if the directions I was giving were wrong.

Okay, ground tarp....did you clear out all the sticks before we laid it down? yes, site was cleared. Then we would unroll the tent carcass and try to untangle the chopstick noodle mess of tent poles that were within the sleeves.  It that the right pole? Is that the right sleeve? Does this one go here? Does that one go there? Why in the world are you just standing there? Why aren't you helping? Actually it probably best if the kids just stood there and watch in amazment of their father...a grown man....became a babbling idiot...fight with a tarp, canvas and fiberglass sticks for fear of whatever they do or say would cause the outlash to be directed towards themselves instead of that convulted tent.

The longer the assembly process would take the darker it would get and the more difficult the process would become.  It was like a race against time and the sunset.....who was going to win? Obviously not this guy! Along the way there would be a few certain shouts out at whoever would be holding the flashlight, "HOLD THAT THING STILL!". I would be obvilious to my proclamations towards a 3 or 4 year old child.  yes, I agree....what a mean dad.

Tents are completed, sleeping bags in place inside, chairs have been set up around the grill/campfire......"Did you guys go get fire wood...kindling why I was doing all of this?" How are we supposed to find wood in the dark?  Well the boys did usually.....Out scouting the grounds for fallen trees and limbs and twigs.....as they got older they would be much more wise and bring back giant logs that would allow their father to occupy his time figuring out how to cut, chop, whack, whittle, bust, break or bash it small enough to fit into the fire pit......again, I understand now how wise my children were...dealing with me.

We did have some fun....I think....I hope. You will have to ask the kids that one......looking back at it all I am not sure why I ever stressed over the whole thing......it was just funny.  Sometimes I feel like our life could have been an episode or two on the Dick Van Dyke show.....ok....too far back?.....How about Seinfield? Either way, it has taken me many years to understand.....patience.  A huge apology to my family for the torture I dished out and they endured.

I am better now....the fits have stopped.....mostly.

Crabtree Falls - Camping

There is nothing more peaceful than camping in the great outdoors. In most cases we are able to get away from it all and leave everything behind. Become one with nature….you know…really roughing it. Okay maybe not always really rough….mostly it is just relaxing…..roughing it causes too much work.

In the past our family has done a lot of camping.  It started back in 1989 when I won the William Caudill Traveling Fellowship to go and study architecture.  I chose Europe.  First problem was I was married and had two kids. One child was 2 ½ years old and the other was just 4 months. Second problem was that there wasn’t much money to travel on. You can read about our Europe travels in our page. I am slowly loading up some of the adventures and sketches. Europe Journal

So, in order to make the money stretch we camped across Europe. 13 countries, 16 weeks….but enough about that…let’s talk about this trip.

My wife and I found a great place in western Virginia called Crabtree Falls. It is the tallest waterfalls in Virginia and has a wonderful hiking trail…or should I say climb? Running right beside the falls. There is a wonderful campground ½ mile from the bottom of the falls that a few years ago we camped next to the stream in our tent. This year we chose the cabin.

Camping Definitions:

I would say there are absolutely different levels of camping. Your comfort level or $ determines  what you do. Let’s start off with the easiest level and work up:

Motel Camping: No this is not camping. Throwing your clothes in a bag and going to a maid manufactured bedroom and bath is not really anywhere close to camping…..cannot be considered but I thought for some of you I might need to clarify.

Level One Cabin Camping: There are cabins that provide everything. Not only is there a bed, but sheets and pillows are provided. Not only is there a stove, but all the dishes and cups and often even a small refrigerator. We found a few of these in Europe but they were not out in the woods. We called them caravans. They were basically travel trailers that were fixed in place. Electric was provided and sometimes water. Bathing facilities were provided in a large structure somewhere on the camp grounds.

Level Two Cabin Camping: Same as above but they don’t provide any dishes, sheets etc. These are more likely truly a cabin with a small porch and picnic table out front.

Car Camping: We often do this these days. We bring everything for true camping but it is packed up in the car.  It doesn’t have to be placed in something that you will have to haul on your back to the camp site. We will often rent a spot at a campground and then be able to drive the car right up to the spot where we plan on pitching our tent. Things still need to be pretty well “bagged up” so you don’t have to have a gazillion things to unload.  This also depends on how many people you have with you.  When all the kids were there, we had more sleeping bags, more food, more tents etc. All the cooking is done on a Coleman grill or similar…even an open fire at times although that is hard to regulate when you have a small army to feed. (Sometimes we have sites that incorporate electric…that is cheating)

Hike Camping: Same as above but forget the car.  Park it and become a pack mule! Pack light and be wise on what you bring.  We have done this several times up on the Appalachian Trail….so much fun. We carry some water but have a filter system so if we find a stream we can purify it. Small packed up meals and a whisper-light camp stove. Everything else can be foil dinners or cold food. Our youngest son always dreamed that we would one day hike the entire trial this way.

Rambo Camping: Head out with just a knife! I had a friend in high school that always dreamed of doing this.  Each time he went out camping he was going to leave one thing behind until eventually all he had was a knife.  Years later I saw him and asked how has his wilderness adventures had gone.  He reported that he had gotten married to a wonderful lady who gave him three wonderful girls…..camping now existed in a giant Winnebago to accommodate all the hair dryers and curling irons.  My wilderness man image of him has been shattered.

This weekend my wife and I are Cabin Level Two Camping.  We really just needed a quick get-a-way and didn’t want a lot of work to accomplish. Setting up was pretty easy the first night after we arrived.  The nice part about cabin camping on the first night is after the long drive you don’t have to do much. There are many stories of me and the kids sitting up camp with the tent…in the dark…you can imagine the drama and those stories…..okay okay….I will write about those adventures too. Check back later for those stories.

The first evening at the campsite we ate dinner and fell asleep by 8PM. We cooked a steak on the grill and some peppers and onions and crashed.  12 hours later we awoke from our slumber.  Much needed rest apparently. One of the things that I find difficult to shake is the need to schedule and plan everything…..and I mean everything.  It is hard for me to let loose and just relax.  I was about crazy in the 3 ½ hour drive here just sitting. Once here, no internet connection! And probably a good thing.

In the morning...we are making pancakes

Such a peaceful morning with just the stream flowing in the background, (a favorite thing at this campsite…it drowns out the noise of any other campers). We woke up and made some coffee. Yes it was instant coffee and yes it was in a electric kettle….remember I said we were here for relaxing….not working. Still nice under the canopy of trees. Then for the best thing about camping….breakfast! It has to be the absolutely best meal there is.  Grill up some Turkey Bacon….(I still need to make sure I don’t blow my diet) and a few pancakes.  Yeah, I know….not on the diet.  I plan on working those calories off on the hike today.  While I was cooking breakfast, I went ahead and cooked up the chicken for our wraps we were going to take on the trail.  We planned to make some bacon and chicken wraps to eat on the hike…..I cooked a few pieces for MAVRICK as well.....such a spoiled doggie.

Morning showers are always something of an adventure.  How exposed you feel is dependent upon the campground facilities.  This one is pretty open. Thankfully I was the only one in there at the time. Water is never really very hot, so you don't spend a whole lot of time bathing.  After all, you are about to go back out into the wilderness….who are you trying to smell fresh for?  The bugs?

The things you hear while camping: My wife heard a little boy ask his father while walking back from the bathrooms, “What about butterflies? Can you eat butterflies?” the father responded, “I don’t know son, maybe.”

Then the hike, we walked up about ½ mile to the beginning of the Crabtree Falls Trail. MAVRICK was a bit skittish when it came to passing people. He also struggled with the huge steps.  We were all set to climbing the trail all the way but we can thank MAVRICK for giving us an easy out.  He was panting and wobbling all over the trail.  Poor guy made it about half way even with several water breaks along the way. A few pictures at various spots and then we turned back around to head home.  Last stop was the river.  MAVRICK decided he needed to cool down so he waded out in the middle of the stream and laid down in the water. What a silly doggie.  He makes us laugh.

Campfire in the evening and relaxing after the long hike...and long nap. Cooked up some steak and chicken fajitas for dinner and then sat next to the fire and enjoyed some music.  About 9:30 I think MAVRICK was getting a bit anxious....he was ready for us to get to bed! Poor tired doggie.

Coffee in the morning by the campfire with some nice discussion about how wonderful things are and how blessed my wife and I are.  We planned some new adventures together for the next few years. A huge breakfast of pancakes, turkey bacon and eggs and then we packed up the van a headed out to go home. Hitting traffic as we entered back into Hampton Roads just put an exclamation mark on why we needed to get away from it all this weekend.

I am ready to head back my friends!

Vacation Ideas #1 - Camping

Well summer is here and all the kids are gone so now it is time to pick a vacation for my wife and I. Wherever we want to go and not necessarily have to worry about making it a "kids" vacation but it can be an "adult" vacation.  You know that usually mostly means a lazy trip....the kind where we don't have to plan to the infinite detail like I always did before.  Over the next several blog posts I will highlight ideas where we can go and provide a bit of history on how we did all these similar trips with the kids years ago.

Camping has always been a fun family trip for us, but the real question lies in can just my wife and I enjoy a camping experience by ourselves? It is possible.  Or is it?

We started our camping experiences back in 1989 when we had a 2 1/2 year old and a 4 month old.  I had received an award just out of college to travel and study architecture abroad.  Oklahoma State School of Architecture awarded me the Caudill Traveling Fellowship.  I was only the sixth recipient of the award. He headed out to Europe and hit 16 different countries.  The monies provided were really only enough for a single individual to travel on but I had a wife and two kids.  We had to make the most of it......Camping Across Europe! That is how it all began.  Back then we had a very little budget for our gear.  Being the first time out, we really learned how OFF we were and unprepared!

Once we returned we lived near the Appalachian trail in Pennsylvania so we bought the massive light-weight (and very expensive) tent to handle all of us.....that number had grown to 4 kids! It was awesome.  We did lots of hiking but mostly car camping.  Every trip home to Oklahoma was a camping trip (except Winter). get-a-ways, up on the trail, where ever.

Once we moved to Virginia we continued going places.  Camping at Orlando for Parks, Camping near Busch Gardens, Camping at Luray Caverns was just the beginning.  The the boys got old enough to join Boy Scouts.....again we were off.

Since then we have camped at the beach, the parks, and most recently at Crabtree Falls.  So much fun.....yep, same tent since we got back from Europe over 20 years ago.  The cost for that tent was well worth it.

OK so now for just my wife and I.  We could certainly head back to Crabtree Falls. That was peaceful.  Another thought is to head back to Luray Caverns.  We enjoyed that as well. Don't really want to camp at the beach.  If we go to the beach I want to BE AT THE BEACH. Then again there are all the other places that we haven't gone before.  I was thinking of using the maps/park websites and begin hitting each of the camping recommended locations and check off each location that we visit over the next 10 years.

Granted the camping has changed for us too. We need a blow up mattress.  We pre-pack all of our food.  It takes me a bit longer to set up the tent these days too. However, far less food, far less gear, far less planning, and much more room in our tent!

Camping my friends?