Getting a late start

[isoc]

My wife is a bit of a "Doomsday Prepper Light" , not too serious but she sees a lot on the internet. So we have some extra water in storage now, and some canned goods that we are unlikely to ever use, but have them "in case."


Part of the prepping was getting a Coleman 2 burner camp stove. I thought that was a good idea anyhow as we have had 3 power outages in the past 10 years that lasted multiple days.


Recently, she wanted a tent, so I got a Coleman Sundome 4 person as something not too expensive, but it could keep us dry and give us a place to sleep "in case." I thought there is no point in just having a tent, so I got a couple of Coleman sleeping bags, "Palmetto Cool Weather." Then I added some seam sealer, better stakes, and an air mattress.


So now I'm thinking, "Now that we've got this stuff, maybe we could go car/tent camping."


My astronomy club also has a remote observing site away from city lights, where we can camp so one does not need to drive home after a late night of observing. The site has no water, toilet, or trash facilities, and the picnic tables that are there have disintegrated and are useless. But anyhow, it's OK for us. Some members stay there for a night or two, and we clean up after ourselves.


My wife isn't much of an outdoors person, but we could probably try "2 season" camping, that is late Spring to early Fall at an (Ohio) state park.


I have had practically no camping experience before, and only slept in a tent once 50 years ago. I can remember a family vacation where my Dad (A former boy scout and he had gone camping with his Dad and brother, from Indiana to California and back, in the 1930's.) planning our family meals as picnics on the road. He even secured a can of baked beans to the engine block of our car to warm them, much to the surprise of the gas station attendant who "checked the oil". (This was in the early 1960's.)


I've enjoyed browsing through the threads here and hope to pick up a few more ideas on what to do. - Ted aka isoc

[toedtoes]

Re: Getting a late start

Welcome. When I was little, I had a book called "Father's Big Improvements" that I read multiple times. It was about a family in the beginning of the 1900's and how inventions changed their lives - telephone, electricity, etc. At the end of the story, Father's last "big improvement" is a thing called camping...

Camping is not difficult - it's something people did everyday until the 1900s and never thought twice about it. just focus on the enjoyment of the simple things, which you've both already found with astronomy. And camping doesn't mean you have to hike and fish and be an "outdoors" type - you just have to enjoy life.

Many of the folks on this forum are very outdoorsy types. They backpack and hike for days, etc. Me, not so much. I don't hike more than about 1-2 miles from camp - partly because camera gear is heavy, partly because I'm lazy (maybe more the latter). Instead, I load up my kindle with the latest books from my favorite authors and find a nice comfy spot where I can watch the water/forest/critters/world and get lost in a little magic. I slip in some photography in between throughout the trip. My point is, you don't have to be an outdoors type in order to enjoy the outdoors and camping.

In my mind, the worst thing to do is try to force yourself to do things the way others do it. Instead, find things that you do that anchor you (knitting, photography, star gazing, reading, walking, swimming, etc.) and spend your first trip relaxing into those things. Get away from the house and responsibilities and just enjoy those things you do. Then do it again. As you go, you can expand and try new things - knowing that you always have your anchor holding you to the joy of camping even if the exercise in fishing wasn't a success, etc.

Starting with a campground that has flush toilets and showers is also good as it minimizes the (usually) most difficult part of camping to enjoy. Get a book of campgrounds in your state/region and go through and mark all that sound like a place you'd enjoy visually. Then start with the ones with the flush toilets and showers. Start with the most appealing campgrounds and try a few of them.

I think it's easiest to start with a 2-night trip rather than a 1-night trip. With a 1-night trip, you get there by about 2 p.m., spend a good hour or more setting up (because you're new to it all and don't have a system), and then it's time to eat, then it's dark, and then you go to bed. The next morning, you get up, do breakfast, and then you're taking down everything to go home. You don't really get a chance to enjoy yourself. By contrast, with a 2-night trip, you get there, set up, eat, go to bed, get up the next morning and eat breakfast, and then just experience the relaxation the entire day and evening. Then you get up the 3rd morning, eat, pack up and go home. Another benefit is that if you stay at a campground without showers, you've only missed one day of showering. If 2-nights works well, then add another night. You'll find your comfort spot this way without pushing too hard in the beginning. For me, 3-night trips work best - Batdog starts getting cranky by the 4th day and the cat back at home doesn't like being alone longer than that.

For meals, start simple. Pick your go to meals at home - the ones you make when you're tired, stressed, busy, etc. Get used to cooking on the camp stove and/or campfire before you decide to become a culinary whiz in the campground - and then go pick NYCGyrrrl's recipes.

[isoc]

Re: Getting a late start

toedtoes, thanks for you reply and encouragement. I've already picked out a couple of state park campgrounds not too far off to try out, though it may be next year before we go. I'd kind of like to try in the early fall, it's less buggy, but don't know if we'll be ready by then. My wife is from the Philippines, so her idea of cold is about 65 degrees, while I lived in suburban Chicago during my youth, and am much more toleraant of cooler temperatures.


That said, I think she'd be willing to try it anyhow, just to see how the various gear works when we're not just at home. Not too big a deal to use the Coleman stove at home, but we did it just to see it work.


I've also added a couple of foam pads, and just got a "Swiss Army Knife." When I put it in my pocket I remembered my youth, when up until I was about 15 I always carried a pocket knife, just like I wrote with a fountain pen. (I have fountain pens, now, too.)


Light day-hiking, bird watching, photography, bringing a night time and a solar telescope, and something to read should keep us busy enough. My wife is also attached to her tablet/cell phone, and she would consider it a hardship to be without. This is partly because there is one son in Las Vegas, one in San Diego, one in Manila, Philippines, and one in Shanghai, China, plus other relatives spread all over and she wants to keep in touch. This can be awkward at times, as when it's 2 pm in the Philippines, it's 2 am here.


Good idea to start simple, and build from there. My wife did enjoy walking around Dick's and seeing the variety of supplies available. But she was thrilled to buy a life jacket, as she has a fear of floods, which we won't get in Central Ohio, but are an everyday menace in the Philippines.


Thanks again, Ted

[isoc]

Re: Getting a late start

toedtoes, your comment about camping being an everyday activity is consistent with my family's past. When my grandmother died in the 1930's, grandfather was left with two teenage sons (one my dad) and then he lost his job in the depression. His company offered him another job in another state if he could sell his house, move in two weeks, and take a 50% pay cut. Grandfather decided to take the summer off instead and went "west" to California and back. I know they made it to California because my Dad told me about the Redwoods he'd seen as a youth, and how he sprained his ankle on a mountain top (Flat Top Mountain) in what is now Rocky Mountain National Park, and had to limp back down the mountain 8 miles to the trail head.


For myself, though I said I haven't much experience camping, it's actually not much experience camping in a tent. I "car camped" (because I didn't have a tent) in the state park on South Bass Island (Put-In-Bay) twice for 5 days each during a regatta ("Bay Week) when I had a sailboat in the 1970's. Lodging in town was too expensive, if you could even get it, so I camped in a state park then. My company had annual "planning conferences" every September for 25+ years, most always we were in a scout camp of some type, but we didn't stay in tents (I guess a few that had tents brought them sometimes, or just slept outside.) So I'm familiar with campground life.


I'm thinking now that next summer I'll go back to Put-In-Bay and stay at that campground again. But for me the camping season this year is pretty much over before I can start it. It's after the equinox now, and nights are getting longer, so I don't think it would be much of a positive experience for my wife to be in a tent overnight. Starting next Spring, maybe in May, it's more likely. For now I'll keep gathering equipment, setting it up and giving it a trial at home, and talk it up with my wife to get her a bit more enthusiastic.


I like the outdoors, day hiking, just being outside, as so much of my life when I was working I felt trapped in a building with no windows.


Later, Ted

[NYCgrrl]

Re: Getting a late start

Hi, isoc!
Based solely on your writing style we'll get along just fine:he:.
Keep posting:cool:.

[Irate Mormon]

Re: Getting a late start

Camping for me was also a means to an end - but now I just enjoy for the solitude. I love astronomy - it goes with camping quite well.

[NYCgrrl]

Re: Getting a late start

Camping for me was also a means to an end - but now I just enjoy for the solitude. I love astronomy - it goes with camping quite well.

Did you get to enjoy the super moon last night? It was awesome seeing it rise and eclipse throughout the night from my end.

Oh and yer siggy is cracking me up!

[Force10JC]

Re: Getting a late start

My wife is not an outdoor person either and it took a lot for me to convince her to try car camping. Just this weekend, after 3 camping trips so far this year, I overheard her telling my mother-in-law how much she shockingly (to her and everyone else) enjoys camping. She also remarked how she couldn't wait for our upcoming trip in a few weeks. Sometimes just convincing someone to go that first time is all it takes.


I also bought the Coleman Sundome 4-person and it has performed well. I initially set it up in the backyard and sealed all of the seams, added better stakes, and an air mattress. I think for two people it's a pretty good tent for around the $50 I paid for it.


Keep in mind that we just started camping in April of this year. Don't let age or lack of apparent knowledge stop you. If you are willing to learn you will pick up things pretty quick. Each trip will build on the one before for a while making the wait in between seemingly unbearable at times.

[isoc]

Re: Getting a late start

In central Ohio all I saw of the eclipse was a bright, hazy, blurry spot behind the clouds where the eclipse was occurring. I tried to observe 5 times over a 3 hour period and came up blank every time. It was still overcast this morning. - Ted aka isoc

[isoc]

Re: Getting a late start

My wife is not an outdoor person either and it took a lot for me to convince her to try car camping. Just this weekend, after 3 camping trips so far this year, I overheard her telling my mother-in-law how much she shockingly (to her and everyone else) enjoys camping. She also remarked how she couldn't wait for our upcoming trip in a few weeks. Sometimes just convincing someone to go that first time is all it takes.


I also bought the Coleman Sundome 4-person and it has performed well. I initially set it up in the backyard and sealed all of the seams, added better stakes, and an air mattress. I think for two people it's a pretty good tent for around the $50 I paid for it.


Keep in mind that we just started camping in April of this year. Don't let age or lack of apparent knowledge stop you. If you are willing to learn you will pick up things pretty quick. Each trip will build on the one before for a while making the wait in between seemingly unbearable at times.

I got a couple of thermarest pads, and have ordered an air mattress with a 12v pump. I have a 12 v portable battery for my telescope, so that will work. But until Amazon delivers it all, I can't set it up to see how it all fits. I'll also apply the seam sealer, not that I plan on being out in the rain, but just "in case." I learned several things not to do setting it up the first time, so I'd like to do it again anyhow.


My wife and I spent an hour walking around the outdoor/camping section at Dicks this last Sunday, and she enjoyed seeing all the stuff (most of which we won't need). I mentioned to her my plan for a spring time practice camping session, and then in the summer going up to Put In Bay at the state park where I had camped with my sister 45 years ago, and she is definitely interested in giving things a trial, and I hope she'll like being more outdoors. I may get a small tent heater, even for the summer time, as she thinks 60 deg F is cold, and I'd like to take the chill out of the morning air temperature in the tent (maybe). She, like most Filapinas, likes to take lots of pictures of anything, so I think that's something she'd enjoy, too. Only thing I've thought of so far that may be something she won't like is that we each make about 3 bathroom trips a night, and walking through the campground at night won't appeal to her. But so far she hasn't thought of that, and is more focused on "how and what will we cook" and "this will be fun to try." Ted

[a65hoosier]

Re: Getting a late start

Only thing I've thought of so far that may be something she won't like is that we each make about 3 bathroom trips a night, and walking through the campground at night won't appeal to her. But so far she hasn't thought of that, and is more focused on "how and what will we cook" and "this will be fun to try." Ted

My wife didn't like walking through the campground to the comfort station alone at 2:00am either, sooooo she'd wake me up and we'd "take a hike" together.

I bought a "Luggable Loo" to solve the problem. For $20, I was a hero. lol. Here is a description via Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Reliance-Produ...s=lugabull+loo

No more wake-ups in the middle of the night for me. Clean-up is also pretty easy as we use the "Double Doodie" bags as a liner. Zip up the inner and outer bag and pitch it in the dumpster.

[Denni2]

Re: Getting a late start

Like a65hoosier we also bought a "Luggable Loo" with the Double Doodie bags. It is great for those great for those late nights as well as those campgrounds where the facilities aren't very clean. Before that we had a couple of Jonny Jugs, but we were always worried about spilling them.

[isoc]

Re: Getting a late start

Thanks for the tips, a65hoosier and Denni2, this is a definite possibility! - Ted aka isoc

[MountainMama]

Re: Getting a late start

I may get a small tent heater, even for the summer time, as she thinks 60 deg F is cold, and I'd like to take the chill out of the morning air temperature in the tent (maybe).

To me, 60 degrees is way beyond cold and quickly approaching freezing.

Only thing I've thought of so far that may be something she won't like is that we each make about 3 bathroom trips a night, and walking through the campground at night won't appeal to her.

I totally get that too. There is no way I would camp without my own personal potty. Haven given birth to four children, there are times when, upon waking up, I may not make it to the bath house.

I've had this potty for many years and wouldn't camp without it. It just empties into a toilet, so very easy to deal with.

[isoc]

Re: Getting a late start

MountainMama, Thanks for the input and suggestions! Later, Ted