Get Ready for Camping Season!

Now that the holidays are behind us, it is time to get back in shape and get ready for the camping season. If you plan on doing a lot of hiking and backpacking, you have a couple of months to get that body in shape. Now is also a good time to inventory all of your camping gear and determine what you still need for the upcoming season. Use a good checklist like the one found at www.youcancamp.com . Look for any worn out gear that needs to be repaired or replaced. Waiting until the weekend you leave will create loads of frustration. Also, if you plan on going to some of the more popular parks like Yosemite, start booking your reservations as they fill up within hours of becoming available.

Camping with Kids

I recently posted an article on Ezinearticles.com about camping with kids. I have also posted the article as a new page on my website at www.youcancamp.com/campingwithkids.php


For camping tips and information, check out the rest of my site at www.youcancamp.com

Moto Trip in an RV

This past weekend, I went on a moto cross trip in an RV for the first time and I must say, it was outstanding. "Camping" in an RV is quite a bit different from tent camping. Many of the luxuries of home can go with you in an RV, which makes everything a little easier. Food preperation is easy with a refrigerator, stove, grill and microwave. The cleanup is also made easier with a sink and hot water. With a generator, you also get lights, radios and television to watch movies or play video games.

We brought 4 quads and 2 dirt bikes to ride up, down and around the park. This was also my first time riding an off road vehicle and it was a blast. The quads can go over nearly any terrain with no problem. We climbed and descended hills, raced around a moto cross track, sped through puddles and mud, and put the machines through quite a trial. They are powerful machines and should not be taken lightly. We saw enough people crash to take safety very seriously. I was amazed at the number of your children that were riding dirt bikes and decked out in riding gear - pants, jerseys, boots, helmets, and body armor.

Camping in an RV will limit the places you can camp due to the size of the vehicle. I still prefer tent camping among trees in a more natural setting, but the RV experience is worth doing every now and again.

For more camping information, visit www.youcancamp.com

Luggage Racks for Your Camping Trip

If you have ever gone a road trip with a family, you never seem to have enough room in your vehicle for everything you need. This is especially true when you are going camping, which requires a lot of gear. A solution to this problem is a vehicle luggage rack. A luggage rack can free up a lot of space on the inside of your vehicle as well as keep some of the dirty camping gear on the outside. There are several different kinds of luggage racks - hitch mounted, hard shelled rooftop carriers and soft rooftop luggage bags. There are also the specialty racks for bikes, kayaks, surfboards, etc. Choose a rack that best fits your needs. Consider the gear you typically haul and how it will fit the different carrier styles. Consider the size, and which type will work best with your vehicle.

For more information, pictures and retailers, click on www.youcancamp.com/luggageracks.php

Campfire muffins

For a simple breakfast treat when camping, you can make some campfire muffins. Simply mix up some muffin batter, pour the batter into half of a hollowed out orange, wrap it with foil and place it in the fire. Presto, great muffins!!

For some more easy camping recipes and food ideas, check out www.youcancamp.com/campingrecipes.php

Fall Outerwear

Last fall I was fortunate enough to be given some tickets to an NFL game in San Francisco. The weather called for rain and wind, typical for San Fran that time of year, and I had nothing to wear to keep me warm and dry. I found the perfect solution in a Columbia titanium jacket, which has a liner that you can zip in and out or wear by itself. It was perfect, and the jacket is very functional for other activities. With the liner in, it is warm enough for winter activities like skiing, and without the liner, the shell is waterproof for golf or other activities. It also looks good.

There is more information at www.youcancam.com/columbiatitaniumjacket.php as well as good camping info.

Stay Dry When Camping

The other day, I had someone ask me what to do if it rains when camping. One thing you will not enjoy is staying in your tent with your whole family for hours and hours. The way to give yourself more covered space is to put up a rain tarp. This can give you plenty of space to get out of the tent and have dry, usable space for a table, chairs and even a fire. In order to do this, you will need a tarp, some rope and something to tie the tarp to (usually some trees). We always keep an extra tarp in our box of camping gear. Tie a length of rope to each of the corners of the tarp. If the weather is windy, you may also want to tie some rope to the sides as well. Tie the end of one of the corner ropes to something that you can throw up to loop the rope over a branch on the tree, at least 10 feet off the ground. Pull the rope to raise the tarp, wrap the rope around the tree a few times, then tie it off. Repeat the same process with the other three corners of the tarp. Make sure that the tarp is not exactly level, otherwise the rain water will not have anywhere to run off and will pool right in the middle. This should give you a little more room until the weather passes.

For more camping tips, visit www.youcancamp.com