Skip to main content

Camping, Tips for the First Timer

Many people are curious to try camping for beginners, but actually getting started can seem difficult to those who have never gone. Camping really is fun even for beginners and amateurs. Read this beginners guide to camping for some easy tips on getting started without spending a lot of time and money.

Camping for the First Time

Above all else, a first-time camping trip must be relaxed and fun. An unsuccessful first-time trip may turn even the hardiest soul away from trying again. Therefore, do not try anything too challenging or try to fit too many activities into one trip.

For a successful beginner camping experience, it is best to stay fairly close to home, go during nice weather, and plan to stay two nights. One night does not allow enough time to get organized and have fun. More than two nights can seem stressful if things are not going as planned. Also, allow at least two hours for initial camp setup, preferably when it is light outside.

Beginner Camping Tips

For those who have never been camping, it is hard to predict personal camping-style preferences. Some people enjoy bringing an RV with all the luxuries while others like to carry a tent way out into the backcountry. Of course, there are many variables between these two extremes, and each style of camping requires different camping gear.

Give a little thought to camping preferences by answering these questions:

  • What type of amenities are necessary to having a good time? Primitive camping typically means digging a hole for a toilet and packing out all trash. Campgrounds offer a wide range of facilities, anywhere from pit toilets to flush toilets and showers, depending on the location. RVs have many nice amenities right on board.
  • What type of outdoor activities sound fun? Plan to simply hang out in camp or locate a camp site near things like hiking, swimming, hunting, fishing, or visiting tourist sites.
  • How important is privacy? Some large campgrounds are simply crowded and noisy fields that are best designed for getting together with friends or having a family reunion. Smaller campgrounds may offer reasonable amenities and a quieter atmosphere. Hiking into the backcountry may not be realistic for a first-time camper, but it may be an eventual goal for those who enjoy quietly communing with nature.

 

 

Don’t Purchase Tons of Camping Gear

It will be easier to decide what type of camping gear is worth purchasing after the first couple of trips. Here are some ways to try camping without buying all the gear:

  • find a campground that offers rent-a-tent or rent-a-teepee camp sites;
  • borrow camping gear from a friend;
  • go camping with a friend who has extra equipment;
  • rent an RV motor-home.

Do not try to get away with going to Walmart and buying the cheapest tent and sleeping bags available. Lack of comfort may mean lack of fun.

 

 

Remember Camping is About Having Fun

Many people are turning to camping as a way to enjoy a relatively inexpensive vacation. With a little planning, this is exactly what it can be. Just be sure to set a goal and plan for the right camping experience.

 

 

How to Prevent Starting a Wildfire While Camping: “How-Not-To” Outdoor Guide to Avoid Becoming an Accidental Arsonist

About 10 percent of wildfires are caused by lightening, according to the McGraw Hill Encyclopedia of Science and Technology.

While there’s nothing that hikers and campers can do about the natural causes, it’s easy to avoid being part of the 90 percent caused either directly or indirectly by humans.

Accidental Wildfire: Easy to Prevent

While the largest fire in Los Angeles history was ruled arson in September 2009, at least five of the 20 worst fires in California history were directly caused by humans in preventable ways, according to the Department of Forestry and Fire Prevention.

The most obvious ways of preventing wildfire on the trail are simple:

  1. Pay attention to fire danger warnings, both on the trailhead and online.
  2. Make sure cigarettes and matches are cold to the touch before disposing.
  3. Burn brush only when the burn risk is low, in a clear area and with water to smother the flames if they get out of hand.
  4. Create controlled campfires and extinguish them safely.

Building and Extinguishing a Safe Campfire

According to the Boy Scout Handbook, the first question is not how to build a safe campfire, it’s whether a campfire is even necessary. If cooking is the only need, the fire risk is high, and there’s no need for warmth, consider using a camp stove only and not lighting a campfire at all.

If lighting a campfire, choose a spot where nothing will catch flame except the fuel that’s intended to burn. If a campsite has a designated campfire area, use that area. If one is not available, choose gravel, sand or non-organic soil (such as silt, clay or sand found along riverbanks) to build the fire on. Clear away all needles, leaves twigs and anything else that could catch fire. Make sure that the fire is well clear of bushes, grass and trees, including overhanging branches.

Do not use any sort of fuel to light the fire (such as gasoline or lighter fluid). Once the fire is lit, make sure that someone is supervising the fire at all times and that a bucket of water is nearby to douse the flames if they get out of hand.

When done with the fire, douse the fire with water and stir it with a stick. Continue to douse and stir until every part of the fire is completely cold to the touch.

The post Camping, Tips for the First Timer appeared first on Downtown Homestead.



from Downtown Homestead http://downtownhomestead.com/camping-tips
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Air Condition Your Garden

July, it is the time of the year when air conditioning is as important in the garden as it is in the home. You, as the temperature rises, can cool off with an electric fan, a cool drink or by hiding away in a cool spot. Your plants are not quite that lucky; yet certain gardening techniques can be employed to help your plants through the summer months. The benefits of air conditioning in your garden will show up in the form of increased production, greater resistance to disease and pests and, in general, a more attractive vista. An improper over-heated environment during the warmer months often leads to wilt, dropping of buds and yellowing of foliage. Aeration of the soil is concerned with its exposure to the air. If this is lacking then your plants very likely will suffer this summer. Believe it or not but there are millions of tiny spaces between the soil particles and this is where air resides. Soils that become water-logged force out this air, a condition that leads to souring of ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Plumbing Noises In Your Home: Your Pipes are talking to you

To diagnose plumbing noises, it is important to determine first whether the unwanted sounds occur on the system’s inlet side-in other words, when water is turned on-or on the drain side. Noises on the inlet side have varied causes: excessive water pressure, worn valve and faucet parts, improperly connected pumps or other appliances, incorrectly placed pipe fasteners, and plumbing runs containing too many tight bends or other restrictions. Noises on the drain side usually stem from poor location or, as with some inlet side noise, a layout containing tight bends.   Common Plumbing Noises Hissing Pipes Hissing noise that occurs when a faucet is opened slightly, generally signals excessive water pressure. Consult your local water company if you suspect this problem; it will be able to tell you the water pressure in your area and can install a pressure reducing valve on the incoming water supply pipe if necessary. Thudding Pipes Thudding noise, often accompanied by shuddering pipe...
Post a Comment
Read more

How to Save Your Own Set of Seeds

Saving seeds doesn’t have to be a frightening task and can even be absolutely easy, according to Fred Bove of the San Francisco Permaculture Guild . Instead of waiting for the last riffraff plants to flower, he instructs to look for the biggest, most colorful specimens that were among the first few plants to become ripe. He urges to resist harvesting the first beautiful flower, vegetable or herb of any one planting, and allow full maturity. “You want to save the best characteristics (of any plant) and pass them on,” explained Bove. Depending on the plant, you may want to select for size, flavor or how quickly it takes for the crop to reach maturity. “That way, you’re promoting the desired characteristics in the next generation of seeds.” The next important challenging task is identifying a seed that’s ready for saving. There are different ways to save seeds, depending on the variety. Plants in the apiaceae family, which includes parsley, fennel and cilantro, will bloom and form umbr...
Post a Comment
Read more