Camping for dummies

Please enjoy the following email chain regarding the family reunion and wonder if I really could be a blood relative of anyone who is this prepared.

This email makes me feel so tired that I'm not sure I'm coming to the reunion anymore.

Sent from my iPhone

On Jul 22, 2011, at 9:28 AM, Ben Davis wrote:

Please see Tai's list below.  It is awesome.


Tai and I talked and decided that we (or rather he) would provide the skeleton for a community kitchen.  I don't mean to beat a dead Sarah-Jessica Parker, but as Tai said below... it is better to have duplicates of stuff than be missing something.  If you do have a camping stove or lanterns or especially propane... please bring it.  As my old Pappy used to say, "better safe than sorry" and "be prepared" and "an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure" and "milk is food."  Well, I'm pretty sure he said that last one anyways.


Please be prepared so we can just relax and have a good time.


-Ben


P.S.  I will be getting back to you all shortly about the meal plan.

Camping Equipment List

To go camping, you will need a pair of cut-off shorts, sandals, a sweatshirt, a tarp, a sleeping bag, trail mix, and a sport bottle with water purification tablets.  To enjoy camping, you will need a whole lot more and most people find their car so packed with camping stuff there is hardly room for passengers.  However, the solution might not be to leave stuff behind as much as find the most efficient way to organize your gear.  I like using large plastic totes to pack everything in, then after each trip sort through the equipment and remove anything not used or needed.  Here is a list of camping equipment, along with some of my suggestions in case you’re looking to buy something new.  

Sleeping:

Tent

XL Stakes

Foam Pad or Air Mattress + pump

Sleeping bags, fleece blankets

Pillows

Battery operated tent lamp

Handbroom

Notes on sleeping gear: Small dome tents (8x8’ or smaller) have several advantages over larger cabin-style tents.  First, they are easier and faster to setup which is helpful if it’s getting dark or starting to rain.  Second, their size gives you more options of where to set them up.  Some campsites have limited tent space.  And third, they are free-standing and do not require secure staking points, so you can set them up on sand, rock etc.  Most tents come with small stakes which do not hold up to strong wind, and it’s worth buying the large 10-12” stakes.  Air mattresses are problematic.  Even with a pump, they take time to inflate and worst of all, any movement will be transferred to other sleepers.  I’ve also had even new ones deflate in the middle of the night.  I really don’t think you can beat a 3-inch thick open-cell foam pad ($20 @ Smith’s Marketplace, Bountiful).  Although they do take up more space when transporting. The large rectangular sleeping bags give you a lot more wiggle room so you don’t feel like a “mummy,” but the extra space can mean cold air pockets.  Placing a fleece blanket inside the bag solves this problem and adds considerable warmth.  Canvas shells, as opposed to the nylon, keep you from sliding downhill when the ground isn’t perfect level.

Camp:

Newspaper, Lighter

*Firewood

Ax, hatchet, leather gloves

Small shovel

Foldable chairs

*Water containers

Propane Lantern

Propane Camp Stove

Propane cylinders

*Cooler

Garbage bags

Biodegradable dish soap, wash basin, scrub brush

Dish towels or Mesh drying bag

Toilet paper, hand sanitizer

Notes on camp setup:  We will have a major need for firewood.  Maple Hollow campground has stacks of cut wood, but most is still green and will not burn well.  Firewood that has been cured is the ideal and it’s best to have some even if you’re going to supplement it by gathering more around camp.  Fresh Market seems to have the best quality ($4 a bundle—pick the lightest bundles) or you can also find it on KSL.com classifieds.  We are also going to need a lot of water, so bring all the containers you have, or buy enough gallons of spring water for your family.  There is a creek, and we could use a water filtration system.  You can cook on the fire, but a small propane burner is nice to heat wash water.  Bring your own cooler.  Block ice lasts twice as long as cubes.    

Kitchen:

Paper towels

Aluminum foil

Ziplock bags

Table cloth

Hot pad

Spatula, serving spoon

Knife, cutting board

Mixing bowl

*Cups, bowls, plates, silverware

Salt & Pepper

Butter, oil

Mayo, Ketchup, Mustard

Roasting sticks

Can opener

Griddle or Skillet

Kettle or large pot

Dutch ovens, lid gripper

Briquettes, chimney starter

Large tongs

Notes on kitchen:  Make sure you bring your own cups/bowls/plates/silverware.  It’s probably better to set up a single cooking and eating area so we don’t have food everywhere that may attract bears/raccoons.  No food or drinks in tents! http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,283834,00.html

First Aid Kit:

Mixed Band-Aids

Gauze

Neosporin

Hydrocortisone cream

Sting-eze

Scissors

Tweezers

Adhesive tape

Liquid bandage spray

Ace bandage

Thermometer

Tylenol

Advil

Pepto-Bismol

Benadryl

  

Notes on first aid:  Prepackaged kits are useful, but they are mostly for small cuts and scrapes.  If you have a gash in your leg or a sprained ankle, you might need more than a Bandaid and a single dose of Advil.  If you have any of the items listed above, throw them in a bag, and together, we should what we need in an emergency.

Personal:

Hat, sunglasses

Glasses or contacts + solution

Short/long sleeve shirts

Pants, shorts

Underwear, socks

Hiking boots

Sandals or flip-flops

Fleece pull-over

Rain jacket

Pajamas

Swimsuit, towel

Sunblock

Insect repellent

Medications, Epinephrine kit (if you have severe allergic reactions)

Day pack, water bottles

Toiletries

Toothbrush, paste

Hair brush

Unbreakable mirror

Deodorant

Soap, washcloth

Feminine products

Chap stick

Baby:

Infant Motrin

Stroller

Kids:

Whistle

Water flotation

Dog:

Dog food, bowl

Leash, bell

Pet bed

Recreation:

Fishing gear, bait, license

Frisbee

Books, magazines

Audubon Society Field Manuals: insects, birds, etc.

2-way radios

GPS or compass/maps

Emergency weather radio

Water toys

Camera, tripod

Firearms, ammo

Miscellaneous:

Wet-ones wipes

Extra batteries

Flashlights, LED headlight

Pocket knife or multi-tool

Water filtration system

Parachute cord, carabineers

Tarp

Duct tape

Solar shower

Ben, I’m not sure how you want to organize who brings what.  Either everyone can bring everything they need, or we can divide it up. It’s probably better to have duplicates than to be missing essential items.  But it might be silly to have 7 propane stoves, so you could also have everyone email you a list of equipment they can bring along with the days they will be there, and you can make assignments.  Another option would be to have me and you set up the kitchen and basic camp.  However, you would have to make extra room in your car to bring home some of my equipment since I’m going home Saturday morning.  Anyway, hope this is useful…

Tai