The Test Run

One thing that I like to do before the first camping trip is to go on a "Test Run."  My kids and I have done this every year as soon as it's warm enough to go.  All we do is go to Grandpa & Grandma's backyard and set up camp.

I use this opportunity to teach/remind the kids about making a fire ring, clearing the ground under the tent, fire-starting skills, etc and we go through all the gear.  I like to show them everything we have, how it works and the proper ways to use it.  This just makes it a lot more fun for them when they understand how something works and can be in charge of that thing.

It's nice to be able to set up the tent and do a full inspection.  Checking the stakes, looking for rips or tears and getting it swept out.  We don't always sleep overnight in our test run campsite.  It's optional.  But we do sit around the campfire and have s'mores while discussing the future camping trips.

This is also a good time to get out the camping stoves and fire them up.  Believe me, you don't want to start them in the house.  You'll get in trouble with the wife.

I always enjoy these test runs because it's like a refresher course in camping.  It also reminds me of things that I need to get prepared for the upcoming camping season.

If you have any questions about camping gear, feel free to email me or contact me through my Facebook Page at Camping Dad.

Ye Old Camp Cupboard

The other day, my kids and I decided it was a good day to sort through the camping gear.  I try to go through our gear at some point during the winter to make sure everything is ready for Spring.  Every time I take my family camping, we bring this camp cupboard along with another rubbermaid container. 

Between these two containers, we have more than what we need to camp with 6-8 people.  Our camp cupboard has been in service for more than 25 years.  I don't know who made it as it was given to us by some friends.  It's unique design makes it the most efficient camp cupboard I've ever used.  It's large enough to fit utensils, plate settings for my family of 6, pots, pans, and kitchen accessories.  Even after all that is packed in there, it still has enough room for dry food and canned goods.

Last year I neglected to sort through the gear before our first camping trip.  Since I store our cupboard in a shed during the winter, we discovered a little surprise when we first opened the cupboard at our camp site.  I'll let my son, tell you about it in his own words:

We were on our first camping trip and my mom yelled, "Uh oh!" when she opened the camping cupboard.  I went to see what was wrong and I saw a family of mice!  So, we asked mom to set them free.  It was really cool.  Mom even took a picture.

So you see, it's important to go through your gear BEFORE you actually need it.  Also, it's good to go through your gear so that you have a couple months to purchase needed items and replenish used goods.  This prevents that oh-so-familiar mad rush the days before the first camping trip - when you realize you need tons of stuff.  You end up spending more than you wanted to and adding extra stress that you don't need.   This can just cause you to be so frustrated with camping that you never want to go again.

My point in all of this?  Good camping starts with good preparation.