Some call it the gateway to the outdoors. Some call it smart budgeting. Some say it’s an escape from civilization and technology. Some say it’s the vacation from hell. Everyone has his or her own motivations for camping. Family bonding, escaping the world’s stress and being one with Mother Nature are some reasons. However, many wonder why anyone would enjoy sleeping on the ground. In 2008, 33.7 million Americans (ages 6 and older) participated in camping, according to the Outdoor Industry Association. This was a 7.4 percent increase from the previous year. It is suspected that the amount of campers will increase throughout the recession. Camping is a solution for many travelers for cutting back on lodging expenses. For those travelers who do not particularly love the idea of “roughing it” but are willing to camp to save some big bucks while on the road, there are tips to help solve the common issues people have with camping.

Common complaints: ▶Weather ▶Bugs and Pests ▶Sleep and Energy ▶Safety

Camping Solutions

Adjacent Views

March 27, 2012

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Weather

Bugs and Pests

Sleep and Energy

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The weather can be the most challenging obstacle to overcome while camping. Primarily because you can’t, or at least there is no controlling it. The climate can make or break the whole trip. However, the key to this, just like all aspects of making a successful camping trip, is preparation.

The first step, of course, would be taking advantage of our handy technology. Check the weather fore-cast before even leaving the house. But that’s a given. The weather is unpredictable, even to meteorologists, though. This seems to be especially true in the backcountry. The trick is to expect the worse weather, and prepare yourself for it.

Along with checking up on the forecasts, be aware of the average temperatures and climates of the region. Always bring rain gear and warm clothes, even if you will be in dry and hot Arizona. Pack what you can for the chance of cold and wet weather. Lastly, always keep an eye on the sky. If you know your clouds, predicting the next few hours’ weather becomes much easier. It is highly suggested to familiarize yourself with different cloud forms and move-ments. You can easily predict warm and cold fronts, rain, how long the rain might last, and so on and take appropriate precautions. If lightning is ever seen or thunder is heard, be sure to take cover and stay away from metal. Know the typical procedures. Weather is unpredictable and often hits the campers and hikers who are least prepared.

Bugs are among the peskiest of camping complaints. Ironically, most of the precautions are well known, just over-looked during preparations.

The obvious is bug spray. Spray bug repellent on ex-posed skin to keep away mosquitoes. Citronella candles are another bug-be-gone remedy. Set them up around your campsite to reduce the bug annoyance in the immediate area.

Be sure to wear long pants, sleeves, and a hat if going hiking. This should prevent ticks from latching onto you. Also, put bug repellent on your clothes, but not your skin. Try to avoid bushes and tall grass. Nobody wants a tick. If you do find one, remove immediately.

Do your best to throw away your trash promptly, especially from meals. This should minimize ant prob-lems. By keeping your trash in a designated area, off of the ground, until an opportunity to throw it away, bugs and other pests have less of a reason to come after you.

Finally, never leave food unattended. Chipmunks, raccoons, mice, and other critters are cute until they are stealing your food. Keep it out of reach, and never leave it out over night.

If you find that you cannot live with bugs and pests, camp in spring or autumn. Mid-summer is the worse time of year for the most annoying bugs, like mosquitoes and gnats. Also, the region can determine the extent of these intruders.

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Sleep and Energy“Why would I want to sleep outside on the ground?” The uncomfortable sleeping situation of camping

is an obvious complaint from many. However, there are many solutions to prevent a bad night sleep while in the great outdoors.

First thing’s first, get yourself a good, padded, warm sleeping bag. Then put it on top of an air mattress. Air mattresses can be relatively cheap, $20-30, for a decent product. Most come with a pump and are easy to blow up.

However, before you even set up your sleeping arrangements, or even your tent, there are a few things you can do to help you have a relaxed sleep. (Yes, even in the woods) Find a flat surface around your campsite, and watch out for major rocks. We all have had bad experiences with sleeping on rocks… not pleasant. Once you have found a good place to set up tent, lay down some brush. You can pick up surrounding leaves, or low hanging branches, and make a neat and spread out pile right on your selected tent spot. You will be surprised how much this helps to cushion the ground beneath your tent. But be sure not to destroy the trees too much.

Finally, most people complain about the tent being stuffy and hot by the time you wake. Leave a window in your tent open, on a dry night. Most, if not all, tents should have two layers to the windows, one being a screened fabric to keep out bugs. This makes for a peaceful night sleep as you breathe in the clean, crisp nature air.

If you still find yourself tired the next day, there is always a cure for that. Take a morning walk through the nearby trials. Just a 5 to 10 minute walk can wake you up and ready for the day, not to mention a peaceful way to begin your day.

There, of course, is always caffeine. Coffee is easier to make over a campfire than you may expect. As long as you have a pot, the coffee can boil if well placed over a fire. Even if your fire is weak and goes out, you can set the pot on top of the hot coals. If all else fails, there is always energy drinks and bars. I personally prefer NOS.

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Safety Tips

Keep Nature Beautiful. Thank you.

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▶ Protect your skin and eyes from the sun ▶ Be aware of poison ivy and other poisonous plants and animals ▶ Prepare for the worst weather conditions and keep a close eye on weather changes ▶ Never hike alone ▶ Keep food iced in a cooler ▶ Check with campgrounds about security police ▶ Do not approach wild animals ▶ Always clean up area after yourself (for the safety of the animals and to preserve nature) ▶ Bring a first aid kit ▶ Practice fire safety

•Neverbuildyourfireclosetotentsorotherflamableitems •Neverleavefireunattended •Clearareaofdebris •Keepbucketofwaternearfire •Becarefulwithgasandlighterfluid

▶ Most importantly, always tell someone where you are going and when you plan on coming back

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