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backcountry camping for the whole family
Welcome to my little corner of the site! A place to discuss things that happen when we are
camping-from the humorous to the annoying. (I guess you could call this my "blog"). We have run into
both, and everything in between. We try to be good neighbors when we do have to camp around
others, and that can be challenging with a seven year old who loves people. We try and explain to her
that the nice couple next to us doesn't really want to know all the details about Star Wars. She is
learning to respect others' peace and quiet. She is also learning to live without electronics while we
are camping. I think this is one of the many blessings of camping, to disconnect from the world and
connect more as a family. It's amazing to watch her make up games using rocks, sticks and pine cones.
It's fascinating what that little imagination can come up with!
Here are some stories and thoughts on the great outdoors....
Here are some stories and thoughts on the great outdoors....
So, this weekend we got together with a group of friends to go camping and hang out at a lake. Yes, a campground. This is a very
popular lake in central Texas and usually on the weekends it is full--and it was. We set up our tent in an area with 4 sites in a
fairly small area. During the day we had no problems, most people were at the shore or on boats all day. It just amazes me
though, once evening comes and everyone settles into their sites for the night, how people just seem to forget all consideration
for the people that are camping near them. They forget that their voices really do travel a long way and you don't have to shout
at people you are right next to. And maybe not everyone enjoys their taste in music, especially into the wee hours of the night.
Is is really necessary to have five lanterns on ALL NIGHT long? Our campsite was lit up like a runway all night. And lastly,
unless you are Matthew McConaughey (and even that is pushing it) I don't want to hear bongo drums at midnight!
OK. So, how do you camp considerately? Here are a few no-no's (especially if you come in past dark)
~Don't drive in with your "brights" on looking for a campsite (and turn 'em off once you find one).
~Don't have music on AT ALL past 10pm.
~Don't use your headlights to see while you put up your tent (invest in some headlamps please)
~Don't leave your lanterns on unless you are using them-enjoy the night sky (and it keeps the moths away)
~Don't open and close car doors 50 times setting up (unload everything and shut em)
~talk in quiet voices and teach your kids to do the same
~Don't lock your doors with the remote-do it manually-no one wants to hear that chirp and have lights flashing at them.
~Don't have this be the first time you have ever set up your tent-practice a few times at home. This seems to be something that can drive couples into some serious arguing.
~If you are coming in late, don't feel like you have to set up the whole camp-get the tent and bedding done and hit the sack (plenty of time for set up in the morning.)
~Don't let your kids bug everyone in the campground. They probably didn't drive all that way to have some kid talk to them non-stop, and these days, sad to say, it just isn't that safe to have them wandering around.
I am sure there is more to add, feel free to send me any ideas on how to be a considerate camper. It is amazing how spoiled you can get when you are out "alone" camping. There are times when a campground is the only place to stay due to what you want to see (like Arches National Park in Utah). Being considerate of others, and having some patience definately can make it more enjoyable for everyone.
OK. So, how do you camp considerately? Here are a few no-no's (especially if you come in past dark)
~Don't drive in with your "brights" on looking for a campsite (and turn 'em off once you find one).
~Don't have music on AT ALL past 10pm.
~Don't use your headlights to see while you put up your tent (invest in some headlamps please)
~Don't leave your lanterns on unless you are using them-enjoy the night sky (and it keeps the moths away)
~Don't open and close car doors 50 times setting up (unload everything and shut em)
~talk in quiet voices and teach your kids to do the same
~Don't lock your doors with the remote-do it manually-no one wants to hear that chirp and have lights flashing at them.
~Don't have this be the first time you have ever set up your tent-practice a few times at home. This seems to be something that can drive couples into some serious arguing.
~If you are coming in late, don't feel like you have to set up the whole camp-get the tent and bedding done and hit the sack (plenty of time for set up in the morning.)
~Don't let your kids bug everyone in the campground. They probably didn't drive all that way to have some kid talk to them non-stop, and these days, sad to say, it just isn't that safe to have them wandering around.
I am sure there is more to add, feel free to send me any ideas on how to be a considerate camper. It is amazing how spoiled you can get when you are out "alone" camping. There are times when a campground is the only place to stay due to what you want to see (like Arches National Park in Utah). Being considerate of others, and having some patience definately can make it more enjoyable for everyone.
"Who is down there??"
This first story happened at Morphy Lake, NM. The campground we stay at is small but very well used in the season up to when they close at the end of September. There are several vault or pit toilets around the lake. The one closest to our campsite needed to be pumped out in a bad way. A cloud of flies would swarm over you when you opened the door, that's how bad it was. The door had been propped open to try and equalize out the flies and the smell. So, some important background. My sister and I were big fans of the X-files TV show. One that really stuck with us was about this human-like creature that came over in the septic system on a russian boat, then got flushed into a US septic system and started sucking people down into the toilets as they sat on them. Just as "Jaws" ruined the ocean for many, I always thought of this episode when venturing in to a pit toilet (even though they are not connected to anything--I know, I know). So, it was a dark evening as I headed to the toilet to pee. Just as I finished there was a ruckus UNDER me, in the bottom of the toilet (which wasn't too far under me do to the fullness of the toilet). I immediately thought "Russian septic monster" and jumped straight up and off the toilet, pulling my pants back on, all in one graceful movement(yea-maybe not). Since nothing came out after me I eased over and had a look with my headlamp. Staring up at me was not the "septic monster", but a poor owl that had somehow navigated down into the toilet, and it was standing on all the "stuff" and looking at me. I immediately called Lucky and Muley over, starting with "You are NOT going to believe what is in the toilet!". After much discussion about the owl, we figured out that he was not going to fly out of there on his own. The opening was too narrow and he couldn't get any lift to get up anyway. There wasn't anyone to call either. Every time we checked on him, he hopped right to the middle and just stared at us. I found a 2x4 board that just fit from the edge of the lid down onto the top of all the toilet paper and poo (which was actually quite solid-ewww!) It was almost the full moon, so we lifted the lid and propped the door wide open, and wished him luck. The next morning there was no sign of him, so we like to assume he walked his way up the board and flew far, far away. I thought of taking a picture of him, but Lucky talked me out of it. Probably a good thing!!
This first story happened at Morphy Lake, NM. The campground we stay at is small but very well used in the season up to when they close at the end of September. There are several vault or pit toilets around the lake. The one closest to our campsite needed to be pumped out in a bad way. A cloud of flies would swarm over you when you opened the door, that's how bad it was. The door had been propped open to try and equalize out the flies and the smell. So, some important background. My sister and I were big fans of the X-files TV show. One that really stuck with us was about this human-like creature that came over in the septic system on a russian boat, then got flushed into a US septic system and started sucking people down into the toilets as they sat on them. Just as "Jaws" ruined the ocean for many, I always thought of this episode when venturing in to a pit toilet (even though they are not connected to anything--I know, I know). So, it was a dark evening as I headed to the toilet to pee. Just as I finished there was a ruckus UNDER me, in the bottom of the toilet (which wasn't too far under me do to the fullness of the toilet). I immediately thought "Russian septic monster" and jumped straight up and off the toilet, pulling my pants back on, all in one graceful movement(yea-maybe not). Since nothing came out after me I eased over and had a look with my headlamp. Staring up at me was not the "septic monster", but a poor owl that had somehow navigated down into the toilet, and it was standing on all the "stuff" and looking at me. I immediately called Lucky and Muley over, starting with "You are NOT going to believe what is in the toilet!". After much discussion about the owl, we figured out that he was not going to fly out of there on his own. The opening was too narrow and he couldn't get any lift to get up anyway. There wasn't anyone to call either. Every time we checked on him, he hopped right to the middle and just stared at us. I found a 2x4 board that just fit from the edge of the lid down onto the top of all the toilet paper and poo (which was actually quite solid-ewww!) It was almost the full moon, so we lifted the lid and propped the door wide open, and wished him luck. The next morning there was no sign of him, so we like to assume he walked his way up the board and flew far, far away. I thought of taking a picture of him, but Lucky talked me out of it. Probably a good thing!!
As we were packing up and leaving Lincoln Creek, I noticed a shredded bag of goldfish crackers next to Muleys seat. I
told Lucky and he knew we must have a chipmunk or some kind of rat in the car. One of the doors had been left open
by accident for a bit the night before, and something had been in our rig. We looked around the car and saw no more
evidence of it, so we hoped it ate and moved on. As we were driving to Breckenridge, I opened the glove box and found
a shredded pile of napkins. At this point we were thinking the critter is still in the car. We get to the condo, and as
Lucky is preparing his pack for his hike he notices that the ziplock with his snacks, which was in his backpack, has a hole
eaten in it. After looking at his pack, there is a half-dollar size hole eaten right through the side. Well, as Bugs Bunny
used to say "This means war!!" If you are opposed to the killing of small furry animals, please stop reading here and
enjoy some photos from our trip! Otherwise, read on.
The condo had an empty garage, so Lucky pulls out everything from inside the truck, and I mean everything. The rat had already started storing stuff in our rescue bag that was in the back of the rig. After much debate over sticky traps vs. poison, we opted for the poison. We left the doors open on the rig, and left the poison out on the floorboard. We also had to lock up our stuff in the garage with poison in there too, just in case he was hiding out in our sleeping bags. Apparently the poison makes them very thirsty before it kills them, and there was a stream on the backside of the condo. Our hope was he would dine on the poison, get thirsty and hear the babbling brook, get a drink and die by the stream (and not in our car). After a few hours the poison was eaten. We locked the truck back up and waited for any signs of it. I am happy to say there is one less pack-eating rat in Colorado. The lesson here is always shut those doors, especially at night, even if you are close by.
The condo had an empty garage, so Lucky pulls out everything from inside the truck, and I mean everything. The rat had already started storing stuff in our rescue bag that was in the back of the rig. After much debate over sticky traps vs. poison, we opted for the poison. We left the doors open on the rig, and left the poison out on the floorboard. We also had to lock up our stuff in the garage with poison in there too, just in case he was hiding out in our sleeping bags. Apparently the poison makes them very thirsty before it kills them, and there was a stream on the backside of the condo. Our hope was he would dine on the poison, get thirsty and hear the babbling brook, get a drink and die by the stream (and not in our car). After a few hours the poison was eaten. We locked the truck back up and waited for any signs of it. I am happy to say there is one less pack-eating rat in Colorado. The lesson here is always shut those doors, especially at night, even if you are close by.
"The Unwanted Guest!"
Considerate camper?