| Anyone who has ever backpacked knows you | | | | your tent, you will want an area that is |
| have to be in shape and ready to rough it. There | | | | COMPLETELY flat. Even the slightest incline will |
| is no margin for extra weight - like blow up | | | | cause you to roll downhill by morning time in your |
| mattresses to sleep on or carrying a 6-pack in | | | | sleeping bag. You don't want to be near |
| your backpack. And while it is not always | | | | campground intersections (car traffic) or near |
| necessary to eat freeze dried food, any trip over | | | | group sites (noise). Being near RV's may require |
| four to five nights will likely require it. | | | | you to get used to generators humming (until |
| Car camping is a whole different story however. | | | | 10-11 pm) and early in the morning so we try to |
| You can literally bring all the beer you want, carry | | | | choose tent camping spots only. |
| chairs and rain tarps, tablecloths and air bed | | | | The last pieces of advice involves possibilities of |
| matresses and have room left over for your golf | | | | rain and location of cooking grill and fire pit. Pits |
| clubs. There is a trick however to maximizing | | | | way away from the picnic table are fine as long |
| your enjoyment and here are just a few tips to | | | | as you have brought chairs. If not, you may want |
| help you. | | | | a pit as near to the 'kitchen' as possible. A good |
| Veteran campers know that to get a primo camp | | | | grill is one that is less than 14 inches deep. Deep |
| spot you must arrive fairly early in the afternoon | | | | pits or standing grills require tons of coals to |
| and on a weekday to get the very prime spots. | | | | constantly flame or the fire rarely stays hot |
| But don't despair if you are starting a weeklong | | | | enough to thoroughly cook chicken, which can |
| camping trip and have to arrive on Saturday night. | | | | take up to 1 1/2 hours. You can build a 'base' with |
| Grab whatever spot you can, don't unload the | | | | aluminum cans or rocks so you can elevate the |
| whole car and in the morning, scout out the best | | | | coals by 3-4 inches or more. For possibilities of |
| campsites where the party appears to be packing | | | | rain, you will want at least 3 tall trees near the |
| up. Ask them if you can throw a few chairs, | | | | table, preferably four in a rectangle if possible. |
| towels or cooler near their campfire so others | | | | This way you can rope a tarp over the main area |
| don't sneak in ahead of you and simply wait till | | | | and perhaps cover the grill also. Always bring your |
| they leave and move on over. If you do arrive | | | | own wood unless you are positive the 'host' sells |
| early and have a choice of spots, you are looking | | | | firewood and at the least, bring kindling along to |
| for as many of the following as you can in a | | | | get a good fire going. |
| campsite: near a water source, near a bathroom | | | | Adhere to these tried and true principles and you |
| outhouse if required, plenty of distance between | | | | will be amazed at how convenient and pleasant |
| other campsites and with lots of natural | | | | camping can be. |
| underbrush making your spot more private. For | | | | |