| So, what's our experience you want to know? | | | | your tent when you are gone (to the pool, etc), |
| Whom are we to tell you what to do about | | | | so bring along "cable ties" and use them to lock |
| camping? | | | | your tent up while you are away . Cut the ties |
| Instead of asking more questions, read the entire | | | | with a manicure scissor or small wire cutter when |
| article and by the time you are finished you will | | | | you return. You can purchase cable ties anywhere |
| have all the answers. | | | | in most cities. This cable tie lets you know if |
| Before you go anywhere, decide what kind of | | | | anyone has "visited" your campsite while you |
| camping experience you want. Are you looking | | | | were away. If the cable tie is broken when you |
| for real rugged, outdoors along with bears? Then | | | | get back, fully inspect your tent for rips, bugs and |
| choose most of the Pennsylvania State Parks. | | | | other creatures that might have entered while |
| Looking for more civilized camping, try the New | | | | your tent was being visited. It is important to |
| York State Parks. | | | | check for spiders in this campsite. Spiders are |
| FIRST, TOTAL ESSENTIALS for comfortable | | | | rampant all over Hecksher. You see them when |
| camping (in state parks): | | | | you take the fly off of your tent before leaving. |
| - Know that camping inside a state park is no | | | | You will view unbelievable collections of spiders |
| safer than camping or living anywhere else in the | | | | under and near your tent. |
| country. | | | | - When camping with kids or camping and using |
| - So, security, health and safety should be on | | | | 'gear" - baseballs etc. Set up a tiny 'gear tent". |
| your mind before you begin your trip. | | | | You can buy a child's tent for under twelve dollars. |
| - As a beginner, you will do well by first calling the | | | | By storing gear in this separate tent, you save |
| state parks office and asking for a map of the | | | | wear and tear on your regular tent's zipper and |
| place and any or all brochures of the campsites. | | | | also keep the tent CLOSED to all the insects and |
| You can find this information online also at the | | | | other things around the campsite. You will sleep |
| park's websites. | | | | better at night knowing that your main tent zipper |
| - IF this is your first time camping out, take a | | | | was only opened a few times as opposed to |
| buddy, and also choose a campsite that is closest | | | | having the door opened continuously all day to get |
| to the park office (if there is one) and closest to | | | | "gear" out. This saves the floor of your tent also. |
| the bathrooms, showers or soda machines. | | | | - If you are determined to have a dry tent in a |
| (Some sites have those). | | | | very rainy season or wet campsite. Put a large |
| - Look at the map and note whether there are | | | | TARP on the floor of your tent. This will keep |
| bathrooms or outhouses (Yes, there are some | | | | most of the floor dry and will make you happy. |
| that still have outhouses, i.e. in Pennsylvania and in | | | | - Many people use TARPS on the outside of the |
| Ohio). Choose what you like and then select your | | | | tent, under the tent, so they have no messy |
| park or campsite. | | | | mud on the bottom of the tent when they are |
| - Research the temperature of the climate that | | | | ready to pack up. (YOU can have mud on the |
| you will be visiting; check for upcoming storms | | | | floor bottom, underneath, even if it is not raining |
| and bad weather . PLAN your trip. | | | | outside; so use the tarps). IF You use the |
| - INQUIRE about the park's regulations on animals. | | | | outdoors tarp under your tent, the tarp must be |
| (You can find out if you can bring a pet or not). | | | | SMALLER than the bottom of the tent. You do |
| - Do not bring any pets, even if allowed into | | | | not want any of the tarp sticking outside the tent |
| certain country campsites (where there might be | | | | on the floor. If that happens, all the rain will pool in |
| wildlife). You risk your pet getting diseases and | | | | the small bits of tarp that show and the rain will |
| you risk your pet getting eaten, maimed or killed. | | | | seep underneath your entire tent. |
| You also attract bears by bringing pets into the | | | | VITALLY IMPORTANT: |
| campsites. (Some campsites have bears because | | | | If you are camping at a NEW place for the first |
| they are in the middle of game lands or in the | | | | time and you have children or babies that you are |
| middle of vast state parks). | | | | bringing on this camping trip - PLAN a trip BEFORE |
| - IF you must bring a pet, bring a kennel, minimal | | | | your regular camping trip and go there without |
| wet food, and bring gear to dispose of the food | | | | the children or babies. Camp there alone first. |
| and waste. (Leave no trace)! | | | | We did this once, just as a precaution. We didn't |
| - If you want a campsite that has it's own library | | | | know anything about Hecksher and we went |
| (in camp season), visit Wildwood State Park in | | | | camping there first before we planned to take |
| New Jersey. | | | | children there. Good Plan!! |
| - If you want a real wilderness experience, visit | | | | What we discovered is that this particular state |
| most of the Pennsylvania state parks. | | | | park is the QUEEN of Mosquito Heaven! Within less |
| - If you want "civilized" camping, (with real | | | | then 20 minutes that we were there, we had |
| showers, restrooms, electricity to charge your | | | | mosquito bites all over our body. (This doesn't |
| phones, water spigots at campsites) try Hecksher | | | | happen at all parks. Hecksher is notorious for |
| State Park in Long Island, New York. | | | | mosquitoes and spiders. |
| - If you want to feel like you have been to | | | | So, on the regular trip with the kids, we took lots |
| HEAVEN-on earth- make your reservation nine | | | | of repellent and we knew what to do . |
| months in advance and reserve your spot at | | | | So, when camping ANYWHERE with children, visit |
| Hither Hills State Park in the Hamptons, New York. | | | | the site yourself first--without bringing the kids, |
| This place is every bit worth the wait and the | | | | just in case there is something that you should |
| preparation. (Bring zip lock bags and waterproof | | | | know about that particular camping site. |
| bags because this is the wettest campsite around | | | | Wherever you camp, these things are essential: |
| - just a few feet from our ocean). We woke up | | | | - water-tight bags, water proof bags |
| in the morning and found EVERYTHING damp - | | | | - flashlights, batteries, or solar flashlights |
| money soaked, etc, even though we camped 30 | | | | - plastic bucket or pail |
| feet from the ocean and the ocean never | | | | - soap and disinfectant |
| touched out campsite. The moisture in this place is | | | | - bug spray |
| unbelievable. (If you bring electronics here - your | | | | - tarps/ tent /tarp |
| phone, etc, bring a water bucket and store your | | | | - and other camping basics (Read our other |
| electronics in there to keep them dry. | | | | articles about camping) |
| Those, listed above, are just the basics. | | | | - Water and or the ability to find or locate water |
| Other things to prepare for. What if it rains? You | | | | (pack iodine water-purifying pills if you can) |
| can buy a small tarp at the dollar store or at any | | | | We hope you enjoyed this article about camping. |
| hardware store. Place this tarp over your tent if it | | | | In future articles, we will focus on senior camping, |
| rains. Most tents are not waterproof and even | | | | camping at the beach, and camping with wildlife |
| the ones that advertise that can be a little wet in | | | | -yes, there are many state parks that have |
| a bad storm. | | | | bears, and pesky raccoons. Some of our other |
| THINGS TO KEEP YOU DRY: | | | | camping articles feature topics such as how to |
| | | | choose a tent and even which tent to choose. |
| 1. Old, clean shower curtains. | | | | You want to know where the BEST tent is? We |
| 2. Tarps. | | | | have the answer. |
| 3. Old, clean plastic table cloths. | | | | Best Tent (In My Opinion): I have tried many |
| 4. Rain ponchos (as opposed to rain coats). | | | | different brands of tents, including one brand that |
| Ponchos , large ones can double as tent cover. | | | | had no name. I do have my own opinions about |
| IMPORTANT NOTES: | | | | tents. I have been using tents since before 1998. |
| - Keep food OUT of the tent at all times. This | | | | I have tried and tested larger family-type tents, |
| gives you good camping background training. Even | | | | smaller tents, backpacking tents and even beach |
| if you are camping out in a place where there is | | | | tents. I have found that my most favorite ones |
| no wildlife, get into the habit of eating OUTSIDE | | | | are Eureka tents. (You can get these tents very |
| and far from your tent. Then when you do camp | | | | reasonable at the end of camping season. Try not |
| out where there are bears, you already have | | | | to pay full price for camping equipment because it |
| good camping habits. Besides, keeping food out is | | | | is available in larger sporting goods stores and in |
| the same as keeping uncovered food out of your | | | | some department stores. If you wait until end of |
| bedroom. You do not want to attract bugs or | | | | season to purchase your tents, you will get great |
| other creatures that might be hiding anywhere in | | | | discounts. |
| the building or anywhere outdoors. | | | | Read our other articles about camping that will be |
| - At Hecksher State Park, you might find | | | | online in April, 2008. |
| unwelcome visitors (little people) trying to come in | | | | |