ballp.it
Snakes In The Ball Pit => Yay, I get to talk about me! => Topic started by: Locclo on May 08, 2015, 09:15:10 pm
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I figure there have to be a few of you out there. So, like the title says, I'm going camping for basically the first time with a group of friends (I mean, I think I went on a couple of trips as a kid, but that hardly counts) and I'm looking for some advice on what to prepare for. Most of the gear is actually being provided, thankfully, so I'm mostly covered on that front, but as someone who usually cooks using a recipe, an oven, or a microwave, I'm a little concerned about what kind of foods I should bring, what's easy to prepare/cook over a campfire or on a camp stove, what I should avoid, etc. Any thoughts? Any helpful links? AFAIK, our basic plan for food is to stop at a grocery store just before we get to the site, and use coolers for storing perishables.
Any help would be appreciated!
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How long are you camping for, just over the weekend? I'm guessing you're staying at a campsite with fire pit/grill or something?
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How long are you camping for, just over the weekend? I'm guessing you're staying at a campsite with fire pit/grill or something?
EYE OF ZA, May 09, 2015, 12:17:22 am
It'll be a 5-day trip, actually, from the 11th to the 15th. As for what's up there, all I know is that there will be a fire pit and a propane cooking stove. I'm not really the one who organized it, which is why I'm not 100% on the details of what'll be available.
Edit: I should add that what I know about what's available for cookware is that "it's covered." We're renting a bunch of gear from an REI, which is where the organizer works, so whatever they would supply is what we have.
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I used to do a fair bit of outdoorsy stuff, and I could probably type a bunch of nonsense but I'll try and keep it short.
Keep your foodstuff nonperishable. You won't have cooling past the first day, barring daily trips to buy ice (which is scarcely camping at all if you ask me). Bear in mind you'll be expected to haul all your trash out with you, so cutting down on packaging pays a lot of dividends. Canned stuff is fine, just make sure you have a can opener. You'd be surprised how often that gets forgotten.
A utility knife is a wonderful thing. A proper Swiss Army knife is nice but possibly spendier than you'd like, so a cheap one might do you for the first trip. Even just being able to make some kindling makes campfires that much easier.
BRING BUG SPRAYS. Also sunscreen. But really, a first aid kit and some basic things to deal with bugs and sunburn. If you're uncomfortable early on, it's going to be five days of misery and you'll hate it and lower the overall mood. There will be bugs, and you are going to get bitten. Bank on it. Your organizer might have this covered, but you'll feel a lot more smug if you can take care of yourself.
You should also have some sort of container you can bring for your own drinking water. Canteens are nice, but even just a fannypack you can cram a sports bottle into will save you hassle.
Bring a flashlight and something to read, too. You just never know if you've got a bit of time to fill.
Before I type more, you should really see what other kit you're going to be set up with. At the least, you'd want a framepack to lug everything with, a sleeping bag, a mess kit (a compact set of dishes), and the things I mentioned above.
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I'm going to echo Acier here. bug spray, a knife and nonperishable foods. Things you can poke a stick through and roast are the easiest, but there are also small pots specially for camping. It's also a good idea to bring an airtight container that you can keep the cooked foodstuffs in, in order not to attract any local wildlife or insects. Oh, and make sure you bring enough matches and some kindling to make a fire easily. You may be thinking it's easy work, but nothing is more annoying than standing in the rain, vainly trying to get some wet sticks to ignite. You should also bring several pairs of socks, and at least one extra set of warm clothes. GOOD SHOES! I cannot stress this enough. Something that keeps water out is ideal, even the driest forests can surprise you in nasty ways. Toilet paper and a small spade to dig a hole if you're camping somewhere where there are no latrines.
I'd have more, but this is probably getting boring already. A lot also depends on the type of camping you'll be doing. If you're going to an established camp ground you'll probably need less kit than if it's just flat out wilderness.
PS: If you're sharing a tent with someone I would strongly suggest non-farty foods. Bean there, done that.
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Make sure you'll be sleeping in a waterproof tent. I took an amphibian ecology class back in college that included a multi-day field trip. I ended up bunking with Captain Outdoors, who could endure anything. It started raining hard one night and our tent began to flood. I escaped with my pack to a nearby public bathroom and spent the night unsuccessfully trying to sleep on dirty tiles while wearing wet clothes. Captain Outdoors slept through the night in a puddle and was his normal cheery self the next day.
This warning is coming to you from a person who hasn't cared enough about the weather to wear a coat in the last twenty years. Captain Outdoors was some next level shit that I still can't even begin to comprehend. You don't want him supplying the living conditions.
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Take an extra couple of pairs of dry socks in a waterproof ziploc baggie.
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Supplies
- You can get little spray bottles of hand sanitizer that are about the size of a pen. They are invaluable.
- Bring an extra change or two of clothes: pants, underwear, and socks especially
- Bring a few trash bags. You'll need something watertight to put dirty clothes in or to carry trash in.
- Bring a warm jacket or coat even if it's warm where you are. You might need it at night.
- Pajama bottoms are your friend on cold nights
Medical
- If anyone has bee allergies, bring an epipen or two
- If there are water pumps, check in advance how they're treated. If they're treated with iodine, ask your group about iodine allergies.
- Make sure someone has a first aid kit
- Bring antihistamines if you have seasonal or grass allergies
Food
- Get a small mess kit unless someone's bringing plates and silverware for everyone
- Check sporting goods, outdoors, or big box stores with larger outdoors sections (Walmart, Fleet Farm, Dick's) for more interesting food that can last without refrigeration.
- Sweet potatoes can be cooked over a fire and last a while, but there are special methods you need to use to cook them.
- Peanut butter doesn't need to be refrigerated if used in the short term
- Jars of pasta sauce can last until they're opened. Could make for a good communal pasta night
- Bring some snacks like granola or cracker packets. You're going to get hungry a lot quicker if you're trudging around all day.
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Make sure all your food and trash (especially meat) is secure so you don't get raccoons or, God forbid, bears in your camp
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Puking in the tent after drinking 3 bottles of red wine does not actually make you any friends.
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Sometimes the cool road is a lonely road to travel.
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Puking in the tent after drinking 3 bottles of red wine does not actually make you any friends.
jack chick, May 11, 2015, 11:27:09 am
This.
I like how the internet brings people together who have had similar experiences.
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If you're going to be out there drinking or whatever then save yourself the time and effort and just have a barbecue, you'll get about as much out of it.