I do most of my camping these days with North Texas Adventures which is not a hard core camping group. These days even those who appreciate their home comforts in life can enjoy camping.If you bring a pump up air mattress with sheets, a comforter, and pillows you’ll forget you’re not in your own bed at home!Given how big tents are these days even a queen size mattress does not need to take up the whole tent. 

If you are at a campsite with electricity, consider bringing a fan to plug in which helps beat the heat in your tent.  This comes in handy in the brutal Texas heat.  For colder weather camping, bring some sleeping bags for added warmth. 

With today’s amenities there is no need to “rough it” on a camping trip.Keep this in mind when you write your guest list.  Even people that insist they don’t like to camp may enjoy modern day camping that can have much of the comforts of home.

Some of my happiest camping memories are sitting around the fire at night.  This is a great time to relax and tell stories of your adventures from that day, like the time I ran over a rattlesnake on my mountain bike, and my buddy, to avoid the rattlesnake ran his bike straight into a cactus!  Ouch!  Meanwhile you can roast some marshmallows or enjoy a few beers. 

Make sure to bring lots of firewood to burn, as there is nothing worse than having the fire burn out just as the party is getting started.  Fires are so much fun that most campers will even enjoy them in warm weather.I remember waiting for the sun to go down after a 93 degree day so we could light a fire!
One of our favorite night time activities is a good game of Texas Hold’em poker, this is very popular in our DFW Outdoors Club

This can be great for beginners who sometimes are lucky enough to bring the pot home.  This happened with my girlfriend and I was so embarrassed when she won and waved the money around in the air singing “I am the winner!” at the top of her big lungs.Fortunately for all of us, her beginner’s luck soon came to an end and it was much quieter at the next game. 

So make sure to bring some games or items for entertainment that appeal to your group. Some of the other items I bring for fun are a football, bean bag toss game, frisbee, fishing poles, a bicycle and of course a deck of cards.

Don’t forget a lanten.You may need it to find your way to your tent after a beginner takes your money at poker!Finally it is important to remember, Don’t mess with Texas!  We take looking after the camp area seriously, what ever state you are in, as we do with our Dallas Fort Worth Hiking Club. Do a good deed and leave the camp site cleaner than you found it.  Do a good walk through to make sure we minimize our footprint on our great state parks and camping area’s.  We all will appreciate you doing your part.

Thank you for reading this article and I hope these tips help you make a more successful and fun camping trip!   

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Camping Stove Buying Guide

Camping is a fun ordeal, but you’re going to need some way to keep your food warm. That being said, it’s time to find a way to not only warm your food but to do it efficiently. So howdo you go about selecting an appliance to use in the wilderness?

When you are on the trail, you will find that a fire doesn’t always cut it, especially when it comes to cooking. You could use the fire, but now we have more convenient ways. When you are buying a camping stove however, you will need to make sure that it actually meets your needs. But that’s the question isn’t it? What’s in a good camping stove? How will you know that you are making the right choice?

Price makes a difference

The first thing you need to take into consideration is the price you are paying. You may ponder that all camping stoves cost the same price but in reality the prices are murky. For instance you may pay $12.99 for a small portable model, but if you want a larger model, then you might want to go for something a bit more expensive.

Sizing it Up

As always it depends what you want to cook and how many people you want to cook for. There are actually many different sizes. For instance you could go for one that is small, or you might choose one that is the size of a regular grill. Whether or not that is actually convenient really depends on the purpose. Generally though, the camping stoves will have two burners and support medium sized pans.  Remember that you don’t always have to go for the biggest and most expensive pan out there! Think about what you need!

A Matter of Power

There are some camping stoves that are powered by electricity, but the majority are powered by gas. This is much more convenient for campers who don’t plan to be near civilization or use any sort of electricity. Choose cautiously and make sure you buy a camping stove that meets your needs.

Shop and Compare

Don’t wait until it’s time to hit the trail before you start shopping for a good camping stove. When you shop, take your needs into account. For example what is the time you need it to last? For instance some stoves work up to six hours and others only for two hours. Cooking time is dependent on the intensity of the burner so make you look at the utmost cooking time.

So what we have here are a few things that you will need to look for when you are shopping for a camping stove:

• Convenience – The stove needs to be able to support your cooking habits yet be portable enough that you can carry it easily.
• Capability - The length of time that you can cook your food is important. If you would like to eat a lot you may want one that cooks for numerous hours. You can always carry extra butane, but it would be best to have one that lasts.
• Durability - You want a stove that can last for a long time, and that means you might have to go a bit out of your comfort zone when it comes to the pricing. In addition to that you must ensure that its water tight and will continue operating in the face of elements.

When you stop, make sure you take these things into consideration. Be sure that you are getting the right stove for the right job. Do this, and you will be sure to have a great camping and cooking experience.

Done w/ Camping Stoves? Read More About Butane Stove…

It’s vacation time and you want your family to experience a new adventure together, but you have no idea how to go about it. How about taking them on a camping or skiing trip. It is so important to take children into nature and let them experience it in real life, rather than teaching them from a book or the television.

It is a thrill to sit and plan where and when you as a family will embark on an adventure such as this, because everyone gets to play an important role in planning and executing it as well. You children need to have some responsibility in making the trip a success and you could give them lots of small tasks to do. No doubt the boys will remember to bring along their men’s sport watch so they could keep track of time and use all the features on it as well. And of course for the ladies they will definitely want to pack their digital book reader, for the day it rains and you will have to stay indoors.

We are partly to blame for our children’s inability and lack of luster to be in the outdoors, because we want our children home where we can see them and know that they are safe. So we get them internet, and computer games and phones to text each other and a myriad of other gadgets to keep them busy. It’s a noble idea, but it makes them lazy and takes them away from the outdoors.

We the parents are to blame in some areas because it is easier to keep an eye on a child if he is up in his room, than not knowing where he is or what he is up to if not at home. So we subconsciously provide them with entertainment that will keep them in doors. There is nothing inherently wrong with it, it just keeps the child away from nature and physical exercise.

If you have snow nearby, you could combine a camping with skiing and have double the fun. Take your alpine skiing equipment along and show off in front of them a bit, or even better, provide them with laughter as you come tumbling down a slope, looking rather odd.

Sunshine also plays a pivotal role in our well being. When exposed to it for a period of time our skin absorbs the UV rays and in turn we convert this into Vitamin D. The function of vitamin D in our bodies, is to help us absorb calcium and maintain normal blood levels of calcium and phosphorus. This is good for a bones and especially in youngsters.

You can’t go wrong with an outdoor vacation it will bind and foster a better relationship with all family members.