Understanding basic first-aid is paramount. This life skill is needed whether you enter the backcountry or not. If you haven’t taken both a first-aid class and a CPR class lately, what are you waiting for? Accidents happen, be prepared. The American Red Cross offers both classes all the time.

Backcountry travel requires a basic understanding of how to navigate. Whether you prefer to use a map with a compass or with a GPS, learn how to find your way around. Getting lost is bad. Fear of getting lost can be worse. Classes for map reading, compass use and GPS use are readily available in most communities. Check local libraries, community colleges or orienteering clubs. On-line classes are readily available as well.

How are you at tying knots? This too is an easily acquired skill. Nothing is cooler than needing to use a rope and actually knowing how to use it. Whether you are tying off a tent stake or repelling over a cliff, being able to use the right knot at the right time is important. Learn how to tie a bowline, sheet bend, rolling hitch and timber hitch, to name a few. Many books and websites are available with pictures and instructions.

To start a fire, only two things are needed—heat and fuel. Whenever you visit the backcountry, always be sure to carry both heat and fuel. Heat is easiest to carry in the form of waterproof matches or a weather proof lighter. Fuel is tougher to carry although starter fuel such as lint and mineral oil shouldn’t be too difficult to carry. Nature provides an abundance of fuel if you know what you’re looking for. Whether rubbing sticks together (yuck) or using waterproof matches (yea), be sure you know how to start a fire before you start your journey. There are many ways to start a fire and you should find at least three of them that work for you. You can find lots on-line regarding this life skill.

The most enjoyable way to experience our backcountry is the “low impact” way. You’ve most likely heard the phrase “leave only footprints, take only pictures.” If we take good care of our wilderness areas, not only will we be able to enjoy them our entire lives but our descendants will have the opportunity to enjoy them too. There are many organizations actively educating outdoor enthusiasts as to the best way to “low impact” recreate. Two very popular organizations are Tread Lightly! and Leave No Trace.

Knowing these five life skills will provide you with the confidence to fully enjoy your time in the backcountry. Once you’ve mastered these skills be sure to pass them on to your friends and family.

Use this information and you’ll Get It Right The First Time. Get Outdoors!

Five Life Skills for BackCountry Enjoyment is a post from: Tours And Travel - Cior2008turkiye.org

By John Muncie

When the cool, deep shaft of the abandoned copper mine ended in a wall of rock, guide Mike Thurbert turned to the group and said, “Turn off your flashlights.”

We were about 100 yards into an Idaho hillside. The lights went off as instructed and, in a moment of solemnity, 19-year-old Thurbert quietly asked us to contemplate the phenomenon of utter darkness. For that instant, each of us was an island, alone in the black tunnel.

Then somebody made a spooky ooooo-ing sound and, to squeals of laughter, all the flashlights clicked back on, most of them shining up under chins, turning faces into grotesque Halloween masks.

Solemnity is in short supply on a river rafting trip full of kids.

If you’re wondering what a walk in a copper mine has to do with river rafting, you’ll probably wonder the same about blackberry picking, hurtling down sand dunes, Wiffle-ball and toenail polishing.

Our white-water rafting trip on the Lower Salmon River had as much to do with old-fashioned family fun as it did with running rapids. It was the warm and fuzzy things — singing around the campfire, eating meals together, inventing games, telling bad jokes, debating big issues with know-it-all adolescents — we remembered long after the white-water thrills faded.

My wife, Jody, and I chose this particular adventure for family reasons. Friends of ours, the Fullers, had researched the trip — four days, three nights on the Salmon and Snake rivers starting in Idaho with the Outdoor Adventure River Specialists, or OARS, rafting company — and asked whether we wanted to join them. John Fuller teaches science to our 14-year-old son, Sam, and Fuller’s son, Woody, is a pal of Sam’s.

Our trip began on a Monday, when we took a bus from Lewiston to the Pine Bar put-in point on the Salmon, 62 miles upstream from our eventual destination, Heller Bar. We pushed out into the river around 11 a.m. Our little flotilla consisted of three rubber rafts, three wooden dories, a big paddle raft and three inflatable kayaks.

Barry Dow, 57, a 30-year veteran of the Salmon, Snake and Colorado rivers, was our trip leader, but the rest of the seven- person crew seemed surprisingly young. In fact, three of them were in their teens. When we questioned them about their backgrounds, we discovered that rafting seems to be in their genes.

“My mom was pregnant with me when she was on the river,” said Thurbert, whose father was a river guide. Thurbert, who made his first ex-utero rafting trip when he was 3, piloted the passenger- powered paddle raft on this trip. His instructions were both counterintuitive — “Always lean into the wave, always lean toward the rock!” — and straightforward — “Listen to what I say and, when in doubt, paddle.”

Eric Shedd, 19, had a similar story. His parents were river guides and met on a rafting trip. “My mom says I was less than a year old when I was first on the river.”

The prize for the strongest river ties went to Zak Sears, 18, who made his first river trip when he was 6 months old. Sears pointed downriver and said his father was at the next campsite guiding another rafting trip. Then he pointed the other way, smiled and said, “My sister’s 250 miles upstream and my brother’s about 150 miles.”

Tossed into the drink

The first three days of our trip were on the Salmon, a 425-mile river that begins in the mountains of central Idaho and ends at the confluence of the Snake River near the Oregon-Washington border. The Salmon is the longest free-flowing river left in the Lower 48. For rafting purposes it’s divided into the Middle Fork (the upper part), the Main and the Lower Salmon.

Each has its charms and its advocates. Depending on water levels, our part, the Lower Salmon, usually has fewer and less difficult rapids. We faced only a couple that count as Class III. (Class IV and V rapids are scarier and more dangerous; Class VI is considered unrunnable for a commercial trip.)

The lack of big white water might make the Lower Salmon a little tame for thrill-seekers, but it was perfect for our band of youngsters and their parents who wanted to get them acquainted with river rafting without the dangers of big water.

“This is nothing,” said veteran rafter Jim Eisch, 40, of Tampa, Fla. Eisch brought his daughter Kelsey, 8, son Jimmy, 11, and father, Ted, 69. “But I didn’t want to make them so scared they didn’t want to do it again.”

If we could have fast-forwarded a trip tape to the last day, it would have shown Jimmy grinning widely after his third back flip off a raft and saying, “I don’t want to go home. Next time I’m going on a 17-day trip!”

With kids as young as 8 on the trip, danger was on every family’s mind. Before we put in, the guides gave us several safety lectures, explaining what we were to do if we went overboard in a rapid — or “went swimming,” as they say in river parlance.

There was a lot of information to absorb, involving, among other things, head-patting signals, throw ropes, flip lines and the “La-Z- Boy” float position. All of it washed out of our heads when, separately, Jody and I were thrown from our kayaks at the Class III Bunghole rapid on the second day.

Disoriented after getting tumbled in the opaque wash cycle of Bunghole, we quickly bobbed to the surface. In less than a minute we were within grasp of a raft or dory, and in less than three, we were back aboard our kayaks paddling.

The important things, it turns out, were not only procedures but also the vigilance and unflappable nature of our crew as we got tossed overboard and forgot all our lessons. That and the bright orange life vests we always wore.

The inflatable kayaks — like beach rafts with sides — gave the most heart-pounding ride. It’s just you and a little bit of plastic careering through the rapids. When the waves of white water curl up and attack, the key is to paddle hard. “No lily dipping,” guide Marci Whittman told us before we set off the first day. “No tea-and- crumpet maneuvering.”

Two days later Sam wiped out at the start of the most technical (river-speak for dangerous) of the rapids, Eye of the Needle, sending him swimming through the churning water.

At the bottom of the rapid, he happily climbed back in his kayak. The guides were impressed. His mother was unnerved. Sam had a blast. “That was great,” he said.

But the best ride, as far as we were concerned, was in the dories. Even Sam and 15-year-old Adam Mowery agreed. “The dories were awesome,” Adam said.

Because the wooden boats are rigid, they don’t bend to the waves, making the highs much higher and the drops like a mini roller coaster. And for the best ride of all, the guides let us ride the bow. That means wrapping your legs around the prow, grabbing onto a rope and riding the boat a like bucking bronco.

Follow the sun.

Aside from the occasional white water, river days were soothing stretches of lazy rocking and leisure, framed by spectacular scenery of golden hills and deep gorges. At the start, trip leader Dow had suggested we leave our watches behind. The sun became our clock, and the plaintive note Dow blew on his conch shell our call to meals.

We would pack up and push off after breakfast each morning, then spend two or three hours on the river, sometimes falling overboard for a swim to cool off. We would stop at a sandbar for lunch and more swimming or games, then return to the river for a few more hours.

We usually pulled up around 4 or 5 in the afternoon, which left plenty of time for onshore activities. The first day set the tone. A couple of dads tried their luck fishing while the rest of the adults sought relief from the 95-degree-plus heat and the kids horsed around at the water’s edge. Later, somebody started a Wiffle-ball game. When wind blew the ball into the river, 13-year-old Amy Fuller yelled, “Seventh-inning stretch!” and everybody jumped into the cool water.

Eventually, big clouds boiled up, bringing shade and relief, thunder and a few drops of rain. By morning it was clear and dry.

The first night, before we got down to the business of family fun, Dow discussed the dangers of onshore life. It was pretty tame stuff — poison ivy, hornets, the rare brown recluse and black widow spiders, and the rarer rattlesnakes. “This is important,” Dow said solemnly. “Don’t harm the animals. This is their home. We’re visitors.” Some of the parents hoped the guides’ reverence for the river and its residents would rub off on their children.

“My kids are city kids,” said Susan Mowery, the Indiana mother of Adam and his sisters, Anna, 12, and Abbi, 10. “I want to show them there’s more to life than Disney World.”

Guide Matty Wilson, 28, aglow in the orange campfire light, pulled out a guitar and, with fellow guides Sears and Thurbert, sang folk and pop songs, some so old that even the parents recognized them.

Soon the fire went out, leaving a soft night breeze, the sound of guitars, a big moon trying to shine through the clouds and a group of contented parents watching their children do something besides playing video games.

That was just one of many special shore-leave moments. At that campsite, many of us had our toenails painted. Whittman, an art teacher in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, when she’s not a guide, set up a salon in her raft. At the back end was a studio where the girls and some of the younger boys painted rocks and made sand art. In the middle, she painted toenails.

Having science teacher John Fuller along on the river trip was an extra treat. For Fuller, facts are fun, and it wasn’t long after our departure that he got trip leader Dow to talk about the river and its flow. At the time, it was running at a mild 7,000 cubic feet per second, or CFS, but during floods, it ran more than 100,000 CFS. Dow pointed out driftwood trees high on the banks and said, “Imagine the river that high. It’s like a wild animal.”

Fuller’s favorite moment on the trip, scientifically at least, came at a blackberry patch just below the mouth of the copper mine. He watched in awe as one guide tossed a berry 50 feet into the mouth of another guide. And it gave him an idea for a science lab, involving the physics of tossing grapes (in the absence of blackberries).

There was no need to teach the physics of fun; the kids on the trip were experts. By the second day, increasingly confident in their new surroundings, they were jumping off the rafts into the water to cool off. By the third day, they were swimming down a Class III rapid. Water splashing fights routinely broke out.

On Thursday afternoon as we approached Heller Bar, our destination, no one wanted the trip to end. That night guides and clients met for a farewell dinner at a restaurant near Lewiston, even though two families had to alter their travel plans to make it.

During toasts and testimonials, Dow rose and spoke for the guides, saying, “We hope the river spoke to you and gave you a special gift, because it does to us.”

As we left the restaurant, families were exchanging e-mail addresses and Whittman was painting the few remaining blank fingernails left on the little girls.

Months before, when the Fullers had pitched the family rafting idea, Woody, with teenage disdain, called it “the dumb trip.” Afterward, he had a new name for his rafting adventure down the Lower Salmon River.

“Now,” he said, “it’s the great trip.”

Family Adventures on the Salmon River Rafting is a post from: Tours And Travel - Cior2008turkiye.org

It’s also easier to climb when the guide drives you to 15,000 feet. Don’t get me wrong. Climbing the last 5,600 feet was incredibly difficult, but not for the skill required. The air missing half of its oxygen is what had me quitting twenty times on the way up. It just gets difficult to move up there.

The Chimborazo Graveyard

The monuments near the first refuge weren’t for climbers without skill. The graveyard is a warning of the unpredictability of all high places. Chimborazo is very high, it randomly shruggs off large rocks, and has weather that changes by the minute. While hiking to the second refuge, we could hear the rocks and pieces of ice falling somewhere above.

El Refugio Edward Whymper is an unheated hut at 16,000 feet, named after the English climber who first summitted the mountain. Okay, it isn’t entirely unheated. There’s a fireplace, and if somebody feels like carrying wood up to 5000 meters, the fire may raise the temperature in the hut by 3 degrees.

We had hot mugs of “mate de coca” a tea of coca leaves, which are also used to make another product – one that’s taken up the nose. We went hiking for twenty minutes – my acclimatization. We ate, and I slept for an hour before starting the ascent at eleven that night.

About Mount Chimborazo

Chimborazo is in Ecuador, near the Equator (100 miles south). The elevation in the center of the country, and the moderating effect of the Humboldt Current along the coast, gives the country near perfect weather. A bit hot in the lowlands, but spring-like in Quito (the capital) , with highs in the sixties to low seventies every day of the year. Great weather almost everywhere–until you get high enough.

The summit of Chimborazo is the furthest point from the center of the Earth. Our planet bulges at the equator, making Mount Chimborazo even futher out there than Everest. It has the distinction of being the closest point to the sun on the planet. Unfortunately, it’s also the coldest place in Ecuador.

Climbing Chimborazo

Paco, my guide, didn’t care for the lightweight part of my mountain climbing adventure. He frowned at my sleeping bag, which packed up smaller than a football, and weighed a pound. My 13-ounce frameless backpack didn’t impress him either. It did get below freezing in the hut, just as he said it would, but I stayed warm – as I said I would. No problems so far.

Unfortunately, Paco didn’t speak any English, and I was just learning Spanish. Since our whole group consisted of him and me, we had some communication problems. I thought, for example, that the $11 fee for the “night” (a few hours) in the hut was included in the $130 guide fee. He thought I was a mountain climber.

I think he said he didn’t like the papery rainsuit I was using, and he frowned at my homemade ski mask. When he saw my insulating vest, a feathery piece of poly batting with a hole cut in it for my head, I just pretended not to understand what he was saying.

I hadn’t intended to go climb Chimborazo with such lightweight gear, but I’d come to Ecuador on a courier flight, and could bring only carry-on luggage. I had12 pounds in my pack to begin with, so by the time I put on all my clothes that night, the weight on my back was irrelevant. The weight of my body, however, wasn’t. Paco had to coax me up that mountain.

Hiking On Glaciers

The glaciers start near the hut, and hiking became mountaineering. I put on crampons for the second time in my life (there was that sledding hill). During one of my many breaks (”Demasiado” – too many, which I pretended not to understand), I noticed my tiny, cheap thermometer had bottomed out at 5 degrees fahrenheit. I wasn’t cold, but I was exhausted at times – the times when I moved. When I sat still I felt like I could run right up that hill.

We struggled (okay, I struggled) up Mount Chimborazo, hiking, climbing, jumping crevasses, until I quit at 20,000 feet. Of course I had quit at 19,000 feet, and at 18,000 feet. Quitting had become my routine. Lying had become Paco’s, so he told me straight-faced that the summit was only fifty feet higher. I wanted to believe him, or the lack of oxygen had scrambled my brain. I started up the ice again.

The Summit of Mount Chimborazo

We stumbled onto the summit at dawn. Well, okay, I stumbled. Paco, who seemed slow and tired down at the refuge, was energetic at 20,600 feet. Dirtbag Joe, a nineteen-year-old kid from California with ten bucks in his pocket, borrowed equipment, and my Ramen noodles in his stomach, was waiting for us, smiling.

The sky was a stunning shade of blue you can never see at lower elevations. Cotapaxi, a classic snow-covered volcano, was clearly visible 70 miles away. We enjoyed the view for a few minutes.

Handshakes all around, and it was time to head down. I was told you don’t want to be on Chimborazo when she wakes up. She wakes up at nine a.m.

Paco kept looking at his watch and frowning. He got further and further ahead, like he planned to abandon me on the mountain. When I finally caught up, at the hut at nine a.m., I heard the rocks falling out of the ice above as the sun warmed it. Now I understood – we really did need to get down by nine. A thousand feet lower my mountain climbing adventure ended with a photograph that mercifully can’t show my shaking knees.

Note:

To climb Mount Chimborazo, it’s cheapest to wait until you get to Ecuador to make arrangements. Talk to almost any hotel manager in Riobamba, and he or she will find a guide for you. It’s also cheaper if you’re part of a group.

Chimborazo: Climbing Glaciers Near The Equator is a post from: Tours And Travel - Cior2008turkiye.org

Children summer camps are really good for your children if they provide the following activities for your children.

1) Teens summer camps should provide skill activities, which entertain, teach and prepare students for the rest of their lives.

2) Youth summer camps should cover topics like note taking, reading, writing, relationships and communication, problem solving and creativity, test taking, memory, and more.

3) Unique learning environment with extensive trained counselor will provide supportive environment to enjoy summer camp.

4) If your child is interested in music, drama, sports, or computer camps then it is better to send them in day camps.

But it will be better to make an intensive research and questioning before your child attend any camp. You should know what will be the daily schedule of your child, how he or she will enjoy free time, what will be the menu, how often they will be allowed to take food and the ratio of counselor to camper. How you will be informed in case of any emergency and what kind of medical facility and training the camp offers.

The best way to know about any individual camp is just by visiting someone who has had child at the particular camp. The main thing, which should be considered, is the age of your child and his interest. Give your child lifetime memories from children summer camp. Choose the proper summer camp for your child and then send him to have the time of his life without any hesitations. Childrens summer camp is a gift any parent would love giving his child.

Children’s Summer Camps – Are They Really Good For Our Children? is a post from: Tours And Travel - Cior2008turkiye.org

Food – It’s a good idea to have easy to prepare food. Make a list before you go of meals you want to prepare and go shopping. You can always check the internet for good camping recipes. Have on hand dry condiments such as salt, pepper, spices, sugar, and powdered cream. Be sure to bring staples such as coffee, bread, potatoes, catsup, mustard, onions, bacon, eggs, and marshmallows. Camping convenience foods you may want to include are granola bars, instant oatmeal packs and peanut butter and jelly for quick eating. Don’t forget something to drink.

Sleeping Equipment – As you are aware, the tent is a very important part of camping. Make sure it is waterproof and has a canopy for rain run off. Include a tarp or ground cloth for under the tent. Make sure the tent is always stored in a dry place to keep it free of mildew. Include sleeping bags to keep you nice and warm and an air mattress to keep you off the ground. Don’t forget the pillows.

Lighting – There is nothing worse than walking around a campsite without light. Bring a lantern either powered by propane or batteries. Include a good heavy duty flashlight and it’s always good to have a spare one. Don’t forget the extra batteries.

Cooking Utensils – Include a frying pan, camp stove with fuel, pot with lid, grill, spatula, coffee pot and tongs.

First Aid Kit – A great ideas is to put together a waterproof container filled with the following supplies that you keep stored with your camping equipment and is always ready to go. Be sure to include Tylenol or other pain reliever, antibiotic cream, antiseptic, band-aids/bandages, tweezers, allergy medicine if needed, sunscreen lotion, bug repellent, antacid tablets and a box of pre-moistened towels such as baby wipes.

Personal Items – Once again it’s a great idea to keep these items stored in a waterproof container for easy accessibility. Include bar of soap, hand sanitizer, shampoo, toothpaste and toothbrush, razor and shaving cream, deodorant, comb/brush, makeup bag, washcloth and towels.

Miscellaneous Supplies – Here are some things that will help make your camping experience a good one.

• Water bottles
• Tools such as hammer, screwdriver and pliers
• Aluminum Foil
• Paper plates, napkins and plastic knives, forks, and spoons.
• Paper towels
• Trash Bags
• Tablecloth
• Charcoal
• Fire starter log
• Matches
• Small shovel
• Duct tape for emergency repairs
• Compass
• Small shovel
• Pocket knife
• Weather radio
• Dishpan, scrub pad and dish soap

Bring along your camping reservation and directions to the campground and your good to go camping. Have fun camping!

Checklist For Campers is a post from: Tours And Travel - Cior2008turkiye.org

On the other hand, if you have an old backpack frame, you can make a cheap backpack with it. Remove the old pack, and tie a plain nylon duffel bag to it firmly, with the zipper facing out. Small bungee cords will work for attaching it too. I did this using an old aluminum frame that still had straps and a waist belt, and for the cost of a $15 duffel bag, I had an external-frame backpack that not only held a lot, but weighed just two pounds.

Buying Cheap Backpacks

There are several ways to buy cheap backpacks. The most obvious is to just wait for a good sale. A quicker way is to shop for a used pack online. Try Ebay.com, or go to a backpacking or other outdoor forum that allows people to sell their gear, like whiteblaze.net. The forums are nice, because you can easily ask questions about the pack.

You can also buy used backpacks cheap at rummage sales. Watch the ads for any mention of outdoor gear, and call to see if they have a backpack you might want. You may be able to buy it before the sale starts. Otherwise, start shopping early, and negotiate a bit. I recently sold a beautiful Kelty frame-pack for $15 at a garage sale.

Thrift stores sometimes have cheap backpacks. More often they have day packs, but you never know. I have seen big old frame packs that were rough at thrift shops, and it occurred to me that for a few dollars I could just toss the pack, and use the frame with a duffel bag, as described above.

Another way to keep the cost down is to go light. The lightweight backpacks, unlike other lightweight gear, are always cheaper than the big packs. If you have been thinking about lightening the load, you can save money too. Ultralight backpacks are usually under two pounds and frame-less. You’ll probably use a sleeping pad as a “frame” of sorts. The good news is that they are often on sale for under $100.

Go-Lite has several packs that are near $100, and sometimes on sale for less than that. The list price on the Granite Gear Virga Ultra Light Packer may still be under $100, and I have seen it on sale for under $80. It also weighs only 21 ounces, a bonus for me, as I like the idea of light AND cheap backpacks.

Cheap Backpacks is a post from: Tours And Travel - Cior2008turkiye.org

Making A Cheap Lightweight Backpack

There are some, like ultralight backpacking guru Ray Jardine, who sew their own backpacks. I have sewn some backpacking gear and clothing before, and I can tell you from experience that unless you are extremely skilled at sewing, it isn’t likely to come how you expect it to. Also unless you want to become an expert at sewing, making a backpack this way takes too much time for the money saved. It would be better to just work an extra shift at your job and buy a good pack.

Don’t give up on making a lightweight backpack yet, though. There is another way. I made a backpack that weighs just two pounds even, and it is a full frame-and-hipbelt pack. It started with an old frame pack I have had since I was fourteen-years-old. I removed the old pack, which had been chewed by mice and was beyond repair. Now I was ready to build my new backpack

The straps and hip belt were still good, fortunately. The frame was aluminum, and surprisingly light by itself. I took a large nylon duffel bag, which by itself only weighs eight ounces, and filled it full of my gear. Then I simply used bungee cords to attach it too the frame (zipper out) and it was ready. For the cost of a $15 duffel bag, I had an external-frame backpack that not only held a lot, but weighed just two pounds.

Buying A Cheap Lightweight Backpack

There are several ways to buy cheap lightweight backpacks. Waiting for a good sale comes to mind, but there are quicker ways. Here are five of them.

1. Try backpacking or other outdoor forums that allow people to sell their gear, like whiteblaze.net. Forums are nice, because you can easily ask the owner questions about the pack.

2. Try Ebay or other online auction sites. I have seen some nice backpacks go pretty cheap on Ebay.

3. Thrift stores sometimes have cheap lightweight backpacks. More often, they have day packs and big old packs, but think creatively. I’ve seen old frame packs at thrift shops, and realized that I could toss the pack, and use the frame with a duffel bag, as described above.

4. Buy used backpacks at rummage sales. Look for ads that mention outdoor gear. If you call first, to see if they have a backpack you want, you may be able to buy it before the sale starts. Shop early, and negotiate. I sold my almost-new Kelty frame-pack for fifteen dollars at my garage sale.

5. Fortunately, unlike with other gear, lighter backpacks are often cheaper than the heavy ones to begin with. Lighten the load, and you can save money too. Frame-less ultralight backpacks usually weigh less than two pounds and are often on sale for under one hundred dollars. My own Go-Lite lightweight backpack weighs just thirteen ounces, and it was also a cheap backpack, on sale for just eighty dollars when I bought it.

Cheap And Lightweight Backpack Alternatives is a post from: Tours And Travel - Cior2008turkiye.org

When it comes to camping, you will find that you need to bring multiple items with you. These items often include items that are referred to as camping supplies and then items that are referred to as camping gear. In most cases, you will find that camping gear is used to describe pieces of equipment, whereas camping supplies are often used to describe food, health and beauty products, and so forth.

When it comes to camping supplies, like clothing and food, there are many individuals who automatically know what they need to bring. On the other hand, when it comes to camping gear or camping equipment, there are many individuals who are unsure as to what they really need to bring with them. Just a few of the many pieces of camping gear or camping equipment that you may want to bring with you on your next camping adventure are outlined below.

One of the most common pieces of camping gear that you will need to bring with you on your next camping vacation is a tent. Depending on who you are going camping with, you may even need to bring multiple camping tents with you. If you have yet to purchase a camping tent, you will want try and make sure that you purchase a tent or tents that are strong, sturdy, dependable, and waterproof. Even if you are planning on camping in a motor home, you may want to think about brining a tent, just incase. Many motor home campers prefer spending at least one night in the open wilderness and you may too.

A sleeping bag is another piece of camping gear that you will want to make sure that you bring along with you. If you are camping with your family or your romantic partner, you will want to make sure that you have enough sleeping bags to go around. Although you may assume that a light sleeping bag is good in the summertime, you may still want to think about brining along a heavy style sleeping bag. These types of sleeping bags are good in case the weather suddenly turns cold.

In addition to brining a traditional sleeping bag with you, you may also want to think about bringing along a sleeping pad or an air mattress. If you will be camping in a traditional tent, you may find it somewhat uncomfortable. While many campsites have level ground, not all do. If you are concerned with how you will be able to sleep on your next camping adventure, you may want to buy a sleeping pad or an air mattress along with you, just to be on the safe side. With these items being relatively affordable, you really have nothing to lose by doing so.

The above mentioned camping gear pieces are just a few of the many camping gear pieces that you may want to think about brining along with you on your next camping adventure.

Camping Gear You May Want to Bring With You on Your Next Camping Adventure is a post from: Tours And Travel - Cior2008turkiye.org

Cooking Essentials For Camping

• Camp Grill
• Water
• Can Opener
• Food
• Pots and Pans
• Ice Chest
• Charcoal
• Matches
• Paper Plates
• Plastic Eating Utensils
• Spices
• Salt and Pepper
• Garbage Bags
• Drinks

Don’t Forget About Clean Up After Cooking

• Dish Soap
• Dish Towel
• Large Tub For Washing Up Cookware

Be sure that you plan meals that are easy. Hot dogs, hamburgers, and
sandwiches are some of the easiest low maintenance camping meals that you
will find.

Sleeping Essentials For Camping

• Tent
• Sleeping Bags
• Pillows
• Extra Blankets If Needed

Personal Hygiene and Shower Essentials

• Toothbrush
• Toothpaste
• Towels
• Wash Cloths
• Soap
• Shampoo and Conditioner
• Hair Brush and Hair Accessories
• Razor and Shaving Cream
• Toilet Paper
• Small Mirror
• Deodorant

Clothing Essentials

• T- Shirts
• Shorts
• Jeans
• Jacket
• Raincoat
• Socks
• Underwear
• Boots
• Tennis Shoes
• Swimsuit

Miscellaneous Essentials

• Bug Spray
• Binoculars
• First Aid Kit
• Fishing Gear
• Hunting Gear
• Oil Lamps
• Flash Lights
• Deck of Cards
• Screen Room
• Knife
• Extra Batteries
• Cell Phone
• Battery Powered Fan

Camping is a lot of fun, and the more prepared you are, the better your
trip will be. Be sure and print this list out so that you will not
forget anything important for your camping trip.

Camping Gear Checklist is a post from: Tours And Travel - Cior2008turkiye.org

There are specialty stores that carry food supplies specifically meant for camping. However, these items can be expensive. They usually consist of pre packaged food and meals that are freeze-dried. Often the food is bland and may not be as nutritious as a fresh meal.

With a little planning, however, it is possible to have nutritious, easy to prepare meals right from the grocery store. There are many foods that are light weight, easy to store and non perishable. Cereals, nuts, dried fruit and candy are great snacks and can be mixed for an energy boosting trail mix. All those ingredients are readily available in a grocery store and can be made up before leaving and stored in an airtight container. Adding some packets into your backpack will provide a healthy snack while on the trail.

Always bring plenty of water for hydration and cooking. Don’t forget you’ll also need water for cleaning dishes after cooking. You can also bring drink mixes and coffee or tea to mix with the water for a pick me up in the morning. Any foods that require simply adding water are great. Cup of soup packets where you just add some water and let it steep are great for a quick and easy warm meal or snack. They are great for cold weather to help keep warm.

Canned meats, meats that do not require refrigeration and canned vegetables are a good source of nutrition. Tuna fish and canned chicken can be used in numerous recipes. Making stews out of canned meats and canned vegetables will provide you a hearty meal that is easy to prepare and easy to clean. Salami does not need to be cooked and is great on crackers for a snack. Beef jerky is a traditional camping snack that will provide nutrition and boost energy while on the trail. Just remember though that if you take any canned goods to also bring a can opener.

For sweets, candy and dried fruits are excellent. But who can resist a traditional s’more? Marshmallows, chocolate bars and graham crackers are lightweight and can be carried and stored with ease. Sitting down to a fire while roasting marshmallows and melting chocolate onto the graham cracker is a fun way to satisfy the sweet tooth.

Remember that when you are camping you will need to carry items with you on hikes and nature walks. Choose items that are lightweight and do not require a lot of cleaning. Bring a variety of meats, cheeses, breads, snacks and sweets. Camping is a temporary state and you should concentrate on ease of preparation and fun. Do not worry that you may not be getting the most balanced meal or gourmet food. There’s plenty of time for that at home. Enjoy the campfire, keep your energy level up and have fun.

Camping Food Suggestions For Your Camping Outings is a post from: Tours And Travel - Cior2008turkiye.org