Get your tents all waterproofed and ready! The 2010 Great American Backyard Campout is June 26, 2010. This is a great event to get the family outside, even if it is in your back yard. My son and I have participated in this for the past couple of years. It’s a relaxed way of camping. No need to worry about your pets as they are still close by. Are you going to participate? The NWF has a link to register your yard if you like. The link is above. Check out the video below from the NWF.

(Guest Post)

For some people, watching a near-death survival program is about as close as we get to the great outdoors. Setting up a tent for the weekend in a field in the countryside gets you one step closer to communing with nature, even if there are wash rooms, fully fledged toilets (with flushes and everything) and a gift shop nearby.

Arbudir, Iceland

The following is a pick of the best campsites worldwide; Sites that will bring you closer to nature without the need to fully abandon civilization.

Arbudir, Iceland

Iceland is infamous for it’s ‘basic’ variety of campsites, and Arbudir is no exception. Set against the beautiful backdrop of the , it really is a breathtaking way to wake up in the morning. There is no on-site accommodation, and the site itself is a small piece of meadow next to the mountain hut. Just a single shower and a handful of outdoor sinks and a sprinkling of toilets really will have you going back to basics.

Sudersand, Gotland, Sweden

Sudersand, Gotland, Sweden
Gotland Island just off the Swedish east coast is famed for its tranquil nature and landscape scenery. On the northern tip is a small island called Faro, where there is a quaint campsite called Suderland which is set close to one of Sweden’s longest and most beautiful beaches. Not too far away, on the west coast, is nature preservation area famous for its huge stone formations, called ‘Raukar’; truly magical.

Bahia Honda, Florida

Bahia Honda, Florida

Tucked away from the more touristy spots in the Florida Keys is this beautiful state park. It’s the first key you will reach after crossing the 7-mile bridge from Marathon. Bahia Honda is located next to one of the deepest channels of water between the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean. The spot makes for excellent swimming, snorkeling, diving and fishing or simply kick back and relax in what most people would visualize as paradise. The sandy shored lagoon really is a site.

If you decide to venture off to one of the places listed above, pack wisely, and don’t let the burden of dragging your bags around with you ruin your trip. Pack a limited bag, there is no need to bring the bathroom sink (although one would come in handy in some places). Pack light, but warm fabrics such as fleeces, and bring trousers with tear away knees so they double up as shorts. The North Face has great selection of outdoor attire and the quality is second to none.

If all else fails there is one last campsite which combines safety, familiarity, convenience and at arms’ length of all the mid-night snacks you could dream of: your back yard!

Tent all set up!

Here are some articles that might help you out on your camping adventure:

• Fun things to do when camping
• Things to take camping
• Quick and easy s’mores
• Basic trail mix

Now go waterproof that tent and let’s go camping!

The WondaWedge

• Fishing
• Reading outside
• Reading/watching TV in bed
• At the beach/pool
• At an outdoor concert

There are many uses for the WondaWedge, and since it’s inflatable storage is a snap. One thing I would like to see is a quick deflate opening. That is the one minus I saw as it took several minutes to squeeze all of the air out.

Info:

• Weight: Under one pound without carrying bag. (15 ounces)
• Height: ~18 inches
• Width: ~17 inches

What do you thing about the WondaWedge? You can purchase one on their site. Let me know what you think of it.

May 11, 2010 update: 20% off at checkout! Use the code WILD510 when checking out.

The wondaWedge

WondaWedge in use

I was not given any money for this review however I was supplied the product to review. Just letting you know.

Womp'em Sticks

• Scrambled eggs with crumbled sausage
• Peanut butter mixed with jelly
• Marshmallows! (MMMM) Roasted marshmallows even better!
• A roasted hot dog with your favorite condiments

The Womp’em Sticks also come with a metal attachment that will hold your hot dog, marshmallow, or anything else you need to skewer and cook over your camp fire. The Womp’em Sticks also come in a handy container for easy storage in between uses. For more information about the Womp’em Sticks or to purchase them use this link. YouTube video.

Womp'em Sticks 2

Womp'em Sticks with attachment

A nice looking campfire

I recently went on a camping trip with my niece and nephew (6 and 8), their Nan and my husband. When the kids first got to the camp site their reaction was of utter misery! First comments were ‘there’s nothing to do!’. Nan was thinking we were going to have to drive them into town every day and find kids activity centers to keep them busy. A half hour later the kids were off with the daughter of the camp sites owner. There were forts others had built that got the kids imaginations. There was even an area where there were deer bones all over, the kids found several antlers. Mom and dad must have been so happy with those souvenirs!

In our plans for this camping trip we decided to get the kids emergency whistles. We sat the kids down and explained that if they wanted to go exploring the woods without a grownup they must bring their whistles. The whistles for if they got lost or turned around in the woods and needed someone to come find them. My niece actually did need to use the whistle once, she got a bit turned around and was not sure how to find her way back to camp, when my husband heard that whistle he was able to go find her within a few minutes. I am sure it gave her confidence knowing that she could blow that whistle if she got lost or even hurt and someone would be able to find her.

I really enjoyed the time I had with my niece and nephew. Watching them build their confidence in the woods and use their imagination while playing in an unstructured environment, unlike the structure and boundaries of school was amazing. The pair of them turned into little wood sprites! We all had a wonderful time and with the ratio of 3 adults to 2 kids meant that someone could always be having a break from the kids if need be. I wish all kids could have camping experiences like the one we had. I think they got to get back to basics with no tv and got to find their real selves.

Popup camper

If you are like many other outdoor enthusiasts out there today, the thoughts of going camping for a weekend or even the entire Summer may seem quite enticing. If you have ever gone camping with a tent, then you know how much of a pain it can be. Finding a comfortable spot is difficult to locate because most of the good spots are subject to inclement weather. Then if it rains, you end up getting wet because no matter how hard you try to waterproof the tent, you always get wet; especially if you roll over into one of the sides as the dew sets in for the night.

There is a way around having to deal with all of these issues and that is to go camper trailer camping. A camper trailer can easily be pulled behind almost any vehicle and because of it being elevated, you will not get wet if it rains. With the solid, hard roof found on most models, the rain and moisture will not get to you from the sky either.

Camper trailer camping is the best way to go about getting away for the weekend or even for the summer. You have no sticks, stakes or anchor ropes to deal with and you can even camp in the middle of a parking lot if you wish. Matter of fact; with a trailer you can go camping more often then you do now. If you feel like camping simply set up the camper in the back or front yard and do so.

Today’s models mean that when you go camper trailer camping, you can have almost all or all of the amenities of home. This means a stove and fridge, a bathroom with a toilet and shower, a refrigerator and even electricity. Go anywhere you want to and enjoy all of the comforts of home without having to spend a lot of money in the process. Of course the more amenities, the higher the price and larger the trailer.

So the next you start contemplating a camping trip as a means of getting some much needed rest and relaxation then think about going camper trailer camping instead. It just makes sense no matter who you are because it allows you to camp anywhere that you can park the trailer for the night. And that opens up a whole world of possibilities.

For help making a decision on which trailer is for you, you can visit Camper Trailer Titan and read reviews on Folding Campers.

While you’re here please take our poll
Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll. ]]> http://www.greatwildoutdoors.com/2009/09/17/popup-camper-camping/feed/ 5 http://www.greatwildoutdoors.com/2009/08/22/obs-challenge-cancer-sucks/ http://www.greatwildoutdoors.com/2009/08/22/obs-challenge-cancer-sucks/#comments Sat, 22 Aug 2009 14:17:17 +0000 Justin http://www.greatwildoutdoors.com/?p=217

I’m up for the challenge! This OBS Challenge is to write about an organization that is helping those with cancer. I chose a camp for boys and girls who are 6 to 18 years old and either have cancer or had cancer. It is called Indian Summer Camp. Their quotes are inspiring and they already have the days setup for next years camp. I love camping and I enjoy kids so I thought I kids camp that is local (kind of, 90 minutes or so away) would be great to spotlight for the OBS Challenge.

On twitter? Check out @OBSKristine

Have you ever been outside at night and want to grab a soft drink from the cooler? Great! Just reach in and get one. Go back and sit down next to the fire. Oh no! You grabbed a V8! (Not that V8’s are bad, you just did not want that). Now you have to go back and get your soda in the dark. Not anymore! With the Cooler Light your cooler will be lit up brightly from this single LED light. If you leave the lid open the light will turn off after 20 seconds. Put the lid down and the light immediately turns off. This light is great for camping no need to fumble with trying to find a flashlight just lift the lid.

Features/Specs:

• Shuts off after 20 seconds
• Ultra bright focused LED light
• Water resistant
• MSRP $8.99
• Also available in Canada at Canadian Tire and Wal-Mart Canada

What do you think? Have you tried Coghlan’s Cooler Light? Would you? At only a little over $8.00 at Amazon.com it’s quite a buy.

These images on flickr with creative commons licensing.

Are you registered? This is a great family event. The 2009 backyard camp out is scheduled for Saturday June 27, 2009. Just set your tent up in your backyard. Get a fire pit and have a camp fire. Click here for more information about the Great American Backyard Campout. Leave a comment if your family is participating.

I initially found out about this book from an associate of mine. She had purchased the book “The Best in Tent Camping – Kentucky” and forgot to bring it to show me. I ended up getting the book as I am interested in finding new places to camp out with the family around Kentucky. The back side of the cover has a map of the state with each campground reviewed. The closest to us the the Fort Boonesborough State Park. The book has alot of background information on the park. The book also lists the important things such as when they’re open, what type of camping is available, the contact number, website (which is wrong for this one), restrictions (smoking, pets, alcohol, etc). The book also lists the camping fees which I’m assuming have changed since the book was published in 2006. This is a great book for finding camping in your state. The inside of the book also lists other books written by Johnny Molloy. He has written books on camping in many states, canoeing guides, overnight hiking guides, and more. I made his name a link to Amazon to see his other titles.

This is a great book and is pretty low cost for the information contained in it. The back of the book lists the price as $14.95 but Amazon has it right now for only $11.66. It’s a great read if for nothing else than to learn the history of the camp grounds.

Have you read any of his other outdoor guide books? Feel free to add your comments.

Looking for fun things to do while you are out camping? I have just a few things I like to do while on camping that are fun for both for me and kids:

• Bring a frisbee. Play disc golf using trees for the holes
• Bring your ladder golf. It can be bought here or you can make it for yourself out of PVC pipe and buy the balls on ebay.
• Go fishing! Fishing is a great pastime and you never know when the fish will be biting good.
• Play cornhole! (Knock it off you perv!) Go here for more information about cornhole.
• Find a trail and take a hike by foot or by bicycle
• Go swimming
• Go tubing
• Bring a deck of cards or Uno cards
• Bring books or magazines
• Pack a chair or hammock to just sit back and relax!
• Toss a football

These are just some things we have done while camping. Please feel free to post your comments about what you or your family does for fun while camping.