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Sunday, June 23, 2002
Car talk: Making a quick and easy getaway
Copyright © 2002 Blethen Maine Newspapers Inc. | ||||||||
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So let's go! For car camping all you need to do is throw some gear in the car and go, right? Well, not quite. Come Friday night, when you've worked all week and you're tired, the last thing you want to do is run around the house rounding up your camping stuff. Multiple trips up and down the stairs and out to the car with bundles of gear in your arms isn't much fun. It all seems like so much work, and you're exhausted before you even hit the road. That's how it used to be for me, too, but no more.
You probably have most of the camping gear you need right at the house. If not, you can find what you need at any good outdoors store. Even your local big box store has good stuff for camping. "There are some essential camping items — things you don't want to skimp on," says Dana Thurston, product support service representative at LL Bean. "Make sure you have a quality tent to keep out the rain, a warm sleeping bag for Maine's often cool summer nights, a comfortable mattress, and a good stove that won't let you down in the middle of dinner. And be sure to bring lots of toilet paper!" says Thurston, laughing. Good advice indeed. OK, time to pack. The stove and fuel, pots and pans, cooking utensils, cups, plates, bowls, silverware, dish soap and towel all go into the kitchen tub. You'll also want a disposable lighter, some tinfoil, paper towels, can opener and a cutting board. The bigger camp items like the tent, sleeping bags, mattresses and folding chairs can go into a duffle bag. The lantern, flashlight, tarp, rope, bug repellent, sunscreen, duct tape, garbage bags, bucksaw, hand ax and old newspapers (for fire starter) get packed into the camp tub. The food tub will hold non-perishable items like salt, pepper, condiments, coffee, tea, cocoa and powdered milk. I always keep packages of dried soup, rice and noodles, as well as canned food in there, too, just in case I don't have time to get to the grocery store. Usually there is room enough left over to stow fresh foods on top. Perishables go into the cooler along with a block of ice. The small toilet tub contains the usual: toothbrush, toothpaste, hand soap, shampoo, face cloth, towel, and toilet paper. It is often stowed inside the camp tub. Clothes get stuffed into another duffle. Rain gear is a must unless you enjoy sitting inside your tent all day when it's wet out. Several changes of clothes are nice, too, as well as a warm fleece jacket or sweater to help ward off the evening chill. So now you're ready to go. "The plastic tubs and duffle bags make things real easy," says Andrew Favreau, a veteran car camper with the Maine Outdoor Adventure Club. "I re-stock them between trips so they're always ready. Then I just put in last-minute items and fresh food and go. I can be out of the house and headed for the woods in minutes." Dana Thurston says much the same. His "basics box" always contains, well, the basics for camping. "With that and my checklist, I know I'll always have everything I need. It's made going car camping much less of a chore." Agreed. And once your own system is together you'll want information on campgrounds in Maine. For public campgrounds, check out the state's Bureau of Parks and Lands Web site. Have fun!
Carey Kish of Portand is a longtime camper and active member of the Maine Outdoor Adventure Club. He can be reached at: happycamper@careykish.com
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