To Lisa and Jac's Camping Tips
Hey there, we thought we would share some of the trial and errors of our camping experiences. After 30 years there have been quite a few, but we won't go into all of that...lol
We don't rough it by any streatch of the imagination. We're too old to sleep on the ground ..lol. Jac says "Why don't I just put a trailer hitch on the house, and pull that instead of the camper?"...haha funny man. We have a Rockwood pop-up. You would be amazed at what you can fit inside one of these. But more of that later.
Like I said we have been camping for over 30 years, together for 17 years. We took our oldest daughter when she was 3 months old.
My happiest childhood memories are of my camping trips with my family. And I do mean FAMILY..lol. I can't remember a time when there were any less than 20 to 30 people with us. Grandparents, Aunts, Uncles and cousins. These same Aunts, Uncles and cousins still come with us, but now the group is even larger. This makes for some hectic meal times, but over all, it is wonderful.
Now for some tips... We have found that you need reservations for trips to our state parks. We live in Indiana and they are always full, especially after Memorial Day. If you want to avoid the headaches of looking for a camp site, reserve one. ALWAYS take rain gear..no matter what the weather report says. The heaver rain ponchos work great. You can hang them outside on the poles of the awning to dry or just to hang, no water inside the camper.
We have been camping in everything from snow to tornados. Those were NOT fun trips...lol. And not much you can do to prepare for either, but a few things you can do , take a small space heater if your RV doesn't have a furnace. The ceramic ones are really nice. These are great even when you don't need it for heat, if you turn it on before the dew falls, it will keep your bedclothes from getting damp. We keep one in ours all the time.
You just never know. We have been out before, go to bed and it is 50 degrees and wake up to 3 inches of snow.
As for the tornados, don't stay in the camper! Been there, done that, is not a good time. Get into your car, truck whatever. If you don't have enough warning time to get to a place of shelter, head for the nearest ditch or ravine. We have been thru some VERY big thunder storms in the camper. High winds, leave the camper for safety. Pop-ups don't do wind well. They tend to tip and shake, and this really scares the children. I keep 2 small fans in the camper for the really hot nights. Unzip the windows and turn those on, they don't keep it cool but to make it comfortable enough to sleep.
Wild animals...LEAVE THEM ALONE...been there done that too. We have had many run-ins with everything from deer to raccoons. Remember all of these are wild animals, they can and will defend themselves if they feel threatened. We hace alot of raccoons here in Indiana, quiet a few of our state parks are over-run with them..lol. If you are tent camping, don't take food inside the tent! We were camping a few years ago across from a family who decided to take chips inside their tent when they went to bed. Needless to say we were awakened at 3 in the morning by the screaming. People not raccoons..lol. It seems that the raccoons had chewed a hole in the side of the tent to get to the chips and were now inside with the people....lol. It was not a fun time for them and ruined the tent. Put all food away at night. Such as inside a car, camper whatever. The animals can open things like coolers , rubbermaid tubs and things like this. So if you want your food, put it away at night or into containers that cannot be opened easily.
Now for the things to take. This is a huge list...lol
Lisa and Jac's List of What to Take