Camping In Style

For a great family friendly activity, pack up the kids, the vintage camping trailer and head north of Nevada City, through the picturesque town of Downieville and Sierra City and turn left at the general store of Bassetts and follow the winding road up past the amazing look out to the Sierra Buttes to the Lakes Basin Campground. The campground is centrally located for hikes, fishing and adventures on any one of the neighboring lakes.  We brought along an inflatable kayak and took turns paddling around Gold Lake.  The fish were hoping every which way, so the boys enjoyed the opportunity to practice the sport of fishing. If water sports aren't what you're interested, try one of the many hikes in the area, options for all levels.   For a great morning activity hike out the Grassy Lake Trail up to the Long Lake Trail and reward yourself with a refreshing dip at the end. When you pack your camping goodies, don't forget your local ...

DO NOT PANIC THIS IS ONLY CAMPING THIS LIST SHOULD BE CUSTOMIZED TO YOUR CAMPING NEEDS Camp Kitchen Cook stove and fuel Boiling pot, fryer, saucepan, lids Spatula, tongs, wooden spoon Colander/strainer if your boiling pasta etc. Eating utensils plates, cups, bowls per person Salt/pepper/spices Plastic wrap/tin foil/plastic zipper bags Coolers Ice Food in plastic bins Paper towels Trash bags, plastic grocery bags Corkscrew - bottle opener 2-gallon water with spigot Or 5-gallon water carrier filled with drinking water Coffee pot Dishpan or restaurant bus tub Biodegradable dish soap Sponge, scraper instead of scouring pad Can opener opt. Extra table opt. Coffee mug, thermos cup opt. Thermos to keep coffee hot opt Sleeping and Comfort Airbed, pump or camp pad Sleeping bags or blankets, sheets Don’t forget an extra blanket Pillows Clothing - see list Milk crate sideways for nightstand opt. Hammocks opt. Whisk broom an...

A girl can dream can't she. The Opera ! The Opera

After the Summer guests have gone, the smoke has cleared from local fires and before it gets too cold, our daughter and I set up a tent-less room on our deck to stargaze and sleep in the cool evenings. Extra comfy using our indoor linens A sheet to cover during the day Every morning we take a big sheet to cover our bed during the hot day to protect it from leaves or even the dog should he sneak onto the deck and decide to take a nap. So far so good. Bravo sleeps with his ball   She sleeps with a doll GREAT bonding time Yesterday our daughter woke up at 6am, still dark and said "Mom hurry come out the stars are so pretty" I was awake in the house only to rush out, snuggle and star gaze with her. We saw a shooting star and it felt so awesome to share this moment with her. I highly recommend it! Eco Friendly Inexpensive Fun Easy Memorable Doesn't Require Scheduling  

Glamp up your tent with a MILK CRATE SIDE TABLE: Pack what your going to use in your tent inside the crate Flash lights or lantern Reading books or magazines  Reading glasses Book light Box of tissue Empty small tissue box for trash Vintage cloth to cover Stainless steal water bottle Slipper Socks After you set up your tent turn the crate on it's side, cover with the cloth and use open side to store you belongings. Ready to go camping tip # 102543.   <div class="statcounter"><a title="blogspot visit counter" class="statcounter" href="http://www.statcounter.com/blogger/"><img class="statcounter" src="http://c.statcounter.com/5752864/0/d14a586b/1/" alt="blogspot visit counter" /></a></div...

Twice this winter we have had several days without power. Over Thanks Giving we went the entire week with the power being restored the day after all of our big plans.  Trying to Camp In Style with "generator toast" Three days into it I'm thinking "Ruth your one girl who loves camping" making the best of it. While watching my friends without power come unglued I remained inspired to Camp In Style. But on that fourth day ................................. I more than came unglued. I won't bore you with all the details of managing a house in the snow you can't drive to, with no power, no phone, one small propane fireplace that keeps a tiny area of the house at 53 tops, with a 5 yr old, a husband out of town and a small generator located around back and down a slope to use for one item at a time.   Our generator I lost my cool, cried, freaked out and then was totally disappointed in myself for being a bad girl scout.     PG&E vehicle to get to remot...

Tent size matters and comfort makes you sleep better. This is really the MOST IMPORTANT matter when it comes to "Camping In Style!" Your only as good as your sleep right? A tiered camper has wimpy hikes, a dull eye for nature and an overall crummy feeling that takes the whoo hooo out of camping. You'll become a real camping grump without good sleep...... “What was I thinking? Camping is saposto be fun? Ugh!” There are a few things to consider here when getting a good night sleep and "Camping In Style". Let’s first talk tents then what to sleep on and finally bedding. This is the tent we have by Colman and love it! WHY TENT SIZE MATTERS Let me ask you a few questions first How many will be sharing your tent Will your dog or dogs be in the tent with you How handy and patient are you and your co-campers How many days will you be camping Now take the amount of campers x's patients + days camping and you have the formula for the size tent you wi...

The WondaWedge is an inflatable pillow made of sueded vinyl with an attached plastic ground sheet. It lays at various angles, which makes it versatile for many activities. Use it at camp, on the beach, reading in bed or anywhere where you want to recline in comfort. Available in 6 colors. MSRP : $24.00 http://www.wondawedge.com/ I will be trying out the WondaWedge in a few weeks on our next camp trip so I'll let you know what I think about it. SEE CAMPING CHECKLIST SEE WHAT IS GLAMPING SEE CAMPING WITH SOUL

Hot Water on Demand Portable Water Heater I couldn't believe my eyes, INSTANT HOT WATER! OK I'm saving up for this one. If you shop around you can find this for as cheap as $200 on Amazon or about $250 through Colman and other sites. Don't forget shipping charges. Heats cold water to over 100o F in less than five seconds WOW ! Can be used to wash dishes, make tea or take a shower CHECK OUT THE VIDEO

T he best advise I can give on sunscreen is to use it. Ware a hat and lightweight long sleeve shirt. They make SPF protecting clothing too. Here are some of my favorite non-toxic sunscreens that are earth friendly and are biodegradable for any of the lakes or rivers you will be swimming in. I like these brands because they are more fluid and go on easy. One note about sunscreen is the higher the SPF (Sun Protection Factor) the greater the protection. So SPF 40 means you can stay out 40% longer without damage. However you are saposto apply prior to sun exposure and reapply a second coat 30 seconds after the first to meet the products protection standards. Lastly having a UVA & UVB protection is equally important. Natural sunscreens use Titanium Dioxide and Zinc for the active ingredient so the higher numbers will have more of a white coloring. I like using the lower numbers to avoid the white pasty look and keep reapplying. For my daughter I use the higher SPF and she doesn...