Put your Camping tips here

All About How You Home Away From Home.

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spiffy
IAC Addict!
Location: Walla Walla, WA
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Post by spiffy » Fri Jun 12, 2009 1:29 pm

Elwood wrote:
Bookwus wrote:Hiya Toby,

So, I'm scanning down through the reviews to find yours and I read a review from a soldier on duty in Afghanistan. She mentioned that her unit had issued these to female soldiers.

Which made me wonder if the military issue is camouflaged.
Ha Ha Mike, I missed that review but would prefer anything but Pink, just not my color.

Don,t know much about military life but wonder if they could be bought at a PX or surplus store. Anyone on here know???

Would have been unit to unit if people got them, I have never heard of them in the Army channels though. Soldiers don't get pee on their boots :geek: We do burn our own stuff with diesel though if we are stuck in a purely "field" envirnoment.
78 Riviera "Spiffy"
67 Riviera "Bill"

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Emily's Owner
Old School!
Location: Canby, Oregon
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Post by Emily's Owner » Wed Jun 17, 2009 9:30 am

Back to salt... don't forget that there is a reason that good old Morton's salt is iodized, it is a necessary little thing that we don't get enough of, not really present in many sea salts ~ just sayin' :drunken:
Margaret



Lead me not into temptation...... Oh hell, who are we kidding, follow me, I know a shortcut.

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LiveonJG
IAC Jester!
Location: Standing on the side of the road, rain falling on my shoes.
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Post by LiveonJG » Wed Jun 17, 2009 10:46 am

I try to drink a bottle of iodine a day.

-John
Keep it acoustic.

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metric Cwrench
Getting Hooked!
Location: albion, mi
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Post by metric Cwrench » Fri Jul 17, 2009 10:30 pm

one of the first ways i learned to do camp coffee, and still my preferred backpacking method:

grounds in pot, 2/3 water in pot, bring to boil, add last 1/3 water (cool) aiming to drizzle it over the now-floating grounds; cold water absorbs into grounds, grounds sink to bottom of pot. if you don't get all the grounds to sink (and don't like coffee you can chew) strain it thru a bandana.

usually i stick to the french press for car-camping, but when you break that (and you will at some point) this will get you that oh-so-necessary caffiene fix.

other general advice:

keep it simple, keep it light, leave no trace (and always pick up the crap that other inconsiderate folks decided to leave there).

rocks retrieved from lake superior and thrown onto a bed of hot coals is not a good substitue for a skillet. it is, however, interesting to watch the idiot kids scramble away frantically when said rock explodes (from a nice safe distance).

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metric Cwrench
Getting Hooked!
Location: albion, mi
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Post by metric Cwrench » Fri Jul 17, 2009 10:32 pm

i've got a 78 westy, stripped out the cabinets and am working on a new layout for better space utilization (might take a while to figure out what works best for me). probably keeping the z-bed, modified out to actual interior width (thinking of using air mattresses there and for the bunk, but i also like the notion of stripping out the bunk and slinging up a hammock). my adventures tend to be solo, as trying to coordinate with friends and schedules never seems to work out.

anyone tried sewing magnetic strips into the front curtain (one to close up the halves, one to attach to the metal on the dash)? i used to drive a semi, and mine was outfitted like that.

i also pack a floorless megamid tent for stashing gear and/or saving the site while i go off in the bus on a side trip.

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Gypsie
rusty aircooled mekanich
Location: Treadin' Lightly under the Clear Blue!
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Post by Gypsie » Sat Jul 25, 2009 10:02 am

I love the gear tent thing. I use one that came in a "camping set" for kids. just a little thing perfect for some boxes and packs.

Ever make oatmeal in a bag? Take a cup or so of oatmeal. little bit o sugar and powdered milk (non dairy creamer woerks too)

Pour about a cup of boiling water into the bag.

close the top of the bag. get most of the air out of the bag. let sit with a squeeze one in a while to mix it up.

eat directly from bag, squeezed out astronaught style or roll bag sides down to form a bowl.

This is great for winter camping cause after you pour the water in the bag you can stuff it in your shirt like a hot water bottle. Nice warmup on a cold morning. also reduces dishes.

How about Ice cream in two ziplick baggies?.....

that's for another time.
So it all started when I wanted to get better gas mileage....

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chitwnvw
Resident Troublemaker
Location: Chicago.
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Post by chitwnvw » Sat Jul 25, 2009 5:02 pm

What kind of bag gypsie? Ziploc work? Think it would melt.

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hambone
Post-Industrial Non-Secular Mennonite
Location: Portland, Ore.
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Post by hambone » Sun Jul 26, 2009 7:31 am

I seem to recall hearing something about hot water releasing some toxins from plastic bags but I may be talkin out my arse.
http://greencascadia.blogspot.com
http://pdxvolksfolks.blogspot.com
it balances on your head just like a mattress balances on a bottle of wine
your brand new leopard skin pillbox hat

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twinfalls
IAC Addict!
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Post by twinfalls » Sun Jul 26, 2009 9:25 am

Emily's Owner wrote:Back to salt... don't forget that there is a reason that good old Morton's salt is iodized, it is a necessary little thing that we don't get enough of, not really present in many sea salts ~ just sayin' :drunken:
Iodine is present in sea salt.
There was a desease ( cretinism ) from lack of iodine within people far from seas.
More about cretinism here : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cretinism
1974 stock US Westy 1800cc PDSIT 34 2-3.

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Gypsie
rusty aircooled mekanich
Location: Treadin' Lightly under the Clear Blue!
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Post by Gypsie » Sun Jul 26, 2009 7:17 pm

Early ziploc advertising extolled the virtues of 'freezer to cookpot'.

"Stew in 20 minutes!"

Mul.tiple uses....Cous sous can be made with the water used to heat up a sauce packet that will be poured over it.
I like these
http://www.worldpantry.com/cgi-bin/ncom ... d2w/report

lightweight for the backwoods stuff. drygoods and bags make some good eats.


Good heavy duty ziploc freezer bags are the most trustworthy, and can be used over and over.


I have grown a third testicle though...
So it all started when I wanted to get better gas mileage....

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tristessa
Trusted Air-Cooled Maniac
Location: Uwish Uknew, Oregon
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Post by tristessa » Sun Jul 26, 2009 8:27 pm

Gypsie wrote:I have grown a third testicle though...
.. what about the second, evil head? Y'know, with the weird eyes...
Remember, only YOU can prevent narcissism!

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deschutestrout
IAC Addict!
Location: Maupin, Oregon
Contact:
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Post by deschutestrout » Tue Jul 28, 2009 4:35 pm

twinfalls wrote:
Emily's Owner wrote:Back to salt... don't forget that there is a reason that good old Morton's salt is iodized, it is a necessary little thing that we don't get enough of, not really present in many sea salts ~ just sayin' :drunken:
Iodine is present in sea salt.
There was a desease ( cretinism ) from lack of iodine within people far from seas.
More about cretinism here : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cretinism
Yeah, most sea salt I've seen available in the US says "does not contain iodine"

As for the 3rd testicle...well, makes me scared to camp with you again. If I see a weird shadow behind a tree...well, I ain'ta checkin' it out. Just make sure it's (they're) BEHIND a tree. Just sayin'.
"You're not always obligated to paint an outhouse." Ruckman 2011

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Emily's Owner
Old School!
Location: Canby, Oregon
Status: Offline

Post by Emily's Owner » Sat Aug 29, 2009 8:26 am

I haven't waded through all 19 pages, so if these are a repost - so be it. :king:

I posted this to the WetWesties, but thought some here may find them useful too -
Saw these LED lights the other day, they stick to your bus pretty well (for those of us who don't have campers) and are pretty bright. They remind me of the book lights Bev found at Costco years ago.
http://www.cheftools.com/Outset-Magneti ... o/09-0200/


We use the Coleman tent lights in our bus (on the center pillars), they have a very strong magnet that holds them in place, and work really well with the kids too (also works as an engine compartment light in a pinch)...

http://www.coleman.com/coleman/colemanc ... id=830-250


Margaret



Lead me not into temptation...... Oh hell, who are we kidding, follow me, I know a shortcut.

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jmstu76
Getting Hooked!
Location: Edmond, Oklahoma
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Post by jmstu76 » Wed Nov 04, 2009 9:10 pm

I picked up one of these UCO Original Candle lanterns. http://candlelantern.com/original.html

I hang it from the pop top latch when camping. it puts out a nice gentle light and is very economical. You can even find Citronella candles to put in them.
James
1976 2.0L FI with Hydraulic lifters

Edmond, OK
(405) 623-2191

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twinfalls
IAC Addict!
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Post by twinfalls » Thu Nov 05, 2009 5:26 am

jmstu76 wrote:I picked up one of these UCO Original Candle lanterns. http://candlelantern.com/original.html

I hang it from the pop top latch when camping. it puts out a nice gentle light and is very economical. You can even find Citronella candles to put in them.
I have one of these.
I used it only once. It turned out terrible in a tent. It sits here in it's original package whith spare candles.

Another clever camping gismo that is not so good in the field. Stay out of it, or make it a Xmas gift.
1974 stock US Westy 1800cc PDSIT 34 2-3.

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