Put your Camping tips here

Sylvester · Post by **Sylvester** » Tue May 08, 2007 10:55 am

CASEY79WESTFALIA wrote:3. Add a coat hanger halo to the inside of the back hatch, so that when it is opened you can clip a shower curtain to it and have some privacy!

Explain this one, or a pic.

CASEY79WESTFALIA · Post by **CASEY79WESTFALIA** » Tue May 08, 2007 12:47 pm

I would be glad to explain as a pic is not available at the moment! What I have dont to make a shower for the bus is:

If you look at the hatch from the inside you will see a metal rail at the bottom and top of the window that the curtain slides on. Well at least on a later model westy. However you would like rig a coat hanger around the perimeter of outer edge of the hatch that closely matches the shape of the hatches profile. Then suspend the rig away from the hatch about an inch or so towards the ground and tie it to the existing metal curtain rods. Now you will have rectangular coat hanger that is suspended from the hatch. Now you just take a shower curtain with clips and clip it around you suspended rig that you made and you have a back of the bus shower.

An even easier way would be to mount some magnets on a shower curtain at the top edge where the clip eyelets are and just magnet the curtain around the outer edge of the hatch! (the edge that has the catch to close the hatch against the body of th bus)

Confusing Yet!

Hippopotabus · Post by **Hippopotabus** » Tue May 08, 2007 1:05 pm

Not sure if this was noted or not. Casey's response made me think about it.

DAS SOLAR SHOWER
http://www.rei.com/product/738313

CASEY79WESTFALIA · Post by **CASEY79WESTFALIA** » Tue May 08, 2007 1:08 pm

Doh! I fogot to mention that you need to have something like Hippo posted to supple the water! That you attach to the hatch as well!

Ritter · Post by **Ritter** » Tue May 08, 2007 1:35 pm

Hippopotabus wrote:Not sure if this was noted or not. Casey's response made me think about it.

DAS SOLAR SHOWER
http://www.rei.com/product/738313

Carrying the approximate 12 ounces associated with that God-send device on my back has made my wife much, much happier about our backpacking excursions (and, not to be mistaken for the girlyman that I am, I too enjoy a nice warm rinse off at the end of the day). I imagine it would be equally enjoyed during a trip in the bus.

Now, thinking about the toilet situation: Number 2 obviously needs to be done well away from the bus, but what do you all of the finer sex do when the beer needs release? Port-a-pot? Bucket? I think my wife would like something for night time calls.

(why did I know there'd be at least one toilet emoticon.....)

static · Post by **static** » Tue May 08, 2007 1:38 pm

The problem with Sun Showers is that you have to wait until they warm up.
If you want to shower in the morning, use the old yachters trick: get a new, unused plastic pesticide sprayer, fill it with hot water, pump it up and take a shower.

twinfalls · Post by **twinfalls** » Tue May 08, 2007 3:25 pm

Make a door sill with sticks or logs.
Remove boots and bang the dirt out, before entering the bus.
Take an axe and a blade saw.
To save space, inside. Use large waterproof barrels to keep stuf outside. Put them up, on the baggage tray.
Take extra water in large plastic jugs.
Don't forget a copy of the book "How to shit in the woods".http://kathleeninthewoods.com/sitwsynopsis.htm

bretski · Post by **bretski** » Tue May 08, 2007 5:05 pm

Ritter wrote: what do you all of the finer sex do when the beer needs release? Port-a-pot? Bucket? I think my wife would like something for night time calls. (why did I know there'd be at least one toilet emoticon.....)

try this:

http://www.rei.com/product/407267

got one for my wife for backpacking...or using men's urinals!

LiveonJG · Post by **LiveonJG** » Tue May 08, 2007 5:08 pm

I've put together an easy to assemble and break down frame out of PVC pipe and connections. I hang shower curtains from it. I've got a battery powered shower head that feeds from a bucket. Boil a couple pots of water and you have a hot shower anytime. I let cute hippy chicks use it at festivals!

-John

pawesty · Post by **pawesty** » Tue May 08, 2007 5:36 pm

http://images.rei.com/media/t/1076806.jpg

wife hates it, i love it! peppermint flavored please! reminds me of the 10 months i spent living in my bus in Vt back in.....well it was in,......199-, i think, no it was definately in.....it was a great time to live in my bus in VERMONT!

oh, and we love love our french press also!

deschutestrout · Post by **deschutestrout** » Tue May 08, 2007 7:52 pm

Coffee? I use a pour thru filter holder that sits over a cup, thermos, whatever. Works great and costs about 3 bucks. Boil the water and pour it through grounds...simple.

Sylvester · Post by **Sylvester** » Wed May 09, 2007 6:56 am

deschutestrout wrote:Coffee? I use a pour thru filter holder that sits over a cup, thermos, whatever. Works great and costs about 3 bucks. Boil the water and pour it through grounds...simple.

My Boy Scout trained mind is still thinking of all the camping tricks I have, am working on remembering them. But, for coffee I have an old percolator. Certainly not fast, but I like the nostalgia, and grounds. I use a colman 2 burner propane stove. As an unusual item, I have a German WWI mess kit I use, very handy. I also use the old lanterns too, nice ambiance. And my citronella burner is an old lighted smoke pot they used to mark road contrustion in the old days. I just like old stuff, anyone else use old stuff?

static · Post by **static** » Wed May 09, 2007 7:40 am

Yes, I do.

Half of camping to me is the rituals/memories of family camping of the early 60's.

Emily's Owner · Post by **Emily's Owner** » Wed May 09, 2007 9:08 am

Sylvester wrote: I just like old stuff, anyone else use old stuff?

Me - I like the old stuff too, runs in our family.

chachi · Post by **chachi** » Wed May 09, 2007 9:15 am

totally. i'm an old coleman freak. those lanterns are great fun, they catch themselves and the ground on fire all the time, but you just back them off, they're then nice and warmed up and will run all night. people freak out though. what's the fun of camping without a little danger?

Itinerant Air-Cooled

Itinerant Air-Cooled

Put your Camping tips here