Camping with Suzi

Whether a tent, car, and rv (recreational vehicle) camper, a tool box is important to pack. I’m not talking about an assortment of tools you might need to rebuild engine but some basic stuff to correct small problems like a tear in a tent, hanging a line to dry wet swimsuit, or change out a blown fuse.

Here are tools I think all campers should have in their toolbox. Make sure all tools fit your hand and are comfortable to handle.  IMHO, weight isn’t important but balance is.

Hammer – 16-ounce curved-claw model. It’s lightweight and effective.

Screwdriver – a multi-bit ratchet screwdriver is best. It will save you weight (won’t need more than the one), money (no need to buy any others), and time (no need to reset the tool after each turn).

Pliers – slip-joint for tightening or loosening nuts and bolts and needle-nose pliers for twisting wire and reaching into tight places.

Hardware – a variety of nails, screws, eye hooks, and cup hooks along with wire and/or lightweight durable string. S-hooks and clothespin can be useful, too.  I like to use S-hooks as much as possible since it means less chance of harming live trees, bushes, etc.

Adhesives – Carpenter’s glue for wood and paper, Super glue for almost everything else, but a tape such as masking, duct, and electric, well be useful.  Duct is my chosen preference.  It’s good for everything from a tear in a tent to blisters on your feet.

An rv camper will find a socket and ratchet set useful, too.

ps – The ratchet screwdriver came in handy our first day out.  *All* the cabinets handles needed to be tightened down.

I know, we aren’t supposed to play with our food but, why can’t you if you are the cook?  Yes, it is a little more work but what rewards!

Start with a nice big peeled carrot.  I found cutting it into two pieces make it easier to carve.

Next, cut off some of one side.

Then cut some of the other side off so you have a pointy end.

Now comes the more challenging cuts.  Lay the carrot on one of the flat, cut side.  Using a large knife, cut a v-shaped wedge into the curved “top”.  Careful not to cut yourself, slice the “V” out of the carrot.

See the heart?!?!?  Now, slice your carrot into 1/4″ slices.

Cook for a few minutes before adding the peas.  Serve hot with a little butter and a request to pass the Peas and Thank yous LOL

Lunch break on hike to Strawberry Lake in Malheur NF

On May 9th, the Merced News published an article title “Outdoors: A trail guide for a walk on the wild side.”  Nice article but what caught my attention was the bit about “A reader recently asked if I could recommend some campgrounds with a surprisingly difficult combination of features:  easy day hike trails adjacent to the campsties that allow hikers to bring along their dogs.”

The author acknowledged about the only place to do this was in national forests.  Okay, the acknowledgement was indirect by admitting dogs aren’t permitted on trails in nation and California state parks then listing place it could be done.  But what a great reason to passby national and state parks and discover, along with your best buddy, a national forest near you.

FYI:  The author identified five trails in four national forests relatively close to Merced, California but there are lots more possibility.  Check them out by going to ForestCamping.com and than the forest’s web page.  We have noted the hiking trails adjacent to the campground under the Hiking heading on each campground’s Description.  Looking for more?  Go to the forest’s website via the Helpful Links drop-down menu at the top of each forest web page on our website.  A comprehensive listing is under their Recreation tab.

Don’t you just love Farmers Markets?  The little one here in Bisbee has pets from the local shelter, an array of organic and non-organic meat, fruits and vegetables, hand-craft, music, dancing and so much more.  It has become a real social event, too.

Never been to a Farmers Market?!?!?  Wonder where that might be one?  Check out this USDA Farmers Market Search website.  I discovered there are at least a half-dozen near where one son lives and even more near my step-son home.  I think that a trip there with our grandson would be super!  I want to do Farmers Market search when we get into New Hampshire and Vermont.  Hope you find this website as useful as I have.  (Photo is of a Farmers Market in Michigan.  Isn’t the produce pretty?)

Here’s a tip for camping families – keep things the adults might need while the children are sleeping *outside* the travel trailer, motorhome, tent, or cabin.  This includes jackets, firewood, coolers, drinks, books, lanterns, camp chairs, etc.  That way you can let sleeping babies lie and the adults can enjoy some quality time together.

As we prepare for another extended trip in our motorhome, there are couple of items that are more often thought of as household products but very important to any camper.  They are baking soda and vinegar.

Why would I consider these two products so important?  The reason is simple.  There are few products as versatile.  Here are some examples:

Spray a solution of half water and half vinegar on a grille’s cooking surface to loosen burnt food.

Spray full-strength vinegar around a sink or spigot to kill germs.

Boil a 1/4 cup of vinegar in the microwave and let set for an hour to loosen any stuck on food.

Great for cleaning windows and rinsing out dull film left by hair shampoo.

Sprinkle of baking soda on the carpet and let set at least 15 minutes before vacuuming.

Deodorizer for sneakers or hiking boots.  Fill old sock and tie a knot in the open end.  Slip into sneakers or boots after wearing.

Baking soda is a super fire extinguisher.

Good substitute for commercial toothpaste.

Click here are some more uses for vinegar and here for baking soda.

One effort the Forest Service is tasked with is helping threatened and endanger plants and critters.  You may have heard about something being re-introduced to your favorite national forest.  In my part of the country, Arizona and New Mexico, the big re-introduction was and is the Mexican Grey Wolf (they aren’t doing as well as hoped but that’s another blog).

The Conecuh National Forest is re-introducing the Indigo snake, through the release of juvenile snakes (the second release occurred a month or so ago), to the forest’s Longleaf pine woods.   Why?  The indigo snake, lustrous, glossy, blue-black, non-venomous snake, is North America’s largest native snake, and as the top predator, plays an important ecological role in the Longleaf pine woods eco-system.   It is sound to me as if the Forest Service is acknowledging they can only do so much and must look to Mother Nature to complete the effort.

Each Indigo snake released has been give a passive integrated transponder tag for permanent identification.  If you find one of these beautiful creatures in the wild, enjoy looking at it, but do not touch, and maybe you could let the Conecuh folks know about your encounter.  If the snake is hurt or dead, definitely contact the Conecuh National Forest staff with this information as soon as possible.

Bar-b-qued my first pork tenderloin on the grille the other day.  So good!  If you haven’t cooked a pork tenderloin outside on a grille over charcoal, I highly recommend it.  Super simple.  Just sprinkle some salt and pepper, or marinate it, and drop the tenderloin on a grille over medium-hot coals.  Grill about 8 minutes on one side, flip and grille 8 more minutes.  Check for an internal temperature around 155 degrees.   Remove from grille and let set for at least 10 minutes before slicing.  How easy is that?

Since it is just Fred and I, there was leftover pork.   Just enough for a couple of “Cuban” sandwiches and batch of Sweet and Sour Pork.  The “Cuban” sandwich was simply about 1/4 pound of sliced leftover pork, a slice of ham, a slice of provolone cheese, and sliced dill pickle stacked on a crusty roll.  The whole thing was put on a hot skillet and weighed down to flatten it out until cheese melts and it’s heated through.  Not bad but I like my Sweet and Sour Pork.  Here’s that recipe:

In a large pot, combine 1/3 cup white sugar and 1/4 cup cider vinegar.  Heat to the boil.  Add 3 cups of large diced pork (ham, spam, and even leftover chicken work) and an assortment of “veggies” such as green pepper, carrot, snow peas, and chunks of pineapple.  Simmer until “veggies” are crisp-tender.  In small bowl combine 4 Tbsp soy sauce and 4 tsp cornstarch.  Pour into hot mixture and return to the boil.  Boil one minute or until thicken slightly.  For a nice shine, at the last minute, add a pad of butter or margarine.  Serve over a mound of rice.

(None of my photographs came out.  Need to get that fixed before we head out.)

As our departure date approaches, all the big decisions have been made. By big, I mean we have a departure date, selected the national forests will be visiting and surveying, our route is mapped, and that stuff. I have my lists of what we need to take like laptops, medicines, and files. Now, it’s time to focus on the little things such as what clothes do I take for six months on the road? Don’t laugh cause it isn’t so easy.

Remember, we are leaving when the temperatures are likely to be hovering around 100 degrees and tornadoes are still skipping across the middle of the country.  Our return will be somewhere around late October to early November, hopefully before the snow starts to fall but we will probably be dealing with frosty mornings and may be some nights with freezing temperatures.

A frosty morning in Oregon

My first consideration is weather. We’ll have to deal with the heat and humidity of the east for the first part of our travels. I still remember six weeks of rain and overcast skies that had mildew growing in closets and I taking *all* our clothes to a Laundromat. It wasn’t to wash them but to dry them out! And, of course, there is a real possibility of fairly cool weather which is likely for the latter part of our travels.

Next is business and social commitments where neither shorts nor blue jeans are appropriate. I can’t take a different for each occasion so must maximum the look of one same basic outfit. I have a delicious black, wool-blend pantsuit and a light brown linen skirt and jacket but which one? Would a “summer-weight” wool be bearable for Washington, D.C. in midsummer? But on the other hand, how do I deal with the wrinkles linen seems to automatic produce? And do I have to wear panty hose, I mean really! And I don’t even want to think about shoes.

And than there is my annual weight loss to consider. I usually start our travels wearing size 12 but by the time we return home I’m in size eight. But this year with all that has been happening, I’m already swimming in my size 12 clothes. So should I leave those 12s behind? What if I put weight on and need them.

Frankly, it is enough to make this gal ready to head for the hills and stay there.

Personally,  I find there is enough to do in national forests and don’t often visit national parks.  However, the May 2012 issue of National Geographic had an article that caught my attention.  According to that article, the cause of fatalities in national parks between 2007 and 2011 broke down into the following percentages:  37% to drowning, 23% to motor vehicle accidents, 18% to falls, 4% exposure, 3% Plan crash, 2% avalanche, 0.9% poisoning, and 06% to animal attack (the reminding 11.5%  were humped into an “other causes” category).

Since national parks, in my observations, tend to be a more controlled and supervised environment than national forests, I have to wonder how would the later stack up against the former.  Considering the free flowing, as there are no or very few controlled entrance portal,  nature of national forests, I wonder if the numbers might not be greater.  But, since in my experiences, national forest users tend to be more knowledgeable about the outdoors, so maybe those numbers wouldn’t be higher.

The bottomline is there are dangers whether you are in a national forest or park.  As Ken Phillips says in the National Geographic article, “. . .Plan ahead, set realistic goals, heed warnings, pay attention — and enjoy the view.”