Girl Camper

Fall Gear Guide – Part Two

On this week’s show I continue my Fall Gear Guide. Last week we covered all of the things having to do with Food Fun. This week we are moving on to cover all the other gear relating to camping and glamping.  I’m going to start with a few glamping items.

Victorian Trading Company – makes a whole set of floral glamping gear that every serious Glamper will love. If you are part of the Shabby Chic club or have a Nostalgia driven decorating style you will really love these. They offer a glamping gazebo with optional bug netting, a glampers sleeping bag and two different styles of chairs all available in a pretty yellow background with red and mauve colored cabbage roses and pretty greens all over it.

The Glamping Gazebo is a great dining room for camping. It comes assembled in a wheeled bag that is easy to pull around. It also has handles. It  has a locking system that allows you to put it up alone although it goes up quicker with two people. It’s really easy to take down. We set it up at the Country Living Fair and it will hold 8 chairs beneath it. It’s waterproof and has bug netting available with it. It costs $199.00 and the bug netting is an additional $79.00.

The Chintz Chair – single or duo. Your basic Camp Chair with great fabric on it. Cup holders in arms and cute carrying bag to boot. The single chair is $29.95 and the dual “tete a tete” is $49.95.

The Glamping Sleeping Bag – A great common use bag for tent camping, grandkid sleepovers or as a body sleeve while sitting around the campfire. This bag is nylon on the inside so if you are wearing flannel jammies you are free to twist and turn. It’s a heavy cotton on the outside so if you have another blanket on top of it, it will not slip off. The glamping bag costs $39.95.

Geek Air Hand Held Fan –  There are two versions of this. One is hand held and one has a stand and a detachable battery pack that allows you to use it in a pinch to charge your phone or something else. It’s an America’s Choice product on Amazon and they sell for $19.99 or $24.99. I have both but if you are only buying one, I’d go with the stand model which allows you to position it to blow on you at your desk, picnic table or tent. It takes 3-4 hours to recharge it and it lasts 3-12 hours depending on which setting you have it on.  It also has a strap to hang it up and a LED light to indicate fan speed and remaining battery life. 

Motion Activated LED Security Light – This light is a great way to add additional security to your campsite. I liked the idea that it’s battery operated and can be put on a trailers tongue jack, tree or campground post for lanterns to set off a light if anyone approaches your campsite. I spent a restless anxiety filled hour when I heard something moving around the outside of my trailer while camping last spring. I didn’t want to open the shades and risk being seen and I toyed with the idea of setting off the alarm on my car. Eventually the noise ended and an hour or two later I was finally comfortable that no one was out there. It turned out to be an animal as evidenced by the garbage strewn about the campsite.

It’s that time of year again and I am sharing my favorite gear from my summer camping adventures. I am starting off this two part series with all things food!! My favorite things that made prepping, cooking, serving and eating better!

Fresh Paper – It’s the little company that could. These are paper sheets that are infused with aromatics and botanicals that keep food fresher longer, up to 2-4 x’s longer. You can use them in the refrigerator or on the counter top in your fruit bowl. Each sheet lasts about  thirty days. It is reported that 25% of the food that we purchase is lost to spoilage. I think it might be higher in my house where I keep buying as if I am cooking for 4 or 5 when most of the time it’s two… a habit I have been unable to break. They also have sheets or bread now that can be put in a cookie jar or a muffin tin. The original Fresh Paper product can go in the produce drawer of your refrigerator and even in a bag of spinach in the fridge to keep it from beginning its journey to the rubbish bin sooner than necessary. I used these all summer and if they are still emitting a Maple smell, they are still working. I actually write the date on mine with a pen though when I put it in the fridge. They are inexpensive and save you money. In the RV where the refrigerator is not as cold as at home and is subject to more ebbs and flows in temperature when you travel about, they are really effective. On Amazon they sell for 7.16 for 8 sheets. Each sheet lasts 30 days so it costs less than a dollar a month. The bread sheets cost $7.75.

Air Lock Bag Resealer – While we’re on the subject of wasted food lets talk about the gadget that keeping me in crackers. The Air Lock Bag Resealer reseals any plastic bag to airtight status. Potato chips, salad bags, cookies and crackers can all be resealed with this little gadget that is smaller than an office stapler. It’s done by heat and comes with a USB charger to recharge it. Each charge though can provide 1000 seals without having to recharge it. That’s a whole lot of sealing going on. It reseals any type of bag and weighs only 2.5 oz. My favorite thing is that it is magnetic and after you use it, you just pluck it on the fridge until the next time you need it so you’re not digging around the utensil drawer trying to find the smallest item in there. This was a big win for me because of crackers. I have a “go to” appetizer that I always bring to happy hour and it’s a bunch of Italian meats with olives, artichokes and cheeses. I always bring crackers but the whole box never gets eaten. Chips never sit in my house or camper long enough to go stale but crackers do. This little gadget reseals crackers and if I use them a month later, they are still super fresh. The Air Lock is available on Amazon and is a Top Rated item. It costs $16.99 and has over 300 reviews with a four star average. I think it would pay for itself pretty quickly!

Wildwood Grilling  – Wildwood Grilling is all about infusing flavor into food. They offer aromatic wood chips and blocks for smoking foods, wood planks for grilling on, wooden skewers and wraps for kabobs and meats and veggies you might want to cook on indirect heat. They have everything you need to take any camp cook out up a n...

On this week’s show I have the honor of interviewing a woman I greatly admire, Vicki Hill. Vicki is an avid hiker, outdoors-woman and experienced Car Camper.  She keeps her trips as simple as possible in order to keep her focus on what she is there to do, enjoy the great outdoors. Vicki’s love affair with hiking began later in life by most people’s standards. She became interested in hiking and camping while chaperoning Boy Scout trips for her two teenage sons. She fell in love with the outdoors and bought some camping gear to use as a family when not camping with the Scouts. After her sons aged out of Scouts Vicki and her husband camped with them as a family. When her sons and daughter headed out to start their own lives Vicki found few people who shared her passion. She soon realized that while she enjoyed the company on a camping trip, she didn’t need someone to come along with her in order to do it.

This past summer Vicki left her home in Kansas for an extensive trip hiking and camping on her own. She travels in her car without a trailer or even a tent and has honed her layout and equipment down to just what she needs. She is a bare bones camper who enjoys dispersed camping in out of the way places where she can really enjoy the feeling of space. I learned so much from Vicki about her “rules” for a woman camping in such out of the way places completely alone. She and her husband have a system for communicating that all is well (or possibly not) when she is in places with little or no wifi. To listen to Vicki’s interview click on the arrow at the bottom of the post and be prepared to be inspired.

 

 

 

 

 

 

On this weeks show I welcome Joel Holland, owner and COO of Harvest Hosts, a network of wineries, farms and unique locations that offer overnight parking for fully contained RV’s. Joel and his wife took an extended RV vacation crossing the country and enjoying the open road. The feeling of freedom often left them though when they pulled into a crowded campground and spent the night sandwiched between other trailers with obstructed views. They were members of Harvest Hosts and really enjoyed the opportunities that membership offered them to meet new people, stay in beautiful settings and experience what life is like "on the farm." Joel liked the experience so much that he tracked down the founders and owners of the company and got to know them. After many conversations and mutual agreement they sold the company to Joel. He is now honoring the founders original intent while taking the company in new directions.

Harvest Hosts is membership based with an annual fee of $49. With that fee you gain access to over 600 sites that offer overnight parking on their property. There is no fee for this parking but you are encouraged to make a purchase at the location. Some owners allow multiple night stays but that is at their own discretion. With membership you will receive access to a site map with locations and contact information to make reservations. Drop ins are not allowed. There is also an App that allows you to search by RV size and preferred location type. Harvest Hosts is offering a 10% discount to Girl Camper Podcast listeners when you join. The coupon code is Girlcamper.

Michigan’s beautiful Upper Peninsula is the site of this farm with its award winning barn, guord art classes and monthly barn dance.

The Navajo Museum in Window Rock, Arizona is one of many museums offering overnight stays.

The Purple Haze Lavender Farm I’m Washington State offers fragrant breezes and beautiful vistas.

I have had a membership to Harvest Hosts for a year now but still have not used it. I have bookmarked several properties though for my fall trip down south!

SHOW NOTES

We also have a give away this week in celebration of our Fall Season. We're kicking off Fall with a drawing for a Camco Big Red Campfire. .

Some of the things I love about my Big Red Campfire!!

quick set up - without the fuss of firewood and kindling I have an instant fire.

it's usable at most state and national parks when there is a fire ban in place

no smoke! I get to enjoy the fire and warmth without the stinging eyes and wheezing lungs

it's cost effective - the fireplace pays for itself in the savings on firewood

time saver - I love that I can use the campfire for fifteen minutes and turn it off

To be in the running go to Instagram and Follow Camconet and tag a friend. You also have to go to www.girlcamper.com and subscribe to our email list. A winner will be chosen and announced on our October 16th show!

This summer I took my youngest  on a Mother / Daughter road trip from New Jersey to the western side of Colorado to camp in the Grand Mesa National Forest. It was my hope to teach her to tow, something she was not excited about. While I was doing the driving I was tutoring my daughter on things to be aware of when behind the wheel. I used Mark Polk’s tips for towing to teach her road awareness, merging rules, and safe speeds for the conditions and terrain. As we rolled along though I saw a few things that became lessons in the “what not to do” category.

Don’t load a bunch of stuff on the bumper of your trailer and then not properly secure it.

Many rear hitches on RV’s are designed to carry a bicycle rack or bumper cargo carrier for a generator or cooler. They are generally rated for about 150 pounds. Carrying coolers, generators, extra lawn chairs and grills and strapping it all down with bungee cords is a recipe for disaster.  We were driving behind an RV with a fully loaded cargo bumper carrier filled with all of these things. In addition they also had large blocks of wood that were bouncing around because they were not secured properly. I moved to the right lane to avoid the debris falling off the back of the RV. Both blocks of wood came off and landed on the highway in heavy traffic. If you carry gear on the outside of your RV secure it with ratchet straps and/or cargo netting and make sure you’re not exceeding the weight limit.

Stay a safe distance while caravanning with friends. 

We sadly witnessed the rear ending of one trailer by another in a congested area. Sometimes those traveling in groups feel the need to stay right next to each other and tailgate too closely in order to prevent other vehicles from getting between them.  The whole point of caravaning is that you are vacationing together, not driving together. If you give yourself several miles of length  between the lead driver and the tail of the caravan everyone arrives at roughly the same time.  The lead driver and the tail driver should be in touch by walkie-talkie or hands-free cell phone. The lead driver sets a safe speed and the tail driver makes sure no one has broken down and the group is staying together within several miles.  When you are slightly staggered and you arrive at the campground several minutes apart, there is no line to check in.

Dont forget to put the cap on your sewer hose bumper storage.

This little mishap was actually kind of funny. A trailer in front of us forgot to put the cap on the bumper with their sewer hose stored in it. Every time they turned to the right a little more of the hose came out of the bumper. On a sharp curve the whole thing finally fell out and rolled onto the shoulder. Although we honked we were unable to get the drivers attention. Unfortunately  unless his next camping site was a full service one he would be unlikely to discover the loss until the next time he was at the dump station with a full tank! Make sure this step is on your exit checklist!

When moving your trailer just a few feet to adjust it on a site, be sure to roll the tongue jack all the way up. 

This mistake is one of my very own. I had my trailer parked at home and I just wanted to move it forward a few feet. I hitched it to the car and rolled the tongue jack up 6  or 8 inches. I didn’t bother to pull it all the way up because I was only pulling the trailer forward a few feet. Sure enough though I hit a divot  and the tongue jack struck a rock and bent. I was unable to move it up or down. It wasn’t the most expensive RV mistake I’ve ever made but it was a real nuisance. The whole tongue jack had to be replaced  because I didn’t take the extra 15 seconds to roll it all the way up. Live and learn.

SHOW NOTES

Girl Camper: Episode 113 Towing Tips with Mark Polk

 

On this weeks show I’m sharing Jason Stevenson’s Ten Hiking Blunders Beginners Make. Jason is the author of The Complete Idiots Guide to Backpacking and Hiking.Jason wrote the article for Backpacker Magazine.  I had a small problem with the altitude while hiking in Colorado this summer. While searching for tips on hiking in high altitude I came across this article with great advice. I made a few of these mistakes and was still making a few of them. I definitely had a limited First Aid Kit and needed to add a few things to it. How many of these mistakes have you made?

Top Ten Hiking Blunders as per Jason.

#1 Hiking in denim

#2 Buying your tent or sleeping bag at Walmart

#3 Hiking a trail with a road map

#4 Packing a first aid kit as if you’re landing on Omaha Beach

#5 Being overheard saying, “lightning can’t strike me – I’m not carrying anything metal.”

#6 Going ultra light without ultra experience.

#7 Wearing boots fresh from the box

#8 Starting too late in the day

#9 Ignoring the weather forecast

#10 Skimping on leave no trace

 

Today I am looking more closely at the Leave No Trace Program. I have always thought that the program was a single directive, “take out what you brought in.” Gail Bable, Ohio State University certified Naturalist and Beaver Creek State Park Camp Host is with me today to talk about the seven principles of the program which was formally adopted by the National Forest Service in the mid 1980’s. In addition to these principles the program covers education, training, conservation efforts and research and outreach. A Boulder, Colorado based staff carries out the programs missions and educational workshops.

The Seven Leave No Trace Principles

* Plan ahead and prepare

* Travel and camp on durable surfaces

* Dispose of waste properly

* Leave what you find

* Minimize campfire impacts (be careful with fire.)

* Respect wildlife

* Be considerate of other visitors

 

In July I  had the opportunity to camp at Mill Creek Campground in Mackinac City, Michigan when Liberty Outdoors  hosted its annual Tear Stock event there.  It’s a large family owned campground started in 1965 and is still owned by the same family today.

The Campground has over 1 mile of shoreline on the Straits of Huron and offers waterfront campsites for tent, trailers and motor homes as well as a rental cabins. Although it offers over 600 sites the campground is laid out well, is very large and doesn’t feel crowded.

One of my favorite features is the great lawn, an area along the straits that the original designers designated as community space.  Rather than allow campsites directly on the water there is a large open area that everyone can enjoy. About every 100 feet there is a fire pit available so that anyone from any section of the campground can come and enjoy the water, the views of the Mackinaw Bridge and the colorful sunsets.

The Campground has public swimming beaches, a large pool, game room, bike rentals, and a great camp store with a large selection of camping gear, groceries, liquor and hot food service.   The roads throughput the campground are paved which makes bike riding to and from the beaches, pool and camp store a pleasure.  The sites are nicely landscaped with native plants offering shelter and privacy. The sites are level but not paved.

The campground itself is a great destination for a family vacation, reunion or rally. You could spend aceeek there enjoying bike riding, beaches, water sports and fishing but there’s a lot to do in the area. You can cross the Mackinaw Bridge and explore the Upper Peninsula or take a ferry to Mackinaw Island and visit the Grand Hotel for high tea. There are no cars allowed on the island but bike rentals are available. You can also pay a fee and take your own bike over on the ferry.

The Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum is a short distance away with displays on the Edmund Fitzgerald and lesser known maritime disasters. Other points of interest include The Historic Mill Creek Discovery Center, The Old Mackinac Point Lighthouse, Colonial Michilimackinac, and the Headlands International Dark Sky Park.

 

On this week’s show I welcome my very own real life sister Natalie Hill. Natalie is a wife, mom and the founder of Holdyou Foundation, the official charity of the Girl Camper Podcast. Besides being incredibly altruistic she’s my only sibling that camps and she camps the old school way – in a vintage trailer with no AC, propane or plumbing. I thought it would be cool to send Natalie out to an RV Resort to experience camping from another perspective. As we like to say here at the Podcast, there’s no wrong way to Camp Like a Girl. We sent her to the Highways West Flying Flags RV Resort and Campground in Buellton, California for a weekend of camping and pampering. She’s here today to share the inside story on luxury camping.

Highways West Resorts has ten locations on the west coast offering luxe family getaways in resort settings for campers, glampers and those looking for a destination location that also offers all the things we love about camping. These high end campgrounds are loaded with amenities for all ages. Multiple pools, restaurants, glamping tents that are magazine worthy, and cabins and cabanas all in a pristine setting. Their Beullton, California location was the first in their brand and they spent millions of dollars transforming a once a sleepy campground into a resort that you could spend your whole vacation at. They then took that model and began building a series of destination campgrounds and resort facilities along the west coast. The results allow not only RVers, but those without trailers as well, to have a camping experience while being pampered and treated to all of the amenities we love on resort vacations. It’s the perfect blend of camping and glamping.

 

 

 

To look for a Highways West destination near you or for your next road trip, family getaway, girlfriend weekend or solo trip, follow this link!

Show Notes 

Here are a few links I talked about in today’s show. To get tickets to the Country Living Fair in Ohio on September 14-16, 2018 or to the Stone Mountain event near Atlanta, Georgia on October 26-28.

Don’t forget about our Camper College event at General RV in Canton, Ohio on October 5, 2018.

 

On this week’s show I am continuing my exploration of all the available trailer types out there for Girl Campers and everyone else and this time it’s my personal favorite, the Teardrop trailer. Born in the 1930’s as a mobile shelter for the Great Depression nomads traveling from job to job, they’ve evolved and steadily held the public’s interest for close to 90 years. From the 1940’s dreamer reading the plans under covers by flashlight in Mechanix  Magazine to today’s dreamers clicking away on line at all the different options, the teardrop remains an American classic, a symbol of bold spirits and a means for just about anybody to hit the road and see America the Beautiful.

The first Teardrops were made in the 1930’s and served mostly utilitarian purposes for the Great Depression era job seekers traveling from town to town. They were sparce, offering a bed and a rear camp kitchen to store a propane cooking stove and coffee pot. They were made from salvaged materials and used old car tires. In the 1940’s they were made from WWII scrap materials and were projects for the home mechanic. A 1947 article in Mechanix Illustrated contained the plans for a homebuilt trailer and set off a wave of enthusiasts building them for recreational purposes. In 1945 the Kit Kamper Company was formed in California and is still in operation today. They quickly discovered that there was a market for already built trailers and not just the kits. They made a few prototypes and at their first exhibition took over 500 orders.

The teardrop trailer is still popular today and is experiencing a bit of a boom. The trailers resonate with those who wish to travel lightly, cost effectively and without the necessity of a large tow vehicle. Below is my list of the pros and cons of teardrop trailers.

 The Pros

* Fits in a garage. Many people have HOA restrictions that do not allow a trailer to be parked in their driveway, A garagable teardop is a good solution for those who want their trailer accessible and don;t want to pay additional storage fees. It also protects it from the weather saving the cost of building an outdoor cover or purchasing an expensive cover for it.

* Towable by most vehicles. There are teardrop trailers available that are as light as 1K pounds. If you have a vehicle that you are attached to and don’t want to own a large tow vehicle you can find a teardrop to fit that car. Being able to travel lightly and not have a separate tow vehicle is a big plus to teardrop owners.

* Price. The teardrop comes in a wide range of prices. There are many national teardrop manufacturers as well as many small privately owned builders who can custom build a teardrop to your size, specifications and budget. Of all the available trailer types out there, the teardrop is the most budget friendly.

* Easy to tow and maneuver. Because of its light weight the teardrop is easily towed and maneuvered. It’s much less intimidating to the new RVer. Among the Girl Campers it’s often referred to as the starter trailer. Many newbies start out with a teardrop and once they feel comfortable towing move up to something larger. It’s also much easier get around in a teardrop. Getting gas, backing into campsites and hitching up are all easier with a small trailer.

* Beats a tent any day of the week. The statistics show that the top buyers of teardrop trailers are those graduating from tent camping. There’s comes a time when even the most die hard minimalist just wants a real bed to sleep in off the ground. A teardrop allows you to keep your gear stored for quick weekend getaways and still allows you to enjoy the outdoors without TV’s. holding tanks, generators and all the accouterments that come with large RV’s.

* Add on options. Teardrops have great add on options that maximize and expand the available space. Big awnings, visors,