So this weekend, for vacation, we had plans to camp. But a few things worked against us to so that didn't happen. No worries, we adjusted our plans to head on up to see our eight month old grandson...and his parents. But then a family emergency/crisis came up and we again changed our plans. One thing I'm trying to learn better is to adjust plans with the flow of life. Anyway, with the hecticness of life this past weekend, I still wanted to post an article. So, here I'll share a bit about packing for a camping trip. Afterall, that was our original plan...
Come January, my wife and I will have been married 29 years! And during that time, she has learned a lot about me. One of the things she learned (probably not by choice, but out of necessity and experience) is that I can’t remember squat! I try…but things just tumble out of my mind and into some lost abyss. Of course, there are those random, unimportant things that seem to always be present in my memory, but when it comes to things I really need to remember…well, I’m just plumb out of luck.
Come January, my wife and I will have been married 29 years! And during that time, she has learned a lot about me. One of the things she learned (probably not by choice, but out of necessity and experience) is that I can’t remember squat! I try…but things just tumble out of my mind and into some lost abyss. Of course, there are those random, unimportant things that seem to always be present in my memory, but when it comes to things I really need to remember…well, I’m just plumb out of luck.
That may be one
reason I love my phone so much. Not that
I am particularly attracted to small, portable communication devices…but that
with the advent of smart phones it is like having a second brain. My phone, tablet, desktop computer, and
laptop computer all have identical programs.
I love my calendar…I can put something in there, set a reminder, and I
don’t have to remember anything! When
that date and time arrive, I receive a gentle reminder. I love it.
And because I use cloud storage for everything, no matter which device I
have on me I have access to anything and everything I may need. So…I suppose by now you are wondering what
this has to do with anything related to this blog? Well, I’ll tell you. Lists!
I have grown to depend on lists.
I have weekly to-do lists, I have shopping lists, I have wish
lists. I have all kinds of lists on my
electronic devices. And…relevant to this
site…I have a packing list for camping.
Actually, that is
not entirely true. I have a packing list
for when I go car camping. I have a
packing list for when I do a bicycle tour.
And I have a packing list for when I do a simple overnight bicycle tour.
(OK, this one is similar to the first bicycle touring packing list, only with
fewer things!) I’ll share my packing
list (in PDF form) here, in case you are looking for one. As with so many other things, my camping
packing list is a continual work in progress.
I have chosen to
divide my list up into sections. This
seems to make it easier to organize and keep track of things.
The first category
on my packing list is “Camping Kit”. This
is basically comfort things (though, some of the items are necessities), such
as tent, kitchen canopy, chairs, flashlights, fan, etc… Sure I could sleep under the stars without a
tent…but when that rain shower blows through or the mosquitos begin a feeding
frenzy, a tent is indispensable. Most of
these things are kept in a big plastic bin.
This makes it easy to store them when I’m not camping, and it makes
packing easier because so much is already together. But, I will add that our kitchen canopy is
big/bulky and is kept in its own carrying case, and I also keep our tent and canopy
tarp, along with my sleeping bag in a large, rolling duffle bag.
The second
category is “Sleep Kit”. This is
basically my bedroom. It is all the
things I need in order to sleep at night and rest. The bedding, pillows, and ear plugs go in the
same bin as the “Camping Kit” while the air mattress and sleeping bag go in the
large, rolling duffle bag mentioned above.
The next category
is the “Camp Kitchen”. Actually, I would
list the next two categories together, “Camp Kitchen” and “Cooking Kit”. For the way I set up and organize, these two
categories contain the “stuff” that make up my kitchen and is kept under the
Kitchen Canopy. You will notice that
this should be most everything you need to keep yourself alive, from a
nutritional standpoint, other than the food.
So, why do I divide these two things into two categories rather than
having one longer category? Well, when I
was compiling this list initially there seemed to be some logic in a category
for things that “resided” and were used beneath the Kitchen Canopy (which
became the “Camp Kitchen” category) and a separate categories for things
actually related to cooking and food preparation. The items in the “Cooking Kit” category get
their own bin while most of the items in the “Camp Kitchen” category are paced
separately or with other items.
Continuing down my
packing list some things are pretty straight forward. “Personal Care Kit” is just a reminder to
pack those things I know I need whenever I travel. In my day to day life I would call this my
“Saving Kit”, but putting “Personal Care Kit” on this packing list just seems
more “outdoorsy”. These things get
packed in the suitcase/duffle bag with all of my clothing.
Cleaning Supplies
is pretty self-explanatory…it is a list of all the things I believe I need to
keep my tent and campsite clean.
Perhaps some will
find the next category a little odd for an outdoor camping trip designed to get
you out to enjoy the great outdoors…but I think its important. From communicating with family and friends,
editing photos, or reading, my computer, tablet, and phone are
indispensable. Make your own decisions on
this one…but in my experience, if you are going to take electronic devices then
I find a list is helpful to be sure I have all I need.
Clothes may be a
no brainer, but I like it. You see, it
serves as a gentle reminder to carry clothing items for a variety of weather
conditions. I guess the words of an old
friend still ring in my mind, “There is no such thing as bad weather…just poor
choice of clothing.” So, pack in order
to be prepared!
Admittedly I am a
list maker. Sometimes I follow them “to-the-t’
and other times not so much. But I find
no matter how closely I may/may not follow them they are extremely helpful in
assuring I have the things with me that I intend to.
Throughout this
description I have mentioned that I use bins to pact gear. They are extremely helpful in keeping things
organized, together, and safe. Generally,
I have a food bin, a kitchen bin, and a camp/sleeping bin. Most of these items stay in their bin when
I’m home and not camping…which make packing up to go camping so much easier. And as an extra benefit, when camping these
bins make great tables…whether besides your bed or next to your camp chair.
I hope this helps
you in your own preparation for a camping trip.
And don’t forget…any packing list is a work in progress!
See you soon!
-
PJ
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