When going on a camping trip, it is best to come completely prepared. Often times, when you are camping, you are pretty far away from the nearest gas station or large grocery chain – both are places that we have become dependent on in today’s society. Whether you are camping with the family in your RV or if you are hiking the wilderness alone, there are some basic necessities that you should not leave behind.

RV Camping Necessities

When you and your family go RV camping, you have the luxury of a large automobile with plenty of storage space for food, beverages and other camping equipment. You will also want to make sure that you have plenty of emergency equipment in case your RV runs into a bit of bad luck on the road. Spare tires, fully charged flashlights and cell phones as well as items such as snow chains or engine coolant, depending on which season you are traveling during.

When travelling across the country in an RV, you have enough room to house items such as a microwave or a miniature refrigerator, so you can plan your meals accordingly. Most of the places you stop at during your vacation will have all the amenities you could ever need such as electricity, sewer, or gasoline; however, it is still important to verify that these amenities will be available to you before you plan the stops on your RV camping trip.

Tent Camping Necessities

If you are planning on taking your family tent camping, the situation changes dramatically. First and foremost, you need a place to sleep so make sure that the tent is packed or it will be a cold and miserable weekend! You must also consider how to store and transport your food for the trip. In most cases, a large ice chest will do quite wonderfully. Many camp sites that you visit will have basic amenities such as restrooms and showers, which make camping in a tent easier and more accessible for everyone.

In some cases, it may be necessary to bring items such as folding chairs and a table so that you will have a place to eat. Although most camp sites you find will come equipped with picnic benches and fire pits, if you aren’t staying in a state park or private campground, these amenities might not be available to you.

Lastly, there are some adventurous souls who are willing to forego any kind of amenity and completely “rough it.” For these explorers, items such as canteens and tin plates for cooking and eating become almost a luxury as much as a necessity. No matter where you decide to camp, it will inevitably become much colder at night. Therefore it is important to prepare, not only with a high quality sleeping bag, but with thermal garments and quality fire starting equipment. Although great care and experience are needed in starting one, a campfire is the ultimate survival tool when you are alone in the wilderness, so make sure that you have the necessary equipment to start one. Not only is it a source of heat and useful for cooking and purifying water, it will also be extremely effective at warding off some of the larger animals during the wee hours of the night.

Successful Camping

As you can see, the necessities for enjoying yourself and staying safe on your next camping trip vary depending on whether you are staying in your RV, taking the family out for some tent camping, or exploring the wilderness on your own. Although many more items might be necessary depending on the location of your camping trip and the time of year in which you go, the items discussed above will give you a better understanding on how to prepare for your next camping vacation.

About the Author:

With over 8 years of experience marketing campgrounds and RV resorts online for MorePro Marketing, Cory Howell has a unique understanding of the camping industry. He offers expert advice to those who are RV camping or tent camping for the first time.

a. When you go out for a camping experience during winter, check the weather forecast for possible reports about hail storms and the like. This will help you face this kind of challenge that comes your way.

b. Make sure that your camping gear are appropriate for camping during winter. Choose a camping tent that gives the best insulation. Opt for those that are made out of thick fabrics but do consider details about the hike that you will make before you reach the actual camp site. Choose sleeping bags that heat up and maintain good insulation as well.

c. Before you go to the camp site, check the materials that are available in the area. One of the most important things that you should consider is a water hook-up in the winter camping ground. If there are no hook-ups, look for hot showers and a heated bath house.

d. Make sure that you bring enough clean water to drink. Also, do not forget to bring heating materials that can help you reheat your drinking water once it freezes.

e. Make sure that you keep your cabinet doors slightly open in order to let air circulate through your equipment. Note that if you have a cabinet for clothes, towels, sheets, and other fabrics, you can protect them from condensation and moisture if you keep your cabinet door slightly open.

f. When you camp out during winter, avoid cooking or boiling water inside your camping tent. Aside from the fact that such practice is quite dangerous as your tent can catch the flames, the excess moisture that you are introducing within the camper may lead to condensation around windows and doors.

g. Do not use propane burner to keep yourself warm. Most of the time, propane heat is considered quite dangerous and it often poses a “forced heat” situation. Instead, you can opt for those small radiator heaters that make use of oil, just make sure that you keep it away from your bed sheets, pillows, and sleeping bags.

h. Make sure that you keep your camping tent warm enough. Never bring in your wet clothes or wet boots. When you set up your camping tent, make sure that you put a large rubber mat just before your door.

i. Do not forget to bring lots of things that can keep you warm such as blankets, boots, socks, mittens, bonnets, scarf, and even sunglasses.

j. You should also bring lots of materials that will keep you entertained while inside the camp grounds. This will include books and board games. Take note of the fact that it may be best if you do not bring your electronic mobile gaming equipments such as your game boy or play stations. Note that exposing such equipment out in the cold will cause sure damage.

Benedict Yossarian recommends Springfields Army Surplus Store for all your camping needs.

1. Plan your route ahead of time and know where you are headed. You can also decide whether to check in on the nearest hotel or go camping. Should you decide to camp, look for various campsites that you think will be convenient for you.
2. Pack all your necessary items the day before. Do only bring the essentials and know what motorcycle luggage to bring with you as well as how you will be installing them. Make sure they are attached to the bag tightly and securely.
3. Do a systems check-up. Do not allow yourself to be disappointed because of failing machine. It is advisable you do it days before for you leave. If it has problems, have it fixed right away and consult any mechanic for its ability to run in long-range driving.
4. If you are going to another state or city, make sure that you have researched their laws about motorcycle. Observe speed limits and avoid reckless riding. It is fun to increase your speed when you are in a free way but you really have to be vigilant when driving because there are bigger vehicles running on the street.
5. Make sure you will be wearing the appropriate attire when riding. Wear clothes that can protect your whole body as much as possible. Do not forget to bring your helmet and never ever take them off while on the road.
6. Make sure you bring with you the necessary motorcycle tools in case of emergency. Since you will not be having a toolbox with you just like the ones you have in your car, you can choose a motorcycle luggage and pack them inside.
7. Be in good mental and physical condition before traveling. It is imperative in any long-range travel for a person to be in a state of well-being. In this way, you will always be alert for impending dangers. Do practice defensive driving at all times.
8. If you have a company, you need to exercise triple care in driving. Do not be too hasty or be overconfident. In terms of weight, you will be balancing your luggage and your passenger. If you will not be careful, things could go wrong and you will be hurting your passenger as well.

About the Author
For more tips and information about motorcycle luggage, please check out http://www.rockytopleather.com/.

Here are a few tips to help you plan:

Where to Go?

Once you’ve decided that camping in France is for you, the question is which region to visit. Each of the areas have their unique charms, but best value, you can’t beat a camping holiday in Brittany - and doubly so for those with families. It has a great mix being close to Britain (cutting down on the trauma of driving long distances with impatient children), a good selection of family friendly local attractions and, crucially, some truly fantastic campsites. Brittany’s best include Camping Ty Nadan, Camping la Pointe St Gilles and Camping Château de Ormes. All of these are highly rated, with plenty to keep families occupied in delightfully scenic, spacious environments.

When to Go?

Whether you plan to follow my advice and head off to a Brittany campsite, or whether another area of France calls you, the advice of when to plan your trip remains broadly the same. The majority of campsites are open between May and September (some earlier, and some later). July and August are ideal for better weather, more onsite entertainment in the heat of summer and far more visitor attractions will be open. If you want a quieter retreat, then why not travel in May or June when the weather is still warm and the campsites and attractions are much quieter.

What to Bring?

What to bring very much depends on what kind of experience you’re looking for. The majority of campsites in Brittany have fully equipped accommodation including barbeques which means you will save money as you are not buying any extra equipment that you normally need on other camping holidays..

That said there are some things you should definitely take. Firstly, sleeping materials such as bed linen, towels, pillows and blankets are provided but check with your holiday provider to make sure it is included . Then of course basic toiletries will be very welcome and as bare essentials you’ll want a toothbrush, soap, towels, and washcloths. Cooking equipment is all supplied and includes the basics such as cutlery, cookware and plates but it also includes specific items like bottle openers and can openers. Don’t forget your teabags, coffee and sugar!

Then there’s the bits and pieces you need to stay healthy - a first aid kit could prove very handy, but also remember to pack sun cream and an insect repellent to prevent illness before it strikes! Finally a handful of items that are very easy to forget but incredibly useful: waste bags, a torch and matches.

Don’t worry about this too much if you’re staying at one of the many excellent campsites in Brittany. An onsite shop won’t be too far away, allowing you to stock up on essentials and the little luxuries as you need them.

And with that you’re all set for your camping holiday in Brittany. You know where to go, when to go and what to bring - what are you waiting for?

About the Author
Stephen Lane is the Marketing Director of Canvas Holidays, one of the leading European camping and mobile home holiday companies in the UK. With over 40 years of experience, Canvas offer tailor made trips to Brittany campsites as well holidays to the rest of France and other countries such as Spain, Italy, Holland, Germany and other destinations across 9 European countries.

A benefit of a camping trailer is how fast it can be used and moved about. It makes bringing camping gear into a park simpler than if you had to drag it in. Plus, it is easy to move in cases of emergencies. Many have links installed in them for electricity, water and sewer system. These trailers are adaptable to any environment.

Many resourceful people who endure the damages of hurricanes and tornadoes find an inexpensive way to recover is by living out of camping trailer while home repairs or rebuilding take place. The money saved by these people who live in trailers instead of spending on hotels and/or staying with family is tremendous.

The camping trailer makes it so that the occupants of the vehicle during a trip are not crowded by camping gear while at the same time the vehicle has enough space so that everyone can fit in to do different activities. For instance, the family can occupy their camping space in the park and then go to local stores, visit tourist attractions or eat out in the new area, especially if they do not frequent that particular park often.

Canopies can be added to the sides of camping trailers. These act as umbrellas and shade providers when campers want to eat or even sleep outside the trailer. By sleeping outside of the trailer underneath a canopy, a camper who usually wakes early to fish or to do some other activity can do so without disturbing the rest of the camping party.

And camping trailers are not only useful during camp as they can be used as a place for children to have sleepovers. This will help with space as well as give the kids’ privacy and the parents a reprieve from the noise they will undoubtedly make. The camping trailer, whether parked in a driveway, or in the woods, is truly an incredible all-purpose unit.

About the Author
Guy Morris continually pens articles on topics associated to taxi from alicante airport. His contributions on alicante airport transfers are published on http://www.alicante-spain.com/ and other web sites.

So without further ado, here’s the Guide To The UK’s 25 Best Motorhome and Caravan Parks.

Middlewood Farm Holiday Park, Whitby, North Yorkshire Open March to January, this site has truly magnificent Yorkshire Moors views and is just a stone’s throw from beaches and some of the best walking in the UK. Tel: 01947 880414 www.middlewoodfarm.com

Top Lodge, Duddington, Northamptonshire Close to Burghley Park (famous horse trials) and Dene Park. Watch red kites (the birds!) from the newly-refurbished RSPB centre next to the site, which also has a new £1m cafe alongside, with great woodland walks also on the doorstep. Tel: 01780 444617

Kneps Farm, Blackpool, Lancashire In a real caravan and motorhome hotspot, this is a shining star, with fantastic facilities. Regulars go back year after year to this rural beauty. Tel: 01253 863967 www.knepsfarm.co.uk

Skelwith Fold Caravan Park, Ambleside, Cumbria Set in beautiful natural Lake District woodland, with wildlife in abundance, Skelwith Fold is the prefect base for those wanting to explore this majestic piece of rural England. Tel: 01539 432277 www.skelwith.com

The Dell Caravan and Camping Park, Bury St Edmonds, Suffolk A brilliant base for touring East Anglia, including the amazing beaches of North Norfolk. Pets welcome, toilets and showers on site. Also a superb stop-over site for those making longer journeys. Tel: 01359 270121 Email: thedellcaravanpark@btinternet.com

The Star Caravan and Camping Park, Cotton, Staffordshire The closest site to world-famous theme park Alton Towers. Loaded with excellent facilities and also near enough for trips to the Peak District and Matlock Bath. Golf and fishing close too. Tel: 01538 702219 www.starcaravanpark.co.uk

Pine Lodge Touring Park, Maidstone, Kent A lovely privately owned site close to famous Leeds Castle, and ideally placed to tour the Kent countryside or for stop overs for travel to mainland Europe. Tel: 01622 730018 www.pinelodgetouringpark.co.uk

East Fleet Farm, Weymouth, Dorset Foodies take note. This popular holiday site is on a working organic farm with great views of Chesil Bank. Very peaceful, good facilities. Tel: 01305 785768 www.eastfleet.co.uk

Monmouth Caravan Park, Monmouthshire, Wales A very popular family-run, pet-friendly site. Good facilities and within walking distance of the town. New clubhouse and fishing available. Tel: 01600 716690 www.monmouthcaravanpark.com

Lebberston Touring Park, Scarborough, North Yorkshire Lots of south-facing pitches at this site, which is close to the beach and some of the best walking in the north of England. A great base for a holiday. Tel: 01723 595723 www.lebberstontouring.co.uk

Aberlour Gardens, Moray, Scotland A very well-kept site on the Whisky Trail (’foodies’, this is for you) with great facilities for families and pets. Very quiet and sheltered. Tel: 01340 871586 www.aberlourgardens.co.uk

Golden Square, Helmsley, North Yorkshire An award-winning site in a stunning location with superb facilities that underwent a major refurbishment two years ago. Surrounded by countryside and woodland. A gem. Tel: 01439 788269 www.goldensquarecaravanpark.com

Gillside Caravan and Camping, Penrith, Cumbria Another fabulous Lake District site, in the foothills of Helvellyn and a short walk from the magnificent Lake Ullswater. Tel: 01768 482346 www.gillsidecaravanandcampingsite.co.uk

Southland Camping Park, Sandown, Isle-of-Wight Another award-winner with great flat pitches in a quiet setting and the perfect site from which to explore the Isle-of-Wight. Tel: 01983 865385 www.southland.co.uk

Ross Park, Newton Abbot, Devon In one of Devon’s most beautiful parks, with lovely garden-style pitches, excellent facilities and golf and fishing right on the doorstep. Well worth a visit. Tel: 01803 812983 www.rossparkcaravanpark.co.uk

Searles Leisure Resort, Hunstanton, Norfolk Got the lot - great amenities, golf, tennis, pool, award-winning beach, hair and beauty salon. Open all year. And a tip from us - North Norfolk just out of season is quiet and spectacular. Tel: 01485 534211 www.searles.co.uk

Beverley Park, Paignton, Devon This place has got the lot. Sea views, fantastic facilities (including a sauna and two swimming pools). A fantastic holiday base. Tel: 01803 661968 www.beverley-holidays.co.uk

Forest Fields, Builth Wells, Powys, Wales Gorgeous location, close to a babbling mountain stream with superb moorland and forest walks close by. A peaceful, award-winning site. Tel: 01982 570406 www.fforestfields.co.uk

Wooda Farm Park, Bude, Cornwall Brimming with features and facilities for all the family and just a mile from Bude’s famous, sandy beaches. A firm favourite. Tel: 01288 352069 www.wooda.co.uk

Thornton’s Holt, Radcliffe-on-Trent, Nottinghamshire With an onsite swimming pool, pub just 100 yards away and a driving range on the doorstep this is a very popular centrally-located site. Tel: 01159 332125 www.thorntons-holt.co.uk

Warren Farm Holiday Centre, Brean, Somerset Brilliant family site with wi-fi access and even a digital photo processing suite on-site. Licensed club and loads of top facilities. Tel: 01278 751227 www.warren-farm.co.uk

Brighouse Bay Holiday Park, Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland Truly exceptional site in a breathtaking 1200 acre location with a raft of amenities and sports and leisure options. If you’re in Scotland you must try it out. Tel: 01557 870267 www.gillespie-leisure.co.uk

Bath Chew Valley, Bristol, Avon Another award-winner, including ‘Loo of the Year’. Very close to Chew Valley lake, a top fishing and birdwatching location. Very good standard of amenities. Tel: 01275 332127 www.bathchewvalley.co.uk

Ord House Country Park, Berwick-upon-Tweed, Northumberland A great site with a licensed club in an 18th century manor house. Has picked up awards galore and no surprise. A north-east cracker. Tel: 01289 www.ordhouse.co.uk

White Rose Touring Park, Littlehampton, West Sussex A quiet family-run site which offers relaxed, friendly and comfortable facilities and amenities. Close to sandy beaches and the famous South Downs. Tel: 01903 716176 www.whiterosetouringpark.co.uk

About the Author
The UK’s 25 Best Motorhome and Caravan Parks - as recommended by customers of Sureterm Direct, Motorhome Insurance Specialist.

The dilemmas of what to take to a festival in a field that ensures you fit the bill of being effortlessly cool and fashionable, comfy and weatherproof (sun or rain) is one that feels almost unfair. It’s alright for the thoughtless celebrities like Kate Moss who made dressing for festivals de rigeur. She doesn’t have to sleep in a tent, probably gets a shower every day and can afford to chop floor length gold gowns at the buttocks and team it with a £400 belt. Scruffy chic, yeah whatever!

In fact I took this quote from www.catwalkqueen.tv/2007/06/girls_pay_500_t.html just to prove my point.

“In a survey conducted by Freeview it was revealed that a third of people bought new clothes and posh tents to take with them, while 27% of people confessed to spending about £500 on a festival weekend.”

I find that my problem is trying to resist packing my whole house into my (massive) back pack. I hate camping in the rain because the wetter it is, the more stuff you need. Two of everything in case the other gets wet, waterproofs, umbrellas, wet wipes for yourself and your wellies, a bigger towel (or two), socks…you get the picture.

This year I am tempted to hire a podpad instead of bothering with a tent. A podpad for those of you who are not familiar with new festival accommodation is a wooden house made by slotting together bits of treated wood. It is tall enough for you to stand up in and even has raised beds a light and a shelf inside. There are cute little windows and a lock on the door, hell it probably comes with home insurance. Now that’s my kind of festival accommodation!

There are so many festivals now I never know which one to choose. I am not loyal to any of them, the sort of person that likes to keep their options open if you like. There is Glastonbury the daddy of all festivals, the Secret Garden Party, V Festival, the Isle of White Festival, Bestival, ‘breath’ the list goes on. I feel as though I have so much choice that I am bound to choose the wrong one.

The grass is always greener on the other festival site or so the saying goes.

About the Author
Compare Home Insurance rates at http://www.confused.com/home-insurance

Bands like the Beatles and big beach resorts such as Blackpool meant lots of people travelled to these events and areas and these people needed somewhere to stay. At the big concerts many people used tents to stay in across the field that the concert was being held at. But the other major accommodation that people would have to stay in were caravans and VW campers, the fans that came to see the bands would either have to stay at nearby caravan parks and make the trip to the concert or take their own private caravan to the site. This meant all the while caravan companies were taking in big profits due to the large increase in sales.

In today’s market the new caravan business is still big but has declined since the early years of mass concerts and beach holidays. This can be down to the weather in the UK in the summer since the turn of the century has changed for the worse. Also the increase in low cost air travel and the internet mean that many of the UK’s tourists will travel to mainland Europe to go on holiday with countries such as France and Spain being tourist hot spots in recent years.

This is down to the better weather and a different culture. Another example for the change is that society has changed in the UK since the 60’s and 70’s. The traditional English beach holiday has been in decline due to more people travelling abroad and beach holiday resorts decreasing in quality. Also with new technology being released many people consider the caravan holiday as ‘boring’ and choose not to go in the great outdoors, this new technology is gadgets such as the Xbox 360 which makes teenagers and young people to want to stay indoors and play rather than go on an outdoors holiday and go hiking and biking for example.

The new caravan market has been helped considerably by the caravan transport business as well as these two go hand in hand. Without either of these businesses operating then both markets would not be able to survive. This is because the new caravans would not be able to be transported to the caravan sites throughout the country without the caravan transport business.

Overall the new caravan business has changed since its early days and has turned a corner with the business being valued differently on the market in the UK. With more new technologies being made the new caravan business is being forced to enter new sectors of the market other than the holiday business to gain the profit they need. Overall while the last twenty years have not been completely fair to the caravans industry, as economic malaise becomes a reality, the cheaper holidays offered by caravanning companies will undoubtedly become more popular.
About the Author:

Industry expert Thomas Pretty looks into how new caravans sales have varied in the last century.

Of course, when you are just immersing your child into the idea of tent camping, you don’t immediately have to set out on a long camping trip. You can set up a small camp site in your backyard, just so they can have the idea of how sleeping outdoors works. Children, whatever age they may be, can be very imaginative, and you surely won’t run out of ways on how to motivate them to try tent camping instead of staying indoors with the TV or computer on.

A fun motivation for kids would be setting up the tent together. This teaches them how valuable team work is, and how following instructions can get the job done in a shorter time. Assign a task for each child, such as putting up the tent poles, securing the pegs, and others. If you’d like, you may give each child an individual tent, such as those made for only one person, or you can all stay together in one larger tent.

Have lots of snacks on hand. Let your kids take their pick on what kinds of food they’d want to take on their backyard camping trip. If you are planning to camp out in the evening, you can start a small bonfire, following fire safety precautions. Use your bonfire to roast marshmallows, make smores, or even to simulate cooking using camping cookware.

As sleep time approaches, telling stories and singing songs are classic bonfire activities for the family. Provide one sleeping blanket for each child, and apply mosquito repellant as necessary.

Get creative with the activities you want to do with your kids. Teach them how to be responsible, and how to clean up and be organized while camping. Let your children associate your backyard tent camping as something they would like to do again. This is a great way of getting them ready for real camping trip. Pretty soon, you and the rest of the clan can be on your way to camping in the great outdoors.

Heather loves camping but hates getting wet. She recommends Eureka tents or North Face tents for dry comfortable camping. She loves her North Face tent!

First, check your cooking equipment and make sure it is clean and well organized before heading outdoors. Include common utensils and equipment like spatula, turner, large serving spoons, knives, forks, spoons, plates, bowls, cups, coffee pot, cooking pots, pans, (preferably cast iron skillet and Dutch oven), lids, and plastic bags.

Utensils can be stored separately in plastic Ziploc bags or long, thin plastic containers with lids. Stack cups inside bowls and pots and pans to utilize all areas of space and remember, you can stack upside down too! Once the tools of the trade are collected, be sure that your cook stove is clean and all working parts are present, including propane, regulator, briquettes, matches or lighter. A few other essentials to include in the cook tubs are pot holders or gloves, foil, cutting board, clean dish towels and scrubbers, dish soap, garbage bags, bleach and a flashlight.

Secondly, plan a menu for each meal of each day that you will be cooking outside. It is easiest to plan the menu by days and meals. For example, Day 1: breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, drinks; Day 2: breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, drinks, etc. Once you have your menu planned you can easily make the list of ingredients that go into each meal or snack. Break the list into categories like meats, dairy, fruits, vegetables, dry goods and so on, until you have a complete list of supplies you need to pack. This list can also double as a shopping guide. Perishable items like meats should be frozen ahead of time and packed together in a cooler along with other items that need to be kept cold like milk or cheese. Be sure to pack frozen water bottles, or recycled juice bottles full of frozen water to keep ice chest temperatures cold. It is also a good idea to keep a small thermometer in the cooler so that you know temperatures are appropriate to prevent food spoilage. Crushed ice is added after everything else is packed into the cooler, and it is best to pack drinks in a cooler separate from the perishables cooler.

Now that everything is prepared and organized, a few other pantry items are pertinent to note. Add to the dry goods staples items such as salt, pepper, garlic powder, sugar in a mason jar with screwed down lid, an additional empty pint sized mason jar with lid, vanilla flavoring, other favorite herbs and spices including cinnamon and nutmeg, Pam, or your favorite brand of non stick cooking spray, tea, coffee and hot cocoa. These items can fit into a small storage tub with a lid and labeled as Preferred Pantry! In the cold cooler, be sure to add heavy whipped cream in a mason jar with lid, butter, milk and half and half.

Next comes the cooking. Take the time to organize the camp kitchen. Set up a hand washing station with water, pump soap and clean towel. Unpack tools and utensils so they are easy to reach, yet discretely out of the way. Prepare the garbage/recycle station before you start to cook. If you are using a small grill, set it up and check to make sure it works, and that you have placed it in a well ventilated area. Open coolers as little as possible to keep things cold. As the cooking begins, remember you are working at a slower pace than the stove at home. If using a campfire to cook, smoke will enhance and flavor meats and grilled vegetables with an unbelievably delightful flavor. When food finishes cooking, transfer to a plate and cover with a lid or aluminum foil to retain heat and flavor.

Finally, an impromptu treat of Same Day Cobbler is made possible by the supplies included in the pre-trip preparations. In August, there are many ripe blackberries. Pick a quart or two of the wild berries. Rinse and place the berries into a Dutch oven. Sprinkle with sugar and use about one tablespoon of butter and dot the berries. If berries aren’t available, pack a can or two of peaches. After that, mix up the cobbler topping using the pancake mix you brought along. Add a few tablespoons of sugar to the mix, and mix with milk until t it is the consistency of a drop biscuit. Drop the cobbler dough on top of the berries or peaches. Sprinkle the top with a teaspoon full of sugar, put on the lid and bake in a Dutch Oven until you can see and smell the steam escaping from the top. While the cobbler is baking, fill a mason jar two-thirds full of heavy whipping cream. Add a dash of sugar, a touch of vanilla and screw the lid on tight. Now it is time for more fun! Pass the jar of whipping cream around the camp fire. As each person shakes it, watch your family and friends make whipped cream! When the Same Day Cobbler has finished cooking, serve with a little whipped cream. Enjoy!

Cooking outdoors can be very enjoyable and delicious. It contributes to the relaxing rhythm of an outdoor adventure and invites others to share in the work, or keep you company while you are cooking. Be sure to clean up, wipe down and store all unused food. Outdoor cooking is an integral element of rafting and camping. It enriches the experience, slows the pace and enhances the flavors of food. Enjoy what comes along and be sure to share the joy of cooking at the camp fire!

by Kari O’Brien
About the Author
Kari and her husband Tim are the owners of O’Brien’s Rogue River Rafting. For information on guided Oregon whitewater rafting trips, family raft camps or summer teen raft camps click the following link: Rogue River Rafting. Kari is also the author of the Rogue River Rafting Blog.