Reserving BC campgrounds online – otherwise known as Crazy town!

For avid campers in BC an important date is fast approaching – Reservations for BC Parks’ front country campsites open Sunday March 15th, at 9 a.m. Pacific Time.

Unlike our neighbours across the border, where you can reserve campsites up to 10 months in advance, we have only a 3 month window which creates some adrenalin fueled early mornings, I don’t mind admitting! I’m no gambler, but I’m sure that slightly anxious adrenalin fuelled waiting to for the crad to be turned must feel a little bit like trying to make a reservation on discover camping. Many a morning I’ve sat at my computer, my campsite all picked out, credit card at the ready, watching the seconds pass painfully slowly towards 7am when the ‘inventory’ is released to the camp hungry public. You’ve done your research, know exactly which site would make your camping trip perfect, your dates are set, heart pumping, palms sweaty…7am finally arrives…you click ‘reserve’ and…someone else, inexplicably beat you to it. How does it happen??!! Then you’re suddenly scrambling to reserve your second choice, or third…there have been times when I’ve watched it go from about 20 sites available to nothing in less than a minute. Crazy town.

In BC we have only a 3 month window which creates some adrenalin fueled early mornings, I don’t mind admitting!

According to the BC parks website the campsite shows reserved even if someone is just looking at it so you can see what a mad scramble it becomes when even a handful of pajama clad campers are trying to book their family vacations!

So here are some tips to help make reserving your campground, feel less like something you shouldn’t become addicted to!

1. Do your research.

For me, this is Jayne Seagrave. Jayne wrote the camping in BC bible in my opinion –

 Jayne has camped at them all at least once and more often at least three times in recent years. Jayne has kids and pays attention to things that matter to Campermamas. Jayne has not been wrong in our experience and so now we trust her explicitly. If Jayne says this is the best campground I’ve ever stayed out we mark it down as one to make a point of going to. If Jayne says this site is not worth the effort of getting to it, we cross it permanently off our list. I have recently also bought Jayne’s ‘Camping with Kids’ book but I think it’s better suited to parents with younger kids than mine and much of the park info is repeated, so stick with Camping British Columbia – it will serve you well!

Other than Jayne, there is also the BC Parks site of course and also campingrvbc, both of which have basic info about the parks and their campgrounds (in the case of the campingrvbc one there is also some useful info including camping recipes, fishing licenses, activities and events – worth checking out!)

Next step is to go onto the discovercamping website and look at the campground you’re interested in, click onto the various sites on the reservation map and for most of them you’ll be able to see photos of the sites. Bear in mind that these are to be used as a guide only – they can be deceptive when it comes to size and location. Always read the notes about privacy and look at it on the map – is it close / far enough to toilet facitlities, water etc. Is there a public trail or open space next to it? will you be too close to a highway or busy road?

2. Have your itinerary planned.

If you are planning a road trip with multiple campsites involved you will, unless you happen to be a jammy so and so, have to be somewhat flexible with your itinerary. Know what dates you need to camp at each site – how many nights that equates to – and plan out the ‘3 month in advance’ dates. Write them on your calendar, put them into your phone but don’t miss a date because it might, especially if it’s a busy site, alter your trip more than you expected!

3. Set up an account with discover camping if you don’t already have one.

You will need to have an account to make a reservation so don’t leave that until crazy town hits! Set it up and then log in before 7am comes around so that you can process it quicker.

As I’ve mentioned in a previous post, there are loopholes to this process and this summer I will be trying them out. The cancellation fee for reservations has a max of $18 attached to it so, I have been told, you can in theory make a reservation for a few days or even a week, earlier than you actually want to go – then cancel them. This enables you to have access to the good sites in advance of the 3 month “open” window. Sounds sneaky but, it does sound as if it should work and if you have 2 discover camping accounts in your household you should be able to book ‘overlapping’ dates. We are planning a 2 week road trip to the Rockies this summer and I will most likely be forced to try out this process just to get the sites that I want when I want them – or in some cases, even to get onto the campground at all!

 

Camper Laundry Solutions

  My Mum, an intrepid campermama – she spent 18 months travelling around the coast of Great Britain in her campervan a few years ago – faces many challenges when she packs up her camper for an extended jaunt, not the least of which is packing for varying climates while keeping an eye on the weight / space balance. This December, once again, she’s off to Spain and Portugal for some sunshine and wanted to share a recent discovery she’s made with other Campermamas.

 

“Sometimes you just have to do some washing when away camping – well I do, especially when we go away from the UK shores to sunnier Spain for 3 months of the winter!  Trying to keep weight down in our motorvan (camper van to your part of the world), is always an important issue when packing up and washing products are seen as weighty items.  Well I hope I have solved this problem.  I have found a ‘Laundry Egg’!! 

As the name implies it is shaped like an egg and contains some powerful cleaning pellets, which have no harsh chemicals, is hypoallergenic, eco-friendly, will last up to 54 washes and finally also important to us – it is very light in weight. 

More pellets can be purchased so it has a long life too.  If you want to check it out the company website is www.ecoegg.com.  Will let you know how it performs next year when we return back to the UK. 

Keep camping, Jackie”

I did some research and found that you can buy the Eco Egg on Amazon.com in the US and Fruugo in Canada for about $32. Whilst not as cheap as buying a bottle of Tide, the Eco Egg on Fruugal does last for 210 washes – which is only 15c a load! Approved by the Allergy UK and eco friendly, it’s kind to sensitive baby skins as well as the environment. Not bad for such a small package and it’s also lightweight, of course, making it a great choice for campsite laundromats as well home use!

 

 

5 Great Gifts for Campermamas!

With the Holidays approaching, here are 5 great gifts for Campermamas everywhere!

Cozy Vest

Not just for camping, the MEC Uplink hoodie is perfect for any chilly morning or cool evening! Blessed with flattering design lines and elasticated thread which helps it to hug the body, this vest offers the warmth of a puffy down vest, without the ‘Michelin’ bulk. Lightweight, this vest also packs up small, making it handy for stuffing into your purse, or pack, when you’re out and about. The Uplink is $99 and comes in this lovely ‘turkish blue’ or in classic black.

 Night Vision

The Petzl Tikka RXP Headlamp also made my list because I love headlamps! Not only are they wonderful for camping, you can also use them for night snowshoeing or running on dark mornings and evenings. Headlamps are lightweight (this one weighs 115g) and comfortable but this particular model has a nice design to help it stay in place when moving at a pace. The Tikka RXP is my choice because it uses a rechargable Lithium battery and comes with a USB cable whcih makes it easier to charge when you’re camping. (It will also take a standard battery if you’re out and don’t have access to power) It’s most impressive feature is that besides the constant light of most headlamps it also has a very cool light sensor, or ‘reactive mode’ that decides whether you need a wider beam for distance or a focused beam for close up. This sounds perfect for camping as I go from fishing out my toothbrush and toothpaste to trekking to the bathroom and often have wait for my eyes to adjust to the difference in the light so that I don’t trip over a tree en route! The Tikka also has a red light option so that you don’t have to blind yourself if you need to find your watch in the middle of the night!

It might seem pricey at $99 but it’s the gadget that you’ll really appreciate when camping and if you enjoy getting out and about all year round then the Tikka RXP is a great choice!

 

 Awesome Socks

Happy feet can make all the difference to an activity and these Darn Tough Micro Crew Cushion socks are sure to please! Made of sustainable, fine gauge merino wool that won’t itch, rub or cause hot spots; pulling these socks on is like wearing slippers (that don’t slouch or bunch at the toes!) I love the colours of this particular style as it functions as a technical hiking sock but looks just as good peeking out of my UGG boots around the camp fire! Merino wool is a great choice for camping as it’s warm, anti microbial (won’t stink) and it retains heat even when wet (wonderful for those moments when you reach your foot down into what you think is a dry boot but which turns out to be full of dew! This is a premium sock that comes with an unconditional lifetime guarantee so the $23 price tag is really quite reasonable. Beware though – these socks are addictive – one pair is never enough!

 

 

Solar Power

 

If you’re camping, chances are you still have your phone with you – Aside from using the camera function it’s a great tool for checking weather reports, hiking trail maps and peace of mind safety! We are rather attached to them these days and plugging them in to an outlet in the washroom isn’t always an option.  Here’s the solution – the Eton Boost Solar 5000! At $105 you’ll get a gadget to power your gadgets over and over again and a great sustainable energy solution! The battery pack can charge a smartphone twice over and it can then be re-charged thanks to the solar panel! (The battery can also be charged via a USB port ) At only 6″ sq – this baby is compact and easy to stash so no problem finding a spot in the light to charge it up! At $105 it’s the gift that will keep giving – one that you’ll be grateful for when your tablet or smartphone dies and you’re only on day 2 of your getaway!

 

 

Layer up

Great layering pieces for camping share pretty much the same characteristics with running tops. You want a top that will breathe, dry quickly and which looks great worn on it’s own, as well as being comfortable to wear under a heavier sweater or fleece. My pick is the Oiselle Drop Top Mesh, for $78 you get style that you’ll feel happy showing off and the technical features you need to keep you warm, dry and comfortable – including thummies! This cute top will have many uses and makes a great gift as it’s sure to become a fav!

 

 

 

Making Reservations for camping in Western Canada & the Pacific Northwest: what you need to know

Incredibly reservations are already open for next year’s camping and if you don’t get organzied you could miss out on some great spots! As I’ve mentioned before in this blog, for my family, making reservation makes us go. If we weren’t committed to go camping at the weekend, it’s too easy for other things to get in the way of our getaway!

So, here’s a run down of some of the main online reservation services for Western Canada, Washington and Oregon and what you need to know for each one:

 

Alberta: https://reserve.albertaparks.ca

You can make reservations up to 3 months in advance. Good search feature that allows you to filter for things like playgrounds, flush toilets and showers which takes some of the extra research off the ‘to-do’ list. Some of the sites I looked at had 6 – 8 photos for each which gives you a good sense of what you’ll be getting when you arrive.

Here are some other useful sites I found for campers heading to Alberta

http://rockymountaincamping.ca/ 

http://www.albertaparks.ca/ 

http://www.albertawow.com/campgrounds

http://albertascampgrounds.com/great-photos-of-alberta-campgrounds/

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BC: https://secure.camis.com/Discovercamping/

The Camis platform is also used by Washington State Parks and it’s quite straightforward. You can make reservations up to 3 months in advance (but only after the beginning of April and after that it becomes a frenzy. If there’s a popular site you want to go to you have to be prepared to get up early and hit reserve as soon as the clock turns to 7am!) Search feature is basic (you can’t look for sites that have flush toilets for example) and you usually get 2 photos of each site which is often enough to give you a good idea but can often be misleading in terms of size (we’ve gone with friends thinking we could all easily fit judging by the photo but it turned out to be a squash!)

One tip that I got last summer, which I have yet to try but after a thorough reading of the policies I think it would work, is to make the reservation for a few days before you actually want to go and then cancel the days you don’t need. As long as you make the cancellations at least 7 days before your reserved arrival date, you will only pay a maximum of $18 but you stand way more chance of getting the site you want at the campground you want to go to – especially if you want to arrive at a weekend! For example, you want to camp at Alice Lake in Squamish – super popular spot – on the weekend of July 8th – 10th. You wait until May 8th and try your luck, only to find that it’s already fully booked! Using the tip however, you go online on July 4th and book for 7  nights. Then you go online and cancel the nights of July 4th – 7th, yes it will cost you $18 but you have the weekend you want, where you want to go.

Having been utterly frustrated by this seemingly impossible ability to get into the popular sites at weekends in the summer, I see the value of the $18!!

Another side to this is to keep checking back – just because the dates you want are full at 3 months out, doesn’t mean they’ll stay full – people cancel!

Also worth checking out is:

http://www.gocampingbc.com/

 

Parks Canada: https://reservation.pc.gc.ca/

This is what you need to look at if you want to go to Banff, Jasper or Yoho. On this site you can book up to 6 months in advance but each Park has it’s own ‘open for reservations date’ so check that out and mark your calendar!

Site is using the Camis platform and therefore easy to use with photos. Cancellations must be made at least 3 nights in advance and the reservation fee and cancellation fees are non refundable (no max)

Washington: https://washington.goingtocamp.com/

Same platform as BC with the important difference that in Washington, you can book up to 9 months in advance! That’s right – 9 months! I have already booked our traditional Father’s Day weekend at Birch Bay and I’m planning July now!

Most of Washington State Park sites seem to have flush toilets and showers so no need for the filter option and there is at least 1 photo of each site.

Washington Parks changed their reservation policy in 2014 to stop people doing exactly what I just recommended doing in terms of reducing the number of nights. In Washington, there is no refund of booking fees at all. No $18 max. So if you book for 7 nights and only use 3, you would have to pay the fee for 4 nights. It doesn’t stop you doing it, just costs more

.

 

Oregon: http://www.oregonstateparks.org/

You can make reservations up to 9 months in advance. There is a good filter on the search feature and photos of the parks as well as photos of the sites.

Note: Oregon reservation fees are entirely non-refundable so book what you want and be sure!

Also worth checking out:

http://www.reserveamerica.com/camping/Oregon_Parks_and_Recreation_Department/r/campgroundDirectoryList.do?contractCode=OR

http://traveloregon.com/places-to-stay/campgrounds/

http://koa.com/states-provinces/oregon/

 

All of these online services are easy to use but if you choose not to, beware, you will pay more! The call centres charge a higher rate for all their services, including the reservation fee itself, by a couple of dollars so instead of paying $6 a night you end up paying $8. This adds up quickly so think before picking up the phone!

Camping getaways should be fun and painless – making reservations can help relieve some of the stress and I highly recommend them so make some reservations as soon as you can and start looking forward to your summer camping!

Don’t be deceived – Deception Pass is well worth a visit!

A campground with walk-able access to 2 Beaches, a fishing lake with sandy beach and roped off swimming area, easy, beautiful hiking trails and a spectacular view – what more could you ask for!

Deception Pass State Park is located on the Northern tip of Whitbey Island in Washington, USA. It’s a scenic drive, easily accessible from the I-5 and nestled in the pacific northwest forest right by the ocean.

Deception Pass Bridge is a popular place to stop as it’s one of those ‘photo opportunities’ that you just can’t drive by without stopping to investigate further, but the park itself is worth a visit too. The main beach at the day use area is long and rocky but there is a sandy beach by the swimming lake for those who just have to build sandcastles! My kids love making forts out of driftwood and there’s plenty of material to choose from along this shore! Fishing seems to be popular here and there was quite the crowd of boats offshore as well as fishermen on the beach when we were there in early September so bring your rods!

The North beach is the quieter of the two as it’s as obvious to the day use crowd and it can easily be reached from the campground. Here you’ll find great tidal pools to explore as you walk along towards the bridge.

Deception Pass Bridge

Sites vary quite a lot in size, so if you are making a reservation, take time to read the site descriptions or you might find yourself perching on a ledge (many of the sites have the picnic tables lower than the car / tent pads which is a bit different.

Trail to the Beach

Our site was facing the swimming lake and it was a really beautiful spot: plenty of sun and shade with a  great little ‘den’ for the kids to move into (which they did, almost immediately, announcing that they were going to eat in there) and a convenient little access path that joined the trail to the beach area.

Only downside was that it was a quite a trek to the washroom block (showers and flush toilets – which were clean!) but considering that there were only 2 for the whole site, that’s not so surprising! More washrooms would be a plus but if you don’t mind the trek, it’s kind of nice to have  it further away from the sites! I would recommend that if you have smaller children, however, you keep washroom locations in mind when reserving a site!

The campground feels quite open despite the trees and plenty of sunshine can get through to most of the sites we saw which is nice – we get far too much rain on the West Coast!

Swimming area and sandy beach, just a stones throw from the day use area at the beach

Enjoy the beautiful sunsets

At the Day use area you’ll find a concession (nothing healthy here so be warned!) and a canoe rental shack, which was doing a roaring trade while we were there, so go early in the day if you want to take a paddle out on the lake!

We first came to Deception Pass on our way to Seattle one rainy day. We’d decided to take the scenic route of the old Chuckanut Highway followed by Whidbey Island and finally the ferry to Seattle (it makes a really refreshing change to go this way and the scenery really is beautiful) and we decided to stop at Deception Pass for lunch. I have to say that I felt so sorry for the campers on that very damp day in May and I suppose that put me off going back there until this year but I’m so glad we did and we’ll be back again for sure!

5 reasons why your family should own a Westfalia

1. They’re AWESOME!

It has to be said, even though it’s obvious! They just are. They’re cool, they’re practical and they’re fun. Invariably, wherever we go, people will come by and tell me how much they wished they’d kept the one they used to have, back when, back when they were cool, back in that time before kids…but I always say to them “Go get another then! The kids will LOVE you for it!”

2. It makes you Get Out There. And more often.

Camping was something my husband and I both grew up enjoying and it was something we definitely wanted to share with our kids, so off we went and bought a big family tent and enlarged our camping kit accordingly. Only now, it wasn’t so easy to just to pack up and head out. Besides the amount of prep and organisation now needed to get away, even for a night camping, the kids loved camping so much that taking a chance on getting into a site without a reservation wasn’t an option – the devastation was too terrible to behold! It was too easy to put it off – a bad weather forecast or a busy week, and we’d forego the reservation we’d made all too easily. The Westfalia however is all packed up and ready to go, anytime. All I need to pack now is clothes and food. I even leave things like raincoats, boots and extra fleeces in Florence all season long so it’s even less to pack. It means that we can be ready to leave in a very short space of time and if rains, we’re OK. We have somewhere warm and dry to sleep or play games, with an awning to cover us so that we can cook without getting soaked and if it’s still raining when it’s time to pack up (and yes, unfortunately that happens!) No big deal – everything is pretty much inside and ready to go. No excuses. We make reservations for almost every weekend in the summer and off we go.

3. It’s no bigger than a minivan so it can be your second car

Despite longing for a Westfalia for many years, my husband just couldn’t justify it until we finally admitted that we now needed a second car. Two kids and working in two different cities we needed the flexibility and suddenly the Westfalia was on the table. They’re not amazing on gas or anything but if you need an excuse or justification, they’re no bigger than a minivan so easy to park, fits into all parking lots and carries 4 people plus whatever else you need to carry AND they have the added benefit of being a recreational vehicle (and a really COOL one at that!)

4. Makes even local days out feel like you’re on vacation

Wherever you go in a Westfalia, it feels like an adventure. As if, perhaps, you could just keep driving and find yourself in California. It has a road trip vibe, like it wants to take you there. Even a Fall day out somewhere local becomes a mini vacation in a Westfalia. Pack a picnic or better yet, the barbecue, throw some beers in the cooler and make a whole day of it. Find somewhere to park that has a great view and after a good hike with the kids or a bike ride, settle down to enjoy being outside, or even inside, if it’s raining! Many a day we’ve sat inside while a chilly wind blew but we’ve had the pounding surf to watch or the mountains or forest to admire. It’s like tail gating on a whole new level!

5. It embodies the concept that it’s the journey that counts, not the destination

You’ll find yourself wanting to plan epic camping trips, fun days out off the beaten path and road trip adventures that go above and beyond the usual summer planning checklist and the best thing is that they’re all things that you’ll want to experience together, as a family. To my kids, Florence is like a magic portal. . They want to go everywhere in Florence because going anywhere in a Westfalia is fun no matter what the destination is. We plan things to do just so that we can go in Florence. We’re together, we’ve got a cool ride that we can cook and sleep in, we’ve got all we need; Who cares where we’re going, as long as we’re going together!

Prepare for the worst – 1st aid kit essentials when Camping with Kids

It’s happened before and I’m quite sure it will happen again…that little voice in the dark “Mama…my tummy hurts” What started out as a long weekend of camping fun has suddenly become a situation. 

Kids are so busy and robust that when they get sick it seems to come out of nowhere. One minute they’re happily playing and the next their tummy hurts, to be followed, very shortly after, by violent vomiting and leaving you wishing you’d booked a campground that had flush toilets.

I actually pack what we fondly refer to as ‘Barf Bags’ because being caught out is no fun, let me tell you! Barf Bags are basically brown paper ‘lunch bags’ that you can buy at any supermarket or dollar store lined with plastic bags. Open the brown bag and stick a plastic bag inside (the ones you get in the grocery for fruit and veg work well) then fold in back up. The brown bag gives the plastic bag some structure – helping it to stay open and making it easier to dispose of. These can be stashed in the car or camper and are great for travel sickness as well as gastro intestinal situations!  

So, without further pleasantries, here’s my Camping with Kids 1st aid kit list and camping motto to go along with it – Prepare for the worst, Hope for the Best!

1. Gravol (Adult and kid versions of an anti nausea medicine – because you can bet that if one family member gets it, the others are going down in rapid succession!)

2. Immodium / Pepto Bismol (Adult and kid versions of a diarrhea stopper!)

3. Advil (Adult and Junior versions of an ibuprofen – anti inflammatory which is good for muscles and also good for fever control)

4. Thermometer (digital – this takes all the guess work out)

5. Antibiotic Eye Drops (Eye infections are easy to pick up and spread quickly – young kids with colds are especially susceptible to these as they ave a tendency to rub snot in their eyes! True unfortunately!)

6. Antihistamine (Adult and Junior versions – you never know when or where your young adventurers are going to discover allergies, or poison ivy!

7. Band aids (a good supply of sizes is essential)

8. Tweezers (splinters can be painful if not taken care of quickly)

9. Antiseptic Ointment (Useful for treating cuts and scrapes)

10. Anti Itch lotion / cream (Calamine is the best but you can also use after bite cream too – both of these will work on poison ivy, stinging nettles and bug bites)

I would also recommend buying a travel sized first aid kit

which will deal with cuts and bleeding tip accidents. Throw this in your backpack when you go out on any day adventure and have it with you when you’re camping too.

My husband, a nurse, always makes sure we have a bottle or vials of distilled water in the camper because cleaning wounds at the campground isn’t as straightforward as it sounds but a clean wound will heal whereas a dirty one won’t. 

PLEASE NOTE: Using hand sanitizer when camping is a really good habit to get everyone into – especially if you are staying at a more rustic campground! Always make sure that you have adequate travel insurance and if your are in any doubt about your kid’s health, head home!

So as my motto goes – Prepare for the worst, hope for the best. If you have a good kit with you when you go camping you’ll know that when that voice comes out of the darkness “Mama…” you are ready to deal with it!

Camping in Kamloops – Paul Lake Review

Swimming in Paul Lake is a perfect way to spend a day!

Arriving in Kamloops, you’d be forgiven for thinking that camping here was going to be an arid affair but think again…

Paul Lake Provincial Park is located about 25 kms North of Kamloops and once you get off the highway, it’s rather a nice drive that makes you feel cowboys and wild horses would be appropriate! Ranches and fields of wild sage make up the scenery – we passed a rugged, wild mountain sheep who couldn’t quite decide whether to charge us or not – but once you take the turn into the Park it suddenly all becomes lush forest!

The sites are all pretty enormous and well spaced – we stayed at #72 which was particularly big, backing into the forest so quite private as well. The sites near the adventure playground are probably best for parents as it’s quite a large campground with steep hilly roads and if they’re going to want to play there, you’ll want to be closer! It’s not a good site for biking, thanks to the hilly roads, although it is large enough to keep energetic, older kids happy.

Paul Lake itself is beautiful, with wide grassy banks, plenty of picnic tables and a nice washroom facility – my girls loved swimming in the roped off area and the sandy beach was perfect for sandcastle building. Point to note however, is that the beach is not easy to get to. There is a trail leading down to it, but it’s a hike and has some steep sections – not ideal when you’re carrying lunch, inflatable toys, towels and sandcastle building paraphernalia! The road that leads down to the day use area is steep and winding – not ideal for biking with smaller kids and all of the aforementioned ‘baggage’ – so a vehicle is needed. If you are in a camper, like us, this can be quite disruptive as you have to literally pack up just to drive somewhere, however we did that to make the beach day more fun!

Paul Lake Beach is a gem!

The pit toilets within the campground are some of the worst I’ve ever seen and if it hadn’t been for a local who had come armed with fly killer spray, extra toilet roll and air freshener, I’m not sure that even I could have put up with it for longer than 2 nights – so go prepared and pre-warned!

To me, Paul Lake, as far as the campground goes, lacked character. I had actually read this comment in my Jayne Seagrove Bible ‘Camping British Columbia’ but unlike Jayne, I feel that it comes not from any kind of ‘clinical’ regimentation but rather a lack of it. The lake and day use area is beautiful but the campground has a dramatically different feel which is a bit too much like ‘Twilight‘ for me! The forest setting is a little oppressive to my mind and you feel almost too isolated, thanks to the large, well spaced sites and hilly roads (and I like privacy!). However, it’s a good stopover on the way up to either Clearwater or Jasper, or further into the BC interior, given it’s easy proximity to major highways but I think there are better, friendlier options around if you are looking for a family vacation spot! (Herald on the Shuswap for example)

Wildlife on the way into the park

Camping Goddess Pancake Recipe

It’s early morning at the campground…the sun is filtering through the trees…you whip up some deliciously fluffy pancakes, from scratch. Crack open a bottle of maple syrup, throw on some blueberries and Voila! You Are a Camping Goddess!

Recipe: (Feeds 4 – approx 12 x 4″ fluffy pancakes)

At home:

Measure out the following dry ingredients into a sandwich size zip lock bag:

• 1 1/2 Cups Flour (I use unbleached, enriched white flour)
• 1 tbsp Sugar (this is entirely optional though)
• 1 tbsp Baking Powder
• Pinch of salt

The dry mix will keep perfectly until you’re ready to use it (For a week trip, I take a couple of half portions in a medium freezer zip lock bag)

At your camp site:

Put dry ingredients into a bowl (I use a stainless steel one that also serves as a salad bowl, chip bowl etc but I’ve also used one of those take-along plastic containers and also a saucepan!) then add the wet:

• 2 large eggs (I fully recommend buying one of these yellow plastic egg containers for your cooler – it prevents breakages and you can buy them either at your local camping supplies store or dollar store in the summer months)
• 1 1/2 cups of milk
• 1/4 cup of oil (I use canola but you can also use Olive or vegetable – depends on taste and what you have to hand)
• note: You can always pre-measure the milk, oil and eggs at home and put them in a leakproof container so that you don’t have to measure them while camping. Mixing the whole thing together at home works as well but it needs a good shake when you’re ready to cook it. I have found that it’s easier to leave it dry until ready to eat simply because of the space it saves in the cooler and over a multi night trip.

Mix up the batter until all the flour is incorporated, don’t beat it (it turns the starch gloupy apparently)

Heat your pan and pour out your pancakes into whatever sizes you like – flip ’em and serve ’em (preferably with maple syrup but my kids also like nutella! I love mine with heated up blueberries – bit of a camping luxury there but if you’ve got them, just heat them up in a small pan until the juice starts to bubble – take them off the heat – cook your pancakes and spoon on the purple goodness! Delicious!

Do you deserve your socks? Why ‘Darn Tough’ is a badge of honour

Darn Tough socks…it’s a brand that I was first introduced to in 2004.At the time the brand was new, just beginning to find its feet in the large and competitive outdoor market. Ric Cabot, owner of a third generation hosiery mill in Northfield Vermont was trying to save his family business – the private label sock business that had sustained them in the past (Cabot made socks for brands like Gap and Banana Republic) was starting to be outsourced to overseas mills where labour was cheap. Not wanting to see his mill close and families of workers lose their jobs, he bet their knitting skills against a new market where quality was valued and came at a premium price. It paid off. Today Darn Tough is #2 in the premium merino wool sock market.

Darn Tough is still made in Vermont and offers such a high quality product that every pair of socks comes with an unconditional lifetime guarantee.

Unconditional.

No strings…no, really.

No competition in my mind.

As the name suggests, these socks are tough… but wearing them, reminds me that I’m tough too.

1. Tab No Show Light Cushion

1. (Tab No Show Light Cushion ) They carry me on the 5.30am run I make myself do 3 times a week before getting the kids ready for school and myself out the door to work. It’s not easy getting up at that time but I do it regardless. 3 times a week. My feet have never complained; rain, snow or sun, they carry me back home in comfort and I thank my socks for that.

2. 1/4 Sock Cushion

2. (1/4 Sock Cushion) Hiking in the Lake District, tramping through the countryside and shopping the high streets of London – these babies have carried me around the UK a couple of times now. They slip into whatever boots I’m wearing – hiking or moto inspired – providing all day cushion and comfort for my feet, plus minimal need for washing (a travel bonus), wherever I’m demanding they take me next.

3. Micro Crew Cushion

3. (Micro Crew Cushion – Coolmax) Camping with kids takes a certain level of patience and perseverance but it’s always worth it and in these socks I have one less thing to worry about. Summer after summer, rainy mornings, cold evenings, hot day hikes or unexpected lake wading, I know that in Darn Tough, my feet are going to feel comfortable and still look human at the end of the day (those prune toes that other socks manage to produce are so yesterday). I can take whatever comes my way with a smile on my face…well, I’m one step closer to it anyway!

4. Boot Sock Full Cushion

4. (Boot Sock full cushion) Back in 2004, I had my first baby and I took her snowshoeing with me. Up and down the local mountains we would go and when my second baby came along, I did the same thing with her. Getting into the Outdoors has always been important to me but carrying the extra weight of a child strapped to my body was not always easy. These socks (the same pair for all those years) remind me that I didn’t let that stop me. On all those trips I never once got a blister or had to stop and negotiate bending down to pull my socks up. I put them on, laced up my boots and I was off, enjoying the chance to exercise in the snow.

OK, maybe I don’t get medals or a certificate for my efforts, but every time I pull these socks on, I feel that what I do, and have done, deserves that lifetime guarantee. And so, maybe it’s the socks themselves that are my recognition. My badge of honour.

Darn Tough…it’s right there on the toe and it just so happens to say it all.

Darn Tough…says it all