http://www.campercommunity.com/forum/blogs/ From Tent Camping, Pop-Ups, 5th Wheels, Travel Trailers and full on RVs. Visit the FREE Camping Forum at www.CamperCommunity.com en Tue, 06 Jan 2009 23:44:39 GMT vBulletin 60 http://www.campercommunity.com/forum/images/trigo/misc/rss.jpg http://www.campercommunity.com/forum/blogs/ http://www.campercommunity.com/forum/blogs/kiteri/76-i-still-miss-camping.html Sat, 03 Jan 2009 16:15:32 GMT As I mentioned, my son got his tonsils out on December 31. I guess they clamp your tongue, and that the clamping messes with your taste buds. All he... As I mentioned, my son got his tonsils out on December 31. I guess they clamp your tongue, and that the clamping messes with your taste buds. All he has been able to eat that doesn't "taste funny" is spaghetti-O's.

I swear that the only time we eat anything out of a can is camping. I had to go down to our camping gear to get the can opener to open the cans.

As I was digging around in the kitchen box, I REALLY started to miss camping season. And, each can of spaghetti-O's I open, makes me miss it even more.

When does spring get here??????????????????????? ]]> kiteri http://www.campercommunity.com/forum/blogs/kiteri/76-i-still-miss-camping.html http://www.campercommunity.com/forum/blogs/heruide/75-everyone-deserves-roof.html Sat, 20 Dec 2008 01:25:04 GMT Attachment 46 (http://www.campercommunity.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=46) This morning I while I was on a conference call I had the TV on...

This morning I while I was on a conference call I had the TV on CNN (with the sound on mute of course). I caught a glimpse of a folding trailer designed for the homeless. Unfortunately, I couldn’t write down any of the details. So later in the day I googled “portable tent for homeless” and found the “Everyone Deserves A Roof (EDAR) web site, articles and a Los Angeles Times Video. This portable tent is a cross between a shopping cart and a popup camping trailer.

Film producer and philanthropist Peter Samuelson after seeing and talking to a number of homeless individuals came up with the concept that would be a mobile shelter at night and have bins to hold cans, bottles and other recyclables collected by day. He sponsored an EDAR design competition at the Pasadena Art Center College of Design. The winners were Eric Lindeman and Jason Zasa. They and John Ondrasic and Mike Orozco of Precision Wire Inc. worked pro bono to finalize the EDAR. The EDARs are given free of charge to homeless people.

The web site describes the EDAR unit as follows:

During the day, the EDAR unit is used to pursue the necessities of life. Personal belongings are secured by the use of locks. The front and back of the cart have storage baskets with removable canvas pouches. The unit is waterproof and provides protection for what it contains. EDAR's wheels are better than a supermarket cart's, being slightly larger and easier to steer in a consistent fashion. There are two brake and locking mechanisms which ensure the unit will not move on its own.

At night, the EDAR unit easily hinges out and down to Night Mode in less than 30 seconds, becoming a sleeping unit. Unfolding the unit allows it to lock in place as the flat metal base extends. The metal and wood base has a mattress and military-grade canvas cover, providing a robust tent-like shelter. The unit is flame-retardant, waterproof, windproof and helps protect from the elements. There are translucent windows that provides light and a view of the surrounding area. By re-folding the unit, the EDAR quickly returns to Day Mode.

I had three reactions to the EDAR. First, was the “Now why didn’t I think of this?” However, I’m so use to asking that question each time I visit a modern art museum that I quickly moved pass that. The second was a flash back to the days when I volunteered with Habit and realized that ownership of a home meant a lot to the new owners. I could just imagine how people whom might have been living in a card board box would feel to have their own “home”. The third reaction was to think about making it better (i.e., modify it). My first thought was to put larger wheels on it and make a bracket so that it could be connected to a bicycle in order to travel longer distances during the day. I guess I was thinking of a very light weight Coleman Switch Back that could be pulled by a bike.

Anyway, I think that the EDAR is a great invention and I'm thankful that Peter Samuelson and his team had the foresight and resources to devolop this mobile shelter for the homeless.


Ruide ]]> heruide http://www.campercommunity.com/forum/blogs/heruide/75-everyone-deserves-roof.html http://www.campercommunity.com/forum/blogs/kiteri/74-i-miss-camping.html Fri, 19 Dec 2008 21:58:58 GMT Last night, I was getting ready for my shower and I noticed that I was out of conditioner. So I snagged the bottle of Pert Plus that was left over... Last night, I was getting ready for my shower and I noticed that I was out of conditioner. So I snagged the bottle of Pert Plus that was left over from our camping trip.

The only time we use Pert Plus is when we are camping because we aren't wild about the menthol smell, but it works great for keeping the little bugs from swarming around your hair.

As soon as I smelled that shampoo, I was flashing back to the showers in the bathhouse at the campgrounds.

Here is the visual:

Mom, in her flip flops and nothing else holding a bottle of Pert Plus in her arm pit while she TRIES to coax a 5 year old under the barely warm water. "Come on sweetie, it isn't that cold. You will like it. You don't want to smell or the bugs will swarm around you. We have to get the bug spray off or you will get a rash."

Ah... I do miss camping! ]]> kiteri http://www.campercommunity.com/forum/blogs/kiteri/74-i-miss-camping.html http://www.campercommunity.com/forum/blogs/heruide/71-open-letter-dave-publisher.html Sat, 29 Nov 2008 01:33:44 GMT

Those that have been reading my blog will know that I'm a supporter of the Pop Up Times magazine and have written a blog post to that effect. However, being an equal opportunity person I am sharing a letter I sent to "Dave the Publisher" pointing out my disappoinment to the content of the last issue.

__________________________________________________ _______________________________


Dave,

You may be aware that I’m a big support of Pop Up Times. I’ve featured your magazine in my SmugMug photo gallery and have one blog post promoting your magazine. Here is a quote from my blog:

“However, I finally found what I was searching with Pop Up Times Magazine that was a God send. Off went the subscription. Later I read Dave’s blog on how he started the magazine and all the opposition and obstacles he ran into… but he persevered and as the title of the blog suggest he took the recommendation to “Follow your dream”

Having said this I have to say that I was extremely disappointed with the last issue. I was in the hospital bed when my daughter brought me the mail and I lit up like a Christmas tree when I saw the September issue Pop Up Times. All my health issues were set aside as I took it from her. However, my excitement turned quickly to a big disappointment when I started reading,

So what got me frustrated?

First, was your feature article “What’s new for ‘98” . As you said “… this issue may be déjà ve for those who have subscribe since day one.” An exact REPRINT of a ten year only article was not giving me any new information on folding trailers. What would have been helpful would have been to take excerpts from that 10 year old article and show how the Popups have changed over the last 10 years. Obviously you did include photographs of new Popups but that was not good enough.

Second was the number of articles that were not related to folding trailers. Note I cancelled my subscription to Trailer Life because of the number of items that were not related to camping trailers (e.g.,, Truck articles). Your September issue fell into that same trap.

If I wanted to read about outdoor photography there are lots of magazines covering that topic. The same applies to “Keeping Fido save and healthy while on the road” If I need to read about addressing heatstroke, cold weather, frost bite there are lots of pet magazines that covers these issues. On the other hand “Mary Alice Everhart’s article was OK as it specifically addressed issue camping with a pet in a folding trailer.

I know you have subscribers that are interested in travel trailers and under different circumstances I could have accepted the “Coachmen brings back the classic Shasta”. But its inclusion with all the non-folding trailer articles was just more fuel on the fire.

The straw that broke my back was the article under RV Maintenance. I personally don’t view a knife as an RV tool and if I need to read how to sharpen a knife I can get that information by reading the host of knife magazines that are available. I do hope that you don’t plan an article on Popup security and then talk about “Buying and maintaining hand guns”.

Interestingly, a couple days later I got a notice to renew my subscription. As disappointed as I am with the last issue I still plan to renew as I feel the September issue was just a mistake or maybe you were too busy with other things (e.g., camping).

You have the only magazine that supports a niche within the camping community and I will continue to support and promote it. However, I am pleading with you to keep the focus on folding trailers and please don’t go down the path of other magazines by including material that one can find elsewhere.

Ruide ]]> heruide http://www.campercommunity.com/forum/blogs/heruide/71-open-letter-dave-publisher.html http://www.campercommunity.com/forum/blogs/mailfire99/73-happy-thanksgiving-campers.html Wed, 26 Nov 2008 02:52:38 GMT Attachment 45 (http://www.campercommunity.com/forum/attachments/welcome-camper-community-forums/45-hi-everyone-fish.jpg) I dont know how it happened so fast, but thanksgiving has...

I dont know how it happened so fast, but thanksgiving has arrived in 2008.

Thanksgiving is about family, food, and fun. I plan to have a lot of each one of those items, and hope everyone does.

There is said to be 4.5 million people traveling by plane this week, so if you are traveling, be safe and find your patience! Then comes Black Friday, the biggest shopping day of the year. I know I personally will NOT be out on that day, but many women in my family will be :bang:

Some fun thanksgiving facts

Thanksgiving Day is celebrated on the fourth Thursday in November in the United States.

By the fall of 1621 only half of the pilgrims, who had sailed on the Mayflower, survived. The survivors, thankful to be alive, decided to give a thanksgiving feast.

Thanksgiving Day is celebrated on the second Monday in October in Canada.

The Plymouth Pilgrims were the first to celebrate the Thanksgiving.

The pilgrims arrived in North America in December 1620.

The Pilgrims sailed across the Atlantic Ocean to reach North America.

The pilgrims sailed on the ship, which was known by the name of 'Mayflower'.

They celebrated the first Thanksgiving Day in the fall of 1621.

They celebrated the first Thanksgiving Day at Plymouth, Massachusetts.

Abraham Lincoln issued a 'Thanksgiving Proclamation' on third October 1863 and officially set aside the last Thursday of November as the national day for Thanksgiving. Whereas earlier the presidents used to make an annual proclamation to specify the day when Thanksgiving was to be held.

President Franklin D. Roosevelt restored Thursday before last of November as Thanksgiving Day in the year 1939. He did so to make the Christmas shopping season longer and thus stimulate the economy of the state.

Congress passed an official proclamation in 1941 and declared that now onwards Thanksgiving will be observed as a legal holiday on the fourth Thursday of November every year.

Californians are the largest consumers of turkey in the United States.

Everyone enjoy the holiday and be safe and don't eat to much! ]]> mailfire99 http://www.campercommunity.com/forum/blogs/mailfire99/73-happy-thanksgiving-campers.html http://www.campercommunity.com/forum/blogs/heruide/72-november-13th-my-new-birthday.html Sun, 16 Nov 2008 11:36:41 GMT Attachment 44 (http://www.campercommunity.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=44) Back in August I wrote on my journey fighting cancer. Since...

Back in August I wrote on my journey fighting cancer. Since then, I know many of you have been wondering how my chemotherapy treatment and stem cell transplant has been going. Well I’m happy to report that after being at MD Anderson, Houston since June 17th - I had my transplant on Thursday November 13th.

I must admit that it has been very frustrating just waiting and waiting on a donor. At first my transplant was supposed to occur on August 7th , then August 13th, then August 29th. After all that the donor withdrew. While I don’t know the details I was left hanging and MD Anderson had to start the search all over again.

The good news was I am extremely fortunately since there were over 100 potential matches and they quickly found another good match. But again they ran into some bumps in the road. First they were having a hard time making contact with the donor and then the person had some conflicts and was not available until last week. Of course given the timing I can’t help but think that my donor was somehow involved with the Presidential elections.

However the really really really good news is that my donor is a young female and that meets my goal to get stem cells from a woman hopefully with an attitude. I say this recognizing that my own stem cells only kept my cancer at bay for 4 months. So I really need some aggressive stem cells to attack my tumors and put me in back into remission.

There is no way for me to convey the appreciation to this most generous young woman, somewhere in the world, that has given her time, used her personal resources, endured the discomfort of endless needles for blood work, injections and IV lines, and literally given a part of herself, to allow me, a stranger in need, another chance at extending my life. I just hope one day I’ll be able to meet her in person and attempt to thank her for all she has done.

My journey since August has had its ups and downs. I did have the opportunity to see first hand the force of hurricane “Ike”. I also made the mistake of letting my hemoglobin level fall to very dangerous levels and the hospital staff was surprised I could still walk upright. That is now history as the hospital is monitoring me like a hark and if it goes below 8.0 there is a call to the blood bank (right now as I’m typing this I’m getting a unit of blood). Of course I have to admit this is good for the hospital staff since I don’t have the desire to don a black cape and search the hospital for my own blood supply.

A big downer was the night that I went to the hospital with a temperature of 102 F. I thought as they have done before I would be given some Tylenol, they would take some blood samples and I would be hydrated and sent home. However, my white blood count was so low I ended up being admitted into the hospital. I had to enjoy the MD Anderson cancer clinic bed and breakfast facilities for four days under observation and waiting on the culture tests which all came back negative.

One major problem which turned into a success was addressing a shoulder rotor cuff problem. Carla, my MD Anderson occupational therapist worked with me and got my shoulder back to fully functioning. Plus I got to experience the Kinesio Tape made famous by American beach volleyball player Kerri Walsh when she used it on her shoulder in China. Unfortunately, I started out thinking the tape was just a gimmick but after a week I had to put aside my vegetarian diet, eat crow and admit that it made a big difference.

Of course the big opportunity will be that I will now have a new birth day November 13th. I been told that everything starts anew on the day of transplant and my blood type will actually change to that of my donor. When I head back to work I need to draft a special request to the ILO to grant my company and exception to hiring child labor and hope I can get the support of my human rights activist friends for this request.

With all this said, must thank you for all the support you have given me but I do need to ask for your continuing support and prayers. I’m not out of the woods but just starting a journey. In 21 days we will know if the new stem cells grafted and then there is the big risk of “Graft versus Host Disease – I’m already on anti-rejection drugs”. Finally, the unknown – will my new immune system find and destroy any ruminant cancer cells that have withstood the all the chemotherapy and full body radiation.

Ruide ]]> heruide http://www.campercommunity.com/forum/blogs/heruide/72-november-13th-my-new-birthday.html http://www.campercommunity.com/forum/blogs/kiteri/70-objects-internet-may-appear-larger-than-they-really.html Mon, 03 Nov 2008 23:57:42 GMT We took a Halloween Mecca to an AMAZING Haunted House/Maze/Hay Ride about an hour and a half from our house. We decided to rent a rustic cabin... We took a Halloween Mecca to an AMAZING Haunted House/Maze/Hay Ride about an hour and a half from our house.

We decided to rent a rustic cabin about 5 minutes from the attraction.

We saw these awesome cabins:

http://www.koosercabins.com/

and we were so excited to stay in the cabin.

We got there late on Thursday night. I drove past cabin after cabin and kept wondering which one was ours.

Then, we rolled up to this tiny little structure that looked like a wood shed. I didn't want to believe that it could be our cabin..... but it was!!!!

I opened the door, and was SHOCKED!!!

The "loft" with two twin "mattresses" (two inch thick foam pads) was built over the porch, and was not tall enough to sit up in.

The double bed was mounted sideways in between two walls which makes it rough for us taller folk.

The door ways were not even six feet tall.

The fireplace was right in the middle of the kitchen. No chairs or sofa to sit and enjoy the fire.

The entire cabin was the size of my living room.

If love grows best in little house... we really ought to love each other now!!! :) ]]> kiteri http://www.campercommunity.com/forum/blogs/kiteri/70-objects-internet-may-appear-larger-than-they-really.html http://www.campercommunity.com/forum/blogs/kiteri/69-sensual-camping.html Thu, 23 Oct 2008 16:32:15 GMT Now before you get all excited thinking that our nice clean family oriented community has gone to the dogs...... I mean sensual as "utilizing our senses"... not like a Mariah Carey video definition of sensual!!!! :rotflmao1:

Research has proven that our senses enhance our memories. A good example might be how the smell of peanut brittle always makes me feel like Christmas because my Gram and I used to make it every Christmas.

Well, I want my children to remember camping forever, so I do certain things that others might not understand.

I purposefully put a handful of leaves on the fire to make some smoke in the morning. I am not talking about making enough smoke to send smoke signals or anything... but in the morning, when the air is still thick with dew and/or fog, the smokey smell sort of lingers on your clothes and in your hair.

It is a smell that reminds my kids of camping, and everytime we burn cardboard boxes in the neighbor's burn barrel they reminisce about camping.

I make sure that we listen to the bugs at night... when there is no refridgerator running or any other noise to drown out the crickets. I make sure we listen to the birds in the morning too!

These are sounds that remind my kids of camping, and they can listen for them everyday at home too.

Food cooked over a campfire always tastes better too. For as much as my kids may turn those little noses up at the "black stuff" on the hot dogs.... they eat every single bite once they get eating!

They aske me when we are eating hot dogs at home why they don't taste as good as when we are camping.

Camping is the one thing I can do with my kids to stimulate their senses, without really having to work all that hard or pay very much money. ]]> kiteri http://www.campercommunity.com/forum/blogs/kiteri/69-sensual-camping.html http://www.campercommunity.com/forum/blogs/kiteri/68-new-camping-purchases.html Fri, 19 Sep 2008 02:27:11 GMT I just picked up a truck cap for my pickup and a Truck-Bedz airmattress for the bed of my pickup. This can help on those nights where the rain... I just picked up a truck cap for my pickup and a Truck-Bedz airmattress for the bed of my pickup.

This can help on those nights where the rain won't let up and that tent is just too cold and wet to sleep in! (Not to mention the cozy nights at the drive-in watching movies through the hatch in the cap)

I am so excited to use it!!!!! ]]> kiteri http://www.campercommunity.com/forum/blogs/kiteri/68-new-camping-purchases.html http://www.campercommunity.com/forum/blogs/heruide/67-boon-docking-after-hurricane-ike.html Sun, 14 Sep 2008 22:35:29 GMT Attachment 41 (http://www.campercommunity.com/forum/attachments/around-campfire/41-first-tooth-out-tooth.jpg) As most of you know I staying in Houston getting medical...

As most of you know I staying in Houston getting medical treatment for cancer. Thus I have the experience of hurricane Ike over this weekend. The major post the hurricane opportunities was the lack of electricity and water. It was interesting to realize how dependent we are to both utilities for normal everyday activity. There were lots of folks that were complaining about the lack of air conditioning, not being able to watch TV, cook meals, etc. I was going down that same path until I had one of those revelations that totally changed my perspective.

My revelation was that some of us campers spend weekends or weeks without electricity and water and have fun while doing it.

So even though my camper and equipment are all back in Cincinnati, why not view this experience as boon docking in a condo?

OK there is:

No air conditioning - but then I’ve done that before while camping so no big deal. If this continues for a long time I might buy some thermal blankets and put them on the roof.

No AC electricity - I have lots of batteries and for those rechargeable devices (e.g., cell phone, lap top) I have a car charger and inverter that I can use in the Hummer. I wished I had my Honda EU 3000is generator or even thought of buying an EU 1000 but I suspect my condo neighbors might have been disturbed if I was running it during the day.

No lights - My battery powered lanterns do a great job and I’m amaze at the power of flashlights that have LED bulbs.

No running water – No problem since I did stock up with over 30 gallons of city water plus I filled up the bath tub. That’s more than I usually have while camping. And remembered to conserve on water use just like when I’m camping. And should I need extra water there is a big lake….AKA as a the condo swimming pool. However, the big plus is that I can still flush the toilet and I don’t have to haul off gray/black water to a dump station.

No fridge – well like my generator, I wish I had my five day cooler but that is back at home so I’ll dump the perishables and make do with the can goods I bought.

No heat for cooking or boiling water when it returns – Here I wished I had my Coleman two burner stove and a stack of one pound propane cylinders. Fortunately, my daughter is coming to visit… so my only item I asked for was a camping stove.

No TV – Not a problem since I bought a battery operated radio and so I can keep tabs on what is going on around me as well as in the world. Plus as I would do while camping, I view this as a time to listen to the thousands of songs I have stored on my iPod.

No vehicles on the roads since the authorities asked for folks to stay off the roads – Since I don’t have my mountain bike with me… it was time to pull out the hiking boots and just take some long walks as I would do while camping. And it is also interesting that during this time total strangers are willing to talk to you - just as happens while camping.

No gas or long lines at gas stations – Well I had two aquatainers that i filled up with gas so I can travel back and forth to the hospital for several weeks.

I share this hoping that others will recognized that as campers we are used to enjoying some primitive conditions… and our camping skills can be useful when having to address adversity. But more importantly, I realized I could have joined others in complaining about the post Ike events.

However, I have no reason to complain.

I’ve not lost relatives or friends. I've not lost my home and all its contents, or transportation, or a business or a job. I’m not staying in some high school auditorium with a hundred other folks. Plus I’ve not been injured and am in a hospital. So I’m very fortunate and should embrace this experience focusing on all the positives.

Ruide ]]> heruide http://www.campercommunity.com/forum/blogs/heruide/67-boon-docking-after-hurricane-ike.html http://www.campercommunity.com/forum/blogs/heruide/66-coleman-folding-camping-trailers-back.html Sun, 31 Aug 2008 05:05:08 GMT Attachment 39 (http://www.campercommunity.com/forum/attachments/around-campfire/39-survived-tornados-storm.jpg) Earlier this month FTCA Inc. announced that it has signed a...

Earlier this month FTCA Inc. announced that it has signed a trademark licensing agreement with The Coleman Company, Inc. This basically means that FTCA folding camping trailers will again have the Coleman logo on their sides. As background the Coleman Company started manufacturing PUPs in 1969. Fleetwood acquired the folding camping trailer company 22 years later in an effort to broaden their RV portfolio. They also signed a licensing agreement to continue using the Coleman brand name which they did until 2002 when they ran into legal problems. This year Fleetwood sold the Folding camping Trailer Company to FTCA with a provision that they could only use the Fleetwood name for one year. So FTCA Inc. had to figure out what they were going to call their trailers.

When the news broke that Fleetwood was selling the folding trailer division, there were a lot of folks that hoped the Coleman Company would be the buyer. However, those hopes were dashed when it was revealed that Blackstreet, an investment firm, was the new owner.

With the licensing announcement, I thought more folks would be happy to see the return of the Coleman name to folding trailers, but I was surprised that some didn’t think it was that important and worse there were unsubstantiated claim that Coleman would be paid $1000 for each trailer… a cost that would be passed on to the consumer.

Having worked for a company with hundreds of well known brands, I know the power that a brand name can bring to a product. For the most part we are a society preoccupied by brands. For example, as I write this I’m sitting in a department store watching folks go by with brand name - shirts, blouses, pants, shoes, bags, watches, eye glasses, caps, you name it. I still remember smiling when I saw someone with “TOMMY” on their sweat shirt knowing that the real name of the person is not Tommy. Of course I’m just as guilty as I’m typing this on my HP laptop and using a Verizon wireless card to upload this post. My point is there are name recognition (e.g., Coke or McDonalds) reputational considerations (e.g. Volvo and safety or Japanese cars and quality) and other tangible and intangible values that brand names bring. Some store brands actually try to copy the look of the major brands in an effort to confuse consumers. It the same reason whenever I walk down a street in Beijing or Bangkok I’m always approached to buy a Rolex watch… fortunately I would pull out my pocket watch and ask if they had a Rolex version,,, which I knew they didn't :comfort_:

So I greeted the Coleman licensing agreement are great news for FTCA… in fact I would say that this was the first major decision to improve the company’s profitability and it was a winner. Let’s face it, trying to sell FTCA or Jim Bob trailers would be a challenge. I’ve thought about the other names that are associated with camping or recreation. Personally I would have liked Jeep or Hummer but both have baggage. So I still come back to Coleman - with the history not only of building camping trailers but more important all the other camping products – as the best name FTCA could put on the PUPs :thumbup1:

Now the next step for FTCA is to get a spokesperson. I immediately thought about Michael Phelps but he has already made his commitment to Kellogg, plus he is way too tall for a PUP. A NSCAR driver would be great but I suspect they travel in Class A RVs and so does Hollywood actors or music stars. However, FTCA I am more than wiling to be your spokesperson and all you have to do is call my agent.

OH OH.. I don’t have an agent :smack-head:

Would any of you reading this want to help me out?

Happy camping.

Ruide ]]> heruide http://www.campercommunity.com/forum/blogs/heruide/66-coleman-folding-camping-trailers-back.html http://www.campercommunity.com/forum/blogs/merrystrong/63-avoiding-tick-bites.html Sat, 16 Aug 2008 17:05:54 GMT If you will be camping in a heavily wooded area, you need to take extra precautions against ticks. Unfortunately, Lyme Disease is on the rise, in... If you will be camping in a heavily wooded area, you need to take extra precautions against ticks. Unfortunately, Lyme Disease is on the rise, in some areas. It is more important than ever to stay protected.

Depending on where you live, ticks can live as close as your own backyard. In this case, you will need to take daily precautions. Lyme Disease is nothing to sneeze at, it can be life threatening.

There are products that you can wash your clothes in that will help to protect you from tick bites. It should be noted, though, that these products contain pesticides and are probably not suitable for those with sensitive skin.

You should always wear light colored clothing. This makes it much easier to spot a tick.
Long pants are recommended, as are long-sleeved cotton shirts. (Tuck cuffs into your socks and your shirt into your pants. Your goal is to cover as much skin as possible.)

As long as your clothing is lightweight and cotton, you should remain cool… even on hot days.

Perform frequent ‘tick checks’. Check your clothes as well as your body. Pay close attention to areas such as ears, bellybutton, back and any folds of skin. ]]> merrystrong http://www.campercommunity.com/forum/blogs/merrystrong/63-avoiding-tick-bites.html http://www.campercommunity.com/forum/blogs/5happycampers/60-its-raining-again-ny.html Sat, 16 Aug 2008 01:18:15 GMT It is raining again in NY - it seems that it has been raining most of August!!:smack-head:Rain doesn't bother me as much as hail, tornados and flash flooding. We were suppose to go camping this weekend out in Riverhead. We thought about doing it anyway, in the rain, but the weather warning was scarey to listen to even being in a house, let alone in a pop-up in the woods. I am really disappointed, but what can I do. We are going Labor Day - rain or not!! ]]> 5happycampers http://www.campercommunity.com/forum/blogs/5happycampers/60-its-raining-again-ny.html http://www.campercommunity.com/forum/blogs/merrystrong/62-sunburn-remedies.html Fri, 15 Aug 2008 16:15:00 GMT Anyone who goes camping is a candidate for sunburn, unless it rains during their entire trip. It is a condition that shouldn’t go untreated. Severe... Anyone who goes camping is a candidate for sunburn, unless it rains during their entire trip. It is a condition that shouldn’t go untreated. Severe sunburn can be very painful and can even result in a visit to the emergency room.

(Studies indicate the just two instances of severe sunburn before age 18 can greatly increase your chances of skin cancer. So… ALWAYS wear sunblock. It is the best way to prevent sunburn.)

If you do get burned, here are two easy and inexpensive ways that you can ease the pain. The good news is you probably have access to these two products, even though you are vacationing miles from home.

Vinegar. You might smell a bit like pickles after this treatment, but vinegar has proven to be a very effective remedy for sunburn. You can either use it straight out of the bottle or mix it with equal parts of water.

Pour it into a small spray bottle or dip a cloth into it and apply to sunburned areas. (I have found that the spray bottle works the best, especially for larger areas.)

Aloe Vera. Don’t leave home without this plant! It works wonders for sunburn… even better than the expensive over the counter stuff. Break off a small piece of the plant. Squeeze out the liquid and apply directly to sunburn. ]]> merrystrong http://www.campercommunity.com/forum/blogs/merrystrong/62-sunburn-remedies.html http://www.campercommunity.com/forum/blogs/merrystrong/61-camping-pets.html Fri, 15 Aug 2008 03:36:00 GMT Most of us feel as though our pets are an important part of the family… much to important to leave behind when we go camping. When you take... Most of us feel as though our pets are an important part of the family… much to important to leave behind when we go camping.

When you take your pet on these trips there are things you should keep in mind, in order for things to go smoothly and to ensure that EVERYONE will have the best vacation possible.

If you pet is afraid of loud noises, such as thunder or fireworks, make sure they are on a leash at all times (when in public). This will prevent them from running away when they are scared or startled.

If your pet is out of shape, don’t expect him to hike long distances or swim like a fish when he interacts with nature. It’s a common misconception that pets, especially dogs, are always ready to perform with great athletic ability. Unfortunately, that’s not the case.

Pets can get out of shape, just like people can. Don’t push your dog or cat to be superpet, it just isn't healthy.

Pack a pet first aid kit (and a people first aid kit too). You never know when an accident might happen. Make sure the kit includes ipecac syrup, in case your pet eats or drinks something poisonous. ]]> merrystrong http://www.campercommunity.com/forum/blogs/merrystrong/61-camping-pets.html