camping newbies

Views like this will make the whole camping experience worth it. That’s what I’m telling myself in any case.

When I was six, my uncle and aunt took me and my three year old sister to Disneyland, camping along the way. He packed us, along with all the camping gear, into his little red circa 1970’s Datsun, crammed to the max and we made the trek down to California, looking for KOA signs along the way. I have great memories of sleeping in a tent, cooking at camp sites, seeing all the sights along the way and of course, exploring Disneyland for the very first time. It recently occurred to me how old my uncle was at the time and that he and my aunt were not even married then. So, to put it all in perspective… my mom, let her twenty-two year old brother take two children, who weren’t even his, into another country, across three states, on a camping road trip with his girlfriend! How many of you would give a twenty-two year old permission to do the same today?!

With that said, our six week extended road trip with our own seven and five year old should be a piece of cake! After all, we are much older and wiser and technology has changed everything. We purchased a Coleman Instant Tent, GSI Outdoors Bugaboo Camper set and two Lightspeed Air Beds. We borrowed the rest of our camping gear along with a rooftop cargo box to pack it all up in so that we can actually see out the back window. So thankful for trusting friends!

 

After driving a long stretch, the last thing we want is to pull into a dark campsite and struggle to pitch our tent. Enter, the Coleman Instant Tent. It only requires literally (I swear!) one minute to set up. This six-person tent is “guaranteed to keep you dry and comfortable” (or so it claims) with its Proprietary WeatherTec System. We certainly hope so!

 

In an effort to pack as lightly and efficiently as possible, we were visiting our local mega-outdoor store for ideas and came across the GSI Outdoors Bugaboo Camper set. It’s a complete cookware and tableware set for four people. I’ll report on its effectiveness from ‘the wild’.

 

We usually use our trusty Therm-a-Rest self-inflating mattresses. While trolling the aisles of our local Costco, we came across these Lightspeed Air Beds. They’re made from durable TPU material and includes a battery powered pump. We don’t aspire to live the ‘glamping’ lifestyle but if they’ll help us sleep better, we’ll take it.

Yeah, we’re camping newbies and I have clouded my mind with amazing camping tips and gourmet camping meals from Pinterest. You can only imagine the expectation I have growing inside my brain. But I will set the bar low because in my experience, when bars are set low, I am often pleasantly surprised. I’ll be sharing more about our preparation for this trip in subsequent posts.

Any great camping wisdom you would like to share? Would love to hear it!