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I don’t know about you, but I would love to go camping a lot more than I do…
But I’ll admit that there are times when I talk myself out of going. It’s too much work and effort to get everything ready to go. It’s too hot. There’s too much smoke from wildfires out west. I have too much work to do. These are just a few examples of my negative self-talk. And there’s more highly common reasons not to go camping, too. Let’s debunk a few of them!
Camping is Uncomfortable
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Sure, if you sleep directly on the ground in a sleeping bag that’s too warm or not warm enough, I can see how camping can be uncomfortable. But your comfort while camping can be vastly improved with a little planning and gear procurement on your part.
For example, if you invest in a nice sleeping pad, an appropriate sleeping bag for the time of season, and a good pillow, you can have a great night’s sleep while camping. Add in a white noise machine and you might find you get a really great night’s sleep.
There are other things you can do to make camping more comfortable as well. Set up camp in a spot that’s shaded from the early morning sun, that way you can sleep in and not get overheated as the sun bakes you in your tent.
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Bring comfortable camp chairs, too. Sit around the fire in style, kick up your feet on a log, and enjoy some hot chocolate!
Speaking of beverages, do some drink and meal planning ahead of time. Nothing says comfortable camping like some great food!
The point is that there are all kinds of things you can do to make camping more comfortable whether you’re camping in a tent or an RV, in an established campground or way off-grid. You just have to put forth the effort ahead of time to ensure you have what you need to be comfortable.
Reasons Not to Go Camping: It’s Too Far Away
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One of my favorite places to camp is a little over an hour away from my house. It’s a Forest Service campground with spectacular mountain views, a babbling brook, and a fantastic waterfall. I count myself lucky that such a beautiful place is so close to home. And while I understand that not everyone is that close to a great camping spot, the argument that camping is too far away is usually just not true.
For example, there are multiple campgrounds just 30 minutes from my house that get me into the mountains near fishing, hiking, mountain biking, and climbing. Heck, there’s even campgrounds like KOAs where I could get my camper out and go camping even closer to home if I wanted. The same is probably true for you! You can even camp in your backyard, right?!
If you’re itching to get away and go camping, consider that there are options a lot closer to you than your favorite spot up in the mountains. Don’t use time or distance as reasons not to go camping!
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Camp Food is Gross
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When I was a kid, we’d go camping and eat Vienna sausages as snacks. That, I will admit, is gross camping food. But your camping food experience doesn’t have to be like that…
There are all sorts of campfire recipes you can try that will bring the feeling (and flavor!) of a home-cooked meal to your campsite. From s’mores to grilled fish to burgers and steaks, there’s really no end to the culinary possibilities when you’re camping. This is especially true if you have the right cooking implements with you.
I’ve tested tons of different camp cooking devices, and one of my absolute favorites is the Schenk.
It’s a simple enough device – there’s a vertical rod that either stands on its own foot or attaches to a fire ring with an optional fire ring attachment. Then, you can connect a cooking ring to the ground rod so you can grill meat, cook soup in a pot, or make your favorite skillet dishes in a cast-iron skillet. With all these different cooking options, there’s no reason why your camping trip can’t include amazing food!
The Schenk is made of food-grade stainless steel, so it’s safe for cooking and offers the ultimate durability. And in addition to being incredibly easy to set up and use, it’s also highly portable thanks to the included Wannigan box.
But the Schenk is much more than a simple cooking tool – it allows you to enjoy the experience of cooking. Often, the best times you’ll have while camping or overlanding is around the fire with your family and friends. The Schenk makes that time more enjoyable with the sights, smells, and sounds of awesome food being prepared over an open flame.
Like the other reasons to not go camping on this list, overcoming this obstacle is really all about planning and preparation. Yeah, it’s hard to cook a great meal while you’re camping if you’re totally unprepared. But if you have all the ingredients and cooking utensils you need and recipes in hand, there’s no reason why your camp food has to be gross! Try this recipe to get you started – it’s one of my favorites!
Reasons Not to Go Camping: It’s Expensive
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Sure, there are places where you can go camping that WILL cost an arm and a leg. But there are ways to get around that expense.
For example, if you want to camp in a place like a KOA or an RV park, go in the middle of the week to avoid weekend rates that are often higher. Likewise, if you want to camp near a popular attraction like a national park, go in the off-season when campground rates are lower (and there’s far less people, too).
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There’s also the option of camping on public land, like land that’s managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). The BLM manages millions of acres of land, much of which is open for people to camp for free. Even established campgrounds on public lands, like Forest Service campgrounds, have free periods once the official season is over. For me, that means I can camp in my favorite place without paying the $20 per night fee once it gets late in the season.
I know camping is a lot of work, but boy, is it worth it! Sometimes, we just need to get out of a negative headspace, gather up our stuff, and get camping. My hope is that by debunking some of the reasons not to go camping, you’re ready to do just that.