Winter camping is a nice change

The Official newsletter

from www.family-fun-camping.com

Issue # 9

September 2008

In this issue

1. Introduction
2. Section: 1 Winter Camping
3. Section: 2 Storing your Gear for the Season
4. Section: 3 Winterising your RV
5. BonusPrintable Storage Label

Please feel free to visit the site and use the contact us forms located on many pages to make a suggestion or comment.

Section I:Winter Family Camping

When you mention camping in the fall or winter most people will give you a strange look like you are crazy, when I was a boy scout we went camping in the fall and I really enjoyed it. With some obvious adjustments you too can enjoy winter camping, the best advice I can offer is layers, layers and more layers this is the best way to stay comfortable and safe. When you layer your clothing it allows some venting or breathing and actually keeps you warmer, just putting on a thick jacket will cause more problems in the long run. Thick single layer’s can cause you to sweat and when that cools it makes you even colder and could even lead to frostbite issues if it’s cold enough out.

Depending on the temperature I have some tips to help you adjust to the issues of freezing, cold mornings and even snow. The first thing to remember is no one is making you stay if the conditions become unbearable, if you need to bug out than just do it. Let’s face it a storm can hit without warning and cause major headaches. This time of year I would highly recommend letting a friend know where you’re going and when you plan on being back, this builds in some help if you become stranded or lost in unfamiliar woods.

When there is risk of freezing there are some simple things you can do to make your life a lot easier, you can put batteries, boots or sock(s) at the bottom of your sleeping bag to protect them. Storing items in a cooler with some hot hands overnight can also provide a measure of protection from the cold, bringing only the essential items is really the best practice I can recommend.

Let’s explore some fun things about winter camping, this is the only time of year for instance you can build a snowman, have a snow ball fight, and ski or take a sleigh ride. Think of the awesome pictures you can get of nature and your kids being themselves.

One of the best memories I have of camping out in the fall was cooking, making apple turn over’s, Smores or toast on the campfire is a real treat on a cool fall day. There really is a lot to be said about camping in the winter or fall if you want to try this with less hassle. Weekend trips are a perfect fit for this time of year so you can visit places like Story land, Santa’s village ECT.

Section II:Storing your gear for the season

Well if you’re reading this section its safe to say you do not plan on camping in the fall or winter months, this is fine I thought having this section would be a help to some newer campers. The single most important recommendation I can give you is before you store your gear organize, catalog and label the containers. This seems like a no brainer how ever I know plenty of people who just throw their camping gear in totes and put it away for the season.

There is a advantage to cataloging your gear, how many times have you found a bargain on gear and didn’t buy since you were not sure if you already owned one already. My wife and I have our gear organized so when we set up there are totes for different areas of the campsite such as tent, kitchen, toys and electronics. Separating equipment this way allows you to be in full control of the set up/break down of your campsite and cuts a lot of confusion out.

Now let’s look at some neat storage ideas to help you make the most of your totes. I suggest planning how things will be placed into a tote or container so you can get the most out of it, try for instance nesting smaller item(s) inside larger items. I know simply dumping things into a tote is easy how ever it’s not a good idea in the long run, you will be the one trying to sort it out come the spring after all.

I recommend a little planning on where your gear will live in the off season in the attic, basement or garage each have their own problems like moisture, temperature or exposure to pests. Simply by placing a moisture absorber in each tote you can solve mold or mildew problems and funky smells. When we store our gear, my wife and I always secure the tote with plastic zip ties to make sure little pests stay out. I strongly recommend investing in good quality totes I have notice that the inexpensive one’s tend to crack and split in the cold.

Please make sure to check the bonus section of this news letter for a template to use on your storage container(s).

Section III: Winterizing your RV

The upkeep and of your RV is in your hands, properly preparing it is crucial for a long happy life. Simply forgetting to drain the fresh water system for instance can have some bad side effects. I am not going to go in to fine detail in this section. I simply want to make sure you are aware of what you should do to protect your investment.

The biggest mistake people make is using automotive anti freeze in their fresh water systems, you need to buy RV anti freeze it is easy to identify by it pink color and special labeling stating “safe for fresh water systems”. I strongly suggest referring to your owner’s manual for specific directions for winterizing the plumbing.

The advent of inexpensive HD TVs and stereo equipment brings yet another opportunity, most of the newest HD equipment does not really like to be exposed to temperatures under 50 degrees. I would recommend taking your equipment in for the winter if you close your rig up for the winter.

One important practice I can suggest is performing a top to bottom search of your RV to ensure you have not left any food or perishables behind; this helps stop odors and nasty spring cleanups. Investing ion some quality totes can help preserve your gear in the storage compartments.

Bonus:  Packing List sheet

Date Packed:

__________________

Contents:

____________________________

____________________________

____________________________

___________________________

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Bonus

Bonus :

Post season checklist

Wintering Checklist

• All equipment dry and clean
• Totes labeled
• Batteries removed from electronics
• All equipment cataloged
• Food removed from all kitchen containers
• Moisture remover in tote(s)

Wish list

Notes to myself for spring

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A final Word

My hope is that people take something away from reading this news letter so please contact me if you have questions or suggestions.