Tent Camping 101

Let's just start with I haven't tent camped in over 6 years. Man! I forgot how much stuff you actually have to pack when you tent camp. My little Pathfinder was packed to the gills and even some on top! My friend, Janee, and her two kids joined us for a fun weekend. We decided to go to Table Mountain up in Wrightwood by Mountain High Ski Resort. It's a nice campground with some really nice spots that overlook the Palmdale lights at night. We went there for the annual yard sales on Memorial Day weekend. Lots of really good bargains. Unfortunately with all the gear packed into my car I couldn't buy too many big items. Bummer. Looking back I should have bought the storage platform that attaches to the hitch on my car. Now that would have given me more space for hauling yard sales finds or allow me to tie a misbehaving kid on to.

This little guy next to our tent is our infamous camping gnome. He keeps a watchful eye on things while we leave camp. Watch out! He'll get you if you mess with our site! Jeff bought us a new tent and air mattress last year when he went on the First Annual Mathmen Campout. Wow! It sleeps 7 and is easy to put up. The mattress rolls up into its own little pouch. Yay! Life is good.

Trailer camping is a lot easier but tent camping has its own charm. Well another new thing for me is actually cooking. I never really realized all that Jeff did for us. I do now! I was pooped out just from all the food prep, cooking and dishes we had to do.

I decided to buy a dutch oven and had to buy a Dutch Oven for Dummies book to learn how to prep these cornish game hens and get them cooked. I later made a peach cobbler that was to die for! My kids and I don't really eat chicken but Maxwell ended up eating a whole one! Wow! He said they were fantastic. Thanks Max! After dealing with all the cooking and taking over the whole picnic table I went shopping online at Cabela's and bought us a deluxe camp kitchen. I cannot wait to use it! I feel like Tim Allen in Home Improvement with the Binford model. Hoo hoo hoo!

Our evenings were spent around the campfire and one of the desserts we made were banana boats. Yum! Just cut a banana up the belly and stuff it with mini marshmellows and chocolate chips. Wrap in foil and heat over the coals. Isaac doesn't partcularly like bananas but he does love chocolate! He ate two boats that night.

All in all the trip was great and we're looking forward to doing more this year with other friends and family.