Camping basics for beginner Outdoors Geeks
They say that you are never more than 90-minutes from a campsite. Here in Colorado, it’s probably a lot less. Let’s face it; Colorado is basically one big beautiful campground with a few patches of concrete and city life. The rest is wide open for outdoors geeks and adventure seekers. Getting to a campsite is the easy part, but once you’re there, there are a few tricks that will bump your camping experience up a few notches and leave you itching for more.
Camping 101
Bring bug repellent
So, let’s start there. With the itching.
Guess what; bugs are outdoors geeks too! They were “geeks” long before we were, and they’ll be “geeks” long after we are gone, so we just need to learn to co-exist. Bring a lot of bug spray or lotion. You can go with store bought, hard-core, DEET chemical spray or lotion, or you can go the all natural route and mix your own bug spray potion. Citronella, lavender, tea-tree oil and essential oils that you may already have handy, are ideal for deterring mosquitoes. And ticks have been known to shy away from tea-tree oil, so this is a great item for your camping “first aid kit.”
Herbs and essential oils make for great homemade, all natural bug repellent.
Enhance your campground with lanterns and lights
Often, the best part about camping is sitting around the campfire and watching the sun set behind the Rocky Mountains, listening as the darkness signals a changing of the guards from the diurnal animal activity to the nocturnals coming out to play. But, as comforting as it is to sit by the fire and reminisce about the events of the day, what happens when you need to go to the bathroom or find your way to the tent? A few lanterns or camping lights placed around your campsite can add a little extra cozy and magic to your area. Your camping neighbors will also appreciate the warm ambient lighting, rather than being blinded by a cold, stark flashlight as they are trying to gaze at the stars.
Give your campground a little ambiance with some lanterns and lights, and avoid bright flashlights as you try to find your way in the dark.
Check the ground before pitching your tent
Fresh air, sunshine, and physical activity are the main ingredients in a good night’s sleep. But, before you pitch your tent and pick where you want to lay out your sleeping bag, do a quick sweep of your campground. The last thing you want is to realize there’s a jagged rock digging into your side as you’re trying to fall asleep. Even the smallest rock can turn the most rugged outdoors geek into the Princess and the Pea.
Before you pitch your tent, sweep the ground for rocks that can ruin a good nights sleep under the stars.
Gourmet coffee and camping
After a good nights sleep, waking up with the sun and the birds is a great start to another day of camping fun. Even when the fresh air is exhilarating and energizing, you still need that morning cup of joe to get started. For some reason, people think that just because they are camping, they need to drink bad instant coffee. Camping doesn’t mean you have to skimp on the gourmet foods and drinks, including your coffee. Gourmet coffee grounds don’t take up any more room in your backpack than a can of instant. Treat yourself!
There’s no reason to downgrade your morning cup of coffee just because you are camping. Photo by Petr Kratochvil, via Wikimedia commons
Camping should be easy and fun
The most important part of camping is to not overthink it. Like we said, even if you live in the heart of Denver, you are never far away from a campsite. And, with Outdoors Geek at your service, you have access to top quality gear and equipment, from the tents to the sleeping bag, and much more. All you have to do is say when, and where, and we’ll hook you up with all the gear and equipment you need.
