Did your family take vacations when you were a kid?

the bellep

We always went to New Mexico, to the mountains, and camped out. We took our own food, rode horses, hiked, and fished. Nothing that ever cost much, but my Daddy would cook breakfast and fry fish over an open campfire and have the coffee boiling every morning. We would sleep in a musky smelling tent with cots lined up end to end where we snuggled under my Mom's homemade quilts. It was pure heaven.

Answer
Yes we did as a matter of fact. The longest trip that we ever made was going to Colorado from Oklahoma to visit my aunt, uncle and cousins that lived there at the time. But the other trips that we took were always going to a lake. We always slept in mom and dads camper shell they have on their truck. They had a sheet of plywood in the back next to the cab and they had a mattress on that for them to sleep on and then a folding bed for each of us to sleep on. Had a "pot" to use as a toilet and had our own food and drinks as well. Mom would hang a sheet on a line that went from a tree to another tree and that is where we would change our clothes and bathe as well. It was also used to hang our wet clothes when we were done swimming for awhile. We would cook hamburgers and hot dogs over an open flame with a wire rack that had came out of an old refrigerator. Those were the good old days, lol.

Outdoor outing without a tent?

Mike

We are sleeping outside of our house and not going back in because my kids were talking about saving energy. We do not have a tent but we have a tarp and lots of sleeping blankets. We have the bathroom sitchuation figured out. I need to know what I need to bring out before we have to not go back inside. Any snack ideas or anything bug repellent and what do I need to buy. What should I make (on open fire). I'm worried about spiders any specific good bug repellent to buy

Answer
There's plenty of good designs for tarp shelters that will keep you dry and block the wind. http://www.equipped.com/tarp-shelters.htm. I'd recommend a second tarp as a ground sheet to keep you from getting damp.

Make sure you have some padding for comfort and insulation underneath your body. Carpet padding, yoga mats, foam padding works better than fabrics (as your weight compresses the insulation, making it less effective) or blow-up mattresses (they don't insulate).

If you're worried about creepy-crawlies than getting your bed up off the ground will help the most. Use camping cots or build sleeping platforms. You could also use mosquito netting. For bug repellent I'd suggest treating the area with permethrin, a broad spectrum insecticide that, once completely dry, is safe for humans and pets but will kill many insects on contact. You can also apply DEET or picaridin to your skin to repel mosquitoes and flies (but I don't like wearing that stuff to sleep, would rather use a bug-proof shelter).

If your priority is to save energy there's no reason to sleep outdoors. Just stay inside and turn off the heat and electric in the house. You can still sleep in your comfy bed under all the blankets, with no concern about insects, wind or weather, used the toilet or raid the pantry whenever you want. The house's thick insulation will hold the day's heat much better and longer than any tent or tarp structure. And florescent or LED residential lighting is more energy-efficient than battery-operator or propane camping lanterns.

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what are the pros/cons of a pop-up tent camper?

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Woodland H

We're considering getting one (probably a 10' for our family of 4) and just want to know what all people experience and what they regret before we buy one. Thx!

Answer
Go for it.

I've owned an 8' and 10' pop-up and a 21' hybrid camper and a Class-C RV. Unless you can afford a Class-C (both the initial purchase and ongoing storage, insurance and maintenance), a pop-up is the way to go. Comfort, storage and convenience are the main benefits of a pop-up.

In terms of comfort, you are sleeping up and off the ground on a well-padded, insulated and flat surface that you can easily get into and out of without crawling around on your hands and knees. Most pop-ups have heat and many have air conditioning. During bad weather you have a well-protected and comfortable place to hang out.

While cabinet space in a pop-up, compared to larger RV's, is limited, it is still sufficient to permanently organize and store all the reusable gear and supplies you need for a camping trip. All your kitchen and dining stuff, cleaning stuff, bedding, etc can be permanently stowed in the cabinets or under the dinette benches. Larger items such as a tabletop BBQ grill, cooler, folding table and chairs can be organized on the floor to fit when the pop-up is closed, and still leave room to add groceries and clothing just before heading out on a trip.

As for convenience, first and foremost is most pop-ups can be towed by lightweight trucks, SUV/CUV and some mid-sized cars. They are small enough that most people store them in their backyard, driveway or garage, saving lot storage fees. With adequate storage to be fully packed and ready to go (except for groceries and clothing), taking that spur of the moment trip is a breeze.

The Cons:

As compared to tent camping, the only con is you're not going to to be backwoods camping or taking it backpacking. There is some annual maintenance required, most of which can be DIY, though I prefer to have pros deal with anything involving propane.

As compared to other RV choices? The biggest disadvantage is the time setting-up the pop-up and unloading the stuff stowed on the floor before you can use the pop-up at all. This means that if you're going on a long distance trip with many short stays, setup and breakdown can be tedious. Clothing storage is a bit problematic in a pop-up, you will need to live out of your suitcases which get stowed on the bunks by day and tucked under the dinette table or on counters by night.

Some things to think about:

A front, outside storage trunk is a wonderful feature.

Unless you plan to do a lot of dispersed / dry camping, don't bother with a bathroom in a pop-up. Although it might seem nice, there's practically no privacy. That space is better used for storage and/or seating.

An outside shower is almost an essential feature. A water heater is also a nice-to-have feature, but it does eat up storage space. A portable, water heater such as Eccotemp, Camp Chef, even Zodi costs around $100 and takes up less space.

Slide-outs on a pop-up are also a mixed bag. A slide-out adds significant weight and, when closed, steals valuable floor space. Most of the time you'll only be in the pop-up when sleeping or to escape bad weather. Having a few extra square feet of floor space when the slide is out does not make up for the lost storage when its closed.

One awning is essential, but two awnings are better. Add a second awning to the back side of your pop-up where you can setup your dining or picnic table. This leaves the normal front-side awning for lounging and relaxation.

Consider an add-a-room or screen room. The screen room is less expensive and will help protect you from insects. An add-a-room has opaque panels with screens in them, and roll-up flaps so you can close the screens for a private, sheltered area. We've used an add-a-room with the second back-side awning and cots to sleep an extra three people in comfort and privacy.

If you have two kids make sure your camper can sleep at least 6, as your kids will usually want to bring friends or relatives along. Once boys get to be about 10-12 years old they will not want to share a bed, but girls -- even teenage girls-- have no problems sharing with a female friend or cousin.

In many pop-ups the dinette bed is less than six feet long. Try to find a model with a dinette bed that measures 72" x 48" so you can fit two full-size people.

Buy used and save a ton. Most folks only use their pop-up a few times each year. Others buy one and use it a few times, then let it sit, while a few use it once and have a change of mind or situation. Even a 10 year-old pop-up is worth considering if it has been kept and stored well.

What creative ideas do you have for a reality show?

Jennifer

Answer
I think they should go to war and follow soldiers around all day and let people on "reality" shows see what life is really like. I think they could show how hard it is to be at war, and how hard it is for the families at home to carry on and handle all the crisis with a spouse gone. I think they could show how hard it is for soldiers to really be away from their kids. They could show what it is like to live in a tent and sleep on a cot and walk 220 steps to the bathroom tent. They could show how hard it is for a parent to raise their kids with the other parent gone, or how kids deal with their parent gone. How does a parent feel when they have to go back to war and their 6-year-old is begging them to stay because he was a good boy. I think that would make a good "reality" show, instead of a bunch of people on tv whining about stupid things. Show something real.

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What are views on folding campers / trailor tents?

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0

We have three small children and want to camp in comfort - we have seen a trailor tent for a very good proce on eBay - what are your views?

I want to go away for 3-4 weeks and cannot bear the thought of staying in a normal tent for that time, and cannot afford a hotel...

Answer
Pop-up campers are ideal for families with small children. Most are light enough to be easily towed behind a 6-cylinder vehicle without a huge sacrifice in fuel economy. Unlike motorized RV's, a pop-up does not need separate liability insurance or expensive maintenance (though inexpensive RV insurance is advisable on newer units that still have good value).

One big advantage of a pop-up versus tent camping is your camper can be cleaned and re-stocked after each trip so you just need to add perishable foods and clothing to head out on your next adventure. There is enough storage space to keep all of your gear permanently inside the camper, either in the cabinets or in storage bins on the floor. So you don't need to shoe-horn your tent, sleeping bags, cooking gear, food and clothing in the car with the family, making the driving portion of your trip more comfortable and enjoyable.

The other big advantage is the additional comfort and protection. Thick foam mattresses and heavy canvas tent material, combined with the solid roof, floor and partial walls of the main body, offer additional insulation, weather protection and security versus a tent. You can choose a model that has a propane furnace to safely heat your camper in cold weather, and fans or even air conditioning to keep cool in the summer.

Most pop-ups have a galley with a sink, fresh water supply, and a propane stove that can be used inside or outside. They carry one or two 20Lb propane tanks externally so you don't have to deal with disposable propane canisters (you might need adapters and extra hose if you want to use a gas BBQ grill). There is a 12V battery to run lights and small appliances when no AC electrical hook-ups are available, but you also have the option to hook-up to "shore power" to run your air conditioner (if equipped or added), microwave oven (again, if equipped or added) or other higher-power devices. Small 3-way refrigerators are common in larger pop-ups.

Some things to consider when choosing a pop-up:

1. Where will everyone sleep?
_ a.) Small kids can share a bed, 3 small kids fit on a king-size mattress.
_ b.) The dinette folds into a bed, but only 48" wide, so sharing is "intimate."
_ c.) The dinette might be too short for a single teen/adult. Check before you buy.
_ d.) Older boys don't like sharing beds. Make sure you have sleeping options.
_ e.) Kids like to invite relatives and friends. Complicates all the above.
_ f.) An add-a-room and some cots can provide additional sleeping options.

2. Bathroom or not?
We never had a bathroom in our pop-ups and didn't miss it. Worst case is you setup a chemical toilet and shower bag in a privacy shelter outside, but mostly we relied on the campground facilities for toilet and shower needs. Our hybrid camper (a full-box travel trailer with fold-out bed ends) has a small bathroom, which we use when dry camping, but we prefer to use the campground facilities when available to avoid adding humidity or smell to the camper. No built-in bathroom also eliminates the most hated of RV chores: dealing with the sewer line and holding tanks.

3. Water heater or not?
Even without an inside bathroom or nearby facilities, a quick hot shower is a welcome luxury. When dry camping it is much preferred to bag showers, and at a full-service campground it makes quick clean-ups after swimming more convenient. The only disadvantage is a shower will use up water quickly when dry camping, and takes-up storage space.

4. Air conditioner or not?
They often ice-up and stop working when you want them the most, particularly in a pop-up camper that's not as well insulated as a full-box travel trailer or motorized RV. The A/C requires an electrical hook-up or a minimum 3500-watt generator. A/C is noisy and a generator makes things worse. We found that even in the desert during summer, once we acclimated to the temperatures, nights were comfortable with only fans. But in hot and humid, A/C might be desirable.

5. Awnings
One awning is highly recommended. Two is even better. We rarely ate or just hung-out inside our campers, even with the large hybrid, even in the rain and cold weather. With our last pop-up we had one awning on each side. The "front" awning was used as our hang-out area, sometimes with an add-a-room to keep out the bugs. The "back" awning was where we setup our kitchen and dining area.

6. Storage
An outside storage trunk is a great feature. Just remember to unload it before extending the front bed slide. Some pop-ups have a slide-out drawer that can be accessed when the bed is extended, but this cuts down on storage capacity and doesn't allow large items. Use stacking storage bins to storage space; small in cabinets, large to stack on the floor during transit.

Always buy used. Most people use their camper 2 or 3 times a year, so even a 10 year old camper - if well maintained - can be in great condition at huge savings.

Any ideas on what I should have in an at home daycare?

countryswe

I just am going to start an in home daycare and not sure of what supplies I should have or use? It's very confusing because I don't have a ton of room so I need simple things that dont take up much space. Any ideas.

Answer
Are you talking about crafts?? Well I have a daycare and it all depends on the age of your kids as well. Get a little picnic table or table and chairs for lunch and snack time, or highchairs, whatever you need. Bibs, spoons, forks, knives (plastic), cups and sippy cups, it's good to have extra ones. Beds, cots or a playpen for nap time, extra blankets. Toys, well depending on the age, books, puzzles, blocks, dress-up clothes, tents, and outside toys, maybe a sandbox. And craft supplies, depending on the age, crayons, felts, gluesticks, safe scissors, paint, paint brushes, smocks, construction paper.
Usually, when you start a daycare there should be a childcare referall service that you go through, this organization should have a lending library that's free that is full of supplies, like toys, I don't know if you have this, but we do, check it out, there may be one in your community. Good Luck!

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What do deployed soldiers/marines etc.. really think about a pen pals?

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ImillaGarc

I decided to "adopt " a soldier to write and send care packages. Im wondering if they actually care about it i mean i did it because it makes me feel good , helping others but idk if they thin k pen pals have nothing better to do . i might be wrong but im wondering.

Answer
VERY interesting you mentioned this. I was deployed to Iraq in '06 '07 '08 in the Infantry. It is all males. MANY of the men/women in Iraq and Afghanistan, actually the majority are not the ones doing the actual fighting. Many of them sleep in nice beds or at least cots, take showers regularly, call home and go on internet regularly and have pretty good food.

We did not. Not at the time. Month or more with no shower or change of clothes was expected. No heat in the winter, no AC in the summer. Cots and a tent were a luxury as we usually bedded down in the sand for the night. I received a good amount of pen pal mail while deployed. There are a bunch that come and you can sift through them and I DID always look for female names to respond to as I recall. The more girly the penmanship the better and the ones who put little hearts or kiss marks on the envelope would normally be the ones tend to get opened first, ESPECIALLY the scent of perfume. So...mail was slow, normally 3 weeks each way, some of the girls were cute and would send pics but nothing racy and the relation never became sexual. It was nice for me then because I had no gf and like I said, not much else to do rolling around in the desert.

I have to say that now, with a wife and kid and if I had had more of the luxuries like shower, cot, tent, internet etc. I probly would not have been so willing to write back and forth. Great gesture but times are different now, so high tech. You would be better off facebooking them honestly. If a guy is getting 3 meals a day, shower, internet, porn and cigarettes over there he's pretty much set. DON'T be surprised if they want to be more than penpals because men are just VERY lonely... beyond words, while deployed especially with no one waiting back home.

What should I wear to Hajj?

letinpleas

I'm a guy planning on going during college in a few years. I know I have to wear white, but can I wear a white t-shirt, or something traditional? Someone told me to wear hiking boots because they will be better for crowds, unless I have to wear sandals. And I also read that I have to shave my head. Is this true?

Answer
AN AMERICAN MUSLIM MAKES A PILGRIMAGE TO MECCA
by Amer Boukai

Feb 26: We arrived in Medina with a tour group of 300 American Muslims. Our hotel was next to the Prophet's Mosque which we helped to construtc.

It was an incredible feeling. The mosque is beautiful. We spent four days praying and resting before the intense time ahead.

My parents had become acquainted with the city long ago but did not recognize it because it had grown so.

We went to Prophet Muhammad's tomb to pray. I felt humbled and felt my faith more than I ever had before.

March 2 and 3: We got to Mecca when sunrise prayers were being said. The road was closed. The mosque which holds 500,000 people was full. So hundreds of thousands were praying in the streets. People everywhere. It was scary. And wonderful too, knowing that I have so many Muslin brothers and sisters.

The hotel was very nice; the food was excellent. We had omelets, chicken, fruits, juices, sweets.

I had on my Ihram. This is two pieces of cloth that men must wear for Hajj. You think you are so well off with your Armani suits and then you suddenly are wearing the most basic thing. It was very difficult. You feel like you want your clothes back. But that is the lesson. When you are wearing Ihram, everyone looks the same just as good sees us.

At the Grand Mosque I was fortunate to get within 30 feet of trhe Ka'bah. It was incredible knowing the prophets had been there. But you have to watch for the crush of people. Our guides had very tall poles on which they put our tour name so we wouldn't get lost. We left at midnight for Arafat, where Prophet Muhammad gave his last sermon.

March 4: It took us five hours to go 15 miles to Arafat. When we got there I was so surprised. Tents as far as you could see. There was no way we could be near Mount Arafat. The are extends five miles and our tent was very far out.

It had been 90 degrees but clouds came and there was a drizzle that relaxed everyone. An imam (clergyman) led prayers to ask forgiveness for all the sins we have commited in our entire life. Many people were crying. It was very emotional for me.

At sunset we left for Muzdailifa. Six miles tok six hours. Everyone was very tired. We saw many people from places like Russia and Africa packed so tight on buses and even sitting on top or hanging on.

March 5-7: We got to Mina at 3:00 a.m. and threw pebbles at the pillar. It symbolizes how the devil tempted Abraham. But Abraham obyed God and was willing to sacrifice his son. God substituted an animal sacrifice.

Our tents with cots were about 25 feet by 25 feet. Men and women slept on different sides of the tent. There were 60 people to a tent.

On Tuesday we heard that many pilgrims had been crushed to death in the crowds. It was very scary. We became very cautious. We waited until after midnight to do the next stone throwing when crowds were smaller.

We men had our hair cut by barbers to symbolize sacrifice. We paid butchers to sacrifice anima;s to feed the poor.

We return to Mexxa and at 3:00 a.m. circled the Ka'bah severn times. Then back to Mina and that was that.

By this time I really wanted to go home and see my kids and family.

Hajj is a very strong feeling that stays with you. My sense of God is much stronger. I realize more than ever that I will someday die and so should my mind on God.

I realize as an American Muslim that we should thank God for all that we have.

Now I think about the experience all the time. I wake in the night and think. I talk to my wife about how I will take to Hajj someday.

I got back on a Thursday night and the next day went to the mosque. Everyone congratulated me and asked if I prayed for them. I said yes. I prayed for everyone.

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