Magellan, Garmin, Tom Tom or Never-Heard-of-It-Brand GPS

I had decided a while back that it was time to purchase a real GPS, as the Sprint Navigation program is absolutely dreadful and prone to failure as I lose my cell signal.  I’d done my research sporadically on GPS in the past, and had researched a lot more before deciding I would likely purchase a Magellan gps.

For some reason, I decided to do more research over the past couple of weeks, probably inspired by the whole Black Friday thing.  Since then, I’ve revised my opinion.  I’m not sure I’d consider Magellan at all now.

Why?

It’s simple.  I have this thing about customer service.  I want it easy to get, with knowledgeable representatives that can help me address the problem.  The same thing goes with tech support.  I consider customer service and tech support to be features just as important as warranties, price, and the tech features a gizmo offers.  I’m also paying for the product with American dollars, purchasing it in the United States for use within North America.  As such, I expect the accent I hear to be an American one. If it isn’t, then I’m automatically subtracting consumer loyalty points dramatically.  I’m heartily sick of outsourcing customer and tech support to foreign countries, and I am voting on that issue with my dollars, as should every consumer.

I also read reviews.  Profusely, liberally, and thoroughly.  They are the voices of the other “voters” aka consumers.  I want to know what their experiences have been with a company.  I also read other blogs when they are relevant.  It seems that Magellan’s customer service is a bomb, designed to aggravate, frustrate, and infuriate the average consumer, if there is a problem.  And it seems that when Magellans fail, they fail with flair.  That isn’t the time for customer service and tech support to also fail the consumer.

Tom Toms seem to have a knack for love/hate relationships with their owner.  They either really really love them, or they despise them completely.  I actually know someone who accidentally knocked theirs into a snow bank, and because it had consistently failed him, despite his frugal nature…he left it there.  He figured the aggravation it gave him didn’t warrant digging in the snow to retrieve his expensive gizmo.

Garmins seem to have generally happier customers.  They may not LOVE their Garmin…but few of them HATE their Garmin either.  Customer service doesn’t seem to be foreign based, nor does tech support.  They don’t seem to expect their purchasers of Lifetime Maps to jump through multiple hoops to get their updates either.

So that leaves us with the vast sea of unknowns.  That’s exactly what they are too.  There’s a lot of them.  Usually, these lesser known companies have lower prices, sometimes they have excellent quality, sometimes they don’t.  They rarely have good customer service, probably because they are smaller companies.  They may be foreign made, and not offer any tech support at all.  That’s fine…as long as it never fails you.  When it does, well, you get what you pay for?  The risks with these companies is part of the reason to demand a lower price.  Like I said, warranties, customer service and tech support are just as important as the device itself.

Decide what features you have-to-have.  Do you just want it as a GPS device, or is it to serve as your mp3 player, camera, etc.?  Is it for ONLY in your vehicle, or are you going to carry it with you on foot or use it in your small boat?  Do you need road maps or topo maps or both?  How important are POI to you?  Do you need updated information about gas stations, restaurants, and shopping?

Most of the companies have a common complaint of maps not being updated for years after the construction has been completed, and it is through all 3 of the “big” companies.  That means roads may need updating, that POIs may be out of date, etc.  Truckers and RVers may need information designed for large vehicles, and there are special programs to help them.  Do YOUR research!

Here’s some links to help:

http://www.gpsreview.net/magellan-tomtom-garmin-tech-support/

http://www.magellangps.com

http://www.garmin.com

http://www.tomtom.com

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Portable potty solution-the Tote-able Toilet Seat & Lid

We are just like everyone else, we are continually bombarded with ads promising us the moon with a particular product, and when we buy it, all too often we are highly disappointed.  And, just like everyone else, we’ve discovered that often we get exactly what we pay for, so that “bargain” turns out to be disastrous.

Every once in a while, we find something that is inexpensive and actually WORKS.  That’s a red letter day!

A huge problem for anyone who is primitive camping is the toilet situation.  We want to be environmentally responsible, we want to be smart, and we want to be comfortable with our choices.  I don’t know anyone who’s happy when the discover they have found the perfect camping spot…but the entire surrounding  area is littered with used toilet paper!

Granted, there are better ways to dispose of toilet tissue than leaving the used product laying around on top of the ground, but that’s really a whole blog post on what better options really are.  With a group, or with even a single person who isn’t thrilled with the idea of squatting over a shallow hole in the ground…the portable potty is the better option.  On a boat, it can become even a bigger problem as often running to the toilet becomes an impossible request and there are no holes to be dug for quick disposal.  You have to have a portable toilet, or you spend way too much time trying to find a place to land or beach your boat to handle the problem.

There are a lot of portable toilets on the market, and a lot of them are not cheap solutions to the problem either.  For boaters, where weight is a very serious issue, along with the footprint of space required, some solutions become new problems.  Face it, many of us don’t need flushing toilets with hidden holding tanks.  We want a cheap, effective solution, even if it isn’t pretty.

What about a solution with a price tag UNDER $10????

Sound impossible?  Nope.  I have personally bought and tested one from Emergency Essentials.  It’s called the “Tote-able Toilet Seat & Lid” and costs just $8.95.  For $14.95, you can also buy it with the bucket and two packages of enzymes.  I opted for the cheaper version, and bought a 6 gallon bucket from Lowe’s for $3 to go with it.

It’s a simple solution.  The bucket gets a plastic liner (aka tall kitchen garbage bag) and the seat/lid combo is snapped down.  To use it, the lid is lifted, and the seat is exposed.  After use, the lid is returned to the closed position, and it actually SNAPS into place.  A gasket in the lid then holds the contents and the odors inside.  Seriously, you do not smell a thing with that lid closed, and it did not spill even when clumsy me knocked it over.  It’s the perfect solution for the fishing boat, the camp, and even when there is a toilet emergency and the normal toilet is not available for whatever reason.  The plastic liner can be doubled to reduce chances of leakage, and if there are concerns about liquid contents, cat litter is a great and inexpensive absorbent to use inside the liner.  (Just add a cup after use, or alternatively, pour a few cups into the bottom of the plastic liner to absorb liquids.)

The bucket toilet isn’t a new idea.  It’s been around a long time, and has seen use on many boats and camps.  In third worlds, they are a luxury.  For most of us, they qualify as gross.  They are prone to spilling, they stink to high heaven, and insects are attracted to the same aromas that are repulsive to us.  Who wants to spend the day in a 16′ boat with a rank bucket of poo?

The Tote-able toilet keeps the costs down where we don’t mind spending that much for the solution, even if we use it just a few times a year.  It seals tightly enough to eliminate odor and attracting insects.  It’s a simple solution that doesn’t leave us studying a manual to operate the toilet every time we need to take it out.  Best of all, it works.

So if you are looking for a cheap and simple solution to the potty situation, this one met our criteria and delivered the solution with flying colors.

Sometimes things seem to go wrong

Sometimes, things just seem to go wrong.  We plan, we plot, we figure out when is the best time to do things, we have everything in place…and then comes Murphy’s Law.  Something goes awry with our plans for the Great Getaway, and our big trip has to be canceled.  What then?

How far will we, or should we go, to make sure we go on that long planned trip?

Each situation is individual and very unique.  This weekend, I had to cancel my own plans to join the Get Ready GO bunch for a camping weekend, along with a couple of other members.  In my case, it was vehicle mechanical trouble, and I opted out rather than go with an “iffy” vehicle.  Why would I opt out?  I couldn’t justify the risk of serious damage to the motor.  I wasn’t sure.  I decided that there would be other trips, other occasions, which I would enjoy as much.  I rationalized my decision in a hundred ways.  Was I wrong?  I hope not, but that was my decision.  I wouldn’t be along on this trip to act as camp cook.

As for the other members?  Their reasons for opting out appear to have been well justified.  One is expecting a baby, and while she wasn’t due, it appears that she’s going to be having the baby before the gang returns from their wild wood weekend.  Was her decision to opt out a wise one?  Definitely.  Who wants to give birth, on time or early either one, while camping in the woods?  Yes, I know that in the “good old days” women did just that on a regular basis.  I’m not sure what her feelings are, I’ve not asked her, so I’m going to go on my own response to that option.  I can accept that women and babies were tougher creatures then.  I have no need to prove I’m as tough as a cave woman.  I’ve already lived about twice as long as a cave woman would anyhow.

I know that initially our pregnant camper was disappointed to have to cancel her own attendance on the trip.  She thought about going ahead and going several times.  Finally, common sense (and discomfort) won out over her desire to hang out in the woods for the weekend, and she decided to stay home and take it easy this weekend.

Several of us have been trained in the past as first responders or more, but none of us would have been prepared to deliver a baby, prematurely or otherwise, while camping.  It would have been a bit too much drama to have to have made an emergency trip to the hospital as well.

So how does someone determine whether something is an acceptable risk or plain foolishness?

Like everything else, its a case of weighing the chances.  Each one of us takes a chance on life continually, whether its taking a shower or walking down the street.  Something COULD go wrong, something horrible could happen.  We don’t live our lives in fear normally, because we weigh the chances of injury or death with each and every movement we make during the day.  We know that our chances deteriorate rapidly if we step into the path of a speeding car, so we don’t do that.  We know better,, and we don’t even think about doing such a foolhardy thing.

Most of the time, our chances of things going wrong are not very high when opting to go camping for the weekend.  We usually don’t face incredible danger when we head out for a weekend of roughing it.  But, we do need to think about when things go horribly wrong before they really do.

We’ve all had the horribly wrong happen, either in our own lives or those of someone we know, while on a camping trip or other outing.  I knew one family that for about five years, every time they went on their summer vacation (which included camping) something terrible would happen, resulting in a family member at the emergency room or actually admitted into the hospital.  Every single instance was a “freak accident” as well.  I’m sure that they were more than a little nervous each year they headed out after the first few years, and I know they had received a lot of ribbing once whoever was injured had recovered.

I know of other people who have had serious mechanical breakdowns while on their big trip too.  These might be anything from a broken axle to a frozen transmission, but these too were serious problems.  There is also the problem of the digital sort, when credit card companies and banks freeze your account due to “unusual activity” when you head out on vacation.  Then there are the disasters at home–one year, my pipes  all froze, including the mains, resulting in water having to be hauled even for horses by the friend who was taking care of things. (Thank goodness for good friends who DO that sort of extra work for you!)  There is also the instances where trips are cut short due to a death in the family or the illness of a family member who is not on the trip with you.

All of these things are things that have happened to me or someone I know.  They were real problems.  They are also a case of being prepared.

Know where the nearest hospital is or how to get the information quickly.  Know where you are.  Check in with family and friends at home on a regular basis.  Have your vehicle in good mechanical shape before you leave, and roadside assistance with towing is always a good idea.  Have your credit card numbers, contact numbers, bank account numbers, and other relevant information with you, in case you lose a card or have a problem (such as frozen accounts).  It makes it much easier to get the problem solved if you have those numbers with you.   Make sure everyone has their IDs as well, including pets, along with vaccination documentation from your veterinarian along with you.  Don’t assume your rabies tags are sufficient.

Think about how to handle emergencies, and have contact numbers along with you, just in case.  Make sure everyone has their ICE (In Case of Emergency) numbers programmed into their cell phones–it makes it much easier if there IS an emergency!

Being prepared isn’t about having a survival kit–its about being mentally prepared to handle situations that come up that weren’t expected.  It is about being prepared to adapt and react to situations as they occur.  Good training is often just mental training, by thinking about the situation and how to handle it, and trying out a wide variety of situations in your mind.  Sometimes our biggest regrets aren’t about the things we did do so much as the things we didn’t do.

GPS websites & maps

Face it, juggling paper maps can be frustrating, aggravating, and a pain.  Add in inaccuracies and omissions, and it can turn into a nightmare when you are trying to navigate unfamiliar territory.  Most of us have at least TRIED some type of GPS navigation at this point.  I have been seriously thinking about replacing my less-than-satisfactory Sprint navigation on my cell phone with a real GPS.

For most of us in the USA, there are three big names: Garmin, Tomtom, and Magellan.  I know people who have bought all three, and I also know people who love or hate all three brands.  I suspect that even the worst model compares well to using my cell phone as a GPS device, so I had no preference between brands.  I am highly concerned about cost however, and that includes more than the initial cost, but the cost of upgrading maps too.  Since I haven’t bought one yet, I am also concerned about the hassles of navigation on the website.  If I can’t successfully price maps without aggravation on their website, am I really going to be happy with the software and navigation system on their device?

Tomtom’s website scored a zero.  I couldn’t get a price after choosing two different models unless I had a serial number for my device, so it could inform me whether my device had enough memory.  This was not a good sign, since I chose a model from an advertisement I had received from TigerDirect in my email this morning.  The fine print from TigerDirect also informed me that refurbished models could not get a free update from Tomtom, but new models could get a 30 day map.  Add a mysterious price to that, and Tomtom was not looking like a likely candidate at all.

Next came Garmin, which is probably the industry leader.  Their website qualified as average for navigation and finding what I wanted, and more people I know are using Garmin.  This familiarity is an attractive feature, however, upon pricing maps from Garmin, I was horrified to realize I would quickly invest several hundred dollars in maps, should I opt to use their models.  Most of the maps started at $79.99, and multiple maps would quickly be needed if a long trip was planned.  This wasn’t looking like a cost effective choice for me either.

Magellan is probably the least common of the big three, and I’d been told by the geeky sort that they were the “best buy” in the GPS market because of high quality and high customer satisfaction ratings, along with good feature sets and moderate price.  Their website is fairly decent to navigate, although I was a bit uncertain about which maps were usable on which devices.  Maps aren’t cheap, however, they seem to include more, with the USA topo map including ALL of the USA, rather than regions, and listed at $149.99.  Prices on their devices via their outlet on the website were also very consumer-friendly, with full featured devices that would both fit my budget AND my initial qualifications for a GPS device.  It doesn’t hurt that it offers a AAA discount, or that it uses AAA ratings for a number of amenities along the way either.  It may even be compatible with AAA’s trip routing.   (Yes, I confess, I’m a die hard AAA member who has been towed, had my car unlocked, been jump started, and even had a key made using AAA’s services.)

I’m not done with my research, I would really like a device that I can use in the van, and then when I launch the Swamp Thing (a beast of an aluminum boat for fishing) into one of the numerous rivers, I would like it to prevent me from getting lost in the multiple tributaries, channels and tall marsh grass, unable to find my way back to the boat launch.  Assuming my shoulder recovers, I may be concerned about using my device while hiking too.  I’m not sure that this can be done by your average GPS, and I’m also  not sure I want to deal with multiple devices all needing updated periodically.

So far though, I have to admit…Magellan is looking like a likely choice.

And baby makes three

With the addition of a baby to a family’s life, there are a number of changes that occur.  When that family happens to be a camping family, there are some serious issues to consider.  A baby is a precious treasure, and no one wants to put that young life at risk.  At the same time, continuing beloved activities is also important, as is continuing the tradition of teaching the next generation about outdoors activities.

For me, taking the kids camping was as natural as taking them to the store.  I actually considered it to be much more safe than the store, as they were not apt to be exposed to contagious diseases such as measles, nor the hazards of a potential child snatcher.  You may laugh and think those are ridiculous, but in fact, both of those occurred.  Granted in the wild there are still hazards, but they are a different kind of hazard.

My son was a preemie, and as any parent of a preemie knows, there have been all sorts of worries and medical issues before the baby is even allowed to come home.  My son was allowed to come home at two weeks, and two weeks later, he went on his first camping trip.  In winter.  I was worried about the cold, especially at night when the temperatures dropped below freezing.  As a result, I had him bundled up too much, and nearly caused issues from overheating.

What’s the lesson from that?  Don’t go overboard.  Granted, our winter camping was in the southern tier of the USA, which meant that temperatures may drop below freezing at night, but usually were in the 50s or 60s during the day.  We were camping in a van, and I had dressed him in a t-shirt, pajamas, and then a blanket gizmo that was like a sleeping bag with sleeves.  On top of that, he was wrapped in blankets and tucked in beside me.  Oh, and a hat.

Poor baby!

The  hat is important to use to keep their heads warm, especially if they are old enough to move around enough that a folded blanket is not going to stay in place.  You do want to keep your precious bundle warm, but you do not want to repeat my error and go overboard with the bundling up.  Tucking the baby in with you is a good idea—babies have a harder time keeping their body temperature up when it is cold.  However, you are the one that will be offering them that warmth, and wrapping them in too many layers is also insulating them from your steady body heat.  In reality, a t-shirt under warm pajamas and his stocking cap would have been sufficient while tucked in beside me.

How can you tell if your baby is warm enough or too warm?  Feel their feet!   If their feet feel just barely warm, you are doing everything right.  If they feel very warm or cool to the touch, then you need to add or take away layers.  Older babies will voice protests if they are uncomfortable, while younger babies may not.

During the day, when everyone is active, your baby will be as well.  Newborns tend to sleep most of the time except when eating.  For a newborn, it is much easier for the mother to use a sling type carrier to keep the baby with her and monitor the baby for comfort while enjoying normal activities.  In cool weather, always use a hat on the baby, and avoid wind in the baby’s face.    Many outdoor outfits for these tinier campers can be found in the usual baby section, and may be sold as “snow suits”.  Often, they include sleeves that form mittens over the baby’s hands to help keep them warm.  If the garments your baby is wearing do not include mittens and you are camping, using an extra pair of baby socks over their hands will help keep their fingers warm.

Older babies may not be content in a sling or other carrier with their parents and demand time to move around and explore.  The cold ground can be a difficult place for a crawling baby, and requires parental supervision.  Don’t let them put rocks, sticks, leaves, etc. in their mouth.  They will also get incredibly dirty in a remarkably short period of time on the ground, and in cool weather camping, that can be a problem.  Wipes can remove dirt from hands and faces, but if bathing is required, it is essential to get the baby out of a draft and into as warm an area as possible before bathing.  Drying them after a bath and putting on fresh, dry clothing is also very important.

Even though the wheels won’t like the surface, and may never function properly indoors again, a walker can be a great way to restrict a baby from crawling while creating an illusion of free movement.  Using shoes is also a great idea to help keep the dirt from forcing a bath.  Some other babies may be happy with a portable swing or even their high chair in camp.

For hiking, don’t even dream of that stroller making it happen.  Strollers wheels and hiking trails are normally never compatible.  For hiking with a baby or toddler, a comfortable carrier is your best purchase.  Many women are content using sling carriers, a design that has been around since before we were drawing designs on paper.  More high tech designs are available for carriers too, including backpack styles.  Fit on a backpack style is critical for the parent—poor designs can be excruciatingly painful to use and can even pinch nerves or constrict blood flow.  In my own case, a backpack that was just fine for one child was impossible to use with the other.  The first was a lighter child without tendencies to throw herself around in the pack, making it very easy to carry her.  The second was big despite starting out as a preemie, and tended to throw himself violently in one direction or another, resulting in me losing my balance easily.  Carrying the heavier child also resulted in my arms going numb, either from a nerve being pinched or restricted blood flow to my arms, and was obviously uncomfortable.  Today, there are a variety of backpack style carriers available for potentially hiking parents who want to include their offspring in their hikes.

Water offers a lot of terror to parents, and it doesn’t go away when they are able to carry their own weight.  Whether fishing from a pier, shore, or a boat—put a life jacket on the baby.  Accidents happen very quickly, even with parents who are paying attention.  Flowing water can quickly move an infant or child out of your reach almost instantly as well.  Besides the life jacket, creativity is required at restraining a curious infant or toddler from the water’s edge.

I resorted to all sorts of restraining methods for my curious son, ranging from using the family dog’s crate to keep him from escaping to fastening a rope that kept him from reaching the water’s edge.   A large dog collar can be used as a belt with a convenient fastener to attach a leash to prevent such an accident as well as a number of commercially produced leashing systems for children.  Less persistent children can often be confined in a portable playpen.  These playpens and leashes can also be used in camp to prevent young children from disappearing from sight.

Other parents worry about wild animals posing a threat to their children.  While I never had an attack by a wild animal on my children, it isn’t a totally unreasonable fear either, especially when in primitive or wilderness areas that have larger predators.  Bringing along the family dog isn’t a bad idea—dogs have traditionally been valued by people for their ability to warn of danger, as well as their tendency to make noise that is a deterrent from wild animals appearing in camp.  Keep small children, infants, and toddlers close to the adults, much like wild animals do.  Letting them stray could potentially attract the attention of a predator.  In areas where large predators are known to be, always keep the entire group together, and observe the normal rules of camping.  Don’t leave food laying around, and do not let your children feed wild animals.  Our food isn’t good for them, nor is the habit of coming into camp sites to beg for food.  Animals that have no fear of humans are also more likely to end up in a situation where someone gets hurt, either them or a person.  It is just a terrible habit to let get started.  Don’t ever encourage your children to attempt to handle a wild animal either—observing them behaving naturally from a distance is best for all parties concerned.

Fires are the other hazard for small children, toddlers and infants.  They are curious about the world and often do not think about consequences until it is too late.  Keep children away from the camp fire and never let them add items to the fire.  Be very careful with activities such as marshmallow and hot dog roasting as well—even a hot marshmallow is a burn hazard!  The fire ring is also very hot and can cause a severe burn instantly.  Lanterns and camp stoves are other burn risks, and should never be within their reach.  In addition, camping tables are often not particularly stable, with camp stoves, hot food, and hot liquids are often on their surfaces.  When a clumsy toddler stumbles over a root and falls, hitting the table leg could result in a potentially severe burn.  Keep them away from these sorts of risks as well.  Establishing a NO zone around the “kitchen” area is a good thing to prevent such accidents.

Bringing along a basic first aid kit when camping with infants and small children is always a good idea.  Bandages, burn cream, hydrogen peroxide, and even disposable hand warmers can all be helpful when dealing with the youngest campers during cool weather camping.  Having ample clothing for them is also helpful, as they often soil or get their garments wet, and wet is a real hazard in cool weather camping.  Keeping them dry during the night, whether still in diapers or prone to bed wetting, is very important.  Extra bedding may be required to ensure that a bed wetting child can camp comfortably and safely, as a wet bed is more than embarrassing for a child in cool weather camping.  Staying in a wet bed and pajamas when temperatures are dipping into the 30s or lower can be life endangering.  More than once, I have hurriedly pulled a spare t-shirt from my bag in the middle of the night as a kid was being stripped and then joined me in my bed for the remaining portion of the night because of a wet sleeping bag, which then needed to be dried during the day by draping it over a line, bush, or even the vehicle.  Using items such as disposable underwear, bed pads, etc. can also help in coping with the bed wetter on a camping trip.  Spray on deodorizers designed to remove pet odors can be very helpful at minimizing odors on bedding that has been dried without being washed as well.  Camping should be fun for everyone, and a bed wetting child has enough issues without having to be further embarrassed by accidents while camping.  Keeping the coping systems as simple as possible with the fewest comments as possible (from everyone in camp) is usually the best choice.  You can also try the bed wetting cure that worked for my daughter—each night, before bed, she ate a handful of nuts, any kind of nuts.  An old woman told us that it worked, and whether it had anything to do with her bed wetting days ending or not, it did work.  It was far more effective than restricting the consumption of liquids, getting her up in the middle of the night, and all of the other usual “cures” for bed wetting.  It definitely had far fewer side effects than prescription medication did too.

Bringing along the smallest family members on a camping trip is a good start to a lifetime of enjoying the outdoors, as it becomes a natural part of their life.  It isn’t a big deal—our ancestors did it daily.  It isn’t impossible– our ancestors did it while living in caves wearing animal skins.  It doesn’t require a lot of special equipment—our ancestors did it while hunting with stone tipped tools.  It does require paying attention to your baby or toddler and their needs.  It can be done without a lot of fuss whether you camp in an RV, travel trailer, your van, a pickup camper, or a tent.  While I’d hesitate long and hard before venturing out into sub zero temperatures, it can be done in the marginal temperatures found in fall and early spring, and even full winter in the southern tier of the United States with just a bit of fore thought and some preparation.  An infant sleeping in a portable crib is not going to be as comfortable as one tucked into bed with his or her parents, and someone is apt to have to have a baby in a carrier most of the day, but it can be done while the parents still enjoy their trip.

Emergency preparedness, camping, and interesting and helpful websites

Last night, on Gia Scott’s Dawn of Shades, I promised to post the websites that we were talking about on this blog.  (My guest was the mysterious Mississippi Hippy and the topic was outdoor survival, emergency preparedness, and outdoor/camping skills.)  I use a LOT of websites, some recently, some were favored in days gone by.  They are all worth checking out!

Emergency preparedness (food storage):  www.foodinsurance.com (recommended to me, but I have not shopped with them.)  www.beprepared.com (I like this company, have shopped with them, and will be shopping again with them…what more is there to say?) 

Camping: Each state will have a website for their state parks, with individual sections for each state park.  Typically, the address is going to be something like www.statename.gov/parks but its much easier to use a search.  Just make sure you are accessing the state’s own website!  Other sites may have interesting and relevent reviews and comments, but may not be current in their information.  For car camping, I LOVE state campgrounds.  Why?  They usually cost about 1/2 to 3/4 of what the national park’s campgrounds in the area are charging, offer better facilities, have more polite staff, have more interpretive programs that are of interest to children and families, are more tent-friendly, and are better maintained.  Even 30 years ago, I learned that state campgrounds were far better–at that time, hot showers were unheard of at any national park campground.  Today, many national park campgrounds will offer things such as flush toilets and showers, but they are NOT tent friendly.  Requirements consistently require that the tent be erected ONLY on the tent pad, which at about 10×10 is far smaller than a family tent, resulting in sometimes over a foot drop as the tent hangs over the edge of the pad.  Sites in Mississippi that I have visited were also prone to flooding during relatively minor rainstorms, resulting in not only campsites being flooded, but the roads within the campground as well.  I do enjoy primitive camping in national parks, where it is permitted, but I recommend steering away from national park campgrounds unless you have a camper.  So much for the image of a tent camping in the national parks!

Other camping and hiking information–I used to LOVE www.gorp.com and got excellent destination information for hikes and camping trips that made me look like a pro even in unfamiliar territory.  Last time I checked…that lovely feature was gone.  I haven’t been back recently to see if it has been reinstated on their website.

Current favorite is www.backpacker.com  Even though I don’t backpack right now and don’t know if I will ever be able to again, the information is good solid information about a lot of gear that tent campers find relevant even when car camping.  Their magazine is also highly recommended–great information!  There is really a shortage of websites, magazines, and communities devoted specifically to tent campers.  Those of us who cling to our tents with every penny pinching muscle we have…seem to be becoming a rare breed.  There seems to be more backpackers than car camping tenters these days, if the web is reflecting reality.  RVers seem to rule the campgrounds, and while I enjoy a comfortable stay as much as anyone, I cannot afford to haul a 6000 lb travel trailer every weekend to some destination.  I cannot afford a vehicle to tow such a trailer anyhow, let alone afford the gas to drive it anywhere.  It’s just plain good sense to tent camp in terms of environmental responsibility.  And yes, I whine when its really hot and humid.   GM whines when its cold and rainy.  We make a good pair!

I use Google Earth to look at terrain and maps at home prior to venturing out into new territory, largely so I have an idea where things are in relation to each other and the general lay of the land…it’s the next best thing to being there.

As for emergency preparedness, here’s my routine for storm season, our largest threat on the Gulf Coast and we’re now in the early stages of the worst part of it.

1) keep your vehicle in good repair, well maintained and with good tires

2) keep your vehicle fueled at all times, do not let it have less than half a tank of gas (in my case, half a tank means I can drive about 200 miles.)

3) keep your important papers and files in a grab & go box of some kind.  I happen to use a portable hanging file folder box with a hinged lid.  Everything really important from birth certificates to titles are stored inside of that box.  It’s easy to add files, find files and transport.

4) have your emergency backpack packed and ready at all times.  keep it with you (we carry ours in the van normally.)  Each person needs their own backpack, and it should be appropriately packed for that person and their ability to carry it.  Mine is very heavy for me right now with my limited ability to carry anything, as it weighs in at 27 lbs. (Yes, we weighed it.)  Its an inexpensive internal frame pack with a waist belt and chest strap.  GM has a limp and back issues, but his weighs about 38 lbs.

5) have extra supplies packed into a “drop bag.”  This bag includes extras that would be nice but aren’t essential for immediate survival.  This bag goes if you can take it, but your real needs are in the backpacks.  This drop bag will have extended supplies, additional clothing, food, and comfort items.

6) be prepared for stay-at-home emergencies as well.  The H1N1 scare turned out to be nothing, but it may not always BE nothing.  There may be times when it makes sense to stay home and wait out a problem, whether it is a pandemic, job loss,  or other problem.  Every family should keep a full year’s supply of food on hand, but if this is not possible, at least 30 days should be stored in the pantry.  Having recently suffered from “economic stress” myself, as well as having moved, and gone through my stored foods to remove items that needed used or were spoiled by insects or the integrity of the can, I recently calculated that we had approximately 22 days of food on hand.  We are also going to switch to dehydrated foods packaged for long term storage after ascertaining that loss of supplies due to spoilage was an unacceptable event that was happening all too quickly and too often.  Previously, we had been using traditional grocery store supplies, with a 6 month rotation.  We were regularly suffering losses as high as 75% per 7 day unit (it was packed in 7 day boxes) in that 6 month time frame.  Not only was that wasted money, but what if we had needed that food 5 months after the last rotation and discovered that it was unusable?   At the same time, even though it would be much easier, we cannot afford to buy the 12 month units from any of the emergency food supply companies.  We have VERY limited space for storing this food as well.  We will make our purchases a case at a time, choosing foods that we will actually also USE in our day-to-day life.  We want to make sure we want to eat the stuff, after all!  We will also supplement our long term storage food in #10 cans with more stable grocery store products that we pack using a vacuum sealer.  Sugar, salt, some flour, and some other grain based products will be sealed with oxygen absorbing packets and tested after 12 months of storage.  We already know the sugar and salt will store well in this way, but flour and grain products may become stale or become otherwise less-than-palatable.  Hard candies will also be vacuum sealed for storage–these items can be stored for very long periods of time without much degradation of quality.  I grew up eating candy in the 60s and 70s that had been made for World War II and packaged in small drums.  Those red or yellow lozenges had little flavor besides sweet, but we loved them anyhow! 

Certain items that we find to be “comfort” items such as coffee, tea, and artificial creamer, are not available from the long term storage companies.  These items will have to be purchased from traditional grocery sources and regularly rotated.  Oils and shortenings are also not suited to long term storage, and must also be sourced from grocers and regularly rotated.  Dog food is also needed by dog owners, and once again…must be sourced from traditional sources or additional meat and fats must be stored to allow for their calorie needs to be met.  Since dehydrated meat is very expensive, I’m likely to vacuum pack traditional kibble for them, with additional oil being added to my supply lists to add to compensate for missing calories and fat in the kibble.

Being prepared mostly is about thinking ahead and using common sense.  Skipping your car payment to allow for purchasing MREs does not illustrate common sense unless you have inside information that a disaster is arriving.  Since few people ever receive prior notice to an emergency, we’ll assume that we won’t have much notice that it is going to arrive.  At the same time, in a world  where jobs are uncertain, natural disasters are potential threats, and rumors of potential pandemics run rampant…having at least that 30 day supply on hand does illustrate common sense.

Here’s some things to think about:

1) most cities will run out of food, both in stores and warehouses, in less than 72 hours if supplies are cut off and cannot be delivered.

2) some of the first things that stop during an emergency situation is utilities such as telephone, natural gas, electricity, water and sewer.   How will you have lights, something to cook on, or a way to keep warm without these utilities?

3) during emergencies, hospitals, pharmacies, and doctors are often unavailable.  How long will you be able to survive without these facilities?  Do you have your medication on hand?  Can you handle minor injuries and illnesses with your first aid supplies? 

4) A group can share supplies, knowledge, skills and provide security.  Do you have a local network for your own little survival group?  Have you got a plan?

5) Do you have a plan for your family in the event of an emergency?  Have you practiced, even by sitting around the table and going over who would do what and why?  On the Gulf Coast, we typically have about 3 days before landfall when we know whether its apt to hit our area and evacuations of vulnerable areas begins.  Depending on a person’s occupation, they may be required to perform certain duties for their job before leaving to return to their own families.  In the meantime, who is going to be preparing one’s home and vehicle for the incoming storm?  Who packs what for evacuation?  Who makes sure that there are adequate supplies, whether you are staying home or evacuating? 

6) THINK about emergencies…even wildly unlikely ones.  Talk about them with your family, friends, or survival group.  Talk about what you should do, could do, or would do.  Assess risks for various actions and for the various members of your party.  Sometimes things you never dreamed could be real…can turn out to be suddenly very real.  There are many stories of people being suddenly confronted with over 6 feet deep water in and around their homes as they were forced to swim to safety, including the very elderly and very young when the surge from Katrina suddenly struck their homes.  The ones that survived had family members who had thought about the situation and were able to make a decision on how to ensure everyone escaped safely in the brief moment that was available to make that decision.  The ones that didn’t survive were the ones that no one made a decision fast enough or made the wrong decision.  Floods, fires, riots, pandemics, civil wars, travel restrictions, infrastructure breakdowns, power outages, terrorist attacks, mud slides, plane crashes, avalanches, earth quakes, winter storms, hurricanes, tsunamis, tornadoes, chemical spills, oil spills…we’ve seen all of them happen in the past few years.  What kinds of situations could happen in your neighborhood?

Good websites to read and the niche of the tent camping world

Small 2 person tent

Okay, there aren’t a lot of sites with good, solid information geared specifically for the tent camper crowd.  It seems they either focus on the backpackers or the rv’ers.  Tent camping people seem to be nearly an oddity.  We’re not buying the latest in ultralight gear and trekking out into the wilderness, but we’re also not driving land yachts into campgrounds and firing up our generators and air conditioners and televisions.  Instead, we arrive in our cars, vans, and pickups at our chosen camping location, be it primitive or developed, and tote our gear a mere few yards.  We bring along comfort, but we do it in a lower key way.

I’ll confess, I have some things I bring when I’m doing the civilized camping routine.  Things like the laptops (a lot of campgrounds have wifi, and I have a connection card if I have a good cellphone signal) electric light and in summertime, an electric fan.  I don’t bring things like my mega-sized water containers, as I’m not bringing all of our drinking/washing water–I was a desert girl a very long time, I’m very water conscious!  Greg looks at me as I talk of things like not using dish soap to clean my dishes so the “wash” water could be used by RedDog as drinking water.  Red used to tank up on water (she was a desert native too) every night & morning, and would easily slurp up nearly a gallon twice a day, with extra drinks during the heat of the day.  By giving her the water that was used for cooking things like macaroni or noodles, along with the ‘wash’ water, I could easily conserve a gallon of perfectly good drinking water.  When I returned home, the faint greasy film on my dishes & pots would wash off just fine.  (Besides, it was a small cook kit, a teflon skillet, a plate, a bowl, a cup, knife, fork and spoon.)  But, I digress.

So, because a tent camper has things in common with the backpackers AND with RV’ers, we can often glean information & ideas from material actually targeted to them.  We use tents like a backpacker, and we have space/weight issues like they do, as our gear has to pack into our car/truck/van, along with the people.  Like the RV’ers, we are interested in comfort items, such as tables that fold, compact comfortable chairs, etc.

Backpacker magazine is one I love.  Seriously.  Great information, and though I may never be able to backpack again, I can vicariously enjoy the hikes of younger & more fit hikers.   It has great information, but I’m still aghast at the information I’ve seen for “camp cookery.”   I apparently am some sort of snob in regards to camp cuisine, despite past dishes like “spaghetti & sauce with corned beef” (btw, NOT recommended, you have to be very, very hungry to manage to enjoy that.)  Backpacker magazine also has a wonderful website, despite their lacking in the recipe/menu department.

Subsequent searches also pulled up a website called BackpackingLight.  This one is also well worth a look, although once again, it definitely focuses on the more minimalist crowd.  Gear ratings & reviews are a very important thing, if you hike at all, this website. along with others focused on the backpacking group, are going to rate things such as shoes/boots, backpacks, walking sticks, etc. that you may well be interested in.

A magazine geared a bit more towards those using RV’s, campers, etc. but still acknowledging the tenter world is Camping Life.  I did find the website sufficiently interesting that I may well add their magazine to the stack that arrives each month in my mail box.

Of course, any gear I have personally tried out and used gets a rating at Get Ready GO.  Granted, I buy this stuff myself and try it, and other items are bought by others involved in Get Ready GO and rated by them.  We don’t rate a lot of stuff, but the stuff we do rate is stuff we really use or have tried and we use it in the same way you would.  There are no fancy boil tests, expeditions up the Alps or Himalayans, or trips down the Amazon.  We’re more likely to try it out on the Blackwater River, the Atchafalaya swamp, etc.  When we test a tent, its going to get set up in primitive campgrounds and campgrounds with electricity, we’re going to try it out in a real rain storm (Louisiana and Mississippi offer them a lot for testing gear, btw!)  We will have dogs and kids and grown ups and smoky fires and spills and coffee and pancakes.  I can tell you from real experience that if you have your Coleman dual fuel single burner stove go flying off of the table because the dog tangled a leash in it and knocked everything everywhere as she took off dragging the table upside down…the stove will be just fine.  The food is ruined in the dirt, but the stove is just fine.  (Thank Red Dog for that stunt, she was being “tough” and warning a stranger she was not happy at his arrival.  Between her and Sissy, nobody, and I mean NOBODY could ever sneak up on our camp.)

Then comes the gear.  Always check manufacturer’s websites for what they have to say about their gear.  They may have information that is not included on the retail website that is important, especially things like replacement parts, repair kits, etc.  I’m more willing to pay a little more for an item which I can get replacement parts for, versus one made by “Who Knows” in “Whatever Country.”  I hope I never need them, but knowing they are available is important.  I also want to know what kind of customer service is available, both from the manufacturer and the retailer.  That’s a big deal to me-don’t just ship me item X and walk off with my money, or I may as well have bought it off of Ebay or from a yard sale.

When I lived in Northern Arizona, I had a favorite outdoors store, I could have LIVED in that place, they had everything under the sun, it was called “Outdoor Outfitters.”  They got a lot of my disposable income, and it was partly because they had great customer service in the store.  They had clerks who helped people!  (Novel idea these days!) I heard a rumor that they have closed down since I moved to New Orleans, and that makes me sad.  It was an utterly fantastic store.

I have visited a Cabela’s store, in the Mobile area.  It’s massive.  It has all sorts of stuff, its absolutely beautiful–and its rather high priced.  It does not have much for tent campers either, focusing more on hunters, fishers, and tailgaters.  You also need a map to find your way around, and they have departments that are bigger than the entire Outdoor Outfitter store was.  Customer service isn’t exactly wonderful, mostly because as I’m standing there looking lost and wondering where their “camp kitchen” gear is, I’m in a section devoted to gifts or some such, and that person has no clue what I’m talking about.  I still go, just for the view, whenever I’m passing through.  I buy a few things, but the sole time I went specifically to buy a specific tripod chair they had had a month before, they had none (it was right after Christmas.)

Most of the time, I get my gear from Walmart, just like most Americans do.  It’s cheap, easy to find, and I know better than to dream of customer service.  A knowledgeable & helpful clerk will be as much an oddity as a chicken with teeth.  That’s okay, I’m there to get a can of Coleman fuel, not select a new tent.  K-mart has also been the point of purchase for some items, such as the tent that I am so fond of.  I bought it on clearance, apparently it was a dud retail wise, but it is a great tent for car camping.  My other tents did not come from brick & mortar stores, but rather arrived via UPS.  The Quest tent was purchased years ago from a seller on Ebay, and it has been a great 3 season tent, although it’s too hot for summers in the South.  My Coleman Red Canyon tent, my favorite foul weather & group tent was purchased from a jobber who cleared out returns.  It leaks, and I’ve sealed that  rain fly over and over, but still it’s great when we have a small group and the weather isn’t wonderful.  In the winter, to sleep in, it’s sheer misery, and scarcely a step from a bedroll outside.  There is just way too much air flow, but even so, it turns into an oven in summertime too.  To be fair, I have never found a tent that was not unbearable on a summer day–but why are you in the tent during the day anyhow?  If you are ready for a midday siesta, you’ll be far more comfortable finding a shady spot under a tree.  Rain on a hot day is just misery-all you can do is get under a canopy of some sort and wait for it to pass.  Rain on a cold day is a misery too, all you can do is stay dry and have a hot drink to feel warmer.  From experience, I’d rather have snow than a cold rainy day–the snow isn’t as invasively damp.  It actually insulates your tent from any wind.  It doesn’t leak through pinholes in the rain fly.  You can shake it off of clothing and shoes.

But back to gear companies.

Overstock has some gear, but they are a clearance outfit, so they can’t be counted on.  If you see item x in their online catalog, and you intend to buy next month, better check to see if its still in stock.  Their inventory fluctuates immensely, especially on outdoor gear.

Cheaper than dirt sells a lot of military surplus gear.  If you know what you are getting, it can be a great buy.  If you don’t, you might be in for a big surprise.  I have some gear that came from them, they were recommended by a friend who swears by them.  I don’t use them a lot, personally.

Sportsman’s Guide has a lot of stuff.  I have bought more stuff from them, not only for camping but for day to day living too.  They have never given me any reason to complain, and they sell the “pocket stove” that I am so impressed with as a back up stove.  They not only have camping gear, but they also sell household items, gift items, clothing, boots/shoes, hunting gear, & fishing gear.

A good standby is always Amazon.  I buy from them a lot, we have items for sale from them on our website at Exogeny Network.  They sell everything under the sun, and some things that have likely never seen the light of day.  They are very good at getting your stuff to you, but be warned, if you use their “super saver shipping” you had best not be in a hurry.  I’ve had shipping dates so far out that I actually cancelled the order and ordered elsewhere to save on shipping and still get the item on time.  Order it well ahead of time, or else pony up the extra money to get it shipped sooner.  That has really been my only complaint about Amazon over the time I’ve used them, and I guess I’ve been ordering from them for about 6-7 years now, buying everything from gifts to electronics from them.

Ebay can be an exercise in aggravation or elation.  You have to pay attention, read reviews of sellers and take it into consideration.  Read the entire description so you don’t accidentally buy a broken item for parts.  If you want an item to be new, make sure that’s what it says it is.

Other companies that also sell gear that I am not as familiar with are places like Cabela’s, REI, Campmor, etc.  I have not bought gear from them, and can’t tell you whether its a great experience or not.  As I purchase items from other companies, I’ll either give them a thumbs up or not, depending on what the experience is.

For manufacturers, Coleman has been around a very long time.  Sometimes, they get a bad rap for being “low quality” but I find they have multiple levels of gear.  There is cheap gear for occasional users, gear for the tailgating crowd, and then there is gear for the serious car camping crowd.  They make a few items for backpackers, but they aren’t a huge force in that niche market.  They do offer replacement parts & repair kits for a number of their products, and their items are widely available.

I have to admit, I own some Texsport products, and some of them have landed in the trash due to lack of quality.  They are inexpensive, but similar to Coleman, and they are often accused of being a “Coleman knock off” company.  They have a wide variety of products, the prices are reasonable, so check out their offerings.  Not everything is sub-par quality, some of it is quite well made.

So there’s my two cents worth for today.