Camping Techniques

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21
W
ays to
I
mprove
Y
our
C
amping
L
ifestyle
Bill Revill
Copyright
©
2007 W.V. Revill
This collection is sold and presented as a guide only. Although content has been carefully
checked for errors, and is based on the author’s many years of experience and research,
it is in no way intended to be used as the only source of information for readers
wishing to undertake any of the activities mentioned. Accordingly, the
author
/
publisher will not be held responsible or accountable for
any consequences arising from the use or misuse of the
information contained herein.
21 Ways to Improve Your Camping Lifestyle
©
2007 by W.V. Revill
Written and published by freelance writer and remote lifestyle expert Bill Revill.
His latest e-book
An Aussie Nomad’s Guide to Life on Wheels
is featured at:
For a comprehensive FREE Info Pack regarding Bill’s e-book, contact Bill at:
All rights reserved. Reviews may quote brief passages without the written consent of the
author / publisher as long as full credit is given, and the links above are included.
Photographs, layout and design by the author. Cover image is the copyrighted property of
Jupiter Images Corporation and is used with permission under license. This may not be
isolated, copied or downloaded without permission from JupiterImages.com.
2
INTRODUCTION
________________________________________________________
A
cross the past 36 years or more, my wife and I have spent most of our free time --
and now virtually all of our time -- in the Australian outdoors. We started, as many do, with a
small nylon tent and minimal camping gear, all loaded into the boot of the family car. It
wasn’t long, however, before we graduated to a more robust outfit: canvas tent and basic off-
roader, followed by the relative luxury of a camper trailer. Finally, in 2001 we adopted a
permanent RV lifestyle, with a fully equipped, 18-foot caravan and heavy-duty 4WD.
Sure, these days we do appreciate a little more comfort, but in all honesty our best times have
been good old-fashioned camping in the remote Aussie bush -- most often the high country --
using our Toyota Troop Carrier as a “mobile bedroom”. The Troopie was totally
weatherproof, relatively spacious, and quick to set up once a campsite had been found. And
that faithful old truck also took us pretty much wherever we chose to point it.
In fact, it was in that configuration -- over 19 years -- in which our most memorable trips
unfolded, and our combined outdoor skills and camping expertise gradually developed. We
lived rough and we lived remote, and this has not changed all that much now that we’re
fulltime caravan roadies.
The 21 chapters that follow are just a sample of the many outdoor “lessons” we went through.
Much of the content was published over several years in my monthly column for a national
outdoors magazine. In other cases, the material was run as articles in the same or similar
periodicals. Nevertheless, all of the content -- and the lessons -- are as relevant as ever to
people who seek to develop their camping and outdoor skills.
Naturally, one of the secrets to perfecting any skill is to maintain an open mind. Because no
matter where you go, or to whom you speak, whenever your particular interest or favourite
pastime is involved, at some point you’ll say: “Now there’s a good idea!” Camping and RV
lifestyle techniques are no different in that regard.
And although most of our travelling these days is with a comfy caravan in tow, we still
unhook our “home” and go bush as often as the mood takes us. After all, those outdoor
lessons just never seem to end!
I trust this collection of ideas serves to increase both your enjoyment and effectiveness during
your own time in the outdoors.
Bill Revill
PS:
Non-Australian readers may find certain Aussie words or activities new to them. If you strike an
“indecipherable” segment -- or would like further explanation -- feel free to contact me via email as above.
3
CONTENTS
__________________________________________________
Introduction
3
1 A Cheapskates Guide to Bare-Bones Camping
5
2 Do I Need a Four-Wheel Drive?
7
3 The Joy of Solitude
9
4 Highway Campsites
11
5 TLC for Tents
13
6 Let’s Hear it For the Tent Peg
14
7 Campsite Handyman
16
8 The Lost Art of Improvisation
18
9 Tarp Camping
20
10 No-Sweat Campfires
22
11 Maps for Campers
23
12 Meals On the Move
25
13 How to Get the Most From an Icebox
26
14 Pots and Pans
28
15 Bush Catering: The Expert’s Kit
30
16 Frequent Showers
32
17 Basins, Buckets, and Bathtubs
33
18 Feet: An Owner’s Guide to Operation and Maintenance
35
19 Surviving a Forest Fire
37
20 Coffee Tin Survival Kit
39
21 Bush Etiquette
41
Epilogue
43
4
1
A CHEAPSKATE'S GUIDE TO
BARE-BONES CAMPING
__________________________________________________
T
alk about Catch 22: families attracted to the
economies
of a camping holiday get a
real shock when they find out that even a basic outfit is likely to set them back upwards of a
grand. Sure, with care that same set of gear should see them through many holidays over
many years, but what if circumstances change? If the family drifts away from camping,
perhaps into basket weaving, has the expense been justified? Maybe not.
It all gets back to the oft repeated advice: Take one step at a time until you know in which
direction your outdoor interests are steering you. In other words, it’s best not to outlay major
dollars until you’re pretty clear on what it is you want to do, and where you want to do it.
That being the case, what I’d like to suggest is this: For as little as $90 (that's right, nine-
zero), you can put a toe in the water. Let me demonstrate how.
Firstly, though, I’ll make three assumptions:
(1)
you have a car;
(2)
your early trips will be
two or three days away at most; and
(3)
you have access to a few regular household items
(which we’ll get to shortly).
OK, first up, let’s consider the tent. Well, unless you have one already, or you win one in a
raffle, forget it. A tent is not essential to
getting started
in camping.
What you will need, however, are at least three tarps (about 6 feet by 8 feet minimum size).
These can be the el-cheapo blue plastic, or even painter’s plastic drop sheets.
One tarp slung from the roof of your car across to a couple of trees becomes your “tent” -- a
stand-up-height canopy to protect you from the morning dew or lousy weather. Of course in
some climatic regions, even this may not be necessary. Another tarp becomes a ground sheet
upon which to make your bed, while the third is a spare, but it might be needed to cover your
bed, your gear, or your firewood.
The bed itself need be no more than a strip of two to three inch thick foam as a mattress (laid
on the ground sheet), plus a couple of blankets folded and pinned to form a sleeping bag.
Pillows are optional, but if you have a few at home anyway, why not indulge yourself a little?
If the weather looks like turning nasty, your beds should be made up beneath the canopy,
with that spare tarp over the blankets (overlapping the sides all round), and then pegged down
at the corners. It should finish up similar to a basic swag.
5
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