A hot shower makes camping go better.
For those of us who camp where there’s no power or hot water and who like a few comforts along the way (like good coffee), a hot shower is a real blessing. I’m going to save you a lot of time, frustration, and disappointment: The Advanced Elements 2.5 Gallon Summer Solar Shower is the only solar shower to get. Don’t get the other models that AE has and don’t go for the bigger 5 gallon bags (just get two of these then). This one will be your favorite.
Have delicious coffee while camping!
For this year’s family camping trip, Kel said she was tired of the inconsistent quality of campstove percolator coffee. With five coffee drinkers now in the family who can tell the difference between various beans and blends, the pressure was on to deliver high quality coffee and a lot of it! Fortunately, Coleman just came out with the Coleman Portable Propane Coffeemaker with Stainless Steel Carafe and we splurged to give it a try. It was totally worth it.
This summer I took my what I said at the time was “my last trip to the Boundary Waters Canoe and Wilderness Area.” It’s not true, but it’s how I felt as I left. This will surprise regular readers of this blog who know that I have enjoyed the BWCA for 25 years now. In fact, my reviews of various tents (The Equinox 6, Grand Mesa 4, and Timberline 4) and BWCA gear are still among my most-read posts by those searching the web for information.
The truth is: I love the Boundary Waters. But at times I hate being/going there because the trip confronts me at so many levels. It’s not about the BWCA… it’s about what wilderness camping reveals about me that I don’t like to recognize. So, I’ll go back again with Kelly. In fact, this past Saturday I was longing to be out in a canoe up there.
A misty morning departure over Hudson Lake.
This summer we took our annual trek to one of the greatest, and most magical, places in American, the Boundary Waters Canoe Area. One of the by-products of a wilderness camping trip is determining what gear to take. And researching and buying that gear is part of the fun! No matter where you camp, I recommend Piragis to you as one of the coolest camping stores in the US. And their storefront is even better.
Yesterday I shared that we have our permit for our annual trip to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area of northern Minnesota. This controlled wilderness features some of the most pristine wilderness in the United States, not to mention some great fishing. I have taken a number of folks into this area through the years. Each approached the experience very differently and in ways that mirror how I’ve observed leaders at work. Yesterday I noted three self-centered approaches. Today, I note three that are more communal in nature.
1. Complainer – You know this person. Everything is bad. The weather (doesn’t matter what it is, it’s awful), the food, the fishing, the accommodations, and the bugs. They may help, pull their own weight, but each experience has a negative side to it – and he/she lets that be known. I’ve come to the realization that complaining (and its opposite) is a learned behavior. Doesn’t matter the setting, I’ve found that folks can choose to complain. Or they can choose to find the good and compliment. Effective leadership doesn’t have room for complaining – leaders set the positive pace versus pointing out the problems.
Coffee and a pristine morning in the Boundary Waters
The summer season means vacation and we are among those who often like to get away by truly getting “away” into the wilderness. Our favorite outdoor adventure in the US isn’t a sandy beach just outside a resort. No, we head north into the Boundary Waters Canoe Area of northern Minnesota. We spent a week up there recently and I wanted to post some updates on our experiments with various gear. (NOTE: You don’t have to buy any gear to camp here – you can use an outfitter. But, we go so often and pack our own food, so it makes sense for us to have our own.) Kel and I overpacked some extra items to see how they held up in the field and help us in planning for future, more adventurous trips. Here’s what we think is the best camping gear for a Boundary Waters trip.
The standard in outfitter tents
All backpacking tents are compared against a standard, and the Eureka Timberline 4 sets that standard. The picture is of our new “outfitter” version (don’t even think about buying the basic one). This isn’t a wimpy family dome tent, but a rugged 4 (really 2 or 3) person tent that will keep you warm, dry, and protected. You can add a vestibule that will keep gear dry but outside the tent, and even let you cook through a vent.
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