Tripadvisor Hotel Bookings

 

Hello, again.  My life has wandered through many holidays and mountains of snow since my last post.  Today I'm planning our summer camping adventure to California.  For those of you who mix up the hotels and camping experiences, I've just read an article that I'd like to share. 

If you'd like to know how to find a clean hotel that doesn't break the bank, read this article from About.com: http://gocalifornia.about.com/od/calodging/a/we_choose_hotel.htm.
These travel writers taught me how to use the website www.tripadvosor.com. 

Here is my take-away:

1. Google your hotel and find the tripadvisor.com source for the hotel.
2. The first line will show:
3. The number of circles filled in - you want 3 1/2 or more. 
4. The number of reviews - you want more than 30 reviews for the   above circles to be reliable.
5. The average price indicated by the number of $ signs.
6. Look for the ratings on this preview: 23 out of 108 (hotels in this city).  The lower the number, the better.
7. If all of the above information make you feel pretty good about this hotel, click on the link and look at both the cleanliness and value ratings.

I'm feeling much more confident about booking a hotel for a couple of days in San Francisco before we rent a camper and head out to Yosemite National Park for a week!

Enjoy, Tammy

REI YouTube Video Review

Click Here for Camping Meal Tips

Have you ever played Nintendo's Animal Crossing?  Listen closely.  Do you hear that tune in the background music REI used in this "Family Camping" video?  Maybe not, but it's close.

This camper is spot-on with his advice about keeping the meals simple, easy to pack and I love that he used a list.  It's much harder to improvise in the woods when you only have a weekend's worth of food.

Farm markets, road side stands and "living off the land" are great ways to make your food taste a bit more fresh and "gourmet".  However, I don't count on finding a maple syrup stand or a pint of fresh blueberries when I must have a topping for the ready-made flapjack mix.

I'd also avoid picking berries when you are back country hiking or camping in an area with bears.   I know, that's a "Duh Tip" for most of you, but I've watched people do it.  With kids.  Eek!

Back to the video, this hungry camper seems to be cold weather camping and mentions one of his meals: ham and sauteed onions with ready-made polenta.   I've never tried it.  Have you?  I'll put it on the list of "Big Breakfast" recipes to try at home this winter.  Everybody wants to be the "camp hero"!

5+ Trip Planning Apps

I'm a crummy cell phone carrier who LOVES her I-touch. I rely in wifi, and find apps that work offline a digital wonder. So let's get to it.

Trip It
I use the free version of this program. The reservation import feature keeps me from having to print everything out. It's a nice way to remember places you've read about, complete with addresses and phone numbers. We never follow it like a tour schedule. It's more like a bag of ideas, and we work in our favorites as time and weather allow.

Coleman Camp Recipes
Need a list of ingredients while you're standing in the store? This app features all the classic campfire classics, with instructions and photos.  Take a minute to scroll through the app store, as they have several more (like a lantern).

Star Walk
We went to a star party in Glacier National Park. The sky was so dark that we could see millions of stars. Literally. Several telescopes were set-up, and we enjoyed a constellation talk (until our necks hurt). If you don't have an astronomer handy, Stat Walk is the next best thing for checking out constellations. Try setting it on night mode and enjoy the view.

RoadsideAmerica.com
The trick is to shop for fun stops before you leave and save them as favorites. You can only access your favorite stops offline, great for super long drives that drag on and on. The app also had some fun features like fake phone calls and sunset alerts. Don't forget to send in tips about quirky stuff in your area!

Maplets
I love a physical map, but if you're adapted to paperless, this is a great program. Download maps for the places you'll be driving, biking and hiking before you leave. They'll be there in your hand when you need them. While you're at it, search for podcasts with the same name to listen to on the trail. For instance, Glacier, we found out, has several for their National Park. It was a nice change from Mike's newest CD, which includes Red Solo Cup. . .

So, what are your favorite travel apps? The photo shows a couple more for you to explore on your own.  Here's to hoping you get to use them soon!

Cleaning Camp Cooking Equipment

 

Everyone has their way of doing camp dishes. We always used to do camp dishes with hot, soapy water. If we have a site with electric, but without a camp kitchen, we use a coffee maker, or an old coffee urn when there is a huge group of us.

"Brown water" ALWAYS gets dumped down the toilet if you are in bears territory.

We have a new system for picnic, moderately soiled dishes. An old-timer we met in the UP last summer gave us his hiking recipe for dishes. 2 cups of water, 1/4 bleach, 1/4 cup rubbing alcohol and drip of dish soap. It's 10% bleach so it can be used for blood, etc. The rubbing alcohol is a "wetting agent". We have a spray bottle in the van for daily picnics.

Enjoy!

Reusable Water Containers

 

 

Our camper has a sink and water tank, but we rarely use it because there isn't a grey water tank. Instead, we use a spouted water container meant for a refrigerator. It sets outside the camper on a little table, often with a bar of soap in a plastic box next to it.

This is potable water that we also use for cooking. It's there to put a fire out, mostly before bed. If there is any left in the AM, I do a little happy dance sine I don't have to go find water. I fill a percolator and heat water for oatmeal and hot chocolate, then my beloved coffee.  Done!

If you are in need of setting up a hand washing station, the Girl Scouts use a large Tide container with a spout. They tie a knee-high nylon filled with a bar if soap to the handle. It works just fine for a group.

Camping Cooler Ice Blocks

The photo says it all. I freeze two or three refilled Tropicana containers a few days before we leave. They are usually filled with water, but sometimes I make one with sun tea or gatorade. Remember to leave a few inches of air at the top for expansion.

Commercially bottled water bottles can be tossed into the freezer unopened, as can go-gurts. On day two of your get-away, you'll have a nice supply of iced cold water from home. They do a nice job keeping picnic supplies cold, but you might want a big bag of ice to cool uncooked meat.

Grocery Store Stops

Go into the store knowing what you'll be eating for the next few days.  I write a few "one liner" menues.  Below's example is from a Boy Scout Troop 579 hiking menue I put together for the Appelacian Trail in 2011:


Breakfast    Base Camp Breakfast Burritos: Precooked bacon, eggs, cheese, seasoning; walking 
                  apple salad, Sunny D//Tea/Coffee (simple for an early start on the trail)

Lunch         Hiking: BLT Wrap w/ Ital. dressing, mustard, cheese, sliced like an appetizer pinwheel

Snacks       Turkey Jerky, string cheese, Planter’s Nut-rition Energy Bars GORP + left-overs

Dinner        Base Camp Victory Dinner: Appetizer: carrots with ranch and celery w/ PB,
                  Backpacker’s Buffet Steak, mushrooms and onions, baked

      potatoes, grilled corn on the cob, Banana Boats, Coke and Gatorade

       


My best on the road grocery shopping tip:

Always make a beeline to the frozen food section.  Say you need potatoes.  In the freezer section they are already diced, slightly cooked and you can buy them mixed with another ingredient needed in your recipe, such as diced onions or peppers.  These tidy little bags are already frozen and will pack neatly out of your way in the cooler, unlike a fresh bag of potatoes or a bag of smelly onions.   If you want roasted red potatoes and onions in a dutch oven with olive oil, sea salt and fresh rosemary, by all means hit the fresh veggies isle.  But chances are you'll appreciate the frozen convenience of at least some of your veggies being prepped and ready to quick-cook at meal time.

Countdown To Camping

T Minus Two Weeks

In just two short weeks, we'll be leaving for Glacier National Park. Every year I think we should spend more time anticipating the vacation of the year, but this year it's gone on too long.  I can't wait to get in the van and head west!  So, that being said, I have decided to try something new with our kids - blogging our 19 day trip.

Tripit plans and reservations are done.   We'll enjoy a hotel stay or two on the way out so we can pack-in the miles.  I highly recommend Tripit for anyone who loves researching travel destinations like I do!

I've collected a few, new crafty ideas on Pinterest.  This weekend I'll do a couple little things like put together this cute little car caddy I pinned from Brown Paper Packages.  I'm not at all a sewer and my teens can customize this with hand sanitizer, a Ziploc with ear buds/hair elastic/lip gloss, brush, mad-money in a wallet/holder, granola bars and a couple pens.  

Oh, and I should bake/freeze some chocolaty bar cookies for the road. Any other thoughts?  Hmmm.  Maybe I should get some serious walking in, too, before all that sitting and hiking. Bahahahah!

See you soon!