Day Lake Camping Trip
Sunday the kids and I returned from our camping trip. We spent 3 nights at the Day Lake campground in the Chequamegon National Forest in northern Wisconsin. The initial weather reports were looking pretty bad, but things worked out OK.
We arrived about 3pm Thursday, set-up camp at site 18, had some dinner and checked-out the campground a bit. Unfortunately, the new air pump I bought for the trip blew-out the fuses in the van, so I was stuck with no way to inflate the kids' mattresses. I also realized that I'd forgotten to pack shirts and underwear for Zach- very stupid. I definitely need to pay closer attention to my checklist next time. I then discovered that the batteries in my weather radio were dead. Not a great start to the trip, but things got better.
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My Camping Checklist
If you know me or have read my blog, you probably realize that I have a passion for camping. It started early on when I'd go on trips with my family. Over the years, I've had periods where I've done more camping than others, but since I've become a dad, I've found my interest rejuvenated. I've been going out consistently with the kids now for the last 3 years, and in that time I've fine-tuned my list of items to pack for our trips. I figured I'd share that list in hopes that others might find it useful.
A few caveats first. My kids are younger (5 and 7 right now), so we've been limiting our trips to drive-in sites with a tent. The packing list reflects this. Eventually, as the kids get older, I'll introduce them to backpacking, but for now it's all about convenience. Also, this list is highly personalized, so you'll probably want to tweak it to suit your own particular needs.
So, with no further ado, here is my list:
My Family Car Camping Checklist.
By the way, there is a line of books available that describe the best tent camping sites in many states. I highly recommend taking a look, although I can only vouch for the Minnesota and Wisconsin editions.
Camping at Willow River
I recently took the kids on a short camping trip to Willow River State Park in western Wisconsin. As we left the house Sunday afternoon, I remember breathing a huge sigh of relief as we left the city and everyday life behind for a while. It's like a weight was immediately lifted, and I could relax and spend some good quality "daddy" time with the kids.
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