Post by Admin on Sept 15, 2008 18:45:37 GMT 10
From: Rabbits2732 (Original Message) Sent: 31/12/2005 9:51 AM
Some Camping Hints ....
Flies
To keep flies away from your picnics and meal table, sprinkle a sponge with oil of lavender and place it in an open jar under the table.
Mantles for Gas and Shellite Lamps
To prevent mantles breaking in transit (there’s nothing worse than trying to fit a new mantle in the dark) simply spray them with hair spray.
Tent Care Mind the Aerosol Sprays
Avoid using aerosol sprays inside your tent or annex as they affect the waterproofing capabilities of the fabrics.
Travel Sickness
If your passengers, especially children, are prone to travel sickness give them a low fat diet 2 to 3 days before travelling.
Tent Rope Springs
Old inner tubes cut into loops about 1 inch wide make excellent springs to tension guy ropes for tents and tarps. They are cheaper and far lighter and easier to carry than steel springs.
Safe Campsite
The safest place to set up a camp site is close to the protection of small young trees or brush. Open camp sites are vulnerable to damaging winds and sites under large trees are threatened by lightning and falling branches. Small trees and brush provide protection from wind and are not imperiled by dangers from above.
Lie of the Land
So much of what is good practice in camping is so obvious that it is often overlooked in the rush to set up camp. One of the truths that most campers regard as an immutable truth is that the best site on which to pitch a tent is a level one. This is not always so.
A nice flat site can often turn into a pond when it rains and at best is slower to dry out. If you have to dig trenches (which you should NEVER do because the water mostly goes into your tent and mostly the trenches are never filled in ) then you've picked a bad site in the first place.
Flat is nice if it is elevated however a gentle slope is often a much better choice particularly along river banks and in the lee of sand dunes. The trick is to make the slope work for you. It is also important to consider the wind direction and the sun.
At the risk of stating the obvious,site your tent so that you will be sleeping up the slope rather than across it. Head down and feet up even on the gentlest slope will result in a lousy night's sleep at best and at worst a stuffy morning headache.
Siting your tent on a slight slope also means that if there is heavy rain water will flow past your tent.
SUGGESTIONS FOR A RESTFUL SLEEP
A good night's sleep can make or break a camping trip. Nothing is more crucial to enjoying the day's activities than an uninterrupted sleep in a warm comfortable bed; the right combination of mattress, bedding and pillow.
For the vast majority, camping means sleeping in a tent - which of course needs to be both water-proof and wind-proof - on a folding camp stretcher, an inflatable air mattress, a self-inflating mattresses or a foam pad. Mostly it’s a combination of personal choice and sufficient space in your vehicle.
For these reasons inflatable mattresses are popular, convenient and comfortable but they can and do develop leaks, which means you end up either lying on hard ground or having to give it the "kiss-of-life" during the night. They offer very little in the way of insulation which means they can become very cold so it's a good idea to put a blanket or rug under and over them for extra warmth in winter.
Sleeping bags are the most popular and convenient form of bedding and it is important to choose one that is in the correct temperature range for you. This means that if you usually pile on the blankets at home choose a bag with a minimum temperature rating 10 degrees below the lowest temperature you expect to encounter and if you usually sleep with very few blankets do the opposite. Or you may prefer a "four-seasons" style sleeping bag which opens out in summer and can be doubled over in winter. But whatever you choose it's always wise to take extra blankets with you in winter.
Also when choosing a sleeping bag you should consider ease of maintenance - opt for machine washable, warranty, lining material, shape, colour, weight and fill.
All you need then for a comfortable and warm night's sleep is your own pillow from home.
Oh, and you may consider earplugs, for two reasons:
Peaceful Silence! Nothing is worse than being woken by the sound of the Camp Pest who is up at the crack of dawn cooking a breakfast that requires the extended use of every pot and pan available or who decides to hammer in a few more tent pegs. Alternatively you may want to turn in early and not be disturbed by the usual late fireside revelry, the hooting of owls or other unusual bush noises.
They keep parasites and insects from crawling into your ears. Nuf said.
......Unless of course if you're like that silly bugger we see on TV who loves to wallow in mud and prefers to sleep in the open on a folding bed of nails using the nearest rock for a pillow!
COOKING WITH GAS
Whilst a camp fire is an enjoyable and necessary part of camping the reality is that boiling the billy and cooking meals is mostly done on gas stoves.
Cooking with gas is terrific, it's quick and easy and with the right set-up, the meals you can prepare outdoors can easily match the best of what comes out of your kitchen at home.
But it is worth remembering that there is a safe way to work with gas and there are a number of tips for clean, efficient and safe use of LP gas cylinders and appliances. Because LP gas is stored under pressure, the law requires that your cylinder should be tested every ten years. LP gas cylinders are fitted with safety valves to relieve excess pressure in the case of extreme heat. They should always be stored upright to allow the valve to operate correctly.
After use, turn off the cylinder valve while the appliance is still operating, then turn off the appliance valve. This allows the hose to empty.
Never attempt to repair or remove cylinder valves. Never use damaged or corroded cylinders. Never expose a cylinder to extreme heat or keep it in a car boot for long periods. Don't try to fill your own cylinder. Trained staff must do this for complete safety. Keep your appliances in good condition, repairing all corrosion or leaks promptly. Inspect and replace worn flexible hoses. Never try and do the repair work yourself. It is much safer to contact a gas service centre. Plastic or other tubing must never be used as a gas hose. Don't look for leaks with a match - use soapy water and a brush. Never use a portable or unflued gas appliance in a closed tent or caravan. Place appliances where they cannot be knocked over.
If you detect a gas leak turn off the cylinder valve, keep bystanders away, keep sparks and flames away, ventilate the area, remove the equipment to a safe place and leave the repairs to experts.
1 volume of LP gas will expand to 270 volumes of gas vapour. A small volume can quickly fill the boot or other parts of your vehicle and ignition from a switch, loose wire or static electricity could cause an explosion. When carrying gas cylinders in a vehicle the total capacity of all the cylinders must not exceed 5kg, no single cylinder can be larger than 2.25kg and you may carry a maximum of 6 cylinders.
From time to time the small gas jets in stoves can become clogged so it is a good idea to learn how to remove these and to carry a couple of spares with you.
Being safe with gas makes good common sense. Happy camping.
Some Camping Hints ....
Flies
To keep flies away from your picnics and meal table, sprinkle a sponge with oil of lavender and place it in an open jar under the table.
Mantles for Gas and Shellite Lamps
To prevent mantles breaking in transit (there’s nothing worse than trying to fit a new mantle in the dark) simply spray them with hair spray.
Tent Care Mind the Aerosol Sprays
Avoid using aerosol sprays inside your tent or annex as they affect the waterproofing capabilities of the fabrics.
Travel Sickness
If your passengers, especially children, are prone to travel sickness give them a low fat diet 2 to 3 days before travelling.
Tent Rope Springs
Old inner tubes cut into loops about 1 inch wide make excellent springs to tension guy ropes for tents and tarps. They are cheaper and far lighter and easier to carry than steel springs.
Safe Campsite
The safest place to set up a camp site is close to the protection of small young trees or brush. Open camp sites are vulnerable to damaging winds and sites under large trees are threatened by lightning and falling branches. Small trees and brush provide protection from wind and are not imperiled by dangers from above.
Lie of the Land
So much of what is good practice in camping is so obvious that it is often overlooked in the rush to set up camp. One of the truths that most campers regard as an immutable truth is that the best site on which to pitch a tent is a level one. This is not always so.
A nice flat site can often turn into a pond when it rains and at best is slower to dry out. If you have to dig trenches (which you should NEVER do because the water mostly goes into your tent and mostly the trenches are never filled in ) then you've picked a bad site in the first place.
Flat is nice if it is elevated however a gentle slope is often a much better choice particularly along river banks and in the lee of sand dunes. The trick is to make the slope work for you. It is also important to consider the wind direction and the sun.
At the risk of stating the obvious,site your tent so that you will be sleeping up the slope rather than across it. Head down and feet up even on the gentlest slope will result in a lousy night's sleep at best and at worst a stuffy morning headache.
Siting your tent on a slight slope also means that if there is heavy rain water will flow past your tent.
SUGGESTIONS FOR A RESTFUL SLEEP
A good night's sleep can make or break a camping trip. Nothing is more crucial to enjoying the day's activities than an uninterrupted sleep in a warm comfortable bed; the right combination of mattress, bedding and pillow.
For the vast majority, camping means sleeping in a tent - which of course needs to be both water-proof and wind-proof - on a folding camp stretcher, an inflatable air mattress, a self-inflating mattresses or a foam pad. Mostly it’s a combination of personal choice and sufficient space in your vehicle.
For these reasons inflatable mattresses are popular, convenient and comfortable but they can and do develop leaks, which means you end up either lying on hard ground or having to give it the "kiss-of-life" during the night. They offer very little in the way of insulation which means they can become very cold so it's a good idea to put a blanket or rug under and over them for extra warmth in winter.
Sleeping bags are the most popular and convenient form of bedding and it is important to choose one that is in the correct temperature range for you. This means that if you usually pile on the blankets at home choose a bag with a minimum temperature rating 10 degrees below the lowest temperature you expect to encounter and if you usually sleep with very few blankets do the opposite. Or you may prefer a "four-seasons" style sleeping bag which opens out in summer and can be doubled over in winter. But whatever you choose it's always wise to take extra blankets with you in winter.
Also when choosing a sleeping bag you should consider ease of maintenance - opt for machine washable, warranty, lining material, shape, colour, weight and fill.
All you need then for a comfortable and warm night's sleep is your own pillow from home.
Oh, and you may consider earplugs, for two reasons:
Peaceful Silence! Nothing is worse than being woken by the sound of the Camp Pest who is up at the crack of dawn cooking a breakfast that requires the extended use of every pot and pan available or who decides to hammer in a few more tent pegs. Alternatively you may want to turn in early and not be disturbed by the usual late fireside revelry, the hooting of owls or other unusual bush noises.
They keep parasites and insects from crawling into your ears. Nuf said.
......Unless of course if you're like that silly bugger we see on TV who loves to wallow in mud and prefers to sleep in the open on a folding bed of nails using the nearest rock for a pillow!
COOKING WITH GAS
Whilst a camp fire is an enjoyable and necessary part of camping the reality is that boiling the billy and cooking meals is mostly done on gas stoves.
Cooking with gas is terrific, it's quick and easy and with the right set-up, the meals you can prepare outdoors can easily match the best of what comes out of your kitchen at home.
But it is worth remembering that there is a safe way to work with gas and there are a number of tips for clean, efficient and safe use of LP gas cylinders and appliances. Because LP gas is stored under pressure, the law requires that your cylinder should be tested every ten years. LP gas cylinders are fitted with safety valves to relieve excess pressure in the case of extreme heat. They should always be stored upright to allow the valve to operate correctly.
After use, turn off the cylinder valve while the appliance is still operating, then turn off the appliance valve. This allows the hose to empty.
Never attempt to repair or remove cylinder valves. Never use damaged or corroded cylinders. Never expose a cylinder to extreme heat or keep it in a car boot for long periods. Don't try to fill your own cylinder. Trained staff must do this for complete safety. Keep your appliances in good condition, repairing all corrosion or leaks promptly. Inspect and replace worn flexible hoses. Never try and do the repair work yourself. It is much safer to contact a gas service centre. Plastic or other tubing must never be used as a gas hose. Don't look for leaks with a match - use soapy water and a brush. Never use a portable or unflued gas appliance in a closed tent or caravan. Place appliances where they cannot be knocked over.
If you detect a gas leak turn off the cylinder valve, keep bystanders away, keep sparks and flames away, ventilate the area, remove the equipment to a safe place and leave the repairs to experts.
1 volume of LP gas will expand to 270 volumes of gas vapour. A small volume can quickly fill the boot or other parts of your vehicle and ignition from a switch, loose wire or static electricity could cause an explosion. When carrying gas cylinders in a vehicle the total capacity of all the cylinders must not exceed 5kg, no single cylinder can be larger than 2.25kg and you may carry a maximum of 6 cylinders.
From time to time the small gas jets in stoves can become clogged so it is a good idea to learn how to remove these and to carry a couple of spares with you.
Being safe with gas makes good common sense. Happy camping.