Camping Checklists
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Here are some checklists that may be useful for planning purposes. Especially for the backpacking list, you will not be able to carry everything on this list. If you did, your pack would weigh 200 pounds! The list is meant to provide you with some ideas that may stimulate your memory of past trips. We have all forgotten something minor that we learned later is critical to our comfort.
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When it comes to food, a general rule of thumb I follow is to bring foods from all three major sources of energy your body uses. Everything we eat falls somewhere into these three groups. They are Fats, Sugars and Proteins. The temptation is to bring only things like pasta and rice. They are very compact and cheap. You might think: "Hey, all I have to do is buy a 1 lb pack of spaghetti and I've got enough food for a week." The danger is, you will begin to crave other types of food to the point that you may become crazed. I have experienced this. You see a deer by the trail and begin to contemplate fashioning a bow and arrow! In order to prevent this mania, you must pack some meats and cheeses for your protein and fat. They are heavy, but it's worth it. I usually bring some dry salami and cheese. Jerky is okay, but I would go for the softer jerky if you can find it. The extremely tough jerky will literally slice up your gums. After a day or two of chewing it, your mouth will become swollen from all the scratches to the point that you will become miserable and eating anything will become very painful. Even though it is very heavy, I sometimes pack a small can of V-8 or two, just to get some veggies in. I have heard reports of people harvesting some plants in the backcountry, but I haven't tried it.
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When it comes to car camping weight is less of an issue. You don't want to go overboard though, because carrying too much in the car can lead to more likelihood of damage off road. The main thing to keep in mind is that if there is a serious problem with the vehicle, you want to provide yourself the ability to limp off the trail to a road. Getting a tow truck on a paved hwy may be costly, but it is nothing compared to needing a tow truck on a dirt road! AAA will not drive down dirt roads to find you. So if you puncture your tranny case, and you have some extra fluid it may be just enough to limp back to a road.
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All photos copyright Edward Laag 2007