What's Cookin'?

The camping season is quickly approaching, and I'm curious what you will be cooking over your campfire.
Basic or complex, doesn't matter!
I'm hoping to gather a few recipes to share! Thank you in advance!

Here is a recipe that I am excited to try:

Campfire Cones

 Here's what we used:

      

   *  Sugar Cones
   *  Peanut Butter 
   *  Mini Marshmallows
   *  Chocolate Chips
   *  Bananas
   *  Aluminum Foil  
            (to wrap them in)









Here's what to do:

1.  Chop up the bananas and get some marshmallows and chocolate chips ready.  ( I liked using these ingredients on a camping trip because they don't need to be refrigerated and you can easily slice the bananas with a plastic knife ~ oh, and the fact that they're really, really yummy together!)

  
2.  Spread some peanut butter on the inside of the cone, then put in the bananas, marshmallows and chocolate chips.


3.  Wrap the whole cone in aluminum foil, then put in over the hot coals for 5-10 minutes or so, turning every so often.

"Come on, Mom, you're taking pictures of clumps of foil!" 

4.  Unwrap your cone, check to see that everything's ooey, gooey, and melted... then dig in and enjoy!

The combination of the melted peanut butter, chocolate and marshmallows with the warm bananas was just awesome.  Making it in the sugar cone gave it all a nice crunch and made it a little less messy than a regular s'more.  (At least for some of us)

The smile says it all!

Of course, an 8 year old boy can succeed in getting a very chocolate-y face and fingers, even with a handy cone holder!

Thanks Rachel at Quirky Momma for your recent post just in time for us to go camping and Jessica at Chef Jessica Bright for coming up with our new campfire favorite!

Camped There!

Camped There!

I came across a website that might  be helpful for those looking to camp somewhere new!
You can search by state and see reviews from others campers!

Review North Face Phoenix 3!

As promised, this past weekend we put the North Face Phoenix 3 (our new three man tent) to the test.
With soaking rain in the forecast, we knew that our Phoenix would be put through it it's paces.

When we arrived at the campsite, it had already been raining for a few hours. The site was well maintained and had a nice gravel tent pad for us to set up on. Set up was relatively easy. As advertised, the Phoenix does not have a rain fly or ground cloth so there are two less steps in setting up.

Once set up, we laid out our bedding and went about making a fire, cooking dinner, and relaxing under the tarp. The rain continued.

Finally when we were ready to turn in for the night, we found that our sleeping bags were damp. There were noticeable water droplets developing on the ceiling and walls of the tent. Our confidence in the Phoenix was a bit shaken, but we were determined to give it a chance. So we climbed in our bags and went to sleep.

Upon waking in the middle of the night, I found that the gloves I left on the floor of the tent were sopping wet. The outside of my sleeping bag was very wet (fortunately the inside remained warm and dry! EMS Women's Boreal 20 degree bag worked perfectly) and there were small pools developing in the corners.
In the morning, after it had rained all night, those small pools were much larger.

Needless to say, we felt let down by our Phoenix. While the tent is very light, pack-able, and easy to set up not being waterproof is a deal breaker. We plan to give The North Face a chance to "make things right" in repairing the tent or reimbursing the cost.

Since we were planning on a two night backpacking trip, we had no choice but to buy a new tent! The tent we chose is a Mountain Hardware Drifter 3DP! The Drifter seems to be a bit smaller than the Phoenix and not quite as lightweight. The Drifter comes with a ground cloth, rain fly....and WATERPROOF! So far so good!

I have every confidence that The North Face will step up and make things right! I hope that I can post their positive response soon!

What kind of tent are you using? Likes/Dislikes? What attributes are most important to you in choosing your tent (weight, price, size, durability)?

Happy Trails!

New Tent! North Face Phoenix 3!

North Face Phoenix 3

Last year we have added a pittbull to our family and have been in the market for a roomier backpacking tent. We needed something large enough, yet super light! The Phoenix 3 seems to be the perfect fit.

• Three man tent. 
• Ultra lightweight
• No rain fly. DryWall single skin.
• Double door and double vestibule. 

Looking forward to putting the Phoenix 3 to the test this weekend, and posting our experience!
Feel free to leave a comment about your tent! Likes, Dislikes, what features are most important to you in a tent? 

The North Face! You get what you pay for!

Camping and Outdoor equipment can be very expensive!! One thing that many people overlook is the fact that some companies stand behind their products no matter what.  My husband recently had an experience with The North Face that I wanted to share: 


(From Facebook):
"So, yeah...all the crap I was talkin' bout the North Farce...I take all that back. 

This is proof positive that The North Face stands behind their product and their customers 100%.

I bought a jacket from them in 98. The tape seams failed after several years of use. Disgusted with its poor quality, I bought a marmot and it's served me well since 2003.

I recently sent a 15 year old stuff sack back to The North Face. They don't even make a stuff sack anymore; that didn't stop them from sending me another stuff sack.

Encouraged by this, I sent my jacket back to them six months ago. They responded, saying my jacket was out of warranty.
Today, they sent me a letter apologizing and a gift card for 385$. I guess they had a change of heart?

I was gonna buy another marmot but cash was short...I'm glad I waited!#TheNorthFaceRocks" 

Building a Campfire

     Over the past few years I have made several campfires for the purpose of cooking, warmth, and lighting. Building a responsible campfire is easy to do with patience, preparation, and a bit of guidance. 

      In the steps below,  I will share easy step-by-step techniques on building a successful campfire. 

      Please be aware of your surroundings and build your fires only in appropriate fire zones and do not build during extremely dry conditions. Build 15 feet away from tent walls, shrubs, trees, or other flammable objects. 

You will need:

• Axe
• Matches or lighter
• Tinder - Two handfuls
• Kindling- Two armfuls
• Fuel wood - A pile knee high

If is important to use dead and dry wood. This means that your wood should not be green, and should snap when broken. It is also important to collect all wood prior to lighting. 

Step 1: Gather

1.  Starter- Dry Birch Bark (Do not peel from tree) or newspaper soaked in wax. 

2. Kindling- Thumb sized in width and from fingertips to elbow length

3.  Fuel Wood- Arm Sized, as big as you can carry

Step 2: Build

1. Place starter in the center of the fire pit. 
2. Loosely place a handful of tinder on top of the starter. 
3. Loosely pile kindling in tipi fashion approximately 6 pieces. 
4. In log cabin fashion pile fuel wood closely around the tipi.      

Step 3: Light

     Use a match or lighter to light the starter at the bottom of the wood structure. The flames will rise up from the starter and catch the tinder, kindling, and fuel wood. 

Sit back and relax!

     Now that you have your fire started simply add fuel wood to maintain it. Having a nice bed of coals is necessary for cooking. Next time we will discuss our favorite campfire recipes! 

Campground Review!

Campground: Sand Springs

Sand Springs Campground
Location: Morgantown, WV

     Sand Springs Campground in Morgantown, West Virginia. We chose this site based on an online search. It's close proximity to Coopers Rock State Park, where we planned to scout some good climbs, was our main reason for choosing it. The website is informative and user friendly, though you cannot make reservations online.
     The following review is based on my previous post "Characteristics of a great campsite." We visited over  Memorial Day weekend last year and planned to spend three nights, but we cut our stay short due to the weather.

• Campfire Ring: Average. A basic stone ring, nothing fancy. Keep this in mind if your cooking requires a grate. You will need to bring your own. 

• A Level Site: Very level! 

• 

• A tent pad: Below average! There wasn't a designated area to pitch your tent, which isn't altogether necessary, but the site was very muddy and got even more muddy as it began to rain! A grass or gravel barrier would have made the site much more pleasant. 
• Grass: Sparse.
• 
• Privacy: The privacy of our site was below average. There were quite a few trees, but these did little to block the views from one campsite to the next. At times, headlights from our neighbor's car would be shining right in our eyes as we tried to enjoy the fire. 
  
  
  
  
• Proximity: We were conveniently located close to the bath house! That is a plus! Unfortunately our site was part of the unofficial thoroughfare for other campers on their way to the bath house also. 
• Picnic Table: Yes, there was a picnic table in average condition. 

Overall, this campground did not meet out expectations. The bath houses were clean, but one of the showers was not functional. Also, the showers are coin operated, which was not mentioned on the website. The lack of site padding (grass, tent pad) and privacy were the two biggest drawbacks. I would not recommend this campground, while it was functional it was not ideal.

Characteristics of a great campsite

• A campfire ring: Whether it is just a circle of stones or a metal fire ring with a grate, having a specified area in which to set up your campfire is ideal. 
• A level site: A level campsite is beneficial for a few reasons. In the event that it rains, you don't want water running through or pooling in your site. Also, sleeping on an even surface is much more comfortable. 
• A tent pad: A tent pad can be be poured concrete, or small gravel stones. Either one is preferable to setting up your tent in the dirt. A tent pad can save you from tracking dirt and mud into your tent. 
• Grass: Having a campsite with grass is great, especially in the event of rain.Grass will absorb the rain to a certain extend and like a tent pad, will save from cleaning up a muddy mess.  
• Privacy: Privacy is a must when selecting a campsite. The site your choose should provide you a bit of distance between you and your neighbors, as well as some trees, bushes and landscaping provide some separation from your fellow campers. 
• Proximity: Choosing a site which is close, but not too close, to the bath house is important. Trust me, the shorter the distance you need to walk in the middle of the night to use the restroom the better. Be aware that the closer you are to the bathroom, the more foot traffic you will have around your site.
• Picnic table: For me, the picnic table is the camping command center. This is usually where everything happens, from food prep to planning the days activities.  

Your local KOA is a great place for novice campers to get their start. KOA's typically have a general store stocked with many items that you may have forgotten, firewood for sale, designated campfire rings, bath houses with showers, WiFi and electricity (depending on the site you choose). All this convenience comes at a price, as KOA's tend to be more crowded. 

State parks are another great option. They typically have fire wood for sale, but it is not common for them to have elaborate general stores. State Parks also tend to charge less per night than KOA's do.  

It is wise to look up your campground before your trip to get an idea of what they have to offer. Often they will have a map of the campground on their website, thus enabling you to choose your campsite wisely. 

Welcome!!

Welcome to Sitting by the Campfire!
      In order to fulfill a college course requirement, I am required to develop and maintain a blog of in an area of my interest. I have chosen to blog about camping, not as an expert, but as a lover of the outdoors. I had done a great deal of camping as a kid and have been camping regularly in the past few years. I hope that this blog will becoming an forum for campers of all experience levels to share and learn. In Sitting by the Campfire you can expect camping tips and tricks, review products and local campsites, and  campfire cooking!

Test Post

Test Post