we're going camping the first weekend in october and it'll be our first time just camping out in the woods w/o toilets or showers or running water. what are your experiences and recommendations for stuff to bring?

9/23/2009 11:11:36 AM

thats the best kind of camping

if my hand wasnt broke i would type out a whole list for you but others will take care of it.

where you going?

9/23/2009 11:18:07 AM

could be chilly if your in the mtns

bring long johns if your sleeping bag isnt the greatest



but mostly I recommend bringing as little as you think you can get by with

9/23/2009 11:28:33 AM

i think we're going to pisgah about 20-30 mins west of mortimer (not dead set on anywhere yet though). we are tent camping at a spot just off a forest service road. i've got a 20 degree kelty sleeping bag & a thermarest pad.

i don't know...i'm always concerned about rain so i don't think i could abandon a tent.

9/23/2009 11:33:32 AM

Wait for Nerdchick or TheBullDoza or Johnny Swank to post here... or PM them.



[Edited on September 23, 2009 at 11:36 AM. Reason : fdf]

9/23/2009 11:34:31 AM

tent
sleeping bag
thermarest (more important than the comfort padding, it creates a barrier to the ground so you stay warmer)
change of clothes
pocketknife
matches/lighter/firestarter of some sort
map/compass (if you're doing decent hiking)
poncho/raingear
water/bottle
water purifier or plan of getting more water
camping stove or means of making food
food
first aid kit
flashlight
sunscreen/bug spray
hand sanitizer
(if no facilities) shovel / toilet paper


now i'm missing camping...

9/23/2009 11:56:15 AM

hey what about some sort of wipe? not a baby wipe, but something w/o moisturizers.

9/23/2009 12:12:22 PM

hand wipes/ butt wipes
baileys and coffee
headlamp
Gas lantern
air mattress

9/23/2009 12:44:32 PM

^^just wipe dirty hands on your jeans

and for other wiping:

Quote :

"Take it like a man, Take it like a man, and wipe it with your hand! Cause your stranded, stranded"

9/23/2009 1:22:49 PM

you forgot the most important thing: Alcohol.

9/23/2009 1:49:34 PM

Always good to familiarize yourself with the leave no trace principals as well.

http://www.lnt.org/programs/principles.php

9/23/2009 2:16:47 PM

Learn the one-handed, tree-assist, squat-shit. Demonstrated here:

9/23/2009 2:18:40 PM

Quote :

"Take it like a man, Take it like a man, and wipe it with your hand! Cause your stranded, stranded"

i am not a man.

we bought this thing that's basically a little toilet seat on a stand and you dig yourself a hole.

9/23/2009 2:28:07 PM

So you're camping for a weekend. Two nights?

9/23/2009 4:04:14 PM

i kinda want to practice taking a dump in the woods, so if the time comes, i'll know i can do it

right now, though, just the idea tightens my sphincter

9/23/2009 5:11:28 PM

yes, 2 nights. a weekend. nobody wants to use vacation time.

9/23/2009 6:37:40 PM

the tree assist works. that or put your back against the tree(you leaning on the tree of course) and do it that way. i have done both

9/23/2009 7:52:46 PM

Quote :

"Learn the one-handed, tree-assist, squat-shit."

i prefer the orangutan hang, myself.

9/23/2009 7:56:51 PM

Quote :

"we bought this thing that's basically a little toilet seat on a stand and you dig yourself a hole."

ha ha ha you will be the biggest dork in the woods if you bring that.

Whatever you do, don't listen to any advice from TheBullDoza. He spent a summer working at Hungry Howie's in Boone and now he thinks he's some kind of camping expert.

9/23/2009 8:42:47 PM

^ if a person sits on a toilet device to poo in the woods and no one is around to see it, did they ever actually take a poo on said toilet device?

9/23/2009 8:44:48 PM

LOL^^

I've pooped ON states from maine down to georgia...I KNOW HOW ITS DONE, SON!!!!

Quote :

""we bought this thing that's basically a little toilet seat on a stand and you dig yourself a hole.""

LOL...fail

dude, you gotta be creative.....have fun with it


[Edited on September 23, 2009 at 8:52 PM. Reason : you could just bank on ghost poopin it ]]

9/23/2009 8:47:34 PM

ahhh yes, the elusive and much desired ghost poop

but my favorite is still the Skyler - for a poop to count as a Skyler it must fall a minimum of 10 feet before touching the ground.

9/23/2009 8:50:37 PM

but seriously...don't piss or shit near your water source #1...I dont care how you shit

LOL^...that's just show boatin

[Edited on September 23, 2009 at 8:56 PM. Reason : f]

9/23/2009 8:55:15 PM

Quote :

"i kinda want to practice taking a dump in the woods, so if the time comes, i'll know i can do it"

believe you me, when the time comes, you can do it. there's a certain threshold past which modesty nor convenience are any longer a factor. personally, i use the squat over a log technique.

-be sure you know how to light a fire, and more importantly, how to put one out.

-i'm going to guess that you'll be car camping since its your first time out. just remember, the more stuff you drag to your campsite, the more you have to drag back to the car. packing up isn't nearly as fun and exciting as setting up camp.

-others may disagree, but do NOT bring a radio or boombox or whatever. an ipod may be acceptable, but really you should just enjoy the sounds of nature for a change. don't be that group of pikeys blasting welcome to the jungle over and over again at 2:00am

9/23/2009 9:00:43 PM

If only you could bring TheBullDoza. He could start a fire for you with his fire breath, and you could use his ballsack as a rain tarp.

9/23/2009 9:02:57 PM

lol...yeah, you could just rest on my balls....i usually throw them over my shoulder like a gunny sack...that's at least how i brought daisy duke up a few mountains.

build a fire ring using rocks, clear away anything that can catch fire. If you plan on have a fire that rips, make sure no trees are in reach of being burnt...



[Edited on September 23, 2009 at 9:07 PM. Reason : f]

9/23/2009 9:05:35 PM

Quote :

"change of clothes"

what are you planning, going to da club? who needs extra clothes after one day?

9/23/2009 9:07:52 PM

heres a tip: gather wood before starting the fire...that means, gather small twigs as thin as you can and work your way up from there...

a fire makes the campsite...youll wanna do this

dont burn shit down

[Edited on September 23, 2009 at 9:13 PM. Reason : lol...youll want a camping sized broom for sweeping out the bugs and dirt in the tent..]

9/23/2009 9:10:24 PM

are you on your period? Bears like that shit.

9/23/2009 9:14:58 PM

Quote :

"youll want a camping sized broom for sweeping out the bugs and dirt in the tent.."

yes definitely. If I forgot my broom I'd probably cancel the trip and go home. and for God's sake don't forget the mini dustpan.

9/23/2009 9:17:15 PM

LEAVE NO TRACE...

9/23/2009 9:18:51 PM

about firewood. once you've gathered what you're sure will be enough wood, take stock of how much you have. then go gather about 3 times that amount. don't cut down any trees, but dead fall is fair game.

9/23/2009 9:27:46 PM

buy a travel pack of flushable ass wipes if you're so worried about shitting...

i'd say to at least remember extra socks and undies, and possibly a cheap pair of sunglasses. Water purification tablets would be a good thing as well, and maybe some high energy granola bars if you're doing a lot of hiking

9/23/2009 9:52:29 PM

Yeah definitely bring extra socks and warm clothes, it really sucks to be caught off guard by the cool air in the summertime (but I guess it's fall now right?).

I always like to bring a tarp w/plenty of rope to put over the camping area as well even if you are using a rain fly. It's nice to have a dry area if it starts raining so you can get out of your tent.

Also for pooping in the woods---- Holding on to a rope around a tree and squatting is what I find the most comfortable, and if you are using leaves to wipe, gather more than what you think you'll need...

[Edited on September 23, 2009 at 10:21 PM. Reason : clean rocks (smooth or rough) are good too, and an empty syrup bottle w/water to clean in that area]

9/23/2009 10:19:42 PM

yeah um we're not roughing it that much. we're getting out of the car, setting up a tent, and sleeping there for a couple of nights. there will be toilet paper, and water, and wood.

i've been car camping at campgrounds lots of times, so i know all the regular mess you take camping, this is just my first time not at a designated campsite.

and as far as looking like a dork in the woods, i don't care what the bear/mountain lion/deer thinks of the non-toilet. we're not hauling it around hiking lol. are you really only *cool* if you poop leaning on a tree? if that makes you feel better then okay. i prefer not to be creative while using the bathroom. i prefer just to get it over with.

we're not bringing a radio or anything. the reason we're getting away from campground camping is to get away from the retards who blare them at 2am. we always aim to get away from people while camping, and we've had pretty good luck up until the last time we went (mortimer in pisgah, NEVER go there). Fumbler will be there (of course), and he's a service forester/forest firefighter. we can handle the fire.

9/23/2009 11:55:37 PM

i haven't done a lot of "camping", but I've spent some time in the field as a Marine, to include a week out at SERE school in the middle of NOWHERE with pretty much nothing but a jacket, a couple of canteens, a knife, some 550 cord, and a flint/steel.

my experience is that most people take about 10x more junk than they need. you really don't need much at all, especially if it isn't cold. if you're pretty sure it isn't gonna rain, you need even less. you don't need a tent at all lots of times, and you sure as hell don't need any crazy, extravagant tent that would suffice as a family home in a 3rd-world country.


...and personally, i don't really get camping at a campsite with facilities. that's not camping. that's just living in a place that sucks for a few days. the exception might be if you were taking a big (like cross-country) road trip...but still, that's not really camping.

[Edited on September 24, 2009 at 3:33 AM. Reason : ]

[Edited on September 24, 2009 at 3:36 AM. Reason : ]

9/24/2009 3:31:10 AM

Quote :

"Nerdchick N2L 4 Life 34947 Posts user info edit post Quote : "change of clothes" what are you planning, going to da club? who needs extra clothes after one day? "

it's never a bad idea to have a change of clothes. what if you get stuck in the rain at some point or fall in a creek? What if you're taking that shit in the woods and it gets messier than you thought it would? there is no reason to not take some clothes and at least leave them in the car

9/24/2009 3:32:41 AM

oh come on Duke, this ain't Survivorman

I didn't realize she was car camping! I'd fucking live it up. sure you could sleep on the ground and eat acorns and shit, but why? I'd bring a kielbasa, corn on the cob, and a cooler for my many cold beers.

But seriously I draw the line at a plastic toilet seat. Go ahead and bring your little training potty. If you have no desire to experience shitting the way man was meant to shit, then we have nothing more to discuss

9/24/2009 5:44:17 AM

Where can you go camping that doesn't have facilities and isn't someone's private property?

9/24/2009 6:52:41 AM

national forests is a start...^

Quote :

"it's never a bad idea to have a change of clothes. what if you get stuck in the rain at some point or fall in a creek? What if you're taking that shit in the woods and it gets messier than you thought it would? there is no reason to not take some clothes and at least leave them in the car "

okay...yeah...next point. don't wear cotton and you wont need extra clothes. If your car camping, well then....

Quote :

"But seriously I draw the line at a plastic toilet seat. Go ahead and bring your little training potty. If you have no desire to experience shitting the way man was meant to shit, then we have nothing more to discuss "

LOL

[Edited on September 24, 2009 at 8:14 AM. Reason : d]

9/24/2009 8:10:14 AM

The Wilson Creek area near Mortimer is awesome

http://www.ncwaterfalls.com/wilson_creek1.htm
http://www.friendsofwilsoncreek.org/aboutus.asp?id06=55&cat06=0


There's also car camping spots along the access road at Linville Groge

http://ncnatural.com/Resources/Adventure/Gorge/Linville-Gorge.html

9/24/2009 8:28:12 AM

PLEEEEASE TELL ME THIS IS WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE!!!



why would you want to save it?????lolololol

9/24/2009 8:47:51 AM

Quote :

"to include a week out at SERE school in the middle of NOWHERE"

Shitting generally isn't a problem in SERE.

9/24/2009 9:59:15 AM

^^no that is not it. it's just a seat on legs. nothing underneath. i really don't understand you people's desire to "shit the way you're meant to". i have no interest in leaning on a tree or suspending myself or making the process any harder than it has to be. why would you? my goal that weekend is to sleep in the woods, sit around a campfire with friends, hike, see nature. i'm not trying to be survivorman, a caveman, or any other "man".

yeah, we're car camping. not roughing it. we can take all kinds of stuff but that doesn't mean we're going to. yes we're taking a tent. no it's not a cabin. we'll have 2 dogs w/ us too. um yeah we're definitely taking clothes

there are several previously used campsites off a forest service road that people gathered up rocks for a fire and there's a cleared area and whatnot. in this general area
http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ie=UTF8&ll=36.008735,-81.818318&spn=0.023016,0.044589&t=h&z=15

9/24/2009 11:08:22 AM

^^^ i don't know why it would need to be anything more than a tripod with a rim...just something to allow you to sit while pooing

9/24/2009 11:27:04 AM

^^^^there are lots of national parks, etc where you're not allowed to just shit on the ground. you have to pack your shit with you. it's gross but true.

[Edited on September 24, 2009 at 11:28 AM. Reason : .]

9/24/2009 11:28:18 AM

^^yeah, that's what it is

9/24/2009 11:35:07 AM

Quote :

"here are several previously used campsites off a forest service road that people gathered up rocks for a fire and there's a cleared area and whatnot. in this general area http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ie=UTF8&ll=36.008735,-81.818318&spn=0.023016,0.044589&t=h&z=15"

Nice, that's actually the Wilson Creek area. We camp a few miles away off the Huntfish Falls trail

9/24/2009 12:46:27 PM

wow, britta, a shitting elitist, i have now seen the very day!

9/24/2009 12:47:21 PM

^^^ do you have a link?

9/24/2009 12:49:49 PM