There is no Wifi in the forest. But, when friends and family are there, the connection is better.
(I am one of those who prefers campgrounds without Wifi. It’s good to disconnect with technology, and reconnect with one another and nature.)
Author: Ryan McElhany
Ryan McElhany uses his expertise in marketing and public relations to help drive enrollment in higher education. During more than a decade as Director of Marketing & Public Relations, Ryan implemented campaigns to boost awareness for businesses and universities. He also served in management for public entertainment, promotion, and business-to-business marketing. Ryan also teaches business, marketing, management information systems and website design.
But, beyond the professional 9-5 is a guy who loves the outdoors. Pop-up camping, hiking and exploring are great ways to find clarity and inspiration. MacBeTrippin is a blog that documents those adventures and shares helpful tips with aspiring campers.
Oreo Cows and Milk
We were in Washoe Lake, Nevada, at a little campground. At the entrance was a dairy farm with “happy little white and black cows,” as I imagine Bob Ross would say.
But, these were no ordinary dairy cows. They weren’t dappled white and black. Their patterns were different. They looked like… Oreos. Oreos with built in milk dispensers.
Our girls thought it was hilarious. And it was one more little reminder of the little memories that can be formed while camping.
Get out there and find your own weird things. Appreciate the silly things. Share your stories.
11 reasons you should take quarters on your next road or camping trip
Most camping or RV blogs list an assortment of gadgets, tools and utensils to make life on the road charming. I have never seen a top 10 include this must-have survival item…
A roll of quarters… or two.
If you have an RV or a self-container bumper pull trailer, this item may be far down your list, unless you don’t like the kids trashing your camper bathroom. If you’re a tent or pop-up camper, don’t leave home without them.
Here are 11 reasons you should grab a couple of rolls of quarters before you roll out of town.
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Free Camping Trip Planner and Budget Sheet
There are a lot of good apps out there for planning camping trips and routes. There are even few that allow for effective point-to-point budgeting.
But, I have found that I prefer a straightforward method for planning our routes, mileage, camp rates, campsite amenities, and overall budget for our cross-country trips. It has always been easier to see the plan before moving it to any other app.
So, I built this handy planning sheet in Excel.
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Dream Camping Tour 1: Texas to California
In 2017, we took our first dream trip from Texas to the Western states. It was a camping trip of 26 days, with 11 campsite setups along the way.
The trip could be completed in a shorter time. But, we found the trip about right with 2-3 days in most spots. That was enough time to drive, enjoy a day seeing the sights, and enjoy a day hanging out at camp. Check out the complete route, sights, and camp locations below.
Perspective
If we fill our hours with regrets
over the failures of yesterday,
and with worries over the
problems of tomorrow,
we have no today in which to be thankful.
Road Trippin Playlist: Perspectives on Life — EP 1
If you know me, you know I am an audiophile. There is art in all styles of music. And my children would tell you that we are just as likely to queue up some clean hip hop as we are a gospel track or indie ballad. With nearly 80 hours of drive time each summer, we have plenty of time for discovery.
For me, a few tracks make it into regular rotation. Those are typically songs that are a bit introspective. I like to call these “perspective on life” tracks.
We’ll save the rumbling, rambling stuff for a future list. For now, let’s start off chill. I have identified the lyrics from the songs that resonate most deeply for me.
The birds gathered eerily overhead.
It was a warm day when we arrived in City of Rocks State Park in New Mexico. It stood like a natural Stonehenge—in a field—in the middle of nowhere.
We chose a site carefully and nestled among the towering rocks. We were blissfully separate from our neighbors.
Overhead, we could hear a cah-caw. First gently, then it grew. Crows gathered 3 stories overhead and danced anxiously, like vultures in a classic cartoon.
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Some of the best places are accidents.
One of the common phrases I hear about our mega camp excursions is, “aren’t you afraid of something going wrong?”
In a word—yes.
But, nothing in life is guaranteed. And, our family has learned that sometimes the best things in life are unexpected. Take, for instance, this little campground in a valley on a mountain near Mammoth Lakes, CA.
Inspiration
Have you ever stared into a black night sky? Ever held your hand 8 inches in front of your face without being able to see your own skin? Ever seen stars so bright that looked like pinholes from Heaven? There are few moments as spiritual to me as admiring a creation so grand.
#macbetrippin 