Planning Your Cabin Vacation: Glamping 101

Staying in a cabin has its advantages over tent camping

Summer officially ends September 22nd with the first day of autumn.  If you haven't gotten away this season, consider a fall cabin stay.  You have scenic vistas in the Poconos, upstate New York and the New England states to choose from.  Some, such as the one we stayed in, offer air conditioning and heat so you can extend your outback vacation very comfortably.

Packing for a Cabin Stay
One of the many perks of staying in a cabin is that you do not have to purchase a cot. Ours had beds with a thin mattress so I brought my own sheets, pillows, (I like the Silk & Cotton Travel Sheets from Sea to Summit) and a goose down mattress topper.  This improved my sleep experience and added a taste of home to my stay.  You could also bring your sleeping bag.  Whatever you choose, it's a major step up being off the hard, wet ground.  If it rains, you're covered.  See more photos of how our home designer decorated and furnished our home in the woods with rustic styling from GaveThat.com: Cozy Cabin.

A goose down mattress cover adds warmth and comfort to your bed.

Personal Care
Think like your packing for a regular camping trip but some retreats offer onsite bathrooms and hot showers as well as laundry facilities.  This means you can pack the same things that you would for a hotel stay: Toothbrush, shower gear, grooming aids, towels, etc. I used my vintage Samsonite Train Case as it has a large mirror and holds all of my toiletries.  I also pack a little tote bag to take to the shower room.

My train case doubles as a vanity, compete with a large mirror.

Clothing Choices
Now depending on the location and time of year, you'll need to pack for the weather.  The mountains tend to be cooler having a higher elevation as do valleys where the hills and tree line block the sun's rays for a larger portion of the day.  Daytime was quite warm, in the low 80's so we had to deal with mosquitoes as well as ticks while hiking.  I found wearing the Bugs Away Line of shirts, pants and my Breez'r Hat from ExOfficio allowed me to be totally bite free without having to use any insect repellent.

I also brought along my Storm Logic Jacket for those cool morning walks and chilly 50 degree evenings.  It rolls up into a neat little travel pillow that I placed on my bed to sleep with.  I packed and used my thin Smartwool Merino Wool Beanie which can be worn to bed at night if your cabin is not heated.  Think "night cap".

Camp Cooking & Meals

Trangia with Primus Gas Burner and Light My Fire Meal Kit in action.

Some cabins have an indoor kitchen or cooking pits nearby.  We were able to purchase firewood and start a lovely fire for marshmallow and wienie roasting at night.  In the morning, I found it easier to use my Trangia Camp Stove. Making a large "brunch" takes care of our hunger needs until about 4 pm when I start dinner.

Dinner cooking on an open fire. Beans & wienies!

Plan ahead.  Maple flavored sausages to go with pancakes and have enough flavor to allow you to skip the syrup. Cook the sausages first and you may not need to add any extra oil to cook your eggs, especially if you use a non-stick cook-set. The milk we packed is vacuum sealed and keeps without refrigeration until opened.  Snacks that keep without refrigeration include: dried fruit, applesauce cups, juice boxes, Yo-hoo, nuts, wholegrain crackers, fresh fruit and vegetables. We used a PlayMate cooler for items that had to be kept cold and purchased ice on a daily basis. We had a small fridge before and it was easier than hauling ice and draining a cooler.

Pure Water
One of the challenges every traveler faces is whether or not to drink the local water.  You'd be surprised at what passes for potability but suffice it to say, it's not going to taste like what you drink at home.  Many parks and resorts use well water, so the quality will vary from place to place.  We bypassed that by simply bringing a Purificup portable water filtration system and had all the pure water we wanted for drinking and cooking.  It really worked fantastically and made both our water-bottles and meals taste so much better.

Kicking Back
Sometimes it's easy to get caught up in all of the camp chores that you forget why you're there...to relax!  That's why I make a large breakfast but keep snacks available until dinner-time.  We hiked every day, went canoeing and kayaking and after dinner, built a large fire, played the guitar and sang songs.  Try to divide up camp chores so one person doesn't get stuck being "Cookie" the whole time.  My daughter kept up with filtering the water and helped with the meal clean up.  We also shared the cabin's cleaning and laundry.  All the same, make sure to bring some magazines, an iPod with music or an instrument for that down time you will come to relish.

Bring a instrument like a guitar for those campfire songs!

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Lunch on the Go: Bento Box Inspirations

Lunch on the Go!  The Bento style box with cool.

It's back to________ time (fill in the blank).  Packing a lunch for school, work or travel just got easier....and cooler.  The Japanese have their increasingly popular Bento Boxes which keep all of their favorite foods separate and un-smushed.  They are often lovely, painted and shaped in unique designs to resemble people and animals.  Children and adults love them!

Japanese Kotobuki 2 Tier Bento Box

Bento Boxes are often used on trains and in public stations where travelers can pick up a quick meal that is similar to what they would enjoy at home: rice, fish, pickled vegetables, rolled egg, etc. Some have a special place for chopsticks but the main idea is to keep the different foods you've packed separate on an easy to eat tray. Some come with their own handle, tote and thermos but I've put together my own Bento Box inspired set.

Like the traditional Japanese Bento Box, the Lunch on the Go has two tiers.

The closest American version of the Bento Box is the Lunch on the Go Set and the optional Telescoping Foon. What I like is that you can quickly freeze the separating shelf and add it to the box to keep everything super chilly.  I haven't seen that innovation in any of the Japanese style boxes but is what sets apart the Lunch on the Go Set from the others.  You can opt to pack warm foods as well, (just don't freeze the separator).  Put the Lunch on the Go Set in a thermal Igloo Lunch Tote and it will stay warm for hours.  This works great for a breakfast burrito or toasted bagel. Simply wrap your warm sandwiches in a sheet of aluminum foil first then place in the Lunch on the Go. 

My Lunch on the Go, snacks and this Klean Kanteen all fit in the Igloo Cooler Tote

Want to take along a chilled salad?  Cool Gear Inc. makes a deluxe salad kit that has a similar theme of two tiers with a freezable separator and a covered cup for your dressing as shown below.

Source: gavethat.com via Marie on Pinterest

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The Igloo Thermal Totes are very compact and fold up easily in my bicycle panniers.  In fact, I keep one on my bicycle just in case I purchase something frozen or cold at the market.  Same thing if I purchase something hot to eat while I'm out.  This tote will keep it warm until I'm ready to stop and eat it.  Perfect for people on the go.

Hot or cold foods will stay that way longer when packed in a thermal tote.  Hot cofee, soups and stews stay piping hot for hours in this 20oz Insulated Klean Kanteen.

BYO: Reusable Lunch Ware

COOL Reusable Lunch ware: Insulated SnapSac, Klean Kanteen & Light My Fire Meal Kit

If you are trying to stay away from processed foods, one of the most proactive things you can do is to BYO. The downside is that many healthy foods, (due to lack of preservatives), need to be kept cold to remain fresh but think of the possibilities.  With the proper lunch ware and thermal tote, the menu ideas are practically endless.

Also the locations where you can eat are likewise expanded. A picnic can be had by the pool, at the beach, in the park or in your car with the top down.  Eating al fresco becomes more like a mini vacation.  Who wouldn't want that?  That's why I was excited to find SnapSac folding tote bags. These are very well made, washable and best of all reusable.

SnapSac Cool Tote in Pop

The SnapSac Cool Tote is very lightweight yet holds up to 3 lbs of ice without leaking.  It has a separate waterproof liner that acts as a barrier from the thermal interior.  Other than a little condensation on the outside of the bag, the SnapSac did not leak and held all of the items you see in the photos. It zips closed and even has a little pouch on the outside for napkins or wet-wipes. VERY well thought out, it can work in a variety of settings.

The Snap Sac Cool Tote holds up to 3 lbs of loose ice without leaking

Klean Kanteen in Living Color
Once you've got the food chilling down, you can focus on other containers for your drinks, snacks and sandwiches. One of my favorites is this 20 oz Insulated Klean Kanteen in Monterey Blue  Made of food grade 18/8 stainless steel, it has a wide mouth and optional cafe or loop top caps.  On its own, the Insulated Klean Kanteen will keep your favorite beverages chilled for up to 24 hours. Add it to the Cool Tote, you can expect to extend that time even in 80+ degree temperatures.

Everything here is reusable so there's nothing to throw away after your picnic!

Come On Baby Light My Fire
Reusable meal kits such as this one by Light My Fire are made in Sweden and are genius for eating outdoors.  This set has two plates, a lidded coffee/soup cup, a spork a small dry container and a colander/cutting board. More geared towards outdoor food preparation, you could use the two plates sealed together to pack your food and then place it in the cooler. Nothing too messy though. A sandwich or pita pocket would work well.  We did that with the meal you see here: carrots, raisins and a Bridgford Apple Turnover.

Very lightweight and compact, the Light My Fire Meal Kit is well thought out and complete.  We added the little red insulated snack container that came with a folding spoon that stores right in the lid. It holds a generous 15.5 ozs (460 mls). Bring along your favorite Chiobani Greek Yogurt, tabbouleh, chicken salad, chilled soups or anything else you'd like to keep cool. You'll save the environment and money with reusables like these. One less piece of aluminum foil, plastic wrap or Ziploc bag to end up in a landfill.

Eating al fresco with reusable lunch ware

Backcountry Cooking: Bicycle Picnic

 

August is National Picnic Month!  Add a healthy twist by packing & pedaling

Summer is the time for outdoor eating:  Cookouts, backyard barbecues, clam bakes, fish frys and picnics in the park.  Packing a wicker lunch hamper for the park was quite common in Victorian times.  Since there was no such thing as plastic cups and paper plates, they also packed the fine china right along for eating on the grass.  A movable feast!

Well, there's no reason to stay home as food packaging and utensils are much more high tech and lighter these days.  In fact all the foods, plates and camp stove fit in my Basil Jada Rear Basket with room to spare.  I did a lunch for two which included a delicious, hearty potato soup and barbecue sandwich with chips.  Keep in mind you can transfer this same technique to catering your own bicycle tour or campout. Here's how I pulled it off:

Camp stove set up to cook some Hearty Potato Soup by Augie Foods

I unpacked everything from our rear basket: Augie Foods Hearty Potato Soup, Trangia 27-5 Ultralight Camp Stove with Primus burner, Light My Fire Outdoor Meal Kit, Aurora Magnesium Fire Starter, cooking utensils.  After setting up the stove I lit the gas burner with the Aurora Fire Starter.  I adjusted the hose regulator and started my 1 cup of water boiling.

Once the soup starts to boil, it thickens quite quickly.

I used the Light My Fire stay dry cup to measure and hold the dry soup.  I then whisked the 1/4th cup of soup mix into my hot water and got it boiling. You need not bring anything but fire and water.  All of the ingredients are included in each of the delicious Augie Foods soups we tested: Cheddar & Broccoli, Chicken Flavored Stew.  They even carry a product called Ready Fuel which is gel based and allows you to heat water and cook without a camp stove.  We were being fancy today so we used the Trangia Set!

Cooking with a Primus gas burner is clean and efficient.

Another simpler version of this picnic lunch would be to cook the soup at home and pour it into an Insulated Klean Kanteen.  You would just need to bring bowls but I have to say the one that comes with the six piece Light My Fire set is exceptional.  It can be used for coffee as well but the ergonomic finger dents in the sides keep it from slipping in your hands.  Both the Light My Fire Outdoor Meal Set and the Trangia 27-5 are made in Sweden. We added a very tasty Barbecue Sandwich from Bridgford and Organic Blue Corn Chips and Rice Crisps made with Sweet Potato by Utz.

The finished meal with a little Barbecue Sandwich & Grandma Utz chips on the side

Augie Foods
We could not believe how scrumptious and satisfying the Hearty Potato Soup was! Big pieces of potato, celery and carrot, it does not taste like it came from a soup mix.  What will blow you away is that these soups will keep for up to 20 years in a cool dry place!

Bridgford Shelf Stable Sandwiches
The bread of the Bridgford Barbecue Sandwich was incredible. These are like gourmet Military MRE's (Meals Ready to Eat) and can take high temperatures but still stay fresh.  They come individually packed in air-tight pouches and do not need refrigeration if unopened. These are a great idea if you do not want to bring ice packs and a cooler to keep your food cold.

Utz Snack Foods
Known in the east for their incredibly crispy potato chips, Utz has really kicked it up a notch. Their Organic Blue Corn Chips have just the right amount of salt but the fresh corn taste is what hooks you.  A new product for them are the Rice Crisps which are all natural brown rice tortillas. The kicker in these chips are the sesame seed and sweet potato ingredients that give them a rich, nutty flavor.

Everything to prepare our picnic lunch packs easily in this Basil Rear Basket.

Back Country Cooking

This summer try a back country hike & foraging excursion

There are so many good things to eat if you know where to look.  Maybe in your own backyard?  Back Country Cooking uses organic, wild foraged edibles and can really add interest to your next hike or camping trip.

KNOW YOUR PLANTS

Some plants are pretty obvious as weeds tend to be the most prolific and recognizable.  Weeds are a great place to start!  Did you know that young Dandelion, Clover and Lambsquarters greens make a delicious salad?  Also wild Mulberries are scrumptious eaten raw or added to a salad.  In my book, Nature's Weeds, Native Medicine - Lotus Press I explain that many such plants not only taste good but have great medicinal value as well.  Dandelion root tea for example, is rich in iron and acts as a liver detox.

To familiarize yourself with other more important plants I recommend the Edible & Poisonous Plant Cards from Camping Survival  You can take them for a little hike in your backyard to begin identifying and harvesting greens and edibles from clean, un-sprayed areas.  When you do this enough, you can take the card with you on your hiking or camping trip to find the same plants in the wild.  The card deck has full color photos on one side and detailed descriptions of the plants on the reverse.


CAMP COOKING

Update: This summer, we rented a small cabin again in one of our state parks for a week.  I prepared nearly all of our meals on a simple Trangia Camp Stove.  Everything from eggs and bacon in the morning to more elaborate meals at night.  The Backcountry Cooking Deck gave me ideas on how to organize and carry in our meal ingredients.  We also had the addition of piping hot soups from Augie Foods!  These were easy to prepare and utterly delicious.  The Backcountry Cooking Deck by Dorcas S. Miller (Mountaineers Books) is a set of 50 large recipe cards for camp and trail.  Covering all sorts of easy meals for breakfast, lunch, dinner as well as snacks and dessert, these cards offer delicious variety and much needed nutrition for your campers.  

What I like about these cards is that they all include "At Home" pre-prep instructions to help make the meals easier to put together once you're out there.  One of the most versatile recipes from the deck is the Biscuit Mix.  It is very simple to throw together at home but transforms into pancakes, biscuits, pie dough, coffee cake or dumplings on the trail.

Backcountry Cooking Deck of 50 Recipes for Camp and Trail

The deck recipes include wholesome ingredients like wheat germ, whole wheat flour, quinoa, bulgar, nuts, vegetables and berries.  I can't say that I'm too sure about some of the tuna, salmon and mussels based recipes as fishy smells tend to attract all sorts of critters but the wide array of various ingredients will appeal to nearly everyone's palate.  The Hobo Dinner recipe uses Jerusalem Artichokes which are native to North American and relatively easy to find and harvest in the wild.

Light My Fire Outdoor Meal Kit

 

Augie Foods Cheddar Broccoli Soup in the Light My Fire Meal Kit

I like to bring along my SOL Origin Survival Kit  plus an Aurora Magnesium Fire Starter.  The survival kit has fire starting and survival tools all in one and the Aurora Magnesium Fire Starter can even ignite your camp stove's gas burner.  It is always good to have a back up cooking / heating method when you take to the outback. 

TecX Inceptra with blue anodized aluminum handle makes quick work of kindling.

The same thing can be said for a camp knife.  The SOL Origin comes equipped with an AUS-8 blade folding knife with a light in the handle. This is good backup and you will need to sharpen it first but I would reserve it for emergencies. My primary knife for cleaning fish, preparing kindling, cutting rope, etc would be this TecX Inceptra folding knife from W.R.Case. It is much easier to open and use than the traditional Swiss Army knives. The 440 stainless steel blade and blue anodized aluminum handle equals a nearly indestructible knife you don't have to worry about. The stainless steel blade locks in place and the knife comes with a belt and key ring clip. The TecX Inceptra comes pre-sharpened and ready to go as you can see it made kindling very quickly in the photo above.  A definite must for all your camp cooking & fire starting needs.

Camp cooking eggs and sausage.  Trangia Camp Mess Kit & Stove