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Camping - a Means or an End?
"What do you love most about camping?" Every time I ask that question - and I ask it a lot - I get a slightly different answer. Which got me to thinking about why some people love it and others do not. Looking at it from a non-campers perspective, I guess I can understand why some folks have no desire to sleep in a tent, swat bugs, worry about snakes, or just get dirty. But for those of us who love being outdoors, the experience has its own special meaning to each individual.
Some people seem to love camping just for the sake of camping - they love sleeping in their tent or camping trailer and sitting around a campfire at night. Just being away from the daily grind and enjoying the fresh air and freedom of the outdoors is enough to send them packing and heading down the road at every chance they get. Preparing meals over a fire, reading a book, or just taking a good nap. I guess you could count me in among this group.
Then there are those for whom camping is simply a means to an end. They love camping - they wouldn't be there otherwise - but the real reason they go is oftentimes something completely different. Camping for them provides the base they need to pursue other outdoor activities.
For example, I have a friend who is an avid astrologer. He brings enough telescopes and other stargazing equipment to camp to rival the Hubble telescope. He's a camper alright, but he knows the best way to stargaze is to be far away from city lights, in the middle of nowhere, late at night. Is he a stargazer who loves camping, or the other way around? For me, it is exploring. I love researching, and then trying to find ghost towns or mines, hidden deep in the backcountry and just waiting for me to find and explore! So, I guess I belong to this group also
So which group are you in? What are your favorite activities? Camping, and....hiking, fishing, bird watching, reading, painting, hunting, exploring, story telling....the list is endless. What is it that you like to do when camping, that you never get to do at home?
One thing is for sure however, everything I do outdoors is always just a bit more enjoyable when camping. Except mowing the lawn, of course. Now that summer is in full-swing, I hope you have time to go camping, and do the many things that campers do!
Thank you for being a member of our growing PahaQue family. We appreciate your support past and present that has allowed us to live our dream of designing and building the best camping tents and shelters available. Now more than ever we remain committed to offering our customers the very best in quality and performance, backed with excellent customer service.
I hope to see you 'round the campfire soon!
Jeff Basford
President
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Last month our good friends Jerry and Kathy at Xpeditions TV took another trip deep into the heart of the Amazon, in search of "lost knowledge and ancient places". PahaQue was proud to have our tents and shelters chosen for this expedition.
Check out this great video that they produced on their trip!
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The Cottonwood LT 10x10 PINK is the Cottonwood 10x10, dressed up in PINK. The Cottonwood LT 10x10 in PINK is ideal for those who take the outdoors seriously, whether it's a family gathering in the park, a fishing trip by the river, or a fully equipped campsite. PahaQue insists on using the finest materials and components available.
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With Rainfly
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The Bear Creek 200 Tent is PahaQue's first two-person backpacking tent. With a full mesh body, it is designed to provide a wide-open, "sleeping under the stars" feeling on dry nights, as well as a dry and secure environment when the
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weather turns nasty. Designed as a free-standing tent, the Bear Creek 200 will provide complete protection, in any weather. Enjoy bug-free nights for two sleeping next to the fire, or buttoned up tight for foul weather, this versatile design provides PahaQue quality at an affordable price.
SALE ENDS July 14th, 2013 AT MIDNIGHT Use coupon code TAKE20OFF
**Please Note - sales prices may NOT be shown at time of order, but ALL prices will be adjusted to the sales price before your payment is billed. Sales prices Do Not include shipping costs. Please call us toll-free at 888.700.TENT (8368) for questions and complete information |
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Cottonwood 10x10 in Blue
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From the beach to the baseball field, in sun or rain, our freestanding Cottonwood Shade Shelter helps you stay cool and dry. Easy-to-pitch, lightweight aluminum tent poles support a durable, waterproof roof that provides UPF 50+ sun protection. Sturdy sidewalls elevate from 5 ft. to an inside peak height of 8 ft. Available with an integrated, ultrafine misting system that cools the surrounding air up to 30 degrees.
$295.00 - $349.00 (w/ misting system) - Limited Edition for 2013
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CELESTIAL NAVIGATOR from PahaQue
What's the first constellation you learned about as a kid? Chances are good it was the Big Dipper.
Visible every clear night of the year in the Northern Hemisphere, the Big Dipper is especially prominent during spring and early summer, when it hangs high in the northern sky after sunset.
Through July, look for it in the north-northwest a little after sunset, when its handle arcs upward and the bowl hangs down, open to the east.
Because the Earth's axis of rotation wobbles slightly - a motion that astronomers call precession - the north celestial pole drifts steadily through the heavens, completing a giant circle every 25,800 years. During that period, several stars become, for a time, the North Star.
In just 12,000 years or so, the bright star Vega (which shines in the northeast after sunset in July) will take its turn as the North Star. And nearly 14,000 years after that, good ol' Polaris will be back in place as our North Star.
But only for a while.
The Dipper's stars
Beginning at the tip of the bowl, these are the seven stars of the Big Dipper:
- Dubhe is an orange giant about 125 light-years away. It has a faint companion, easily visible with a small telescope.
- Merak, almost 80 light-years away, is at the bottom of the bowl. A line from Merak through Dubhe points to the North Star.
- Phad (also known as Phecda) is the other star at the bottom of the bowl. It is about 84 light-years away.
- Megrez, the star where the handle joins the bowl, is the faintest member of the Dipper. It is about 81 light-years away.
- Alioth, the brightest star of the asterism, is about 81 light-years away.
- Mizar, the middle star of the handle, is actually a double star, but you'll need a telescope to see both components. Mizar is nearly 83 light-years away.
- Alcor is a faint neighbor of Mizar, about a quarter of a degree away. Although the ability to spot Alcor has long been considered a good test of eyesight, it's really not that difficult. Give it a try the next time you have a clear, dark sky.
- Alkaid (sometimes spelled "Alcaid") is the star at the end of the handle. It is just over 100 light-years away.
Five of the seven stars are part of the same cluster, roughly the same distance away and moving in the same direction. But Dubhe and Alkaid, the stars at each end of the asterism, move in the opposite direction from the others. Over the course of a few thousand years, the Big Dipper will lose its distinctive shape.
Planets
Saturn remains well-placed for evening viewing throughout July. Look for the medium-bright, yellowish-white "star" in the south-southwest shortly after sunset.
Jupiter shines brightly in the southeast before sunrise throughout the month, while Mars, not nearly as bright, appears lower and well to Jupiter's left.
Mercury is visible low in the west after sunset during the first part of July.
Moon
Look for the crescent moon to the left of Mercury after sunset July 3. A waning crescent moon will appear slightly above and to the right of Mars before sunrise July 27.
excerpts from azcentral.com
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The Gear Doctor
JUNE 2013
Campsite Info
Summer is here, and you're anxious to get out and camp! But where to go? What to bring? Here's a couple of ideas on how to have a great camping experience with the least amount of drag.
Look at a map of your house location on Google maps. Scroll out a bit and draw an imaginary circle around the distance you'd like to drive. If you are going for the weekend only, a good rule of thumb is to stay within a 3 hr radius.
STATE PARKS
Will always have bathrooms and running water. Bring quarters for showers, if available. A compact "train case" for toiletries is good, preferably one with a hanger so you can keep it dry in the dressing area of the shower stall. Bring towels and washcloths too, as these are not supplied. Some St Parks have hiking trails, so check them out before you leave. You may need to bring hiking boots, a sun hat, sunblock and insect repellent. A good refillable water bottle is a must. A small daypack or fanny pack to carry extras is very helpful. I find bandanas to be incredibly useful for several reasons: wet it and tie it around your neck to lower body temperature. Fold into a narrow band and tie your hair back or wear as a headband to absorb sweat and keep hair out of your eyes. They make great slings for sprained arms or wrists. St Parks charge a fee for camping in the range of $15-20, and reservations are a must. Use this website to make reservations, and try to do it well in advance: 6 weeks or before. Some State Parks have cabins for rent as well. One example is Big Basin St Park near Santa Cruz. You can modify your search parameters to include cabins when you log on. You'll need to create an account for St and Nat'l Parks in order to reserve campsites.
NATIONAL PARKS
Fees for Nat'l Parks are higher than St Parks, but often the entry fee to the park is waived if you are paying for camping. The sites may or may not have showers, but they will all have bathrooms and running water. They fill up faster than any other campsites, and can be reserved up to 6 months in advance on the site listed below. You must pay in advance online.
PRIVATE CAMPGROUNDS
These are campgrounds owned by companies or individuals. One example is KOA. They generally have full hookups for trailers, tent sites, bathrooms, showers, pools, and a mini grocery store. Fees vary and you can look them up online to see what amenities each campground has to offer. http://koa.com/
FOREST SERVICE CAMPGROUNDS
These cannot be reserved, but lots of info can be found on this site: http://www.forestcamping.com/dow/list/nflist.htm
Typically the sites will have pit toilets and there MAY be running water, but not always. There are regulations about what size motor home or trailer you can bring, and most sites are for tent camping. Usually these sites are free or may cost $10 or less. Since they do not take reservations, they are a good choice as a last minute trip idea. Remember to bring gallons of water and toilet paper!
WHAT TO BRING
The best way to pack for a camping trip is to visualize yourselves there, and what you'd like to be doing on the trip. If fire rings are provided, bring firewood and some goodies to roast over the fire. Some essentials are listed below:
Tent
Sleeping bags
Sleeping pads
Flashlight
Kitchen items/utensils/plates, etc
Stove/fuel
Lantern/fuel
Matches/lighter
Dishwashing equipment
Chairs/folding table
Books/games
First aid kit
Clothing appropriate for climate
Hiking boots/socks
Ice chest with food/drinks
Outdoor toys
Broom/shovel
Next month, we'll take each item on this list and break it down into ideas of what to bring. For now, get out there and camp! There's nothing better than waking up in a tent.... The Gear Doctor prescribes this as a stress relieving technique.
Contributed by Anita Hudson Easton - 20 year industry veteran, and PahaQue's very own Gear Doctor!
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CHUCKWAGON FIXIN'S FROM COOKY JASON
Hey there, campers! Here is a quick and easy meal that is one of my favorite camp recipes. When camping, the rule of thumb for great recipes is to maximize taste and nutrition while minimizing preparation time and cleanup. The best camp cooking recipes allow you to do this with the limited resources available in the outdoors.
Quickin' Quesadillas
As far as quick snacks go, you can't get much simpler than the awesome quesadilla. In its most basic form it's only two ingredients: a tortilla shell and cheese. And it takes about 3 minutes to make and costs less than a dollar. But obviously, we can't just leave it at that. So let's check out some simple variations. We'll start with the simple version and go from there.
Major Players
One soft tortilla shell: You can pick up a package of these for only a few bucks.
Shredded cheese: Use ¾ cup for a standard size tortilla shell, 1 cup for a large one. I like to use sharp cheddar and shred my own because it's cheaper. But sometimes buying shredded cheese is worth the convenience.
Heat a skillet over very low heat and lay in your tortilla. (Or heat the grill up to medium. Lightly coat each side of a tortilla shell with olive oil and salt.) Sprinkle in your cheese on only one half of the tortilla. Salt and pepper to taste and add a few pinches of garlic powder. Or scratch the regular salt and use garlic salt instead. Fold over the other half of the tortilla to make a half-circle. Give it about a minute per side and you're in business.
Game Changer
Sautee ½ cup onions with ½ cup diced mushrooms in 2 Tbsps canola oil. Also add in one finely diced dehydrated chipotle pepper (dried smoked jalapeño) with the seeds removed. You can find these at most grocery stores these days. They are not spicy-hot and have an amazing smoky flavor. Also add 2 Tbsps water to your skillet to help soften the chipotle. Let this go for about 4 minutes and remove from heat. When you add your cheese to the tortilla, add only half of it. Then spread your onion/mushroom/chipotle mixture evenly on top of the cheese, then add the other half of the cheese and fold over the other half of the tortilla. Again, we only need to go about a minute per side.
*Note: if you can't find chipotles, feel free to use diced fresh jalapeño. There are endless variations you can do here. We can add tomatoes, bell peppers, fresh diced garlic, avocado slices, blah blah blah... You get the idea. You can even use store bought salsa or guacamole. The point is to get in there and try some things and find what you like. This whole process takes about 10 minutes for two quesadillas. These are perfect for that late night snack or serve them up at a party or at the campsite.
Score.
Contributed by Jason Rogers - outdoor industry veteran, military veteran, actor, and PahaQue's very own Cooky!
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Whether you are a tent camper, or a trailer camper, PahaQue has what you need to make your outdoor experience the best it can be by providing top-quality products designed and manufactured with pride. We stand behind every product we make with a Lifetime Warranty. Since 1997 - Serious Outdoor Adventure Gear by PahaQue.
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PahaQue Preferred Dealer
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PahaQue Wilderness 13125 Danielson Street #105 Poway, CA 92064 888.700.TENT (8368) |
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