With summer here and plenty of opportunities to go camping coming I thought it might be timely to do a short piece on camping with a tent. Many people who own a tent mistakenly think that they can simply toss their gear into a truck and head down the road.

The frustration often begins when they arrive at their location and find that in the shadows of twilight they do not recall exactly how to put up their tent. There are quite a few tips that campers can use BEFORE they head down the road to the spot in the great outdoors where they hope to enjoy a few nights.

1. Seal the seams before heading to a camping spot.
2. Try erecting the tent at home.
3. Roll and stow the tent at home; especially before taking it on a backpack trip where space is a big issue.

4. Toss in a few extra stakes and lines.
5. When the tent is up put the gear you expect to load into the tent at night into it and then get in yourself. Is there enough room?
6. Cut a tarp or plastic sheet to fit just smaller than the base of the tent for a ground cloth.
7. The first time you go camping allow for plenty of time to arrive and set up before dark.

Keeping these items in mind while planning your next adventure will make it that much more enjoyable. Choosing a campsite is very important to the comfort that one will experience.
Campsite setup tips
• Show up early
• Reserve a site if possible. If you can scout out locations drive or walk around to see what is available. Think about privacy, distance to restrooms, water or fuel supply
• Step back and think about possible hazards when scrutinizing the area. Open fields are OK but offer no shelter, canyons that are narrow are possible flash flood risks, stagnant water is a mosquito attractant and large trees are not a good place to be hunched under in a storm.
• Find a level site and clear it of rocks and sticks
• Tie off lines so that they will not be tripped on in the dark.
• Be sure to ventilate the tent during the day when mosquitoes are not as active
• Keep security in mind concerning valuables and food.

Once at the location campers can make the trip go very smoothly and keep things fun by following a few self imposed rules. Here are a few to start with:
• Keep your tent clean. Sweep out food, take out the trash and keep lids on spillable items. No one likes bugs in their sleeping area!
• Keep the tent zipped up unless airing out.
• Keep the tent in the shade or at least do not leave it erected in the direct sun for long periods of time unnecessarily.
• When tearing down the tent pull stakes by the stakes not by the lines or the tent.
• Always allow a tent to dry completely before storing. Be extra clean to avoid any mildew or rotting.