BASE CAMPING!

If you want to combine your love of camping with your need for relaxation, try base camping. Base or car camping is a great way to enjoy some of the joys of camping without having to carry all your equipment with you. All you have to do is pack up your camping gear, find a scenic campsite, and enjoy the comforts of a home-away-from-home.

Base camping is a more relaxing form of camping than survival type camping or backpacking. However, it is more rustic than RV camping. All you need to take on your base camping trip are your basic camping essentials. You can choose the degree of comfort you wish to enjoy during your trip.

The basic supplies you will need are; a tent large enough to comfortably fit the entire family, sleeping bags, camp stove, food and cooking equipment, wood for the campfire, and a lantern. For a more comfortable base camp you can bring along sleeping pads, an air mattress or even cots. If you have room in your car you can also pack lawn chairs, utensils, plates, cups, a bin to do dishes, and some dish soap. You can bring as much or as little as you choose, just as long as you make sure you bring what you need to be safe during your trip.

Base camping gives you a chance to set up a camp that acts as a home, while taking day trips and hikes. This type of camping allows you to leave your tent set up at your campsite each day. When you are backpacking, you have to pack all of your supplies with you throughout your trip. Base camping allows you to take a much more leisurely trip.

When getting ready for a base camping trip you need to select an appropriate campsite in the area you are planning to visit. If you are visiting a national park you can make a reservation for a campsite for the duration of your stay. Campgrounds provide all kinds of amenities, from restrooms with showers to providing educational events.

Base camping allows you to leave many of your camping essentials at your site when you leave for your day of adventure, but you need to make sure that your belongings remain safe. Make sure you don't leave any valuables behind when you leave. It is best not to bring any valuables that you don't plan on carrying with you at all times. Many parks warn not to leave valuables in your car for the day either. It is always prudent to plan ahead and save yourself potential headaches.  Leave extra credit cards at home, and don't bring any equipment you aren't willing to either lose or store somewhere safe.

Next time you plan a camping trip, try out base camping. You will have a wonderful time having new adventures with the knowledge that you have a comfy tent and campfire waiting for you at the end of the day. Base camping can be as relaxing or as difficult as you would like. Enjoy exploring the wilds of America from the comfort of your home-away-from-home when you next go camping.

Camping.com

STONE MOUNTAIN STATE PARK

It's 5 o'clock Friday and I just got off work ready to head out for a weekend of camping with my Dad, my sister Wesley, and my two awesome nieces Owen and Barrett. Oh, and Lilly (their dog) and my dog Bailey. We are camping at Stone Mountain State Park, NC (not Georgia) this weekend. Wes and Dad hasn't been there for years. Since then, SMSP has added Loop B for RV's, Loop C for additional tent camping, and an extra restroom facility. Stone Mountain State Park is about 1.5 hours away from Charlotte making for a nice getaway site for the weekend. You simply go up I-77 N to exit 83/Hwy 21 N then 13 miles to Traphill Road/State Road 1002 then turn left and go 4 more miles to John P Frank Parkway and turn right straight to the parks gates. I arrived around 8 pm about a half hour after they got there. After everything gets set up Dad and I take a walk down pass the campground entrance to check out two fields where we might see some deer. The first field was empty but by the time we get to the second field it becomes dark so we spotlight the field (not for hunting/just viewing) and see 12 sets of red eyes glowing in the dark. I woke up around 3 am to the start of some heavy, heavy rain. Bailey wakes me up around 6 am to go out, so we take a walk around the campground and observe a few more deer looking for food. Dad is now up making his famous omelettes. They are really good. The girls are ready to jump into a creek or river so we ride over to Willow Falls and play in the water for awhile. The sun is shining and the water is cool. We head over to the nearest country store for some ice cream. Owen tries to catch a blue tail lizard on the porch steps while Barrett chats up a little boy. Dad and I try our hand at some fly-fishing for a few hours. No luck, only 2 horny heads.  Dinners on the grill, BBQ Ribs, grilled corn on the cob, fried potatoes and onions. Now back for our walk to check out more deer. We find a few more and a raspberry patch as well. It's roasting marshmallow time. Bailey and I slept like two babies Saturday night. Sunday morning breakfast consisted of pancakes, eggs over easy, and sausage patties. Then pack up and head home to an end of a very NICE weekend with family.

WNC Park: 8

Woodpecker (photo by Wesley Satterwhite)

Owen & Barrett at Willow Falls (photo by Wesley Satterwhite)

Owen at the Homestead (photo by Wesley Satterwhite)

Deer (photo by Wesley Satterwhite)

Deer Field (photo by Wesley Satterwhite)

Campsite #22 (photo by Wesley Satterwhite)

Rib Dinner (photo by Wesley Satterwhite)

Stone Mountain in Fall

Stone Mountain in Fall

Stone Mountain in Fall

U.S. NATIONAL WHITEWATER CENTER

The US National Whitewater Center is the worlds largest man-made whitewater river providing exciting rafting and kayaking adventures on Class II, III, and IV rapids. USNWC is home to many different water and land activities including but not limited to whitewater kayaking and rafting, flatwater kayaking, SUP, zip-lines, adventure courses, rock climbing, mountain biking, and 14 miles of trails on nearly 400 acres. Parking cost $5. You can purchase an AllSport pass, a QuickSport pass, a CoolSport pass or a Canopy Tour pass depending on what activities your participating. The trail systems is free to hikers, runners, and mountain bikers provided you bring your own bike. Today, I hiked the 3.5 mile Lake Loop Trail that meanders around several ponds. I recommend you buy a trail map and follow the trails opposite the directional arrows so you are facing oncoming bikers. This trail is labeled moderately difficult but is easily marked and well worn out so you absolutely can't get lost. The Lake Loop Trail provides an especially scenic hike with blackberry bushes, honey suckles bushes, a cool bamboo forest, thick forest canopy, four ponds, a black snake, and a raccoon crossing the trail. The Channel Loop hugs the river around the park. It was exciting to watch the rafters and kayakers splashing down the rapids.