Family Camping Guide

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=90 BGCOLOR="#006699" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="02c285a1erlcgo.png"> <div> <B><IMG SRC="07000500.png" border=0 width="256" height="80" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B><FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#FFCC66" FACE="Arial" ><B>nova.org</B></FONT><B>     |     </B><A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="nova.org"><U><B>home</B></U></A><B>  </B><A HREF="id80.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Pack Overnight Camping"><U><B><IMG SRC="03b0e0e0.png" border=0 width="14" height="14" ALT="up" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></U></A><B>   </B><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="14" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" WIDTH="14"><B>     </B><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="14" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" WIDTH="14"><B>  </B><A HREF="id167.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Webelos Equipment Guide"><U><B><IMG SRC="0300e0e0.png" border=0 width="14" height="14" ALT="next" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></U></A></div> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" width=210 BGCOLOR="#FFCC66" TEXT="#080000" background="02ad2c00dkelyh.png"> <div> Major Activities Home <A HREF="id80.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Pack Overnight Camping"><U><IMG SRC="03b0e0e0.png" border=0 width="14" height="14" ALT="up" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></U></A>   </div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="14" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" WIDTH="14">     </div> <div> Previous Activity<IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="14" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" WIDTH="14">  </div> <div> Next Activity <A HREF="id167.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Webelos Equipment Guide"><U><IMG SRC="0300e0e0.png" border=0 width="14" height="14" ALT="next" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></U></A></div> <div> <B>Family Camping Guide</B></div> <div> <A HREF="id167.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Webelos Equipment Guide"><U>Webelos Equipment Guide</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id169.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Burke Lake Park Campgroud"><U>Burke Lake Park Campgroud</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id171.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Bull Run Campground"><U>Bull Run Campground</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id172.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Lake Fairfax Campground"><U>Lake Fairfax Campground</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id206.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Mountain View Campground at Silver Lake"><U>Mountain View Campground at Silver Lake</U></A></div> </td> <td valign="top" height=390 BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <I>Family Camping Guide</I></div> <div> In the Spring and Fall of each year, Pack 146 has a Family Campout at one of the nearby camping areas, usually at Lake Fairfax Park, Bull Run Park or at Burke Lake. Camping is a great way to spend time with family and friends. Activities in the past have included fishing, sports, raffles, skits, songs, hiking, <IMG SRC="06e646e0.png" border=0 width="100" height="110" ALIGN="RIGHT" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">and much, much more. (Yes, even sleeping!) </div> <bR> <div> You and your family are not required to camp out. If you prefer, just come for the afternoon and/or evening. Bring a picnic, stay for dinner, and the campfire. Leave as early or stay as late as you like.</div> <bR> <div> Some folks cook on grills at the campsite (if they are available), or on camp stoves, or on small grills such as hibachis and "Smoky Joe's". Other do takeout, such as fried chicken or pizza.</div> <bR> <div> Bring the whole family if you want. There will be kids of all ages there. Bring balls, games, Frisbees, fishing equipment, FLASHLIGHTS, and, or course, supplies for S'mores: coat hangers, marshmallows, graham crackers, and chocolate bars. Bring extra clothes for those who tend to get wet or dirty, and bring warm clothes for when things cool down after dark.</div> <bR> <div> <B>Scouts who are spending the night must stay with a parent.</B></div> <bR> <div> If you are spending the night, you will also need to bring a tent, sleeping gear, drinking water, food for breakfast, utensils and cooking gear, ice, coolers, hot pads, trash bags, toilet kit, rain gear (just in case), and lanterns. There are usually rest rooms and showers available.</div> <bR> <div> Tents, sleeping bags, and pads can be rented from camping/recreational stores in the area, such as Eastern Mountain Sports at Fair Lakes. If you are planning to purchase a tent (which could save you some money in the long run), be aware that the advertised "maximum occupancy" ratings may be somewhat inflated. For example, a 7'x7' dome tent is usually rated at 3 to 4 occupants. In fact, it will hold two adults comfortably, perhaps three adults if you're not planning on storing anything else inside it.</div> <bR> <div> Decent 3-season bags (rated to 30-50 degrees Fahrenheit) can be purchased at a reasonable cost. Such a bag should serve your family camping needs. You should also strongly consider obtaining a foam pad (or even an air mattress) as a means of comfort and of insulation from the cold ground.</div> <div>   <IMG SRC="06f8ed80.png" border=0 width="142" height="216" ALIGN="LEFT" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> If you think that you may be continuing on to Boy Scouts, this means backpacking! Backpacking Scouts are allowed to carry at most 1/3 of their body weight. If you're hiking up a mountain, you probably don't even want to carry that much. A budget 7'x7' dome tent weighs about 10 pounds, a backpacking rack is another 5 pounds, a sleeping bag is 5 more pounds, plus food, water, clothes, etc. Combine all of this with how much you think your boy will weigh when he gets to 6th grade, and it may be worth considering whether or not to spend the extra money for a lighter tent, or perhaps to buy several smaller tents instead of one, big family tent.  Check out the <A HREF="id167.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Webelos Equipment Guide"><U>Webelos Equipment Guide</U></A></div> <div>  </div> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>