Lisa - like I've already posted on Jenn's thread, I too, am concerned about all those 16oz disposable L/P tanks filling landfills. So where-ever possible have replaced the disposables with a regular 20# re-fillable tank (also use a little re-fillable 5# tank). Still have a couple of the disposables tanks in reserve stand-by just in case I run out of propane. Dish washing: a lot of C/G's, like those run by the Army Corps of Engineers, some state parks and have even seen them at a couple of K.O.A.'s, - have dish washing stations - usually located close to the restroom/shower areas, where there is a large community sink (even with hot water), and you can take your dishes & pots & pans, scrub them clean and tote them back to your campsite. Now, when I'm in an area where no such facilities are provided, I do like Jen ... help some of the close by vegetation with the dish & rinse water. AND, I only use 100% pure soap for dishes, like Ivory bar soap. Fish cleaning: campgrounds that are located close to fishing areas, quite often will provide fish cleaning stations (just like the dish washing stations), and have special trash cans just for the entrails from the fish cleaning. In the case where I'm in more remote areas and no such facilities are provided, here I take the fish cleanings and dig a nice hole close to some nice tree and bury the stuff; a real nice treat for the tree! Canoe anchor: there was an older house that was being demolished in town and I got three or four of the old timey window weights that were used in house construction years ago. These are cast iron weights and since the weight is a tad too heavy for what I like, had a local welding shop cut the weight in two making the weight just right for what I do with my canoe. Here I connect a foot long piece of chain to the window weight and then tie the anchor rope to the chain. Just right for holding the canoe in ponds, small lakes and such; and for the rivers that are moving right along, perfect for dragging and slowing the canoe down as I fly cast my way along. Dale

Well, this is a bit off the subject, but, when i was a kid of ten or so, my Dad and Grand-father would take me and my brother on a camping trip, up to Pymatuning Reservoir, in North-western Pennsylvania, for a week of fishing and row-boating, and seeing the sights. (This was around 1933 to 1940.) We had two old WW I Army tents, and cots, blankets, a gasoline stove, cooking utensils, plates, etc. We didn't have an ice chest. My Dad would dig a hole in the creek bank, and we'd keep the perishables there, in the cool water, in a bucket, with a lid. We'd rent a row-boat, and Daddy and me and my younger Brother would go out on the lake and fish. We'd spend a week there, and had lots of fun. We'd turn in at dusk, since we didn't have a big lantern. One night, there was a great commotion outside our tent, and the head-lights of our car were shining into our tent and the horn was blowing loudly! (Around 3 a.m!) I awoke, and asked what was happening. Daddy shouted:"There are skunks in your tent"! Uh-Oh!? "Be very still"! I didn't move, and could hear rustling under my brother's cot, so i managed a peek. And there were two skunks worrying an old half empty can of fish-bait! WOO-HOO! Well, they finally "licked the platter clean", so to say, and ran off. Daddy finally quit blowing the horn, and it all cooled down then. Also, when my wife and i went up to Hammonasset State park, in connecticut, we set up the camper, then went in to town to buy some groceries. As we drove back into the park, we saw 3 skunks walking into a tent that was set up nearby. We watched to see if anybody came running out, but no one did. Then, a car pulled in and four girls got out and started for the tent!! I hollered and told them about the skunks---woo-hoo, they hollered, ran out, got into their car and drove madly away! Don't know if they ever came back! Hammonasset was a nice park to visit. We went there several times. It was close to where our son lived. We went there one 4th. of July when the holiday fell on a Saturday. This was on Wednesday. the park management said we could camp there, if we left on Thursday, as the weekenders would need the space. We agreed, and we left.

I have camped my whole life with very little trouble. If there is something very valuable like my camera or purse I would not leave it unattended. The same as I would not leave it in my unlocked car at a store. I have had a cooler full of food stolen once. It had a complete meal for about 25 people-- mostly kids. I had gas stolen from my boat once but I'm pretty sure I know who did that! Overall, I don't worry about people stealing at campgrounds. I worry more about putting things away in case of rain or wind when I'm away! I can tell you from years of experience working in a campground that people throw their gear out when they leave! People throw out tarps, tents, lanterns, stoves, you name it! We joke about dumpster diving at the campground because so many good chairs are left there! I would say that more people throw away their gear than steal it!

We have purchased the Sierra Designs Bedouin 6 tent off Ebay for $183.00. I've set it up inside our garden room and there's room for four large ThermaRest pads and room to cruise up the middle. The tent is only 8 square feet larger in area than our SD Base Camp '88 model, but the headroom is over six feet so it feels a lot larger. I really like the bends in the X-poles and the as-always top-shelf quality of Sierra Designs products. I counted 27 different pockets in the tent, really like the adjustable clothesline too. There are three different dual cupholders attached to the tent, they are mesh and also have small pockets above them. The dual vestibules are a nice feature that the Agnes Big House didn't offer. Brow poles make them possible and don't require stooping for entry like most vestibules. The amount of mesh is just right, there's ventilation but with the fly there is heat retention as well. We're taking it into the back country next month for camping in the Laguna Mountains.