Jen: My father was in WW I, and he learned a lot of ways to do things when we went camping. We'd go up near Pytamuning Reservoir in the N.W. part of Pa. to camp out for a week or so. We had 2 old Army tents, camp cots, a very old gasoline stove, and everything we needed, except something to keep the milk, etc., cold! So, being near a small creek, Dad would dig back into the creek bank, where it was nice and cool, and there he'd place the milk and meat! This worked very nicely. Then, we'd rent a small row-boat and go out on the lake to fish! Usually we'd catch pan fish, nothing too large, but just tasty eating. We'd carry drinking water, but we'd wash with clean creek water! It never seemed to hurt us-heck, i'm over 80 yrs of age, and still going strong! There were several kids our age that lived near-by and we'd roam around the area with them! My Dad's father would go along on our trips, and he, being a very stuffy guy if you didn't know him, always relished our camping trips! AHHH! for the good ol' days! I'm glad i can still remember them! And, its always good to look at the pictures of our camping trips there, just to reminisce! By: rustyj

122) Chiggers love the sweet perfume of OFF! Wear it well at clothing openings and about the ankle. (Deer ticks are optional here but plentiful.)

2014 back to the "Beaten Path" in the Absaroka Wilderness, northeast of Yellowstone National Park, this time with a fishing rod in hand. I assisted taking a group of scouts last year there. This time it will be an adult-only fishing trip. If you have the skills to backpack, this is one of the most beautiful places on earth. Can't hike? Take the car can ride from Red Lodge, Montana to Cooke City, Montana, a breath taking trip up over 10,000 feet. Best time is mid July to mid august. Dine in Red Lodge, really nice town! Be sure you have good brakes, some parts of drive not for the faint-hearted. Be sure to stop at the Top-of-the-World store along the way. If you hike it, start on Cooke City side at about 7500 feet, up over top at about 9900 feet, then down to 6000 feet at East Rosebud, about 26 miles. 2 really long days for super athletes or minimalist light weight hikers or a nice 3 to 4 day trip for the average Joe. Abundant water and nice lakes to camp by such as Russell Lake, Ouzel Lake, Twin Outlets Lake, and Rainbow Lake. Huge waterfalls thundering through many sections of the trail on the north end. 200 folks in the area on an average summer day, spread out over miles of wilderness but lots of side lakes/trails if you want to explore without others nearby. Camping at trail heads is $20 a car per night, parking free at trail heads, and camping is free in the wilderness. Some special camping rules apply, mainly distance from water sources, but very manageable. Check it out on Google Earth, East Rosebud going south-southwest toward Wyoming. Steve

We have a member of our fly fishing group that uses an old time canvas wall tent (I think he's just about worn it out ... who knows how old the thing is!) - AND, he tows everything around in a little utility trailer. Really does it with some kind of military efficiency; a place for everything and everything in it's place when he's traveling. Plus he gets on me about my popup tent camper - he says that at least when his utility trailer is not being used for camping that it can be also used for other things, like hauling his yard work bric-a-brac and debris, maybe even hauling a wash machine or refrigerator for somebody - in other words he says his utility trailer "earns it's keep" by using it for many other things besides camping. Says my tent trailer's only purpose in life is camping ... and he has a big point! My friend uses these large plastic bins to carry a lot of the camping gear (keeps it water tight) in the trailer; and has also made some wooden storage/carrying boxes for things like the axe, tent stakes and poles. Also has made a table with folding legs that just fits the bottom of trailer. When he gets everything loaded aboard, then has a plastic tarp he secures over the load - also uses this same plastic tarp as a canopy over his table & cooking area. Bottom line, he has an efficient system for setting up a most comfortable camp. Awhile back I told my utility trailer friend that at least I could carry my canoe on top of the closed popup camper for traveling down the road rather than having to carry it on the roof of the tow vehicle and partically obstructing some of the driver's vision, like he had to do with his utility trailer. Darned if when I saw him the last time that he had not made a removeable carrying rack for toting his canoe around that just fit the trailer! Dale