Car Camping - Part 2
Last week’s article discussed why you should consider car camping but this week I will explain how to do it. . .or at least how I do it.
The Set-Up
Organization while car camping is key. Eventually, your space will explode with items from every part of your car but it’s a good idea to start out well organized.
Backseats
For car camping, you’re going to want to keep the backseat clear. The floor space beneath the backseat is fair game though. This is usually where I keep my camera bag, the mattress topper, snacks, and other smaller backpacks that will fit. It is an easily accessible spot while you are driving or just stopped for a short while. The reason keeping the backseat clear is so important is because this is where you’ll recline your chair when you eventually go to sleep. If it’s packed with stuff, your chair won’t recline far. You can usually put your sleeping bags and pillows on the backseat though since you’ll need these for sleeping anyways.
Electronics
As a landscape photographer, having my batteries fully charged is essential. Being out in the field and having a battery die mid-sunset is a real mood killer. I use a three-pronged car charger with a Lightning, USB-C, and a micro USB cable in the front charger port. In the trunk where there is another outlet, I store another car charger just in case of an emergency. Every time you are driving anywhere, charge your phone, camera batteries, lights, and whatever else you might need. This is so important! Also when you are going to sleep, make sure to unplug the car charger from the port just in case. I’m not an expert on how a car charger might drain your battery overnight but I hear it happens. So better safe than sorry.
The Trunk
This, of course, is where most of your items will be stored. Groceries, camping equipment, clothing, and toiletries will all go back here. I’ve never personally done this but I see a lot of other car campers use a 3 tier storage bin in their trunk. This allows for easy organization while also being space efficient. Make sure that your food and stove are easily accessible though since you’ll be using them quite a bit.
Recipes
This section is a bit of a joke but sometimes it can be difficult to come up with meal ideas.
Cup of Noodles
Easy, quick, and classic
Mash Potatoes and Beef Jerky
Strange but tasty
Bag of Fritos and Chili
Simple and delicious
Chicken Noodle Soup and Crackers
Not super nutritious...
Clam Chowder and Bread
Might even eat this normally
Pasta and Red Sauce
Don’t overcomplicate this
Sleeping
Sleeping is pretty simple. Grab your sleeping bag from the backseat, recline your chair as far back as it goes, and hit the hay. Make sure to clear the space around your feet before going to sleep. No reason to make the car more cramped than it already is. How comfortable you are will depend on a lot of factors. The type of car you have, what the seats are made of, and if you have a mattress topper.
What becomes a bit more complicated is where to park your car when it gets dark. Somehow waking up with a ticket on my windshield is my biggest fear when parking my car in the middle of the woods with no cell service. But either way, you’ll want to find spots to boondock at. This is the term for random roads where you can legally park on or to the side of and camp for the night. Some boondocking spots are well established while others are more remote and beat up. Also, all national forests are fair game! Andddd, most national parks have a national forest right next to them making it the perfect scenario for car camping.
Conclusion
Well, there’s the how-to on car camping. Not super complicated but I’m sure there are some steps that I missed along the way. Feel free to reach out if you have any questions at all. I really do support the idea of car camping and think everyone should give it a try. Especially if you are really passionate about taking photos at remote locations but just don’t quite have the funds yet. Hopefully, your first car camping mission goes smoothly and you have a great time!
