Hello! Chris and I made a bee line for Mt. Charleston last Friday to get in some good ol’ camping and biking. We kind of got everything together last minute, and it was a pretty short trip, but we had fun! It was nice to get out of the Vegas heat and not have cell phone service for a little while. Sometimes it’s just nice to sit out in nature with a book in hand, a cool breeze at your back, and nothing but whispering trees and chippers climbing up your leg wanting more pistachios.
Since I had Friday off last week, most of the day was spent scrambling for last minute food items for our trip. Usually Chris thinks you can just hop in the car and go camping in a flash, but there is a lot more packing and crap getting than one might think. Well, we had borrowed a lot of the gear of our last camping trip, so we still had to purchase another sleeping bag, propane, grill, blow-up mattress, pump for said blow-up mattress, propane lamp, fire wood, and various other miscellaneous items that you must buy while in the camping section of a Big 5 Store. After we finally got all of our junk in the trunk, along with all our bike gear, we were off at about 4pm, geezsh!
It takes about 1.5 hours to get up to Mt. Charleston from where we live and we just had enough time to get the tent set up, blow-up mattress pumped, and the fire started before dark settled. It is a really nice campground and even has a nice bathroom and running water.
The site was a little slanted, but we made due. Chris likes taking the job of making the fire like a manly man, so I happily took some pictures to document our trip.
Once the fire briquettes (fire cheaters) were nice and hot, with the help of the lighter fluid (we’re really roughin’ it), it was time to get the dutch oven pre-heated. I LOVE this thing for camping. You can literally make anything and everything in this one heavenly pot.
My absolute favorite meal for camping is cornbread topped chicken pot pie. I had already prepped everything at home before we left, so I just had to throw everything in the pot once it was heated. Nice!
There are only a few modifications that must be done for making this at higher elevations and in a blasted hot oven on a bunch of hot coals.
- Decrease baking powder by half in the cornbread section of the recipe.
- Add about 1/4 cup extra milk in the cornbread mixture.
- Add about an additional cup to 1.5 cups of liquid for the pot pie base because it can evaporate quickly!
We were really roughin’ it though because amidst the chaos of trying to get everything together, we totally forgot to bring the BBQ utensils . . doh! So Chris used some sticks to handle the hot cast iron and managed to not burn himself.
Briquette chopsticks . . .
Wonderful light from the propane lamp . . .
Nothing like a warm bowl of goodness, snuggling by the fire in the chilly night with your man 🙂
Oh yes, did I mention we forgot our chairs?
woo-hoo! Time for s’mores!! This is the ultimate camping must have and I always look forward to s’mores while camping. At least we didn’t forget those!
More resourceful use of sticks since we forgot our skewers. They worked pretty good actually.
I think I woke up about 8 times during the night randomly, and the wind started to pick up, but we were up at the crack of dawn getting ready for the day. I made some scrambled eggs, wrapped up with turkey meat and cheese in a ww wrap.
We also had some fresh fruit and cottage cheese on the side.
mmm TJ’s fresh OJ is the bomb.
While Chris went down the mountain to meet a friend to blast back up to get ready for the Mt. Charleston Race, I waited and messed around the camp site and read a few of my books. It was really nice to just sit and have nothing else to think or worry about. I even made friends with a little chipmunk. I made the mistake of giving him a pistachio and then he kept coming back and even started crawling up my pant leg!! crazy. I wish I could have gotten a picture of that.
Once they got back and took a quick break, we all left for a 25 miler. The views were gorgeous and the weather was a bit warm and gusty.
There are only really 2 ways to bike around Mt. Charleston though . . . straight up or straight down. There was certainly lots of good hill training and it felt great to get in some killer climbs. The downhill was a bit scary though because it was so gusty.
After our ride we packed up and headed back into town that evening. I really didn’t want to come back and always look forward to another camping adventure. I just hope we can remember more things next time . . .
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Many thanks for all your wedding wishes! We have started looking at different options to see what’s out there and I will let you know and I’d love your help in our decision 🙂
Have a great week!
Do you enjoy camping? Any funny camping mishaps?
can u believe that i’ve never been in a camping? what a shame. I really need to try it once. You camping adventurous sounds so relaxing! 🙂
Comment by coco — August 24, 2010 @ 2:25 am
What fun! And what a beautiful place! Sounds like a perfect weekend!
Comment by Shannon — August 24, 2010 @ 3:51 am
This sounds like SUCH FUN!!! I love camping, but I haven’t gone camping in years. Nick and I always talk about taking a camping trip (or just camping one weekend) in the fall, but our schedules have yet to allow us to do it. We both work on weekends and it’s hard to find the perfect time to go.
I really love your hair with the wave! It looks great, you should wear it like that more often. I bet people tell you that all the time, right?!
Comment by The Candid RD — August 24, 2010 @ 6:03 am
@Gina, Thanks! yea or when I wear it down. It’s funny because I got a few permanent waves in my hair in HS and ever since then it’s stayed curly! I did have a slight wave as a kid though 🙂
Comment by Kristen :) — August 25, 2010 @ 3:25 pm
So awesome! I am totally jealous. I love it up there. I haven’t been camping in years, but I do like it. I just watch too many horror movies so I get a little on the scared side when in the woods at night. If there were other people around I would feel a little safer. It looks like that is a good camp ground. I like to hike in that area. In fact, Ryan proposed out there while we were hiking one day.
Comment by Melinda — August 24, 2010 @ 6:26 am
Sounds like a fun weekend! Camping is always a good time and an adventure. Your homemade pot pie is so creative. S’mores = definitely the best camp food ever.
Comment by Emily — August 24, 2010 @ 7:24 am
That looks like an amazing time! I love camping but we don’t go too often – maybe we’ll live somewhere soon with better campsites/better scenery. 🙂 The view on your bike ride is simply breathtaking.
Comment by Dorry — August 24, 2010 @ 8:18 am
I love camping and being outdoors away from busy life. I will definitely check out your meal you made, it looks like a perfect camping dish!
Comment by Heather @ Get Healthy with Heather — August 24, 2010 @ 10:34 am
My idea of camping involves a room, hot running water and wine…I could just stay home too! :o) Glad you had a nice time! Buster is such a lover, he gave me lots of kisses after our walks!
Comment by Julie — August 24, 2010 @ 11:03 am
That is too cute about the chipmunk!
I am glad you had a nice time! I can’t wait to head up there. If I go camping, I need to go with you guys! Your food looked delish!
Comment by Kristen (swanky dietitian) — August 24, 2010 @ 3:49 pm
So fun! I went on a bike ride through the Blue Ridge Mountains this weekend, but we didn’t overnight it. I like camping but never sleep in tents, every little noise startles me.
Comment by Alex @ I Eat Asphalt — August 24, 2010 @ 4:10 pm
@Alex, Love the blue ridge mountains! Did you go on the parkway? My mom lives in NC and it’s so gorgeous up there. That’s how I am too, I woke up multiple times from little noises 🙂
Comment by Kristen :) — August 25, 2010 @ 3:23 pm
@Kristen 🙂,
We did!! I was in the central Virginia area, which has amazing roads to ride on.
Comment by Alex @ I Eat Asphalt — August 25, 2010 @ 3:34 pm
Congrats on the wedding announcement!!
Looks like a nice get-away. I want to eat your chicken pot pie now!
Comment by Mo@MommyRD — August 24, 2010 @ 5:35 pm
I totally want to go camping now!!! Seriously, I’ve never been. I’m deprived, I know. Hubs and I have been talking about it for a while now – I’m going to have to break down and start planning a trip 🙂
Comment by Lindsay {DesignerWife} — August 25, 2010 @ 1:59 am
They let you have a fire up at Mt. Charleston? I thought that was a big no-no with the wildfire risk lately? Chase and I need to plan a trip and it’s no fun if I can’t cook up there…let me know, but I guess it was ok huh!? Looks like a really fun time. – Jeanne
Comment by Jeanne — August 26, 2010 @ 9:06 am
Jeanne, Actually yes! we were worried there would be no fires allowed, but I think the rains they had a little while before helped. We should all go camping!
Comment by Kristen :) — August 26, 2010 @ 10:24 am
YES! Lets plan a trip before it gets cool! email me! Miss you guys!
Comment by Jeanne — August 26, 2010 @ 10:28 am
I love everything about this post! Especially all the YUMMY food! Who knew you could eat so good while camping?! I’ve been on my fair share of hiking trips but not camping yet (minus with girlscouts when I was 8). Someday though!!
Comment by Megan @ The Oatmeal Diaries — August 26, 2010 @ 4:51 pm
It’s fun looking at your camping. It’s similar to mine. I always seem to forget something when I go camping.
Comment by Stacey@http://stacey-healthylife.blogspot.com/ — August 29, 2010 @ 3:11 pm