Camping in Michigan - Tips and Tricks

Through the Michigan CRS Reservation Service you can make your campground reservation up to 6 months in advance of your camping trip. This is an excellent idea for those of you who like to camp at the more popular Michigan State Park Campgrounds.

It also works out great for making sure you get a campsite for big holiday weekends like the 4th of July and Labor day.

Make your reservations online at www.midnrreservations.com.

When you go camping it can be a lot of fun to keep a journal of the places you stay, things you see, food you eat (or burn on the fire), etc.

Here is a journal entry of a camping experience I had at beautiful Interlochen State Park quite a few years ago.

June 22
Upon arrival at our campsite I notice our rather large next door neighbor (I will call her Tessie) stays in her decrepit motorhome watching t.v. all afternoon. At approximately 7:30 Tessie ventures forth and plays an exhausting game of badminton with her niece.

After about 5 minutes of this strenuous activity she is forced to return to her sittin' chair and read romance novels for the duration of the evening. Eventually, her kinfolk arrive with the days catch of fish from nearby Duck Lake.

The men folk set themselves to cleaning and gutting them on the picnic table (note-to-self: remember to bring bleach for your picnic table when you go camping again).

When a hearty dinner of hot dogs and hamburgers is served, the youngsters sit down and eat right next to the guys gutting the fish. Yum!

To the northwest of us there is a man whom I call 'Tiki Torch Joe Dirt' (or just Tiki Joe, for short). You see, Tiki Joe had a love of tiki torches. His entire campsite is surrounded by about 30 of them.

Though a rough and rugged outdoorsman, Tiki Joe shows us a softer side by having a tiny poodle who answers to Fluffy. As far as I can tell, other than eating and pooping all over the campground Fluffy's only other purpose in life is to sit on Tiki Joe's lap while he listens to the classic rock blaring from his stereo.

Tiki Joe appears to be a rather ingenious, if slow-witted, fellow. For firewood he loaded up the back of his old truck with wooden pallets. The thing I find odd is that, rather than cutting the pallets apart before he arrived at the campground he brought a large fearsome looking ax with him to bust them up with a number of vigorous swings.

Our neighbor on the other side is playing up the lonely woman bit (her husband and kids went fishing) and wearing a silk kimono type dress while failing to make a campfire out of green wood.

Never fear Mrs. Lonely, for here comes Tiki Joe with a pallet or two to help you get your campfire started. Tiki Joe engages Mrs. Lonely in deep conversation that might only consist of "how long is your husband going fishing?"

Anyway, Tiki Joe scoots with Fluffy in his arms when Mrs. Lonely's husband drags his boat and kids (but no fish) back to camp.

The so-called "Pepsi Can Stove" is a great way to recycle and save yourself some money. The soda can stove is nicknamed the "Pepsi Can Stove" because of the "circular ridge on the bottom of a Pepsi can is narrower than other brands and holds the interior cylinder tightly".

Get your instructions from Scott Henderson at PCTHiker.com.

Anyone doing extensive traveling (and camping) in Michigan should at a minimum have a state map. I have a Michigan County map that has enabled me to explore areas of this state that I am not sure I would have found otherwise.

Anyway, you can request a free map of Michigan and start planning your 2009 camping trips today.

Head on over to Michigan.gov/mdot to request your map.

Also for any of you who love to bike while camping or in addition to camping be sure to get your Michigan bike map.

Unless you inherit or purchase used cookware that has already been "seasoned" you will need to follow some simple, yet necessary steps. Although Lodge Mfg. has a brand of cookware called "Lodge Logic Seasoned, Ready to Use" that states that you do not have to season it.

When I refer to "season" I am talking about that nice black patina that you have seen on the good old cast iron cookware.

According to Lodge Mfg. - the best manufacturer of cast iron (in my humble opinion):

1. Wash cookware with soapy water and a stiff brush.


2. Rinse and thoroughly dry.


3. Cover the cookware inside and out (the lid too, if it has one) with a thin coating of melted Crisco.


4. Line a rack of your oven with foil and preheat it to 350.


5. Place cookware in oven upside down for 1 hour.


6. Turn off oven and let item cool before removing it from the oven.


7. Store your cookware in a cool dry place.


8. If you want your cookware to last forever - NEVER wash it in a dishwasher.


9. If rust ever happens to appear you can simply scrub off the rust and reseason.


10. You only need to clean the cookware with a good brush and hot water. Apply a light coating of vegetable oil while it is still warm.

I have a cast iron skillet, dutch oven, bacon press (cook bacon in half the time), and a small bowl that I use on my grill to make bbq sauce. They are the best cookware because of their even heating surface and ease of cleanup.

I highly recommend cast iron cookware.

Green Beans and Meatballs

You can make your own meatballs, but I find it much more convenient to purchase ready-made ones in the frozen foods section.

• 2 lbs. meatballs


• 3 Cans Green Beans, drained


• 1 envelope onion soup mix


• 2 cans cream of mushroom soup


• 2 cups sour cream


• 1 cup water

Place all ingredients (as long as you're using pre-cooked meatballs) in a warmed and oiled Dutch Oven. You will need 10 charcoal (Kingsford is the best) briquettes on the bottom and 15 on the top. Replace as necessary during the 30 minutes of cook time.

All Day Breakfast

• 1/4 C. bacon grease or shortening


• 6 medium potatoes, washed and sliced


• 1 large sliced onion


• Salt and pepper to taste


• 1 C. diced ham (or fried bacon or sausage)


• 8 eggs

Melt grease in a large frying pan or even a Dutch Oven. Add the onions, potatoes and seasoning. Cook till tender. Break the eggs (or have them scrambled up already) over the potatoes and pour the meat on top.

Cover and cook for 7 to 10 minutes. You can also make numerous variations on this by adding cheese, other veggies, basically any number of things that might sound good for your breakfast.

How to Roast Corn on a Campfire
Figure on at least 1-2 ears of corn per person. Pull the husk back and remove as much silk as possible. Replace the husk and drop the corn in cold water to soak for 25-30 minutes.

Once your campfire has burned down to a set of nice red glowing coals place the soaked corn among the coals and use a shovel (or whatever is handy - just don't use your hands!) to pile up coals around and on top of the ears of corn. Should take about 20-30 minutes to roast.