Customer Reviews (1)

The definitive reference for anyone planning an RV vacation
Exhaustively compiled and deftly organized by Tom Stienstra, West Coast RV Camping: The Complete Guide To More Than 1,800 RV Parks And Campgrounds In California, Oregon, And Washington is the definitive reference for anyone planning an RV vacation, day-trip, or scenic travel along the western coast of America. West Coast RV Camping is a 917-page compendium of helpful descriptions outlining campground features including wheelchair access, drive-through sites, and power hookups. Travelers are succinctly informed with respect to a variety of RV parks, including those near beaches, forests, lakes, rivers, hot springs, and urban areas. Precise driving directions and information on fees and reservations policies are also included. Of special note are Tom Stienstra's own "Picks" where he designates and recommends the prettiest lakes, best fishing, and best wildlife viewing in the three state area. If you have an RV and are bound for California, Oregon and/or Washington, then begin planning your itinerary with a copy of Tom Stienstra's West Coast RV Camping! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Camping   2. Parks & Campgrounds   3. Travel   4. Travel - United States   5. Travel Guides - U.S.   6. United States - West - Pacific (General)   

Customer Reviews (14)

Great Book for Toddlers
My 2 year old loves this book. She enjoys reading all of the books about Little Critter. This book is her favorite because of the bear and Little Critter's dad. I enjoy reading this book to her since the story is simple enough for her to understand, yet it is still imaginative and fun. She also enjoys sitting and telling the story to her father while looking at the pictures. I would recommend this book to children 2 and up.

Wonderful!
You can never go wrong with a Mayer book. They are so fun. Always told from a child's point of view, you can't help but laugh at all the mishaps throughout the book and the innocence in which it is told. In this particular book, Little Critter goes camping with his dad and tries soooo hard to help out but somehow always manages to create a minor disaster. Add in a little 'treasure hunt' of spotting the spider and grasshopper in each picture and you've got quite a little treasure in itself. So, cuddle up with your little audience and enjoy!

Disappointing
We have purchased many Little Critter books but this one was disappointing. The book seems like it was written in a hurry to have something published. I feel I wasted my money on this one. I would still recommend many others though: The New Baby, Just a Thunderstorm etc.. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Camping   2. Children's 4-8 - Picturebooks   3. Children: Preschool   4. Family - General   5. Fathers   6. Fathers and sons   7. Fiction   8. General   9. Humorous Stories   10. Juvenile Fiction   11. Juvenile Fiction / General   

Customer Reviews (1)

108 "no-fuss" menus
RV's are noted for their built-in kitchens -- and the limited space accommodations those kitchens are restricted with. In addition to 381 simple and delicious "RV kitchen friendly" recipes, America's Best RV Cookbook: The Complete Guide To RV Cooking also includes 108 "no-fuss" menus; equipment and supplies selection advice; substitutions and equivalents; metric conversions; dealing with limited storage space; cooking in challenging environments and climates; and even how to cope with quirky RV ovens and refrigerators! If you have an RV, then you have an RV kitchen, and you need your very own copy of Joyce Ryan's America's Best RV Cookbook! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Cookery   2. Cooking   3. Cooking / Wine   4. General   5. Mobile home living   6. Methods - Outdoor   7. Camping   8. Recreational vehicles   9. Recreational vehicle living   

This is not a slim compendium of bold-faced hiking tips; in other words, if you come face-to-face with Mr. Bear on the trail, you won't be whipping out The Backpacker's Field Manual for quick advice. On the other hand, if you take the time to plan your excursions into the wilderness, this thorough guide will prove invaluable. From packing to navigation to first aid, all the basics of backcountry travel are covered in detail. And for the more serious outdoors enthusiasts, there is plenty of advanced info, such as how to read weather patterns or where to look for underground water sources. But no matter what their skill level, anyone planning on spending time in the wilderness should prepare ahead with a guide like The Backpacker's Field Manual. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (17)

Best Backpacking Manual I've ever seen.
I've been backcountry camping and backpacking for 37 years, and Rick Curtis' Backpacking Field Manual is the best text I have ever found for teaching backpacking skills to group leaders and those new to the sport.

It is very evident that Curtis approached this manual with the mindset of a teacher, deciding which skills the student needs to learn, and building the necessary knowledge incrementally so the student understands completely. I found that because Curtis assumes that the reader has no knowledge of such simple things as how a camp stove works, that I learned things that I never knew about my own campstove, that were not even covered in the manual.

Another thing that makes this book especially good for all levels of backpackers is Curtis' coverage of Leave No Trace techniques. Curtis does a very good job of explaining the LNT guidelines and giving practical examples and suggestions for making the minimum impact on the ecosystems while we are backpacking and camping. The manual offers some food for thought by pointing out how many backpackers do simple things that have very significant impact on plant and animal life (e.g. Going swimming in streams and ponds without first washing off toxic chemicals like insect repellant and sun screen).

I think this book would be especially useful for leaders who are looking for an organized way to teach backpacking skills to students.

Always "don't," never "do."
After I read this book, I felt the wilderness could never be fun again. I was completely wrong, but that's the tone this book has. The entire book tells you what not to do and what could go wrong. That's very important to know, but what is almost as important (and a lot more interesting) are things to do: suggestions about how to make things easier, how to have fun, how to bring the love of the outdoors to other members of your group.

The good: There were a couple good ideas in among the mind-numbing numbers of admonitions (damp socks in sleeping bag: genius). Also, the packing lists at the end of the book can be good reminders.

As far as I can tell, it's good for a very small class of people: complete beginners who will find all the rules to be new, but are so excited about backpacking that they won't be turned off by the boring, pessimistic book. Personally, I learned just as much from the much shorter section of tips in the beginning of Backpacking California, even though I had not backpacked a whole bunch before reading either.

For Beginners Only
If you are new to backpacking and the backcountry, then this is probably the book for you as it has a little information on just about every backpacking subject imaginable. If you have moderate to extensive experience backpacking then you will probably find the information in this book very basic. I have moderate experience and I plowed through about half the book before I permanently set it down out of boredom. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Backpacking   2. Camping   3. Fishing - General   4. Handbooks, manuals, etc   5. Hiking   6. Low-impact camping   7. Sports   8. Sports & Recreation   9. Sports & Recreation / Camping   

Customer Reviews (12)

Ideas galore to save money
I first read this book as a teenage boy scout. I had camped once a month for many years and had tried all kinds of tricks to save money when camping, make your own gear, fun outdoor recipes, etc. but this book had tons of new ideas I had never heard of. 20 years after the first edition of this book means the author has updated it to our times, but it still great. This has always been indespensable to me. It really has made camping more fun and I reccommend it to anyone that takes kids camping, but you don't have to have them to try this stuff.
Lots of delicious recipes and methods to cook, but other stuff on first aid and making your campsite comfortable in many ways is featured. Features many ways to build a fire, how to make firestarters to speed up your firestarting, make your own waterproof matches, make your own campstove.

She shows you how to make a meal in a hollowed orange (cake in an orange!)or onion nestled in the coals! Cook eggs on a flat rock, recipes to cook on sticks, in foil, etc. Lots of ideas for home made items that will save you time and money in the woods. A hot water tank that sits in the fire; an outdoor sink made in seconds with a shovel and garbage bag; how to keep your pans clean the easy way; packing lists; use a can for a rolling pin in a pich; how to make lanterns from cans. One of my favorits was the tiny stove you make out of a coffee can. How to make a reflector oven for the woods, and 3 more types of ovens. (how about a cardboard box for an oven, it works).

Other books published since have borrowed some ideas from this one, but they were here first. Pictures and sketches on nearly every page are very helpful. The writing style is fun and easy to read.

This was a lifesaver for a non-camper with 5 children
I first read this book many years ago when my family consisted of 5 children between 1 and 10. Having humor to help me out was a godsend. We still laugh at the face drawn on the bleach bottle when we wash up, and at the thought of cooking the dinner on the old car's manifold. There were so many simple, common sense ideas that camping became a fun challenge instead of a horror! Today my kids take their little ones on the Dian Thomas method of camping. Through the years we have adapted so many of Dian's ideas to make camping easier. We look forward to each new book and the great ideas which seem to be never ending. Keep up the great ideas, Dian, and Thank You!

A good purchase
This is a good purchase for families who are hesitant to go "all out" on camping.

It's a wonderful start for beginners, and a great source for scout leaders who want to expand their cooking/camping library. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Camping   2. Cooking / Wine   3. Methods - Outdoor   4. Outdoor cookery   5. Sports   6. Sports & Recreation   

Customer Reviews (1)

Best book on the subject
This book is the best book on the subject... period! It lists EVERY campground in the USA that offers camping for 50% off. And, that is NOT upped prices....you actually get 50% off the posted prices so you can see you actually get 50% off. It has maps, contact information, and lists in detail all about each campground. It ranges from the primitive (like nothing except an area to sleep or whatever) to the full-service ones.

I highly recommend this book. There's NOTHING like it. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Camping   2. Parks & Campgrounds   3. Sports   4. Sports & Recreation   5. Travel - United States   6. United States - General   

Customer Reviews (4)

Good source book
I thought this book was quite good. I was pleased with the songs, and recommend it for all those who want to sing those old songs. Take it camping with you and your grand kids.

Singing Praises!
What a WONDERFUL book!

I previewed this book on-line and was not disappointed. The pages shown are exactly what the rest of the book is like!

IT's great to have the music (although basic) and chords for many old songs that people 'assume' everyone knows.

This is a MUST for any Scout leader who wants to put a little sparkle in their program. It will truly expand your Pack/Troop song repetroire!

Nice Size, Nice Selections
I really like this small size paperback. It has a super selection of over 100 songs divided into about a half dozen categories such as "Spirituals and Gospel Hymns", "American Folk Songs and Rounds", etc. Within the categories the songs are sorted by title. The folk melodies are represented by single sequential notes, with chords presented above the melody line. The chords are simple, and as presented allow plenty of time between chords changes making these songs particularly fun to play. The chords are generally ones that most guitarists would be familiar with although there are some, e.g., B-flat-7th, and F-sharp-7th, that may be slightly less familiar. The general form of the music resembles a 'fake book'. However, for me, the layout of this book makes it much more comfortable to use than most fake books I have seen.

However there are, in my judgement, some minor weaknesses with this book.. The binding appears to be glued in rather than sewn. Normally one would prefer to use a music book flat, with this book I would anticipate, perhaps incorrectly, that opening it flat might result in a split binding.

Although the simple melodies make it easy to play on either piano or guitar, the downside of this simplicity is that on an instrument such as a piano the songs do not have a 'full' sound. Also, the melodies for two of the first songs I looked at did not quite match in some respects the melodies for these songs as I remembered them. For example, for the song "He's got the Whole World in His Hands", the notes associated with the first "in his hands" lyrics are shown as:C-E-C, to my ears this should instead be C-D-C. I hope the authors read this review and re-check the melodies and post a review to let us know which, if any, do need correction.

Finally, the lyrics to the songs appear, in some instances, to be somewhat truncated. For example, the folk song Clementine is missing one of the verses I find most humorous.

My copy of this book, recently purchased, is shown as the third edition, I hope there is a fourth and that in the next edition the authors will double check the melodies and consider adding lyrics to songs where some may have been dropped. The price is really a bargain, but I hope the publishers will consider using a sewn binding, even if it means a slight increase in price; I would certainly be willing to pay the difference.

In spite of some minor shortcomings, I really liked the format, songs chosen, chord selections, and simple straight-forward melodies. The small size is particularly appealing; and I am considering getting a second copy to carry around and leave my original at home.

Its really is fun to use. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Camping   2. Folk songs   3. Genres & Styles - Folk & Traditional   4. Music   5. Songbooks - General   6. Songs and music   7. Sports   8. Sports & Recreation   9. Sports & Recreation / Camping   

Customer Reviews (1)

Better than the Milepost.
I found this book to be more informative than the Milepost, as it is better organized and shows campgrounds and facilities that are of interest to those people who are planning to camp with RV or tent.

The book shows all campgrounds in each section of road traveled and also describes activities that are available in the area. It is informative and clearly written with excellent directions for locating attractions. Though I have not been to Alaska yet, I did show this book to fellow travelers who have used the Milepost and it was met with enthusiastic response. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Camping   2. Travel   3. Travel - Foreign   4. United States - Pacific - Alaska   5. United States - West - Pacific (General)   

Customer Reviews (3)

Wonderful! Basic hand tool skills and abilities required
This book descibes electricity, batteries, control circuits et al in the right level of detail to allow the person with basic hand eye coordination to troubleshoot if not fix almost any electrical problem the RV'er might encounter. Many simple diagrams to aid in the understanding of concepts and tracing of problems. The book does assume the reader will have a knowledge of basic hand tools, the skill to use them and an ability to convert the porvided knowledge into action. One must be able to look at the drawings in the book and locate the item on the RV. Highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to know what makes the electrical system tick in their RV.

Worthless!
This book has a write up on it's back cover that would lead you to believe that it is the answer to all your RV problems and questions. Not true! It is the most worthless, frustrating piece of printed matter that we have ever read. The Moller's wasted almost the entire text with descriptions of tools that one might use, and have a nasty habit of titling a paragraph "Troubleshooting a Whatever" then telling you that the only tests that can be performed are as previously described in this chapter. Yup, you guessed it.... nothing previously described.

Practical and Understandable Guide to RV Electrical Systems
The first thing that struck me about this book was that it explained things in plain, everyday English! Sure there were a couple of sections in the DC half of the book that started to get technical, but the many examples of the real-life problems and the solutions used helped bring these sections into perspective and helped with the understanding of why the technical things exist.

There were a great many tips and hints that were also very practical for those who cannot afford the expensive test equipment and many of the tools could be purchased or built from parts found at the neighborhood hardware store.

This book should be in every RVer's library. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Automotive - General   2. Automotive - Repair & Maintenance   3. Automotive Electrical Systems   4. Camping   5. Electric equipment   6. General   7. Recreational Vehicles (Engineering Aspects)   8. Recreational vehicles   9. Transportation   10. Travel - General   11. Sports & Recreation / General   

Customer Reviews (4)

WOW!
I just bought this recently, and it is much better than I even expected. I have a bunch of camping books in my library, and this one is better than many more expensive adult books. It has great advice even for adults, but is indespensible for camping with kids. It teaches you how to build a fire safely, cooking on the fire, (great kid favorites recipes), dealing with bugs, how to pick a camp site, what kind of Lots of safety tips too. The fun drawings make this a pleasure as well.

The authors show you how to make a reflector oven. The main feature if this book is the fun activities for around the fire such as stories songs, games, etc. Teaches kids how to identify the stars easily and even identify features on the face of the moon. I plan to use this with our Cub Scouts.

Great for Novice and Experienced Campers Alike
This book flows like the campfire. From gathering the supplies, to lighting the fire, to the blaze, to the dieing fire, to the embers it's an enjoyable experience.

It has lots of activities: stories, songs, skits, etc. to make your campfire an enjoyable experience.

I wish I had owned this book when I taught a Basic Adult Leader Outdoor Orientation for teaching Cub Scout Adults about making a successful overnight campout.

This book has been added to my library and will be suggested at all future BALOO trainings.

Excellent source for camping with children
I am a girl scout leader and was looking for a book to help me on my first trip with young children (grades 2-4). It provided me with useful recipes for cooking on coals, cooking in a pit, or even a reflector oven. This book has many good suggestions for campfire games and even activities that can be used for achieving try-its or even junior level badges. Summer stargazing and moonwatching are covered in detail. This is a great book for beginners or experienced campers. You must have this book if you enjoy the outdoor overnight experience. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Activity Books - General   2. Camping   3. Children's 4-8 - Sports / Recreation   4. Children: Grades 1-2   5. Juvenile Nonfiction   6. Juvenile literature   7. Outdoor recreation   8. Reference - General   9. Sports & Recreation - Camping & Outdoor Activities   

Customer Reviews (2)

Gourmet Ultralight Backpackers Rejoice
The fact that everything tastes good outdoors has kept campers eating shoe leather and birdseed for years. This is for the serious back country gourmet who will go just about anywhere and do anything to eat well once they get there. Be prepared to break out the food dehydrator and camping oven. However, recipes like steamed Chinese dumplings and "The Most Dangerous Cake in the Wilderness" are good enough to serve at home. The book is lightweight at 17 ounces, yet packed with tasty ideas. "Leave No Crumbs" is the best kind of camp companion: it kept us well fed and laughing.

150 delicious, and down-to-earth easy-to-prepare recipes
Collaboratively written and presented by Rick Greenspan and Hal Kahn (two experienced wilderness chefs who have served as judges for an outdoor retailer's Camp Stove Cook-off Contest), The Leave-No-Crumbs Camping Cookbook presents and showcases 150 delicious, and down-to-earth easy-to-prepare recipes for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. A delightful instructional for elevating a hungry camper's palate while out of doors, The Leave-No-Crumbs Camping Cookbook includes versatile dishes that can be made to go in advance or prepared once there, including Banana-Persimmon Roll, Roasted Eggplant & Almond Sauce, Fruit Cobbler and much more. The practical recipes come enhanced with tips, tricks, and techniques for preparation, including health precautions to take with the preparation and storage of the more perishable foodstuffs. The Leave-No-Crumbs Camping Cookbook is very highly recommended for the outdoors enthusiast looking for a taste of something different. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Camping   2. Cooking   3. Cooking / Wine   4. Methods - Outdoor   5. Outdoor cookery   

Customer Reviews (7)

Best Mexico RV Book
Traveler's Guide To Mexican Camping is the best book ever written for RV travelers in Mexico. I've had other books intended as Mexico camping guides which contained sketchy information and confusing directions; those have now been disposed of and the Traveler's Guide To Mexican Camping is my bible for RVing in Mexico.

This book is the complete reference for RVers. I used the suggested itineraries for planning my vacation; these show daily driving distances, estimated driving times, and descriptions of the routes and sites along the way, which I found to be very accurate. Over 60 pages of detailed information cover everything from safety, insurance, fuel, food and money to health issues and pets. The information on crossing the border was very helpful in preparing me for this sometimes confusing process and the detailed descriptions of each crossing point, including hours of operation and suitability of RV access, enabled me to select good places to enter Mexico. This section also contains helpful suggestions for nearby campgrounds to use before entering Mexico. The information on how to deal with corrupt cops and to be avoid being cheated at gas stations was also especially useful.

The nine chapters which cover every region of Mexico are what set this book apart from all others. I found the key maps, indices and distance tables convenient and easy to use. The detailed description of each campground includes a listing of amenities, a detailed map showing not only the campground location but also many times nearby gas stations and stores, detailed directions to the campground including distances and reference points, a description of the facilities and the price range. I found this information to be objective and accurate, and I liked being able to know what the campground offers and the approximate cost before deciding to stop there.

While not the primary focus of this book, many interesting tourist attractions are also described, which I found very useful. The detailed information on driving in the Mexico City area helped me avoid many potential problems there. For those venturing beyond Mexico, an entire chapter covers Belize.

While traveling in Mexico I've met many people who spent the night parked in potentially unsafe locations because they did not know of a nearby campground, who did not know how to use the telephones, who had difficulty crossing the border, who spent hours searching for a campground, who got lost while trying to drive through cities, and who did not know where they would spend the next night. One thing all these people had in common was that they did not have a copy of this book.

Traveler's Guide To Mexican Camping is an easy to use reference covering all aspects of RV travel and camping, from trip planning and preparation to returning to the US. It is well indexed and cross referenced, packed full of advice and information, and the maps and campground listing are easy to read and understand. The book uses quality paper and binding, not newsprint and stapled covers, and my copy has survived many months of rough handling. There are no advertisements in this book, which would have affected the objectivity of the authors. Every RV traveler to Mexico should have this book.

We used this guidebook constantly!
We recently spent 6 weeks roaming in a small Toyota camper, off the beaten tourist paths, down the Gulf Coast to Veracruz, then inland to Teotihuacan and back via various cities. This book led us to a number of delightful (umm... and otherwise, but hey they worked) campgrounds we wouldn't have otherwise found, and I appreciated its directions for bypassing Mexico City and Tampico. We were somewhat more adventurous than the Churches recommend about finding places to boondock, but we do speak enough Spanish to ask the locals, which we always did.

I have a list of resources in an ebook I've written about Mexico, and this one literally tops the list -- for RVers.

Great for RVers, Okay for tent campers
I bought this book for a backpacking trip I am planning along the Maya Riveria. I am a tent camper. Although the title implies that this book was written for those travelling with an RV or tent, it is primarily for the RVer. It does mention when tent camping is an option but gives little or no information beyond that fact. The writers do give RVers a good idea of what to expect, providing decent descriptions of campground setup, condition, and facilities. They go so far as to tell you what part of the campground you will likely find a spot and whether shady sites are available. They give very little detailed information regarding tenting conditions. If you are planning tenting trip to Mexico, this may be a very usual guide simpy to locate the campgrounds but for little else. If you are planning a RVing trip to Mexico, I would not go without this book. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Camping   2. Mexico   3. Travel   4. Travel - Foreign   

Customer Reviews (6)

Not my favorite S&A, but...
..not at all bad. SECRET WATER finds our heroes & heroines very much in the process of Growing Up, with the inevitable tensions that late adolescence brings. Here we find the Swallows grimly determined to carry out a mapping task that their father has set them, and confronting the Amazons, who would rather ally themselves with local children who have their own "game" of tribal warfare among the marshes of the East Coast. There is a lot of good stuff here & some high adventure, and the book reads very "true" to the series. My daughter Clare regards it as one of the best, and I doubt that anyone will be disappointed with either the plot or the outcome.

Secret Water
Secret Water is a great book!!! I'm a 10 year old boy and I love it. My favorite part is when they gather with their savage friends and have a big feast. Anybody would like it just as much as I did.

An unassuming little gem
After the excitement of "We Didn't Mean To Go To Sea", Arthur Ransome's eighth story in the Swallows and Amazons series returns to more comfortable and comforting territory. Set very shortly after the children's ordeal at sea in the previous volume, "Secret Water" finds the Walker children "marooned" on an island in the tidal area of Hamford Water, Essex. Here they spend a week or so, camping and surveying the low-lying islands, tortuous channels and tidal flats, whilst also having to deal with the quandary of whether to make friends with (or wage war upon) the local savage tribesmen. Once, of course, the small matter of one of their number being taken for a human sacrifice has been resolved!

This story is something of an attempt to return to the simple style of tale that worked so well with both "Swallows and Amazons" and "Swallowdale": a tale of children building a world of their own creation and at the same time learning to deal successfully with the real world in which they find themselves. After some of the more exciting later volumes in the S&A series, though, some readers may find the results just a little flat.

As always, though, Ransome weaves his tale through the deftest handling of prose and most adults at least should find this tale as charming as any the others in the series. It is nice, too, to see that the young Bridget is now able to start participating in the activities of her siblings. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Adventure and adventurers   2. Camping   3. Children's 9-12 - Fiction - General   4. Children: Grades 1-2   5. Fiction   6. General   7. Islands   8. Sailing   

Customer Reviews (9)

A waste of time and paper!
I bought this book, expecting to find an all engaging volume reminding me of the fun times of summer camp. Instead, I was greeted by dull and repetitive narration which could not have ended soon enough. 242 pages of camp nostalgia, please, by the end I was all too glad my camp days were over and were nothing but a distant memory. If you really must relive those days of disgusting camp food and sleepless nights filled with mosquitoes, save your money and take this book out from the library, where it must surely be collecting dust.

Even appreciated by a young camper
I am 15 years old right now, and i have been going to sleepaway camp for 3 years now. I went to camp not knowing many people, mabye 3 girls and now camp is something i can't live without! For four weeks, and starting summer '04 it will be eight weeks-i have thought about camp all year round. Camp is one magical place where you can get away, and this book captures that special feeling that camp gives you. For any camper old or new this book is amazing!!!

Camp Spirit from cover to cover!
From the cover with the reminiscent red plaid sleeping bag graphics, to song lyrics, recipes, journal entries and photographs, this book speaks so perfectly to the universal appeal of all-girls camps in America. I was fortunate to have attended three years of girls camp & one of co-ed camp, and even the images that are 100 years old seemed to jump off the pages as if they were from my own memories from 15 years ago. I absorbed the pages voraciously, and immediately told my old camp bunkmate about the book. Wow. I cannot remember any other book touching my memories as personally, and intimately.

S'mores, campfires, secret rituals within our tribe, rifelry & archery, war canoe, trampoline, running around in our underwear, singing into broom handles, medals & awards ceremonies, vespers; All girls who've attended sleepaway camps have similar testimonies--only I didn't realize how similar until I read this book!

It is a wonderful gift, because it is an unexpected and pleasant reminder of a longed-for childhood gone by. It also reminded me that my own children should be afforded this same priviledge that I received! In my mid 30's I still sing my own silly camp songs as well as the ones my mother taught me from her Girl Scout camp days, and the ones Grandma taught her from her own camping memories. This book will help the traditions be preserved for another 100 years.

Bravo! Can I contribute to the next edition? I have hysterical photos of costumed talent shows from an era when imitating Madonna & the B52's were considered "talents!" LOL

You can't go wrong with this book, or with sending your daughters to Sleepover camps! :O) ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Biography & Autobiography   2. Biography/Autobiography   3. Camping   4. Camps   5. Camps for girls   6. Friendship   7. Girls   8. Miscellanea   9. Sociology   10. United States   11. Women   12. Women's Studies - General   

Customer Reviews (1)

"The British Empire wants your help"
At the very beginning of the twentieth century, retired General Robert Baden-Powell, the hero of the siege of Mafeking, coalesced his ideas for an organization to train young British boys in scouting for the British Empire. Not a very organized thinker, Baden-Powell borrowed heavily from all sorts of unrelated resources - newspaper articles, military dispatches, fiction, and much more - and produced this, his first book on scouting. Originally published as six separate books, this book brings all of them together, complete with original illustrations.

Now, as might be expected from its roots, this book reflects a lot of the biases and ways of thinking from Edwardian England. But, leaving that aside, this is a fun and interesting book that shows clearly the forms that have stayed with the Boy Scouts movement to this very day. The introduction was written by Elleke Boehmer, a professor of Colonial and Postcolonial literature, and is a fairly predictable deconstruction/analysis of B-P and his movement.

Now, as a newcomer to Scouting (my son is a Tenderfoot) did I find anything useful in this book? I sure did. Robert Baden-Powell was very knowledgeable about the subject, and this book sure shows it. (I never thought of tying my shoes like that!) Of course some of the information is out of date, especially the first-aid information, so it isn't really usable by the boys "as is." But, this is a nice resource, one that shows you where Scouting started.

Oh, and I must say that I actually enjoyed the somewhat jumbled organization of this book. It isn't as scholarly and antiseptic as modern Boy Scout books, and the stories and tales laced throughout make the reading much more fun. Plus, I did find the focus on some subjects, such as logic and deductive reasoning, to be quite interesting. I loved this book, and highly recommend it to you! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Boy Scouts   2. Children's 9-12 - Reference   3. Children: Grades 3-4   4. Citizenship   5. Juvenile Nonfiction   6. Reference - General   7. Sports & Recreation - Camping & Outdoor Activities   8. Association: clubs, societies   9. Clubs & societies   10. Literary studies: from c 1900 -   11. Social history   12. c 1900 - c 1914   

Customer Reviews (20)

The Scouting past and future
The book is funny and well-written, but I was disappointed with the ending. The author suggests how to improve the BSA by lowering its standards to be like other youth groups; allowing homosexuals as youth and adult members and no uniforms are two suggestions. These two issues will hit the hot buttons of those for and against Scouting. Make your own choice. The best parts of the book concern his and his son's experiences in the 'church in the woods' and the outdoor experience. Skip the issues' chapters and you will enjoy the book more.

A Must Read!
I absolutely loved this book! I bought it for my husband's Xmas present but read it the night I bought it. My husband read it without putting it down and my Boy Scout, age 15 read it. It really presents how Scouting really is with weird and wonderful boys and adults. We were surprised at how much his experience in scouting was like ours.

Insightful and humorous
Very enjoyable book. I'm sharing it with all my Scouter friends, and even non-Scouters (so they understand how and why I got hooked on Scouting too). I even learned a few things about BSA--warts and all! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Boy Scouts   2. Boy Scouts of America   3. Camping   4. Case studies   5. Essays   6. Family & Relationships   7. Family/Marriage   8. Father and child   9. Fatherhood   10. Hiking   11. Parenting - General   12. Social Institutions   13. Sociology Of Men   14. Sports & Recreation   15. United States   16. Family & Relationships / General   

Customer Reviews (2)

Good for Novice
Richard Lovett does a good job of describing, in a general way, the three basic modes of bicycle touring: vehicle-supported, "credit-card" (i.e., inn-to-inn), and loaded (camping). It's rare to find *any* books on touring, so on that basis, the book is great. And if you've never toured before, this is a good, informative book. However, if, like myself, you're looking for in-depth hints and kinks on loaded touring, you won't find them here. Ergo, four stars for this one.

Touring Cyclist
I bought the first edition a number of years ago, and it was a well loved and thumbed through book ... I even lent it to all and sundry ... I decided to update it for this one, as there were a number of minor errors in the first one ... the second edition is even better!!!

The style of the book is written by someone well experienced in cycle touring and his style is very easy to read and the advice is sound ... the information contained in the book will benefit both the novice cycle tourist as well as the seasoned veteran.

I like this book and refer to it often for inspiration and ideas ... ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Bicycle touring   2. Camping   3. Cycling   4. Cycling - General   5. Physical Education   6. Sports   7. Sports & Recreation   8. Sports & Recreation / Cycling   

Customer Reviews (4)

Why Bother?
This book is terrrible; I found same information on internet & in free Fla. State Parks booklet available at www.myflorida.com
SAVE YOUR MONEY!!!

Native Know-how
As a native Floridian who has lived as far south as the FL Keys and as far north as the Pan Handle, I turned critical eye on Johnny Molloy's "The Best in Tenting Camping:Florida". I was delighted to see included some of my favorite destinations as well as places other locals have long prized as remnants of the "real Florida". As an experienced kayak camper I particularly appreciated Mr. Molloy's inclusion of information on paddling opportunities. He has provided new information on put-in destinations as well as coaxed me into my many new trail hiking experiences. I find this book accurate in it's assesements and helpful in it's suggestions. When in Florida, keep your sunscreen, fishing pole and copy of "The Best in Tent Camping: Florida" close at hand.

Thanks Johnny for teaching a local few new tricks!

Planning on car camping in FL? You must have this book!
Planning a trip through FL can lead you through an overwhelming amount of where to stay options. Fortunately,"The Best in Tent Camping Florida" is the perfect guide to help you sift through all your choices and narrow down your search for that perfect place to stay. He has a great rating system for each campground and it is based on beauty, site privacy, spaciousness, quiet, security and cleanliness. He even gives advice on interesting sites worth seeing while you are there. He has really picked out the best of the best Florida has to offer for us "tenters". ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Camp sites, facilities, etc   2. Camp sites, facilities, etc.   3. Camping   4. Florida   5. Guidebooks   6. Parks & Campgrounds   7. Travel   8. Travel - United States   9. United States - South Atlantic - Florida   10. Sports & Recreation / Camping   

Customer Reviews (8)

Lipsmackin' Backpackin' - a compendium of excellent recipes
Tim and Christine spent many hours researching this book which was published in 2000. Drawing on their own experiences and that of acquaintances, Tim and Christine have provided us with yummy recipes that reflect many cultures and tastes.

Most of the recipes require at home preparation. Many call for dehydrating or drying the food and then re-hydrating it on the trail. The book has a nutritional breakdown for each recipe and packable cooking directions to take with you on the trail. There are even instructions on how to grow your own fresh sprouts in your backpack.

I've tried several of the recipes with great success. You will find everything from almonds to zucchini in this resource. You'll also enjoy reading the anecdotes and appreciate the way the recipe instructions are divided into two parts; at home and on the trail. There are recipes for both vegetarians and meat eaters. I found that I could easily modify the meat recipes to suit a vegetarian menu by increasing the amount of veggies and omitting the meat.

Lipsmackin' Backpackin' is a veritable compendium of excellent recipes with the backpacker in mind. This well written recipe book contains over two hundred pages of mouth watering recipes to enhance your outdoor experience.

Great book!
I have been using this book for several months and haven't met a recipe that I didn't like. Sometimes I'll bring a meal to work to have co-workers try it out. Most of the time I have people asking to try some and they don't even know it's been dehydrated and brought back to life!

Make sure you have a dehydrator
A worthy book; however, a careful reading reveals that many of its recipes require the cook to "dry [various ingredients] in your dehydrator." This should not be a surprise to anyone who hits the trail often, but don't spend money on this book unless you have a dehydrator and are reasonably adept at operating it. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Camping   2. Cooking   3. Cooking / Wine   4. Hiking   5. Methods - Outdoor   6. Outdoor cookery   7. Sports & Recreation / Hiking   

Customer Reviews (5)

Wow - this book has it all!
With this book, Mr. Jacobson has compiled some of the best tips and ideas for camping out of doors. From winter camping to knot-tying, it is a VERY helpful resource for the beginning/intermediate camper. The book is easy to read and easy to reference with subjects listed in alphabetical order. He covers almost anything you could think you want to know about camping, with very good information on canoeing as well. Read this book before you go!

Good Reference
We bought this book for a gift for our 13-yr old nephew. When it arrived, we skimmed through it and immediately went back online to order a copy for ourselves!
Even though I am a veteran hiker & backpacker, Mr. Jacobsen's book has a lot of tips and tricks in it I had never heard of...and some reminders of things I had heard before and forgotten.
This is a great reference for outdoorspeople of all ability levels.

No real secrets
Some things have evolved over the years, and this gives a varied look at the most recent ideas. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Camping   2. Hiking   3. Sports   4. Sports & Recreation   5. Sports & Recreation / Camping