Campfire Treat - Doughboys

For some families the kids are already back in school; for others the start of the school year is just around the corner. Either way, all across the country the upcoming Labor Day weekend is a big summer weekend to go camping America. Plan to enjoy quality together time hiking and exploring, geocaching if that’s your thing, grilling some mighty tasty chops, and capping the perfect day around a roaring campfire (find campfire tips here).

Top it off by trying a delish fireside treat that’s sure to be a hit...doughboys. These little toasted tubes can be filled with your choice of fillings - chocolate syrup, jelly, pie filling, whipped cream - you get the picture - and enjoyed on the spot. Here’s how to make your own doughboys:

You’ll need a “stick” about 1 ½ inches in diameter and about 2 feet long (pick up an untreated wooden dowel at your local home improvement store and cut to length). Decorate the holding end with permanent markers (this makes a great campsite craft).

At the campfire, butter the doughboy end of the stick and using refrigerated biscuit dough roll a single biscuit into a snake shape. Spiral wrap the dough on the buttered end of the stick making sure the dough is sealed on the sides and end - creating a “tube”. Rotate/toast over the fire for about 5 minutes - until it’s brown and easily slips off the stick (careful - they’re hot). Fill and enjoy - bet you can eat more than one!!

Find more kid-friendly recipes as well as your perfect place to tent camp or go RVing at GoCampingAmerica.com.

Contributed by Evanne Schmarder

Geocaching a Perfect Adventure for RVers and Campers

Have you ever fancied yourself a treasure hunter - studying an aged treasure map and searching for that mysterious place where X marks the spot? Well, we can’t promise gold and gemstones but a high-tech treasure hunt is sweeping the nation - geocaching. With over a million caches stashed around the world - in cities, forests, on mountainsides, and even underwater - chances are there’s an adventure just around the corner. Geocaching has grown in popularity among RVers all age groups - families, boomers, retirees - anyone that relishes an exciting outdoor adventure.

The first step in geocaching is visiting http://www.geocaching.com/ to locate cache coordinates via zip code, state name or latitude/longitude. Then, using a handheld GPS unit or a GPS enabled iPhone, the hunters set out to locate the cache. And what exactly is a cache? Caches typically consist of a waterproof container hidden inconspicuously at the coordinates.

Inside the container you’ll find a logbook and a variety of goodies - perhaps a toy, map, small book, bauble or other silly, fun or even valuable item. No telling what treasure hunt plunder you’ll find!! Be sure to fill out the logbook with the date and time of your visit and leave something in exchange for a cache-goodie.

There are several types of caches, too. Many parks listed on GoCampingAmerica.com have stashed caches at their park. One of our favorites types of cache is what’s known as a Travel Bug. This “is a trackable item that moves from place to place, picking up stories along the way. You can add your own story when you’ve located a Travel Bug or live vicariously through each bug's adventures” according to Goeocaching.com’s Travel Bug page.

Sounds easy? Easy and fun! Enjoy this short, informative video and give it a try yourself. You’ll see what an exciting challenge and great RV travel fit geocaching really is.



Contributed by Evanne Schmarder