Packing For Overnighters.

[hoglaw]

The one thing I didn't see mentioned skimming over this is a hammock. I have a Grand Trunk Skeeter Beeter. It has a bug net and a rain-fly. It eliminates a ton of weight and space, and expands your camping options. A friend of mine used his in one of the swamps down south for a winter canoe trip and didn't set foot on dry ground for three days. I have a thermarest that I put in mine, though it's not necessary for a real minimalist. It is necessary for me.

I would rather sleep in my hammock than in a tent, even if I was car camping. I only take the tent when the fiancee comes with me. For food, one of the easiest things for me is to shred a rotissery chicken from Walmart before I go. Super healthy, high protein, dense and compact, and very tasty hot or cold. A shredded chicken, hamomck, and a bottle of Bullet or one of the Glenn's and I'm happy for the night. If I want some variety, I'll pre-make a foil pack with ground chuck and veggies to put in the coals. I don't do dehydrated food or dinner that doesn't have to be refrigerated. I'm just not that much of a minimalist.

[Al Agnew]

Really it just depends upon what your goals are. When I do solo overnighters in the summer, I'm wanting to spend most of my time fishing. I get up at dawn and get on the water as quickly as possible to get in the early morning fishing, then stop about mid-morning to eat a couple snack cakes for breakfast. I float and fish until an hour or so before dark, then set up camp and eat supper. By that time it's going on 9 PM, and if it's nice out and the mosquitoes aren't around I sit on the gravel bar looking at the stars for a while, and then I'm usually almost sleepy enough to hit the sack.

For other trips, however, it CAN be all about the gravel bar camping experience, in which case we plan the gravel bar spot carefully, get there plenty early, do a more elaborate meal, climb the bluff across the river to see what the view looks like, play cards, build a campfire, sit around the campfire for hours, maybe fish a little for catfish after dark...next morning cook a good breakfast, give the tents time to dry the dew off.

And cool to cold weather trips are a lot different, in that the nights are long and the days short. You have to cut way down on the length of river you're floating, and you have to have some plans for how you're going to spend the evenings from 5:30 when it gets dark until 10 or so when you MIGHT be getting sleepy.

And for me, even when I'm doing the serious fishing floats, I like my creature comforts. I want a roomy tent to retreat into after dark if the mosquitoes are out at all, not some tiny tent that gives me claustrophobia...and that is especially true if it rains. I want plenty of padding beneath me when I'm sleeping, and I've tried the hammock thing and while it's fine for an hour or two of lounging around, it is really difficult for me to actually get a full night's sleep in one.

A few other observations...

Be a little choosy about your gravel bar campsite. Ideally, you want a gravel bar that's several feet above river level, and you want it to not be an island or potential island. Sure, if you're certain the weather forecast shows no chance of rain, you can go with a lower bar or an island, but I'm always a bit nervous about it. If you do pick one that's a potential island...lower toward the back end than in the middle, make sure there isn't any standing pools back there, because they are always mosquito breeding grounds and also often have a bunch of frogs on them that will keep you up most of the night with their croaking.

Your actual tent site needs to be chosen carefully, too. DON'T put your tent on sand. It looks soft and tempting, but you'll track a ton of sand into the tent going in and out of it, and if the wind comes up in the night you'll be in a sandstorm. The ideal tent site is level and consists of small gravel, pea size to golf ball size. The closer your site is to moving water (riffles), the more the moving water keeps the air stirred up and the mosquitoes down, and most people like the white noise of riffles when they're sleeping.

If you have a choice, pick a gravel bar that will get full early morning sun. Helps to warm you up on cool mornings, and helps dry the dew off the tent and equipment quickly.

Try to avoid bars that have any kind of road or ATV track coming down onto them. It's not pleasant to be getting ready to hit the sack when a bunch of local party animals suddenly drives onto your gravel bar, or an irate landowner decides he has the right to run you off.

[Mark]

5 gallon buckets with tight lids work great - will float just in case, keeps bread and chips from getting squashed, keeps clothes, radio, etc. dry, makes great coffee tables, makes a great tackle box, sleeping bag and pillow fit perfectly - I carry two, one for tackle/sweater/wet suit/bug spray/misc. and one for stuff I absolutely want to keep dry.

[Woodland Artisan]

The one thing I didn't see mentioned skimming over this is a hammock. I have a Grand Trunk Skeeter Beeter. It has a bug net and a rain-fly. It eliminates a ton of weight and space, and expands your camping options. A friend of mine used his in one of the swamps down south for a winter canoe trip and didn't set foot on dry ground for three days. I have a thermarest that I put in mine, though it's not necessary for a real minimalist. It is necessary for me.

Yeah, I mentioned it but didn't elaborate on it. I use my Hennessy unless someone else doesn't have anything and then it's just a small 2 person bivy that we use. I use the hammock for both swinging and ground use if need be. Much prefer it up in the trees, though. It just increases my options so much more in where and how I can spend the night. Especially for those stealth camping opportunities. I also use a thermarest-like air mattress and, for the cooler weather, a felt lined dry top (multi-usage!) to block the wind and cold underneath. Some people find hammocks too cold but I love it. And, it packs smaller than all but the most ultra-light 1 person tents. Wouldn't trade my hammock for anything.

[Wayne SW/MO]

The biggest problem I see with hammocks here is ticks. You have to hang them right where the prefer. It doesn't mean they will necessarily get in it, but they will track you down outside.

[Mitch f]

The biggest problem I see with hammocks here is ticks. You have to hang them right where the prefer. It doesn't mean they will necessarily get in it, but they will track you down outside.

Not hammocks with Deet

[Wayne SW/MO]

Not hammocks with Deet

I don't think the hammocks mind, it would be me I would worry about. I'm just thinking I wouldn't want to carry a can of Deet around my neck so I could spray every time I had to step out. Uh uh, not for me I'll stick with a nice hard clear gravel patch..

[KCRIVERRAT]

Take a small charcoal grill grate (small Weber or whatever) with whatever charcoal you think you need if you're floatin' alone. And some fluid. Screw the stove. Use your hands to scoop out a spot on the gravel bar. Line it with bigger rocks to sit the grate on then go to town with supper. Hell, just cook some beans in the can over the fire. Add firewood you've gathered on it after dinner. Some people wanna get fancy, other's just wanna get something in their gut and enjoy the experience. Best bologna sandwich's I've ever had have been on a gravel bar.

[KCRIVERRAT]

I've floated a lot of rivers and I've never had to worry about bugs (including misquitoes) on a gravel bar. It's the coon's you gotta be ready for.

[Greasy B]

I've floated a lot of rivers and I've never had to worry about bugs (including misquitoes) on a gravel bar. It's the coon's you gotta be ready for.

Yep, and the coons aren't a problem unless you pick a gavel bar frequented by slobs.