The usual toilet articles will be taken along, and there will be some provision for containers to hold clothing, food, etc. The week-ender will not require [[25]]anything extensive in the way of containers, but he should have at least a suit case or two, or duffle bags. Of course, clothing will be much less mussed if packed in a suit case. The suit case or suit cases may be carried on the running board. Whatever is carried outside the car must be fastened on with great care and security, and well protected by water-proof covering against wet.
The week-ender will not need so much in the way of tools as one going for a longer trip, but he should not fail to have his ax, shovel, and huntsman’s knife in addition to his usual tools for the care of his car. For eating he can make out with tin plate, tin cup, knife, fork and spoon. Of course, he may take as elaborate a table outfit as he pleases, but he will not get as fine a tang out of his outing as he will if he roughs it a little. If he wishes to really rough it he may sleep out in the open in a sleeping bag. In case of rain he can roll under his car. Mr. Average Man, however, will not care to overdo in the way of roughing it, yet as a rule he will get along with little, particularly if he camps with a like-minded chum who with him mostly wants change and fresh air for the week-end.
The week-end camper will follow his usual washing methods in summer, but in winter, or when the temperature gets down to the frost level, he will have to modify his washing methods a little if he does not wish to suffer from cracked and chapped face and hands. When the mercury gets down to frost or below, don’t wash, but rub on vaseline, and [[26]]then to remove the dirt wipe it off thoroughly with a towel. This will leave the camper with a fairly clean appearance and with a smooth skin.
Family Camping
We have been all along considering this question of week-end motor camping from the masculine angle. This is not necessarily the only way to consider it. In many cases the motor campers are a man and wife, or even a family including one or more children. Of course, when a woman is along a little more preparation must be made; more clothing and equipment, more complete and systematic provision in the matter of food and cooking arrangements; more comfortable sleeping arrangements also should be arranged. A group of four would need at least one extra shelter tent. Such tents are very inexpensive and have the advantage, since they have no poles, of folding up into a small space so that they can readily be carried on the running boards.
Selecting the Site
The tents may be erected by stretching ropes from the top of the car to near-by trees. Care should be taken to have the tent pins driven deep and to attach the canvas close to the ground. If possible, the site chosen should allow of drainage away from the tent in case of rain, and should be, so far as [[27]]circumstances will permit, on gravelly or porous soil. In any event it is desirable to dig a shallow trench about the tent to drain away the water that will run down the tent in case of heavy rain. In selecting a site care should be taken to avoid a creek bottom. We have seen motorists camping in a meadow by the side of a stream below a road skirting the foot of a precipitous hill. We have even seen such a camping site pictured as ideal. Ideal it would be in fine dry weather, but a heavy summer shower, particularly at night, would endanger the camp and its occupants. Such streams often rise with great suddenness, and if nothing more the campers would be put to extreme discomfort by having to move in haste, and in the wet, to higher ground.