Specially built touring bungalow, on a Reo chassis, adapting the Pullman idea to the motor vehicle
Hettrick tourist tent showing awning for use outside of sleeping hours or stormy weather
While most of the summer campers may not admit that they are inconvenienced in any way by mosquitoes, bugs or insects of any sort, those who contemplate camping in the fall are quick to agree that one advantage of this sport in cooler weather will be the absence of many such pests. They advise, however, that motorists should take along with their tents a few extra blankets as a protection against the nippings of Jack Frost.
In the winter time motor camping is mostly confined to the crowd of motor campers who to the number of many thousands follow the sun to the Southland. In some places that are central, and, so to speak, crossroads of this travel, as at Tampa, for example, the “tin can tourists,” as those driving [[93]]a popular make of car are sometimes called, and this, with their own hearty acceptance of the term, have assembled in convention to the number of thousands. One winter these “tin can tourists” assembled in the city just mentioned to the number of several thousand and formed an organization entitled “The Tin Can Tourists of the World.” This organization was rather informal and seems to have gone out of active existence.
As time goes on the number of motor campers trekking South each winter is bound to increase, for those who can spare the time to get away from home will sally forth and head their cars loaded with camping equipment into the South so as to escape the rigors of the season in the North. A few days’ cruising will take the motor camper away from winter into summer and at a cost about equivalent to that of staying at home, particularly when coal bills are taken into consideration.
But there is another class of winter campers. We refer to those whose blood is warm and who can rough it a little even in the face of snow and ice. These hardy souls enjoy camping out during the winter season with a zest that summer cannot afford.
The winter week-ender gets a spice and a thrill from life in the open under the frosty skies of winter that the summertime cannot supply.
When camping during the wintertime seek a sheltered place protected from the wind. In mid-winter the swamps are found the best of places for camping. The mud and water are frozen hard. If possible [[94]]get under the lee of a dense growth of underbrush, hackmatack or other conifers to keep the wind from blowing the camp fire smoke into your eyes.
The winter camper should not fail to dress as warmly as possible. The best way is not to wear overcoats and thick, heavy underclothes. Much better, put on two, three or even four suits of light underwear and they will keep you warmer than heavy ones. As many as five light jerseys may be worn without making the body bulky and without interfering with your activities in walking, climbing or swinging the ax. The advantage of this arrangement is that you may peel them off like the skins of an onion as you grow warm; and put them on again as you grow cold. Don’t go burdened with too much truck. Take two good blankets, your poncho and your shoes, well oiled, or wear rubber-footed boots, such as may be secured from Boy Scouts Headquarters in New York. Wear two or three pairs of good woolen stockings. If you can secure a pair of buckskin mittens, they will keep your hands warm when pulled over woolen gloves. Take along some stubs of candles, not to burn at night, but with which to light your fires. It does not require much skill to light a candle, even on a windy day, but it sometimes requires a great deal of patience to light a fire on the same sort of a day.