It seems like, even though it has only been a few time, that every time we go camping it’s in a monsoon. Really every time we have reservations to camp it ends up in huge storms and flood warnings. Here in Pennsylvania we have had and rainfall record set in 2018, and in May of 2019 it rained on 21 days. So how can you stay dry and still have fun while camping during rainy days?
Keeping The Camper Dry
Put a Tarp Over the Camper
The last time we went camping, it rained. The camper, while it didn’t leak, was damp to the touch inside on the canvas. The next time we went, we were a little more prepared, but every time we go we do learn something new. The camper was parked so that it was under the trees as much as possible. This time we covered up the pop up with a tarp spanning the distance of the roof with the bed slide outs.
Getting the Right Tarp and Accessories
Do a little research and find the dimensions of your pop up. Make sure the dimensions are of the total area after being opened up. Purchase a tarp that will slightly hang over all the sides of the camper. We used bungee cords, but ratchet straps could also be used, to hold the tarp in the location that covers the entire pop up. Put the hooks though the eyes in the tarp, and hook the other side around the the edges of the pop up and around the bed supports.
Things to Watch Out For
A couple things to keep and eye on— When it rains there is usually some wind. Make sure that the tarp is secured. The last thing you want is for the tarp to be ripped off and possible damage something, or to end up chasing down a blowing tarp during the night in the rain. Also pay attention to not cover up the door or any windows you may want to open.
Keeping Other Accessories Dry
To keep chairs and larger items dry place them under the rear bed slight out. Make sure the items placed here are things that can get possible wet on the bottom since they will be touching the ground.
Keeping The Wood Dry
Find dry wood. The most important thing you can do here is start with the best wood that can be found. Last time we went camping we purchased wood from every seller close to camp. While it appeared mostly dry, none of it burned like dry wood. Damp wood will take a long time to get burning right if it burns right at all.
Too keep the wood dry we placed them under the front bunt on top of the tongue. This keeps the wood off the ground. We also stored some of the wood inside the truck on the floor. Anything used to start a fire was placed in the truck or pop up camper.
Two Important Notes
Have a Hatched
First, have a hatchet. I never knew this till I needed one and of coursedidnt have one. Luckily for me my camping neighbor offered his up for a few minutes. If the wood is damp it will have to be chopped up into different sizes to even have a shot at getting a fire going. Start the fire with the smallest pieces of wood possible and as it burns add slightly larger pieces. Good luck.
Have a backup plan
If your like us then you feel that one of the best parts of camping is the food cooked over an open fire. Well if there is no wood or the wood is unusable then you need a backup plan. Our pop up never came with the hookups for the inside stove. We purchased an electric skillet for if we have to cook inside due to rain. For outside we got a Coleman butane stove that works excellent. I wrote a review on this stove here.
Have Fun Trapped Inside
Let’s face the facts. When booking a camping site weeks in advance we dont know what the weather will hold for our little get aways. There will be times that we will get stuck inside and need some kind of entertainment.
We always have some good old fashion board games and cards with us. We usually keep simple games like checkers. With one deck of playing cards you will get multiple opinions from war to 500 rummy.
Then there are the electronic games. Our go to system is the Nintendo 3ds. You have to love linking them up and being victorious after a few races of Mario cart. The game possibilities are endless when it comes to cell phones.
I also use my cell phone at night for watching some TV. If you have plenty of data at your fingertips most cable providers allow some kind of wireless access to your account. Also YouTube, Netflix, or Hulu, just to name a few, could be used.
These are just a few indoor entertainment options. There are many more. One day I may add a TV to you pop up and many people have them. When you have kids they need something to keep them busy.