cold camping in your teardrop

[bobhenry]

I routinely don't look at the different area posts and we certainly don't want to toot our own horn but "The extreme team" is going to brave the teen to single digit weather here in the Midwest this Saturday for our shivaree. There have a lot of good ideas and concerns being voiced about cold weather camping. It may be of interest to some of you to look at the "Midwest" posts below.

Auntie M we promise to take lots and lots of pictures.

[Miriam C.]

I just don't know about you Yankees. It just ain't right.

I am looking forward to all the interesting pictures. And please guys, include reports of cold weather clothes, shoes, gloves You know the drill. Oh and heaters

The MO gang had a neat big propane heater that worked wonderful. They put up the ez up sides and it was nice inside. They also had a lot of different "sides" for the ex ups. I liked the clear shower curtain best. Let in the light.

PS...you might dig out the heated stadium seats.

[wolfiebites]

Wow, I'm such a wimp, out here in CA, the high today, was 60 degree's,
but drops to low30's, at night. I was thinking about, going to the
beach tomorrow(and camp one night), but got invited, to a crab feed,
and choose the latter, mainly due to the low 30's. Your a hardy bunch!

[dwgriff1]

We slept in ours at 10 above, once it warmed up it was good.

My advice is get a good down comforter, they warm up a LOT faster.

Temps in the 20's are a piece of cake.

dave

[BrwBier]

Wow, I'm such a wimp, out here in CA, the high today, was 60 degree's,
but drops to low30's, at night. I was thinking about, going to the
beach tomorrow(and camp one night), but got invited, to a crab feed,
and choose the latter, mainly due to the low 30's. Your a hardy bunch!

We look forward to when it warms up to the low 30s
Brwbier

[Betsey]

0° would be nice as right now we are sitting at -28° without windchill. That's a bit unusual for us here in this area. More the norm for our old stomping grounds in northern Minnesota.

I forgot to plug the car in last night and so now I can't go anywhere for awhile...was supposed to have left for Rochester, MN by now (about 90 miles away)...oh well, guess we'll just stay put for the time being...

Betsey

[PresTx82]

I remember once going out camping and I forgot my tent. I was halfway up in the boonies when I thought, "Gee, I don't remember throwing the tent in the back". I had everything else; tarps, sleeping bag, food, water, etc., but no tent.

Sure enough, I got to my site and I hadn't brought it. The night was going to be a cold one too. I cut some poles, gathering up some wood, brush, etc. to make a make-shift tent with my tarp and a wind break. After everything was said and done I had shelter. It got down in the 20s and my water froze, but I was warm all night with my long johns, wool socks and wool hat in my make-shift dwelling.

Did I mention I watch a lot of "Survivor Man"?

[Catoosa Grani]

I didn't realize it got cold down there. At least not that cold. We used to spend a couple of weeks down in south Texas between Christmas and New Years. We spent a week around Big Bend one year, I know, a long way from you. I forgot, one year it got really cold and the ocean along the beach was frozen. That was a shock.

Grani

[mikeschn]

Ah well, just go out to the barn and crank out a few more teardrops... Crank the thermostadt up and you won't even notice the cold outside!!!

Mike...

0° would be nice as right now we are sitting at -28° without windchill. That's a bit unusual for us here in this area. More the norm for our old stomping grounds in northern Minnesota.

I forgot to plug the car in last night and so now I can't go anywhere for awhile...was supposed to have left for Rochester, MN by now (about 90 miles away)...oh well, guess we'll just stay put for the time being...

Betsey

[Betsey]

Ah well, just go out to the barn and crank out a few more teardrops... Crank the thermostadt up and you won't even notice the cold outside!!!

Mike...

Well, seeing as the "barn" is 27 miles from here and the car is a "no go," I am stuck here.

It did finally hit 0° at 4 pm, but with the windchill, it was still -15°. Tomorrow is expected to be about the same as today...another good day for watching movies and taking it easy (which doesn't happen very often!).

Wonder how the Winter Shiveree is going.....

Betsey

[Mary K]

clip clip

"I forgot to plug the car in last night"

Betsey

Plug your car into what??? Is it rechargeable?

Mk

[rbeemer]

clip clip

"I forgot to plug the car in last night"

Betsey

Plug your car into what??? Is it rechargeable?

Mk

Up north they have to plug their cars into the wall socket so an electric engine block heater will keep the water from freezing, so in the morning when you go to start your car you won't do damage to the engine.

[Mary K]

clip clip

"I forgot to plug the car in last night"

Betsey

Plug your car into what??? Is it rechargeable?

Mk

Up north they have to plug their cars into the wall socket so an electric engine block heater will keep the water from freezing, so in the morning when you go to start your car you won't do damage to the engine.

Oh...don't I feel silly!!

Thanks...I'll go back to my hole now and stick my head back in it.

Mk

[GregB]

Don't feel bad Mary. That isn't something that you are supposed to know about when you come from south of the Mason-Dixon line. Every region has their quaint little customs, but the ones from up north all seem to be about not dying of the cold. Them's hardy folk up there.

GB

[Betsey]

clip clip

"I forgot to plug the car in last night"

Betsey

Plug your car into what??? Is it rechargeable?

Mk

Ah....no....it has a block heater, which you put into one of the frost plug holes on the engine block...the cord end then comes out of the grill on the front of your car...you plug it in to an extension cord that is plugged into an outlet. It heats up the water that is in the engine block so that the engine remains "warmer" (i.e. the engine is only at 0° rather than -20°) when you try to start it. It is not uncommon for hotels to have outlets in their parking lots for you to plug in your car overnight in the winter...of couse, you have to supply the extension cord.

Now, if we were in northern Minnesota, where Craig's from and we used to live, we would have a block heater, oil heater and battery heater...and if you have a diesel engine with glow plugs that have gone bad, you have to have your car pull started about 4 miles to create enough friction to warm up the engine enough for it to start (voice of experience talking here....). That's also after using #1 diesel fuel so that it doesn't gel (like #2 does).

Gotta love winter in the Northcountry!

Betsey