Suzi’s Blog
The U.S. National Forest Campgrounds Guide website, www.forestcamping.com, is a wealth of information about developed campgrounds in all 176 national forests and grasslands across the country. It is basically an encyclopedia, straight forward and impersonal. Suzi’s Blog adds a little personal touch to the ForestCamping.com website with postings about our experiences, adventures, and discoveries along with other postings related to camping, national forests and grasslands, and family fund.
I am Suzi Dow and I hope you will find something interesting, something helpful, something informative, but mostly something that will help you get out and discover our national forests and grasslands.
Can’t beat these – Biscuits
How can you have a campfire and not make S’mores? How can you have meat sauce smothered spaghetti without garlic bread? And how can you eat beef stew without biscuits? At least, that is how it is in my house, or motorhome. The S’mores and garlic bread are easy on a campfire but the biscuits Read More >>
The humble earthworm
One of the more enduring national forest images I’ve carried in my mind for years is of a Grandpa teaching his granddaughter to fish. The pond small and not very clear but there on the bank was grandpa, wearing coveralls, kneeling next to a little girl with pigtails and dirty sneakers. Their heads were close Read More >>
Knapweed – Pretty but harmful
Although it isn’t a major problem in this little corner of Arizona, there is one weed that has been spreading hate and destruction across the western States since the late 1800s. Its called Knapweed. There are several varieties and you’ve probably seen it along roadsides, next to pond, beside railroad tracks, and just about anyplace Read More >>
Tips for skin care and more
Here are some ideas I have found helpful when we are out and about in the Great Outdoors. Lunch Box – Sometimes, as treat and to avoid the cost of eating out, we’ll have a “TV dinner.” The other day, as I started to toss the plastic plate, an idea flashed! For “containing” a picnic Read More >>
Hiking Trails for Walkers
The other day I asked a friend and avid hiker, “What’s the difference between hiking and walking?” He thought a minute and declared, “Hiking requires looking where you put your feet but with walking you don’t.” I like that definition and I like walking better the hiking. That preference is probably the result of my Read More >>
Biomass and campgrounds – what’s the connection?
What is BIOMASS? and what does it have to do with campgrounds? Simply put it is “plant materials and animal waste used as fuel.” Or, in other words, when you build your campfire from stuff collected around the campsite (twigs, leaves, branches, and such) that’s biomass. (Here’s a photo of fire-killed trees in the Deschutes Read More >>
Nothing Fancy Spaghetti
Enjoyed a pleasant evening visiting with Jim Gorman, a contributing editor for Backpacker magazine, and John Molloy, author of 33 books on the outdoors, at Rucker Canyon Forest Camp in the Coronado National Forest. This is the yummy pasta dish Jim made for all of us. It was fun watching him create and making do Read More >>
Always something New to discover in our national forests
You just never know what you’ll discover when exploring a national forest. I remember years ago, while researching the national forests in Arkansas, Fred and I discovered some petroglyphs on a wall under a rock ledge. (Actual size of the image was about that of a Barbie doll.) We felt like Columbus discovering America. We Read More >>
Eco-Friendly Cleaning Aids
It that time of year for major Spring cleaning. I’m not a big fan of harsh chemicals in my house or the motorhome. I would rather use an eco-friendly cleaning aids and a little elbow grease to clean especially when we are camping. Here are some hints and tips I’ve learned over the years. Call Read More >>
Memories from Forest Travels
The updating of forestcamping.com from the information received from the Forest Service has been completed!!!! Okay, there are some phone calls I’m waiting for to resolve a few remaining issues but the work is done!!! It felt like it was taking forever to get everything entered. The whole process is so boring but necessary. I’ve Read More >>
