What did YOU forget on your first camping trip?

[Kimmyb]

We are the proud owners of our first "new to us" 2007 Casita 16' LD! We are going on our inaugural weekend camping trip this weekend. We were just trying to get our trip organized and wondering what other people might have forgotten or wished they would have brought on their trip?? Thank you all in advance!
If this has been covered, please redirect.

[Mary F]

Our first was a 16ft LD. We forgot to retrieve the coffee making apparatus from its storage spot (under one of the bench seats) the night before. It made for a serious delay in our morning routine

[Glenn Baglo]

It wasn't our first trip by any stretch, but my wife famously neglected to pack socks because we were to be camped in a 'desert'. Had frozen feet for the entire week.

[tractors1]

Coffee filters for our percolator. Paper towels work fairly well.

[Alf S.]

Originally Posted by Kimmyb

We are the proud owners of our first "new to us" 2007 Casita 16' LD! We are going on our inaugural weekend camping trip this weekend. We were just trying to get our trip organized and wondering what other people might have forgotten or wished they would have brought on their trip?? Thank you all in advance!
If this has been covered, please redirect.

Hi: Kimmyb... We forgot to unplug the power cord. "What's that dancing in the grass behind the trailer"?
Alf S. North shore of Lake Erie

[Borrego Dave]

First trip, any kind of pot or skillet but we were camping with friends and borrowed what was forgotten .

[Huck]

My wallet. Thankfully I realized it when only about 20 miles down the road and returned home and got it.

[Jon in AZ]

Leveling blocks.

We managed with some unauthorized finagling of the rear stabilizers.

Mary, coffee and the means to brew it would be the unpardonable omission! Early morning coffee outdoors is the best part of camping for me.

If you're OCD, you can see a couple of packing lists others have compiled in this thread: http://www.fiberglassrv.com/forums/f...ist-74740.html

Or just take your first trip within striking distance of a Walmart Supercenter. You can get any reasonable thing you forgot there, in the middle of the night if needed.

[Mary F]

Jon, we had coffee with us but it was under the bed... had not crossed our minds that we would need it before putting the bedding into daytime mode. There were lots of little things like that as we learned to think things through (and stash some stuff overnight in a bin in the tow vehicle).

[Jon in AZ]

We had a similar situation involving our bicycles. We remove and stow the seats and helmets in one of the rear under-bed compartments. Got in late and forgot to take them out. Girls were up early and wanted to ride the bikes, but my wife was still sleeping on the bed.

Don't know what I would have done if she were asleep on the coffee!

[bjsmitty]

Not first timers, but two weeks ago, forgot raingear (it rained for 2 days) warm clothes (yeah, cold too), coffee pot (used French press) extra blankets (reference warm clothes issue) etc. Forgot how to use the inverter, had to try and remember how to set up the patio room shelter (took 2 PHDs 1.5 hours to put up, badly). Short shake-down cruise every year is recommended.

Did remember to bring 4 gallons of good water, campground water smelled like rotten eggs. Will never forget that when you like your morning coffee.

[elk_rapidian]

Kindling and camp fire tools. Firewood is usually available near every campground, but not the "accessories."

[Glenn Baglo]

Originally Posted by elk_rapidian

Kindling and camp fire tools. Firewood is usually available near every campground, but not the "accessories."

I keep a sawdust and paraffin firelog in the trailer and just lop off chunks of it as kindling. Burns longer.

Also, in order to slow the spread of bugs, you're not supposed to transport firewood ( ie. kindling ) from one location to another.

[MurrayC]

Wrench to change flat tire

[elk_rapidian]

When we remodeled our home, we obtained a lifetime supply of processed cedar for kindling. Remains of old 2 x 4's or any other processed wood works well also, as long as you keep it dry and bug free.

[k corbin]

It has been more than half a century since the first camping trip. No way can I remember what I forgot to bring. Of course there have been many trips since then when no doubt I forgot some small thing or another but none of it was so important that it mattered enough to remember what I forgot to bring along.

[k corbin]

Originally Posted by Glenn Baglo

I keep a sawdust and paraffin firelog in the trailer and just lop off chunks of it as kindling. Burns longer.

Also, in order to slow the spread of bugs, you're not supposed to transport firewood ( ie. kindling ) from one location to another.

Take a muffin tin, pile wood shavings from a table saw, router, miter saw, planer etc into the cups. Add some melted candle wax. My neighbor was a handyman and he and his wife saved the materials in bags then once a year did a project day and then gave them as Christmas gifts to their friends.

I myself don't burn flame candles but there are often bags of old candles at thrift stores, garage sales and of course you can purchase blocks of wax.

[Glenn Baglo]

Originally Posted by k corbin

then gave them as Christmas gifts to their friends.

Hope they don't get them mixed up with the Christmas fruit cakes.

[Bruce H]

First camping trip! I have been doing this for almost two decades and I ALWAYS forget something every time I go.

My trips are usually four to six weeks and there are literally hundreds of things that need to be done to get ready for a trip. Usually it is minor like forgetting to leave a key for the family member who will be checking my house. Or forgetting to move that frozen food item from the freezer to the trailer or forgetting to notify the post office to hold my mail. (they refuse to hold mail based on a phone call). I also have forgotten to turn off my water heater more than once.

When I load my truck, even the mighty F-350, the trailer tongue weight and "stuff" in the bed of the truck sets the back down enough so that when it gets dark the low beam headlights are shining up in the faces of drivers in oncoming traffic. I find myself pulled to the side of the road in the dark with the hood up, a flashlight and screw driver adjusting my headlights just about every trip. Also taking the spare tire cover off and checking the air pressure in the tire gets overlooked quite often.

[Krestow]

The spatula. (Flipping eggs with a spoon isn't as easy as you might think!)