SCA Camping 101

• tent
• tent stakes
• ground cloth/tarp
• rope
• mallet or heavy hammer
• whisk broom

Try to find something that fits your budget. Small, quality domes generally begin around $150–200; a decent 12’x 12′ cabin tent can run $400, and go up from there, the fancier they get.

Always figure on a tent will comfortably accommodate about three people fewer than it claims. Gear equals a whole person, so further reduce that number by how many people will be staying in the tent. Pup tents or domes are great, but you might want something you can stand up in to get changed.

There are lots of shapes out there— a-frame, dome (large or small), cabin (some with rooms!). Choose what’s right for you. I personally recommend external frame over internal frame—they’re easier to set up, and you can generally do it all by yourself, even for a large tent. I also recommend a freestanding tent (one that does not require stakes to remain erect).

Canvas tents are harder to find in camping goods stores these days, but they’re certainly still available through military surplus and other such outfitters. For your first tent, I recommend avoiding canvas—it’s heavier, bulkier, more expensive, and harder to care for. Modern fabric tents are much, much easier to deal with.

Choose a tent that has a rain fly (an extra layer of fabric that goes over the tent). A fly provides a critical barrier to rain. A tent may claim that it’s water resistant, but that’s not enough. The fly should be supported away from the main tent fabric, should cover at least 75% of the tent, and should provide adequate shelter over tent windows and doors in a manner that guides sheeting water away from the windows and door.

Choose a tent that comes with a ground cloth or tarp, or purchase one. Even if your tent has a “bathtub bottom” (a reinforced, waterproof, plastic floor that wraps up the sides like basin), a ground cloth is a good idea. The ground cloth protects the floor of your tent from moisture seeping up through the ground and from sharp pointy things (roots, rocks and sticks). The ground cloth should match the dimensions of your tent and not peek out from under your tent at any point. A ground cloth that sticks out somewhere is a perfect water trap and channel, and you’ll soon find yourself sleeping on a giant water bed—or in a puddle.

Of all the varieties out there, I highly recommend shock-corded poles. These have sections connected by strong elastic cording, and you simply let the poles snap together—no hunting for the right sections, and the poles don’t come apart by accident. Fiberglass is great for smaller (pup or dome) tents; aluminum is the norm for larger (cabin style) tents.

Accidents happen—poles bend, fabric tears, zippers jam. Try to choose a tent that has an adequate service backup, such as a large company with easily obtainable spare parts.

If you buy a cheap tent off the shelf of your local department store, you’re probably going to get what you bought. Remember that there’s a world of difference between “inexpensive” and “cheap.” When it comes to tents, cheap is generally cheap. It may also be harder to locate replacement parts or repair service. Go online, visit camping goods stores, and take a good, long look at the brands and styles available. Choose the style and brand you like, then shop around for the best price. Think of your tent as an investment: Spend $300 now and have a tent that lasts 6–10 years, rather than spending $150 now and needing to replace your tent every few years.

• sleeping bag or blankets (several warm ones)
• sleeping pad, mattress or cot
• pillow
• lantern and/or flashlight
• spare batteries

You want to be at least a foot from the floor of your tent, where it’s coldest. A cot, air mattress, layered sleeping pad—there are many options. Cots have the advantage of under-the-bed storage space. If you’re going to use an air mattress, remember to consider pumps and batteries. Camping neighbors may not appreciate the sound of a loud air pump after sunset.

 The simplest option is a sleeping bag. Consider a synthetic, outdoor camping bag rather than cotton, indoor-use bags which are miserable to use when wet. Synthetic materials are lightweight, retaining their warming abilities when damp, dry quickly, and pack into small bundles. If you don’t like sleeping inside a tube, you can always unzip your sleeping bag and use it like a blanket. If you prefer to use natural fiber blankets, use a lot of them. Layering is the key to staying warm. Bring at least one good wool blanket. Don’t forget your pillow!

Don’t sleep in any item of clothing you wore that day. No matter how dry your clothing may feel, it has absorbed moisture from your body and the air during the day, and damp clothes equal cold clothes. If you’re still cold after changing and piling on your blankets and/or sleeping bag, put on dry socks and a hat. Still cold? Consider a trip to the bathroom—the body spends a lot of energy warming the fluid in your bladder. If you are cold after all that, you will need find a warm body to sleep with, even if it’s just another body in the tent with you (not necessarily sharing your blankets). Yes, seriously.

You’ll need some way to see in your tent after dark. No matter how careful you think you are, accidents happen, and tents are flammable. Plan on using a modern flashlight or lantern—it’s safest for you and everyone around you. For external lighting you can consider using the light of flames. Cndles, candle lanterns, campfires and tiki torches can be seen on many sites. Consider safety first. Make sure flames are kept are well away from tents or other flammable items, and that you have taken every precaution against someone knocking into them.

• warm weather garb
• cold weather garb
• plenty of socks and underthings
• winter/warm hat and gloves
• heavy cloak
• choice of footwear (cold and warm, wet and dry)
• swimwear (garb item or bathing suit)
• couple of changes of modern clothing

The importance of good footwear cannot be stressed enough! You generally spend the majority of your time at camping events on your feet—walking and standing on pavement, dirt roads, gravel, grass… you name it. Comfortable, supportive shoes can prevent a lot of fatigue, not to mention protecting you from hazards on the ground (exposed tent stakes, loose ropes, splinters, pebbles, glass, bottle caps, sharp gravel—you get the idea). Never mind if the shoes aren’t period! If you do wear period shoes, consider modern support inserts. Be good to your feet, and you’ll have a much more pleasant camping event.

Most campgrounds with pools demand modern swimwear. Pay attention to the rules and obey them. If you’re unsure what will be expected, bring modern swimwear in addition to anything else you might wish to wear in the water. If swimming is available in a lake, consider bring shoes you don’t mind getting wet to protect your feet from the lake bottom. See shower shoes.

It’s always good to have a couple of changes of modern clothing, not only for driving to and from the event, but for those trips into town you might need to go on. A lot of people just wear their garb on town runs, but you might not be personally comfortable with that. Also, in the middle of a downpour, it’s nice to have a T-shirt and pair of shorts to slip into if you need to do some emergency tent repair!

In general, avoid wearing modern clothing on site as much as possible. Exceptions include setting up and tearing down camp, preparing for combat (many people wear modern clothing under their armor), walking to the car for a town run, and at swimming facilities which require modern swimwear. At all other times, make every effort to present a period appearance, even if it means throwing a cloak or blanket over your modern clothing as you head for the pool.

• deodorant
• hairbrush and comb
• hairbands, barrettes, scrunchies, etc.
• toothbrush
• toothpaste
• washcloth
• soap
• antibacterial hand cleanser
• shampoo and conditioner
• shower shoes
• towels
• face towel
• nail clippers
• small scissors
• razor
• shaving cream
• feminine necessaries
• heck, male necessaries!
• insect repellent

Many camping events are serviced almost entirely by portable toilets. There are usually very few flush toilet facilities on site compared to the number of people using them. Don’t plan on ready access to flush toilets, sinks, electrical outlets, and mirrors. Consider packing antibacterial cleanser, toilet paper, and portable mirror, just in case.

Campsites usually have at least one shower facility, but they are usually nowhere near numerous enough to serve even a third of the people camped there. If you use the bathhouses, don’t plan on getting hot water, decent water pressure or a quick visit. A tip for getting decent showers is to go very, very late at night or very early in the morning.

Consider shower shoes. These can be flip-flops, plastic sandals, whatever. The idea behind shower shoes is to protect the soles of your feet from contact with public washroom floors, which may carry icky foot plagues from previous occupants.

Find some compact way to tote around your shower necessaries. A basket or small plastic bucket works well, as do cloth bags or zippered cases. You might have to walk a long way to the shower, so make your carrying case a comfortable one and pack your necessaries in small, compact packages. As always, if you’re worried about how it looks, cover it with a cloth.

To reduce the space your toiletries take up, consider purchasing a trial size tube of toothpaste and a compact travel-size toothbrush. You can also purchase small squeeze bottles and transfer just enough shampoo, conditioner and/or body wash into them for the duration of the event. Better yet, go with a 2-in-1 shampoo and conditioner for the week. You’ll also want to store your soap in a tight-sealing plastic bag or case, unless you want all your toiletries to get soapy.

A good method for the lazy or impatient individual is to bring along some sort of washbasin affair that will allow you to get clean via a sponge-bath in the privacy of your own tent. This may not get you clean all over, but it certainly helps clean away some of the dust every day without visiting a shower! I also like to take advantage of rainstorms to wash away the dust and grime. For this, I bring a bikini or shorts and sports bra and use biodegradable soap and a washcloth.

Some campgrounds provide swimming facilities in the form of a pool or lake. Check ahead and find out what kind of clothing the swimming facility demands (many pools will only allow modern bathing suits).

• camp table
• camp stove
• extra fuel
• matches
• cooler
• washbasin
• dishrags and dishtowels
• dish detergent
• paper towels
• garbage bags
• extra plastic bags (Ziploc™)
• aluminum foil
• sponges and scrubbies
• jerry jug (or other water container)
• pots and pans
• mixing bowl
• cutting board
• can opener
• colander or strainer
• cooking utensils (spatula, serving spoon, stirring spoon, cutting knife, ladle, whisk, tongs, meat fork)
• potholders
• eating utensils (cup, mug, plate, bowl, knife, fork, spoon)

• Fold your clothing and bedding very carefully and compactly. Blankets and sheets can be rolled up with your sleeping bag.
• Remove any unnecessary packaging (such as the boxes for board games, garbage bags or matches) and place the contents of the package into something more flexible and appropriately sized (such as a self-sealing plastic bag).
• Gather everything you want to pack into several giant piles (clothing in one pile, kitchen equipment in another, bedding, general equipment, and so on). Gather up your packing containers and set them out next to the most appropriate pile of gear. Now proceed to make each pile fit in its appropriate container(s).
• Remember that items can nest inside one another (such as packing your drink mix inside your drink pitcher).
• Put soft, flexible items in last (such as dish towels) and/or use them to your advantage in filling up small spaces and protecting fragile items.
• Rubbermaid™ tubs are fantastic for packing any equipment, as are plastic crates. On site, tubs can become low tables and plastic crates double as cheap shelving. If you worry about how they’ll look, plan to throw a blanket or cloth over them.

It’s important to keep your perishable items (meat, dairy, temperature sensitive vegetables) cold. Here are some very important tips to consider when packing your perishable items:

• If you’re selecting a cooler for the first time, get something that’s just big enough, but not too big, to contain your food and ice. Select one with a lid that locks closed with a tab or something else that forces the lid to shut tightly. This creates a much better seal and heat barrier. Get something with a good, thick lid.
• When choosing ice, consider that block ice doesn’t melt nearly as quickly as crushed or cubed ice. Unless you’re packing a couple of sandwiches into a drink cooler for the day, I don’t recommend using the freezer packs to keep your food cold—they warm up too quickly, and then they take up valuable space. When on site, keep your cooler in the shade as much as possible. Only open it when absolutely necessary, and shut it firmly as quickly as possible. Consider covering it with a wool blanket or other thermal barrier.
• Don’t place anything contained in cardboard down in your cooler. Such items will get contaminated with the melted ice water. Either transfer the contents of these containers to tight-sealing (Ziploc™) plastic bags, or just enclose the entire container in the bags. Examples of these kinds of items include butter, milk, cream and eggs. You may also want to consider this approach with cheese or other items in a thin plastic wrapper, especially since you’ll be breaching that plastic barrier at some point during the event.
• Anything in a plastic bag should be in two plastic bags. One bag may spring a leak and allow contaminated water to enter, but two bags will never leak all the way through the food.
• Try to pack only what perishables you’ll actually consume. Don’t bring an entire package of hot dogs if you’re only going to eat two. The same goes for liquids such as milk and cream. The fewer items you pack into your cooler, the easier it will be to keep cold.
• If you’re planning meals with meat, and you plan to buy the meat before you leave, prep the meat at home (e.g. cut it into chunks) and pack enough for each meal into one (double-bagged) package. Freeze. This will help keep your cooler cold on the trip and keep your meat cold enough for health. By the time you get to Pennsic, your meat will probably already be thawing.
• Plan to use any meat or dairy (milk and eggs) from home for the first two days of Pennsic and plan to purchase any more such perishables on site or in town. Never expect meat and dairy to last longer than two days in your cooler unless you keep it very, very cold.
• Pack meat and other such perishables near the bottom of your cooler, where it’s coldest. Vegetables and other temperature-tolerant items should go closer to the top.

Your nonperishable items (canned or dry goods) can be packed into a box or crate. I do not recommend packing your food into paper or plastic grocery bags. Your dry goods should receive the same care and attention as your perishable items. Make sure they’re well protected in tight-sealing containers. Items like crackers, cereal, flour, pasta, sugar, powdered drink mix, tea (bagged or loose) and coffee are good examples of what should be repackaged in this manner. Your enemies are moisture and insects.

Before you do anything else, remove all emergency gear items from your car—spare tire, jack, toolbox, spare gas can, extra oil, windshield fluid, and so on. Set all these items aside and pack them last. You do not want to have to unload your entire car because you get a flat tire, especially if it’s raining. If you do not have the above listed items in your car, you should seriously consider stocking up for your trip.

• Bring all your packaged gear out to the car before you begin loading.
• Try to load the largest, most inflexible items first.
• Try to keep your weight load as balanced as possible from side-to-side and front-to-back of your vehicle (your axles and shocks will thank you).
• Pay attention to which items you need to have most accessible, both along the journey and once you arrive. This is particularly important if you intend to stop somewhere overnight along the way. You’ll want a change of clothes and your tent (if you’re camping) accessible.

It may take you several tries to get all the gear into a good configuration so that it all fits.

Many people tend to camp together in social groups, and sometimes these groups will create an “encampment.” Most encampments mark their boundaries in some manner, whether by the arrangement of their tents or with rope and colored flags. At larger events, groups may even surround themselves with walls of sheets or wood to hide their encampment from casual view. However it’s marked off, every encampment will have at least one designated entrance.

Campground courtesy demands that you respect an encampment’s “walls,” however minimal they might be, by entering a camp only through its entrance. It’s also polite to “knock”—stop just short of the entrance and say “Hello, the camp!” loudly enough to be heard. Someone should answer. Tell him or her who you’re looking for, ask if that person’s around and whether you may enter to speak with him or her. Don’t be discouraged if the person who answers isn’t familiar with the person you’re looking for—most people will try to help you as much as they can. If no one answers your call at the entrance or if the person who answers your call isn’t comfortable with letting you in at that moment, come back later to try again. Don’t just wander in anyway.

Wandering into someone’s camp when they’re not around or without their permission is a bit rude—it’s like walking into someone’s house when they don’t answer your knock at their door.

Some groups really don’t care who wanders through their camp, but others are very strict about it. Rules in a stricter camp may become relaxed enough for you to wander in at will if you are or become familiar with everyone in an encampment, or if you’re in and out often enough that most of the group is familiar with you. Whatever the situation, just be polite. If you must know, ask the camp what they’d prefer, but the general rule of thumb is to follow the encampment etiquette of “knocking” before entering.

Radios and “boom boxes” tend to occur at camping events. Even the most stringent period-police-type is apt to bring a radio along if only to keep track of the weather. It’s common to hear period music coming from an encampment, often at high volume, created either by live musicians or by a “bard-in-the-box.”

Be courteous with the noise you create, be it by radio, live music, or your voice. Remember that tent walls are really thin and that sound travels very far and very clearly in a tent city. Most people will not appreciate hearing heavy metal or an argument blasting away a few tents down. Many people will, however, enjoy listening to period jigs, ballads, pavannes, etc., but not necessarily at all hours of the day. Keep your noise volume to where just you and your immediate associates can hear it instead of including every tent in a two-block radius.

Some camping events have areas designated for “quiet camping”. In these areas, you are expected to follow a sort of noise curfew. People camping in these areas are often families with small children or people who just like to get to sleep early.

A general SCA courtesy is to keep visibility of modern objects to a minimum. Everyone expects camps to have coolers, modern tents, camp stoves, modern cooking equipment, etc. But there are ways to camouflage them so that they’re not quite so obvious.

• Cover your cooler and/or lawn chair with a blanket and presto! you have an instant period-looking seat.
• Keep your cooking stuff out of plain sight of the road or public walkways.
• Leave nonessential modern objects in the privacy of your own tent.

None of this camouflage is required by regulation or enforced—it’s just highly encouraged. It’s nice to let everyone enjoy his or her fantasy of actually being in “period” without the constant distraction of a barrage of modern equipment. People go to events to forget the modern world for a while. The sight of radios, plastic brushes, day-glo lawn furniture, and blue jeans is not overly welcomed by most people. Be courteous.

Cameras and video cameras are obvious items to tote around at camping events, but be courteous in your use of them. Taking pictures of people and/or their encampments without their permission is a step on the rude side. Ask first. Most people are happy to be camera-hogs, but if they say no, just leave it at that. If you yourself are asked to pose for a photograph, bear in mind that it’s perfectly all right to say no. But again, be courteous. Everyone appreciates politeness.

Try to avoid wearing modern clothing at all times. Events are for personae… try to dress in period as often as possible! If nothing else, throw a tabard or cloak over it. You will see some people in modern clothing here and there. These people are generally either campground staff or modern campers, a fighter in the process of armoring up or down, someone who has just arrived and is still setting up camp or someone who is on his or her way into or back from town.

Of course, like any event, it’s generally considered polite to avoid discussing modern topics anywhere on site. You never know if someone within earshot is trying to maintain their period atmosphere, and bursting their bubble with unwelcome modern conversation isn’t very nice. Of course it happens, but you can certainly choose not to add to the poor examples.

At any event, fantasy costuming is strongly discouraged. It may be fun for the individual, but it ruins the atmosphere for those who are trying to experience “The Dream.” Again, be courteous to those around you. Don’t spoil their good time with your fantasy costume—it’s not appropriate garb for an SCA event.

Some camping events allow pets; others don’t. Nowadays we even have hound coursing at some events, which sort of requires that you bring a dog to participate.
When allowed, people frequently bring pets, most commonly dogs and ferrets these days. If you’re a pet owner and wish to bring your pet to a camping event, think it through very, very carefully. Does your pet tolerate being tied up or left in a small kennel for most of the day? How are you going to protect your pet from heat or dehydration while you’re off enjoying the event? Does your pet like to make a lot of noise? How does your pet react to large crowds and strange noises? Do you have the equipment necessary to clean up after your pet? How does your pet react to a small, charging child?

Bringing a pet to an event is a lot like bringing an infant. It takes the same level of care and attention, and the same consideration of neighbors who probably won’t appreciate being woken up during the night or at the crack of dawn by a noisy animal.

• SUNBLOCK!!!
• sunhat
• painkillers (aspirin, acetominophrine, ibuprofen, etc.)
• Band-Aids™
• Neosporin™ or Bactine™ (or equivalent)
• isopropyl alcohol
• hydrogen peroxide
• adhesive tape
• gauze
• Q-Tips™
• thermometer
• any necessary personal medications

I always recommend carrying the basics of a first aid kit. This includes the same sort of basic items you would keep in your bathroom medicine cabinet—adhesive bandages, painkillers, antibacterial products, cotton swabs, that sort of thing. You can build your own kit, or purchase a basic kit for not too much money at most pharmacies and department stores (like K-Mart or Target).

Probably one of the most prevalent dangers at camping events is heat. A goodly part of many campgrounds (most notably the battlefields and merchant areas) have no trees for shade, which is coincidentally exactly where most people are going to spend the bulk of their time. People spend a lot of their day shopping or watching the battles, and are consequently standing in the sun for hours and hours on end.

Sunburn

Sunburn (and worse, sun poisoning) is not fun. It can even be dangerous. You can never have enough sun block. Always remember that a key-neck tunic or low-necked bodice exposes different areas of skin than a modern T-shirt does, or that a single layer of lightweight, light-colored fabric does not protect your skin from the sun. The areas to watch out for are:

• neck and shoulders
• top of the chest and back
• arms (even under your sleeves!)
• face
• tops of the feet (trust me on this, especially if you’re wearing sandals)
• any other areas of skin that are not covered by medium- to heavy-weight dark fabric

Apply your sun block often during the day. No matter what the bottle says, you will sweat or rub the lotion off in the course of the day.

A sunhat is ideal for shading your face, neck and shoulders. You will see a great many people in a variety of garb periods wearing a straw sunhat around camping events. This is not a question of being period—it’s just smart!

Veils are also excellent for protecting your head, neck, shoulders and forehead.

Don’t be fooled by cloudy days. Days with a total, high cloud cover are even more dangerous than sunny ones simply because people figure they don’t need their sun block and sunhat. Wrong! The clouds only block the sun’s light, not its ultraviolet rays, which are the real danger. Put your sun guards on whenever it isn’t raining.

Dehydration

Dehydration probably poses the biggest health hazard to fighters and non-fighters alike. It is the first step towards the progressively serious conditions of heat exhaustion, heat prostration and heat stroke. No matter who you are or what you’re doing at a camping event, you are a prime candidate for dehydration and its nastier cousins if you don’t pay attention.

The early warning signs of dehydration are increasingly serious degrees of headache, nausea and dizziness. Sound familiar? If you’ve ever had a hangover, it should. A hangover is nothing more than early-stage dehydration. You can avoid dehydration—and every potential hangover—by drinking plenty of water. If you begin to feel the warning signs of dehydration, find a place to sit down, rest and drink plenty of the right kinds of fluid (see below).

The things you should be drinking a lot of at camping events are water, juice or sport drinks. Juice and sport drinks (such as Gatorade™) supply you with the two critical ingredients for avoiding dehydration: water and electrolytes (salts). When you sweat, you’re losing both water and salt from your system. You must maintain a certain salt level in your body in order to use any water you drink. If you’re drinking plain water, you’ll want to replace your salts by noshing on some chips, pickles, pretzels or other salty products.

Things you should not drink during hot camping event days: caffeine and alcohol. These products are both diuretics—they actually draw water out of your body. Essentially, these beverages have a negative effect when it comes to staying hydrated. Do not drink iced tea and call it done unless the iced tea is decaffeinated. General rule of thumb: If the container doesn’t say “caffeine free,” it probably isn’t.

You should also avoid drinking fluids that are ice cold. They can shock your system if you’re already starting to overheat and may make you throw what you drink right back up. Fighters and other athletes are all too familiar with the results of chugging too much liquid too quickly or of drinking liquid that’s too cold.

Milk also doesn’t mix well with physical activity or hot days.

If someone approaches you at any camping event and tells you that you need to sit down and drink, do it. No matter how you feel at the time, he or she is probably right. And besides, even if you don’t really need it at that moment, the drink certainly won’t hurt you. On the other hand, if you spot someone looking a bit pale and non-sweaty during the high heat of the day, make them sit down and drink.

Overheating

It’s very easy to overheat at a hot camping event. Garb is often heavy, multi-layered and all-covering, which doesn’t leave much room for your sweat to evaporate. Pay attention to your body’s temperature and slow down if you’re getting really, really hot. Uncomfortably hot is one thing; dangerously hot is another.

The inside of your tent is not a safe place to seek shelter from the heat or the sun. Unless your tent is completely in the shade, it is a dangerous oven. Do not take daytime naps inside your tent if it is in the sun. It is extremely hazardous to your health.

Most people know how to deal with cold days, but do you know how to deal with cold, damp nights? Besides arranging your bedding so that you’re off the ground and under layers, the single most important thing you can do before bed is to remove every single item of clothing you wore that day and replace them with clean, dry garments. Even if your tunic feels dry to you, it’s still damp with your perspiration, and damp clothing equals cold clothing.

Another thing to remember is that the two areas of highest heat loss in the human body are the head and feet. If you’re really cold, put on a hat and warm, dry socks. You’ll warm up quickly!

Another little-known tip is a trip to the bathroom. A full bladder is a lot of liquid that your body is spending energy on keeping warm. You have no idea how much warmer you’ll feel after a trip to the johns!

I mentioned it before (under clothing) and I’ll mention it again here, because I cannot stress enough the importance of good footwear.

You generally spend the majority of your time at camping events on your feet—walking and standing on pavement, dirt roads, gravel, grass… you name it. Good, comfortable, supportive shoes can prevent a lot of fatigue, not to mention protecting your poor feet from the many nasty dangers lurking about (exposed tent stakes, loose ropes, splinters, pebbles, glass, bottle caps, sharp gravel—you get the idea). Never mind if the shoes aren’t period—you don’t want to step on a tent stake and ruin your shopping plans! If you wear period shoes, consider modern support inserts. Be good to your feet, and you’ll have a much more pleasant camping event.

You’ll probably hear this mentioned mostly in relation to Pennsic, the longest camping event in the Knowne World. The Plague refers to the high occurrence of general illnesses. It’s pretty easy to get sick at short camping events, too, and just as easy to avoid the problem. There are a lot of contributing factors towards coming down with something at an event, and being aware of them can help you avoid becoming sick yourself:

• Physical and/or emotional exhaustion.
  Remedy: Get plenty of rest and take the social time-outs you need.
• Poor washroom hygiene.
  Remedy: Take advantage of antibacterial hand cleanser in port-a-johns and/or carry your own with you.
• Dust and smoke.
  Not much remedy here; just be aware that you’ll probably suffer from congestion, which will weaken you to other illnesses. You might consider bringing over-the-counter antihistamines or decongestants.
• Poor nutrition.
  Remedy: Make sure you get your three meals a day, no matter how little appetite you have, and make sure you’re following a balanced diet. Seriously consider supplementing your diet with vitamin pills.
• Poor dishwashing habits.
  Remedy: Make sure you wash and sanitize your dishes promptly and thoroughly after every use. Use very hot water and plenty of soap for washing, very hot water for rinsing, and consider using a mild bleach solution for sanitizing as a final step before allowing your dishes to air-dry completely (towel drying leaves moisture, which can encourage bacterial growth). Wood is much more difficult to clean thoroughly; consider avoiding wooden dishes.
• Poor trash habits.
  Remedy: Remove all trash to the proper campground receptacles regularly and at least once a day. Flies will carry all sorts of nastiness from garbage to your food. Treat all meats, particularly chicken, like a hazardous material. Don’t let the raw meat or its packaging get in contact with any other foods or food prep utensils. Dispose of scraps and packaging directly, and wash your hands thoroughly with antibacterial soap immediately after handling.
• Poor bedtime habits.
  Remedy: Don’t get roaring drunk and fall onto your bed still dressed and above the covers to pass out. You’ll really, really regret it on cold, damp nights.

Nature has bugs. It also has an assortment of small, furry creatures. You should be aware of the following non-human life forms with whom you will most likely be sharing campground facilities:

• Ants abound and will get into your tent and food. Keep everything well sealed!
• Flies are everywhere and carry all sorts of nasty ickiness. Keep your campground clear of refuse.
• Mosquitoes are a biological inevitability. They’re generally not too bad during the day, but they’re horrendous at night. Bring plenty of insect repellent.
• Wasps (particularly yellow jackets) and hornets are common at campgrounds. If you’re susceptible to anaphylactic shock, bring your kit. Always check your beverage container before drinking when wasps are in the area (getting your tongue stung is most unpleasant). Wasps are attracted to sugar, fruit, meat, perfumes (including soap and shampoo fragrances) and certain bright colors. If they’re persistent in approaching you, it’s probably because you look or smell like a flower to them. DO NOT react violently to the presence of a wasp; brush them away gently or kill them outright. They don’t know you from a tree. If you flail wildly at them and rouse their aggressive tendencies, they may sting someone else—who may be violently allergic. You can reduce wasp presence in your campground by taking the same precautions as you should with flies. You can reduce your personal wasp attraction by avoiding perfume and perfumed soap or shampoo.
• Ticks are an increasing problem across the country. Dog ticks are generally large and easy to spot, and are pretty harmless in terms of blood-borne diseases. Deer ticks are about the size of the head of a pin and are really, really dangerous—they’re the major vector for Lyme’s disease. Check yourself very thoroughly from head to toe every night before bed. Better yet, have a friend check you over. Don’t be shy, just be safe. Do not attempt to remove an embedded tick yourself unless you have experience. Seek help.
• Crane flies (also called mosquito hawks) look like giant (really giant—a one-inch leg span!) mosquitoes. They’re not. They do not bite or sting. They eat mosquitoes. They will likely take up residence between your tent and your rain fly. Leave them alone.
• Dragonflies also do not bite or sting. They also eat mosquitoes. Leave them alone, too.
• Praying mantises are large and scary looking, and eat all sorts of bugs. Leave them alone.
• Bats are as common as the bugs. Bats are your friends. They eat the bugs. Leave the bats alone.
• Mice and moles will burrow under your tent. Mice may make a bid for your food. Take the same precautions as with ants, but keep things in chew-proof containers.
• Skunks, raccoons and opossums are possible. Treat all three with extreme respect. Raccoons will probably run away from you; skunks never will; opossums will probably glare at you sullenly or play dead. Guard your food against these raiders and don’t keep any food products in your tent unless they are completely sealed inside a cooler. The last thing you want is a nosy skunk working its way into your tent after that candy bar you brought in as a late-night snack. If you do encounter a skunk, don’t panic. Keep your distance and politely make your presence known. Only skunks that feel startled or threatened will use their infamous weapon. Even then, they’ll give you plenty of warning. Once a skunk knows you’re around, they’ll probably wander off relatively soon.