Whether it’s RV or tent camping, you’re enjoying the outdoors. If you have furry friends, they wag their little tails with enjoyment. They smell the fresh air and sights and sounds of the wooded area around them.

This last weekend the weather was perfect for RV camping with my girlfriend, daughter and 3 dogs. We went to my RV resort near Lake Cushman in the beautiful Olympic peninsula. Preparing meals, packing clothes, equipment for this took several days. The things to bring on a camping trip consist of long pants, long sleeve shirts, jackets, good walking shoes, socks, bug spray and a good walking stick.  Breakfast consisted of bacon, scrambled eggs, toast, bagels, Braunschweiger sausage and Havarti cheese a new concoction. Blueberry pancakes the next day. Lunch was ham and cheese on sourdough bread with Tostitos salsa Verde chips and bread and butter pickles. My friend attempted making peach cobbler over charcoal but even after 4 hours was not done so into the oven it went for an additional hour and turned out perfectly crunchy.

 For Dinner we had bratwurst over the campfire, my already prepared German sauerkraut and cucumber salad that evening. Then, we sat around the campfire and roasted marshmallows. A lady came over to our campsite needing help setting up her tent and I said I could help. I went over and the tent was just like the one I put up in my backyard a few days ago to get away from the heat. Within 20 min, together we set it up and she was so grateful she gave me $20 for my time. We slept well that night eager to go hiking the next day.

We woke up refreshed and after breakfast headed to Lake Cushman. There was construction, lots of traffic and a dirt road to get to Staircase. I had a senior pass which was free to enter then but discovered no dogs were allowed. Bummer. We found another trail, maybe a 2-3 rating with windy paths and an uphill climb. Downhill was easier with the walking stick we found along the way. The car was so dusty from the dirt road, but we made it back to our campsite to check on the dinner my friend had in the crockpot. It consisted of a Pork roast, carrots, Yukon potatoes, onions and herbs. For dessert we had the peach cobbler with ice cream. To walk off the food we took the dogs for a walk on the trail. My daughter had to go home that night since she worked the next day. She took 2 dogs with her and a portion of the dinner and dessert for her and my husband. My girlfriend and I just sat outside and talked by the campfire until it was bedtime.

Of course, we brought water and dog food for the dogs. Bring your Senior pass or Discover pass to have a wonderful time.