May 1-3, 2026, Token Creek County Park, Dane County, Wisconsin, 5 Miles
This past weekend, we went camping in a nearby county park.
We enjoyed a spacious campsite with acres of lovely parkland to explore. Temperatures were in the mid-thirties overnight and forties during the day. This was our first camping trip since getting the '59 back from her winter reno. We were anxious to experience a three-day camp to put our plans to the test and work out any kinks.
Our '59 Pathfinder doesn't have water or a built-in cooking source. We had to really think about how to plan and pack for cooking and personal hygiene needs without sacrificing the typical camping experiences of hiking and campfires. We needed space for both. We considered storage, transportation, efficiency, practicality, and environmental impact in creating our plan.
We started each day as we always do...with a hot cup of coffee.
We only brought two coffee cups - his and hers, small Yeti coffee tumblers.
We brewed a 5-cup pot and split it between the two of us.
Our coffee stayed nice and hot even on the very cold mornings.
My husband got a nice fire going while he was taking his first sips of coffee. Now we really felt like we were camping! It didn't take long for him to get a roaring fire in our Solo Stove Ranger. Even though most campsites have fire rings, we chose to bring our portable Solo Stove. It worked well for camping as it burns virtually smokeless. We sat by the fire for hours without our clothes absorbing the campfire smoke odor. The fire burned cleanly, and the ash collected in a tray at the bottom, which was removed and emptied for easy cleanup.
We cooked our meals outside on our table-top propane Weber grill. Its small size made it easy to transport and set up. We used a small five-gallon propane tank. We prepared all of our meals using the standard grill and griddle accessory. And, y'all, we ate well!
All that cooking meant dirty dishes. We never use disposable dishes. Never.
We washed and rinsed our dishes with about a half-gallon of water. We set up our dishwashing station on the picnic table provided. We used a pair of shallow hog pans: one for washing and one for rinsing. We heated our water in an electric kettle. To the boiling water, we added a bit of cold water to bring the temperature down to a tolerable level. After washing and rinsing, we set the dishes out on a flat towel and let the sun and fresh air do most of the drying. I then finished drying the dishes and put them away. I like a clean campsite.
In addition to using the campground restrooms and showers, we had an "outhouse." This pop-up Wolfwise shelter provided some privacy, though the user's shadows could sometimes be seen. It's not for the super modest. We have a good sense of humor about it. Inside the "outhouse" sat a 5-gallon plastic bucket fitted with a plastic toilet seat. It is known as a Luggable Loo. We used waste recepticle bags called Double Doodie bags. They have Bio-gel inside that solidifies liquid waste and masks odors. We limited our use of these because they have some negative environmental impact.
To wash up in the morning and evenings, we used a small galvanized feed bucket with side handles.
Again, we boiled water in our electric kettle, poured it into the feed bucket, and added a bit of cold water to bring it to a tolerable temperature. A bar of goat's milk, honey, and oats soap was set out nearby, and a towel was looped through the feed bucket's handle. After our morning wash-ups, we left the soapy water out. Though the water got a bit cold, it was handy for washing our hands throughout the day. We repeated the process before bedtime with fresh water, again leaving it out for washup after nighttime trips to the restroom.
We considered our plan a success. Our three-day camp stay was restful, enjoyable, and fun!
All photos taken by Paulette Rodriguez.