We are blessed to have over 100 campgrounds within a 30 minute drive from our home. This makes weekend camping trips easy. And having the right supplies for these weekend getaways makes life even easier. We had just the gear we needed for our trip to Melton Hill Lake Campground.
Our weekend started with getting settled into the perfect campsite with electric and water hookups, level concrete pad and a view of the lake. Our campsite was just a short walk away from the beach swimming area, paved walking trails, the bathhouse and camp store. The kids loved being able to safely ride their bikes around the campground while the adults had some downtime with a good book.
The kids got their dad an inflatable kayak for father’s day. We finally got the chance to take the kayak for its maiden voyage on this trip. The kayak only took about 15 minutes to get setup even with using a hand pump. I was a little worried the setup of an inflatable kayak would be a bit cumbersome, especially with a hand pump. I was pleasantly surprised with a little teamwork how easy it was.
We all carried the kayak down to the boat launch and sent my son and his dad on their way. They loved being out on the lake so much that the decided to take the kayak for another spin later in the evening. And when they were done, the breakdown of the kayak was just as easy as setting it up. I couldn’t believe it.
One of the biggest hurdles we encounter on our camping trips, especially the trips that involve swimming and hiking, are the dirty clothes. We tend to go through clothes like crazy and it seems like I never pack enough and feel like I need to cut our trip short so I can wash clothes. I think we may have found the solution to our problem. The folks at Lavario were nice enough to send me one of their portable clothes washers to test out. I’ve got to say I’m impressed.
After a day of swimming I decided to test out the Lavario. I picked a handful of our clothes to throw in the portable washing machine. This is a non-electric washer that is advertised as only needing “minimal arm strength” to get the job done. We put this to the test by letting our 8 year old and 12 year old do the laundry. (Don’t yell at me about child labor! They volunteered for the job! They love trying new gadgets just as much as we do!)
The whole washing process took maybe 15-20 minutes including soak time. The kids found it really easy to use and I loved how easy it was to drain. The clothes came out looking and smelling fresh and clean. The only downside to our Lavario is that it is fairly large for our travel trailer. It fits perfectly in the shower in our camper, but if we had a smaller camper I’m not sure where we would store it. The Lavario is perfect for those with medium to larger campers. But I’m not sure I would use it or have room for it if we were tent camping. Overall it’s a great addition to our camping gear that I’m sure we will enjoy using to help extent our camping trips.
If you want to give the Lavario a try yourself now is your chance to get a good deal. They are offering $20 off the purchase of a Lavario for my readers! Just visit their website and use the code MOMELITE20.
We ended our camping trip with a campfire, smores and scary stories. This camping trip hit the spot for us. I’m so thankful we have the opportunity to have inexpensive weekend getaways. Our camper has been a great investment so far.
