Fun Weekend Outings Only One Tank of Gas Away |
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Get out your state highway map, take a drawing compass and set it for the equivalent of 150 miles. Now draw a circle with your home as the center point. Everything within that circle is roughly a half-tank of gasoline (or less) away – even for most SUVs or full-size trucks. They are all places you could drive to for the weekend and drive back on one tank of gas.
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Bet there are a number of places you’d like to visit within that circle, including some you’ve never seen but wanted to “one of these days.” Or maybe it has been years since you returned to a place that was rather interesting, now that you recall it. Within that circle, or perhaps a somewhat larger one, will be several outdoors destinations for activities that you and your family would enjoy. If there are not large expanses of public lands and waters, then perhaps there are small, out-of-the-way state lakes and parks, streamside campgrounds, multipurpose trails or nature areas.
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Why not make this the summer you go check those out?
Air travel is predicted to be crowded, increasingly expensive and a hassle this summer. Record-high fuel prices may have you reconsidering a long driving vacation. And large destination cities’ lodging rates, among other things, are becoming prohibitively expensive for many travelers.
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But no one is suggesting you should not have a vacation. Heavens no! Just the opposite is a prescription for surviving the rat race, some argue. The great outdoors for a series of day trips is one solution. Camping for long weekends or weeklong periods of time offer cost-conscious vacationers other options. Plus, this year’s initial investment in basic camping gear will be around to enjoy throughout this summer and fall as well as next year and the summers to follow.
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For around $500 a family of four could purchase a good starter kit of camping gear. Like most other equipment, camping items come in a range of prices . But here’s one suggested outfit that a family could purchase and get change back from a $500 bill. A Coleman® Sundome® 12x10 Tent, which is plenty big for two adults, two kids and gear, has a suggested retail price of $139.99. With its WeatherTec™ System, it will provide many enjoyable campouts with protection from rain, wind and sun.
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There are several choices for two-burner propane Coleman® stoves in the $49 to $100 range, so grab one with electronic ignition and add $60 to the tab, plus $34.99 for a two-mantle Coleman® propane lantern with a protective case. We’re halfway there with good gear and the total is $234.98. Add two mild-temperature-rated sleeping bags for the kids for $20 each, and two moderate-temp bags for the adults at $40 apiece, and the tally stands at $354.98.
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A couple closed-cell foam sleeping mats for the youngsters are about $9 each, and two comfy, thick Coleman® QuickBed® airbeds are $21.99 each. Add a high-volume QuickPump™ unit for $20 to inflate the airbeds, and the total goes to $436.96.
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Most folks have coolers, but if this theoretical family picks up a 50-qt Coleman® chest cooler with an MSRP of $36.99, their checkout tab is still below $500 (plus tax) and they can use existing cookware, utensils, lawn chairs and other accessories to strike out for an overnight or weekend of camping. And remember, that investment will be available for seasons to come for more trips the family will remember for a lifetime.
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To see more equipment options, checklists, recipes and ideas, folks who want to get outdoors this year but perhaps stay close to home can go to www.coleman.com.
Coleman®, QuickBed® and Sundome® are registered trademarks and QuickPump™ and WeatherTec™ are trademarks of The Coleman Company, Inc.
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As an international leader in the innovation and marketing of outdoor products, The Coleman Company, Inc., helps people have fun and make memories by providing the gear integral to their favorite outdoor experiences. The company’s products include its legendary lanterns and stoves, as well as coolers, tents, sleeping bags, airbeds, backpacks, furniture, and grills under its Coleman® and Exponent® brands. Additionally, the company provides flotation devices, towables, rainwear, waders, hunting and fishing gear, and safety and survival equipment under its Stearns®, Sevylor®, Sospenders®, Hodgman®, Mad Dog Gear®, Nevin® and Helium® brands. Founded in 1900 and based in Wichita, Kan., Coleman is a wholly owned subsidiary of Jarden Corporation and can be found online at www.coleman.com. Consumers can call 800-835-3278 or e-mail consumerservice@coleman.com for general information or for Coleman and Exponent products. For all other brands, call 800-328-3208 or e-mail stearnsrec@stearnsnet.com. Note to Media: News releases and images are available upon request or can be downloaded at www.coleman.com/newsroom.
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Jarden Corporation is a leading provider of niche consumer products used in and around the home. Jarden operates in three primary business segments through a number of well recognized brands, including: Branded Consumables: Ball®, Bee®, Bicycle®, Crawford®, Diamond®, Dicon®, First Alert®, Forster®, Hoyle®, Java Log®, Kerr®, Lehigh®, Leslie-Locke®, Loew-Cornell® and Pine Mountain®; Consumer Solutions: Bionaire®, Crock-Pot®, FoodSaver®, Harmony®, Health o meter®, Holmes®, Mr. Coffee®, Oster®, Patton®, Rival®, Seal-a-Meal®, Sunbeam®, VillaWare® and White Mountain™; and Outdoor Solutions: Abu Garcia®, Berkley®, Campingaz®, Coleman®, Fenwick®, Gulp®, JT®, K2®, Marker®, Marmot®, Mitchell®, Penn®, Rawlings®, Shakespeare®, Stearns®, Stren®, Trilene®, and Volkl®. Headquartered in Rye, N.Y., Jarden has over 25,000 employees worldwide. For more information, please visit www.jarden.com.
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