"camping" news and stories

I guess I had s'mores on the brain after writing about them yesterday, since I was inspired to look up the record for the world's largest s'more. The Guinness Book of World Records lists a s'more made in 2003 as the largest. It was constructed in California from 20,000 marshmallows, 7,000 Hershey's chocolate bars, and 24,000 graham crackers. All totaled, it weighed about 1,600-lbs.

The Guinness category was retired, however, which means that an even larger s'more made this year went unrecorded!

The current largest s'more measured 1,936-sq feet and was constructed to celebrate the 70th anniversary of Virginia State Parks. It was made with 8,000 Hershey's chocolate bars, 40,000 marshmallows and 55,000 graham crackers - nearly double the size of the previous record holder, though it didn't use quite as much chocolate.

See a close-up of the s'more's construction after the jump.

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Somehow, the fact that August 10th is National S'mores Day managed to sneak by us, but these delicious treats are worth a mention, even if it is a bit belated.

If you're not familiar with s'mores, they are made by sandwiching a toasted marshmallow and a piece of chocolate in between two graham crackers. The name of the treat comes from the two words "some more," clearly combined because people often wanted to have at least a second serving after having one s'more. The treat was developed by campers in the early part of the 20th century, making use of the fairly new mass-produced marshmallows. Marshmallows were easy to transport, as were candy bars and graham crackers, and the marshmallows could be warmed easily over a fire to make a delicious treat in a situation where other types of sweets would have been difficult to come by.

Erik over at Gadling recently posted about the Press-Bot, a French press-style filter designed to fit in a Nalgene bottle. As you can see, the filter folds up to fit in the bottle, and the pour spout on top has threaded edges so that the the cap of the Nalgene can still be sealed. Incidentally, Bodum has offered the similar Travel Press for years. At first I was a little skeptical about the idea of putting hot liquids in a Nalgene, the Nalgene website says they're OK for hot and cold drinks alike. Still, I'm not sure if this is the ideal thing to carry coffee in. It might be best to throw it in a thermos after brewing.

When the spork was first invented, there is little doubt that its creators thought that they had created the ultimate fusion of eating utensils. The spork soon spread to school cafeterias and even into those little plastic baggies they pass out with the meal on airplanes. But the spork wasn't as useful as it could be because you couldn't cut anything with it. To compensate, airplanes included knives with their sporks and schools prepare lunches with no discernable texture. The spork, however, has finally evolved to take cutting abilities into account. The Spork/Knife, coined as the sporknif by Bea of La Tartine Gourmande, has a fork/knife on one end and a paddle-like spoon on the other. It is made from durable, heat-resistant PC material, comes in a variety of colors and only costs a few dollars.

You may never need another utensil again.

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As summer approaches and I realize I will be the entertainment coordinator for anywhere from four to nine kids on any given day, I am beginning to rack my brain for ideas. What can I do with these urchins that will provide educational fun while filling their bellies at the same time? One activity that can occupy a few days at a stretch is camping. I would rather do most anything than tramp about in a wilderness void of working plumbing and a soft bed, but the children usually love it and it gives them room to run.

One accessory that would streamline the camping process significantly is Smorestix. Smorestix were created in 1998 by a mom and dad team who wanted their kids to enjoy the outdoors with a just a bit more ease and convenience. These sticks are an optimal 30" of pre cut wood. The perfect length ensures that children will remain a safe distance from the fire. It will also encourage a proper respect for the environment since the kids will not have to rummage through forests breaking branches and tromping on the undergrowth.

This is a clever idea that parents will likely purchase in an attempt to be caring and eco-friendly. What thinks you? A scam or a good buy?

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