General Description
The Cypress Creek YMCA sponsors six campouts each year. The Y attempts to vary the sites from year- to-year although there is duplication. Most campouts are at Texas State Parks. All State Parks are well maintained and provide indoor bathrooms and showers as well as water at each campsite. Most campsites will also have electricity. Campsites are shared by the group, usually 4 or 5 pair to a site which means when most of the group comes we will have 2 (or more) campsites next to each other. The arranging of campsites is one of the reasons the Y has to know who's coming, plus the Y is charged for each reservation. Every year the Y sponsors a campout at Camp Cullen, a YMCA-owned camp. This is the best campout of the year! At Camp Cullen, all meals are provided by the Y and campers sleep in cabins. There are activities galore, including: canoeing, hayrides, basketball, rifle shooting, archery, crafts, et cetera.

Campouts are Friday through Sunday. Some father/child pairs arrive on Friday night and some on Saturday morning. Most sleep in tents, but some do bring pop-up campers and there are a few travel trailers. There are Expedition and group activities at each campout. The Expedition activities include a Saturday afternoon contest/event, the Saturday night Bonfire, and chapel. Examples of Expedition contests/events include an egg-toss, kite-flying contest, Halloween costume contest, totem-pole contest, and other events. The Saturday night Bonfire brings all of the groups together to hear from the Expedition Leaders and to be entertained by skits performed by Guides/Princesses from the groups. Chapel is usually held about 9:30 on Sunday morning and is organized by one of the groups. After chapel, the Guides/Princesses look for an item that has been hidden somewhere near the chapel site. The group that finds it is responsible for the next chapel. Patches are awarded to each dad and child for each campout and for some of the special activities. Patches are worn on leather vests which can be purchased through the Y.

An initiation ceremony is held at the first campout of the year. In this ceremony, the new dads and Guides/Princesses are welcomed into the Expedition. A graduation ceremony is held at the last campout of the year for those who are in third grade and finishing the program. The highlight of the graduation ceremony is the "Breaking of the Arrow." The last campout of the year is also the family campout, where the entire family attends the campout.

Camping Duties

The dads in a group should divide responsibilities for the campouts. Some of the responsibilities include: coordinating the Saturday night meal, bringing firewood, organizing group activities (such as a crafts, games, bike rides, or hiking), and helping prepare the skit.

Camping Safety

Camping activities are fun, but require a few safety rules. The group must enforce these rules and all dads are expected to assist in enforcement. Campfires especially can be dangerous. Some of the kids like to pay with sticks in the fire, so the typical rule is "when a stick goes in the fire, it stays in the fire." Dads need to keep a watchful eye on the campfire and what's happening with it - not just when the forest is dry. In addition to fires, many State Parks have alligators, snakes and other wildlife. Some of the wildlife need to be protected, like deer. One of the responsibilities of a dad is to teach his child about respect for wildlife and how animals can be accidentally hurt. The group also has a responsibility to the other Y groups.

Technically speaking, you don't really need anything special for a campout if you're willing to sleep in your vehicle but that can be uncomfortable. There are some necessities which will make your campout enjoyable and some options many families use to enhance their campout.

A tent with a rainfly. On size, don't go by the manufacturer's claims (e.g. sleeps 6 more likely means sleeps 3). It pays to spend a little more on a quality tent and for a size bigger than what you think you need. Many campers find their original assumption on a tent was inadequate and end up buying a new tent either before the year is out or for the second year. This is a costly mistake. The typical dad/child team need a tent that sleeps 4 to 5. This is especially handy for the last campout which is a family campout where mom and siblings also come along. Most all tents come with a "rainfly." Hint: put up your tent at home before you go on the first campout.

A cot or pad. You can't sleep on the ground of the tent (that is, comfortably). The cheapest way to go is to purchase pads to sleep on but inflatable mattresses and folding cots are more comfortable options. Cots cost around twice as much as pads but many think they are more comfortable and like being off the ground, and you don't have to blow them up.

Sleeping bags and pillows. Some get by with blankets as our weather is so warm. Pillows help a great deal especially with the kids. As we don't camp in December or January, you will not need a sub-zero rated bag or anything close unless we have especially bad weather (in which case, everybody will probably skip the campout).

Flashlights and lanterns. Flashlights are a necessity. The children will need them (playing flashlight tag, etc.) as will the dads (going to the bathroom, seeing what's making all that noise outside your tent, etc.) Your child may prefer a flashlight which is small and light but they also seem to like power so be selective if you buy one. With some of the kids, a flashlight with a strap is particularly ergonomic. Many dads will have lanterns so there isn't a great need unless you want a lantern in a particular spot and no one has theirs where you need it. [Hint: Battery lanterns attract bugs (really attract) whereas gas lanterns do not.]

Ice Chest. A cooler will be necessary for your drinks and food stuffs you need to keep cool. If you have one, you probably don't need to buy one. If you're thinking of buying one, get one which will keep ice for two days (in other words – a good one). You may want to consider one with wheels but you usually give up space and add cost for the option. [Hint #1: in addition to ice, freeze 1 or 2 bottles (liter size) of water a day or two before you leave for the campout. These will not melt in your cooler over a two-day period and will help keep your ice from melting too. Drawback is the room they take up. Hint #2: lock your cooler up in your vehicle at night. Coolers are little challenge to raccoons! Same goes for dry lockers if you have food in them.]

First Aid Kit. Don't mean to scare you with this (we didn't need one last year) but they’re good to have just in case. Make your own rather than buy one. See attached checklist for suggested contents [Hint: Always include aspirin, diarrhea and upset stomach medicine.]

The following equipment may be helpful and may make the camping easier and more enjoyable.

Tent tarp for under your tent. This keeps moisture away from the bottom of your tent along with helping protect your tent from damage. Ideally, the tarp should be no bigger than 2 inches more than the footprint of your tent (so it doesn't channel water under your tent if it should rain) but exact sizes are often hard to find. It helps to have an excess amount of the tarp in front of the tent entrance to leave muddy shows outside the tent. Tent tarps are just ordinary tarps available from Target, Wal-Mart, etc. as well as your camping supply store and come in a wide variety of sizes (such as 9'x9', 10'x12', 6'x8', etc.).

Folding Chairs are not a necessity and all the campgrounds we used last year had picnic tables. However, there's usually one picnic table for every 4 dad/daughter (or guide) teams which with a good turnout means no place to sit. Also, there's a lot of sitting (e.g. between activities, at night, meals, etc.). Many take folding chairs with them to the Nation's Council Fire (on Saturday nights). The ground is often hard and occasionally has ants or bugs. If you don't bring a chair to the Nation's Council, make sure you do bring a blanket or tarp to sit on.

A dry locker comes in handy in storing non-perishable camping equipment. A large Tupperware or Rubbermaid container often works well for this purpose. It also makes it easy to pack for a campout as you just leave everything in it from your last campout. The dry locker is handy for holding plates, napkins, paper towels, matches/lighter, pots/pans, cooking utensils, can openers, first aide kit, sun screen, extra batteries, flashlights, etc.

Propane stoves and/or charcoal grills. At each campsite there is a grill but many campers often want to use the grill at the same time. Waiting your turn could mean you're eating late or very close to when the group is ready to go to a meeting. Stoves are handy for breakfast especially heating water, coffee, frying things, etc. are all better accomplished on a gas stove. Small grills and/or stoves are not very expensive. About half the group uses one on any given campout.

Firewood, Either bring some or be prepared to buy it at the campsite. All State Parks prohibit the gathering of firewood for campfires, even wood decaying on the ground. The groups usually have campfires each night of a campout for toasting marshmallows, telling stories, or keeping warm (this is not to be confused with the Indian Nation big bonfire every Saturday night). This is the kind of thing where everybody is expected to contribute at least once in awhile. The firewood at the parks is cheap enough but sometimes they run out, especially when a large group like the Princesses are there (we sometimes number 400 or more dads/daughters).

Bikes are a real big thing. There are trails to ride and often the bike is the best mode of transportation to and from the lavatory, playground, and other camp activities. If you don't bring one for yourself, at least bring your child's (or believe me you'll pay the price!).

A rake is helpful in clearing the ground beneath your tent. Often the campgrounds are covered in leaves which makes it hard to see sticks, rocks, ants and other components of the natural environment. A small broom might also be considered as the tracking of outside material into your tent is unavoidable, especially by the princesses (and especially when they invite all the princesses in the group into your tent for a "club" meeting).

There's no end to where you can buy camping equipment. Many of the returning dads have spare equipment that they may be willing to loan a new dad for the first campout. Hint: Buy only the equipment you think you need for the first campout and then add as you like after you have some experience seeing what others have and what you think works for you.

Checklist
The resource page provides a couple of checklists that may be helpful in preparing for a campout.  They have been developed to include many items that are not needed by all campers.

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