more challenging as your partner gets more comfortable. My friend Maria is a beginner camper, but she is willing to try new things because she trusts her boyfriend to understand where her comfort level is. “I feel I can trust him 100 percent with the plans and details of the trip that I may be more unsure of,” she says. “I can trust his judgment, trust his sense of what is a challenge versus what is dangerous, and I can trust that he takes my abilities into account.”
Let’s look at some ways to make those first few trips easier for someone who’s still not too sure about all of this outdoorsy stuff, and build their trust to the point where they’re willing to try more challenging outings.
Start at Home
If you’ve got a partner who is terrified of camping, try “practicing” at home first. If you have a yard, set up your tent there and spend a night in it together. Your partner will get a chance to see how warm and comfortable it can be, without ever being too far from a real bed. It will also give you a heads up on any extra comforts that your partner might need on a trip, like a travel pillow or a set of earplugs. Do it right by wearing the clothes you would bring with you on a camping trip.
You can also try out some of your camping meals at home before you go. If your secret recipe for tuna pasta supreme makes your partner gag, it’s better to find out before it’s the only thing you’ve got.
The More the Merrier
“ My husband kept saying he wanted me to come mountain biking with him, because it would be so much fun if we could do it together. So finally I said OK, I’d give it a try. But then as soon as we were on the trail, he just took off and left me (literally, might I add) in his dust. I wasn’t really sure where the trail went, or if it branched off anywhere.
By the time I caught up with him, he had been waiting for 15 minutes, and he was ready to take off as soon as he saw I was OK. So I didn’t rest at all, and this pretty much kept happening all day. As soon as I caught up, he’d take off again. At the end of the day I said, ”If that’s your idea of spending the day together, you might as well go by yourself.“
We eventually found a compromise. We go biking with a group so he can take off with the fast people, and I can follow along with the slower ones and not be left alone. ”
–HU
And be sure to try out some of the sexy suggestions in Chapter 5—you may find your partner is converted into an enthusiastic camper on the spot!
Bring the Car
Car camping can be an excellent way to introduce someone to the outdoors and get a new camper comfortable before trying to go into a park interior. Even if you are an experienced backcountry camper, take your partner on a car-camping trip the first couple of times. Having a vehicle nearby makes people feel safe, since you can always make a quick escape back to civilization. Car camping also gives you the option of bringing along more comforts of home since you don’t have as many limits on size and weight. And if things get really bad weather-wise, you can always hide in the car and turn the heat on—or even retreat to the nearest motel.
Sexy Tent
Games for a Rainy Day
If the weather’s bad, there’s no need to pack up your trip. Take the opportunity to hole up in your tent for a little romance. If you need help getting started, try one of my favorite games.
STRIP POKER:
Try the classic version or substitute your favorite card game. If you don’t have cards, try Strip 20 Questions. Pick a famous person to be (maybe someone naughty like Madonna or the Marquis de Sade), and let your partner guess who you are by asking questions with yes or no answers. For every question they need to ask, your partner loses an article of clothing. Chances are, you’ll never get to 20!
TEQUILA PIGS:
These little plastic piggies were designed as a drinking game, but you can bring along your own rules. When you throw the pig down, how it lands determines what you have to do. Snout down, remove a piece of clothing. Bum down, remove a piece of your partner’s clothing. Lying on one side, kiss an exposed part of your partner. Standing up, your partner has to perform the sexual act of your choice (time limits may apply). It’s even more fun than tequila, and you won’t get a hangover!
STORY TIME:
Take turns telling a sexy tale, with each person adding the next sentence. You can set the scene by making your story take place on a camping trip. Start of with something like: “Once upon a time, a handsome, young man (or beautiful, young woman) was walking through the woods.” Then the next person continues: “Suddenly, he saw something in the river ahead of him—someone bathing naked.” Well, you can see where this is going, but let your imaginations run free.
STRIP BATTLESHIP:
You’ll need to bring the travel version of this game along. Each time one of you sinks an opponent’s ship, the defeated player will have to give up an article of clothing. Fire at will, and prepare the torpedoes for action.
PLAYING DOCTOR:
When was the last time you were thoroughly examined?
I NEVER!:
Tell each other the hottest things you’ve never done but want to try. Perhaps you’ve never given an erotic massage, or gone outside naked in the rain.
TRUTH OR DARE:
Time to find out about each other’s secret side. Has your partner every had fantasies about a friend? Have you ever slept with someone you had no interest in seeing again? Tell the truth!
69 SHOWDOWN:
Who can experience oral sex longer before reaching orgasm? There are no real losers in this game!
Keep It Short
Save those plans for the transcontinental hike for a little later. To begin, go away for a weekend trip. One night in the woods together will get your partner used to sleeping in a tent, cooking meals outside, and facing any lingering fears. What it won’t do is leave your partner exhausted, filthy, and desperate for civilization. Nobody will have to worry about getting lost on a long, backcountry trail or river system, miles away from anywhere. The trip also will be easier to plan and pack for than a longer expedition.
A simple car-camping trip to a park with scenic dayhikes can be a great introduction to camping. Dayhikes with a small pack are less daunting than backpacking with everything you need to set up camp. Likewise, paddling around a lake and returning to a base camp is far easier than loading up a canoe or kayak with all of your belongings and carrying them over portages, while still offering a bit of the scenery you’d see during a paddling trip.
Bring Backup
If your partner has a lot of doubts about being able to hack it with only you to rely on, bring along more people. (This may seem counter to the idea of a romantic weekend, but remember, you can always pitch your tent in a secluded spot.) There is strength in numbers, and your partner may feel safer if you’re not the only one around to help in an emergency. It also takes some of the pressure off of you, since you’ll have more experienced help around. If you know another couple who like camping, invite them along
