How do you pass the time once everything is set up?

[guitargeek76]

Best two naps...

I'm about to go on my first ever camping trip AND my first hang in 2 weeks. I've been reading the forums here for a few weeks, and I have to say that is the best thing I've read so far. After testing out my new HH this weekend to make sure I could hang it (didn't want any surprises in the woods), I can tell you I'm looking forward to starting my own "Best Naps" list.

And I second having a little bit of good scotch before bed.

[Owl]

I camp more than I hike. I usually select a spot where I can setup and hike around the area, or just do short jaunts of 3-5 miles between camps.

Given that, most of my time is spent in camp.

Personally, I love to cook on the fire, and generally always have a campfire when I'm out.

When I'm out with friends, we usually sit around the fire after dinner BS'ing and having fun til it's time to hit the hammocks.

When I'm solo, I often work on bushcrafting skills or projects while I'm out until dinner time, cook dinner, sit around the fire until it burns low enough to trust, and then head to the hammock and lay there reading my Nook until I'm tired enough to sleep. Often, if there's signal, a nighttime call to the wife around that time too.

And for me...Irish Mist. Irish whiskey blended with honey...always helps to get to sleep at night. (Makes an interesting marinade for fish caught while you're camping too!)

[swankfly]

Ahh Yeah, A waterway gives me all kinds of things to do. Wade in and look for crawdaddys and salamanders. Ever look for salamanders after a rain in the dark with a flash light? I get all excited when I find the bright colored ones.

I also just like to sit with my feet dangling in the water. I might even take a dip with some vegetable soap (safe for the fishes) if it's warm weather. There is nothing like refreshing oneself after a hike in. But like you Advanced Hydrological Observation Engineering happens to be one of my specialties.

LD,

Where do you get you vegetable soap? The only vegetable soap I can ever find has lye in it (not to good for the fishies). Between lye and phosphates I can't find anything that is good for the fishies. Help!

[Throkda]

Mostly, I have my Kindle to read after I get into my hammock for the evening....reading is just part of how I habitually get to sleep. Before that, we're talking, making dinner, watching the fire...if there's daylight, we may play some dominos.

I don't see what's wrong with the need to be entertained. Even if you're lying there listening to nature, that's still you finding a way to entertain yourself...doing something to process information is just what our brains were designed to do.

With other people, I feel it's more just being social...having an activity facilitates that, which is why I'm so heavily into board games when I'm not camping - it's my social outlet.

[Theosus]

Set everything up right before dark. Make campfire and sit around. Eat food. night hike. Not in order... unless someone stays behind to watch fire.
Get in hammock, play angry birds or watch movie on iPhone until the melatonin and Benadryl combo kick in. Wake up in Benadryl-induced stupor at 2am and try to pee and find the way back to the hammock. Wake up at 6 am with the sun, start packing up and get under way by 730...

[oruacat2]

Here's another thing - I went on an overnighter a couple of Mondays ago and it was so hot that the wildlife didn't want to be out moving around, either. It's not like we had an abundance of wildlife-viewing-entertainment opportunities. lol

[Brian Miller]

After I set up camp, I fly fish, explore, cook dinner, play tin whistle or harmonica, play cribbage, read...

[MissileMan]

My son and I often camp with my friend and one or both of his son's. We were hanging in the Sipsey Wilderness one summer on a slightly rainy weekend. Us dads had a little burbon and we all played some trivia cards (We sat below a large rock overhang to stay dry.). I didn't have my watch on, but we all had a great time alternating between stories and the game as we waited for the temps to fall enough to sleep.

When I finally pulled my phone out to check the time, we discovered it was past 1:30 a.m.! We slept in the next morning.

[toygun]

Bocce if we are car camping, sasquatch hunting otherwise.