Required Reading" The HAPPY Camper", by Kevin Callan

I read this book earlier this year and decided to take it out of the library again while there with the kids last weekend. I can not believe I had not posted this book here before, but for anyone that has not read it....get it! It is brimming with the stories, experiences and hands on how to's that only decades of experience can teach. All of this combined with Kevins humor make this by far the best book I have read on canoe trips to date.

Rating: 5 canoes (A Must have)

Full Review:

The Happy Camper and Essential Guide to Life in the Outdoors, by Kevin Callan

The Happy Camper is a comprehensive, heavily illustrated, highly entertaining compendium of basic wilderness instruction and well-tested campsite advice. One of North America's top canoeing and outdoors experts, Kevin Callan explains how to get the most from your camping experience--no matter where you pitch your tent, what you forgot to pack or what the weather.

Step-by-step, the book shows:

• How to plan a trip for a day or even a few weeks
• How to pack only what is needed
• Choosing the perfect campsite
• Using maps and compasses
• Camp cooking
• Camping with dogs and kids
• Canoe and kayak camping
• Cold-weather camping
• How to beat the bugs, stake a tent, build a fire, ward off unwanted wildlife, paddle a canoe and much more.