European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - April 22, 1977, Darmstadt, Hesse                                April 1977 the stars and stripes Page 19 modern living tenting on the cheap americans overseas have a Chance to just pick up a tent and steal away for or close to the air Force and now the army have programs that allow individual checkout of camping equipment from tents to sleeping bags and everything in be the air Force run by base Spe Cial services has been in effect for the army under the new outdoor recreation Branch of recreation an appropriate fund got its official Start last and already several communities have full sets of Camp ing gear and backpacking for families who Are thinking of camping for the first this is a Good was to Why Lay out a lot of Money for tents and All if youre not even sure the family is going to really go for the great outdoors what equipment is or will be Avail Able in the army out door recreation located in the attic of the education Center at Cambra Fritsch stocks four and two person sleeping air on and two Burner Camp water ice tables with four conking kits for four and also two person Backpack the Community expects to receive More of the family camping equipment in the near according to Nav director at present she has nine woman tents and nine Fourman tents on hand plus supplies to go with As to no charge is made for but As the program expands there will be n Small rental damaged or lost items will have to be and Darmstadt allows the equipment to be checked on a first first served for five Days at a or for the period of a persons official each Community will set its own rules when it comes to time the equipment can be kept and notice required before signing it says Reid chief of outdoor recreation for in the future we also Hope to have Popup and archers and fishing equipment available for rental at nominal he explains that this rental program of outdoor equipment is Only one part of the new outdoor recreation were also working on the construction of local picnic fishing Ponds and family Garden when the program really gets going it might be possible for a family to trawl across Europe using local Community Camp so far no prices have been but overnights would probably run about the same As at the recreation centers at Chloe the summer 1977 Price at these Camps is a Mittan explains that the outdoor recreations Elife program a plan to make living in Europe More enjoyable for american members of the forces Hopes to have a professional outdoors recreation specialist As signed to each Community to set up special at Jerry who formerly worked for the National Parks is available to help local groups make the most of their he can advise on what they can whats locally feasible whether setting up a picnic area or building and stocking a in consumer watch Many american families in Europe who once sneered at setting up vacation Camp Are becoming Canvas of is the deciding often its a question of either tenting it or spending the summer at Home looking out at the parking even the cheapest tour int All that inexpensive when a family of four or five is for a weekend in Amsterdam offered by the German Federal at for an adult train fare from Frankfurt plus two plus half Price for children under it would Cost a family with three children Ages and eight a total of even counting much u for the nine excursion using camping places  run much Over so maybe a night for the camping around Kab for and for admission fees to museums and the the big is those camping supplies How much to invest and where to make sure you like the camping before you sink several Hundred dollars into camping probably the Best advice is to go easy in the beginning that dont Over Load on gadgets and gimmicks that will just take up space and probably prove of Are a tent and sleeping after that its largely up to the individual and How much you want to rough for family youll probably want reasonable which Means air mattresses or a stove and Kitchen for More you probably will want to throw in a few folding chairs and either a folding card table or some to trays with a guide to campsites also is in the Interior of some countries camping places May be few and far be it helps to know just where they the camping guide also gives prices and Camp by the european Camps generally allow people to pick their own spot during Peak campers Are dismayed to Dis cover tents crammed very close together at some novices often set up tent As close to the Camp facilities the garbage disposal area As pos thinking Treyve won a Veteran campers warn that its not such a Good idea youre Apt to be disturbed All night by a steady Stream of other campers blundering through the and if the Camp int Tiptop there May be some unpleasant doors Drifting your just How much campsite cooking is going to be done is an individual some moms will rebel at the idea of hanging Over a hot Campstone pot while on in such cold snacks at the site sandwiches and the like maybe cheese and sausages bought along the Way can be supplemented with a in caday visit to a local restau rant and Camp Kitchen utensils limited to paper napkins and drinking plus plastic picnic a Sharp paring a and for those who Arent daunted by Camp cookery some Rind it or who have Short budgets and kids whose undeveloped tastes go More for Mcdonalds burgers than anything verging on gourmet More utensils plus a Camp stove arc in often ifs a question of either tenting it or spending the summer at Home looking out at the parking cafes offers a Camp cooking set for four for included four plates and a a Coffee pot and two cooking but Why spend even that amount if raiding the Home Kitchen will yield up the same for no extra outlay you might want to include a Large and Small frying and two kettles plus a couple of interchangeable a Coffee a Large Metal pot for heating dish water sadly that goes along with cooking in the great a Large serving spoon and and a wooden cutting As to a a necessity As open fires Are frowned on throughout Europe youll find them ranging from As Little As the one for Back packers this at a Rod and gun club sports Center to two burners for around cafes carries a variety of two Burner propane models one Sells for another for yet another for but make sure you also have a Supply of Coleman for is hard to come by in Europe outside the the mostly widely used in Europe Are the Gaz camping camping Gaz cartouches and bottles Are available almost everywhere but they Only fit the Gaz As to that tent shop around before you prices can Range from As Little As for a Minim Al backpackers Pup Lent although if you want a decent lightweight one youll have to pay consider ably More to for a six person teat Bungalow with separate bedroom and living cafes centers More on american smaller some Rod and gun dubs carry european made including the above mentioned larger tent with divided unlike the american dont come with full sewn in the sleeping areas Are in but the living area is generally Bare another difference is the complexity of putting up and taking Down the Canvas the larger european Bun Galow tents can take quite a Long time to set an Amer ican tent with the three shaped sets of poles goes up or Down in about is there also Are Popup tents that do just that but Usu ally offer Only cramped the kind of tent you want May depend on your travel if you move around a staying at one site Only a couple of youll want one that goes up and Down if you like to continued on Page 2bi