Summertime 4Runner HipCamp, Western style / solar cooking / dashboard baking & near Ash Fork, AZ

[@PamBooth-bg4jd]

I like the “cowgirl” camping style!

[@CliffordTheDudeist]

I am blown away right now! I remember you and little Gunther like it was yesterday, and when you told me you had a KZbin channel I made a note to look you up but somehow never got around to it - until one of your videos popped up randomly in my personal KZbin feed, and it just so happened to contain your trip to my Hipcamp site! I am deeply honored to have been a part of such a milestone video for you (HAPPY 100 !!!) and I hope to see you and your precious Gunther at "A Spark in the Dark" in the future! Not only am I happy about these things but I'm grateful to have found such a fantastic channel to follow. Entertaining, informative, polished, well produced and filled with ambiance and super kewl music. You are an absolute treasure and it was a pleasure to meet you and host you at my place. Come back any time, and thanks again for this fabulous collection of your adventures - ongoing! Also, I'm not sure if I'm allowed to do this but any of your followers who book a camping trip at The Spark and mention your channel will get a free bundle of firewood on the house! Love and respect to you, Shoestring Martha! www.hipcamp.com/discover/arizona/a-spark-in-the-dark-campground

[@ShoestringMartha]

Haha - Clifford!! Thanks for the kind words. 🥰 I'm so glad the magical algorithm brought you here! I enjoyed your camp very much -- it totally puts the "fun" in "funky" -- and you were a fantastic host. I would not hesitate to recommend it to those who plan on visiting the area. Thanks so much for the firewood offer. If any folks here decide to head up there, you can use code SHOESTRINGMARTHA to save $10 off the trip after (first timers only), and I get a credit too.

[@leayoung3014]

I just found your channel yesterday, 5/22/24, and I believe you and I are sisters from another mother..,. I love you content as I’m from Casa Grande, hs grad, and lived in Tucson and SWNM and now SWCO. Thanks for sharing! 29:49

[@ShoestringMartha]

Welcome back to the fam, sis!

[@tracker5849]

Looks like a nice day..at least it was peaceful and relaxing

[@ShoestringMartha]

That it was!

[@nancymcneill872]

I used to work in the outpatient clinic attached to a large teaching hospital in Phoenix. Every June, a new group of interns and medical students would arrive from all over the world. The centerpiece of the Welcome party was dashboard brownies--chocolate fudge, Duncan Hines. Yummy!

[@ShoestringMartha]

Love it! Bonus: a vehicle that smells like brownies. 😋

[@lyndamclaughlin3593]

Hi Nancy!! lynda RN ( me) worked w you at the clinic..you always were the ultimate camper and my fav! Brownies and meatballs!

[@zanthornton]

Thank you for Günter too Appreciate auto captions. You won't believe # folks who won't do auto captions( free easy) Thanks for slow not fast pictures..60 sec enjoy as if we are there. Music is awesome and not too loud!

[@ShoestringMartha]

Thank you so much for the feedback! I only wish I had more time so that I can edit the captions to be more accurate.

[@tracker5849]

You are amazingly creative and talented

[@paulas_lens]

$4.73 sigh. I was on a long roadtrip not even a year ago and gas was anywhere from a low of $2.16 in Wichita to a high of $3.27 in Spearfish. Seems criminal what the gas companies have done. Your dry humor had me cracking up! Haha "back at work, already" haha

[@ShoestringMartha]

You've got THAT right! 🙄 💸💸💸 Sad that I was kind of jazzed that it was *only* $4.35 in Chino Valley. And yeah, no doubt that Gunther is dachshund. That breed trait of "single-mindedness" is quite strong. 😂

[@rslooby6130]

Salads in a jar! We always bring it camping...you can put in whatever you want!!

[@ShoestringMartha]

I do love anything in a jar!

[@rslooby6130]

@@ShoestringMartha I also make creamy Limoncello in quart jars...freeze em and enjoy at camp!!

[@sm3296]

Thanks for the good belly laugh! So glad I hadn’t just taken a sip of coffee with that opening. 😂 and don’t you just love how cute wiener dogs are when they walk. 😊

[@ShoestringMartha]

It always looks so purposeful, as if they have some very important business to attend to.

[@lyndamclaughlin3593]

Haha..yes, they have a purpose in knowing where they are walking!

[@sm3296]

@@ShoestringMartha and of course, they do! 💕

[@GrandmaBugsPlace]

I follow Caravan Carolyn and she said to come and check out your videos. Hello and glad to have found you. What a neat area you are in and the small building is a good idea for camping. I love your pup he looks like my Bella. She is a rescue and mix they say dachshund mix schnauzer and she is my best little buddy. Will be checking out the other videos Enjoy and safe travels

[@ShoestringMartha]

Hi and welcome! Pupperwave from Gunther to Bella! He is a soft-coated wirehair dachshund. I'd never of that coat before adopting him, but I guess it really is a thing. 😁

[@roadtriplover.]

Excellent solar cooking ideas. I kinda want to give it a try!

[@greywolfoutdoors]

Love your shirt and that fresh cut!

[@ShoestringMartha]

Shirt by Wrangler. Hair by my partner (a pandemic skill that continues)

[@yvonnesouto9023]

I would love for you to host a camping weekend! I would drive to Arizona to camp with you! You are the reason I bought a Napier Cove and I am bingeing on all of your videos! Love you girl!!!! Also the way you film your videos are amazing. Do you just use one camera for all of your shots?

[@ShoestringMartha]

Awww... thanks so much! 😊💕 Believe it or not, all filmed on a single iPhone 8. 😬 It makes absolutely everything take 100x longer, but it's paid for, and does the job. Maybe if I get to 5k subs, I'll reward myself with a new phone or a camera. 🤔

[@yvonnesouto9023]

@@ShoestringMartha that’s amazing! You are definitely giving me motivation to film my adventures! Ok off to watch another video of yours! ❤️❤️❤️

[@ShoestringMartha]

Do eeeeet! The only additional equipment that I couldn't do without is a little tabletop tripod or some other means of holding a phone steady and at a distance. Those are super cheap though.

[@skybluepink998]

The slingshot is a genius compact activity that you can do anywhere AND see improvement on which is satisfying. Am totally going to get one. Always enjoy your cooking ideas. I can see your videos getting better and better in shooting and editing. Keep it up!

[@ShoestringMartha]

Thanks! I still have a lot to learn, but that's what keeps it interesting.

[@terryvanord998]

Gotta love sweet Gunther, great videos. Camper Van Carolyn said to check you out, and she was right. 😎

[@rob_cd]

This intro is epic, lol. Such great videography and storytelling all around.

[@ShoestringMartha]

Thanks! It was a lot of fun to make 🤠

[@inspiredtowander]

Here thanks to Caravan Carolyn...love your channel! Your dog is so cool, too! I often camp solo, so it's great to see someone else do the same.

[@ShoestringMartha]

Thanks -- it's pretty hard to beat the chill vibe of solo camping!

[@jeniferokeywsu]

Love the intro! 😂 That place had some neat things for sure. Classic Moody Blues while using the bathroom - love that too! Some interesting cooking this time around haha. Glad it was *only* 91 degrees 🥵. Congrats on the 100th video! Also you’re almost to 5k subscribers!

[@ShoestringMartha]

Thank you! At the current pace, 5k subs *might* be a birthday present for me. 🤞 🎉

[@breechaudoin8465]

Girl in the five videos I’ve watched-WHY haven’t you used the handles on that chuck box a single time!! LOL

[@ShoestringMartha]

😂 Being a short person, it kinda bonks my knees when I carry it by the handles 😅 Also the deck of the 4Runner is about table height, so it’s a direct transfer, rather than hoisting it up there.

[@breechaudoin8465]

ok-10-4. 😂

[@ramonapuckett3059]

Great video! Gunther is a good traveler ❤️

[@kriskabin]

👏Great shooting! (Especially if you had a few drinks under ur belt at the time.)

[@ShoestringMartha]

It got cut for time, but later, I challenged myself by putting the target even farther, and up a tree. I couldn’t hit it to save my life! 😂

[@colinjveitch]

Yay for the spray bottle. Colin wanted to turn on the air and I told him to just spray himself down in his office. He did! That breakfast looked amazing, must try. Cute HipCamp nice to see one with a restroom. Let me know when you are coming down south. I saw a HipCamp in Patagonia yesterday. It's calling you and Gunther. :)

[@ShoestringMartha]

Spray bottles: great for pets and husbands! 😀 I've got August and September already planned, so perhaps sometime in the Fall, but before it gets too cold. 🤔

[@sandrakramer1520]

I have a hairdresser’s mister (Amazon) that I keep in the fridge. Cool water 😀

[@barbarajeanne8351]

I camped on Cape Cod MA last week and I didn't make a fire because it was so hot. Didnt get to use my new pie iron,but I ate out of a snacklebox for 4 days!

[@ShoestringMartha]

Snacklebox saves the day! 😂

[@lyndamclaughlin3593]

Good for you braving the traffic over the bridge!!! I lived in a no frills 600 sq. Ft. cottage in Manomet 50 feet on the ocean cliff facing P-Town....

[@barbarajeanne8351]

@@lyndamclaughlin3593 no traffic at all. None on the bridge,very little around.

[@lyndamclaughlin3593]

Maybe gas prices kept folks away? My whole family live in Falmouth, Barnstable , Truro..maybe they decided not to travel. Still, glad for you on CC!

[@teresataildashf]

Wow! You’re a great storyteller! Loving your videos. I’ve subscribed and will explore your backlog. I found you through Caravan Carolyn (and send her your plans for the camp kitchen if you have them! :-) )

[@ShoestringMartha]

Welcome! Haha I knowwww -- I need to go back and take some measurements.

[@tjfm59]

one of your videos you did the kodak muffin (mircowave) cup. try cooking the batter in the fry pan or pieiron. got a couple to try out today. thinking on your result. would be better in the pan spread out. you used the barocooker with the cup inside , correct?

[@ShoestringMartha]

Of course!

[@tjfm59]

@@ShoestringMartha did up the kodiak chocolate muffin mix(mircowave) this morning. used 1/3 to 1/2 cup milk instead of 1/4 cup. made desert crepes. batter on the thin side. & i think my pan was cold also. wound up with 6 inch crepes. at this size there are too filmsy for flipping. need to make them 3-4 inch in in size. 1/4 of the the batter made. i got 2 out of this mess. where excellent in the taste department. tried out a egg slicer on the hard boiled egg ,ham & cheese dish i do for camping. did 2 cuts so i had juilene sliced egg. next up is to try 3 cuts to get diced egg, an not a mess.

[@cabinvibesebaystore8956]

New sub! Liked 🤭✌️🤘😉

[@annanne3929]

Could you share the backpack you used for Gunther? I have a doxie mix and have not been successful at finding one.

[@ShoestringMartha]

You bet! It’s this one, which is their base model, so it doesn’t have any storage or a chest strap or anything like that, but it’s lightweight and does the job. amzn.to/3vovDZC

[@BONNIE-zt5gy]

So neat, I was just there for a girls camping trip a few weeks ago. Is your yellow fan a 10 or 12”? Thanks for the hipcamp discount, I will definitely use it.

[@ShoestringMartha]

I believe it’s the 12” 🤔 You bet! I think you get the discount on your *second* trip, but I could be wrong. 😬

[@christieflesch3750]

I was trying to figure out how your big fan is run

[@ShoestringMartha]

It is battery powered: amzn.to/40SIC6A

[@emmieHD]

Always high quality videos. Thank you! Do you know of any good spots for dispersed camping on the Kaibab or Coconino NF?

[@ShoestringMartha]

Thanks! Unfortunately, I haven't camped in the Kaibab. For Coconino, I used to regularly camp around Happy Jack, a few years ago. There are some forest roads out there that allow for dispersed camping. Nice and piney, but busy on the weekends (like everywhere). I should head up there again, sometime.

[@emmieHD]

@@ShoestringMartha Thanks! I'll try to check out Happy Jack this summer.

[@lyndamclaughlin3593]

Yup, always high quality videos..kinda like the Sundance Film Festival shorties!!

[@barbarajeanne8351]

Love the hat!🥰

[@ShoestringMartha]

Thanks! It was my grandma's. She called it her "Smoky" hat (as in "and the Bandit" not "the Bear") 😀

[@barbarajeanne8351]

@@ShoestringMartha nice!

[@DianeDowneyYardFairy]

Another awesome video. Thank you so much. Since you are now my #1 camping influencer 😊 which opinel knife do you use? Better than a regular kitchen knife?

[@ShoestringMartha]

Thanks! I believe it’s a no. 10. It’s fine for cheese and stuff like that, and for stashing in your pocket, but I prefer my big knife for actual ingredients prep.

[@kriskabin]

Check out Marttiini knives from Finland; they're great straight knives with a lot of character. Inexpensive too. Mora knives are also hugely popular & are made in Sweden. ( I love my Mora Black!) Old Hickory knives are a tried & true American made company with solid carbon steel blades. Their Kebhart knife would be a great camp tool.

[@ShoestringMartha]

Nice! I’ll check em out. I have a Mora in my kit too, and love it. My camp cooking knife is Henckels santoku. It used to be my fave knife at home, until it was replaced with my Global chef’s knife. So into the camping gear it went! 😄

[@meganseth6934]

Do you put the foil in your pots to save on washing up???

[@ShoestringMartha]

Yep!! Wish I’d remember to do it more often. 😬

[@gerraldhm]

Love your videos! How do you find your camp sites?!

[@ShoestringMartha]

Thank you! I have a whole convoluted, month-long process, which I will be making a video about sometime soon 😬. But in short: the weather is typically my first guide in selecting an area, then I research places to stay in that area. I also don't like to drive longer than 2 hours, and I like to vary the direction I go. I camp during the week, and not on holidays. For campgrounds, I check recreation.gov, AZ State Parks, HipCamp; sometimes Campendium, or the Dyrt. For dispersed camping, the National Forests' websites and BLM.gov. When I've selected a spot, I follow up with campsitephotos.com and Google satellite imagery, to select my specific site. I like to choose one that's off in a corner, away from people, with plenty of shade, and a nice view.

[@laconitoisking]

Love watching your videos...I see that around time stamp 14:20 you showed a window screen for the front passenger door for your 4runner what's the link to that product

[@ShoestringMartha]

I have these - they come in a pair ☺️ amzn.to/3QeYXdy

[@laconitoisking]

Thank you already have that exact product never thought about using it for the front since it was for rear windows but I give it a try...thanks again

[@breechaudoin8465]

Oh my god I have that yellow shirt in white. 💀💀

[@ShoestringMartha]

Twinsies! 👯

[@tracker5849]

Would a piece of foil over cornbread maybe help hold in heat?

[@ShoestringMartha]

Unfortunately, I think it might reflect the sun's rays *away*, and keep in moisture.

[@tracker5849]

@ShoestringMartha maybe a wash rag over foil to stop reflection...or a piece of black cloth of some type.. Just a thought to trap heat. Anyway looked like a fun idea and good food...the cobbler looked yummy too. I'm all for a good meal but no cooking..it's 97 today. Think I'll eat salad and lunch meat

[@bonnienicklaus3299]

What raised bed do you use for Gunther? Do you like it?

[@ShoestringMartha]

It is the 30" Pet Gear Pet Cot, from Chewy. I do like it, but it's a little large for him -- but that's OK, because our English bulldog, Hogan, also enjoys it.

[@bonnienicklaus3299]

@@ShoestringMartha Thanks a bunch! I just LOVE his little hat and scarf!! 😍

[@54bonkers]

What does the hip in hipcamp stand for?

[@ShoestringMartha]

It just means that I used the hipcamp app to find and book the site: hipcamp.com/i/shoestringmartha I assume they named it that to be cool n stuff 😎

[@tracker5849]

What type of "ammo" are you useing in your rifle? And rifle type please?

[@ShoestringMartha]

I believe it's this one - amzn.to/3zp0kTq - and it takes copper-coated BBs

[@tracker5849]

@ShoestringMartha awesome..thank you. I have some cans and coke bottles that need shooting..LOL

[@lyndamclaughlin3593]

I have a Weinerdog/ Jackrussell..Where did u get seat for car? We take him for a ride everyday??

[@ShoestringMartha]

It's not exactly what I was looking for, but since getting Gunther was unplanned, I just grabbed whatever they had at PetSmart.

[@lyndamclaughlin3593]

Thank you