Photography + Camping

I have been really excited about getting my new photography equipment (Nikon D90 & Canon Vixia HG21) for some time now so that I can have some me time. Taking pictures and videos has always been a passion and desire of me for years now and I feel that I now have the time to actually pursue this even further. I actually am planning to mix my love of the outdoors & camping with my passion for photography especially because I am big on scenic shots and landscapes. This is only furthering my interest of getting my Jeep Grand Cherokee, because then I can really go camping and can even bring friends or Sphinx. I am going to start researching some parts that might be good spots to go camping at and then start pricing how much the equipment will cost me. I am pretty sure of a few things already in terms of gear needed: Sleeping bag, Tent (they have the kind that can attach the the rear tailgate of the Cherokee!), Outdoors Coat, Camping Backpack, Beretta M9A1 (I already have my shotgun but I would prefer to have both with me), Hiking Shoes, Climbing Shoes, Climbing Harness, Climbing Rope & the usual camping needs like a first aid kit, food, flashlight, batteries, matches, lighter, flare gun, radio, M.R.E.'s, ammo...I am sure there are plenty of things I am forgetting at the moment but alot of this shit I already have or can get pretty easily from the Champaign Surplus store.

I also am going to have to decide who I want to take with me because I think I am going to on on a solo trip with sphinx, then take a another person, then go with a group. The only thing is though that when you go camping its not like if the person pisses you off you can just go your separate ways...no you are stuck with this person for at least 2-3 days so I would like to get someone that isn't going to make we wanna swallow a bullet or two. I am not expecting people to have the same avid love of the outdoors as I do but can at least appreciate the sheer beauty of it all would be great. I am going to have to wait to go on this trip until after I get my lasik surgery because nothing would suck more than going on a trip like this and lose a contact or break my damn specs...I would be fuckin pissed. I am shooting for either sometime in the dead of winter or sometime in the summer...either way I can't fucking wait.