Archive for February, 2012
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Tips for Women: How to Camp Comfortably
We all know that any given woman is capable of accomplishing the same things outdoors as any given man, and that what makes a good camper is not only attitude, but skill. Either gender is capable of developing both. But when it comes to camping comfortably, it would be just plain wrong to act like there are no differences between men and women, and it’s fair to say that women have higher needs for comfort than many men. With that in mind, here are a few tips for the adventurous women out there.
First, getting a good’s night sleep during a camping weekend should be considered the most vital aspect of your comfortable camping experience. If you wake up with a sore back, it’s going to ruin the rest of your day. But if you wake up like you wake up out of your bed at home, you should feel absolutely fine and have more energy to accomplish the things you want to accomplish while camping that day.
With that in mind, be sure to focus on a few essential things: padding, insulation, and dryness. Padding simply refers to the type of bed you might be using – if you can bring along an air mattress with a gadget for easily pumping it up, you should have no problem sleeping on it. For insulation, make sure you have a comfortable sleeping bag that adequately traps your body heat. And when it comes to dryness, take extra precautions to keep both your tent and your equipment of of moisture’s way.Next, think about the kind of equipment you’ll be using during the daytime that will change your camping experience. For example, what luxury at home can’t you live without? If it’s a shower, you can find portable camping showers that function similar to showers at home, or simply find a campsite shower on a campground. It’s usually a good idea to try out a night of camping out in your backyard, without the conveniences at home except the ones in your bag, to get an idea of how you’ll fare when you’re camping. Make sure to bring a notepad to keep track of all of the things you believe you’ll need and that which you won’t need to bring on your trip.
Having a comfortable camping experience is all about preparation. As long as you have your bases covered, you should have a great experience that feels like you’re at one with nature, not constantly fighting it by tossing and turning all night.
Photo Credits: russelljsmith
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The Top Five Hiking Countries in the World
If you’re an avid hiker, chances are that you’ve done a little poking around and discovering on your own – finding all of the local hills, discerning which are the most challenging, etc. But for the truly avid hiker, a world of opportunity is at your feet: you’re anxious to see what else is out there. If you’re really an ambitious hiker with his or her sights set high, this article is for you. In it, we’ll take a look at the top five hiking countries in the world.
Keep in mind that this is a highly subjective list, and many countries with awesome sights and sounds have been left out of necessity.
1. United States of America
That’s right: for my fellow Americans, good ol’ Uncle Sam simply has the greatest diversity, range, and spectrum of possible hikes on Earth. The sheer size of the United States makes it ideal for different types of environments, and its location above the equator gives rise to several different climate zones that you don’t find in other large countries like Canada.
The United States is also home to the Grand Canyon, one of the most spectacular natural sights on Earth and a favorite destination of hikers.2. Switzerland
Switzerland is known typically for its knives, its cheese, and even its watches – but what we forget is that the Swiss Alps offer some nasty, challenging, and beautiful terrain in one of the safest countries in the world. Switzerland is ideal for the hiker who enjoys a good challenge in addition to beautiful and serene scenery. For you winter hikers, the Swiss Alps also provide an endless array of challenges.
3. Italy
Cousin to Switzerland because of its access to the Alps, Italy can be much like Switzerland except it offers a greater variety of hikes – from the volatile area near Mount Vesuvius to Tuscany to the Mediterranean Sea, Italy is one of the best countries to enjoy hiking on – especially while on vacation.
4. Argentina
South America had to be represented on this list, and Argentina makes an ideal choice, particularly because of its relative similarity to some European countries (such as in Buenos Aires), as well as its diverse range of terrain. Other countries like Bolivia and Brazil also present some interesting hiking ventures.
5. Canada
Mentioned earlier, Canada’s sheer size and still-untapped wilderness makes it a brilliant choice for a hiking vacation, as well as other outdoor sports such as skiing. Canada is home to some of the best sights on Earth, and although its climate range is fairly predictable, it still makes for a pleasant experience.
Photo Credits; longhorndave
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How to Fix a Broken Tent
[The following is a guest post from How to Fix. There you can learn How to Fix a Dishwasher, how to fix a flat tire as well as how to fix a toilet]
Having a tent is an absolute necessity when you’re out in the woods – that is, unless you can find some other form of shelter. Tents keep moisture out, protect you from the elements, and separate you from the wild, even if the separation is a thin one. So if your tent breaks or tears while you’re out camping, you’ll probably recognize when it happens fairly quickly. The only question that remains is simple: how can you fix it without buying a new one?
There is no one answer to this question, because there is more than one way that a tent can be broken. But in this article, we’ll handle two of those ways:
Your tent tearing: If your tent tears, then duct tape is your best friend. It’s generally a good idea to keep some basic tools in your car – duct tape is one of them – around for just this kind of situation. Duct tape won’t only help re-attach the two sides of the tear in your tent, but it will continue to seal out moisture and its adhesive will generally keep the duct tape where you put it. It’s generally a good idea to use more duct tape than you think you need rather than less; don’t be afraid to go a little overboard. After all, you’re not going for beauty here – you simply want to keep your tent working. So make sure you have duct tape with you. The next time you head to the hardware store, buy a couple of rolls of duct tape and put one in the back of your car. It just may come in handy.Tent poles breaking or bending: The structure of the tent is generally held up by loosely-assembled tent poles. These aren’t always the most sturdy foundations to have with you, but they make for light packing and generally an easy tent setup. If one of them breaks, you’ll want to consider your situation. Can you possibly bend the pole back into place, or is it lost forever? If it’s totally broken, you may simply want to toss that pole out and keep your tent up with the rest of the poles. Your tent may be a little uneven because of this, but at least it will stay up, continue to shelter you from the weather, and will continue to work. Worry about a replacement pole or tent once you’re safely back to civilization.
Photo Credits: bgautrea
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Five Essential Items For Your Camping To-Do List
Have you ever gone camping before and felt, well, terrible at it? Sure, you might have packed well, but when your feet actually hit the great outdoors, you’re in a whole different world, especially if your experience is going to be truly rustic. Good camping comes with good experience, but it also comes with the right kind of knowledge.
If you ever feel lost camping, this article is for you. Here’s your checklist to kick off your camping trip right:
1. Shelter first. I was recently on a camping trip with some friends and we arrived in the twilight hours. Luckily, we followed the idea of “shelter first” by setting up our tents with the limited light we had left. By the time we were done setting up camp, it was dark out and we were getting our fire ready. If we had built the fire first, putting up the tents would have been a major nuisance.
2. Get a fire going. If you’re camping with others and you finish your tent first, you can help them with theirs, but you can also start gathering firewood. A fire is useful to cook your meals and have a supply of warmth around for when night rolls around. If you brought a fresh supply of water with you, you don’t have to worry about that.3. Get warm. The fire is useful for keeping warm at night, but you’ll also want to be ready for sleeping out under the stars. Even on summer nights the temperature can drop drastically and you’ll want to make sure you’re properly insulated. Bring some heavy flannel clothes even for camping in the summer and be sure you have a sleeping bag that really traps heat well.
4. Plan for the next meal. If your shelter is up and you’ve got heat taken care of, plan for the next meal – even if it’s tomorrow’s breakfast. Check your cooler and make sure you have all of the utensils and goods you need. When you wake up tomorrow, you should be ready to start a fire and get the bacon crackling.
5. Set up your wants. The three needs of survival in the wilderness tend to go like this: shelter, water, food. With all of that taken care of (you brought fresh water, right?), set up your “wants.” Have the DVD player ready to go in your tent. If you brought an outdoor shower, make sure you found a suitable place to put it, and that it’s filled.
Photo Credits: tranchis
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To RV or to Tent?
If you’ve been planning a camping trip and struggling with the question of exactly how much “civilization” to bring with you into the woods, you’re not alone. One of the most crucial questions parents will face when planning a trip into the great outdoors is whether or not they’ll spring for the luxury accommodations of an RV or even a cabin, or embrace the challenge of a more rustic camping experience.
Here is a quick look at the advantages and disadvantages of both options.
RV:
Advantages: The advantages of an RV are obvious – get a good enough one, and your “camping” trip can still get 200 channels. RV reduces the need to really “settle in” to the wild, while still giving you access to nature since it’s just a few steps away. Many families enjoy getting an RV because of pure convenience, as it allows you to forget the tents and simply get out there and drive.
For those of you who consider yourself city slickers, renting an RV might be an ideal choice to get your feet wet and adjusted to the whole camping experience.Disadvantages: Cost. RV’s can be expensive, and there’s always a financial price to pay when it comes to those luxury items you can’t afford to live without. You have to consider the crucial question of “money spent, or convenience lost,” in order to ask yourself if you’re an RV or a tent family.
Tents
Advantages: Many people feel like you aren’t actually camping if you bring your house with you, and an RV does that in a way. The tent experience, however, gives you access to nature itself, letting you build your own site in the woods and living off of the land for a couple of days (or, at the very least, living off of the local convenience store). Tents are also low-cost compared to RVs, even if you acquire tents that do most of their setting up by themselves.
Disadvantages: What you gain in your checkbook, you lose in convenience, as you simply can’t bring a bed with you to your tent. You also can’t have running water or a bathroom, and if you have a lot of kids, this can turn into a problem quickly. Many people are willing to embrace these challenges as part of the “outdoor” experience, but to others, that sounds like a rationalization for being a cheapskate.
Now that you’ve had a look at the advantages and disadvantages of each option, it’s time to ask yourself what kind of camper you might be. Remember, there’s only one way to find out if you’re right: try out one of these options!
Photo Credits: blmurch
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Taking your Kids Hiking
If you are planning on going hiking, the thought of taking your kids might have crossed your mind, for a brief second, and then you might have dismissed it by just imagining the sound of their cry after fifteen minutes of walking, the whining that they are hungry, or the moan that they are bored. After all, who would even consider taking a child on a hiking excursion? While filled with challenges, hiking with children can enrich their lives and yours. When you’re tired and frustrated on the trail, remind yourself of the many benefits of hiking with your children.
Hiking is a special activity to do with your children. Getting away from all the stress of everyday life gives you a chance to talk to your kids about their interests and dreams, not just what they want for dinner or this week’s homework assignment. Bring a field guide if you can or even a book about birds and plants and have fun identifying the birds and plants you see with your child. Some field guides will tell you about the traditional edible and medicinal uses of plants. If you’re hiking in the Southwest, you might pass archaeological sites. Hiking can be a great way to learn about nature and history as real things instead of just words in a book.
Helping your child develop a lifelong habit of exercise is one of the best things you can do for his or her health. Hiking is a fun, exciting outdoor activity that doesn’t require a big expense. Nature encourages imaginative, creative play, and experiencing nature is an important part of childhood. Kids that get to experience nature firsthand will be more likely grow up to respect and love the world around them. Hiking can be a physical and mental challenge for kids, and completing a trail may give them a sense of satisfaction and increase their self-confidence. Just be careful to choose trails that are an appropriate difficulty level for your child, one that is not too hard or frustrating.Hiking with children can be a great way to introduce young ones to the wonders of nature. By planning successful, enjoyable hikes when they’re young, you’ll set your children on the path to a lifetime of outdoor adventures. The best advice about hiking with kids and what they are able to endure is to remember this, children 2 to 4 years old can hike ½ to 2 miles on their own. They should stop every 10 to 15 minutes to rest. Children ages 5 to 7 can hike for 1 to 3 hours each day, covering 3 to 4 miles over easy terrain. Rest stops should come every 30 to 45 minutes. Older children, up to the age of nine can hike a full day at an easy pace, covering 5 to 6 miles over variable terrain. Set your group’s goals based on the youngest child’s ability. Generally, children over 4 will do better with a fanny pack but be prepared to carry it out for them. Stay flexible and know when to stop and go home.
Photo Credit: pmorgan
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Are You A Pontoon Person?
One of the most important questions you should ask yourself when considering a boat purchase is how much you will use the boat. Will it be the chief source of recreation for your family? Will it be used enough to justify the expenses? Is it the type of boat that you can actually see using throughout a summer, or are you interested in a boat you’ll only occasionally use?
These are really important questions, and the more you ask them, the more you’ll notice they lead to bigger questions, like: will I need a fishing boat or a speed boat? You also might notice yourself more interested in pontoon boats. Now, it’s time for you to ask: are you a pontoon person? Here’s how you find out.
First, remember that a pontoon boat is dramatically different from speed boats or skiing boats. If you have visions of yourself flying around a lake or river with a water skier whizzing directly behind you, the pontoon won’t exactly satisfy your needs. But if you think more about the summer sun, quiet mornings on the lake, and some good quality fishing, the pontoon boat might be exactly what you need.
Some people figure that a pontoon boat is flexible enough to at least include some other types of activities other than fishing, and this is true to an extent. You can still carry around tubers behind you at maximum speed or take the pontoon boat out to swim. But you’ll still get an entirely different experience with a pontoon boat than you would with a speed boat. Make sure that you are clear about what you want to use your boat for; the last thing you need is a boat on your hands you never use.Next, try to ask some owners of pontoon boats and speed boats about their experiences. How much have they enjoyed their boat? If they could change something about their boat, what would it be? If you find yourself siding with one person’s point of view over the other, you might notice that you’re figuring out whether you really are a pontoon person. You definitely don’t want to make a boat purchase halfheartedly. You’ll end up with an expensive hunk of metal that you don’t want to use.
On the other hand, if your enthusiasm grows for the pontoon, then maybe it is what you’ll want to get. Ask yourself what type of person you are, how much you can use the boat, and whether or not you can handle the expenses – then you’ll have an idea of whether or not you really are a pontoon person.
Photo Credits: phil_g
