It's time to reconnect
by Traci Hoffman
(Missouri)
Camping brings together some of my very favorite things in life. The lack of noise generated by electronics, the sense of togetherness that comes from actually being together, the wonderful taste of campfire cooking, and a general peacefulness.
I love the way the sun feels as it warms you up in the morning, the way the lake feels when it cools you off in the afternoon and slipping into a pair of comfy camp pants to ward off mosquitoes in the evening. There is something about water, wind and sun that wears you out and makes you hungry.
I love to take my camera and catch glimpses into life undisturbed by clocks and schedules. From wildflowers dancing in the wind, a shy fox sneaking down to the waters edge for an evening drink, the owls as they slip from their nests to prepare for an evenings hunt or the eagles running the banks of the rivers.
Camping allows me access to a whole different world from my high tech, air conditioned, high stress, multi-tasking daily life. Camping is a pause button, where I can sit back, relax and recharge before I have to hit play again.
What do I love about camping?
by Adam
(Portland, Oregon)
It's the air. I live in the Pacific Northwest, very near to the Cascade Range, and so, when I go camping it usually means pitching a tent somewhere on Mt. Hood.
Typically, it also means rain, which adds a new dimension to the whole experience. I.e. don’t forget to bring a couple of tarps. But the moment you step out of the car and head down the trail the air is beautiful.
The air is devoid of the hustle and bustle of city life, and that first inhalation of crisp, quiet, mountain air gathers up all of your “civilized” problems, worries, and stresses and carries them off when you exhale.
The sheer relaxation that breathing out there affords a person pales only in comparison to that chilly, mist producing breath that you take when you first crawl out of your tent and re-build the fire.
Granted, I love the old growth rain forest we have here, and the birdsongs, the rivers, and the whole outdoor experience. But the thing that keeps dragging me back to the mountain is quite surely, the air.
What I Love About Camping :D
by Suzy
(New Jersey, USA)
1. Waking Up In The Morning - I remember waking up to birds chirping, sunlight streaming into the tent, seeing the trees outside, and and the feeling of having had a good night's sleep. The only downside of it was seeing shadows of insects from the outside walls of the tent.
2. Roasting Marshmallows - It's not everyday that I get to eat S'MORES!
3. Being Surrounded By Nature - Reading while laying in a hammock was twice as fun than reading on the couch. Being the indoor person I thought I was, I really enjoyed being outside all the time.
