This summer my kids and I have a goal to go on a hike every week. Our kids are quite small (2, 4 and 6) so I have chosen hikes that will help them work up their stamina without me having to hear too many “are we there yet?” complaints. My goal with the children is to get them to be comfortable with a few miles in the mountains and perhaps go on a mini backpacking trip with dad. On each hike the children have to carry a small pack with their water and a snack.
I’ve camped and hiked most of my life, and 21 years in the Army as a reservist always reminds me of the best methods for not being miserable while hiking (and the Army being the Army, how to be miserable while doing it as well) and the need for being in shape if you’re going to be walking up and down roads and hills. I’ve also tried to bring up my kids to be as active as possible, and my three sons are pretty fit and used to the deal as well. This time, however, we’re striking out on new territory.
My son Sam came to me during the summer last year and announced that he would like to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro right after he graduated from high school. Having travelled fairly widely myself, and believing in the good that exposure to other cultures brings to anyone, I thought this was a good idea. Add to it my being somewhat of a plan-in-advance type, I knew I had two years to get ready,
With Memorial Day this weekend and the camping season official starting, REI has put together an infographic to help you set up a tent. If you following these 10 “simple” steps you are guaranteed a better nights sleep. I am not saying that there will not be other things keeping you up at night, but your tent shouldn’t be one of them. Each day this week we will be post something either about camping or for camping so check back often.
It’s mid-May, and spring is in full swing here. With the warm, sunny weather we’ve been having, you can bet that I am gearing up for the camping season. Since my book, Campfire Cuisine, was just released in a new, revised edition, I’m even more inspired than usual to get out into the woods and do some amazing cooking au naturel (by which, of course, I mean “out in nature” not “naked,” although that could be fun, too!) There is nothing like eating an amazing gourmet meal out in the wilderness, and as I set out to prove in Campfire Cuisine, it doesn’t have to be difficult.
So I thought to celebrate Earth Day this year we would post some of our favorite Earth Day inforgraphics. Hopefully these will help spread awareness of some of the earth’s issues and what we can do to help fix them. So please help spread the message and let us all try to live a little “greener” this year.
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