Going camping is one of the most rewarding, exciting, and relaxing activities available in this ever-shrinking “modern” world. Getting away from it all is very therapeutic for both body and soul. At first it seems that it’s just a giant hassle, but when that million-dollar vista comes into view while driving to the campground, it’s so worth it. In the wild, all thoughts turn away from that technological cacophony back in the city to relaxing around a campfire and looking up at the stars.Viewing the Milky Way at night, away from all the light pollution of the city is something to be remembered for a lifetime. Seeing it for the first time with family is even better. Fishing, hiking, climbing – just enjoying the beauty and wonder of the outdoors is food for spirit and soul.
It’s all about being with people and making relationships
Relationships are built within the context of great, memorable times. Camping provides the perfect opportunity for this. There are practically no distractions from cell phones, computers, television, Facebook – all the things that pull attention away from being together. Of course, there is a time and place for all of that but not on a camping trip. Camping is all about building relationships by helping one another, getting to know and enjoying another person for who they really are, spending time with those people whom we may need to develop a deeper, closer relationship. There is a huge difference between a casual conversation with a troubled teen in a boat out in the middle of a mountain lake, and trying to communicate at home through all the barrage of texting, television, and media. Mountain lakes have a unique feature in that they usually don’t receive cell phone signals effectively. A fishing boat is no place for a computer or video game, especially if the batteries powering them mysteriously disappear. Teamwork is practiced and effectively learned while in the challenging throes of assembling a large, unwieldy tent that sleeps eight.
Experience the wild before it’s gone forever
Back in the early twentieth century, people and government came together to set apart forests, mountain ranges and remote wilderness areas for the generations to follow. Their intent was to keep the natural beauty as untouched and pristine as possible for people to enjoy in perpetuity. Through the National Park Service, many people have worked tirelessly over the years to preserve, protect, and share the awesome natural beauty of many areas in the United States. People have changed the direction of their lives viewing the unlimited vista from the summit of a 14,000 foot peak in the Colorado Rockies, or experienced an unexplained sense of peace while strolling through a stand of brightly colored Aspen trees. Get out there and enjoy the natural beauty before it’s taken or sold in the name of progress.
Camping in the 21st century is easier than ever before
In the early 1900’s, people would ride on a train for days to get to places that are easily reachable by car in a few hours today. Folks camped for the same reasons back then, to get away from the city and get closer to nature. Adequate shelter is a primary concern. One of a camper’s biggest fears is inadequate shelter. While the biggest expense with camping is probably the tent, many are reasonably priced and provide ample protection from possibly harsh outdoor weather conditions and they keep most wildlife out. However, roughing it in a tent is no longer an expectation with today’s camping. A new innovation in this century is the move-in-ready tent called a yurt. Yurts are especially attractive to people who are new to camping and may be a bit hesitant about staying in a tent. Yurts are very comfortable, have a locking door, beds, and are even equipped with furniture and simple appliances. For these reasons, yurt campers tend to stay longer than tent campers.
Getting away and getting back to nature with family or those you’re close to is one of the best ways to make new friends, build new relationships, and strengthen the bonds with those to whom we are closest. Camping provides a context in which many wonderful, lasting memories and perhaps create a few great stories that will only be slightly exaggerated over the years. Camping allows people to relate and connect on a personal level that is simply just unattainable in the busy-ness of the city. Camping is easy, relatively inexpensive, and it gets your family away from the TV and other technology long enough to discover one another. Rather than camping in front of the HDTV, get out there with friends or family and go camping in the great outdoors!
