I know this is short notice, but I just found out about this myself (through the great blog I follow called Boston Mamas.
This Saturday June 25th 2011 is the Great American Backyard Campout sponsored by the National Wildlife Federation.
For my friends and family, it is no surprise how much I love camping, as is evidenced by how often I bring up my thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail at every opportunity (and even on my blog now, it seems). That love of camping started when I was in Boy Scouts when we went out for a couple weekends every year to some fairly local campground. This was not backpacking as we did not haul our gear more than 100 yards or so, but it was sleeping in a tent, hearing the noises that creatures make in the night, experiencing what an impending thunderstorm smells like, seeing the effect the wind has on a valley full of trees. All of these things make me feel grounded and part of the world, both empowered and minuscule at the same time. Those feelings of connection began growing in me the first night I slept outside. That didn’t happen until I was around 12, and when I have kids, I want to be sure to expose them to the outdoors as soon as possible.
This Great American Backyard Campout seems like a fantastic way to expose kids to the sense of adventure and delight they could have in the outdoors.
For those of you in the Boston area, the forecast is for a chance of rain Saturday night, but I have to say, for me the feeling of being all snug in a sleeping bag while rain falls on my tent is just amazing! Some of my best nights of sleep have happened under those conditions.
For more information on the Great American Backyard Campout, click here
For more information on the National Wildlife Federation, click here
For more information on the Appalachian Trail, click here
This Saturday June 25th 2011 is the Great American Backyard Campout sponsored by the National Wildlife Federation.
For my friends and family, it is no surprise how much I love camping, as is evidenced by how often I bring up my thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail at every opportunity (and even on my blog now, it seems). That love of camping started when I was in Boy Scouts when we went out for a couple weekends every year to some fairly local campground. This was not backpacking as we did not haul our gear more than 100 yards or so, but it was sleeping in a tent, hearing the noises that creatures make in the night, experiencing what an impending thunderstorm smells like, seeing the effect the wind has on a valley full of trees. All of these things make me feel grounded and part of the world, both empowered and minuscule at the same time. Those feelings of connection began growing in me the first night I slept outside. That didn’t happen until I was around 12, and when I have kids, I want to be sure to expose them to the outdoors as soon as possible.
This Great American Backyard Campout seems like a fantastic way to expose kids to the sense of adventure and delight they could have in the outdoors.
For those of you in the Boston area, the forecast is for a chance of rain Saturday night, but I have to say, for me the feeling of being all snug in a sleeping bag while rain falls on my tent is just amazing! Some of my best nights of sleep have happened under those conditions.
For more information on the Great American Backyard Campout, click here
For more information on the National Wildlife Federation, click here
For more information on the Appalachian Trail, click here
