It reads:

Wonderful natural bridges and other wild scenery to be included in two new national parks.

It’s nice to see how people viewed our national parks one hundred years ago. Instead of complaining that the government is “stealing” our land, the press was excited to share the beauty of the areas that the parks protected. Because of that foresight, we can see these sites even now.

• U.S. National Park Service Fee-Free Weekends in Your National Parks

Mark your calendars for fee-free weekends this summer:

• July 18-19, 2009
• August 15-16, 2009

Mike and I enjoy several of the nearby National Parks. The photo shown is from a trip to Lake Mead in southern Nevada (near Las Vegas and the Hoover Dam), which is on the list of free parks this weekend. You can see all the photos of that camping trip here:

• Lake Mead – a set on Flickr

If you are feeling the financial squeeze this year, take advantage of the parks that your tax dollars go toward maintaining and try them out this weekend free of charge.

firecakes by land_camera_land_camera from Flickr

These delicious cakes were cooked within a campfire. You can find the recipe here:

• bread & honey : a food blog.: campfire cakes (!!!)

They used a yellow cake mix and cooked them in the campfire after hollowing out the oranges. She enjoyed the camping, despite the cold:

I know it’s getting a little late in the season for camping (we froze our butts off!) but if you manage to get out, seriously- I don’t even think I have to tell you to try this.

There is still some good camping to be had, even this late in the season. Lake Mead, in southern Nevada, is beautiful at this time of year, so get out there and let yourself enjoy the outdoors.

Via: Craftzine.com blog: HOW TO – Campfire Cakes

Trailer by unwiredadventures from Flickr

I have an image in my mind of the perfect trailer I would like to travel the country with. Something small and compact, but more livable than VW Westfalia bus conversion. If the aqua stripes were replaced by maroon or red ones, this would be my dream trailer.

Thank you, unwiredadventures, for taking photos of my dream trailer.

Michelle did an article for Men’s Health with these handy tips:

• Get away. Go off the beaten path to make sure you’re at least somewhat isolated. Getting vocal while getting it on might not go over too well in the middle of a family campground.

• Keep it simple. Movements should be small and controlled. “This is not the time to try out the entire Kama Sutra, because those walls are closer than you think,” says Waitzman.

• Use a condom. This isn’t a safe sex lecture. Even if you don’t normally wear protection, it can make clean-up – of yourselves and the tent – that much easier.

• Bag it up. If you’re shopping for sleeping bags as a couple, invest in a pair designed to zip together. “It gives you added warmth and the convenience of being able to actually touch each other under the covers,” says Waitzman.

• Be obvious. If you want to get laid under the stars, flirt under the sun. Waitzman advises “a little wink-wink behavior during the day to get everybody on the same page.” She says many people don’t even consider sex in the tent, mainly because they’ve never tried it.

Tip # 4, Bag it up, has been the most important one to me, mostly for warmth. When it gets to be November, even camping at Lake Mead in southern Nevada is just a little too cold to be alone in a sleeping bag. I’m so grateful that Mike and I have the kind that can be zipped together.

Via: Two-Heel Drive: “Sex in a Tent” author on tour

Halfway between San Jose and Salinas is Mount Madonna County Park. It is a great place for camping and hiking. If you are planning a trip to California, you can find so much more than the Disneylands and the Sea Worlds. There is an entire state of experiences waiting for you. You can find out more here:

• Two-Heel Drive: Mount Madonna County Park

• Bay Nature: On the Trail: At Home off the Range: A Cattle Baron’s Refuge at Mount Madonna, July-September 2007

This park belonged to a Cattle Baron during the Gold Rush Era. All that is left of his mansion are moss-covered stones. It’s a surprising reminder of how quickly our most cherished possessions can deteriorate into nothing. It also serves as a warning that everything that we do to the planet is merely a scratch and Mother Earth can recover and overgrow your mark within years.

For a different sort of vacation, try camping at Mount Madonna County Park.

Where: Approximately 38 miles north of Salinas off Highway 101 – Google Map

• Hot Portable Shower Hot Jugz

It’s being advertised as a great alternative to beach showers. It is supposed to keep the water warm for seven hours, so you can fill it up at home, swim, surf or snorkel to your heart’s content and then wash the salt off your body with warm water instead of the cold stuff. They’ve based the name of their product on the fact that it keeps water warm, but that’s not the best asset of it.

The best part is that you don’t have to put the thing above your head to make it work. All you have to do is pump it up (15-20 pumps) and the water will flow from the showerhead. Great idea!

Via: Popgadget: Personal Tech for Women – Hot Jugz: a portable shower

• Reach Upward: Having Fun With Winter Camping (part I)

• Reach Upward: Having Fun With Winter Camping (part II)

I love the introductory paragraph:

“Call me crazy, but I actually do camp out in the snow. I didn’t enjoy camping or hiking as a kid, but it has kind of grown on me throughout the years, especially as I work with Scout groups. For the boys, it’s a great adventure. And it doesn’t have to be unpleasant either. All it takes is knowledge and preparation.”

The first time I ever went camping was only two summers ago. I love to camp, and I hate the winter months when we put the camping gear away and stay in hotels. These articles make me curious about how enjoyable winter camping might be.

Via: Gary Thornock’s Weblog » Good information on winter camping

Part of the fun of camping is buying the equipment to go camping with, but it doesn’t have to be that way. You can go camping on the cheap. Here is a list of tips and tricks to help you keep your camping thrifty.

• Get Rich Slowly » 26 Cheap Camping Tips

Next time you’re wishing for an escape, try camping. It’s inexpensive and one day camping feels like a week on vacation.

MOON ECHOES: Tourist in my own town (Darlington Park – Ontario, Canada)

It sounds like you need to be careful which campsite you choose:

“We survived the evening just fine… very noisy. Lots of traffic, trains, whistles, certainly not what I was anticipating when I wanted to get away from it all. I thought that the traffic would ease up, but there was a constant whoosing sound of transports and cars in the distance.”

They got a new campsite further away from the highway to avoid the noise. The campsites look very private and there are lots of trees everywhere. There is a general store nearby where you can pick up supplies.

“I found the prices to be quite reasonable. The firewood was five dollars [Canadian] a pack, which is cheaper than other parks that we’ve been to. And the prices in the store were very reasonable. Good little place. Great guy was in there. He had a good attitude, good sales. Made us feel welcome and at home.”

The park is near Lake Ontario, so you can enjoy the water lapping at the shore.

Where: Darlington Provincial Park, Ontario, Canada – 1600 Darlington Park Rd. Bowmanville, Ontario L1C 3K3 Telephone: 905-436-2036

Ontario Parks – Darlington