Are You Prepared to Survive?
Millions of viewers love to watch television shows like ‘Ray Mears Extreme Survival’ and ‘Bear Grylls Born Survivor’ which is perhaps an indication that many of us long for a more basic form of existence. Perhaps this is the reason that camping holidays have grown in popularity in recent years.
But many people don’t like to be detached from the comforts of home. Many like to use campervans and recreational vehicles as these allow them to take a mini, portable version of their home to a new environment. Some are even equipped with widescreen televisions, flush lavatories and carpeting. They like to visit camp sites that are set up for camper vans, often including mains electricity supplies and show blocks.
But many hard core campers would avoid camp sites like this. For them the best form of camping involves only the most essential pieces of camping equipment, shelter, sleeping bags and warm outdoor clothing. They want to learn survival skills, how to start a fire and keep it going without matches or a lighter, how to track animals and how to identify edible berries and plants.
One of the best ways to gain these skills is to attend one of the many survival courses available today. Many instructors on these courses are true survival experts. Many have acquired their survival skills while in the Marines or other armed forces. They will have studied the survival skills used by indigneous people like the Innuits and Australian Aborigines. By studying the basic survival skills employed by these people they will have learned what it takes to survive in harsh environments. Skills that are not taught in schools.
Children always love to learn and experience how our ancient ancestors once lived. How they hunted, trapped and prepared their food, how they kept themselves warm and safe and how they built their shelters. Survival skills training courses and camping provide parents with a great way to bond with their children.
Overnight Camp: Great Preference For Children In Summer Holiday
If you are a parent, you’d have definitely experienced camp outings during the summer with your friends when you were a child. Children nowadays have more opportunities and activities when it comes to summer holidays, unlike what was in the past. Summer holidays are looked forward to each year, mainly because it gives the child the chance of interacting with new people, and also a good exercise for the new school term ahead.
The first type of camp is the day camp. As the name suggests, campers who are part of a day camp usually camp during the day, carry out their activities and then return home either in the afternoon or evening. The overnight camp is different from the day camp. How so? The camp activities are not limited for a few hours of the day. It generally extends for a week or even more where campers spend each night in the same site.
The overnight camp, unlike the day camp provides the children with more opportunities. For example, if you have a child who loves sports and adventure, the activities and different games carried out at the overnight camp could be a real boon for them. For children who love wildlife, activities such as adventure games and team building events can be exciting and a learning experience.
Many summer camps, especially an overnight camp which has schedules that range from one to two weeks will usually offer food and lodging to the campers. In addition to these, if your child is attending an overnight camp, you can be assured that the child gets the security and individualized care with training from professional coaches and instructors.
The basic things in every campers package at an overnight camp will generally include an bunk bed with the attached bathroom and dining room. Some camps will also provide the campers with many recreational facilities. This comes in addition to the scheduled activities for each day.
For some, an overnight camp could be a great holiday. For some it can be the chance to meet new friends and to learn new things. Whatever the reason, studies show how children return to school bursting with energy after only a few weeks at camp.
Overnight camp is also known as a sleep away camp for children and teens. And for this occasion, having sleeping bags are a must for every camper. Never go camping without one. You can check out the reviews about sleeping bags for your kids by visiting particular website on sleeping bags for kids where you can get the best down sleeping bags and related information. Your kids deserves a great attention event for a small details.
The Secret To Setting Up Camp In Pennsylvania (PA)
Yellowstone and Yosemite are some of the most renowned and most known by outdoor lovers. Camping in Pennsylvania is not as well known as these other places. Pennsylvania, though not on the top of the list has other attractions that you should be aware of.
Most state parks are open seasonal. Pennsylvania has three state parks that are open year round. These parks include Little Pine, Promised Land, and Ole Bull. Since this location is in the upper northeast, these parks get a taste of all the different seasons.
There are numerous different activities to do in winter months then during the regular season. Campers in Pennsylvania enjoy cross country skiing, twenty three miles of snowmobile trails and ice fishing. Promised Lake is 422 acres large. During the winter season ice fishing is also a big hit among visitors. That is not the only attraction during the long winter months. There are hundreds of trails open for cross county skiing. Twenty three miles of trail is also open for snowmobiles. Along with the trailers and RV you can take to the campsite log cabins are available.
The seasonal state parks have just as much to offer. The top seven state parks are Champan, Parker Dam, Gifford Pinchot, Shawnee, Pine Grove Furnace, Prince Gallitzin, and the huge Pymatuning. Each park has a different flavor. Records show that Pymatuning is one of the most visited parks in Pennsylvania. It is by far the biggest state park in Pennsylvania being 21, 122 acres. The park has one of the biggest lakes that is well over seventeen thousand acres.
Before any camper voyages to their campsite, they must know the rules and regulations. Pennsylvania parks have textbook rules. These are rules such as no unauthorized fires, this is a for obvious reasons. No alcoholic beverages are allowed at the campsites or the state parks. This may be a bad thing for a few campers, though there are plenty of campsites outside of the state parks where having alcohol is legal. On the up side, the state parks allows pets on premise as long as it is a dog, cat or small caged animal.
Beware of leaving out food around the campsite. Pennsylvania has populations of black bears and coyotes. Hunting and game is another activity that can be done in the state park system. You will need the proper permits paper work and hunt during the right season. The most usual game include wild turkey, whitetail deer, grouse, and pheasant.
Hunting and game options offered on state parks if you have proper paperwork and its the right season. Game animals include grouse, whitetail deer, pheasant and wild turkey. Black bears and coyotes are native to the land. Be sure not to leave out any food around the campsites.
What You Should Know about Lightweight Backpacks
Ultralight to lightwieght backpacking gear part 1
If you like to hike or trek over 20 miles in a day you will know how the weight of the gear you carry with you is a very significant factor. Most experienced backpackers will know that you can reduce your weight by concentrating on the three most important items: your backpack, your sleeping bag and your shelter.
So you will want to leave your huge 10 pound tent and snug 5 pound sleeping bag at home and get yourself the lightest backpack you can find.
It may be hard to believe but there are some really good quality backpacks that weigh in at less than four ounces. This is no exaggeration. Most bags like this will have a capacity of around 1500 to 1800 cubic inches which will enable you to carry about 15 pounds of equipment. This should be more than enough for a lightweight sleeping bag, a tarpaulin and a few vital necessities like some food and a first aid kit. And of course an adequate amount of water.
In fact the water that you need to carry when trekking can become the heaviest item. It is worthwhile planning your route so that you can refill your water bottle and reduce the amount of water that you need to carry.
One key benefit of going ultra lightweight is that much of the equipment is so much less expensive than the more robust, heavier duty items. For example, you can find some perfectly usable lightweight backpacks sold in bargain discount stores for only a few dollars. These are often very simple with only a few external pockets. They may be low cost for they can be ideal for lightweight backpacking trips.
If you are trying to go lightweight it’s worth paying some attention to your choice of clothing and hiking boots. Forget your all weather outdoor clothing and instead go for an ultra lightweight rain and wind proof fold-up cagoule and some light weight sports shoes rather than heavy walking boots.
When kitted out with only light weight clothing and equipment you’ll find that 20 miles over hills and through valleys will seem like no distance at all.
Camp Gear Is Endless And There Are Many Options To Choose From
Are you a beginner or an avid camper? No matter which one you are I am sure that you feel overwhelmed when trying to determine which camping gear to buy for your great adventure outdoors. It is up to you to decide what is right for you and your family when it comes to camping supplies.
Camping is becoming more popular because it is a great way to spend some good quality time together as a family no matter what your age may be. Older couples may enjoy RV’s while younger generations may prefer a tent no matter which route you go I am sure that you will have guaranteed fun. Camping allows for family time, relaxation and is all inexpensive.
Retail stores, outdoor stores and camping stores are all alike they seem to have an endless selection of camping gear so how do you know what to buy and what to leave on the shelf? It is up to you as the consumer to decide on what accessories and gear that you would like or how much you want to spend.
Many families purchase a few larger items such as tents, sleeping bags, lanterns and camping stoves and take the smaller items such as pots, pans and toiletries from home to save some money but everyone is different and likes to do it various ways. I like to keep all my camping supplies down to extra toiletries together so when we say let’s go all we have to do is grab some clothes and hit the road.
Buying all the little things add up such as pots, pans, containers, food and much more but if you invest one time then chances are they are yours for the life of your camping adventures. A lot of people purchase camping supplies and pack them up so when they are ready to hit the road they are ready too.
Most families for instance keep all their camping together packed up and kept in a closet, storage shed or garage so they can pull it all together in a hurry. It saves time because you can throw together a camping trip in a matter of hardly any time.
It is up to you rather you want to purchase the larger items, smaller items or all of it. Any type of camping gear that you purchase is a great investment because it is durable and is made to withstand any type of weather and climate.
Costs, quality time and enjoying the outdoors are just a few of the perks associated with camping. The time spent with your family and friends roughing it are something that you can’t place a price tag on no matter how hard you try.
Teambuilding Does Anything But
My company bosses, in their infinite wisdom, recently put myself and a group of my workmates on a teambuilding camping trip. The outcome has been two colleagues resigning and one undergoing disciplinary action for gross misconduct.
Although attendance was not compulsory everyone signed up as they were worried that not going would be bad for their careers. They had planned a packed intinerary including archery, hiking, climbing and orienteering. But things began to go wrong immediately after we had arrived.
There had clearly been a breakdown in communications as the details of what we were each required to bring along had not been provided to everybody. Many people had turned up without sleeping bags and some had even omitted to bring any proper outdoor clothes.This resulted in arguments between some of my colleagues and one group decided it was time to go to the pub for a liquid lunch.
The organizers had provided all of the essential camping equipment including optional tents, hammocks and tarpaulins, ideal for the hardier, experienced campers. I opted for the log cabin option as this was comfortably furnished with bunks.
When my colleagues came back from the bar they had clearly had too much to drink. An orienteering exercise had been arranged for the afternoon in which we’d get the chance to enjoy the local woodland. The organisers had arranged a 6 mile treasure hunt through the nearby woods. The prospect of walking 6 miles was clearly too much for the group who’d returned from the pub and instead they chose to sit in a clearing smoking, drinking whiskey and telling jokes.
When the evening came it was time for us to prepare our evening meal over a campfire. We were provided with a selection of raw indredients to cook for our supper including chickens, potatos and other vegetables along with dried fruit and juices. The menu was clearly not satisfactory for a few of my colleagues who immediately got on the phone to a local pizza delivery service. This prompted the orgnisers to call a meeting with all of the attendees to make certain we all knew what was expected of us.
Things went from bad to worse, largely fuelled by alcohol. The contingent who had chosen to go to the pub for lunch had missed out on bunks in the log cabin so they were expected to sleep in the tents. Several people were very unhappy with this arrangement and said that they would be going to a hotel. When one of the organisers pointed out that this was outside the spirit of teambuilding they became quite belligerant and one even threatened the organisers.
The result was that several people who were clearly unhappy with the exercises heading home early. Those of us who stuck around had a really excellent time but the organisers will not be inviting us back.
Hopefully this tale will prompt managers to make certain that they communicate with their team to ensure that everyone buys into the teambuilding activity. Its really important to make certain that everybody knows what is expected of them and what is expected of the exercise.