Camping Cosmos

The first wedding that I planned was in no way a traditional wedding. Ten eager little girls decorated the printed invitations with sequins, buttons, and markers. The same energetic hands prepared the wedding feast, consisting of bagged lunches, blintz souffle, and of course a layer cake. On the big day I looked around with excitement. Again, I noticed something odd about this wedding. All the participants and guests appeared about four feet high. The "groom" had long hair pinned up with

Bug Out Bag Debate: Tarp or Tent for Emergency Shelter A bug-out-bag is designed for emergencies, so some inconvenience is to be expected. When on a family outing you can carry a six or eight person cabin tent in the back of your vehicle. Weight is not a large factor when you can pack your supplies in the cargo space of an SUV or pickup. When packing supplies on your back however, weight can be a deciding factor. What you think you can carry on your back, and what you can actually carry, are two

Every year, thousands of forest or wildfires are caused by humans, which affect thousands and thousands of acres of land and wildlife all over the United States. Many of these fires that are caused by human error or negligence, occur at many of the beautiful camp sites, that are located around the country. In these cases, these fires not only affect the land and the wildlife, it puts the lives of other camper 's, in jeopardy as well. Especially since with wild or forest fires, there is no way of

In February during spring break, my Dad, nicknamed Moose, arranges a trip to stay on Seagull Lake. This is not like your ordinary trip; this is winter camping in the Boundary Waters, which requires hard work, the willingness to help out at all times, and a lot of preparation. This trip consists of cross country skiing, pulling 300 lbs on a sled across a long frozen lake, sleeping in tents in weather that is 20 degrees below zero, and portaging 2 miles to get the chance to fish on a secret fishing

My Typical Vacation vs. My Dream Vacation I take a vacation every year, and every year it's the same thing – a week of camping at a campground one hour from our home. But I dream of a vacation in which I take a cruise to some exotic location or stay at an all-inclusive resort on an island where I can be pampered and thrilled at the same time. Both of these vacations are good, and both certainly offer me time away from work in which I can have a respite from impending deadlines, a demanding

Camp Reflection “This is not my fault” Trey screamed as we quickly pulled up alongside one of my friends canoe. I then jumped into their canoe and flipped them over. “Camp is so fun” I yelled. This year at camp we focused a lot on who am I, who are we, and who is he. I grew a lot in my faith this year at camp. I have a couple younger siblings and they always tell me how they cannot wait for camp. So if you were to cancel camp they would be very disappointed, Camp was awesome. I am unique in god’s

There are moments in life that define how I have seen the world. Such moments tend to present themselves in ways that I may have never imagined, and in times beyond human control. Ironically enough, the most vivid and life-altering moments in my life have occurred more than once at Silver Birch Ranch. Silver Birch Ranch (SBR for short) is first and foremost a church camp. Every summer since the end of 7th grade, I have endured the endless six hour drive to Wisconsin. For the first few years at SBR

interpretive center and a short trail through the woods. Both the center and the trail provide a lot of information on the Cherokee history and way of life. The campground at Keowee-Toxaway State Park is one of nicest that you will find anywhere. Tent camping is offered on a small forested hill that provides a nice view of the forests and other natural beauty of the area. The sloping terrain of the hillside where the tent loop of campground is located has been leveled

Life is precious. It’s something most of us don’t take into consideration as we carry on with our day to day lives. It’s rare that life puts us in a moment where we truly appreciate the beauty of life. It’s even more rare that teenagers intentionally go searching for it. On a gloomy morning winter day in Southern California, I wait out on my front doorsteps in the pouring rain for my friend, Edan. We were going on a much anticipated and planned out trip to Utah in the dead of winter. Our plan was

“Finally, a ‘sense of place’ that makes sense.” Oak Creek is one of Irvine’s newest communities having been built in the late 90’s and early 00’s. Its proximity to the 405, the 5, and 133 Freeways give residents easy access to the surrounding area. For example, the Irvine Spectrum is only five minutes away. Perhaps the greatest thing about living in Oak Creek is the number of wonderful vibrant “third places” you will find here. A “third place” is a public gathering space used for social and recreational