Family-Outdoors

This blog does not sell stuff, but the author sure spends enough money on outdoor gear to offer some unsolicited advice about how to do it right - and wrong.  So we will briefly discuss some strategies to get the gear you need without putting yourself in the poorhouse. 1. Buy Good Gear from the Outset You can sure get a backpack, sleeping bag, tent, rifle, outdoor clothing, etc., for as cheap as can be down at that certain store that is gradually monopolizing American retail.  But, if you figure what it really costs to buy stuff at half the price and a quarter the quality, you quickly realize that you are not getting a bargain. That is not to mention the rock solid fact that the outdoor ethic dictates that waste is to be avoided, and for those of us who spend a significant amount of time in the outdoors, we want to be able to count on gear when we need it to work.  If you are taking your family to the outdoors, you want clothing to protect them from hypothermia,...

 (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — The people have spoken: Missouri is the No. 1 state for camping in the U.S. About.com, a reference website maintained by the New York Times Company, announced Friday the results of its annual Readers’ Choice Award for Favorite State for Camping , and Missouri took top honors. Missouri took the website’s gold award, silver winner Montana and bronze winner, Colorado, in an online vote. “The First Lady and I are proud that Missouri has been selected as a renowned camping destination,” Gov. Nixon said. “Missouri is the perfect place to enjoy the great outdoors, so plan to experience our quiet hills, deep woodlands, wide open prairies, and clear Ozark streams on your next camping adventure, and you'll see why the readers picked Missouri as their favorite camping state." “This is yet another solid indicator that Missouri State Parks is the ultimate destination for your next camping experience,” said Bill Bryan, director ...

Image via Wikipedia As I sit here on a cool, but not yet cold November evening, I am already contemplating our Winter camping trips. I enjoy them as much as I do any camping trips we take all year long. Of course Winter camping is not for everyone. If you simply detest cold weather , no matter how much preparation you make, and no matter how much gear you own, your trip will likely not be an enjoyable one. However, if the thought of camping in a snowy scene with a full moon and the stillness that snow on the ground brings does pique your interest, then read on. First, it is my opinion that unless you are in a warmer climate region, simply camping out with no attendant activities may not fulfill your wishes and/or needs. We find that we enjoy our Winter camping trips the most when we are engaging in some other activity such as hiking, hunting, or fishing. This is in juxtaposition to trips we take in Fall Summer, and Spring when just hanging out at camp and getting some R&R may b...