Camping Across Generations

I am a novice camper but fearless about going. This week two things happened related to camping which then renewed my commitment to do the National Wildlife Federation " #GreatAmericanCampout" which used to be National Backyard Campout...I know this year that I am up for the challenge (& like the way it supports NWF Wildlife too).Go to NWF.org/campout to sign up or learn more.

This week a family friend texted me a photo of my dad in his youth from a day when he camped on the beach with a friend. I dont think there are many beaches these days that allow that for free like it was in his day. He looks in the photo to be carefree in his twenties and rejuvenated .

Contrast that with my camping experience in which I am usually overrun with THINGS -the tent, sleeping items, including everything for my kids & myself. Also this year we brought the dogs, too, to camp as canine camping novices...which meany more STUFF-including dog clean up bags. With all our stuff and the dirt & hard ground to sleep on, we had a blast. We got away from our regular life and our devices. We unplugged of our way of being that comes with a schedule, and expectation. My younger kids built their first fire & choreographed dances to Latin-radio tunes --like my brother & I would do after we watched Solid Gold Dancers in the 70's (see this Youtube clip for a bit of the disco-infused dances: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D537TqUmpyY ). When you watch untalented dancers - like my parents did with me and I did while my kids explained they were ready for "America's Got Talent", you just look on with a smile of delight. I had to laugh when a fellow camper explained that the song playing really did demand Cha Cha moves (& not free form). Luckily camping allows no such rules!

The high point of our trip was the beach-Doran Beach at Bodega Bay was a terrific place to go and a perfect end to a great time away.

Tired and worn thin is how I feel after camping but rejuvenated mentally is what I will take with me a few more nights into the summer. That is until I do it again -and camp on the Summer Solstice on June 21st (longest day of the year!). Check out this blog site for #REI for tips on that if you are so inclined: http://blog.rei.com/camp/camping-tips-for-summer-solstice/. Or you can plan to gear up with camp items and plan watch the #eclipse later in the summer on August 21st (see https://eclipse2017.nasa.gov/eclipse-maps).