Mix up your usual summer camping experience by going minimalist or take it easy on a staycation.
By Eric Barker
Camping isn’t exactly roughing it for many modern day outdoor enthusiasts. Campers, whether kitschy remodeled trailers from the 1950s or modern recreational vehicles, offer luxuries Lewis and Clark could never have imagined. But they also literally place a wall between the great outdoors and you.
So, this summer, try getting back to the basics and pitching a tent far from a developed campground. It will be just you, your companions and Mother Nature. No neighbors and no modern conveniences — the way roughing is supposed to be.
If you don’t have one, get a tent, sleeping pad and sleeping bag. It’s always a good idea to practice setting up the tent before you’re far from civilization. Then pick a pretty spot somewhere far from town, pack your provisions and get there. Pitch the tent, set up a kitchen and prepare to enjoy outdoor living.
Double Dare: Leave your cell phone, tablets and other devices behind. If your RV has a TV, unplug it. Sure, you’re barely leaving town but you can still get away from it all by taking a timeout from the World Wide Web and the boob tube. Stop staring at a screen and peer into a campfire. You’ll find the flames every bit as entertaining.
Take a camping staycation: A chance to relax and unplug near home
If you don’t feel like heading for the hills for a camping adventure, try doing it at a close-to-home park. It might seem a little strange but it’s a good way to break up the routine without breaking the bank. If you live in Lewiston or Clarkston, try Hells Gate State Park for the weekend, or maybe Chief Timothy Park. Both have nice swimming beaches, river access, tall shady trees and nearby land to explore. Each can accommodate both tent campers and travel trailers. On the Palouse, try Kamiak Butte County Park outside Pullman, Spring Valley Reservoir near Troy or Moose Creek Reservoir west of Bovill. Load up the coolers, pack the marshmallows, Hershey bars and graham crackers and enjoy a few days and nights away from home.
Double dare: Who needs a tent? (See Summer Dare: Sleep under the stars)
