|
Franklin D. Roosevelt - 32nd president of the United States once said
"Never before have we had so little time in which to do so much". He
could not have said it better. Things were chaotic then, but they are
even chaotic now. Many of us try to balance family, work, friends,
home etc. in today's fast paced world. Coping with stress is important
in order to maintain a healthy mind and body.
What is causing our stress?
- Adapting to constant rapid change.
- Handling major life events.
- Balancing many roles and responsibilities.
- Being overwhelmed by technology which is designed to help us.
- Going from one stressful situation to another without a break.
The long term effects of stress are very damaging and can make you
become ill or develop mental and/or emotional problems. Some effects of
stress are poor concentration, frequent negative thoughts, anxiety,
depression, anger, feelings of helplessness, eating poorly, abusing
drugs and/or alcohol, showing aggression. If you start feeling any or
all the symptoms - your not alone.
I remember during a hectic week at work sitting in my cubical in
corporate thinking "if only I could be at the lake, at my cabin or
sitting in my favorite camp chair watching the sunset". Compounding the
feeling of being overwhelmed by managing tons of projects, I felt the
guilt of daydreaming about my weekend getaway plot on my bosses time.
But the truth is, I knew I needed to work in order to be able to take
time off. Was I a corporate wimp in over my head? Was my life whirling
out of control? Was the pace of life too much for me? I then started to
realize that I was missing balance - and an important key to that
balance was coping with stress. The search began...
Never having camped a day in my life up until a 10 years ago, and not
having the urge too. A friend asked for me to try it out and tried to
convince me at the time that it would be fun and relaxing. The first
thing that went through my head was "my goodness - do I have to go to
the bathroom outdoors?". Well the answer was yes, but my fear of going
outdoors soon faded as I realized it was easier than I thought.
Actually, everything was easier than I thought, and I actually enjoyed
my first camping trip and found it to be an extraordinary first camping
experience. Additionally, I realized that moving forward I could have a
stress break in an activity that I enjoyed relatively close to home
within budget. All of a sudden most of my weekends consisted of seeking
out the best camping adventures and getaways opposed to a my typical
downtown city weekend lifestyle. I had unlocked the key to stress relief
for me - escaping the city and camping!
Living a healthier life is within reach. Keeping healthy gives you
energy to cope with challenging weeks. Think of yourself as a battery
needing time to recharge. You've got to have the power to perform. What
are some keys to a true downtime and relaxing camping trip?
Tip: pack for comfort, not necessarily compact camping.
Tip: Cook healthy meals on your trip. shop at your favorite
supermarket the night before your camping adventure, take your
time and identify foods that are healthy and easy to cook.
Tip: exercise helps burn off negative energy you have stored
up all week. Do something you enjoy doing like hiking to your
favorite bird watching spot, or riding a mountain bike on a
scenic trail.
When your camping trip is over, your batteries will be recharged for
the beginning of the week. But it's up to you to keep the positive
energy flowing. Like anything, an ounce of prevention...maintaining
stress from piling up on an ongoing basis is up to you and within your
control.
- Spring into a good aerobic exercise regime.
Tip:
Jogging, brisk walking, biking or swimming helps release pleasure
producing hormones, strengthens and relaxes muscles and gives you
more energy.
- Coping with stress during the work week requires some ongoing
relaxation techniques.
Tip: Visualizing peaceful scenes from your camping trip is an
effective technique. Additionally, deep breathing is one way to
relax tense muscles, focus your energy and helps you to be more
productive. Try breathing in easy and slowly, then exhale. Repeat
this 4-5 times.
- Maintain a healthy diet.
Tip: Balance meals with plenty of
fruits and veggies since they give you energy. Skipping meals and
excessive "junk food" like candy and sodas can make you tired and
less able to cope.
Work at building a stronger mind. Build a strong support system, grow
professionally and enjoy humor and hobbies. Finally, reword yourself for
getting through another tough work week. Getaway on the weekend and go
camping! Seek out those extraordinary experiences you crave, and build a
healthy mind and body on the way.
References:
Krames Communications, Staying on top of Stress.
They StayWell Company, Managing Stress in a Fast-Paced World
Enjoying a Busy Life.
Back to
Article Index
Time to Get Relaxed and Getaway! Ideas...
|
Franklin D. Roosevelt - 32nd president of the United States once said
"Never before have we had so little time in which to do so much". He
could not have said it better. Things were chaotic then, but they are
even chaotic now. Many of us try to balance family, work, friends,
home etc. in today's fast paced world. Coping with stress is important
in order to maintain a healthy mind and body.
What is causing our stress?
- Adapting to constant rapid change.
- Handling major life events.
- Balancing many roles and responsibilities.
- Being overwhelmed by technology which is designed to help us.
- Going from one stressful situation to another without a break.
The long term effects of stress are very damaging and can make you
become ill or develop mental and/or emotional problems. Some effects of
stress are poor concentration, frequent negative thoughts, anxiety,
depression, anger, feelings of helplessness, eating poorly, abusing
drugs and/or alcohol, showing aggression. If you start feeling any or
all the symptoms - your not alone.
I remember during a hectic week at work sitting in my cubical in
corporate thinking "if only I could be at the lake, at my cabin or
sitting in my favorite camp chair watching the sunset". Compounding the
feeling of being overwhelmed by managing tons of projects, I felt the
guilt of daydreaming about my weekend getaway plot on my bosses time.
But the truth is, I knew I needed to work in order to be able to take
time off. Was I a corporate wimp in over my head? Was my life whirling
out of control? Was the pace of life too much for me? I then started to
realize that I was missing balance - and an important key to that
balance was coping with stress. The search began...
Never having camped a day in my life up until a 10 years ago, and not
having the urge too. A friend asked for me to try it out and tried to
convince me at the time that it would be fun and relaxing. The first
thing that went through my head was "my goodness - do I have to go to
the bathroom outdoors?". Well the answer was yes, but my fear of going
outdoors soon faded as I realized it was easier than I thought.
Actually, everything was easier than I thought, and I actually enjoyed
my first camping trip and found it to be an extraordinary first camping
experience. Additionally, I realized that moving forward I could have a
stress break in an activity that I enjoyed relatively close to home
within budget. All of a sudden most of my weekends consisted of seeking
out the best camping adventures and getaways opposed to a my typical
downtown city weekend lifestyle. I had unlocked the key to stress relief
for me - escaping the city and camping!
Living a healthier life is within reach. Keeping healthy gives you
energy to cope with challenging weeks. Think of yourself as a battery
needing time to recharge. You've got to have the power to perform. What
are some keys to a true downtime and relaxing camping trip?
Tip: pack for comfort, not necessarily compact camping.
Tip: Cook healthy meals on your trip. shop at your favorite
supermarket the night before your camping adventure, take your
time and identify foods that are healthy and easy to cook.
Tip: exercise helps burn off negative energy you have stored
up all week. Do something you enjoy doing like hiking to your
favorite bird watching spot, or riding a mountain bike on a
scenic trail.
When your camping trip is over, your batteries will be recharged for
the beginning of the week. But it's up to you to keep the positive
energy flowing. Like anything, an ounce of prevention...maintaining
stress from piling up on an ongoing basis is up to you and within your
control.
- Spring into a good aerobic exercise regime.
Tip:
Jogging, brisk walking, biking or swimming helps release pleasure
producing hormones, strengthens and relaxes muscles and gives you
more energy.
- Coping with stress during the work week requires some ongoing
relaxation techniques.
Tip: Visualizing peaceful scenes from your camping trip is an
effective technique. Additionally, deep breathing is one way to
relax tense muscles, focus your energy and helps you to be more
productive. Try breathing in easy and slowly, then exhale. Repeat
this 4-5 times.
- Maintain a healthy diet.
Tip: Balance meals with plenty of
fruits and veggies since they give you energy. Skipping meals and
excessive "junk food" like candy and sodas can make you tired and
less able to cope.
Work at building a stronger mind. Build a strong support system, grow
professionally and enjoy humor and hobbies. Finally, reword yourself for
getting through another tough work week. Getaway on the weekend and go
camping! Seek out those extraordinary experiences you crave, and build a
healthy mind and body on the way.
References:
Krames Communications, Staying on top of Stress.
They StayWell Company, Managing Stress in a Fast-Paced World
Enjoying a Busy Life.
Back to
Article Index
Time to Get Relaxed and Getaway! Ideas...
|
|
Enjoy the Adventure and the Savings!
|
|
|
|
Affordable |
- Cheap and innovative
hiking gear
for state park adventures.
- Outdoor
hunting equipment
and supplies.
- Affordable
Camping Tents
for the
backyard or state park
- Surviving winter camping
with
winter camping
gear essentials
and
canvas camping
tents.
|
|
1. Remote camping and
don't feel safe sleeping in a tent or don't have
a tent? Try SUV camping.
Tip: Fold down
back seats, use favorite
fleece sleeping bag or
favorite linens for a bed area that will make you sleep
sound. The greatest thing about it, sleep easy knowing
SUV's can keep you safer at night should unwanted
critters and visitors enter your camp.
Don't have an SUV? Ask your
local dealership for the right SUV to rent and test drive if
your shopping for one. Alternatively,
Hotwire.com has great
weekend SUV rental deals.
2. Want to be a very lazy
camper and don't have a lot of camping equipment? Try cabin
camping.
Tip: Most Dude
Ranches and Rustic Cabins have basic to lavish
amenities, and are a great way to practice with your new
camping equipment before going remote solo camping. Best
of all they are relaxing
Don't know where to find a
Dude Ranch?
EveryDudeRanch.com has some
great vacation getaways.
Don't
have hiking gear for SUV or Cabin camping? You've come
to the right place.
Shop
The Lazy Camper
Find if you are
missing something for your next camp trip:
camping supply checklist
Back
to Article Index |
|
Camp
Fire
Safety-
Warm
Up the Cold:
Building a fire can
be fun an easy - if prepared. Take these
precautions and proactive steps to ensure you
have the right fire conditions.
- Starting to
get to know the rules of the campground /
accommodation is always a good first
step. You may find out in the process of
understanding the rules of a park, you get
free fire wood and/or prime locations to
find it. Make sure the rules allow you to
have a fire, especially before you go to all
the trouble of setting one up.
For example:
during a dry season or spell many state parks
have a fire ban. Many southern states
particularly in Texas, New Mexico and Oklahoma
will often have dry spells throughout the year,
thus starting fires are strictly forbidden in
parks. Why? Many forest fires are caused
campers, smokers etc.
If all conditions
are right however, here are some fire set-up,
starting and distinguishing tips for small camp
fires:
- Location:
Search for a clearing or spot that is well
away from trees, camping items and flammable
objects.
- Seating:
A
common mistake campers often make is
starting a fire close to a tent or too close
to
chairs,
tents and
other camping equipment can burn melt quick!
Some camping equipment is even very
hazardous close to a fire including fuel
canisters, fuel lanterns and aerosol sprays.
It's ok to sit by a fire, but not ok if you
catch on fire or melt your favorite camping
chair. So it is important to sit up wind
from fire and far enough away to not let the
soles your shoes melt. In general with fire
maintaining, and pretty much with any
extreme activity, as most state parks will
tell you: it's best to use
plain ole common sense.
-
Containment:
Locate or build a fire ring. A fire ring has
advantages in protecting fire from
spreading, wind blowing it out of control,
and keeping logs and fire debris in place.
- Wood Gathering:
Gathering wood can be fun, and is great
exercise. Try not to over harvest too much
wood in one area, in order to not upset the
balance natural surroundings. Be sure to
wear
gloves
especially to protect hands from
biting insects
and slivers. Always lift with your knees
when lifting wood - back aches can totally
ruin a camping trip.
- Kindling:
The kind of
kindling needed is often determined by the
type of wood gathered. Dry wood will start
with little help. However, If your wood is
mildly wet, it's always a good idea to have
a
few fire starting
stick
packed. Fire starting sticks burn
pretty well on ice, snow and muddy areas. If
you don't have a fire starter log or sticks,
find some dry kindling. Fire starting
kindling ideas are pine cones and needles
and small dead sun bleached branches. If you
have lots of camp trash and want to carry
less garbage out of your campsite, keep
discarded paper towel and/or paper product
debris for fire starting.
- Position:
Fires always bun better when they are
layered properly. Placing small debris like
pine needles, pine cones and paper products
on the bottom will allow for a quick intense
flame to start a very small fire. Position
logs on-top, burning the medium sized logs
first then graduating to larger logs.
- Flame:
Packing a favorite
lighter is
one of the lazy camper's, top 50 tools. A
lighter is much easier to use than matches,
especially in extreme weather. Additionally,
lighters are a good essential for survival.
Always start the fire from the bottom
(center of kindling). Make sure to
periodically monitor fire.
- Extinguish:
Make
extinguishing your fire a priority. It is
important to extinguish a fire completely
before leaving a camp site. Snuff out fires
with water, sand/dirt or a small fire
extinguisher. It's always important to bring
a
shovel and a
bucket. If you really want
to wow camp visitors - try using a small
fire extinguisher
(hot product! snuffs out a fire in seconds -
if used properly).
Fire
Entertainment Essentials - 3 Tips for the
Leisure Camper:
- Camp Fire
Stories: Tell one at the beginning of
the night.
- Camp Fire
Food: Make simplicity a staple.
- Camp Fire
Warmth: Relaxation is bliss.
Proactive Forest Fire Prevention:
- Prevent forest fires while
remote forest camping by always bringing plenty of water, a
shovel and a
bucket. It's common for
unknowing campers find out that Most National Parks require
fire distinguishing tools.
- Snuff out campfire after you
leave your site. Fires can still spread with a gust of wind
even if no flames are visible.
- While cooking and lighting
fuel lanterns, fuel can spill leading to difficult to put
out fires. Always keep ample water close by or a
small fire extinguisher.
View our full line of
fire prevention and fire aids
1/29/06
Back
to Article Index
Back
to Top of Article:
10 Possible Camping Hazards:
help your
checklist beat
the odds:
|
Hazard |
Catalyst for Hazard |
Possible Gear
Solution |
|
Out of control
campfire |
neglect while hiking |
Drowning out fire with water bucket
before leaving camp |
|
Biting insects |
exposure during
gathering (wood) |
Wearing gloves while gathering wood |
|
Injury from a
fall |
tripping over rolling
stones |
Being aware and paying attention to
ground while walking |
|
Dehydration |
overexposure sunlight
while walking |
Carrying hydration equipment and enought
for duration of walk |
|
Cold |
Unforeseeable weather,
lack of heating source |
Packing correct clothing and equipment
to keep warm |
|
Attack from
large animal |
ignorance |
Protecting from unexpected attacks |
| Drowning |
swimming alone |
Common sense |
|
Starving |
spoilage of food |
Cooler, cooling equipment |
| Blinding |
walking into branches |
Sunglasses |
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
Top 10 Camping Hazard
(click here) |
|
|
Back
to Article Index |
|
BAG-> (80)
Fuel (2)
Specials
...
