Every April for the last few years, our family has gone camping at Cape Blanco State Park. Each time we go, there, the abundance of things to do, and beautiful places to spend time outdoors keeps us coming back. Cape Blanco lies on the Southern Oregon coast, near the town of Port Orford. The westernmost point in the state, the cape juts out into the ocean between the Elk and Sixes Rivers, and the ...
Camping
Getting Organized and Coming Prepared With Camping Bins
A few years ago, I realized that it was taking us a very long time to pack for a weekend camping trip. Our goal was to get out more frequently, as many weekends as possible, and no less than once per month. We had friends who went nearly every weekend (who did not have kids), and we decided we could do it too if we could just get organized and always be ready to go. I remembered when I was in ...
Sleeping in a Yurt by the Wild Wintry Sea
I awoke to a deafening boom in the night accompanied by a bright flash of light, which caused me to sit bolt upright. A winter storm wailed around our snug little camping yurt by the ocean, sending rain pelting and blowing sideways against the clear dome skylight. I could almost make out the dark shapes of Sitka spruce branches dancing wildly in the dark above us. All the while, my little family ...
Camping With Children Throughout the Seasons
Many of us have been camping in the summer. The weather is warm and comfortable to be out in, we need less gear and clothing, and it just feels good to be outdoors on sunny days and see clear vistas or swim in cool water. Often people go to campgrounds for ease, amenities, reserve-ability, and possibly for the comfort of having other people around so we don't feel quite so out in the middle of ...