The Outdoors as a Source of Happiness and Escape

It is very common especially within the younger generations of today, for us to become so lost in the societal need to work hard and make money that we often forget about the importance of sustaining our own emotional and mental happiness. “The Grind,” as it is so often referred to today is something that if you don’t pay attention to it, can make you insane. The competitiveness and judgment of those around us as a result of this idea is also something that can drive many into the ground. This is why for many like myself, escaping into The Great Outdoors is imperative to not only our mental and emotional well-being, but ultimately our survival in the world today. However, this doesn’t mean you have to pack up and head into the woods never to be seen or heard from again, there are smaller things you can do to enrich your life on a weekly, or even daily basis. 

Local Parks

Odds are, even if you live in a big city, there is some form of parks or gardens around you, it’s just a question of finding them! By simply making your way over to a place like this, and spending your time either reading a book, stretching, listening to music, or even just clearing your mind and listening to the world around you, you’ll find that you’ll come away from it feeling lighter, and happier! It is true what they say, if you can teach yourself to enjoy the simple things in life a bit more like this, your quality of life is surely to increase quite a bit. 

National Parks

Moving up on the scale of adventure, we have national parks! These can be anything from a large patch of forest to miles of canyons, and you’ll most likely be surprised to find that you’re probably not too far from one! Though this will most like require a day set aside to hike, the experience of exploring the nature found in one of these parks will be life changing, and you’ll come away from it feeling renewed and ready to take on whatever hurdles the upcoming week will hold.

Camping 

Better yet, traveling a bit farther to these very same National Parks where overnight stays are allowed, is something that is an experience like no other. When you find yourself out in the middle of a forest with nothing but the trees and the birds surrounding you, it is that quiet and that open air that gives one a sensation like no other. It is not just calming, but is strength renewing and just plain healthy for the mind and soul. Scream from the mountain tops if you want to, build a fire (within reason) and cook yourself a meal if you want to, climb a tree! The freedom of spending just a couple days away from the bustle and insanity of society is a feeling like no other, and one that will most definitely stick with you forever. 

Now get out there and enrich your life! Who knows, you may even spark something within you that you didn’t even know was there! 

The Dangers of Camping Close to Winter and How to Make Sure you are Well Prepared

A few tips so you're good and ready for anything!

Hiking and camping is a well loved and practiced activity across the world, and can lead us to some impeccably beautiful places that one would never get the chance to see if living in the city. For many of us though, the itch to adventure and explore doesn’t just come and go with the spring and summer seasons, it is a fire we need to fuel all year round. However, even if you may live in an area with very little or no snowfall during the winter months, if you are venturing into an area of higher altitudes you never know when mother nature will strike and turn your whole camping trip upside down overnight. Luckily, the are some precautions you can practice before embarking.

Before you Make the Climb: Let People Know

As many of you avid hikers know, civilization isn’t the only thing that gets more and more sparse as you climb to higher and higher altitudes to get to your hiking destination, so does any kind of cellular service. It is very important to make sure you tell not just one, but multiple friends or family exactly where you will be hiking and when you are expected to be back, so that if something unforeseen does end up occurring, help will be on the way and will be able to locate you that much faster. 

Satellite Phones

To this same end, it is a slight investment, but will make a world of a difference, often between life and death, if you can get yourself some sort of satellite phone for these types of trips. For as low as two or three hundred bucks, you will be able to make calls down to the local ranger stations, police stations, or most other numbers in areas with absolutely no cell service for miles. 

Check Weather Radar

It is also a good idea to check the weather span starting from a few days prior to your trip dates, to a few days after, to make sure you aren’t going to run into any kind of storm you otherwise can avoid by simply going another time. This isn’t a foolproof method, for fluke storms are always possible, but it will definitely help. Talking to locals whilst stopping at a store to gas up or restock supplies about the conditions and weather of late in that area is also a fine idea.

Some Things to Keep in the Car

Make sure that your car has a full tank before entering those winding and twisty roads, and not only that, but that you also have at least one full carton of spare gas in the trunk. If a storm hits and you are stranded it will come in extremely handy to have extra gas, that way you will be able to stay inside your heated car that much longer whilst waiting for assistance if you are too far from civilization to walk in the cold. It’s also a great idea to keep multiple flares and heavy duty flashlights in your car, so you can begin signaling for help as soon as you reach it, as well as whistles to couple with the honking of your horn to get others’ attention.

In times like these time is everything, and you want to make sure that you have and are doing everything you can in order to get yourself help. Taking these precautions and making these preparations are the things that you can control when faced with a situation you could not.