Camping – Gfpacificbee’s Insights & photography

2025 Daily Prompts: February 12

Something on your “to-do list” that never gets done.

There is something on my “to-do list” that has been a dream of mine since 2019 or maybe even earlier. The one thing that if ever possible ( which so far hasn’t been) would be to travel across the United States tent camping in State and National Parks in each of the forty-eight contiguous U.S. states.

As I imagined traveling through the various contiguous states I hoped I would be able to visit relatives in some of those states, like Ohio, Indiana, Kansas, Texas, Nevada, and California to name a few. I have wanted to visit family gravesites for my ancestors and pay my respects even to those I have never actually met in person, but only know about via family connections and ancestral research.

I would have the time now except for the fact that my daughter relies on me to watch and care for my grandson while she works. The one thing I’m not sure about is the transportation ( I currently do not have my own vehicle). I have considered traveling by train across America getting on and off at specific destinations (or as close as I could possibly get). This may or may not occur, but it is still on my “to-do list” of things I would like to see happen.

Daily Prompts

God Bless. Thank you for visiting, for listening, and for sharing your time and thoughts with me. I appreciate y’all very much.

Daily Prompt: Would you rather go camping or to the beach? Why? Part Five: Conclusion

This is the fifth and final segment on “Would you rather go camping or to the beach? Why?”We’ve discussed the advantages and disadvantages of going to the beach. We’ve deliberated about the advantages and disadvantages of going camping. In this segment we’ll compare the advantages and disadvantages of going to the beach with those of going camping. And in conclusion I’ll let y’all know where I would rather go.

There are many amazing and exciting benefits of going to the beach 🏖 and of going camping 🏕. It’s up too you to decide which benefits are best for you. Now to see the comparison of the similarities between going to the beach and going camping.

The benefits of going to the beach and going camping are similar in the following ways:

Improves your health
Helps you to unplug from technology
Reduces stress
Lifts and improves your mood
Increase Vitamin D intake quickly
Change of scenery
Better sleep
Plenty of exercise opportunities

Similarities between the disadvantages of going to the beach and going camping are:

Expensive – Beach rentals and cost of food and Camping equipment and limited food
Dogs – may or may not be allowed. Need to plan ahead.
Chance of getting sunburned. Need to be sure to bring sunscreen.
Weather – Could be too hot, too cold, or rainy. Need to prepare ahead for possible weather changes.

Do the similarities make it more difficult to choose between the beach or camping or easier? If not, maybe the differences between to two will help you decide which you would prefer. The following is a list of differences that going to the beach has that camping does not.

Beach Benefits:

Improves overall well-being
Boosts your immune system
Improves breathing

Beach Disadvantages:

Overcrowding – too many visitors/people
Bacteria/viruses possible
Sand. Sand. Sand. – Let’s face it, it gets everywhere and sticks to everything.
Travel time. Might take hours to travel to a beach depending on where you live. For me it is a three-hour drive.
Trash/Waste. Not just ordinary trash left behind by people, but also animal or human waste.

What Camping has to offer that the Beach does not.

Camping Benefits:

Strengthens Relationships
Develop Life Skills
Get Closer to Nature
Affordable – Cost less than renting a hotel room
Improves Problem Solving
Food tastes better. Doesn’t everything taste better cooked over an open campfire?

Camping Disadvantages:

Bugs – specifically mosquitoes. They often come out at night or in heavily wooded areas.
Shared Bathroom facilities.

My list may or may not be similar to your list for the advantages and disadvantages of going to the beach as compared to going camping, however, that is perfectly alright. I encourage you to make your own lists, weight the pros and cons of each, and decide for yourself or with your family which is a better fit.

In conclusion, what do I prefer? When I was younger, I lived closer to the beach and went often. I used to play volleyball and go waterskiing. It was lots of fun. I often went with friends or met my church youth group there. My junior high and high school summers were usually spent at church camp. My youth group did not go to “Christian” campgrounds for the most part. Instead, my youth pastor took us to state or national parks. Those were some fabulous times communing with nature and being with friends.

I’m not so young anymore and do not live close to the beach. The beach is a minimum of a three-hour drive if not longer depending on the beach. There are plenty of local or fairly close state and national campgrounds with easy access for camping. I fell in love with the outdoors and nature as a teenager and that is the choice, I prefer to this day. And in case you were wondering, I still tent camp and love it.

I love to cook over a blazing campfire day or night. Cooking breakfast, lunch, and supper every day is terrific. It might take work to build the campfire and keep it stoked, but it so worth it.

God Bless. Go Camping. Go to the Beach. Just get away and get outdoors. Enjoy the fresh air and the night sky. Have fun.

Please like, comment, and follow. I appreciate y’all.

Daily Prompt: Would you rather go camping or to the beach? Why? Part Four

Welcome to Part Four of Would you rather go camping or to the beach? So far, we have discussed the advantages and disadvantages of going to the beach and the advantages of going camping. Today we’ll discover some of the disadvantages of going camping.

Camping will be fun they say…. It’ll be great, you’ll see. Nobody tells you in advance how much work goes into camping. First of all, you need to decide what kind of camping you are going to do. Are you going to be tent camping? Are you going to camp in a recreational vehicle? If you do not have the equipment or the RV, you’ll either need to purchase them or rent them.

Disadvantages of Camping:

Camping can be expensive.
Often low comfort level. Especially if you choose to tent camp. AIr mattresses are a plus, but you’ll still be on the ground.
Often, you’ll need to book your camp site in advance.
It might be crowded at the campground depending on the time of year you choose to camp. Campgrounds are more crowded on the weekends than during the week.
Back Problems, possibly due to sleeping on the hard ground, or doing heavy lifting.
Weather could be bad. Possibly rain, too hot, or really cold freezing temperatures. Of course, if you choose to camp in an RV, it won’t affect you as bad as in a tent.
You’ll need to purchase camping equipment if you do not already have them. Let’s face it, equipment can be expensive.
NO internet. But then why do you need internet if you’re out in the woods to enjoy nature?
Share a bathroom with everyone at the campsite.
Bugs. They could bite or be loud at night. You could also encounter other animals wandering into your campsite.
Limited Food. You’ll need to plan ahead on what food to bring. You may not be able to run to the store very quickly to pick up food you forgot to bring.

My tent I used in June of 2019 at Andrew Jackson State Park

My view of the Lake at
Andrew Jackson State Park

Before you go camping, you’ll need to decide if the advantages outweigh the disadvantages and if it is the right thing for you to do. You’ll also need to plan ahead. Decide which type of camping you’ll be doing, what equipment you’ll need, and what food to bring along with you. You’ll also need to decide if you’ll be going alone or bringing family and/or friends along. Whatever you decide, plan on having fun.

God Bless. Get Outdoors and enjoy nature. Have fun and don’t forget to bring the sunscreen. Please feel free to like, comment, and follow. I appreciate y’all.

Daily Prompt: Would you rather go camping or to the beach? Why? Part Three

Camping is an outdoor activity which involves staying overnight away from home. One could camp without any shelter or use basic shelter such as a tent or a recreational vehicle. A person or group of people could camp for one night or several nights, possibly a week or longer.

Camping as a recreational activity became popular around the early 20th century. Campers tend to frequent public natural resources such as national and state parks, wilderness areas, and commercial campgrounds. Campers leave the cities or other developed areas to spend time in nature and to pursue activities that provide enjoyment for them like canoeing, hiking, nature walks, or just relaxing and soaking up the atmosphere.

My grandson, Coleman, in a friend’s kayak

The health benefits of camping are extensive for adults and children alike. The following is a list of benefits you can gain from camping.

Stress reduction: while camping you are not tied to a strict busy schedule. One can unplug and enjoy a peaceful non interrupting period of time. Thus, reducing stress and relaxation you can’t find elsewhere.
Fresh Air: The ability to breathe in the fresh scents of the outdoors, smell your meals cooking over an open fire.
Relationship building: It helps build and strengthens relationships. Better able to talk and visit without distractions, any time of the day or night.
Physical fitness: Time spent camping is physical time. Setting up a tent, gathering firewood, going for a hike or other activity depending on your location. Engaging in physical activity increases your heart rate unlike the sedentary lifestyle we tend to live in our homes.
Lack of alarm clocks: You can sleep late or wake up to the sunshine, it doesn’t matter. Who needs a schedule when you’re camping, unless you’re at a group camp? Waking up to nature is a delightful experience you should try at least once.
Unplugging: This may be hard for some, but camping is a fantastic opportunity to unplug and not be on your screens 24/7. Unless you’re in a glamourous luxury RV, you won’t have television, computers, tablets, or other electronics while camping.
Great food: Food prepared in the outdoors just tastes better. Especially food cooked over a campfire. It helps to plan your menu before you go and don’t forget to bring the marshmallows and chocolate for smores.
Connection with nature: While you are camping, you get to commune with nature, embrace wildlife up close, and enjoy the stars in the night sky. They are much more visible out in nature away from city lights.
Development of new skills: Everyone participates in the help of setting up and taking down of your site. It doesn’t matter if you’re putting up a tent or balancing an RV. Building a campfire or learning to cook over an open fire maybe new skills that you would develop.
Family connections: Camping is a terrific time for families to bond together. Your family unit will become stronger, and you’ll feel more connected to one another.

Campfire I enjoyed at Andrew Jackson State Park

There are many other benefits of camping, regardless of whether you go camping by yourself, with your family, or a group of friends. Camping simply stated makes you happier. I know I am much more relaxed when I’m camping than when I’m cooped up in a home.

Ducks cruising the lake at Andrew Jackson State Park

God Bless. Stay tuned for the next segment of Would you rather go camping or go to the beach. We’ve discussed the advantages of camping, therefore, next time we’ll elaborate on the disadvantages of going camping. No matter what your choice is camping or the beach, get outdoors. Enjoy the sunshine, commune with nature, bond with your family. Be sure to unplug occasionally, you’ll feel better for doing so.

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