Wet and Wild: Riding the New River Part 1
Rafting the New River in West Virginia Now let’s get back to some camping adventures. The thrill of whitewater rafting. Ever try it? If you’re an experienced paddler, …
National Parks and Families
Granny apple doll makingPeaks of Otter, Virginia My family has enjoyed visiting National Parks in the United States and Canada for years…and years. Each National Park offers ranger-led programs for …
Don’t Want This Hug
Sequoia Nat’l ParkCalifornia We love to camp at primitive campsites. Okay, my husband and I love to camp at these non-electrical locales. The children just put up with the fact …
An Uninvited Dinner Guest
When camping in nature, you need to be ready for any uninvited guests who might drop by. Oftentimes they invite themselves to dinner. Back when it was just the five …
Night Prowls
The next night of our rustic camping at a state park in Virginia, the older children and I went on a night prowl with a park ranger. My husband stayed …
Nature, quiet?!
Friends will ask us how we can camp every summer out in nature where it is so quiet at night. First, I try to explain that with our crew it …
When in a Different State, Do as the Locals Do
“Do I have to?” I shrank back into the dirty laundry in the trailer. “It’s free, Vic,” my husband reminded me. Once again, six eager faces smiled at me. In …
Time to Trust an Animal: Horseback Riding in Great Smoky Mountains National Park
There is nothing like riding a thousand pound animal. But there is a difference between loving a horse and riding a horse. Most children love horses, at least mine do. …
Tubing Down the Rapids, Part 3
The rapids can be dangerous. You need full attention of where you are on the stream and what is coming up ahead. A death grip on the ropes around the …
Tubing Down the Rapids, Part 2
Our two older girls finally decided to drag their own tubes up the pathway. Good thing the rubber is thick! This just left three young children, two adults, and five …