Ever tried to draw a T-Rex on a Magna Doodle?  Yea, me neither.  But that is exactly what I found myself doing last Saturday night.  And, although my T-Rex didn’t really look like a T-Rex at all – more like a Brontosaurus actually – I did still manage to win the drawing contest.  Okay, so maybe it was because I was competing against a nine year old.  Well…..or it could’ve been because the judges were only ages 7 to 9.

The amazing part about this whole scenario, though, was that I was surrounded by kids…..who were outside….and using their imagination.  Plenty of adults would associate camping with campfires, beer drinking, and s’mores, but here I was surrounded by kids and having a great time.

We were in a zone.

My wife’s work – at least a few of them from there anyway – take one camping trip a year.  We always have a great time, and this year was no exception, except for one thing:  it brought back my faith in kids’ abilities to have a great time while outside; they do still have imaginations.

These kids had access to electronic devices, a lake, multiple playgrounds, and a host of other not so productive or creative things, and yet here they were participating in a game that was started by a five year old and myself.  And not only did they participate in this simple, fun, creative activity, they did so until their parents made them go to bed after 11pm.

It was awesome.  It restored my faith in kids.  And it proved the point that I have written about a few times on this blog already:  the outdoor experience doesn’t have to be anything overtly spectacular or creative. It can be something as simple as two Magna Doodles, a flashlight, a campfire, and a few camping chairs.

In four hours I never heard DS or Ipod.  Not once!

You got to love that!

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I was going through the designated corner in our garage, and making sure that everything was ready to go.  I was mentally checking off the needed items – tent, lantern, portable grill, rug, Thermacell, etc. – because forgetting one of these items could turn what is normally an awesome few days, into a nasty, ugly, or at the very least, unpleasant weekend.

To some, this ritual that my family and I participate in seems like a case of temporary insanity.  What sane person would throw away years and years of evolution and modernization, leave the creature comforts of home, and head to the woods to sleep with nothing between them and the great outdoors except some nylon with windows?  On the surface I suppose it does seem a little ridiculous to those who’ve never camped, but if they only took a minute to live the experience, I firmly believe they might change their mind.

Camping, like hunting and fishing, has been a part of my life since I was a little kid.  It was ingrained in us when we were young, and at least a few times during the year, we head to a wooded state park or campground, and take in a healthy dose of the great outdoors.

It’s refreshing.

I leave the creature comforts of home, because – similar to hunting and fishing – it connects me with who I really am.  Lying in a tent, and letting the tree frogs serenade you to sleep, can ground a person.  And who doesn’t like to wake up, step out of the tent, and have the smell of a camp stove breakfast start the morning?

Camping is an honest activity – and that is one of the main things that draw me to it.  Plus, because I know how to survive without the conveniences of modern life, I have a distinct advantage when it comes to survival and comfort during times of slight disaster – power outages, ice storms, etc.  It allows us an opportunity to return to where we came from, get in touch with nature and ourselves, and have a great time.

And, even if heading to the woods and sleeping under the stars doesn’t appeal to you, you should at least thank camping for one simple reason:  Smore, anyone?!

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Just last weekend we camped at Tawas Point State Park and had a great time.  Immediately I knew it had to be featured in the SimplyOutdoors Michigan Sanctuaries Series.  Please read on.

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We’ve camped in many parts of the state, and at many state parks, but for some reason we’ve never camped on the east side of state.  I’m not sure why that is, or why all of us gravitates towards the middle and west side of the state, but that has always been the case.  This past weekend, after my wife’s uncle found a neat little park on the east side of the state, we changed all of that.

Tawas Point State Park is a very unique park.  It is located near East Tawas, Mi, and its shear location makes it a prime camping destination.  With Tawas Bay on one side, and Lake Huron on the other, the park provides all occupants with some very unique and scenic views.

We stayed there with the wife’s family last weekend, and had an absolute blast.  I think all of us were sorry that we hadn’t camped on this side of the state until this point.  The park’s scenery is top-notch, and the unique location makes for a very memorable trip.

The park also features a lighthouse that is located within the park, and is available for tours.  We paid the low fee of $2 and headed inside.  Getting to see Lake Huron and Tawas Bay from the top of the lighthouse was a very unique experience.

There aren’t many hunting opportunities nearby, but for those who like to fish there is ample opportunity for that.  Unfortunately the weather didn’t cooperate for us, so we weren’t able to get any fishing in, but there is a state pier located directly across from the park, and it provides ample opportunity to take in some scenery and catch a few fish.

And for those interested, there are some great kite boarding opportunities.  I’ve never been myself, but it is HUGE in this part of the state, and they were out in full force even though the weather wasn’t that great.

The camping area of the park is very well kept.   Everyone was very friendly, and all the facilities were perfect.  The beach areas are very unique, and provide opportunities to swim in Tawas Bay or Lake Huron.  There are also ample bike paths within the park, and I took full advantage of those while we were there too.

We had an excellent time, and despite the wind and the weather our Eureka tent performed superbly as well.  Little Abby had a great time, and got to get her hands in the sand for the first time.  They even had a little walkway so that we could take the stroller right down on the beach, and she loved every minute of that even though it felt like we could get blown away at any minute; there were 30+mph winds at one point, and it made things very interesting.

Last weekend was a great time and we enjoyed every minute of our time within Tawas Point State Park.  If you’re looking for a park in Michigan, and want to camp on the east side of the state, you can’t go wrong with this park.  Its uniqueness and one of a kind opportunities will keep you coming back.

Note: Stay tuned this week for some more trailcam pics I found last weekend, as well as an interesting post about something Jeff discovered with the trailcam pics.

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Kristine issued another OBS challenge a few weeks ago, and who am I not to be involved with such a challenge.  What follows is my contribution to the Preserve and Defend the Outdoors Challenge.

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I’m a hunter.  I’m a fisherman.  I ride quads.  I camp.

What do all of these things have in common?  One,  they show that I have a deep love for the outdoors, and love being outside.  Two, they show that my outdoor pursuits are very diverse – that they don’t just fit one particular mold, or align with one particular outdoor love.  What they also show is that – above anything else – I like to be in the outdoors; it doesn’t matter what form it is in, or what gear I use to enjoy it, I have a love for being outside.

Sadly, in this day in age all of us get caught up in selfishness when it comes to our outdoor pursuits – the whole my way is the better way mentality.  This is a sad reality, and ultimately puts us at odds against one another while hurting the very thing that we all have in common – a love of the outdoors.  It tends to hide the real reasons we do what we do, and it causes all of us to get lost in the common interests we have; it makes us look shallow.

The only outdoor headlines you hear these days have to do with an outdoor accident; anti’s trying to prevent us from enjoying our lifestyles; or the worst one of all – outdoorsmen/women fighting amongst themselves over non-issues, which gives ammunition to the anti’s and pulls us away from our ultimate goal:  to protect our outdoor resources, so that all of us – the hunter, the equestrian rider, the fisherman, the dirt bike rider – can enjoy the natural resources we have at our disposal.  Rather than having headlines that outline the good all of us who enjoy the outdoors have done, news articles focus on all the negative stigmas that outdoor pursuits have associated with them – and we only help their cause by fighting amongst ourselves.

We all need to sit back and take a good look at ourselves – a good look at what goals we want to accomplish, and how we are to go about them.  All of us outdoor enthusiasts, especially in these particular times, need to be on the same page; we need to be telling other people about what we do; we need to be telling other people the good that comes from our investment into the outdoors; we need to be united.

For it doesn’t matter how we enjoy the outdoors – what does matter is that we ENJOY the outdoors.  All of us who enjoy the natural world – whether it be through licensing fees, river clean-up, adopt-a-highway, NRA membership, Safari Club membership, QDMA membership, or whichever way you decide – we all need to remember that we are on the same team, and through these various organizations and helpfulness are striving to protect our natural world.

All of us need to put our differences aside, and share with people all of the good we do for our natural world.  Those are the things that will go along way to preserve and defend our outdoors.

And these things need to start right now.

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As I eluded to in a previous post, we were fortunate enough to be contacted by Greg Squires awhile back, and ask if we would like to receive a Eureka tent.  Mr. Squires, from Shopatron.com, was a pleasure to talk to, and quickly sent us the tent knowing that it would be a few months before we could actually do the review.  We do live in Michigan, and it tends to not be great camping weather in February.

This past weekend we finally headed out for our first camping trip, and our first opportunity to actually use the tent and see how it performed – and perform it did.

Our first night spent in the tent was done so during a Tornado Watch, and subsequent downpour.  And when I say downpour, I mean downpour.  We awoke the next morning to approximately 6 inches of standing water – or more – not more than a foot from where the tent was setup.  And I’m happy to report that the tent, or us, were not wet.  In fact, the tent didn’t take in any water at all, even with a dog patrolling the outer edges of it throughout the night – and any of you who’ve camped before know, that usually, touching the outer walls of a tent during a downpour is a no-no.  The Copper Canyon just held its ground, though, and kept us dry throughout the whole ordeal.  Apparently, the Stormshield was functioning in full force.

The Copper Canyon is an excellent tent all around.  Its 15 X 12 frame provided ample space for an air bed, a pack n’ play, and a large dog crate – with plenty of space left over to move around inside the tent.  I think the biggest selling point of the tent is its sure height; the copper canyon is 7′ 4″ tall, and allows for any adult to stand up inside it.  Also, its straight walls allow for standing room in any part of tent – there is no ducking to get into the tent, and as any of you who’ve camped at all know, that is a HUGE plus.

Despite the tent’s sure size, it is still very easy to set up, and can be done in mere minutes with a two-person crew.  The wife and I had no problems getting the tent set up, and the directions are very easy to understand as well.

I only found two drawbacks about the tent:  weight, and the awning.  The sure weight of the tent, at 44lbs, might discourage some.  Honestly, though, it is a necessary evil in order to have such a big tent, and was well worth the trade-off for me.  The awning on the tent was very helpful, considering the amount of rain we had, but it is also one of the negative aspects of the tent; it tends to hold water no matter how the awning is set up.  Also, if it is not set up exactly right, and tightened down properly, it will drip water between the actual tent entrance and the start of the awning – kind of an annoyance, but not a major problem.

At almost $400 I can understand a few families shying away from this tent.  My overall opinion, though, is that this tent is worth every penny.  The space of the tent is more than adequate for many families; the inside height of the tent is its best feature, and makes the tent well worth the price; and the ease of use, and sure durability of the tent makes it well worth the investment for a family, like us, who camps quite often in not the best weather conditions.

The Eureka Copper Canyon 1512 is a great tent, and gets a 9.5 out of 10 from the wife and I.  If you doubt the construction, or the durability of this tent, all you have to do is take a look at the pictures in this post, and remember that – even with all that water – we were kept completely dry throughout one heck of a thunderstorm.

The weekend was a great time, and despite some bad weather we whethered the storm – no pun intended.  The Copper Canyon was instrumental in that great time, and allowed everything to stay dry despite some very harsh conditions.  We would recommend the tent to anyone, and are looking forward to our next camping trip with it.

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