Issue Date: August 27-29, 2004
Gather around these camp sites
There's something about the crackle of the open fire, the chirping of crickets and sleeping under the stars that makes camping such a perfect escape from life's everyday stresses. You don't have to be an Eagle Scout to enjoy yourself, but your outing will be a heck of a lot more fun if you go prepared.
Thankfully, CampFireChronicle.com has just about everything you need to get started. Here you'll find links to ReserveAmerica's top 100 family campgrounds, as well as tips for picking the perfect campsite. Print off a copy of the checklist to make sure you don't forget a critical staple (like toilet paper!). And don't think roughing it means subsisting on a menu of blackened hot dogs and s'mores. The recipes at CampFireChronicle.com will have you feasting on chicken teriyaki, followed by pineapple cake cooked in clean tuna cans for dessert.
Need some new gear? Check out OutdoorReview.com, where you'll get the lowdown on what real campers think about that $300 Cabela's sleeping bag. At this site, consumers, not advertisers, review tents, hiking shoes, fly-fishing rods, skis -- you name it.
For game lovers, WildLifeWatcher.com tells you what parks to visit and the best time to go to up your odds of sighting moose, bears, soaring eagles or other creatures. At Fishing-Hunting.com you can swap stories about the one that got away or post pictures of the one that didn't. This site also has info about obtaining hunting licenses, connects you to state agencies and lets you know when tournaments are scheduled.
If fowl and not fish are your thing, then you'll want to gaze at Birdzilla.com. This popular birding site offers bird-watching tips, festival information, bird touring guide information, and the ability to create and update an online list of all your bird sightings.
-- Jeannette Moninger
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