Mountain cabin rentals are similar to costal cottages. The only difference is their location and, sometimes, the name. Mountain rentals are often referred to as cabins. Mountain cabin rentals are located in many portions of the United States. One of the reasons why they are so popular is because they can create a safe, fun, private, and romantic environment.

While most mountain cabin rentals are private, most are located within a short driving distance or walking distance to a popular attraction. These attractions may include hiking rails, biking trails, ponds, streams, or lakes. The facilities, attractions, and activities found at each mountain cabin rental will all depend on their location.

When searching for mountain cabin rentals, you have a number of locations to choose from. Most cabin rentals can be found in popular mountain ranges. These ranges are located in New York, Pennsylvania, Colorado, North Carolina, Idaho, and Wyoming. To find the perfect summer vacation destination, you are encouraged to examine each area and the cabin rentals that are available.

Once you have found a summer vacation destination that offers mountain cabin rentals, you will need to select a specific cabin to vacation at. Many cabin rentals are grouped together in a specific area. You may find that all cabins in that area are similar. Despite the similarities, you are still urged to examine each specific cabin. Most examinations can be done online or through the mail.

When examining a mountain cabin, it is important that you thoroughly read through all descriptions and request pictures. An extend rental could be fairly expensive. To help determine the outcome of your vacation, you are urged to see pictures. In this case, a picture really does speak a million words. It is important to know how many bedrooms are in a particular cabin, if there is a working kitchen, and an in-house bathroom.

Since many individuals enjoy mountain vacations due to the lack of technology, you may find certain cabin rentals with bathroom facilities and kitchen facilities that are located outdoors. If you enjoy outdoor grilling, this may not be a problem. However, many find outdoor facilities to be inconvenient.

In addition to what each mountain cabin rental has to offer, you should see what is available in the surrounding area. Important facilities that you should be on the lookout for include general stores, gas stations, or laundromats. Without these facilities it is likely that you would have to make extra preparations for your vacation.

As previously mentioned, mountain cabin rentals are often expensive. If you are planning a vacation on a budget, you may want to examine destinations that are not as well-known or as popular. Destinations you may want to avoid include Jacksonhole in Wyoming, the Blue Ridge Mountains in the Carolinas, and the Adirondacks in New York. If these locations were ones that you wished to visit, instead of avoiding the location altogether you can search for discount vacation packages.

Discount vacation packages may be available for mountain cabin rentals; however, they are sometimes difficult to come by. For the most part, discount vacation packages are reserved for resorts. If you are able to unable to find a valuable vacation package, you can try receiving last minute price reductions. While last minute price reductions are convenient, you are advised against planning your vacation around the expectation of getting one.

No matter where to choose to rent a mountain cabin or how much that rental costs, you are sure to have a private, intimate, and memorable vacation. Why vacation at an overcrowded beach when you can schedule your summer vacation in seclusion?

Photo source:

http://flickr.com/photos/rene-germany/
http://flickr.com/photos/40737396@N00
http://flickr.com/photos/dnorman/

cabin, cabin rentals, mountain cabin, mountain cabin rentals

When it comes to outdoor summer vacation destinations, most individuals make the decision to go camping. Camping is a fun, outdoor activity that many people enjoy. Unfortunately, when it comes to summer vacation ideas, there are many individuals who feel that camping does not qualify. This is simply not true. If you are interested in spending your summer vacation camping outdoors, you may be wondering what types of vacation destinations are available to you.

n the United States, camping is not as popular as it used to be. Despite the decline in popularity, a large number of individuals and families still enjoy camping. To tailor to those individuals, a large number of public campgrounds have been developed. If you are searching for a popular vacation destination, you are encouraged to examine public campgrounds.

When examining public campgrounds, you are likely to find that there are a number of campgrounds in or around the area that you live. This is because there are a large number of campgrounds in the United States. If you wish, you can make reservations with a local campground. For added excitement and a change of scenery, you may want to consider making reservations at a campground in another city or state.

Before deciding on a particular campground, it is important to examine the layout of the grounds. Unfortunately, a large number of public campgrounds have close corridors. This means that you and your family could be a few feet away from other campers. If you wish to experience camping, but privately, you may want to consider selecting a state park as your vacation destination.

Selecting a state park to vacation at is a fairly easy decision. The only problem with doing so is the number of choices that you will have. A number of states have at least twenty or more state parks. If you are interested in choosing a state park, you are encouraged to consider the amount of distance you are willing to travel. Since state parks are located all around the United States, you may be able to find a local state park. If traveling is not a problem, it may be a nice getaway to visit another area of the country.

Whether you choose to select a vacation destination at a state park or a public campground, you are encouraged to keep the on site activities in mind. Without a large number of activities, you could find that camping can easily become boring. You are encouraged to look for campgrounds or state parks that offer boating, swimming, hiking, biking, outdoor sports, and other outdoor activities. Most state parks and campgrounds will have a number of these activities, but it is still advised that you verify so ahead of time.

To learn more about the activities available at a particular campground or state park, you can individually search a number of these destinations. As previously mentioned, in the United States, there are a large number of states that have public campgrounds and state parks that allow camping. Popular camping destinations include Upstate New York, California, Oregon, Texas, and North Carolina.

In addition to being able to research a particular campground or state park online, you may be able to make online reservations. During the summer months, camping becomes fairly popular. To ensure that you are able to select the perfect campground site, you are encouraged to make your reservations well in advance.

If you’d rather be camping in the outdoors then why spend your summer vacation elsewhere? With a large number of summer vacation destinations available for campers, you are sure to enjoy your summer camping experience.

Photo source:
http://flickr.com/photos/simoom/
http://flickr.com/photos/respres/

camping, campers, summer vacation

Don’t you just love that illustration?

Sex in a Tent is a new book that tells you everything you need to know (but were too embarrassed to ask) about throroughly enjoying the outdoors with a romantic partner.

It features stories from outdoor lovers around the world, who share their sexual adventures, mishaps and advice. Author Michelle Waitzman covers every subject from introducing newcomers to the outdoors experience, preventing a wilderness shouting match, looking and smelling sexy without a shower, and supplying lots of inspirational ideas for couple who want to combine their love of the outdoors with their love lives.

Once you’ve found your inspiration, Sex in a Tent also dishes up recipes for delicious alfresco meals, and gives you the lowdown on some of the most romantic places in the world to pitch a tent.

You can buy Sex in a Tent: A Wild Couple’s Guide to Getting Naughty in Nature here or you can pick it up at your local REI store.

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Independent Thought

American football is a game of mixing complex strategy with intense physical play. The atlanta falcons are american football tem based in Atlanta. The baltimore ravens have won one Super Bowl title, in the year 2000. The tam of buffalo bills is the single team to win 4 consecutive U.S. Football Conference Championships.

I’m pretty passionate about the environment when I stop and think about it. I mean, I can read stories about entire species going into extinction, or stories of how many plants are dying because of urban sprawl, and it physically will upset me. Yet at the same time, I completely forget about these things and throw away aluminum and paper that can easily be recycled. I am ashamed of myself, I really am. There is no excuse for my laziness, and there is no excuse for yours. In fact, if this story doesn’t impact the way you purchase products, and the way you dispose of your garbage, I don’t know what will.

In the middle of the Pacific Ocean is a vortex of plastic. It is sometimes referred to as the North Pacific Garbage Patch, and it’s main occupant is plastic. So much plastic that this patch is as big as the state of Texas. It is made up of everything from tiny pieces of plastic debris to large nets lost by the fishing industry.

300 billion pounds of plastic is produced around the world every year, and only a fraction of this is recycled. The rest ends up in landfills, or in the streets clogging up the drain gutters, and eventually making it’s way to the ocean. Plastic is made to last for hundreds of years, and it’s doing just that. Floating in a big pile in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.

Plastic is often mistaken for food and has been found inside marine life of all sizes, from whales to zooplankton. It has been directly blamed for the death of a wide range of animals including albatrosses and sea turtles. They see the plastic floating in the water and they think it’s food. This leads them to die from digestive trouble and even starvation. Their bellies are full, but it’s full of plastic, not the nutritious food they thought they were eating to stay alive.

Oh it just makes me sick to my stomach thinking about it, and I need to make an effort to really change my habits. Here are a few things that will make a difference, especially if every single one of us does their part.

• Every time you see litter, pick it up and dispose of it properly.
• Reduce, Reuse, Recycle – you’ve heard it before, but now you know what happens when you don’t. Be conscious of all that you buy, and be sure to avoid products with excessive packaging, especially in disposable products.
• Demand more and better recycling facilities in your area.
• Take part in local stream, river and beach cleanups - or organize one yourself. Though these don’t solve the problem, they are very effective at drawing attention to the greater problem offshore.
• If you live near the ocean, or a river that drains into it, your storm drains are probably washing garbage right out to sea. Be conscious of this and any other potential sources of marine litter in your area. Demand that these are eliminated.
• Be very conscious of your ecological footprint. Encourage change though your decisions and do no accept the current paradigm of use and waste.

It’s a group effort guys! Who’s willing to change their habits with me?

Blog Action Day, environment, pollution, oceans, plastic pollution

I recently picked up some Nature Valley Roasted Nut Crunch Bars in both flavors, Almond Crunch and Peanut Crunch. My kids are pretty hooked on chips and preservative loaded snacks, so I was surprised when they devoured these two boxes in about three days.

They are fire roasted nuts and tasty sunflower seeds that contain 2 grams of fiber, 7 grams of protein, and no cholesterol. They are available nationwide, and you can find them in your regular supermarket.

You’ve got to try them, they are very delicious, and your kids are going to love them! I don’t know about you, but it makes me very happy to see them love healthy snacks.

Nature Valley Roasted Nut Crunch Bars, General Mills

In regards to this topic The BP Solar Decathlon is coming up in a couple days. They didn’t have it last year, but I did follow their progress the year before, and it was really neat to watch. Every two years 20 university teams from around the world design, build and operate livable, enery-efficient, and completely solar-powered houses. This year one of the main sponsors in conjunction with the U.S. Department of Energy is BP, the only energy company that was sponsored this type of event.

One of the goals of the Solar Decathlon is to show the world that we can all use solar power in our homes, and BP is working to make solar energy a more affordable source of energy in our homes and businesses. Solar power is going to be one of the main sources of energy really soon, and it’s nice to see an energy company like BP getting behind this movement and making it happen for us, and the earth.

Solar Decathlon, BP, solar energy

I’ve been a total slackass today when it comes to writing about the weekend, and I got called out here. Damn them! I just wanted to catch up on my DVR tonight and “wash the grey right out of my hair.” Can you believe I still have not watched the season premiers of The Office or Desperate Housewives, and I’m sitting here with 1.5 inches of old lady hair showing on my head? It’s brutal and rough, and a good thing I don’t Vlog.

Because Michael and I are both slackers and didn’t pack until Friday night, we didn’t hit the freeway until 8PM, which means we rolled onto the dry lake bed right about 10PM. I quickly jumped out of the car to say hi to everyone I hadn’t seen since SoupStock, while Michael set up our spot on the playa. He found me about 30 minutes later (bless his heart) and the party started.

Ernie and Michelle were already there, and the Fancy was wandering around in his chocolate induced haze, with Skrinkle close behind. Man, I love these guys. They are such great friends. I am truly blessed in the friends department. We hung out with everyone, Ron, Violet, Amber, Captain Bill, Nate, Turtle, Indigo, Cameron, and a few others. I don’t remember everyone’s names, but they are all awesome in their own way.

I have to leave you with the watered down version of Part One…my hair is SCREAMING for color. Really.

Here are some pictures in the meantime…Pictures and more pictures.

MeatStock, DarkSkies, Delamar Lake, Nevada

Urushiol is the stuff that gets on your skin and causes you to itch. Tecnu Extreme, when used within 8 hours after exposure to the plants, can remove the urushiol thoroughly enough so that a person may be able to avoid the rash in the first place. If the rash has started, Tecnu Extreme can help stop the rash in its tracks and help with the itching.

The forest services use this, and so do landscapers, and others that work around foliage. It’s really easy to buy as you can find it in any drug store, or you can order it online here. So make sure to add this to your first aid kit!

They are having this event a little further away than we are use to traveling, and it should take us about 2 hours to get to Delamar Lake, which is a dry lake bed, and a former landing strip for planes in the Cold War. It’s on BLM land, so it’s a totally free weekend, we just need to take out all we bring in, and leave no trace. Here’s a picture, just imagine a small little tent city in the middle.

Michael is making carne asada, which is always a good camping food, and from all the group emails it looks like we will be eating like kings. Ernie is bringing the must needed generator driven coffee pot as it’s suppose to be freezing all weekend long. It will be nice waking up to a hot cup of java.

No need for the Vegans to come out for this one. It’s all about bringing your meat for other’s to eat. (that sounds so dirty) HA!

Meatstock, Delamar Lake, Nevada, camping

They feel pretty good on my feet, and I’m excited to test them out this weekend at the Virgin Gorge baby! Pictures to follow, I’m sure.

hiking boots, zappos, Virgin Gorge