Chuck Fitzgerald is an outdoor super-enthusiast and a technophile. "I once thought this was a rare combination but just recently I've discovered there are lots of us around."

Chuck was a little disappointed in this new discovery because he really wanted to be different.  But looking at the bright side he realized that being a tech junkie has helped him to truly appreciate everything the outdoors has to offer. 

His first encounter with a bear will explain the principles and technology behind this idea. 

Black Bears, Blackberries 
and the Time of Your Life

By Chuck Fitzgerald 
Owner of Arizona based BackCountry Toys

© 2005. All Rights Reserved.

While hunting elk in Arizona a few years ago, I found myself alone in a high forest nearly ten miles from the pavement and about two miles from camp. I had decided to spend late afternoon and evening sitting beneath a forty foot pine tree and wait for an elk to walk by. This plan seemed innocent enough but as the day's light began to disappear shooting an elk might not be such a good idea since I was by myself and I was an hour from camp. This is ironic to say, because shooting an elk was the purpose of my being in the woods to begin with. As it was dusk and getting darker every moment, I was questioning my decision to stay where I was. Perhaps I should start back?  As I was about to stand and begin my trek back to camp, I caught movement off to my right. I froze half way towards standing. I saw a black bear running through the trees about 30 yards away. It stopped to eat a mere 25 yards from me but it didn't seem to notice me. It was the first bear I had seen in the wild and it was close. The ones in Yellowstone National Park that come up to the cars on the road for a snack don't count in my book. Seeing this bear in its own element was the best thing that happened to me on my 10 day adventure. I'll never forget it or the fact that I don't have any pictures of my first bear or that I got lost going back to camp. I was not prepared properly. 
 That day when I returned to camp, I decided that if I am going to put myself in situations to see true wild life in true wild places, I not going to let my gear, or lack there of, jeopardize my adventure. Therefore, immediately following this trip I purchased a digital camera designed for the outdoor enthusiast. One that is fast to get on target, easy to use and takes fabulous photos. I upgraded my two-way radio to a 5 mile capability so I could stay in touch with the campsite. I upgraded my portable GPS unit too. I needed one with better trip planning tools. 

I now keep a journal everyday in my RIM Blackberry PDA when I return to camp, 
and spend time plotting waypoints in my GPS for the next day's adventure. 
Technology has given me the tools and the confidence to get the absolute most out 
of my outdoor life. If you haven't invested in some of these great technologies, you 
may be missing out on the time of your life. 

Use this information and you'll Get It Right The First Time. Get Outdoors! 

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Chuck Fitzgerald is the owner of Arizona based BackCountry Toys, 
an online specialty store with the "Best Gear Out There" and 
dedicated to helping outdoor enthusiasts to "Get It Right The 
First Time" with timely educational information. Please visit 
http://www.BackCountryToys.com  to find great gear and to receive 
the Fact & Tips e-newsletter, "FreshAir." (800) 316-9055.

Legend has it that Julius Caesar was a puny lad that wheezed and sneezed until he joined the Army of Rome and began camping out.  Click HERE for our front camping page

Being a tech junkie might help you to truly appreciate everything the outdoors has to offer.

Have you ever marveled at how fascinating it would be to explore and experience mesmerizing gifts of nature in the manner you had always desired? For instance many of us have a latent craving to feel the rude and unsympathetic rocks by trekking over them, conquer the snow capped peaks by brushing against the abandoned boisterous winds and swing in the lap of gushing ice cold water…  Visit Camping On A Himalayan Trek.  

At first glance, providing first aid in the backcountry appears to be much like it is anywhere else. But if you look a little closer and you'll find it is quite different.

101 Camping Recipes. 

perfect camp selection strategies, 

camping in your car,

and directions for surviving in the woods.  

Free camping information for every state. 

RV travelers can learn about more than 1,000 free and inexpensive places to stay a night at FreeCampgrounds.com.

Most of the online directory's listings are supplied by RVers themselves. They range from scenic government campgrounds to city-sponsored RV parks, truck stops, rest areas, commercial RV parks with a fee of $10 or less, desert lands of the West and the parking lots of RV-friendly businesses.

"City parks are one of the best deals going," said editor Chuck Woodbury. "There are at least 100 of them around the country where an RVer is invited to stay a night or even a week for free. Sometimes there's a donation box, but even so, the requested amount is usually a fraction of what an RV park would charge. Some country parks and even fairgrounds also offer complimentary stays."

A recent survey of more than 2,000 recreational vehicle enthusiasts revealed that approximately 60 percent seek out free or inexpensive campgrounds to offset high fuel prices. "If an RVer can save $25 or $35 over what it would cost for an RV park, that money can go into the gas tank the next day," said Woodbury. But he noted that many RVers choose free locations simply out of convenience. "They may be too tired to go on but can't find an RV park. Most of these RVers will choose a traditional RV park or public campground the next night."

Many truck stops permit overnight stays as well as other services to RVers like internet access, propane and mechanical work. Some RVers routinely hole up overnight in roadside rest areas, a practice Woodbury does not recommend for safety reasons. But he acknowledges it's a common practice.

The most popular free overnight stops are in the parking lots of Wal-Mart stores. "About 90 percent of the stores will allow an RVer to spend a night as long as they pull off in a corner and don't set up 'camp,'" said Woodbury, who also edits the 100,000-circulation weekly newsletter.

Perhaps the best deal going for RVers on a budget is on the federal government's wide-open desert lands of Arizona and southeast California where a stay of up to seven months goes for $140. "There are minimal services at these Long Term Visitor Areas, but for RVers with solar panels and other devices, life can be very comfortable and affordable at less than 70 cents a day.

Visitors who post free campground information are encouraged to provide details about a site's scenic beauty and noise level. "Locations near railroad tracks are obviously not places where an RVer stays for a meaningful experience with nature," said Woodbury.

To search for a campground visit FreeCampgrounds.com.

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