ISU Bengal

Issue date: 3/7/07 Section: Outdoor

Media Credit: MCT A January sunset silhouettes Torrey Pines State Reserve in San Diego, California. Cliffs overlook the Pacific, and eight miles of trails for hiking weave among the ancient Torrey Pines.

Sometimes it is hard to get excited about the outdoors when it is so cold, and so many people are getting sick. For instance, in the cold and rapidly changing weather that has been lurking around these parts lately, one may wonder if he will ever see summer. Well, rest assured, it will be here and sooner than you think. In fact, can you believe that the semester is more than half way over? Wow, now that is something to be excited about! For some, May will mean graduation and moving on, for others just the start of more classes as they brave summer semester, then for others, May will mean a chance to get outdoors and take a break from the woes of study time. For those who can't wait for summer's camping, hiking, fishing, or other activity to be here, here's an idea for you. Start planning your summer fun now!

Sometimes planning is not the best option or even feasible (for instance a decision to plan an overnight trip the day-of can turn out quite nicely), but sometimes it is some thorough planning that makes the trip a success. Here are a few examples of why you might need to plan your summer trip. Campgrounds in many areas now take reservations and often fill long before the warmth of summer arrives. The same goes for hotels. Many rivers and trails in Idaho offer limited access to only a certain number of people or boats a year, and thus also require advanced planning and reservations. Holidays and weekends are, of course, the most popular times for most of these activities, and your chance of booking your activity lessens the longer you wait.

One of the best reasons to plan your summer fun now is so that you can coordinate with your friends or family to have the same days off of work. It might be too late for some, depending on the job, but other jobs only allow employees to schedule time off a few months in advance and you might still be in luck if you hop to it.

If you thrive in the late winter cold, you can likely find something more fun to do with your time right now than plan summer fun (check out the article on classes and upcoming events). Personally, I am working on making the ideas of summer activities that I have been dreaming about all winter a reality.

Page 1 of 1

Article Tools