I originally came across the LifeFitter website after clicking on a Facebook ad related to the Outpacker.com website.

After being thoroughly impressed with the design, thought and execution of the outpacker network, I discovered that LifeFitter is behind a network of 20 affinity based social networks, all geared around mostly outdoor, sports and recreation hobbies.

If you enjoy anything from kayaking, to paintball, to mountain climbing or biking you should uncover more of what they have to offer and expand your network with more sports enthusiasts that love the same thing you do.

If you’d like to see all the sites available you can also review them on my personal blog where I wrote up a post about this site’s use of social media.

Image: Screengrab from LifeFitter website

It’s been a great summer this year. My family has ventured out into a new hobby and past time, camping! I’ve been camping a number of times through various times in my life from a kid, to college years and other times. My wife is NOT the camping type and it was my kids first time. I should now say that my wife WAS NOT the camping type, but now she really enjoys it.

I believe the key to camping though is really going with another family and close friends. Our first trip was with three other couples and their families and this past weekend was a weekend with just one of the couples again due to schedules.

Although we do stay in tents and in the “primitive camping” areas of state parks, I wouldn’t say we really “rough it”. We have some serious meals, breakfast being our favorite and that usually consists of biscuits, eggs, sausage & gravy, bacon and pancakes. We have a little battery powered ceiling fan in our tent, but it doesn’t circulate quite as much as I would like, but it does circulate. This weekend we also had our own hot-water shower. I’d say the worst part about our camping experience this summer is that we just did it in the summer, I don’t like being hot when I sleep and it was a little too warm at night for my enjoyment. I’m looking forward to the fall.

If this sounds like fun to you, just do a quick Google search on “camping for beginners” and you’ll get loads of resources. The one I’ve enjoyed the most has been from Road & Travel Magazine. With tips like what to pack, what to eat and what tent to buy, it’s really the basics that will make the difference on your trip. Sometimes the basics just don’t come to mind though, call it over-planning.

The article and website also has some links to other great sites of information:

• www.coleman.com/coleman/travel/
• www.YosemitePark.com
• www.nps.gov/parks.html
• www.nps.gov/yose
• www.nps.gov/seki
• www.coleman.com/coleman/ColemanCom/Fun.asp
• www.reserveusa.com
• www.recreation.gov
• http://reservations.nps.gov

In this age of adjusting to higher and higher gas prices, I’d also recommend checking out your local state’s resources. We’ve had great experiences at the two state parks we’ve visited so far and look forward to the ones will visit in the future as well.