Camping isn’t just for summer anymore
Even from the quiet shoreline of the lake at our favorite campsite in DeKalb County, we can look east and see the pale pink halo of light that radiates off the city of Chicago, more than 60 miles away. But from our campsite, we are another world away from it.
Nearly every weekend my husband and I go camping, sometimes bringing along our children, sometimes not. In summer, we had to make reservations to be sure we got a spot. When we’d arrive on a Friday night, we’d often pull into one of the last campsites. Around us was a little village comprised of folks who set up their tent or camper for the night. You could hear the crackle of campfires in every direction. I liked the way our quiet conversation around our fire would intermingle with the sounds of laughing and talking coming from other nearby campsites.
As the leaves turned and the weather got colder, we saw fewer campers each weekend. The leaves turned brilliant shades of gold and red, and many mornings we lazily watched them fall from great oaks to the ground as we sipped our morning coffee.
Last weekend, we shared the entire campground with only two other campers. It’s safe to say that winter camping doesn’t hold the same allure for folks as summer camping does.
A campground in December is nothing like a campground in July. In July, the place is bustling with kids on bikes, dogs barking, and the smell of burgers grilling. December camping is still, and the air has a crystal quality to it. The longer you dare sit outside by the campfire, the more likely you are to hear ducks calling to each other, or geese, who always sound to me as though they’re laughing at jokes: Haaar haaar haaar. The other night, we were especially lucky to hear a chorus of coyotes in the distance, and an owl hooted somewhere behind us.
Since we bought this little teardrop camper <unwanting.com/2019/09/14/we-bought-a-little-camper/> in 2019, something is changing in me. I’ve always thought of myself as an indoorsy person, but the combination of the social distancing required in 2020 and the way our teardrop has made it easier for us to get away on the weekends, I’m starting to view the outdoors as one of the single most important ingredients to my health — physical and mental. I long for our weekend hikes. I’m at my happiest when I’m catching up with my husband at a picnic table or having a deep conversation with my kids as we go on a hike. Those in-depth discussions just don’t happen on a typical weekday in our house.
I’ve become aware of a new (to me) concept: Friluftsliv (pronounced Free-loofts-liv), Norway’s deep cultural reverence for nature. (For a great explanation, watch Lorelou DeJardins explain “How Norwegian friluftsliv brings out the best in people.”) <youtu.be/E02N3A68IF8> I guess I’m finally catching up to what folks in Norway have known for awhile: Treating the outdoors as your living room is good for you. Incorporating fresh air and outdoors to your regular routine is beneficial, especially in winter. Also, the outdoors can awaken our senses in ways we miss out on when we’re sitting inside.
You don’t need a teardrop camper to appreciate the outdoors, and you definitely don’t need a campground. Your winter living room could be at a nearby forest preserve or park. It could be your own backyard or neighborhood. Grab some cozy clothes, layer up, and just go. Grab a loved one, or go alone. You’ll be glad you did. There’s a whole big world out there.
