Stargazing Hotspots in New Mexico's High Desert: An Albuquerque Guide
The clear skies of New Mexico offer some of the best stargazing in the country. With high elevation, dry air, and minimal light pollution, the Albuquerque region is perfect for viewing celestial wonders. Here are the top spots to experience the magic of New Mexico's night sky.
Best Viewing Locations
Sandia Mountains
Located just east of Albuquerque, Sandia Crest sits at 10,678 feet and provides spectacular views of the Milky Way and planets. Access via Sandia Crest Scenic Byway (NM 536). Bring extra layers—it's significantly cooler at the top!
Valles Caldera National Preserve
About 90 minutes from the city, this vast volcanic caldera offers truly dark skies. The Valle Grande overlook is particularly stunning, with ranger-led night sky programs available in summer.
Cibola National Forest
For a quick escape, try Doc Long or Sulphur Canyon Picnic Areas in the Sandia Ranger District, just outside the city's eastern edge. Perfect for spotting major constellations without a long drive.
When to Go
- Summer: Best views of the Milky Way's galactic center
- August: Perseid meteor shower (dozens of "shooting stars" per hour)
- New Moon periods: Darkest possible skies
What to Bring
- Red flashlight (preserves night vision)
- Warm clothing (even summer nights get chilly)
- Folding chair or blanket
- Binoculars (optional)
- Star chart or astronomy app
Cultural Connection
The night skies over New Mexico have inspired wonder for thousands of years. Many sites around Albuquerque contain petroglyphs and structures aligned with celestial events, connecting you to generations who have gazed at these same stars.
Remember to check current conditions and regulations before visiting any location.
What to Pack for Your First Family Camping Trip
Camping with family is a special kind of magic—starry skies, s’mores by the fire, and time to really connect. But if it’s your first trip or you’re still new to the whole camping thing, the prep can feel overwhelming. What do you really need? What can you leave behind?
Don’t worry—we’ve got you covered with a go-to packing list designed for comfort, ease, and fun. Whether you're car camping or pitching your tent deep in the woods, here's a list of family camping essentials to make your trip smooth and memorable.
Here’s what to bring for a stress-free camping trip with kids:
✔️ Shelter + Sleep: Tent, sleeping bags, sleeping pads or air mattresses, and pillows (our Nature Nap Comforter is a great all-in-one option!).
✔️ Clothing: Think layers—warm fleece, moisture-wicking shirts, trail pants, and a cozy jacket. Don’t forget extra socks and a hat!
✔️ Meals + Snacks: A simple camp stove or grill, reusable dishes, and all your family’s favorite trail snacks. Pro tip: prep meals ahead of time to make setup easier.
✔️ Essentials: Lantern or headlamps, sunscreen, bug spray, first-aid kit, and wet wipes (trust us on this one).
✔️ Fun Add-ons: Binoculars for birdwatching, a nature journal, games, and marshmallow sticks!
Camping with kids doesn’t have to be complicated. With the right camping gear checklist and a little flexibility, you’ll be making memories in no time.
5 Stanley cookware hacks for holiday camping
Stanley products have literally traveled on oodles of American outdoor adventures for more than 100 years now. The brand has powered daily coffee breaks. Assisted meal prep days in nature. Provided the right amount of storage gear for food and beverages (on and off the road). With each passing year, Stanley continues to innovate, bringing timeless and modern solutions for outdoor exploration to backyard chill sessions.
Outdoor Afro champions brands like Stanley for helping to build more sustainable communities through modern, reusable products. Ways Outdoor Afro volunteer leaders, network participants, the organization’s staff, and even you can maximize time outside this holiday season by incorporating these multipurpose Stanley products:
TRY COOK SETS IN NEW SETTINGS: Typically food preparation is an indoor activity. With Stanley’s Adventure Full Kitchen Base Camp Cook Set, it’s easier to move cooking experiences outside. This best-selling set features a three-ply frying pan, stainless-steel pot, cutting board, spatula, serving spoon, plates, and bowls. This collection includes the essentials to transport kitchen conveniences pretty much anywhere – the front yard, backyard, campsites, or RVs. The set’s compact design allows hassle-free packing and unloading to comfortably and confidently cook away from the traditional kitchen.
INVEST IN MULTI-USE BACKYARD COOKWARE: Outdoor Afro volunteer leader, Tarik Moore, is a backpacker, car camper, and backyard camping expert. He loves the “ease” of how his family works together to create original fun at home. “Backyard camping is really convenient,” said Moore, “allowing our kids to use their imagination and help with preparing snacks like s’mores.” In between games and conversation, Moore often relies on Stanley’s Adventure Cook Set For Four to accommodate appetites. Ideal for heating soups and brewing coffee, this 11-piece set includes a 2.5L pot, serving utensil, bowls, and sporks for four.
VENTURE OUT IN CULINARY CREATIONS: Another Outdoor Afro volunteer leader who appreciates a camping quest with family and friends is Robin Roberts. “I revisited camping four years ago,” she said. “I took my kids to The Mighty 5 and have been camping ever since.” An outdoor chef in her own right, Roberts puts Stanley products to the test for network camping trips. Cookware she can always make great use of: the Adventure Even-Heat Pot Set. This durable collection comes with a 1.9-quart saucepan, collapsible cutting board, silicone trivet, and serving spoon to prep, serve, and delight. Roberts’ signature camping dish: her chili and cornbread. Two syllables: De-lish! With the help of this lightweight, camp-friendly set, her favorite camping meal has become a beloved tradition, especially with her kids. “We make it on the stove and finish on the campfire,” said Roberts. “They love it every time, and I must make it every time we camp.”
SAVOR NEWER COFFEE-LOVER SIPS: Freshly brewed. Hot. Morning coffee. Yes, please! The Perfect-Brew Pour Over Set by Stanley is a quick-and-easy fix to getting up and at ’em in nature. This coffee system helps you relive those kitchen table sunrise seconds with each sip. Paper filters not required, the stainless-steel setup contains a reusable filter paired with Stanley’s Classic Legendary Camp Mug. This fun-size mug keeps coffee heated by way of its double-wall vacuum insulation. The mug’s press-fit Tritan™ lid also helps prevent spills or splashes in the car or by the campfire.
CRAFT SIGNATURE COFFEES FOR TRAVELING CREWS: Complement early-morning breakfast among loved ones with the Stay Hot French Press. This compact coffee solution makes brewing specific types of coffee during group camping adventures easier to achieve in the outdoors. A mesh filter holds the grinds in place, resulting in a stronger, flavorful cup of coffee. Plus, its double-wall vacuum insulation keeps everything hot. The ergonomic handle ensures pouring is a mess-free process. The press guarantees coffee stays hot for four hours and iced for 24 hours.
ABOUT OUTDOOR AFRO: Outdoor Afro is a national not-for-profit organization that celebrates and inspires Black connections and leadership in nature. What started as a kitchen table blog by Founder and CEO Rue Mapp in 2009 has since grown into a cutting-edge nationwide network with 100-plus volunteer leaders in 60 cities. “Where Black people and nature meet,” Outdoor Afro reconnects Black people with the outdoors through outdoor education, recreation, and conservation. Follow us @outdoorafro on social.
ABOUT STANLEY: The Stanley brand has a rich 100-plus year history of forever changing the way hot drinks are consumed. Stanley fused vacuum insulation and the strength of steel in one portable bottle in 1913, inventing the all-steel vacuum bottle we know and love today. In the century since, this vacuum bottle has evolved from concept to icon, and has become an essential part of workdays, road trips, and outdoor adventures. In addition to drinkware, Stanley also creates food storage, camp cookware, coolers and jugs.
How Outdoor Afro got much-needed 'Sun Outdoors' 2022
State-of-the-art nature experiences are what Sun Outdoors brings to the picnic table for staycations, vacations, and even “bae”cations. A leader in the outdoor hospitality world, Sun Outdoor offers more than 175 campgrounds and resorts across the United States and Canada. During Outdoor Afro’s annual Outdoor Afro Leadership Training (OALT) held in Granby, Colorado, in April 2022, network staff and volunteer leaders received a rare opportunity to spend three days at Sun Outdoors Rocky Mountains. Waking up each morning to movie-like sunrises, TikTok-worthy trails, snow capped mountain views, and National Geographic wildlife.
Like OALT 2022, this new partnership with Sun Outdoors shared with Outdoor Afro the luxury RV and glamping possibilities. What transformative moments can look like for local networks to recreate outdoor recreation across the network’s four regions: Northeast, Midwest, South, and West. The leadership training alone showed the network how Sun Outdoors locations can redesign into spaces for panel discussions, hands-on workshops, nature exploration activities, and places of rest and healing. What distinguished Sun Outdoors Rocky Mountains from previous network training sites: its ample accommodations to manage extreme weather.
The site’s cozy vacation rentals and tent options allowed Outdoor Afro volunteer leaders to practice their wilderness survival skills while ensuring safety under snow storm conditions. This particular location featured prairie schooners and Airstream trailers equipped with modern conveniences for beginner to veteran outdoor enthusiasts. Additional outdoor housing choices the network can explore on future training trips. And do know Rocky Mountains is just one of many interpretations of what Sun Outdoors has to offer in outdoor travel fun. Other destinations for campers, glampers, and those somewhere in between:
Sun Outdoors Coos Bay in Coos Bay, Oregon, comes with never-want-to-leave-here outlooks of the Pacific Ocean. Literally camp by the ocean or cozy up in a Seaside Shanty vacation rental. And for travelers wanting more vacation rental space, Oceanside includes premium cottages to still capture the sights and sounds of the waypoint. Sightseers will appreciate resort amenities such as nearby state parks, wineries, and museums.
Sun Outdoors Myrtle Beach in Conway, South Carolina, is a Southern region camper's delight. This property sits near Atlantic Coast vacay community Myrtle Beach, which means instant access to the area’s water park, miniature golf course, low country dining, a video game plaza, and cabana-vibe poolside leisure time. Southern charm meets campsite vistas, this location speaks to cottage life fused with Deep South customs and old-fashioned fun.
Sun Outdoors San Diego Bay lives in Chula Vista, California – dubbed “The Lemon Capital” for its sundry of citrus trees. It’s also laden with nature parks and beaches. Therefore, San Diego Bay is all about creating bayfront memories in nature. This fairly new resort in Southern California furnishes RV sites and some of the coziest, open-air cottage rentals. Fresh Mexican and SoCal cuisine are just steps away. To deep dive into local marine life, the Living Coast Discovery Center and waterfront park are in the vicinity as well.
El Capitan Canyon in Santa Barbara County, California, holds the birthplace title to "glamping." That said, El Capitan is the nature station to indulge outdoor living in the state's central coast. Post up in cedar cabins, safari tents, or adventure yurts surrounded by historic oak and sycamore trees. Soak in the sun on top of rippling mountains that overlook the Pacific Ocean. More activities to check off: dining, wine tasting, hiking, llama farm touring, swimming, and listening to live concert music.
Sun Outdoors Frontier Town revisits the Old West from Berlin, Maryland. Snuggled on the scenic shores of inland waterway Sinepuxent Bay, the resort is lined with rustic tents and covered wagons. The Mid-Atlantic scene replicates an 1880s country Western town. Once settled into the RV site, explore farm-inspired shops, cowhand saloons, and iconic American fare.
ABOUT OUTDOOR AFRO: Outdoor Afro is a national not-for-profit organization that celebrates and inspires Black connections and leadership in nature. What started as a kitchen table blog by Founder and CEO Rue Mapp in 2009 has since grown into a cutting-edge nationwide network with 100-plus volunteer leaders in 60 cities. “Where Black people and nature meet,” Outdoor Afro reconnects Black people with the outdoors through outdoor education, recreation, and conservation. Follow us @outdoorafro on social.
ABOUT SUN OUTDOORS: Sun Outdoors is a leader in outdoor hospitality and committed to its mission of offering guests exceptional and transformative outdoor experiences. With over 175 locations across the U.S. and Ontario, Canada, Sun Outdoors offers guests several ways to stay: from RV sites to vacation rentals, from tent camping to glamping, whether they stay for a weekend, season or longer. Visit sunoutdoors.com to learn more. Sun Outdoors is a division of Sun Communities Inc., a publicly traded company which, as of September 30, 2021, owns, operates and has an interest in 584 developed manufactured home, RV and marina properties comprising over 155,900 developed sites and nearly 44,900 wet slips and dry storage spaces in 38 states, Canada and Puerto Rico. Sun Communities is a fully integrated real estate investment trust (REIT) listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol: SUI. suncommunities.com.
We did it again, this time with a challenge...
By Alisha Pye, Los Angeles Outdoor Afro Leader
So we went hiking above the Mountain Gate Country Club again, but this time we decided to mix it up a bit. So we decided to go off the fire trail and hike the hills. This was a great hike although we had fewer people we had a very diverse group, ranging from a mom wearing her 6 month baby, to a 9 year old cross country runner.
This hike was particularly challenging for me because I'm very afraid of heights and cliffs, both of which we encountered. I would love to post pictures of the cliff but I was nearly paralyzed with fear. So here's to embracing fear and moving forward! Because of the challenge that I experienced, I think I enjoyed the hike more.
Overall, we hiked 11.3 miles, every time I even thought about complaining about the distance I looked up and saw this mom wearing her baby, a 9 year old and a grandmother or two chugging along. The diversity in this group was motivating to say the least. We didn't get a chance to stop and take a group picture, but we had a great time. The sun was shining, the sky was blue, the weather amazing and the scenery was breathtaking.
#DispatchesDNLee: Iringa Tanzania Offers Culture, Wildlife, and Outdoor Adventure
Danielle N. Lee is a member of the Outdoor Afro Leadership Team. She is a Ph.D. Biologist currently in Tanzania doing a field study of African Pouched Rats. She will be sharing her Adventures from Africa here on Outdoor Afro. You can join her on her adventure at her blog The Urban Scientist at the Scientific American Network.
I took a weekend safari (journey/holiday) with other Ex-Pats to Iringa. Iringa is near the central part of the country and is the launching pad for many other Tanzanian adventures. Many people start their multi-park safaris from Iringa because of its vicinity to Ruaha, Udzungwa, and Mikumi National Parks.
On this visit, my friends and I visited Isimila Stone Age and Natural Pillars. If you didn’t know Tanzania is the Cradle of Mankind. The museum is modest, but the learning experience was one of a kind. I only regret that the travel books don’t warn you of the hiking you will be doing while visiting the Early Human Stone Tool site and the trek to the Natural Pillars. It was beautiful, but be mindful of your steps. There are no safety railings and walking trails and stairs are earth worn. Sadly, this (and most of the natural beauties I have witnessed so far) could not be traversed by individuals with mobility/physical ability issues.
We did stay at a lovely campsite, Rivervalley Campsite. The campsite offers Bandas (cabins), tented camps (with beds) and campgrounds if you want to pitch your own tents. Bandas vary in size and can sleep 2 – 6+ people. The five of us stayed in the larger banda that had its own bathroom plus 2 rooms – one with a double bed and the other with 2 sets of bunk beds. We discovered, as we were checking out, that there was a loft and it had a padded pallet on the floor with room to spare for a sleeping bag.
There are plenty of clean external washrooms and toilets throughout the camp. Plus, there is dining hall also offering hot meals. Prices vary, with bandas being the most expensive and tented camps costing less (and depending on your command of Kiswahili). However, I was very impressed with the accommodations and amenities. We paid $60 USD for one night and that included a hot breakfast. We also had dinner, which cost less than $5 USD. The campsite is also home to a popular language school, so there are many expats around most of the time.
Tented camps seem to be very popular in Tanzania and they are very nice lodging options for the cost-conscious person concerned about comfort. If you want to see and experience the culture, wildlife, nature, and beauty of Tanzania up close, then I definitely recommend this as a must-do adventure for Outdoor Afros.
Visit Tanzania. It is beautiful here!
Karibu!
Official #DispatchesDNLee postcard
artwork by @LalSox
Outdoor Afros, want a post card from Tanzania? I am here until September 23, 2012, so complete the Dispatches from Tanzania Postcard request form today.
Etiquette Tips For Camping with Friends and Family
You can’t change your friends and family, but you can change the way you camp with them. Some moderate planning can make a big difference in your camping experience together. Here are some tips to help you get the most out of your camping trips with loved ones:
Shared Space
In some areas, the outdoors still has boundaries, and it’s important to honor both the environment and neighboring campers. If you are planning to visit a drive-up or RV campground, make sure you have reserved a site that can accommodate your entire group plus equipment, to avoid encroaching on neighboring sites. It’s also nice to offer neighbors a hand with tents or with getting a campfire lit. Good stewards leave no trace of trash, but leaving a bit of firewood for the next group in your spot is always a welcomed gesture.
Food
Plan your meals together at home and share the shopping tasks so there are no surprises. Meat eaters might eat vegetarian fare, but don’t expect your vegetarian friends and family members to eat the steak and bacon you brought, even if it is free range and hormone free! Decide on meal plans that accommodate everyone.
Kids
If you have kids, and are planning to camp with folks without children, discuss logistics, such as the possibility of hands-on help with recreation or watching over little ones. If everyone is bringing little ones, get a watch routine together, so all the adults can plan for breaks in the action.
Music
If your camping mates are all persons of color, don’t assume folks want to hear Li'l Wayne on blast all weekend. Bring acoustic instruments, like a hand drum or guitar that can be enjoyable and easy to play, even if you are not an expert. Singing or telling stories, while gathered around a campfire is classic, and timeless.
Booze/Drinks
Some drink, others don’t; some like Bud Light, others like Grey Goose. Discuss and get clear regarding alcohol consumption preferences, and know your campground policy on alcohol in advance (see Nancy's comment below!).
Above all…just chill
Camping trips are a time to let go, and go with the flow. You might stay up 'til the wee hours to stargaze; your kids might eat a ton of s’mores, and all of you might laugh louder than you ever would at home after a long day at work. Enjoy it all! The best part of my own camping plan is to leave the city constraints behind and have fun!
What are some of your tips and experiences when camping with friends and family?
I Hate Camping!
Some of my best friends swear on a stack of <insert sacred item of choice> they hate camping, won't ever go, and there is nothing I can do about it. But I know they could not possibly hate on the mobility of a car, the comforts of home, and the serenity of nature (from a distance) all rolled into one. Enter the Recreational Vehicle or trailer camping trip, an experience that can transform what most people imagine about camping.
I know some of my traceless camping folks probably want to throw a pointy carrot at me for the mere mention of this gas guzzling option, but there are many variations, such as using a hip trailer (see above) hitched to a sedan and you don't have to drive far necessarily as there are hundreds of campgrounds dotted all over the US.
Who says you have to buy an RV? There are many great companies who rent you the whole outfit just like a rental car by the day or mileage, such as El Monte RV and Cruise America. Some campgrounds have trailers on site available for rent as well.
It’s still not too late to book for the upcoming Labor Day weekend and several campgrounds are running specials, that include theme dinners, live music, local excursions and programs for people of all ages.
If you’re not up for driving an RV, several campgrounds have cabins, such as the Albion River Campground, south of Mendocino, California, which is one of the many sites promoted by the California Association of RV Parks and Campgrounds. This campground has private cottages with wood-burning stoves for chilly nights, in addition to trailer rentals and campsites for folks who have their own “rig“. And there are plenty of boating, fishing and kayaking opportunities nearby.
Don't think black people RV? BUZZZ! Check out NAARVA, the National African American RV Association, a club who puts together a slammin’ rally, regular educational tours, and social events for all levels of participants!
So if you hate camping, give RV and trailer options a long look, or even a try before summer ends. You might be pleasantly surprised by how much you enjoy yourself!
photo courtey of squob.com
Field Report: Our Feather River Camping Trip 2009
We just got back from 8 days of Northern California bliss with some of the most fun and fantastic Bay Area folks who all had the same vacation idea: Feather River Camp!
Each year, I meet up with the self titled “Stumpers”. We converge on the camp’s Folk Dance Week theme, and are notorious for our daily all-inclusive Happy Hour, around a big old stump that doubles as a lounge table. Evan and Willa, our resident bards, came up with a theme song some years back ("Here at Feather River!") that celebrates the camp, our group, and the City of Oakland -- and each year they add a new, clever verse that summarizes the peculiarities of each session.
I have to admit, Folk Dance Week at Feather River took this Oakland girl some getting used to years ago, but once I realized all the dances were some form or another of the "Electric Slide" and when they added the “Cupid Shuffle” to the mix in 2007, I was hooked!
For the novice camper, this is your kind of place. You don’t have to bring a tent because you can choose from a sturdy canvas covered tent like this:
I attempted to pen down some highlights while I was at camp, but whenever I tried to sit down and write, I was either whisked away for the next dance or was too zoned out in a wilderness induced stupor. But there are some moments I’ll never forget:
-- Playing Disco B-I-N-G-O with my youngest. In our camp’s version, each time your number is called, you have to get up and do a 70's jig, like “The Hustle” or “The Bump“!
Look at mama work it!
--Meeting new families; learning and laughing about how much we had in common with one another
-- The whole dining hall singling Happy Birthday to my little guy and how proud he looked to be turning 6
-- Watching my kids play with friends old and new in the freedom and dirt of the outdoors
-- Tubing with my 7 year-old daughter down a gentle river, surrounded by austere forests on a gorgeous Sunday afternoon
-- Having a late night heart-to-heart chat with my 12-year old by lamplight -- and he was actually listening!
It has taken me a few days to get on track with the Bay Area schedule, but I am still basking in the rewards of our time away that was a gift that keeps promoting peace, connectedness, and love for my family and community through nature.
...who also makes terrific Margaritas!
Field Report: Denene Millner of My Brown Baby Goes Camping
By Denene Millner of My Brown BabyYup—I did it. Two days and two nights, deep in the woods of North Georgia. And despite my initial protestations (and the tolerance of threats from my resident Go Green enthusiast/sister-in-law Angelou and much pleading from Mari and Lila), I have to say it wasn’t half bad. And maybe—just maybe—I’m willing to admit that I had some fun. Here, our journey in pictures and in words: 
We stayed in Ft. Yargo, a state-run park in Winder, GA. It’s only about 40 minutes from our home, but the massive lake, pristinely-maintained forest, and primitive living made it feel like we were 400 light years away from Atlanta. And yes, that’s Angelou, acting like she’s about to check into The Ritz. 
Signs welcomed our families—the Chileses, the Ezeiloes, and the Gees—to our campsite, located on small peninsula off a small corner of the lake. We dropped our stuff and got busy getting settled—setting up tents, unpacking sleeping bags and lights (all graciously provided by REI, the campground superstore). You know I was scoping out what mattered most: the bathroom (a two-minute walk from our tent site, it had running water and toilets, but lots of bugs, which meant I was going to do the drop and run; showers up in there were not optional), the cooking facilities (a rock pit with a sturdy grill) and an exit strategy (you know, in case a chick had to make a quick getaway). All in all, it was all quite nice… for the outdoors. 
The kids got a kick out of the idea of sleeping on the ground, surrounded by the lake. They skipped rocks over the water, tossed around the football, danced to the Black Eyed Peas, Earth Wind & Fire, and Nice & Smooth, tooled around on their scooters, and, on many occasions, were caught looking reflectively out over all that God made. (A big highlight for Mari was being allowed to brush her teeth in the woods and spit on the ground. It’s the little things, y’all. The little things.) 
During the day, we mostly chilled—went for a leisurely hike through the woods, took a dip in the man-made beach, talked, and read (Mazi got wrapped up in the latest Dan Brown novel, "Angels and Demons," while Nick and I shared Nathan McCall’s incredible novel, “Them.” We got our New York Times fix on our Blackberries (reception was crystal clear). 
When the dark settled in, we whipped up dinner (grilled veggies, salmon, chicken, and potatoes the first night; hamburgers, hot dogs, chicken sausage, and grilled corn the second) on the campfires, and then watched the kids gorge on S’mores while we played “When I Go to the Moon.” We followed that up with a raucous round of campfire singing, black people style, which means we were crooning Teena Marie, Chaka Khan, Rick James, Run DMC, and Sugar Hill Gang songs at the top of our lungs (the volume of said sing-alongs was wholly controlled by various adult elixirs). 
The trickiest part? Sleeping on the ground, in the pitch black, in the middle of the Georgia woods. This truly is something that freaked me out, not a little, but a lot. I’m no fan of bugs or critters (though REI’s Jungle Juice, a bug repellant, is the truth, the light, and the way, for real!), but it wasn’t the creepy crawlies that bothered me. It was the noises. And the darkness. And the fear of what was lurking—the unknown. The first night wasn’t so bad, but the second night, Lila woke me out of a dead sleep, shivering, talking about how she heard noises and footsteps. I heard them, too, and felt powerless to do anything about it but cuddle Lila and try to be brave while she settled back to sleep. All the while, all I could think was, “Damn, James has the knife in is tent—how am I going to stab a mofo if I don’t have the regulator?!” I spent the rest of the night staring at the stars and waiting for Jason/Freddie Krueger/The Blair Witch/a group of guys in white robes to slice through the tent. Needless to say, sunlight couldn’t come fast enough for me. 
When morning finally came, we made quick work of breaking down the tents, gathering up our things, and getting in our last looks at nature. I have to admit that it was quite a lovely experience, sleeping out in the open and waking up to such beauty. I’m not planning on becoming a camping enthusiast, that much I know (though REI has some pretty spectacular gear that did wonders for keeping us comfortable—from the tents to the lanterns to the coffee percolator to the backpacks, kids’ toys, and the Jungle Juice). But I wouldn’t be against going again… one of these days. (The picture below is of me and Mazi—proof that I was, indeed, there!) 
A special thanks to REI for making this, my first camping trip, a comfortable, special experience; the tents were incredible, the lanterns lit the way, the
percolator made great java, the sleeping bags were quite cozy, the portable stove made perfect Jiffy Pop Popcorn, and not one of us got bit by a bug thanks to your fantastic Jungle Juice (I'm SO buying stock in the JJ!)