Camping in Alaska

Camping in Alaska? Yes, you read that right. It sounds like an oxymoron to put a summery outdoor activity with the land of ice and snow, but my brother, Jesse, and his family, along with scores of others  often enjoy a leisurely day at the campground.

Jesse's campsite

A favorite campground Jesse frequents is the Johnson Lake State Recreation Area on the Kenai Peninsula. It is a popular summer recreational destination, especially with the locals, for camping, wildlife viewing, scenic views, and fishing at the Kasilof River and at Johnson Lake. Moose, black and brown bear, lynx, squirrels, hares and other creatures are plentiful in all of these areas. Jesse mentioned the site filled up quickly when the red salmon are running.

A typical day camping for him and his family consists of canoeing, fishing, cooking over the campfire, and even digging clams when in season.  He said, unlike the Deep South, you can enjoy a summertime campfire without getting too hot.

He also enjoys camping at Hidden Lake, also on the Kenai Peninsula. It rates as one of the best campgrounds in the state and activities include popular fishing streams, bear viewing and lake trout fishing. Jesse’s friend Matt often camps at Twin Lakes in Lake Clark National Park and Preserve, a park reachable only by plane.

Lake Clark has been called "the essence of Alaska", for it concentrates in a relatively small area of the Alaska Peninsula, Southwest of Anchorage, a variety of features not found together in any of the other Alaska Parks: the junction of three mountain ranges, two active volcanoes, a coastline with rainforests on the East, a plateau with tundra on the West, and turquoise lakes. Vast numbers of moose, brown and black bears, wolves, wolverines, red foxes, Dall sheep, and caribou make their home here. Slender and 50 miles long, Lake Clark itself reflects tall ragged spires of rock, and salmon and trout run in great numbers.

So if you love to camp and want the ultimate camping experience, think Alaska. Unless you love freezing weather, think summer.

Today’s writing prompt:  Jodie smelled the caribou near her campsite before it came within camera range. She swiped the black flies from her face while she snapped photo after photo. Suddenly…

http://dnr.alaska.gov/parks/aspunits/kenai/johnsonlksra.htm

http://www.hiddenlakealaska.com/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Clark_National_Park

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twin_Lakes_(Alaska)

Camping in the South

A totally different experience from our “beach” vacation spots would be camping in the South. Think warm to hot weather much of the year, vast forests, rivers, and creeks, complete with swimming, hiking, campfires, and bicycling. Camping has proven to be one of my personal favorite vacations.

photo from Wikipedia Commons

I love the quiet times in a wooded area, especially state parks where time moves slower than at home. We like to sleep in, then cook a late breakfast before going to ride bikes, paddleboat, or hike the trails and perhaps snap a photo of a white-tailed deer. The afternoon might be spent napping in a chaise lounge or exploring local attractions. Evening means grilling supper, a campfire, and s'mores. What could be better than that?

Observation point/David Crockett

Two campgrounds are favorites of ours: one in Tennessee and one in Alabama. David Crockett State Park is a state park in Lawrenceburg, Tennessee, located on Shoal Creek and commemorates the historical activities of famous frontiersman David Crockett in the local area. The park was established in 1959 on 1,100 acres of land that includes the site where Crockett had his mills and distillery. A 40-acre lake offers opportunities for fishing and boating. Visitor facilities include two campgrounds and a restaurant. While camping in the heavily wooded area, it’s not uncommon to be visited by wild turkeys, deer, or raccoons.

View from paddleboat

The park's two campgrounds contain a total of 107 sites, each equipped with a table and grill plus electrical and water hookups. Bathhouses provide hot showers, commodes and lavatories.  Campsites are provided on a first-come, first-served basis. While there, we enjoy the paddleboats on Lindsey Lake, wonderful hiking trails that lead down to Shoal Creek and Crockett Falls, and bike riding.

Joe Wheeler State Park is a 2,550 acre park in Northwest Alabama, located along Wheeler Lake. Beside the 110 wooded, yet modern campsites, complete with water, electric and sewer, there are primitive sites for the individuals who want to “rough” it. The park includes a resort lodge, full service convention facilities, restaurant, a marina with 140 boat slips, a 2.5-mile looped trail for hiking and biking, and an 18-hole championship golf course.

No matter where you live in the United States, think camping. My brother and his family also enjoy camping and they live in Anchorage, Alaska. More about this in next week’s post.

What kind of trouble—er—adventure could the characters in your next novel find while camping at their local state park?  

This week’s writing prompt:  Joe pushed through the dense underbrush that flourished beside the hiking trail near their campsite, Mary clutching his hand tightly. He jerked to a stop when…

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camping

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Davy_Crockett_Birthplace_State_Park

http://www.tn.gov/environment/parks/DavidCrockettSP/

http://www.alapark.com/JoeWheeler/Camping/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Wheeler_State_Park

The World’s Luckiest Fishing Village

Labor Day weekend turned into a fun trip for my husband and me when friends invited us to join them at a rented condo in Florida. I have visited various cities along the Gulf Coast of Alabama and Florida, but this would be my first trip to Destin.

Destin, Florida. An 8.2 square mile island, known as the world’s luckiest fishing village, houses the largest and most elaborately equipped fishing fleet in the State of Florida.   Beaches teem with powder-soft sand, some of the whitest in the world, lapped by emerald-green ocean waters. Destin has twelve public beaches, and numerous attractions for tourists year round.

Several events take place throughout the year as well. For the month of October, the annual Destin Fishing Rodeo draws anglers to Destin each year since 1948.  Also in the month of October is the Destin Seafood Festival, where fresh seafood and local artists gather for one weekend every October.

In addition to an assortment of hotels and motels, many high-rise condominiums are located in Destin. The first condominiums in Destin were built in the 1970s, and construction continues today. Visitors play a large part in Destin's economy – the city's population of around 12,000 balloons to 40,000 during the tourist season.

While visiting, we ate at several wonderful restaurants, one being Dewey Destin’s at Crab Island.  Our group feasted on steamed crab legs, steamed shrimp, grilled grouper, and fried scallops. This laid-back place on the water is a must for seafood in Destin. We also shopped at the Silver Sands Factory Stores which boasts over 100 stores.

So if your character needs a vacation in Florida, think Destin. Fishing, shopping, beaches, and restaurants abound, so your hero or heroine will have plenty to do. Oh, and your villains too.

Today’s writing prompt:  Powdered sugar. Gwen sifted the soft sand through her fingers as her stomach growled. Why did everything remind her of food and her strict diet? The emerald green water which stretched to the horizon took her back to…

http://www.cityofdestin.com/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Destin,_Florida

http://www.visitflorida.com/Destin

Vacation Time with Frodo and Aragorn

         New Zealand. An island country nine hundred miles east of Australia boasts lush forest, varied topography, sharp mountain peaks, breath-taking beaches and an enormous lake nestled near one of the world’s most active super volcanoes.

I couldn’t think of a better place to start our month-long look at vacation spots, places you can use in your latest novel or short story. For me, this is a dream vacation, one that like many people started when I watched the first movie of the trilogy, “Lord of the Rings.” I was captivated by the diversity of terrain in this marvelous country and was pleasantly surprised to find there is actually a “Lord of the Rings Road Trip Guide.” You too can take the journey.

At www.newzealand.com , I found an article detailing the trip, with a disclaimer that some of the areas have been returned to their natural state. In some cases access can be limited due to the remoteness of the site. You can, however, still visit some of the impressive natural features that served as a backdrop for the filming.

The original party tree

A good place to start is Matamata, where the Bag’s End and shire scenes were filmed, then onto Taupo region to see Mordor. Wellington boasts many of the workshops and museums which helped create characters and props used in the films. The beautiful Rivendell area is nearby and also the hauntingly stunning Paths of the Dead. The town of Nelson is the place to visit for souvenirs, it being the Artisan community that provided so much of what made the movie props and costumes appear authentic.

The Queenstown area is full of the lakes, rushing rivers, and other water scenes from the trilogy. Helicopter tours of the area are recommended for a different view. Another thought would be to take the MagicBus tours, which you can stretch into a year-long vacation, spending plenty of hiking and visiting time at each spot. Wow!

Bag's End

Time to dig out a few suitcases, a well-made backpack, and good hiking boots and head to New Zealand.

This month’s writing prompt:  Sarah’s hands trembled as she pushed through the crowded Wellington bus to embark on the first stage of her pilgrimage to discover…

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Zealand

http://www.newzealand.com/us/article/lord-of-the-rings-roadtrip-guide/

http://www.magicbus.co.nz/

REMEMBER: OUR NEW PROMPT CONTEST WILL RUN ALL MONTH LONG. YOU CAN USE ANY OF THE PROMPTS DURING THE MONTH OF SEPTEMBER AND POST A 500-WORD SHORT STORY TO BE ENTERED IN THE CONTEST, WINNER ANNOUNCED AT THE END OF THE MONTH…

Writing Vocations - Journalism

Who shapes your public and/or political opinions? Do you read newspapers, periodicals or online news publications? Do you have a favorite news broadcast or channel? If so, journalists are not only involved, but they are helping to shape your opinions. 

Benjamin Franklin Working a Printing Press

The Wikipedia definition of journalism is, “The investigation and reporting of events, issues and trends to a broad audience. Webster’s describes journalism as, “The collection and editing of news for presentation through the media, writing designed for publication in a newspaper or magazine.”

Someone in my family swears that a certain news channel is the only one she can trust. She watches the channel throughout the day. In my opinion, this borders on information overload. When I have to know the news, I prefer to get my information from several different sources. “...in the multitude of counselors, there is safety...” Proverbs 11:14 NKJV

The professional journalist gathers information through eyewitness, personal interviews and research to create a palatable story for presentation on air or in article form. Once she’s done her info gathering, a journalist creates her post or article. The good journalist will keep his or her personal opinion on the sidelines to present an unbiased story.

Journalists are often required to travel. War breaks out in Syria? An earthquake in India? Almost immediately, journalists are dispatched. They go to the heart of the action, sometimes living in extreme situations. As a writer, have you ever done this much research? 

Many writers are journalism graduates, but not all journalists end up as writers. If you include a journalist in your story or novel, I urge you to research the lives of some of our premiere journalists. I've listed a few below. 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christiane_Amanpour

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barbara_Walters

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walter_Cronkite

http://abcnews.go.com/WN/DianeSawyer/diane-sawyers-biography/story?id=9380180

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Brokaw