Camping and Coconut Trees - Outdoors Article

By:Bill Thomas

Fall is a great time for camping. It's much more enjoyable and tolerable this time of year especially if you're doing it the old fashioned way with tent as opposed to R.V., cabin or some other method. Sleeping in a tent becomes a pleasure again as the nights become cooler, the bugs less irritating, and the evening campfire one of those primordial pleasures that entices you to sit and watch for hours on end.

Living in Maryland, I've camped at numerous parks. One of the most popular places for recreational activities is the Eastern Shore of Maryland. It offers lots of fishing and water sports. Assateague Seashore is one of the most popular and well visited locations. It offers beachfront camping, wild ponies, and mosquito's that will take a pint of blood at a feeding. One of my favorite places to camp on the shore is a place called Tuckahoe State Park. It's located right outside of Denton, MD. It's strictly a site for those who enjoy the outdoors with no frills. There isn't a lot of activities to be had other than fishing and that suits me just fine.

A few years back, Carol and I spent a weekend down there and took along my brother Dave and her son Stan. Dave and Stan both loved fishing so we figured they would both have a great time down at the huge lake and rivers that run through the park. Stan was the youngest and about 13 at the time. This is important as you will find out later on. We arrived at the park early that evening, set up the tents, and settled in for the night. The next day Dave and I got up early and went into town to get some ice and food. We stopped at a local SuperFresh in Denton. We grabbed some things and I noticed that Dave had a couple of coconuts in his hands. That was sort of strange I thought, since I never knew of him to eat them. I asked him when we got in the car, "what's with the coconuts"? He smiled and said ''ahhh, just a little something I got in mind".

Later that evening, after a day of fishing, we were all back at the campsite, and it had just gotten dark. Dave walked off into the woods behind the tent. A few minutes later we heard, "oowll" as Dave let out with a yell. He came out of the woods rubbing his head and holding a coconut. "This thing fell out of the tree and hit me on the head. Damn coconut trees" he said. Of course, I knew what was up then and said nothing. Stan just kind of looked at him and the coconut with amazement. A couple of hours later after sitting around watching the fire and talking, we noticed that Stan was gone. "Where's Stan, I asked?. Carol laughed and said that he was out in the woods looking for coconuts. Sure enough, he had taken the bait! We all sat there and laughed as we could see Stan shining the flashlight up in the trees trying to find some coconuts.

Of course he didn't find any, but he was determined to find some as he was out there in the woods looking for them the next day and evening. I believe we finally told him on the way home that Coconut Trees don't grow in this neck of the woods, and that Dave had bought them at the store. This has been a running joke for years. Stan brings it up from time to time and we all get a good laugh at it. I can't recall how the fishing went that weekend, but we have a memory that will last a lifetime with 'Stan, the Coconut Hunter'.

Digg del.icio.us Blink Stumble Spurl Reddit Netscape Furl

Article keywords: camping, maryland camping

Article Source: http://www.articles2k.com

Traveling Across Country by Train
Boating Misadventures With Captain Bob
Earn Lifetime Residual Income

Top Outdoors Articles
1). Ken-Bar and Yerf Dog Quality Go Carts By : Mitch Johnson Consider the following Go Carts for your weekend pleasure..
2). Some Tips On Backpacking By : Stanley Emerson Travelers around the world enjoy seeing the sights and wonders of different places with only a backpack for all the things they need. Because they only have a pack on their backs, the possibilities of new sightseeing and activity adventures are limitless. But of course, before you head for a faraway hiking adventure with your backpack, you must make sure that you bring all the things you need to put in your backpack.
3). Fall Foliage Scenic Drive in Connecticut By : Cliff Calderwood Fall foliage scenic drives in Connecticut include the Long Island Sound coastal routes, and the Litchfield Hills in Northwestern Connecticut. These areas offer dramatic scenic drives any season, but for me, the trip that comes alive in the fall is nestled in eastern Connecticut’s "Quiet Corner" and is Route 169. This is a gem of a fall foliage scenic drive in Connecticut.
4). Vespa Scooters By : Mitch Johnson Consider the Grand Daddy of Scooters before you buy one.
5). What Is a Dunk Tank? By : Dunk tanks are fun at festivals and can rise a lot of money. Most dunk tanks are so easy to set up it only takes one person and it is easy to maintain and operate one as well
6). Barbecue Tips For Better Taste By : Daniel Roshard We all know that for some reason there are a lot of people that volunteer to be responsible for the grilling and barbecue at every event that has this option, and many times the barbecue is destroyed for a wide variety of reasons
7). Fun Things to do Outdoors with Your Family By : Barney Garcia Spending time with you family is vital for building healthy relationships with each other. Starting spending time with your kids when they are young will strengthen your relationship, get them physically active, and teach them how to have fun without video games or T.V.
8). African Safari Preparation By : Michael Russell If you are planning on going on an African safari, the last thing you would want to do is spoil the trip right out of the chute by forgetting some essential things. Make yourself a list of things to do and check everything off as you go along. There are some important things to consider before you head to Africa. You will want to wear comfortable, but protective clothing on your safari.
9). Surprises at every turn - coastal treasures, rugged Northern Cascades - amazing Northwest By : gordonh I couldn’t believe it. The big plan: stay in nice Bellingham, Washington motels, and alternate that with camping in the countryside slightly north of Bellingham. We were off to the coast to visit our little girl going to college in Bellingham, Washington at Western Washington University. We should have realized when we were getting camping reservations.
10). Hammock Care- Cleaning and storing hammocks with spreader bars. By : Neisha Bjorklund Don’t plan on machine washing these types of hammocks for they usually have non-removable spreader bars, which makes machine washing not possible. If you plan on hand washing these particular hammocks simply lay the hammock on your driveway or deck, any hard surface that is free of debris. Using a bucket of water with mild detergent, and a soft bristle brush, clean the hammock bed on one side, then flip the hammock and clean the other side the same way.

New Outdoors Articles
1). Essential Hiking Equipment For Your Safety By : Ken Snow Taking a hike means expecting the unexpected, so it is best to be prepared for some of the more common things that can occur on a daylong or weeks-long trek.
2). Enjoy Great Summer Activities in the Heart of the Rocky Mountains By : Shane Winter Park has so many outdoor activities to choose from, you could spend the whole summer here and never see and do everything. Regardless of the activity you choose, you will enjoy some of the most spectacular views of the Continental Divide that Colorado has to offer. A 600-mile trail system spreads throughout Winter Park and the Fraser Valley.
3). Hiking the Continental Divide in Winter Park, Colorado By : Shane 600 miles of trails stretch throughout Winter Park and the Fraser Valley. Whether you choose to follow a babbling brook, stroll through a wildflower meadow, or climb up the side of a mountain, Winter Park offers hiking for every skill level. Winter Park Resort has 50 miles of trails that are accessible by chair lift. At the top of the lift you will find the Sunspot, which is a great place to get a bite to eat and enjoy the 360-degree views of surrounding mountains.
4). A Few Words In Praise of Birds By : Barbara Freedman-De Vito Why do birds appeal to us ? Most people enjoy the sight of birds, even people who have never been active birdwatchers. Although birds are less like us in appearance and habits than our fellow mammals, birds undeniably hold a special place in our hearts. One reason that birds capture our imaginations is that they can fly, while we remain trapped here on earth.
5). Tents By : Puja Tents are used for any occasion and event. You can look tent as an open-air shaded pavilion, or a climate controlled banquet hall, practically overnight. It can be used to complete any of your goals regarding outdoor events. Tents are used for events, meetings, weddings, parties, and promotions. Tents are not only a shelter but provide elaborate and elegant environment.
6). Party tents By : Puja Tents can play a big part in any event. Whether it is to keep the participants dry in the rain or provide cool shade in the sun. Party tents are extremely versatile shelters for outdoors and backyard events. Weather there is wedding, birthday party, celebration, block party, an outdoors wedding/reception or simply get-together picnic for that party tents are best.
7). Easy Camping Food: Devour Delicious and Easy Camping Food in Minutes By : Karin Manning Copyright 2006 Karin Manning It’s true. You too can now enjoy the same quality meals you enjoy in your home kitchen in your campfire kitchen with little fuss. Meals around the campfire are just as much the centre of camping life as meals around the kitchen bench at home. It’s possible to unleash the gourmet campfire chef within you when you know how to make your campfire work for you! For an experienced outdoorsman, the key to good outdoor cooking is both simplicity and creativity.
8). Adventure Summer Camps - Tips For Finding The Best Ones By : Oliver Turner The true reason behind any adventure summer camps is to send the children somewhere where they will not only have a great time but will learn and grow as a person. The adventure summer camp programs that you are searching, should offer a wide range of adventurous activities to choose from. If the summer camp is a special type camp, then their summer camp programs must focus on the specialty areas.
9). Moonlight Hiking By : Steve Gillman I started moonlight hiking when I was a teenager prowling the streets and fields of Michigan. I later found that if I timed my backpacking trips to coincide with a full moon, I could hike every night. The two primary motivations for doing this are the adventure and mystery of night hiking, as well as the practical advantages that it has. Moonlight Hiking - A Unique Experience It's a great experience to hike away the hours of the night under a full moon.
10). Riding the trains in Italy By : Katy Hyslop The first time I arrived in Italy by train it felt completely different to anywhere I’d travelled already. It was the summer of 2000 and I had been travelling for a nearly 2 weeks. I was more than relieved when the train pulled out of Nice on that bright August morning, what a misnomer, Nice was in my eyes not very nice at all. So when the train wound.