"It is not easy to be a pioneer but oh, it is fascinating! I would not trade one moment, even the worst moment, for all the riches in the world." — Elizabeth Blackwell
Most importantly, I learned to enjoy life regardless of a little discomfort (and sometimes a lot of discomfort)
Growing up in Washington State, I spent a lot of time in the forest. For all its wonder and beauty, camping is never as comfortable as a bed indoors. And yet, despite the discomfort (and perhaps sometimes because of the discomfort), memories of camping adventures are some of the happiest memories of my life.
Over the next few days, I'll be reflecting on my adventures camping in the forest... including the time when an elk sniffed deeply against my tent when I had brought my college friend out on her first camping trip. Or the time my friend and I went backpacking and I had picked up my sleeping bag from another friend's house... and when I unpacked the sleeping bag to bed down for the night, I found that her cat had used it as a toilet for the month she had borrowed it.
Needless to say, that was a very cold night. 🥶
But sitting next to the river in the morning, smelling the wet earth on the bank of the river, having coffee and watching the sun creep down the trees on the other side of the water... well, as the quote says, I would not trade one moment -- not even the cat pee moment -- for a life of comfort. (though I did wash that sleeping bag. I'm not an idiot)
There are more important things in the world than living in comfort. For me, adventure tops that list. And since you're reading this, I think you probably know what I mean.
If you also love camping and haven't tried Mountain Hideout, we still have a few products left before we embark on our new forest-scented adventure: https://liveoutlaw.com/collections/mountain-hideout
