August 22, 2020
Let's consider the reasons that we even go camping to begin with. First, at least for me, it's all about the fact that I'm getting out of the rat race that has become humanity and trying somehow to get in touch with my ancestry. While there are plenty of reasons to appreciate modern inventions, there are also many reasons to try to get back to the basics.
Take a campfire for instance. There is something beyond therapeutic about having a nice, crackling campfire. Aesthetically it brings a sense of antiquity to the the experience, while logistically it offers many applications as well, (heat, cooking, signaling, etc...). However, I have found that fire goes beyond these things to the point of proffering companionship to lonesome endeavors. Many a long, lonely night I have found myself deep in conversation with, or in full confession to my campfire. It is a living, breathing entity. So the first option to consider when choosing your camping spot is whether or not there is plenty of dry firewood nearby.
Another thing I personally like to do when I'm out camping is to eat. Eating around a campfire is an act of acculturation as well, especially on a frosty evening when the heat from your food warms you dutifully against the chill of the night. This act alone often carries you back sufficiently to the times of your ancestors, and whether they be in the form of woodland inhabitants, cave dwellers, or people who ran through the sands of the deserts, their spirits arise to comfort you. Therefore, the second aspect of consideration is to camp near an ample supply of water. This is mainly because of the foods I generally choose to take with me. For the most part, I try use beans and noodles primarily, strictly because I like to have non-perishables in my larder. Water, even if it is pond water, can be strained, boiled for thirty minutes, (probably strained again afterwards), and used safely for cooking.
Lastly, my favorite aspect of camping is to watch the sunrise in the morning while enjoying a hot cup of camp coffee; therefore, the last consideration you must have when picking your spot is that it faces the east in order to catch those first few brilliant rays of sunshine, and that it faces something both beautiful and breathtaking.