In my younger days, I made a point of hiking and camping on a weekly basis. Even in college, my buddies and I would drive out of the city and into the Cascade Mountains, far from the hustle and bustle of urban life. We took pride in building our own fire, pitching tents and fishing for our supper. This practice taught us self-reliance and a better appreciation for nature’s splendor.

Now that I’m older and married to a woman who’s not so enthusiastic about “roughing it,” I’ve had to make some compromises. For starters, we only go camping once or twice a year. One of my wife’s stipulations is that we have quality accommodations, including air mattresses and portable heaters. That way we can enjoy the tranquility and pastoral pleasures of the outdoors before retiring to a rather civilized slumber.