A couple of hours drive from the center of downtown Los Angeles lies the famous mountain resort of Big Bear Lake.

High in the San Bernardino National Forest, this area has been part of the Southern California scene of 100 years. In fact, the lake did not become a lake until 1885 when a dam was built across a small creek running through the mountains.

While its neighbor a few valleys away, Lake Arrowhead, always got a lot more publicity, Big Bear Lake has almost been the better place to spend some time. I know. I speak from experience.

I can remember as a kid back in the 1960's going with my parents to Big Bear. In fact, they loved so much that they bought a cabin in one of the local communities of Fawnskin, to which they eventually retired.

What do you want in a mountain vacation spot?

In the summer, Big Bear Lake is a boaters dream. The fresh water lake is seven miles long and approximately one mile across at its widest point. It has a maximum depth of 72 feet and over 22 miles of shoreline. Lake activities include fishing, water-skiing, jet skiing, sailing, swimming and boating. In fact, one of the attractions is a solar observatory in the middle of the lake.

Winter brings about 100 inches of snowfall and temperatures in the low 40s during the day and mid 20s at night. Numerous Big Bear Lake ski resorts cater to all winter sports enthusiasts. And the best thing is, after skiing for the weekend, you are back home in a very few hours.

But there are many other sports available at big Bear Lake.

Trekking and hiking is great with places that can accommodate families with kids and well as the experienced 'mountain climber". Watch bald eagles soar above the mountain tops. Horse back riding does not get any better than this. A few minutes into the words, and you think you are Benjamin Davis Wilson (Los Angeles's first mayor) who 'discovered' Big Bear. You can even pan for gold since Big Bear had its own gold rush back in 1860.

Accommodations at Big Bear Lake suit everyone's requirements and budget.

There are campgrounds and parks where you can hook up your RV. Cabins for a family and luxurious hotel suites for the honeymooners at an elegant European chateau-style furnished with antiques. Many personal family homes are available for rent as well as several bed and breakfast locations. And you will be pleasantly surprised at how well you budget will also be treated no matter what style of lodging you choose.

Big Bear Lake fully lives up to its motto: "It really is a breath of fresh air" and with style.

We used to do a lot of camping when the kids were little and we all really enjoyed it. Camping vacations are more fun when you have the correct outdoor camping equipment. Camping doesn't mean you have to be uncomfortable.

One of the most important purchases is the tent.

They range from one man tents to group tents which can sleep twelve people or more. Decide on the size and if a basic tent will do or if you need something to withstand bad weather conditions. Look at marquees, gazebos and awnings. Make sure the tent has a good groundsheet and adequate tent pegs and poles. You'll need a mallet to knock the pegs in. Some outdoor camping equipment stores sell tent food larders and storage pouches for clothes. The larders help to protect the food from wasps and bugs. You can get cool boxes, picnic hampers and camp fridges too.

You'll need sleeping bags or bivy bags, the more expensive ones will be ok in winter.

Some people like to rig up a hammock and a windbreaker is a good idea. If you want a good night's sleep, there is a range of mattresses and airbeds available, with in built pillows. Don't forget an important piece of outdoor camping equipment, the pump to blow your airbed up! Babies can sleep snugly in a travel cot. They may not be glamorous outdoor camping equipment but toilet tents are very handy, especially in remote areas.

Cooking gear and crockery etc. are very sophisticated these days. There are various cookers and grills to buy. Apart from the usual plates, bowls and pans, you can get outdoor camping equipment like wok sets and paella sets. It's also possible to buy a campsite barbecue, there's nothing better than eating food cooked over charcoal when you're outdoors.

A sturdy set of tables and chairs will mean you eat in comfort and you also need to think about lanterns and heaters. Other outdoor camping equipment to consider is torches, map measurers, first aid kits and midge and mosquito repellent. Don't forget the jerry can and the rucksacks for carrying everything on a hike. Take a pair of binoculars if you want to go bird watching.

Kids need to be entertained and you can take some fun water toys such as inflatable dinghies and sea scooters. It may not always be good weather so some board games or electronic games are a good idea.

Don't forget your pedometer, a piece of outdoor camping equipment which will tell you how far you've walked!

One of the most important decisions for any camper or backpacker is "what tent do I buy?"

Though the answer may not matter much in fine weather, when it starts to pour it may mean the difference between a cozy night in your sleeping bag and a miserable, drenched evening. What tent is right for you depends on how you'll be planning on using the tent. Similarly, your activities also dictate what aspects of the tent are most important to you. If you're backpacking on a long trip, then weight may be a primary concern, but if you're car camping then it's comfort and space, not weight, which will help you find the tent that's right for you.

If you're backpacking, then heavy, base camp style tents will do nothing but weigh you down.

A more standard, backpacker's tent will be more suitable. Another choice still remains; do you want a 3 season tent or a 4 season tent? Generally, 4 season tents are built to withstand the worst mother nature has to offer; torrential rain, heavy snow, and howling winds. They have extra poles and tie downs to make the tent as sturdy as possible. 4 season tents are often dome-shaped in order to eliminate any flat spaces where snow could settle. The trade-off to all of this security is that 4 season tents are often heavier and bulkier than their 3 season brethren.

3 season tents are often similar to 4 season tents in general design, but they generally have fewer poles and are slightly less sturdy.

However, they weigh less and pack lighter. They generally handle wind and rain quite well, but they're not designed to handle heavy snowfall. A few inches won't bother them by any means, but they are unlikely to stand up under heavy snow and are therefore not a good choice for winter camping.

Convertible tents offer a compromise between 3 season tent weight and 4 season tent security; they have poles and/or flaps that can be added in the winter and removed in spring, summer, and fall, allowing you to use the same tent in the summer than stood up to the twenty inch snow in the winter, without carrying the weight of the extra flap and poles. Though 3 season tents can handle some winter weather and 4 season tents work just fine in the summer, convertible tents can be the perfect compromise for the backpacker who wants to hike year-round but can only afford to purchase one tent.

Camping is an activity that takes many pieces of equipment.

People that do not camp on a regular basis find that they can often borrow pieces of equipment from other people. One item that is important to own are high quality sleeping bags. I have found that I do not like to let others borrow our sleeping bags. This is an item that is too personal and expensive to let others use.

When we purchased the sleeping bags that we presently own we spent a great deal of time making sure that they would meet our needs. We do the majority of our camping in northern Minnesota. We have found that even during the hottest months the evenings are cool when sleeping out doors.

Our previous sleeping bags were lined with flannel. This was a cozy feeling when sleeping, but if they got wet in the rain it took them a long time to dry. Also the flannel bags do not compress down as small as other sleeping bags. The small size is important because of the amount of things that need to be packed for a camping trip. The compact size is especially important to consider if you are backpacking into a campsite. If your sleeping bag takes up too much space you cannot get other important items in the pack.

Some people do carry their sleeping bags separate from their packs, but I find it is easier for me to have it inside. Also if it would happen to rain your sleeping bag stays dry in the backpack. When we are camping at a drive up site we make sure that we take along our old bags in addition to the newer ones. It is nice to have extras in case you get rain or if the temperature drops. They also add a second layer of comfort to lie on.

The use of sleeping bags is not limited to camping.

We also take our bags along when we go to the family cabin. They are more compact and less time consuming than taking along bedding. At the end of the weekend you can air out the bags and store them instead of having to wash a load of bedding.

Sleeping bags also provide extra sleeping options when you have more guests than bed space. Kids enjoy sleeping on the floor in the bags. I also put one of our older sleeping bags in the trunk of my car during the winter months. In case I would get stranded in a snow storm I would be able to reserve my body temperature for a longer time wrapped in the bag.

Have you ever been stung? Yikes!

That stuff hurts. Bees, hornets, yellow jackets, they all pack a punch that none of us wish to be on the receiving end of. For me the worst is a wasp sting. These angry little buggers come at you like fighter jets. I honestly think they are out for some grudge-driven vengeance. Who was the human who initiated this rage in their micro-sized hearts?

Okay, maybe it's not quite that personal, but it sure seems that way when we're around them. Am I right? Oh come on, you've surely seen the wrath of an outraged wasp before. I know I have, and I avoid it like the plague. I have been stung on occasion by the best of these stinger-toting bugs, and I have to say that a wasp sting packs the most powerful punch. They're like the 50 caliber Desert Eagle of flying insects.

How do you deal with a nasty wasp sting? In all honesty, I never really knew how to deal with these infectious red bumps. I have to admit I have seen some foul ones in my day. I can remember back when I was 10 years old; my brother and I were plying in a junk yard. Little did we know that there were wasp nests all among us. You know, the paper ones they craft so perfectly.

Well, to our misfortune, we stirred some up by accident. This of course initiated an outrage in the wasp colony. We were basically attacked by a dozen of these sting-happy lunatics. I ended up with 8 wasp stings, while my younger brother took the worse hit of 14. This was not a pretty sight. Our mother of course freaked out. These days I have a slightly better way of handling a wasp sting, or any sting for that matter. There's a nifty little tool you can purchase to deal with stings and even snake bites.

It's actually a survival tool to be more specific. The cool thing is that it works like a charm and won't cost you much. I'm talking about a venom extractor. You can pick them up online for 10-20 bucks at the most. I recommend that everyone have one, even if you are not a big nature buff.

You never know when a wasp may sneak up on you. Those little guys attack out of nowhere. With the extractor you simply place it over the bite and draw it back like a syringe, but without the needle. It works like a suction cup. Leave it on for five minutes and then pop it off. You can literally watch the venom get sucked right out of that wasp sting. You'll only be left with a red dot.

Pretty awesome, huh? Don't let that next wasp sting put a damper on your outdoor fun.

Next time you are out on a hike keep your eyes opened for blackberry bushes.

Blackberry bushes are easy to spot once you have identified them. Their most identifiable trait is the thorns that extend from their branches. It is important to remember where you have seen the blackberry bushes so that you can pick the wonderful berries that they produce. The berries usually ripen on the blackberry bushes in late summer. They blossom with fragrant white flowers in the spring. Blackberry bushes are located throughout all of North America. They produce the best berries when located in the full sun, however you can find them located in shady areas also.

Blackberry bushes can usually be found close to raspberry bushes in the wild. Although wild blackberry bushes produce smaller berries than the blackberry bushes you plant from a nursery, the wild berries are usually more flavorful. It is important to watch for poison ivy which often grows in the same areas as blackberry bushes. Poison Ivy rash is the price that many berry pickers pay when trying to harvest the berries.

The location of wild blackberry bushes were marked and remembered by the Native Americans so that they could harvest them each year. They used the berries to eat, but they also used them to dye animal hides to create a richer darker color.

The early settlers used the fruit from blackberry bushes to cure many ailments. The berries were especially used for respiratory ailments and coughing. Blackberries are also used to produce a rich colored sweet wine by many people that like to produce home made wines. The overall favorite use for these sweet delicious berries is blackberry jam. They also make a delicious pie, if you do not mind the seeds.

If you are thinking of placing blackberry bushes on your property it is best to place them along the parameter where there is not a lot of traffic. This is to avoid getting scratched by the sharp long thorns.

The blackberry bushes should be pruned after they are done producing fruit.

The blackberry bushes should be trimmed back to about 18 inches above the ground. Trimming the blackberry bushes is done to prevent them from getting the taller runners that tend to have more thorns than berries on them. If you are going to plant several blackberry bushes make sure to allow for picking so that you do not get as scratched when picking the berries. Regardless of how close the bushes are to each other picking blackberries is a task that requires wearing a long sleeved shirt. The blackberry bushes also have an extensive life span so you will want to keep this in mind when choosing a location to place them.

We hope this helps You!

Comments and ideas, welcome.