Im looking for a fun place near chicago, il to take my family camping for the weekend. can anybody tell me were are some please. can i get complete details please, it will be our first time going camping

if you and your family aren’t experienced campers you might want to choose a campground that offers a lot of fun activities. something like a koa campground usually has stuff for kids to do, etc. when i was a kid and we did road-trips that was always something we looked forward to.

TUSCAN WANDERWAYS

FIESOLE – MONTECECERI – SETTIGNANO

Before setting out, the best way to interpret your wanderway from Fiesole up to Montececeri and over to Settignano, is to observe it from afar. Take a bus up to Piazzale Michelangelo, one of the most frequented landmarks of the city. From the front balustrade of the Piazzale, look down over the river Arno to the cupola of the Cathedral, and then directly up to the horizon. Fiesole crowns the hilltop in the distance, and beside it, to your right, is Montececeri. It was from this platform that the “first human flight” was attempted following the drawings of Leonardo da Vinci.

Facing the river, walk to the left and round the balustrade until you come to a flight of steps leading down to a small piazza. At the end of this area is a board-map showing the most celebrated buildings of the city.

BUS TO FIESOLE

ATAF bus 7, Florence to Fiesole (20 minutes)

STOPPING AT

Central Station – Piazza Indipendenza – Piazza San Marco – Piazza della Libertà – Piazza delle Cure – Piazza Edison – Camerata – San Domenico – Regresso – Piazza Mino da Fiesole.

WALK TIME

3 hours. Grade: Leisurely.

FIESOLE

A century ago, the walk uphill from Florence to Fiesole was only for the energetic; the electric tram was tedious and long-winded, and downright punishing for the horses dragging their carriages of goods and passengers.

Every Latin historian had something to say about Fiesole. Rambling and strange at times as their stories might seem, they do contain a grain or two of truth. Some asserted that it was built by the Tirreni, others by the Pelasgians, or even by the Phoenicians. It was certainly one of the richest and most powerful of the Etruscan cities. Inevitably, the proud Roman clarion echoed one day along the Arno valley up the hillside and the inhabitants of Fiesole were either slaughtered or ordered to genuflect before the invincible Legions. After the fall of Rome, it was subsequently plundered several times and lost its peculiar qualities. On the old Etruscan and Roman ruins and monuments the new town was slowly built.

In the immediate post-war years the young flower-girl sat at the corner, aggressive street hawkers strolled the streets with cardboard boxes tied round their waists containing their wares, and pitiful beggars, little more than road-rats, sold holy pictures with potent prayers for a safe wayfaring. Poverty was a role to be performed, not social offence, so a Tuscan rispetto sings –

I cast a palm-leaf into the sea:

The waters devour it.

I see others cast lead, and – Lo! For them it sails.

On the way up today we leave behind the old wayside churches, shrines, crosses, great villas once frequented by the Medici, illustrious artists and writers, now oppressed by modern hi-tech buildings in what seems intentional defacement.

To the footsore pilgrim with sturdy pastoral staff and dusty burlap outfit it was a day’s walk to the top, up those exceptionally steep stony paths, still in place, which remind one of far-off effort and accomplishment. The wayfarer has given place to turbo buses pouring out streams of camera-burdened tourists.

At present, an open square, some narrow streets, pleasing to the attentive eye, and a number of aesthetically attractive buildings form its personal façade. Indeed, one can find some cloistered nooks with a water-colour artist at work and a gathering of shadows with a writer. A few steps out of town one can come across the typical Tuscan farmhouse with a vine loosely drooping over the doorway.

SANTA MARIA PRIMERANA

The church of Santa Maria Primerana, built on an Etruscan fundament, was already known in the year 966. Enlarged during the Middle Ages, a new façade was built at the end of the sixteenth century. The high alter has a small painting on wood with a Madonna and Child by Maestro di Rovezzano. The transept has two bas-reliefs by Francesco da Sangallo. The glazed terracotta from the workshop of Andrea della Robbia is admirable.

On the second Sunday of May, the Podestà, or Administrator of Justice, and the leaders of the population, or Gonfalonieri, came here to take the oath of office. The Badia Fiesolana and the Amphitheatre should be visited. On the west hilltop is the Francescan Church and Monastery, where ladies were not allowed to enter.

CHURCH of SAN LORENZO at VINCIGLIATA

In the 15th century the Alessandri family, who owned the nearby castle, built a bell tower on which is placed their stone coat-of-arms. The family enlarged the church at the end of the 18th century and its orientation was changed when the façade was built in place of the apse. Over the window is a two-headed lamb and on the tower a curious demon-like blowing two fanfare trumpets. There is a terracotta bust representing San Lorenzo and of a Madonna and Child, attributed to Rossellino, 12th cent.

CASTLE of VINCIGLIATA

On the outer wall are a number of commemorative plaques to eminent sojourners, including such names as Queen Elizabeth and Beatrice, Battenberg, Hohenlohe, Hohenzollern and the Duchess of Russia.

The castle was little more than a ruin when in 1855 John Temple Leader bought it, and much of the land and a large number of crumbling farmsteads and churches in the neighbourhood, and set himself the gruelling task about restoring all of his property.

BEGINNING YOUR WALK

When you get off the bus in Piazza Mino da Fiesole look up towards the Town Hall, the Municipio, at the east end above the town car park. Before setting out, stop to observe the remarkable display of heraldry on the façade remembering the Podestà, and visit the church of Santa Maria Primerana.

Facing the church, take the narrow lane at the extreme right. This is Via Giuseppe Verdi. Look for the sign on the wall to the right

PASSEGGIATA PANORAMICA

while on the left is a red and white mark indicating

CAI-ITIN-1

SETTIGNANO 1 h

COMPIOBBI 2.30 h

Our walk now begins. The roads and paths ahead are copiously way-marked with these red and white CAI blazes.

The tight little lane climbs fairly steeply for a few minutes between villas and houses of refined composition and artistry until it levels out at the top. Don’t be too ambitious. Enjoy a relaxing leisurely pace. On the right is dramatic view over Florence and the background towards the Chianti hills – a sight to slake the thirst of any romantic soul. From this point the city is best seen at dawn or in the evening when the sun is low and the background hills present a sharp edge against the western sky.

Walk forward keeping to the left. Do not take Via Doccia which dips down to the right. You are now in Via Montececeri. Up on the right-hand wall of the corner house is a sign

FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT lived here 1910

After 150m the road levels out again for a second view across the valley as far as the eye can see. Via Montececeri ends after a minute and at the branch take the road downhill to the right, Via degli Scalpellini. Look for the red and white CAI mark. A few paces forward will take you to Via del Pelagaccio which veers sharply uphill to the left. Do not take this road. Walk forward along the straight gravel footpath leading towards the wood. After 200m you come to a board on the right showing a map of the park. The path now takes you through the wood. Swing uphill to the left at the first Y-junction, always bearing in mind to follow the red and white CAI blazes on the trees or rocks, disregarding the blue-red marks. Turn right after 5om. It takes about 10 minutes to reach a handrail on the right and wooden bench on the left. An excellent view over the Arno valley. The Florence soccer stadium is straight down in front in the foreground and the Cathedral and Palazzo Vecchio are just over to the right.

Downhill again, you come to the first stone quarry on the left. A dark sinister hole in the hillside, worthy of a short visit. These quarries were still used until the 50’s. At the nearby 3-pronged junction, take the middle path on the same level that swings to the left.

Do not walk uphill to the left or take the right downhill path. Keep following the red and white blazes. The path dips down, the ground it rough, but you soon come to clearing in the wood where you take left turning uphill; again we can see the frequent on the trees. Look up to the left, up to the cypress trees on the hilltop to get your bearings. Ten minutes uphill, keeping the hilltop to your left, you come to the red-and-white marks on the rock in front of you.

MONTECECERI ————-BORGUNTO

MAIANO

This time take lefthand path to Montececeri another quarry on the right and at the first Y-junction take a few steps forward, then to the left along a short path for a striking view from the top of the quarry face over to the distant hills and down to the valleys.

Retrace your steps and follow this path with the red-and-white marks and after 10 minutes there is an uphill stretch along a wooden handrail and stone steps. The path spirals round to the left until you reach Piazzale Leonardo. A few benches and tables are available for rest and picnics.

The board shows its story.

This place is dedicated to the memory of Leonardo da Vinci’s

first human flight experiment.

An area of strategic position during WORLD WAR II

The translation of stone column reads:

The great bird will rise to its first flight over the summit of Ceceri, filling the universe will awe and filling with its fame all writings and with eternal glory the nest where it was born.

In Leonardo’s own words we read.

“The aforesaid bird, aided by the wind, shall rise to a great height; and in this will be its safety. Should any act of overturning intervene, it will thus have time to regain its equilibrium, when its limbs are of great resistance so that it may withstand the fury and impetus of a descent with the aforesaid precautions and its strongly mounted joints and its nerves of strong raw silk; and with no interference of iron parts, as soon these will break under pressure, or will be subject to wear, and therefore we should not employ them.

Be reminded that the bird shall not imitate any other than the bat, as the membrane affords a structure, that is a connection for the structure, the mainstays of the wings.

Should you imitate the wings of feathered birds, they are of stronger bone and nerve to be perforated; that is the feathers are disunited and so let air pass through.

But the bat is helped by the membrane, which ties all together and is not perforated.

Leaving the Piazzale, take the wide path along the garden wall on the left which leads downhill for a few minutes to a mapboard, where you turn left. Pass the road barrier and soon a small open area of hard ground comes into view on your right with a quaint little church on the corner. This is Piazza dei Pini and the parish church of Borgunto, seated like a seer in the midst of heathendom, which like so many woodland churches, may have been built on the very spot set apart for sacred and solemn rites in honour of some ancient pagan god of the soil.

Facing the church, look to the wall on your left which is marked

CAI-FIRENZE-ITIN-1

Settignano

Compiobbi

SENTIERO DEGLI DEI

This is Via Peramonda, perhaps anciently a military road or a trade route. After a few strides along this road you will see the entrance to a Fiesole Camping Site on your left. Proceed downhill now. A keen eye can enjoy the views over the hills with their large farmsteads and elegant villas which beckon us to discover them.

Turn right when you come to the main road about 20 minutes later. Walk on for 200m to the bus area on the right, which is little more than a clearing at the roadside. Turn down into the wood from the top side of this area and follow the path running parallel to the main road to the left above it. This path through the wood will soon meet a narrow road at a T-junction where you must turn right. Now walk straight on. Do not turn right after a few paces towards a barrier across the track.

Look carefully for the CAI signs on the tree as you enter this rough stony way, suitable for cart-wheels and the cloven hoof. Walk on, there are tall rushes on the right, until you come to a once admirable, yet still dominating, wayside shrine up on the wall to your left. One of the thousand tumbling wayside shrines in Tuscany, worthy of a scholar’s quotation or an artist’s affection. The face of a young cherubim looks down with mock humility as if offering a prayer for burdened wayfarers with a long road behind, and nowhere to go.

In those days gone by a place of worship, rest and refreshment; a meeting point for trivia where you can still meet a farmer with a loaf of bread under his arm, an onion in his hand, and the neck of a small wine bottle peeping out of his pocket.

Walk past a forlorn-looking farmstead further along the road, down along the cart-track through an olive grove. These tracks can become muddy after some rain and are better suited for cartwheels and the cloven hoof. Until a few years ago one could meet beasts of burden tramping along here, and those great white oxen, slow, swaying bodies, already worshipped two thousand years ago as the incarnation of the earth-gods:

And to those also, O Lord, the humble beasts, who with us bear the burden and heat of the day, and offer their guileless lives for the well-being of their countries, we supplicate Thy great tenderness of heart.

When you get to the end of this first stretch, head towards the wood. Don’t take the right-hand turn downhill.

The walk through the wood is brief. In the morning a dew-laden spider’s web lays itself across your face and a keen eye can find regurgitated owl pellets of slimy fur and half-digested bone. at the end the path comes to another old, crestfallen farmhouse with a yard and out-buildings. Walk round it, down between rugged dry walls and along a track covered with Summer dust waiting for September winds to make a sally and bare its humps again. After 10 minutes it leads uphill and on to a narrow asphalt road.

Turn right, downhill to the roadside church of San Lorenzo. Across the valley are the quarries of Maiano where Walkway One passes.

A few minutes down the road is the eye-catching Castle of Vincigliata. On the high outer walls are stone tablets commemorating the sojourn of names such as Queen Elizabeth and Beatrice, Battenberg, Hohenlohe and Hohenzollern and the Duchess of Russia.

At the first sweeping bend after the castle, take the track on the left through the olive groves. There is comfort and security in long, straight paths. Life flows smoothly on. But the Genius Loci appears from behind sudden dips and bends and lives under the uncontaminated blank spaces on the wayfarers map.

Walk slightly uphill to the large renovated building on the right with its chapel standing on the ground opposite. The view from here over the olive groves and cypress trees towards Florence in the background must surely be one of the deepest emotional admiration.

Not far along the track we come to a house on the corner of a junction. This is Casa al Vento. Look for the large cypress tree on the right. Walk round the house and take the rough stony road to the left. Do not be tempted to take the path to the left before the house (Trail 2) or the track from the house leading straight on past the small ruin in the field on the left. Walk slowly downhill. This path is rough and dusty in dry weather, and slippery after rain. There are olive trees on the right, cypresses up to the left, and further up heather taller than a man and plants showing a struggle to survive. After 20 minutes you come to Via del Fossataccio. On the left is a house with a shrine up on the wall. The inscription reads

MONSTRA TE ESSE MATREM.

Note the marks on the wall to the right. Walk straight forward along Via Desiderio da Settignano, past the cemetery on the right, uphill a little between the first houses of the town to the junction with Via S. Romano. Turn right and proceed down to the Piazza. Look at the curious façade of the Società Corale, a building on the right just after the very narrow part of the street.

…even I feel in me to have suckled in with milk the love for sculpture in Settignano where I was raised, and where part of the inhabitants are sculptors… Michelangelo.

Bus number 10 from the piazza takes thirty minutes back down to Florence.

Elisabetta

http://www.newitineraries.it

Teil 1 von 3.
Videoclip vom USB-Camp und dem USB-Floor auf der Pydna.

USB the hardtechno family http://unitedsb.de

USB CAMP @ Nature One 2008

2008 – Auch in diesem Jahr werden wir uns von der Hardtechno Family wieder auf Deutschlands größtem Open Air Festival für elektronische Musik präsentieren. Das USB ist die Heimat und der Ursprungsort für einige der bekanntesten DJs der Hardtechnoszene. DJs wie Sven Wittekind, DJ Amok, Frank Kvitta und ViperXXL sind durch das Forum groß geworden. Mit über 15.000 angemeldeten Benutzern, sind wir das mit Abstand größte Forum für die härte Gangart der elektronischen Musik.

Seit 2002 veranstalten wir das USB Camp und bieten unseren Mitgliedern die Chance sich auch außerhalb des Internetportals zu treffen und zu unserer Musik gemeinsam zu feiern. Musikalisch werden sich unsere besten Newcomer und etablierten DJs des Forums zum besten geben. Den ein oder anderen bekannten Act können wir sicherlich auch wieder für unser Camp gewinnen. Das entgültige Lineup wird in den Wochen vor der Nature One veröffentlicht. Die letzten Jahre haben gezeigt zu welchen Superlativen unsere Community fähig ist und so freuen wir uns auch wieder auf einige unvergessliche Tage im August.

Duration : 0:8:53

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The San Bernardino National Forest is full of great camping opportunities. This time of year you may want to stick to campgrounds below 5,000' as higher sites will be awfully cold at night and subject to snow.

I have a family of six, we are looking for a family getaway no more than a four hour drive away from Detroit, Mi to a camp ground that provides lounging, activities and food for the month of August or a weekend in the summer months, Any ideas?

Why not try Canada? There is a great camp site thats about an hour out of Windsor, in a little town called Wheatley. I actually have spent every summer there my whole life. Its very cosy, and theres lots to do. Plus its on the beach!

Here is the website…

http://www.camperscove.ca/

My grandson demonstrates the "Did daddy see me hitting my sister?" twist-around at a recent family campout. Distributed by Tubemogul.

Duration : 47 sec

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http://www.exploreminnesota.com/
Hi, my name is Paul Sundberg. I’ve been a park ranger for 35 years. I’m an avid outdoorsman and photographer. We started taking my daughter camping in the boundary waters canoe area and state parks when she was only six months old. Our favorite family memories have been made while camping in Minnesota. There is so much wildlife in Minnesota to see, moose, timberwolves, waking up in a tent to the call of a loon. Minnesota has so much public land that you can get out and enjoy spending quality time with friends and family, photographing nature, and just being out there soaking up the great outdoors.

See more about this topic and other favorite places of Minnesotans at

http://www.exploreminnesota.com/myfavoriteminnesota/

You can upload your own stuff too!

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Selecting a summer vacation destination can be a difficult task. When searching for summer vacation destination options, you are likely to see that there are an unlimited number of options available. To select the perfect destination, you are urged to think about what you want and need out of a vacation. If you are a thrill seeker or you live for excitement, you may want to consider vacationing at an amusement park.

In many areas of the world, an amusement park is often referred to as a theme park. If you are searching for popular amusement park destinations, you may always want to consider searching for theme parks, as well. Theme parks differ slightly from amusement parks. The only difference is that there is often a theme present. This theme may involve popular cartoon characters, a particular style of music, animals, or other popular topics.

Once you have made the decision to select an amusement park as your next vacation destination, you will have to find the park that you want to vacation at. To enjoy a vacation on a budget, there are many individuals who consider visiting an amusement park that is located near their home. If you are interested in making more out of your amusement park vacation, you may want to examine parks located in other areas of the world.

One of the many concerns of vacationers, maybe even yourself included, is the amount of activities found at an amusement park. Amusement parks come in all different sizes. If you are interested in traveling a long distance to reach the amusement park of your dreams, you may need to make other accommodations. To eliminate additional plans, you may want to consider vacationing at an amusement park resort.

Amusement park resorts are resorts that have an amusement park, as well as other additional facilities and accommodations. Onsite hotels, golf courses, spas, and restaurants are just a few of the many facilities that can be found at an amusement park resort. The additional facilities and activities are often what make these resorts so appealing. In addition to enjoying amusement park attractions, you could spend the day at the spa or on the golf course.

In the United States, three of the most popular amusement park resorts include Disneyland, Disney World, and Orlando Studios. If you are interested in booking your next vacation at one of these well-known resorts, you are encouraged to book your reservation well in advance. Without a reservation, you will still be granted admittance into the park, but reservations are often needed for hotels, fine dining restaurants, and golf courses.

While amusement park resorts are popular, they are often expensive. If are looking for a way to vacation at an amusement park without having to pay a large amount of money, you may want to consider traditional amusement parks. These amusement parks may offer onsite camping or hotel accommodations, but they are not considered resorts. If you are only interested in the rides and attractions at an amusement park, then you may be able to save money by avoiding popular resorts.

In the United States, well-known amusement parks include, but are not limited to, Bush Gardens, Sea World, and Six Flags. Many of these amusement parks are not considered resorts, just traditional theme parks. All Sea World parks focus on marine life. In addition to park rides, aquatic shows are available. Many Six Flags parks have a Looney Tunes theme. This theme is apparent as soon as you walk in the door and are greeted by popular cartoon characters. Many Bush Garden parks have a safari theme. In addition to park rides, many parks have onsite zoos.

Once you have found an amusement park that you’d like to visit, you can easily begin preparations to reach your destination. Once there, you and your family will have fun vacationing at a destination that is designed to bring out the thrill seeker in you.

We would like to be able to swim as well as rent boats or jet skis

folsom lake or sly park (jenkinson lake) both are not to far

The town Hexham is in the North East of England and can be found from the road A69 or by the central railway station. It is an attractive old town aside the River Tyne with a market. There are old houses around the market square, near the abbey, including the Moot Hall and the fourteenth century Manor Office, which used to be the town gaol.

Horse racing can be found nearby at Hexham racetrack. It is good as a centre for Hadrians Wall modern day explorers.

It was originally the country town of the former county of Hexhamshire. The name of Hexham came from Anglo Saxon. Like many towns in its area suffered from the border wars with the Scots. For example an attack from William Wallace who burnt down the town in 1297. In 1312 Robert the Bruce, King of Scotland, demanded and received two thousand pounds from the town and monastery in order for them to be spared a similar fate. In 1715 the rebellion was unsuccessful and the Earl was captured and beheaded after the battle of Preston.

The Abbey was first built six hundred and forty eight by St Wilfrid. A crypt remains, and incorporates many stones taken from nearby Roman ruins. The current Hexham Abbey dates largely from the eleventh century onward, but was significantly rebuilt in the nineteenth century.

The newly refurbished Old Gaol 1330AD, allows access to everyone. You can the glass lift down to the dungeon, explore the history of the prison. Meet the gaoler and Sir Robert Carey, warden.

Hexham racecourse is situated in breathtaking country just outside of Hexham. It has meetings throughout the year and has excellent facilities for a family day out. It also has a caravan and camping site for visitors wishing to stay longer. An ideal picnic area and nearby for shopping in Hadrians Wall can be found just north on the B6318 off the A6079.

Picturesque country course, lovely day out for all the family and easily accessible from Newcastle, Cumbria and the Scottish Borders.

The local newspaper serving Hexham and Tynedale since 1864 is called the Hexham Courant. It was first launched by J. Catherall and at that time espoused the Liberal cause. In 1977, CN Group had taken over the business and has since continued to grow. Hexham has a town website called Hexham Net managed by the Hexham Courant. It was first launched in October 2003 and continues to serve both the local community as well as to visiting tourists to the Tynedale area.