You dont need to live in the southwestern part of the United States very long to understand the importance of water. Much of the area is desert and for the past 8 years or so, the rest has been as dry as a desert. However, a year ago that changed. Weather systems started to show up with regularity to drop massive amounts of rain, hail and snow over California, Nevada, Arizona and the rest of the southwest. But what brought about this climate change? Was the change caused by those who rain dance? Was it El Nino? La Nina? Tsunami? I dont think so. I believe the drought of the past decade has ended because of one reasonme.

Actually, the drought has ended due to my magical tent. Thats right I have a magical tent. The past 10 times I have been camping with this special tent it has either rained, hailed or snowed. Not just briefly or lightly, but heavily. It started in February of 2004, then again in May, June, August, September and November. In 2005 it picked right up again in January, February and also in May. Over the past year and a half, Ive had the opportunity to hear many people say something like, this is the heaviest rain Ive ever seen! Or, Ive heard them say, it never rains this time of year!

Tent camping in wet weather is not for the faint-hearted, but for those who are prepared, the experience can be very uplifting. For instance, its tough to have a cozy fire when everything is soaked unless youve taken the time and energy to get ready for it. We have a portable fire ring which runs on propane and we use it under our nylon canopy. If we do want a campfire when its raining or snowing, a road flare is an excellent way to get it going. Our camp is never placed in a wash or on the side of a hill. Even though weve received nearly 6 inches of rain in camp during a two day period, weve never been washed away. Here are two great benefits of camping during inclement weatheryou wont have insect problems and it wont be very crowded. For many campers, thats as good as it gets.

The next time you hear something about the drought in the southwest or the next time you hear of flash floods in Arizona, you can rest assured that we are camping in our magical tent and someone is saying, hey, I think its starting to let up, right when the bottom falls out. Use this information and youll Get It Right The First Time. Get Outdoors!

Chuck Fitzgerald, The Outdoor Guy, has written a beginners guide to bird watching call “Learning to Bird.” Visit http://www.birdwatchingebook.com to see just how easy and how much fun Bird Watching really is. Chuck is the owner of Arizona based BackCountry Toys, an online store helping you to have fun in the great outdoors. To get maximum enjoyment out of your outdoor life, visit http://www.BackCountryToys.com where youll find great gear and the Tips & Tales e-newsletter, “FreshAir.” (800) 316-9055.