Pacific Play Tents Find Me Multi Color 6' Tunnel

Use this play tunnel alone or combine it with the Find Me, Hide Me or Me Too Play Tents, sold separately, for the ultimate play experience. It's made of flame retardant 70 Denier nylon, and it meets CPAI-84 specifications. Features sturdy spring steel construction for lasting fun. Measures 6' in length when extended and 19" in diameter. Collapses down for easy storage.
Customer Review: Fun toy
Great produce with only one real issue. My daughter's hair keep getting caught in the Velcro. I fold the flap over the Velcro to try to prevent this but with play the flap move and eventually her hair gets caught.
Customer Review: Perfect for crawling babies
I bought this tunnel for my nephew who just turned a year old. He loves to crawl and scoot under things and climb into boxes. This was perfect. It easily pops open for playtime and collapses when not in use. Works well on carpet, but moves around a lot on hardwood floors. I definitely recommend it if you've got a curious little one who likes to inch along.

The natural beauty and scenic climes offered at Yosemite National Park compel many tourists to visit it by daytime, but making your Yosemite camping reservations in time will work to ensure you have a head-start on the madding crowds that can gather on a good day, some of whom only come on a day-trip.

To avoid the excessive traffic and to get a good view of the magnificent mountains at Yosemite camping, reservations is the way to go and also cut-back on any disappointment at not getting the perfect camping spot if staying over for the night. If you intend to make only a day-trip, then making Yosemite camping reservations is not necessary

You may have to remember thought that whether or not you intend to stay for the day or over-night camping at Yosemite, the entrance fees are applicable to you as a visitor; these are $20 for private cars or trucks and a license to come and go as you please for a full week! Those footing, biking or riding (horse-back) it to Yosemite will find this entrance pass at a discounted price of $10 per person while frequent visitors (coming many times in the year), senior citizens and disabled persons have discounted entrance passes available for them - you may need to enquire at the park to know about these.

You may find yourself spoilt for choice when making Yosemite camping reservations as there are over a dozen campgrounds to choose from there and all can be very competitive during different times in the year. For example, the Yosemite camping reservations for availing car campgrounds is open all year through in Yosemite Valley while Hodgdon Meadow, Crane Flat or Wawona camp sites can be made from summer season right through Fall. Besides these, about half the camping grounds at Tuolumne Meadows ask for reservations from Summer to Fall with the other Yosemite campgrounds operating on a first-come, first-serve basis purely.

Those keen on making their Yosemite camping reservations need to go through the National Park Reservation System, which is a little daunting for some and even with its 4 month in advance booking convenience, can be bothersome since it works on a strict schedule, beginning always on the 15th of the month, depending mostly on when you intend to make your arrival on the mountain scene.

You can book up to a period of 30 days, which is welcome but this - booking starting mid-month - can be confusing to say the least. For instance, if you want to visit Yosemite from December 15th to January 14th, August 15th is the first day you can make your reservations and if intending to visit between 15th January to 14th Feb, you need to book on 15th September and the list goes on. The summer to Fall season is most popular with all-full signs meeting you square in the face as reservations get picked up within hours of the first day, though you can strike lucky when checking back for cancellations.

Abhishek is a Camping freak! Visit his website http://www.Camping-Guru.com and download his FREE Camping Report "Camping With The Family: How To Have A Safe, Fun, And Inexpensive Vacation" and learn some amazing Camping tips and tricks for FREE. Learn how to have the perfect vacation on a shoe-string budget. But hurry, only limited Free copies available!

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Traveler's Guide to Alaskan Camping: Alaska and Yukon Camping with RV or Tent (Traveler's Guide series)

Detailed routes and advice for heading into the wilds of Alaska and northwestern Canada are provided in this guide for RV and tent campers. This grand tour of Alaska covers in detail the Alaskan Highway, routes throughout the Yukon and Alaskan outback, and the ferry system in southeastern Alaska. Campgrounds throughout the region are listed with pictures, descriptions of amenities, meticulous maps, and contact information for each; campgrounds suitable for large RVs are also identified. Along with important details for a safe trip—such as border crossings, budget planning, vehicle preparation or renting an RV, appropriate clothing, road conditions, and possible wildlife encounters—recreational information on hiking, mountain biking, boating, rafting, kayaking, and viewing wildlife is provided for each destination.

Customer Review: Tent Camping look for other reference
This is great for the RV's not so good for tent campers and Motorcycle Adventure tourers.
Customer Review: Excellent guide
Since we will be camping most of the time while in Alaska, this book is a great guide.

2007 Tucson Bead & Gem Show...I want to put this info down on paper...first for me because I want to remember every minute of this amazing trip, and second because I think that it may inspired some people who are sitting on the fence when it comes to making the decision to take the trip!

Let me dispel some of the misconceptions I had...

1. The Tucson Gem Show is this giant show with tons of booths...not quite...the Tucson Gem Show is actually 46 separate shows and each individual show can house 50 to 500 vendors.

2. After reading the Show Guide and seeing where the shows were located, I figured I would need a car...don't do it...I probably spent a total of $150 on taxis (you would eliminate this cost totally if you stayed at a hotel near one of the venues). Tucson is undergoing a 5 year freeway renovation project and the traffic is a pain, aside from the fact that finding parking near most of the venues is very tough. The city of Tucson provided (FREE) a system of shuttles that went to the various shows, so if your hotel was near one of the shows - you had free transportation from 8am to 7pm every day.

3. You have to have a business license and re-sale number (one show actually required letters of reference from companies you've purchased from in the past) to get into (and buy) at most of the shows...as a student this was a huge fear for me as I no longer have a business. Most of the shows will admit Students without question, some want a student ID. The majority of the venues offered "Visitor" passes and you can buy from most of the vendors. The vendors that are "Wholesale Only" or required a "Minimum Purchase", display that info prominently.

4. You can get amazing prices that will beat the Local Bead Store...True and False! If you are going to Tucson as a designer of one-of-a-kind pieces, while prices will definitely beat your LBS, you aren't likely to get any great deals. If you have a beading supply business and can afford to purchase multiples, most vendors will offer deals by the gram, kilogram, or pound. You need to do your homework - most of the vendors deal in millimeters, centimeters, grams or kilograms, know your weights and measures, nothing says amateur like messing up a weight. One way to get your bearings is say an item is priced per carat...get the vendor to weigh out and price a medium size of the stone you are looking at so you will have an idea what you can find in your price range. At the bead vendors watch them weigh out a kilogram of beads for someone (most will let you mix and match and one vendor gave a $100 in free beads to anyone with business ID)...it will give you an idea of whether this is a deal or not.

5. Looks Matter - you know, the more I dressed down the easier it was to talk to some of the vendors...there are shows that I feel that "business attire" is necessary (the AGTA, GJX & GLDA Shows in particular). But the bottom line on the dress code is "business casual" - if you are like me, you are going to do alot more walking than you have done in a while (and it is continuous day after day), so the most important piece of wardrobe is your shoes!!!

I think the easiest way to do this is by venue...so, come on everyone here we go!

AGTA at the Tucson Convention Center:

This is probably the most high-end and popular show...it will truly leave you breathless. Most of the people I talked to didn't go into this show because they felt it was just faceted stones and diamonds...while that is a big portion of the show it also included beads and pearls (a shape I didn't find anywhere else) and due to the larger market presence and budget of the companies represented, this show is key to learning trends and directions in fashion. When you go into the main Gem Hall and see a strand of emerald beads you have an example of what AAA Grade Emerald Beads should look like. While they may be way out of our price range it gives you an ideal for shopping at some of the other venues.

Trends I noticed at AGTA:

Cuprian Tourmaline: no matter how controversial this stone is, it is beautiful and it is everywhere! In the "Paraiba" color and a range of new colors (I am especially fond of the strong, almost neon quality of the violet) from Africa.

Micro-Beads: these tiny (most are 3-5mm) little smooth or faceted rondelles are HUGE...most vendors are carrying them...but buyer beware the quality varies from vendor to vendor and from strand to strand. These are being shown in Emerald, Ruby, Sapphire, Mixed Corundum (Ruby, with Blue and Yellow Sapphire), Emerald with Mixed Corundum and Diamonds (all colors, blue, champagne, yellow, cognac, milky white and clear white).

Diamonds: not only in the micro-beads but also really cool looks using natural rough diamond crystals. These came in a variety of styles and looks from 1ct crystals caged in 18kt gold to nugget beads chained together - Rosary style!

Pearls: I must say that pearls were in abundance with strands of every color, shape (crosses, biwa, mabe', keshi, coin, potato, rice, button, even faceted) and size (micro 3mm to 12-16mm). Several vendors are showing the keshi pearls in new shapes...some have the ruffled lettuce-edge, some shaped more like leaves, side-drilled, center-drilled...I guess I'm saying if you like keshi - it is still big. I really felt I had probably seen every shape when I saw something that was really unique. One vendor (I didn't see them anywhere else and I am kicking my self for not picking up a strand) had really beautiful champagne pearls that were a nice round pearl (approx. 9-10mm) with just a little of that "keshi" lettuce edge coming off one side, they really were beautiful...ah well!

OK let's do a quick tour of the AGTA Show at the Convention Center:

After checking in (which BTW I would suggest you do before going to Tucson - most shows allow you to pre-register) you walk down a hall filled with photographic displays and individual booths manned by all of the various trade organizations that support the Jewelry Industry (both in the US and Internationally) and all the major schools and testing laboratories are also represented.

The first major Hall was the "Designer Pavilion" housing work by people you have only seen in the pages of glossy fashion & society magazines along with the 2007 AGTA Spectrum Award Winners (AGTA Spectrum Awards is an annual natural colored gemstone & cultured pearl jewelry design competition.). You can see the winners here: http://www.agta.org/consumer/spectrum/2007winners.htm

Next you visit the Main Gem Hall - literally aisle after aisle (17 rows back to back) of some of the most spectacular gems I have ever seen...most humans will never in their lives see gems of this quality! There was also a small display of some of the museum-grade gems that have been donated to GIA's private collection and small grouping of items from the traveling exhibit from the Smithsonian Institution.

Gem Hall II housed the new "Colored Diamond" area and very interesting and surprisingly affordable "Estate Jewelry" area all along side several rows of Metals, Findings and Tools vendors. Tucked in the corner of this room was a surprise that I wasn't aware of MJSA was offering a series of seminars called "At The Bench..." each subject was different but in total gave a great representation of the industry. For a list of seminars see: http://www.agta.org/consumer/tradeshows/gfseminars.htm

OK, Moving On...Tucson Electric Park, here we go...

When you take the GemRide shuttle to the Electric Park you enter between the two seperate shows the Tucson Electric Park Show on the left and the Electric Park RV Show to the right - we are going to start with the larger of the two shows.

For those of you who are wondering Tucson Electric Park is a Sports Complex, home of the Arizona Diamondbacks and Spring Training Camp for the Chicago White Sox.

This is probably the most rugged venue...you not only need comfortable shoes for this site but rugged, comfortable shoes! The entire event is outdoors on gravel. Most of the shows are open to the public with just a couple roped off as "for wholesale only". That doesn't mean that you can't get wholesale deals here, just offer your re-sale number and a sizable order.

There is one HUGE main tent this was anchored by a large Indonesian company that carried an assortment of products (I particularly loved the carved burls) and Southwest Silver on one end and Kents Tools and Alpha Supply on the other. With an assortment of various shops in between...a few carving shops (one of my favs was here), some rough, some beads, a couple faceters and lots of finished jewelery.

This tent held my attention for hours...Alpha Supply (very friendly and helpful folks) had demos going on everyday...Tony Aldrige would demo any feature of the Foredom that was important to your field; Ed Johnson cut Ocean Jasper to the pattern on the stone in an amazing demo of the new "ring" saw, it is like haveing a scroll saw for stones (this may be my next major purchase) and several different people did faceting demos...and my personal favorite demo was the Tools by Miland booth...a tool geeks haven!

As if this wasn't enough there were two other tents that housed tool companies...the Diamond Pacific Tent and the Crystalite Tent. The other large tents housed Village Originals - yes their product looks just as good in person; Blake Brothers (Wholesale Only!); the balance were an eclectic mix of products, rough, jewelry and even clothing! There was a very cool company (can't remember the name, unfortunately) that would wire-wrap a piece that you bought while you waited...great idea! I got my favorite purchase from Wild Ginger Imports - an incredible selection of moths, beetles and a leaf bug (yes real!) behind glass in a shadow box.

Most of the other vendors either had their own tent or were in the open space in a central booth "village" area! This was definately the venue to find great deals on gem rough, jars of opals, agates of all kind, jade and really nice rugs & wood carvings.

Now - to the real reason I spent so much time at the Electric Park, the Electric Park Learning Center: http://www.electricparklearningcenter.com/

This couldn't have been a more welcoming venue - friendly staff and truly world class instructors. Their schedule was very complete and was a great fit with the other seminars available...from Beading to Faceting (including an entire day of faceting from across the pond, with Scot - Danny Hargreaves - he was a wealth of information and a eager to share his craft)

For me, the highlights were...
Setting a Stone Within a Stone - Hans Durstling
Selecting Good Faceting Rough - John Franke
Selling Your Craft - Tony Aldridge
Getting the Most from Your Diamond Saw - Bill Ritter
Cabachon Cutting, Step-by-Step - Bill Depue
Tumbling for Jewelers - Ed Johnson
Drilling Holes in Gem Material - Bill Ritter

Check the links above for info about the offerings for 2008!

Robyn Hawk is a Freelance PR & Marketing Professional working for the last year as the Marketing Representative of GemsDB. This position allows her the time necessary to persue her lifelong dream of achieving a GG (Gradute Gemologist) from GIA (Gemological Institute of America).

She can be reached at: robynahawk@msn.com

Eureka Tetragon 8 Adventure 8- by 7-Foot Four-Person Tent

A great choice for car camping, base camp, or three-season backpacking, the Eureka Tetragon 8 rectangular dome tent comfortably sleeps four people. The double-coated StormShield polyester fly and the polyester bathtub floor combine to provide excellent weather protection. This free-standing, two-pole tent is quick and easy to set up with its durable shockcorded fiberglass frame, ring and pin attachments, and color coded webbing.

It's well ventilated, thanks to two vents and large areas of mesh in the side walls. The double-coated polyester hooded fly won't stretch, and it allows front and rear windows to remain open even in rain. Other features include:

• Twin track zippers for separate operation of the window in the door
• Brim over twin-track, side-opening door offers protected front entry
• External guy points on the fly help secure your tent in high winds
• Natural green color scheme blends into any campground
• Hanging gear loft and two detachable interior storage pockets
• Mesh panels allow for clip-in accessories
• Tent, pole, and stake bags included

Specifications:

• Area: 63.75 square feet
• Floor size: 8 feet, 6 inches by 7 feet, 6 inches
• Center height: 5 feet
• Wall fabrics: 1.9-ounce 75D 210T polyester taffeta with 800mm coating
• Floor fabrics: 1.9-ounce 75D 210T polyester taffeta with 800mm coating
• Fly fabrics: 1.9-ounce 75D 185T StormShield polyester with 800mm coating
• Pack size: 6 by 26 inches
• Weight: 8 pounds, 6 ounces

About Eureka
Though the exact year is unknown, Eureka's long history begins prior to 1895 in Binghamton, New York, where the company still resides today. Then known as the Eureka Tent & Awning Company, its first wares were canvas products--most notably, Conestoga wagon covers and horse blankets for nineteenth century American frontiersmen--as well as American flags, store awnings, and camping tents.

The company increased production of its custom canvas products locally throughout the 1930s and during the 1940 and even fabricated and erected the IBM "tent cities" just outside Binghamton. The seven acres of tents housed thousands of IBM salesmen during the company's annual stockholders meeting, which had since outgrown its previous locale. In the 1940s, with the advent of World War II and the increased demand for hospital ward tents, Eureka expanded operations and began shipping tents worldwide. Ultimately, upon the post-war return of the GIs and the resultant housing shortage, Eureka turned its attention to the home front during the 1950s by supplying awnings for the multitude of mobile homes that were purchased.

In 1960, Eureka's new and innovative Draw-Tite tent, with its practical, free standing external frame, was used in a Himalayan Expedition to Nepal by world renowned Sir Edmund Hillary, the first person documented to summit Mt. Everest only six years earlier. In 1963, Eureka made history during its own Mt. Everest ascent, with more than 60 of its tents sheltering participants from fierce 60+ mph winds and temperatures reaching below -20°F during the first all American Mt. Everest Expedition.

For backpackers and families, Eureka introduced its legendary Timberline tent in the 1970s. Truly the first StormShield design, this completely self-supporting and lightweight backpacking tent became one of the most popular tents the entire industry with sales reaching over 1 million by its ten year anniversary.

Eureka tents have also traveled as part of several historic expeditions, including the American Women's Himalayan Expedition to Annapurna I in 1978 and the first Mt. Everest ascents by a Canadian and American woman in 1986 and 1988. In recent history, tents specially designed and donated by Eureka sheltered Eric Simonson and his team on two historic research expeditions to Mount Everest, this time in a quest for truth regarding the 1924 attempted summit of early English explorers George Mallory and Andrew Irvine. During the 1999 expedition, the team made history finding the remains of George Mallory, but the complete mystery remained unsolved. Returning in 2001 to search for more clues, the team found amazing historical artifacts which are now on display at the Smithsonian.

Amazon.com Tent Guide
Selecting a Tent
Fortunately, there are all kinds of tents for weekend car campers, Everest expeditions, and everything in-between. Here are a few things to keep in mind:

Expect the Worst
In general, it's wise to choose a tent that's designed to withstand the worst possible conditions you think you'll face. For instance, if you're a summer car camper in a region where weather is predictable, an inexpensive family or all purpose tent will likely do the trick--especially if a vehicle is nearby and you can make a mad dash for safety when bad weather swoops in! If you're a backpacker, alpine climber or bike explorer, or if you like to car camp in all seasons, you'll want to take something designed to handle more adversity.

Three- and Four-Season Tents
For summer, early fall and late spring outings, choose a three-season tent. At minimum, a quality three season tent will have lightweight aluminum poles, a reinforced floor, durable stitching, and a quality rain-fly. Some three-season tents offer more open-air netting and are more specifically designed for summer backpacking and other activities. Many premium tents will feature pre-sealed, taped seams and a silicone-impregnated rain-fly for enhanced waterproofness.

For winter camping or alpine travel, go with a four season model. Because they typically feature more durable fabric coatings, as well as more poles, four-season tents are designed to handle heavy snowfall and high winds without collapsing. Of course, four-season tents exact a weight penalty of about 10 to 20 percent in trade for their strength and durability. They also tend to be more expensive.

Domes and Tunnels
Tents are broadly categorized into two types, freestanding, which can stand up on their own, and those that must be staked down in order to stand upright. Freestanding tents often incorporate a dome-shaped design, and most four-season tents are constructed this way because a dome leaves no flat spots on the outer surface where snow can collect. Domes are also inherently stronger than any other design. Meanwhile, many three-season models employ a modified dome configuration called a tunnel. These are still freestanding, but they require fewer poles than a dome, use less fabric, and typically have a rectangular floor-plan that offers less storage space than a dome configuration. Many one and two-person tents are not freestanding, but they make up for it by being more lightweight. Because they use fewer poles, they can also be quicker to set up than a dome.

Size Matters
Ask yourself how many people you'd like to fit in your fabric hotel now and in the future. For soloists and minimalists, check out one-person tents. If you're a mega-minimalist, or if you have your eye on doing some big wall climbs, a waterproof-breathable bivy sack is the ticket. Some bivy sacks feature poles and stake points to give you a little more breathing room. Also, if you don't need bug protection and you want to save weight, check out open-air shelters.

Families who plan on car camping in good weather can choose from a wide range of jumbo-sized tents that will accommodate all your little ones with room to spare. A wide range of capacities is also available for three- and four-season backpacking and expedition tents. Remember, though, the bigger the tent you buy, the heavier it will be, although it's easy to break up the tent components among several people in your group. It's also helpful to compare the volume and floor-space measurements of models you're considering.

Customer Review: Not for breezy conditions
The rainfly on the Tetragon 8 that I received was the problem. It has two shock corded short poles to hold the rainfly above the doorway, and above the rear window. By Day 2 of a 7 day camping trip, after a brief summer storm with slight wind, the poles had broken out of their little sleeves and torn small holes in the rainfly, causing the doorway overhang to fall over the door. The back window situation was a little better in that the poles didn't completely break through. That said, the tent did not leak, which is the only reason I'm even giving it a 2. The tent is useless to me now, and I will not make the mistake of purchasing another Eureka with such a flawed design. I am a veteran camper, and have other tents. I was hoping the Eureka, as a lightweight tent, would offer me a viable and economical alternative. It did NOT.
Customer Review: Good tent for light camping
I purchased two of these tents for use by family while weekend camping at the river. The tents went up easily and appeared to be of good quality. They would be good for light back packing or car camping. They are not meant for four season camping or in heavy weather. Well worth the money.

One of the biggest parks in Southern Africa, the Richtersveld Transfrontier National Park was established through a treaty signed in Windhoek between South Africa and Namibia. This treaty meant that the border between the two countries was opened where the Namibian Hot Springs Game Park met with the South African Richtersveld National Park. The cooperation has resulted in the creation of a massive tourist attraction.

With over five thousand square kilometers of land, the Richtersveld National Park is a massive display of the unique beauty of this dry region. The park is perhaps best known for the Fish River Canyon, which people often compare to the American Grand Canyon, yet the biodiversity of this arid region cannot be ignored.

In the early hours of the morning a fog moves in from the Atlantic Ocean, providing moisture for the hardy succulents that make a home for themselves between the rocks that give this area so much character. The expansive mountain dessert region is host to an impressive variety of smaller reptiles, birds and animals. Some of the plant life is unique to the area, and visitors will appreciate the character-rich quiver trees, tall aloes and peculiar half-mens which stand firmly in defiance of the elements.

When visiting the Richtersveld Transfrontier National Park make sure not to leave without spotting the Rock Hyrax, the entertaining Ground Squirrels, the Jackal Buzzard or Hartmann's Mountain Zebra. There are many projects being developed by the park's management, including guided vehicle tours, hiking trails, camping areas, river rafting and canoeing, mountain biking, horse and camel trails as well as botanical, ornithological, geographic and cultural tours. Contact the park to ensure that your activity of choice will be catered for.

The formation of this park, and in particular the incorporation of local people into the park's management, has been sighted as a role model system and as a fresh way of operating conservation areas. There is also talk of expanding the park in the future, possibly to the extent that it will incorporate or merge with Iona National Park in Angola and the Augrabies Falls National Park in South Africa. Such expansion would see the formation of the world's third largest conservation area, covering some nineteen million hectares.

It is essential to have a high clearance vehicle to access the park, with a 4x4 being by far the best option. City vehicles or sedans are not allowed into the park.

Visit the spectacular mountain desert of the Richtersveld National Park on the border between Namibia and South Africa.