Natural Night
By the time August arrives in North America, many of us feel cheated. What happened to our long summer days? We sigh as we turn outside lights on earlier and earlier in the evening.
The bright side to the dark is that much of nature needs it for survival.
Owls need darkness to find their dinner and deer need it to hide from predators. Baby sea turtles must have it to find the ocean; moths use it to find mates. It’s even a must for summer birds. Soon millions of them will fly back to their winter homes during the night, using stars to help them find their way.
But, as we know, it’s not very dark out at night anymore, especially near cities. The lights disorient wildlife and bring about the deaths of many migrating species.
Fortunately, compromise between our need for light and safety and animals’ need for survival is possible. We can use lights in fixtures that put illumination where it is needed, and use LED bulbs with a color temperature that critters are less likely to confuse with daylight.
Yellowstone National Park actively protects nighttime views and environments as part of the National Park Service’s Night Sky Initiative. In many areas of the park, you’ll see lights with shields or covers that prevent them from brightening the sky above. Using different fixtures and bulbs can solve the problem immediately and often save money — a lot of money. The International Dark-Sky Association estimates that $3.3 billion each year in the United States alone is wasted through lighting inefficiency.
For more information about what you can do to lower light pollution in your own space, visit the International Dark-Sky Association: www.darksky.org. To learn more about the National Parks’ Night Sky Initiative, see www.nps.gov/subjects/nightskies.
App File
Weather Information
No matter where you roam, there’s a 100 percent chance of weather. Here’s how to stay informed.
The Weather Channel app offers a quick glance at current conditions and the week ahead. You can check hourly weather up to two days in advance and daily forecasts up to 15 days in advance. Other features include extreme weather alerts, weather radar, air quality information, and videos. Free for iOS and Android. https://weather.com/apps?
AccuWeather, in addition to providing daily weather updates, offers a global and local forecast summary for the next two weeks. You can also get minute-by-minute forecasts for the next two hours. The GPS tracker and radar widget provide live wind speeds and alerts for extreme temperatures, severe rain, and storms. The forecast, rain radar, and GPS tracker can be personalized. Free for iOS and Android. https://downloads.accuweather.com.
1Weather allows you to track current conditions and forecasts for your location and up to 12 additional locations. Essential information is available at a glance, with more details a swipe away. The app provides hourly forecasts for the next 48 hours, a 1.5-day detailed forecast, an extended 10-day forecast, and a 12-week forecast. Weather videos, severe weather alerts, moon phases, and more are available. Free for iOS and Android. http://1weatherapp.com.
Campground Spotlight
Rockin’ and RVin’ on the Suwannee River
Spirit Of The Suwannee Music Park and Campground in Live Oak, Florida, draws crowds for its four weekend festivals each year.
A north Florida RV park awaits music lovers and nature lovers alike. If you stay at Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park and Campground in Live Oak during the week, the only music you hear will be the sound of birds calling. But during a weekend performance or music festival, melodies fill the air.
Jam band supporters flock to four huge weekend festivals here each year. The genre has been very successful at the park, probably in part because of its laid-back, natural setting. A fall bluegrass festival is popular, too. And for 27 years, a country music gathering called the Suwannee River Jam has filled the stages. This past May, the headliner was Alan Jackson.
The park welcomes low-key “pickin’ and grinnin’” events for impromptu fun. The “Pickin’ Shed” hosts a bluegrass jam every Saturday night. And children ages 5 to 17 are given lessons and performance tips at three Spirit Kids Music Camp events each year; music camp concludes with a free musical program.
Country superstar Alan Jackson was one of the bevy of national and regional performers who took the stage during the 2018 Suwannee River Jam.
The SOS Café and Music Hall is open to guests three days a week. The café serves breakfast (Friday and Saturday) and lunch (Thursday, Friday, and Saturday) in the front part of the building, and on those nights, dinner is served at the Music Hall area. Sit, dine, and join in karaoke on Thursday evenings, and take in free band performances on Friday and Saturday nights. But wait; there’s more. If you like Foreigner, Bad Company, the Eagles, or Garth Brooks, you will want to see their tribute bands, which play at Music Hall this year. Check the park website to learn when they perform (admission fees apply).
In addition to music, try canoeing, kayaking, fishing, hiking, swimming, and checking out the bat house and bird sanctuary, for starters. Disc golf, bicycling, and visiting the Boatright Barn Museum also can occupy some happy hours. And although it’s kind of warm around Christmastime, the park decks itself out in lights and invites folks to a drive-through experience. Fireworks and real snow occasionally are added.
The campground is in the vicinity of the music action, and it has hundreds of RV sites. Choose from pull-throughs; sites with water and electrical (30-amp and 50-amp) hookups; and some with full hookups. Wi-Fi is offered, and a camp store is available. If you plan to bring a pet or a golf cart, be sure to check the park website before you arrive so you know the rules.
Spirit of the Suwannee is on the edge of the Suwannee River, between Gainesville and Tallahassee, and is open year-round.
Further Information
Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park and Campground, 3076 95th Drive, Live Oak, FL 32060; (800) 224-5656 (music park) or (386) 364-1683 (campground). Email: spirit@musicliveshere.com; www.musicliveshere.com.
Wellness Tip
Skin Cancer Prevention
For many, RVing is synonymous with enjoying time in the outdoors. That also means RVers need to take precautions to protect their skin from the damaging rays of the sun. According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, one in five Americans will develop skin cancer by the age of 70. It’s never too early or too late in life to start protecting your skin from sun damage.
Use broad-spectrum sunscreen, and reapply often.
Following are some tips from the Skin Cancer Foundation.
Seek the shade, especially between 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. when the sun is strongest.
Do not burn. A person’s risk for melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer, doubles if he or she has had five or more sunburns at any point in life.
Avoid tanning and UV tanning booths, as the radiation from them is known to cause cancer in humans.
Cover up with clothing, including a broad-brimmed hat and UV-blocking sunglasses. Clothing can be your most effective form of sun protection. Densely woven and bright- or dark-colored fabrics offer the best defense. The more skin you cover, the better.
Use a broad-spectrum (UVA/UVB) sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or higher every day. For extended outdoor activity, use a water-resistant, broad-spectrum (UVA/UVB) sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher. Apply 1 ounce (2 tablespoons) of sunscreen to your entire body 30 minutes before going outside. Reapply every two hours or immediately after swimming or excessive sweating.
Keep newborns out of the sun. Sunscreens may be used on babies over the age of six months, but they should also be protected by shade and clothing. Children are very sensitive to ultraviolet radiation — just one severe sunburn in childhood doubles the chances of developing melanoma later in life.
Examine your skin head to toe every month. While self-exams shouldn’t replace an annual skin exam performed by a physician, they offer the best chance of detecting early warning signs. If you notice any change in an existing mole or discover any new spot that doesn’t heal after several weeks, see a physician immediately.
Schedule an annual professional skin exam.
For more information, visit the Skin Cancer Foundation at SkinCancer.org or the American Cancer Society at https://www.cancer.org/cancer/skin-cancer.html.