Wi Fi Goes Camping

The California Department of Parks and Recreation announced that as many as 85 of the state's 278 parks will offer Wi-Fi access this coming summer.

Now for $7.95 per day or $19.95 per month, a portion of California's 85 million car and RV campers can light up their laptops as the campfire burns and the golden brown marshmallows melt the chocolate layer of the s'more. It's an even better deal if you happen to be one of SBC's DSL customers because you'll be able to connect for just $1.95 per day.

I often thought that camping was a means of separating from the conveniences and trapping of the modern world. And yet more and more I see campsites that are more appointed and lavish beyond belief – televisions, radios, boom boxes – the works. And now, laptops. Maybe this is a good thing, perhaps instead of blaring televisions and obnoxious boom box sounds, we'll see campers peacefully searching the web for weather reports, outdoor cooking recipes and even hiking maps. Maybe we'll see kids sharing their days camping experiences with the friends and relatives at home and maybe, just maybe, the connected laptop will replace the televisions and boom boxes. Campers and search providers should all be applauding California's lastest effort to close its billion dollar budget deficit.