Hi all. I like to call myself one of the original hammock camper in america. Ha!! I know I am not but it is fun to say. I am a native Kentuckian but have traveled all over the US. I started hammock camping at age 18 but have been camping since I was in diapers with my family which consisted of Mom, Dad 5 brothers and me, the only girl. We camped because we had no money to vacation. It began my love of camping that has never faded. I hammock camped alone for the first time with my faithful companion and search and rescue partner Kayia until she passed away at 14 of cancer a few years ago. Then once i married a self proclaimed "City Boy" I quickly turned him into an outdoors man by making work in the TeeTons outside Yellowstone for an outfitter company.

I have worked at a Ski Resort in Colorado, as a Wrangler in Wyoming, Snowmobiled in Idaho, Whitewater rafted in Utah, Dog Sledded in Alaska, Snorkled in the Florida Keys......and the list goes on. I am and adventure junkie, photographer and writer....and now mother of 4 young kids under the age of 8 who have diagnosed autism. I put my hanging skills on hold for the past few years to have our children and learn as much about their autism as I could. Now I use the outdoors as a therapeutic tool and a way to connect my family to nature and the great outdoors.

Finally, last weekend I took the two older boys, ages 7 and 6 and my husband out on their FIRST NO TENT weekend at Red River Gorge. they LOVED it. Yipee!!! 3 more converted hammock campers. Now we will be training the 2 younger kids, ages 4 and 3 in the next few weekends. I am able to find new and exciting adventures and places to take pictures and drag my family along for the amazing ride. I own and run a website called "Hurricane Jeffries" that encompasses our journey as a special needs family. I do my best to encourage other special needs families around the world to NOT be limited by their families special needs but to get out there and find ways to live, learn and have fun together as a family. My motto is "If it isn't fun, then it's just work". The site is www.hurricanejeffries.com

I can't wait to encourage all these families through my own families journey of discovering the amazingness of hammock camping and the benefits of it for special needs kids. My kids are very much "rhythm kids" and adore the swing of a camping hammock. They might just be discovering the hammocks out in nature but I have actually been hanging camping hammocks in our home for the last 7 years to aid in my kids sensory integration issues. We have many hanging in our home right now and I will be hopefully adding some pictures of the therapeutic uses in the home soon.

There is a world of hammocks that so many don't know and I am so happy to have found a forum for hangers. This should be an interesting ride. By the way, on my site there are a few pictures of hammocks hanging criss crossed around our home (even in my bedroom) and the kids enjoying their "swing time". Man, I just love camping hammocks for soooo many reasons. I love that the US is starting to finally embrace them the way they should have a long time ago. Thanks for the forum.