Quote:
Originally Posted by KSH
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It's not so much about "sleeping" (that's what curtains are for), as it is being able to enjoy the darkness, the campfire, the moon light, and the stars. The night camping ambiance is completely destroyed when the Las Vegas strip gets light up.
I live in the country and even though we have neighbors on both sides of our property, it's dark out here with corn and bean fields for wonderful vistas to experience looking out your back yard or across the field.
The stars and the moon are marvelous. The eyes adjust to the darkness and I can see every item in the yard, especially my little dogs when they run around outside looking for a place to "go". When the moon is lit, there's enough light to see completely across the field (a mile) to the next tree line. I've often seen coyotes running across the field in the dark.
But when the porch light comes on, the eyes are completely blinded, you can't see anything except what is RIGHT in that light.
People who leave their lights on all night just don't get it. You can actually see better, especially movement, in the dark without artificial light than you can with artificial light.
Plus, as we discovered in the mountains of North Carolina, if the artificial lights are left off, the deer will actually come into your campsite while you are sitting there. Now that's awesome!
I took my grandson on a night hike at an Indiana State Park. I had him turn the flash light off and navigate the trail in the dark. After his eyes adjusted to the dark, he was amazed how much he could actually see. And then he realized there was nothing to be afraid of "in the dark", because the "dark" really is not all the dark ... once the eyes adjust. I think we walked over a mile that night.
THAT is why some of us want the darkness.