Grand Trunk Challenges Fans to Break Routine and Hang the Moon

SKOKIE, Ill., Oct. 12, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Grand Trunk, a leading supplier of packable travel hammocks and goods for the road, has teamed up with naturalist and conservation photographer Mac Stone. In partnership with the International Dark-Sky Association and the National Forest Foundation, Grand Trunk is challenging its fans to disrupt the cycle, break routine and #HangTheMoon in a push to reignite their imagination and spend an entire night outdoors. Find the largest patch of open sky and enjoy the landscape and soundscape of a bigger and often unseen world in hopes to inspire people to appreciate the outdoors and become more aware of light pollution. To look upwards, feel small and connect to something unimaginably huge.

"Remember looking up at your bedroom ceiling and getting lost in those glow-in-the-dark constellations?" said Jon Neff, Founder of Grand Trunk. "This is why we are issuing the #HangTheMoon challenge. We want people to go outside, find that magical ceiling to dream to and allow their imagination to wonder about what they can't see in the darkness."

When we think of conservation, we typically think of land, water, and wildlife. But the star-filled sky that begat religions, inspired artists, and guided our ancestors is our collective resource worthy and in need of our protection. The International Dark-Sky Association works to protect the night skies and fragile ecosystems in parks and protected areas. Teaming up with the National Forest Foundation was a natural fit with over 193 million acres of prime stargazing protected land.

"In today's world, we're pretty divided on a number of things, but I think inherently, we all value the idea of wilderness—places that haven't been modified or compromised by someone else's idea of improvement," says Mac Stone, Naturalist and Conservation Photographer. "What many of us might not realize is that no matter where you are in this incredibly diverse and expansive country, you're never too far from wild places whether it's mountains, deserts, coasts, or swamps. We're pretty lucky. Breaking away, even if it's just for a night, to sleep under a dark sky, we get to reconnect with that instinct to stay wild and ignite a new sense of pride for the place we call home. Plus, I think we can all agree that coffee tastes infinitely better after a night sleeping outside."

Hammocking has rapidly grown to be one of America's favorite pastimes. From adventure travelers and college students to campers and backpackers, hammocking provides a calming escape. Most recently, hammocking has been a staple of the "hang out" culture on campuses across the country. It's no wonder too, hammocks provide more flexibility by taking up less space and have the unique ability to be hung from nearly any two vertical objects eliminating the need to find a flat, level spot. The perfect combination of comfort, lightweight durability and easy set-up, you can take them with you everywhere you go. Hammocks also offer the best views of the dark sky, allowing you to suspended weightlessly beneath the canopy of stars.

To learn more about Hang the Moon, the International Dark-Sky Association and the National Forest Foundation, visit www.grandtrunk.com/pages/hangthemoon.  To learn more about Grand Trunk's award winning hammocks, visit www.grandtrunk.com.

About Grand Trunk
Grand Trunk makes goods for the road less traveled, and anyone who values meaningful connections with nature, embracing new cultures, and exploring outdoor adventure. Founded in 2001 by two intrepid entrepreneurs who met while backpacking through Thailand, their shared passion for travel and the outdoor lifestyle inspired Grand Trunk's first line of travel hammocks. Since then the brand has quickly expanded and evolved over the past decade to encompass a wide assortment of adventure travel gear and accessories. To view Grand Trunk's complete range of products, please visit www.grandtrunk.com

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SOURCE Grand Trunk