People who have not ventured out of the city into the pristine wilderness can know little of the serenity and beauty of real nature. And people without a laptop computer will be unable to record the feelings of grandeur I felt yesterday, for instance, on the snowy slopes of Mt. Baker, where all was silent and majestic, with the exception of the rumble of the gasoline generator powering my system.

Earlier in the trip the kids seemed intent on squabbling in the back seat. Now, as they tote the generator together up 2,500 feet of slippery mountain paths, they seem united in a higher purpose I can only guess at. Kids!

In the early dawn hours at base camp, I met a group of businessmen gearing up for a day of mountain hiking. Their leader was the picture of the contemporary outdoorsman -- lean, serious, a man who subsisted entirely on seeds. He had just announced to his charges that the hike would commence at 7 AM and head for the Paradise Glacier, where they would engage in heavy rope climbing through the early hours of the morning.

It seemed an excellent plan to me, and I spoke up to say that, by consulting America Online's recreation forum, and by scanning several GIF photos of the mountain's face, I had identified eight locations most suitable for a successful climb by a group of their skill level.

The businessmen crowded around, eager to see the graphic. Soon I had them seated around me as I dialed up weather conditions in the Rockies, and then took requests. We had finished off our second platter of flapjacks, and looked up stock quotes for a dozen initial public offerings before we noticed the groupleader, and the morning, had slipped away.

It is Friday night in the campground, the onset of Labor Day weekend. All around me are the noisy sounds of campers bedding down. The engine is running. It is night, and the headlights illumine the tents of a dozen campers. Inside their tents, I can see their occupants in pantomime, gesturing at me -- I believe it is a good-natured wave. Hello back at you, friends!

It gives me a good feeling, as I prepare to sign off under the vast starry canopy of night. The world is in harmony, and the moon is in its heaven. There is so much useful information on my hard disk or available online. So much to share, so many ways to help.

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