Showing posts with label camping. Show all posts
Showing posts with label camping. Show all posts

Monday, April 13, 2009

What a Difference a Day Makes


If my trip had only lasted 24 hours, even that would have been something.

It started off at Saddleback State Park. I set up camp, but immediately headed off to collect scent. You see, I had found these little beauties.












So I waited til the sun went down.And I went out and looked for pollinators and took some scent.

And the next morning.... (P.S., I hope Liv is suitably impressed that I have so many sunrise pics.)


I decided to fix breakfast.

And everyone knows that oatmeal is so much better with a little bloodletting and dog hair. Plan B. Search for adventure.

I found some wary friends.I found a black man and his three sisters.

I found some happy flowers.
I climbed a mountain of sand.


All this before lunch even! Wait til you see what the evening held.

Monday, November 24, 2008

Why Being Single Sucks

Liv wrote a lovely post about camping. She took it down or the post is otherwise gone AWOL, so I can't link to it, but it did show up in my reader. It was a great post. She should repost it IMO.

Anyhoo, there was a pic in there of her camp mates. Boy-girl, boy-girl, boy-girl. Even if boy-girl aren't exactly the sort of key-and-lock boy-girl parts type relationship, I did notice it. And I thought how I was talking about going on that trip. It'd've been boy-girl, boy-girl, boy-girl, girl. And being that last girl is sometimes just ugh.

Here's the thing about being single. You notice things like everyone else on a trip having a partner. Take camping. Now the obvious lack of a partner can be alleviated somewhat when one has dog in tow, especially if that dog is particularly popular, but when one has old dogs that must stay home, they do the single person no good. And so there is the pitching of the tent alone. And the organizing of dinner alone. And the single camp chair. When it's daylight it is hardly noticeable. And then there's the whole thing at the end of the night just before tent-time when the talk dies down and the couples move their camp chairs a little closer and then all toddle off to their tents with their partners, hand in hand.

About then, I'm usually opening another beer and trying to act like I'm intensely interested in the state of the fire. There's a lot of "no, no, you go on, I'll take care of this" kind of thing. It's been this way a long time. I have been single a long time now. I keep meeting people who don't share my interests. And I refuse to stop doing the things I enjoy just because I'm single, but I am tired of camping alone.

I had a date with Curtis on Saturday. Yes, I agreed to see him after all that pseudonym business. He likes riding go-carts and bowling. His idea of a great vacation is puttering around on a cruise ship, only stepping off to explore one sandy beach after another. I think my opinion of sand has been well documented. He hasn't been fishing since he was a kid. He's never been camping as an adult.

*deep sigh*

I am really tired of camping alone.

Thursday, November 6, 2008

Kelty Gunnison 4.1 Tent 4-Person 3-Season Review


Another product review. Thought I'd post some of my reviews from online here as well.


Kelty Gunnison 4.1 Tent 4-Person 3-Season
Rating for this product: 5 June 21, 2008

Got this mid-way through a 33-day trip across the American southwest, mostly dry camping on BLM land. I set it up on sand, grass, rock, and hardpan. The first time I set it up, I had to do it in the dark in high winds amid cactus without having read the directions.(This tent was an emergency replacement for a cheaper one that didn't survive the harsh conditions.) Aside from the fact that it is extremely light (be sure to secure at least one corner before erecting the poles), it was a breeze. On clear nights, this tent is fantastic. The sides prevent water and dirt from blowing in and the mesh panels allow for some spectacular star-gazing. The two sided entry is fantastic. My ONLY complaint about this product is that the rain cover is difficult to align properly. Twice I connected 2 of the cover's snaps only to find out they didn't align with the door. They could have avoided all of the confusion by color-coding the snap-locks or the webbing at each corner. I'm going to put a splash of paint on each one. While probably too heavy for backpacking (and too large a footprint as well), it does pack well. The pole, stake and tent bags are roomy enough to stuff the tent in easily. WARNING, the tent stakes are cheap and bend easily. Get yourself some sturdy ones for a buck at the nearest discount/outdoor store. You're going to need them even the first time. This is a fantastic car camping tent and roomy for two adults. I'm sure this is going to be a long-lasting tent. I recommend using a tarp or footprint to increase the longevity of the tent bottom.