That's good living, my friend...... no pics of your shelter/tent?
We need details..... were you cold, comfy... what worked well.... what will you do differently next time?
Rick
Alright, time for some details.
Temperatures were in the 50s in the day with an overnight low somewhere a bit below freezing. During the day, I wore some LL Bean pants with a lightweight Eddie Bauer zip neck shirt. In the evening, I added a lightweight base layer and an Empire Canvas Works wool camp jacket. I was pretty warm when active or near the fire, but in the late evening, it was pretty cold. I probably should have brought another layer, and definitely would have needed one without a fire.
I neglected to take a picture of my shelter. It was a Skeeter Beeter hammock with a poncho for wind cover. I tried a different style of hanging. Normally I hang it relatively taut and lay in it lengthwise. I had talked to someone who told me it's more comfy to hang it slack and lay in it diagonally. I tried this and absolutely could NOT get comfortable.
After an hour of fiddling with it, I got pissed off and dragged my sleeping bag and pads (one foam, one inflatable) over near the fire pit and slept on the ground under the stars. The forecast was 0% chance of rain and there wasn't a cloud in the sky, so I figured it was safe to do this. I ended up sleeping pretty well and was comfortable in my 10 degree bag with just my lightweight base layer. I actually woke up a little too warm just before dawn and opened the bag a little to vent.
I enjoyed sleeping under the stars and would like to do so again, but I am still thinking about my options for warmer weather. I am iffy about tarp camping when there are more crawling critters and mosquitoes around.
What would I do differently? Definitely bring a few more layers. I could have left them in the car, which wasn't that far away. Dinner was a challenge. I made the instant potatoes in the bag, which was tricky, and my T bone was well done. I prefer medium, but I find cooking over a campfire a bit difficult. I definitely need more practice in this area.
Most useful items:
My Wetterlings, which now has the handle of a roofing hatchet.
I was too impatient to order a new handle and that was all I could find locally. It works just as well but doesn't look that great.
Zebra pot. Obviously there are several different cooking pots that would work just as well, but the Zebra is well constructed, food grade SS, and of course Ray Mears uses one.
Empire Canvas Works Camp jacket. I love this thing. I bought it second hand and got an incredible deal on it, but it would be worth every penny of MSRP. Much warmer than it looks, and the fit is perfect. :thumbup:
Bahco Laplander. To be honest I'd never heard of this saw til recently and never knew it was part of the typical UK bushcraft kit, but I love it. It outcuts my old Fiskars like crazy.
Zebralight. Best headlamp I've owned. I actually carry a spare since it is so useful and not having hands free lighting is a pain in the butt.
As for the Silmarillion, there are definitely some very slow parts, but overall I love it.
