Happy, happy camping!!

[kay]

Sorry for this seemingly pointless post, but I am pretty super happy right now. And yes, I'm more excited and happy than perhaps warranted, but... this is about good camping supplies! Something that I really didn't understand until this week. I have been camping in a cheap little two person tent(with another person) on either cheap air mattresses that rarely survived a camping season or closed cell foam that I thought was comfy (it was compared to the cheap air mattresses). Despite these things I love camping and go every chance I can. Actually I thought my tent was the best tent ever. I liked the way we were camping. However....

In my living room right now I have a new tent with two new self-inflating sleeping pads inside and cute little lanterns that are rechargeable and will also recharge my cell phone. It is the most comfortable camping set up I've had. The sleeping pads are so comfortable that I will never want to sleep in my bed again. I can hang the lantern from the ceiling and not bop my head on it when I sit up. My bf is a super good bf because this was all his idea. Of course my bf can say,"I told you so". But that's ok. He was right, I was wrong.

Anyhoo, I just needed to tell total strangers that have no reason to care, but I am just a bit overly excited about having better camping supplies. Also I promised to post something positive after posting a rant, so this was my something positive.

 

[Tyrantus1212]

I'm happy for you Kay. I've never gone camping in my entire life. Too scared of bats, insects, wild jungle beasts, etc. Some people were shocked to find out that I've never gone camping. When things seem too good for me I too have that feeling, like something bad is just bound to happen. I'm a firm believer in Murphy's Law. I'm also a firm believer in the saying "too good to be true". I'm the king of pessimists. Yet paradoxically in most cases that bad thing ends up being my fear and anticipation of the bad thing - and I'd much rather prefer that over the anticipated bad thing coming true.

As far as this Murphy's Law thing I have, here's a really odd example. Each time I go into a holiday or vacation period, I try to keep the FIRST DAY completely devoid of even the smallest frustrations, yet in the back of my mind I just sort of anticipate them (but that's fine, it thankfully doesn't prevent me from having fun on that first day in any case). I just don't know why I have that first day obsession. Half the time I just confuse myself. If that first day ever goes wrong, I have a plan B - I'd busy myself with some personal research at some point during the remainder of that day - research that's related to my line of work, but not directly to work. That way I give myself the illusion that I'm sort of "working" on that day (or during college, I would have simply studied randomly), and that sort of technique would thus cancel that failed day from being the first day; and the next day I would make an attempt to start over and make THAT the first day. Just hope to start sooner than later and not have consecutive days where something goes amiss. Even one day less is already a significant reduction in a vacation period.

I'm just happy I never actually had to resort to using this Plan B. Let's hope I don't ever get to. I'm just hoping I haven't weirded anyone out with this but I've been dying to share this with someone. I'm wondering if anyone has ever done something similar; curious to know if it's an Aspie quality.

 

[Danny 74]

Enjoy your new camping equipment my dear....! It makes you happy, so go for it and tell.the world......!

 

[Grafum]

Being in the great outdoors is great therapy for me.
Enjoy!!!!

 

[Mia]

This sounds wonderful Kay, with the tent and sleeping pads all in one. I had no idea such a thing existed Carting my tent and roll up pads and sleeping bags and fiddling around with a flashlight in the dark is what I'm used to.

 

[kay]

This sounds wonderful Kay, with the tent and sleeping pads all in one. I had no idea such a thing existed Carting my tent and roll up pads and sleeping bags and fiddling around with a flashlight in the dark is what I'm used to.

They are not together in that sense, I just worded things a bit weird. I wish they were though, that would be great. The pads are simply laying in the tent right now. I have everything set up so I am familiar with all of it before we end up setting up in the dark. Hope we don't do that, but it's happened a few times.

It sounds like you are doing some real camping, aka backpacking. Where do you go? We are just car campers but do use walk in campsites when available. I'd like to try backpacking but haven't had time or people. Hate to try it alone.

 

[kay]

Being in the great outdoors is great therapy for me.
Enjoy!!!!

It's mine, too. Therapist type therapy doesn't work nearly so well.

 

[kay]

Enjoy your new camping equipment my dear....! It makes you happy, so go for it and tell.the world......!

Reading what I wrote last night I realize I posted in a similar way that someone else would announce a birth or engagement. Maybe I should have told the world with professionally printed announcements.

 

[kay]

I'm happy for you Kay. I've never gone camping in my entire life. Too scared of bats, insects, wild jungle beasts, etc. Some people were shocked to find out that I've never gone camping. When things seem too good for me I too have that feeling, like something bad is just bound to happen. I'm a firm believer in Murphy's Law. I'm also a firm believer in the saying "too good to be true". I'm the king of pessimists. Yet paradoxically in most cases that bad thing ends up being my fear and anticipation of the bad thing - and I'd much rather prefer that over the anticipated bad thing coming true.

As far as this Murphy's Law thing I have, here's a really odd example. Each time I go into a holiday or vacation period, I try to keep the FIRST DAY completely devoid of even the smallest frustrations, yet in the back of my mind I just sort of anticipate them (but that's fine, it thankfully doesn't prevent me from having fun on that first day in any case). I just don't know why I have that first day obsession. Half the time I just confuse myself. If that first day ever goes wrong, I have a plan B - I'd busy myself with some personal research at some point during the remainder of that day - research that's related to my line of work, but not directly to work. That way I give myself the illusion that I'm sort of "working" on that day (or during college, I would have simply studied randomly), and that sort of technique would thus cancel that failed day from being the first day; and the next day I would make an attempt to start over and make THAT the first day. Just hope to start sooner than later and not have consecutive days where something goes amiss. Even one day less is already a significant reduction in a vacation period.

I'm just happy I never actually had to resort to using this Plan B. Let's hope I don't ever get to. I'm just hoping I haven't weirded anyone out with this but I've been dying to share this with someone. I'm wondering if anyone has ever done something similar; curious to know if it's an Aspie quality.

It could be an aspie thing. I used to be happier if on the first day of vacation I vomited or got a diarrhea or something similar. Had to be in the morning to count. The idea in my head was that somehow perhaps I had just gotten the bad crap out of the way and now the rest of the vacation would be fine. I remember one beautiful morning, sun coming up and me vomiting up a breakfast bar that didn't set well. I was in the ditch along highway 96 and there was a herd of cows watching me.

 

[The Penguin]

For my first camping trip alone 5 years ago I had zero gear. Even though my boss said I can borrow his, I decided I will get my own since I know I will be going camping on a regular basis.

A lot of my gear I got on sale and put it on the department store credit card on a 12 month payment plan with zero interest and no admin fee. This is how I buy a lot of my gear that I want. All my gear I bought was good quality and still holds up to this day.

One sale I really enjoyed when I was able to get 40 watts solar panel for $100. I own four of them and one large battery to store the power.

This is one my top favorite post I read on here. This is great your happy with your new gear.

 

[kay]

For my first camping trip alone 5 years ago I had zero gear. Even though my boss said I can borrow his, I decided I will get my own since I know I will be going camping on a regular basis.

A lot of my gear I got on sale and put it on the department store credit card on a 12 month payment plan with zero interest and no admin fee. This is how I buy a lot of my gear that I want. All my gear I bought was good quality and still holds up to this day.

One sale I really enjoyed when I was able to get 40 watts solar panel for $100. I own four of them and one large battery to store the power.

This is one my top favorite post I read on here. This is great your happy with your new gear.

Do the solar panels work pretty well? Can they run a laptop? I think we may want to try working on road-trips so we can go on more. I know my bf would love to be able to work on a project while sitting at the picnic table.

 

[kay]

The new england states (Maine & Vermont and once in New Hampshire), and a good part of southern/eastern and maritime Canada. Backpacking into the interior of Algonquin park with a canoe, was the the most difficult but ultimately the best trip, with two dogs. Have done quite a bit of car camping as well. Also backpacked years ago, sections of the long trail, in Vermont.
Have you camped quite a bit yourself Kay?

That's an area I doubt I'll ever get to since I live in the middle of the US. Most of my camping has been in Missouri and Arkansas.

I camped as a kid with my family and then rarely after that until around age 40 I started camping a lot again. So for the last 5 years it's become fairly frequent (10 nights this year, so far). Not as much as I'd like but it's hard to schedule these things.

Mia, do you go alone or with friends/family? I haven't went completely alone, though I might like to try it sometime. When I'd be with others but had my own tent and cooking I'd always cook macaroni for my dinner. Now I'm spoiled and get fed pancakes and everything. That's what I would miss if I camped alone.

 

[Danny 74]

Reading what I wrote last night I realize I posted in a similar way that someone else would announce a birth or engagement. Maybe I should have told the world with professionally printed announcements.

Tell them what you desire my dear....! Everyone has the right to be happy....!

 

[Mia]

Mia, do you go alone or with friends/family? I haven't went completely alone, though I might like to try it sometime. When I'd be with others but had my own tent and cooking I'd always cook macaroni for my dinner. Now I'm spoiled and get fed pancakes and everything. That's what I would miss if I camped alone.

Usually with my spouse. Have gone backpacking several times alone though, to see what it was like. Also camped with family as a child. Usually dry and package food for backpacking and canoe trips, otherwise mainly usual things when car camping that don't require too much in the way of preparation.

 

[Kirsty]

This is one my top favorite post I read on here.

I knew it would be.

 

[The Penguin]

Do the solar panels work pretty well? Can they run a laptop? I think we may want to try working on road-trips so we can go on more. I know my bf would love to be able to work on a project while sitting at the picnic table.

I happy with the ones I have. It still generate power on a cloudy day but of course the output level would be less than a sunny day. For rainy days, the output is very low.

The most important factor is working out the size the battery as you need the solar panels to store the energy somewhere.

With the battery I have, I can run my laptop for 6 hours, add air to my queen size air matters, charge many camera batteries and phones with no issues at all. This is a 12 V, 33 amp hour battery. If you do 12 V X 33 AMP hours gives you 396 watts hour.

Let say a laptop uses 30 watts per hour. 396 watts hour / 30 watts hour = 13.2 hours the laptop can be powered for.

One thing with a battery that connects to your solar, don't leave it near zero period for several weeks or you could damaged your battery.

 

[The Penguin]

Usually with my spouse. Have gone backpacking several times alone though, to see what it was like. Also camped with family as a child. Usually dry and package food for backpacking and canoe trips, otherwise mainly usual things when car camping that don't require too much in the way of preparation.

I should make my camping trips a lot easier. With all the gear I bring, it takes me hours to pack alone.

 

[The Penguin]

I've never gone camping in my entire life. Too scared of bats, insects, wild jungle beasts, etc.

The most common thing need to worry about is insects.

maritime Canada

I put Cabot Trail one of the top places for maritime Canada.

 

[The Penguin]

10 nights this year, so far).

Very jealous. For now I'm renting during my trips until I pay off other debts. Then one day I own a car so I can do more trips. If I did owned a car, I would do camping at least once a month during season.

 

[kay]

Very jealous. For now I'm renting during my trips until I pay off other debts. Then one day I own a car so I can do more trips. If I did owned a car, I would do camping at least once a month during season.

We are combining camping trips this year with visiting family, that's how we hit 10. When you have the car go as often as possible. It's cheaper and more effective than therapy.