Camp Prep Update

It’s not all bad over here.

With the unsolicited aid of a stiff breeze that strengthened throughout the afternoon, I finally was able to set my tent up to assess its condition. Though I got up an hour later than I wanted, due to staying up too late and drinking too much, though not as late nor as much as usual recently, Wednesday was very productive. I fashioned a deck for my bike trailer out of a pallet and added eyebolts to the trailer to aid in tying down cargo. The preexwife away at her hairdresser allowed for now unusual level of activity on my part. Once that was complete, I loaded it up and rode down by the river to set it up. The original plan was to leave much earlier and bring all my camping gear to set it all up and see how it looks and works…. And to take photos of it all to show off to all of you. Preexwife returned before I could finish digging everything out so I left the tables and a few other items. Given how late I did leave, I ate my convenience store bought bento before setting anything up other than my camp chair rather than enjoying it in the shade of the tent. In the end, I didn’t have time to pull anything out of the storage boxes any way.

Arrival!

There area I set it up is another ghost filled one. From infantcy until the panic, we would often head down here with the kids for a picnic and run around in the fields, which are now poppy filled. Lots of photos of the kids running happily through the poppy fields. Later in the year, they are filled with Cosmos flowers. Many pics of them runny through these too. One year, they were able to plant seeds for the cosmos and then come back and see the fruits of their labors. That was nice. Of course, these activities were either suspended or died. Above I said that the fields are currently poppies filled. That isn’t quite true. There are poppies, to be sure, but no where near the thickness and coverage of years past. Too early or not seeded and just what is naturally left over from the last time they were seeded, I do not know.

The poppy field several years ago. When I down loaded it I see that it was taken at the end of May, so perhaps to early.

Took 70 minutes to set it up alone for the first time. Should be considerable less next time. The tent will need some work before usable. The person who sold it said that the seams needed rewaterproofed and was selling it as “junk” so I was not upset to see that the whole tent needs rewaterproofed. From my own experience, I believe the waterproofing started flaking while in storage. But it is a $500.+ tent that I got for $80, so it’s all good. Took some time to fold, the breeze being about as helpful as a cat in getting this task done. Today I went to the tent resale shop that also is an outlet for the brand of tent I have. They helped me choose what should be used on my tent and I bought two spray cans. I had also found a tarp that goes atop of the newer model of my tent online and they happened to have it on sale! It will physically fit on my tent but the clips may not work with it. However, I have a grommet setter and grommets so that if not, I can just fold the straps over and put grommets in them and tie it down that way. Given time, I know how to sew grommets by hand, but that is more time consuming. The spray on waterproofing is not 100% effective in a downpour, but with a tarp on top, no problem.

It is nice, quite nice. I can stand up fully in it and not just at one point. It will easily accommodate not only my two tables, chair, two stowage boxes but also the bike and trailer with plenty of room in the event of a storm. That is what I was looking for. I will be set up like a Major General on campaign!

The birdsong was nice but the lack of the kids’ voices, even if bickering, invited loneliness into the scene.

There is a problem with the trailer. Its tongue has a spring loaded fitting that I am guessing allows for flexible movement between it and the bike. However, once I got going, the spring alone was supporting the entire weight of the load. That is not as it is designed and not good. It appears that the angle of the hitch is off. Not sure how than came to be but will be looking at that as I try to figure out how to solve this. Next chance I get, I will take the tent, tarp, cleaning supplies and waterproofing back down to the river bank. This will be lighter than all I took yesterday so hopefully won’t be a problem with the trailer, especially after I realign the hitch. Still, need to fix it more permanently before it took all my stuff on a long trip.