First Night Out

Luxury!

I have a one person, one pole, greenish brown tent that sets up in about 1.5 minutes,

a one inch thick, blow up mattress that basically totally covers the floor of the tent,

a blue, down sleeping bag (rated at 30 degrees),

my queen sized comforter and my two pillows stuffed into one case from my bed...

... and it all more or less fits in my backpack.

Status check after the first night: not cold, not wet, not dangerous, not loud. The morning dew may prove annoying and mildewy if I continue to pack up right away as I did this morning. I did have a little scare when I was unpacking my car last night. Already kinda on edge from the idea of getting arrested or something silly like that, when the bush that I was parked next to started rustling, well, I freaked out more. For about one second I considered getting back in my car, but then the phrase, "Move confidently in the direction of your dreams," ran through my head. So I unloaded my stuff confidently, but accidentally knocked a portable blower for my big air mattress out of the trunk, it lands on the ground, and promptly turns on. "Ok," I think to myself, "move confidently if clumsily in the direction of your dreams."

Still a bit tense, the walk into the wilderness section of Eaton Canyon took much longer than I remember my well lighted, light hearted, heart pumping hikes. But the moon is a bit more than half past full, and I can see without my headlamp. Cross the empty river, and I'm into the wild. Camp is into the trees a bit, though, upon my waking, it was in sight of the trail. Set up goes well, I'm in bed by 10:40, and I'm off to sleep.

I wake up a few times every night, last night was no different. Its... a little less comfy on the ground than my bed, though the sleeping bag + blanket = toasty warm. Camp broke easily, my only concern being the moisture that may be problematic since I just packed it away.

Here I am at work. While it still feels a bit like a camping trip, I can now say my life of vagrancy has really begun.