We ended up camping Saturday night. No planning, just decided to do it with some friends. I used to do that sort of unplanned adventure before owning a business put a stop to that sort of spontaneity in my life…
I had no air mattress or sleeping pad, but I did have a 20+ year old tent that I had placed on the shelf ready to go…..15 years ago. It was exactly where I put it, and exactly as I had packed it.
While it was kinda musty, that tent had everything I needed, all the poles, the aftermarket all purpose stakes, even a hammer to put the stakes in hard ground. The elastic for the poles was dead, but once the poles were assembled and in place that didn’t matter. Past Me did a good job of putting it away so that Future Me could grab it and go. (Although I doubt Past Me had planned for it sitting for 15 or more years)
It’s kinda rewarding to know that you can pull something you prepared to be ready at a moment’s notice 15 years ago out and find it all good. (Again, I hadn’t planned on it sitting for 15 years, but there ya go)
Setup took 5 minutes (or less) and we were good to go. Back then I only bought really good gear.
I had the cooler and the lantern and threw in some dry firewood also, so a good time was had by all.
Everything worked and the tent was even dry through some mild rain and wind. Back then I only bought really good gear.
Thank God for modern materials, I doubt a canvas tent would have survived sitting on a shelf that long.
I gotta do more of this though.
