Buddy Pat Rick sent me a super cool Japanese cyclo-tourist magazine.
Buddy Jon came over yesterday and showed me his light and cheap military surplus bivey and his homemade tarp (made for about $12 and is comparable in weight/quality as the $100+ siltarp version). If you've been on the fence for a bivey, this one is a no brainer -- it's Gortex, it's bigger than the comparably cheap REI version, and it's subsidized by US taxpayers! What's not to love?
Looking at the bikes in the magazine and thinking about Patrick and talking to Jon make me want spring here now.
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| Note the use of 26" wheels. And note the mini. Lovely. Note that this image is up side down. Note my extreme laziness. |
Given the snow at elevation in the Colville Nat'l Forest neighborhood, such dreams will remain dreams for quite some time unfortunately.
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| Pining. Liza leads the Pats down old 395 last summer. |
In the meantime, Jon wants to try an overnighter at RSP. Why not? We're heading out this Friday night. Likely land by 8 or so. Home by 7 am. Yep: S12O. At some point, we should contact the boss out at RSP and let them know that their bike camping spots will be occupied this weekend, and to make sure all the rangers get the memo that it's a bike camping spot.
John I've got the camping itch something fierce too. March is only a week away and I'm pretty sure i'm up for an over nighter then. So far I am telling myself it's the lack of daylight that keeps me home at this point. Yet by March there is as much light as early October.
ReplyDeleteI just ordered a new hex fly fro my hammock but may use that as a tarp for ground sleeping too. I'm really tempted to order a down under quilt too. Such is the bug, if I can't be sleeping outside i want to be ordering gear when really I have enough.
I'm jealous of your S120 compatible destination. I think the closest option I have includes a ferry but that could still be nice.
Those mountains may call but the snow will be there for some time. Best to plan and strike out for low land haunts. Maybe we'll see you at the puget sound again this Spring.
I heard those military bivys were pretty heavy. Any idea if that's true?
ReplyDeleteAndre: plan right now is to come to Ebey this year. As you know -- you guys are always welcome to come over for a river hang in the summer.
ReplyDeleteAs for under quilt: I think that's a requirement if you're going to be in teh hammock in March. The whole sleeping-pad-in-th-hammock routine is a PITA.
Rachel: we didn't weigh it, but the one Jon brought over (same as the one I linked to) wasn't much heavier -- maybe 1/2 lb. But it's not apples to apples: it's wider, which is super nice if you don't sleep like mummy, and it's got a flap for your head, which teh REI version lacks. I'm pondering a purchase. Oh yeah.. and it's camo. Which is a nice feature for some camping destinations.
I can lob (empty) beers from the deck of my new house into RSP. I'm on the ridge above.
ReplyDeleteI have dance lessons on Friday, otherwise would bike down the hill.
What is his tarp made of? I've priced out making my own silnylon tarps (vs buying one), and silnylon fabric is so expensive that making your own just doesn't make sense.
ReplyDeleteAlex: it's not silnylon -- it's plasitc window covering... I think that's what he called it. Anyway, it looks and feels super scrawny, but it's apparently tough stuff -- we'll see.
ReplyDeletePlasticized asbestos, sounds like.
ReplyDeleteA good choice: tough and warm, but light.
Rachel: The surplus bivy is just under 2 pounds on my scale. Its a bit heavy for a bivy but is super bomber and wide enough for me to bring my 2.5 inch airpad inside with me. Great for a side sleeper.
ReplyDeleteAlex: The tarp I made is made from cross-linked polyolefin or polycro as it is called in the backpacking community. It is sold as window shrink film for insulating. The tarp I made from it is 7x10 feet and the total set up (sack, tarp,guy lines and 8 stakes) weighs 9oz. The whole thing is pretty homebrew ghetto-light. The guy lines are 18# masons line, the tie outs are gorilla glue duct tape with a small plastic washer for strength, and the stakes are wire coat hangers. Heres some links with pictures and a strength analysis of polycro if you are interested. http://tiny.cc/iab20
http://tiny.cc/hz1ve
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