Swapped out my summertime backyard campsite for a winterized version this week.
I plan to keep sleeping outside for as long as possible
It was a foregone conclusion that I was going to enjoy sleeping outside; I just didn’t know how enjoyable it would be, now that I’m 72-going-on-73 (in March 2024). So, now I’m planning to stay out as long as possible all during the year.
My sleeping bag is good for temperatures between 20 and 50 degrees (Farenheit), so it’s technically too warm for these nights until after midnight or so. (I have to keep throwing it off to cool down if I retire before eleven at night or so.) But it should keep me comfy/cozy during what usually passes for normal winter weather around here. I plan to give the climate a run for its money and stay out until it becomes miserable. I’m just steps from my back door, so retreating to warmer (or cooler) spaces is just seconds away at every moment.
I’ve ordered a rain fly for the instant-pop-up Coleman tent that I bought last year while it was on sale (and just set up for the first time four days ago) and an inflatable mattress to put inside as the weather cools and gets wet.
Accessories Galore
I have my CD player and several CDs on hand to lull me to sleep, a LED lantern, and a hammer and bear spray (for security purposes — there are no bears in my back yard!). My phone is with me when I’m in there, so I’m all set for most eventualities.
Oh, and cats. Charli and Miss Kitty come and go all night, alternating between me and the house as they see fit.
Sometimes 18 year old Patches wanders in for a short visit, but her old bones prefer the loveseat or my bed in the house. I’m feeding her Dasuquel twice daily — a glucosamine condroitin chewy for cats — to keep her limber. I’m also bathing her every few weeks and grooming her daily. I call these my “activities of daily living” routine for her, so she can enjoy being an old gal without the accompanying self-care duties, which she has trouble attending to herself these days. But she’s still happy and able to jump onto the loveseat and bed without trouble, so she’s doing great!
Great Construction and Planning
This is reportedly a six-person tent. They’d have to be six skinny people to abide comfortably inside for long periods of time, but it’s spacious for kitties and me. I can even put my recliner in beside the sleeping bag and have ample room to move around. It’s perfect for my purposes.
I’m amazed at how well built the tent is. The creators thought of absolutely everything. There are hanging netted spaces to stash small items, screened windows on all sides, a place to hang a lantern overhead, overlapping edges where sections come together (e.g., at the entryway) to ensure weather-proofing and insect-proofing … you name it, they thought of everything! And it’s a cinch to erect and take down. Totally love it!
It’s pretty much the PERFECT CAMPSITE TENT!
