# A Lot Excited, a little nervous



## Jonesycampgirl (Jul 16, 2018)

My first tent camping trip in eons is coming up this weekend. I'm pretty sure there's more stuff I could use, and probably have a bunch of stuff I don't need, lol. I'm pretty much together, just have to get the food items and make the meal preps, oh, and get ice. I'll load up the car the day before, so I can make a quick getaway in the morning.

I plan on doing pre-ice chest prep. I've watched a lot of videos on it and I'm going to go ahead with getting a sacrificial bag of ice. I already froze some half-gallon milk jugs to use, and am planning on freezing some of my water bottles, and chillin most of all of the rest (depending on what will fit in my ice chest with the spoilable food).

I'm excited about my tent, but a little nervous about all the rain prediction. I did set up my tent previously. I examined the fly and noted that the seams were indeed taped, so I didn't bother picking up any water-repellent spray or seam sealer. I hosed the tent a little and let it dry, then checked inside. I didn't see any leakage, but then it wasn't quite the same as a down-pour of rain, or continuous rainfall if indeed the weather is correct. I have my tent layout planned, lol. even though I haven't actually furnished the tent when it was up. It's a Coleman Sundome Elite 6p, 12' x 10' footprint, and says big enough for 2 qn sized beds. But we all know what that means, all bed, barely floor space. Being that I didn't need a qn, much less 2 of them, I got a full-sized air bed (which I'm hoping works like a charm). I have bedding to make it comfortable and a foldable blanket for added protection and insulation for underneath. I have 2 camp tables, one is small with shelves for handy gear next to my bed, and another larger, high-tension table to use for any other needs, both are from Ozark. I also purchased an odd foldaway table/work space, but it's small, light and compact like I need. Anyway, I purchased a small coffee maker (camping electric & I like the convivence of it for coffee and also hot water at the campsite without using stove. Anyway, this little table should support this inside my tent, as I didn't want the coffee maker left outside.

I also purchased a screened house, I was deciding between a canopy and screened house, the screened house was cheaper and lighter, more compact so it won. I'm not sure we'll get it set up this trip, depends on space and weather I guess.

Wow, sorry this was so long-winded. I'm going have to start on my check lists, lol.


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## ian1357 (Aug 13, 2018)

Hope everything goes well. We have a first outing next week.


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## Jonesycampgirl (Jul 16, 2018)

Thanks, hope yours does as well!

So an update, I changed my campsite. I was concerned about the size of tent pad being enough space. I saw a larger site in another loop, with much more space, it's a full hookup site, lol, we'll most likely be the only tent campers in the loop. I don't care, rather have the room for our tents and screened house. Now, if could only change the weather forecast


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## MacGyver (Jun 2, 2016)

Damn the weather, full camp ahead. Just remember that every trip is a story to be told later, no matter what happens.


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## Jonesycampgirl (Jul 16, 2018)

MacGyver said:


> Damn the weather, full camp ahead. Just remember that every trip is a story to be told later, no matter what happens.


Thanks for the encouragement! 

This trip is a story in itself, a rather long one. But, for short version sake, this trip is my son's birthday gift. His actual birthday is today, he's 32! It's a pretty big gift true, but I can't lie, it's a gift for me as well. Long over-due quality time with my son and granddaughters, and an opportunity to go camping again.

I'm looking forward to it, I wanted it to be perfect, so thank you for reminding me that I can make the best of it regardless of weather. I will do my best to find joy in all of it.


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## Babstreefern (Jun 22, 2018)

Being in England, the weather is certainly changeable. I remember camping in a site in Winsinaller in northern Germany, and was 4 days into our holiday and the sun was shining, and that night, about midnight, the storm started. It absolutely bucketed down with rain, the lightning was continuously flashing. I just stood at the unzipped doorway and watched this force of nature. It was beautiful to watch. I did notice though, on the site, our pitch was up against the hedgerow, but there was a 2 man bivvy right up against the riverbank, and my thoughts were, will it still be there when daylight is upon us? The answer to that was yes, it was still there. Thought it was a bit hairy for them though


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## Jonesycampgirl (Jul 16, 2018)

Babstreefern said:


> Being in England, the weather is certainly changeable. I remember camping in a site in Winsinaller in northern Germany, and was 4 days into our holiday and the sun was shining, and that night, about midnight, the storm started. It absolutely bucketed down with rain, the lightning was continuously flashing. I just stood at the unzipped doorway and watched this force of nature. It was beautiful to watch. I did notice though, on the site, our pitch was up against the hedgerow, but there was a 2 man bivvy right up against the riverbank, and my thoughts were, will it still be there when daylight is upon us? The answer to that was yes, it was still there. Thought it was a bit hairy for them though


Awesome experience for sure! Thanks for sharing. 

I remember storms whipping up on the island during my years camping at assateague sp. Amazing and indeed beautiful to watch when possible, usually while it approached.


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## Jonesycampgirl (Jul 16, 2018)

How do you pack a 6P (10 x 12) tent, screened house, ice chest, camp kitchen box, coffee box, Coleman stove w/propane and griddle, bed, bedding (glamping style), lighting, tent footprint, extra stakes, electrical cords, rugs, tables, chair, plus other camping essentials (too many to list) and extras, into a little Juke, with space to spare for dry foods, extra water cooler, and personal bag?


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## MacGyver (Jun 2, 2016)

I remember (in the dark days of what I guess could have been called a marriage) packing a 10 x 14 canvas cabin tent, two queen size mattresses, chairs, Coleman lanterns, a huge three burner stove, clothes, sleeping bags and food for a week along with all the other usual camping gotta-haves PLUS two deep cycle batteries, a trolling motor, two flotation devices, four fishing rods and two tackle boxes (to go along with the canoe on the roof) in a Plymouth Horizon. In other words, where there's a will, there's a way.


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## Jonesycampgirl (Jul 16, 2018)

MacGyver said:


> I remember (in the dark days of what I guess could have been called a marriage) packing a 10 x 14 canvas cabin tent, two queen size mattresses, chairs, Coleman lanterns, a huge three burner stove, clothes, sleeping bags and food for a week along with all the other usual camping gotta-haves PLUS two deep cycle batteries, a trolling motor, two flotation devices, four fishing rods and two tackle boxes (to go along with the canoe on the roof) in a Plymouth Horizon. In other words, where there's a will, there's a way.


Plymouth Horizon you say! Wow, that's an awful lot in a car that size. I'm familiar with them because my parents and also one of my sisters used to have a Horizon. I remember them being small, boxy hatchbacks, if my memory serves me correctly.


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## MacGyver (Jun 2, 2016)

They were boxy alright... and ugly. But before I went to trucks, they were the best thing I knew to haul a lot of stuff. I had three, back to back to back.


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## Babstreefern (Jun 22, 2018)

Its remembering where everything goes when coming back. I seem to always bring back more than I went out with


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## MacGyver (Jun 2, 2016)

Babstreefern said:


> Its remembering where everything goes when coming back.


That is exactly why I've put a picture of my camping tool case in the lid. It's packed so full, it's like a puzzle. But the next bigger size case I have is too big and I'm all about taking out the most stuff in the least amount of space.


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## Babstreefern (Jun 22, 2018)

I let other half do the packing. When he was in the Army, his regiment was the 14th/20th King's Hussars, which had the Challenger tanks, so everything had to be packed in a certain way (although he did tell me that one of the tanks didn't have any shells, etc, it held the beer). He never forgot, so I let him do it all now. I just sit back and watch him whilst sipping a beer


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## Jonesycampgirl (Jul 16, 2018)

Babstreefern said:


> Its remembering where everything goes when coming back. I seem to always bring back more than I went out with


This trip, I actually came back with less, lol, less all the consumables. I didn't purchase any extras, although the re packing didn't look as neat and tidy as original. Even so, most supplies were in their original spot, tent fly was left out so I could dry out the morning's condisation, and of course the launderings.


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