Here goes:
So, my son and I went to Creation Fest '10 over the 4th of July weekend. I was obsessing over the preparations for this camping out venture. I had not been camping in a bzillion years, so it was a bit crazy. I had all the "i's and the t's crossed", as they say. I tracked the weather forecast and made sure all was prepared. The first night came and I quickly realized that I had forgotten two important things: 1) a pair of sweats and 2) more importantly, proper sleeping bags. You see, I checked the weather for the area and the temps were in the comfortable range for the fleece sleeping bags I had brought. However, I failed to take into account that the farm area the festival was being held will not hold temperature like a typical civilized heat island. So, after shivering and getting creative with a windbreaker and dirty shirt and socks, I had to come up with a solution. My basic options were to either leave the site, drive thirty miles to the local Big Blue Box store and purchase two sleeping bags or I could improvise further. I opted for the latter knowing the former was always available. I took out the Heatsheet and rip-stop space blanket I had in my backpack. I figured the barrier would prevent the cold air from penetrating the fleece bags and reflect the radiant heat from our bodies. In general it worked. The downside was the transpiration from our bodies did not escape completely. This resulted in a slight dampness in the sleeping bag. It was satisfactory and I did not exercise the fallback option.
Lessons: Use a checklist; use a checklist; use a checklist; and plan for a little colder weather.
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"Its not a matter of being ready as it is being prepared" -- B. E. J. Taylor
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