skalnik · February 4, 2013 20:06
diff --git a/gistfile1.txt b/gistfile1.txt
 Right.
 So.
 A few things.
 You can do this a few ways.
 Traditional is a tent. It's the most flexible option, but it's the most expensive. If you get a tent, you will need a sleeping bag and an air mattress.
 This adds up to a lot of money.
 One alternative is a bivy sack.
 It's basically a tentsleepingbag.
 It's not something you pitch. You crawl into it. And it zips up around you.
 You still probably want an air mattress.
 But those aren't pricey.
 So that's cheaper.
 A third option, which Stacey and I are considering using to augment our tent, is to get a hammock..
 A camping hammock. They zip around you to keep bugs out.
 They're perfect as long as: you're camping in weather that's a comfortable sleeping temperature, and you're camping somewhere with trees close by.
 So.
 The downside to the cheaper options, though, is that they're less flexible. And that there's no storage area.
 Having a tent is *nice* when it's raining, because you can put your shit in there and have dry storage.
 So, I still recommend a tent, but just sayin'... there's options.
 I believe this was @mtodd's: http://www.cyclocamping.com/Tents__Bothies/terra_nova_laser_photon_1pers_3season_tent/43LPUS-151.aspx
 It served him well, except he broke the tent pole like day one.
 Which could either have been a manufacturing defect, or, well, @mtodd.
 In his non-defense, despite the urgings of Stacey and I, he opted not to ever bother practicing setting it up in the comfort of his own home, where it was not raining.
 I recommend against this.
 It is much nicer figuring out how to set up your tent while you are dry.
 Anyway, that tent was a very nice single-person one. It seemed to have ample space to store gear.
 And it packed down quite small, I believe.
 http://www.cyclocamping.com/Tents__Bothies/terra_nova_laser_competition_1pers_3season_tent/43LCG-151.aspx
 That one might also be quite good. It's a smidge heavier, but has a bit more space.
 Ah.
 The former is 10% taller (which is nice, tents are cramped vertically)
 Has more room between the inner part of the tent and the outer waterproof cover, for storing shit.
 And the former is slightly narrower at the ends (head and feet) but wider at the middle. I kind of prefer that, because it gives you a place to store your clothes and shit
 Shit, I had that backwards.
 The *latter* is all of those things.
 I'd consider that one.
 http://www.cyclocamping.com/Tents__Bothies/terra_nova_laser_competition_1pers_3season_tent/43LCG-151.aspx
 http://www.cyclocamping.com/Tents__Bothies/terra_nova_laser_competition_1pers_3season_tent/43LCG-151.aspx
 You will want a ground sheet protector for it: http://www.campsaver.com/laser-competition-1-groundsheet
 Make sure it's the one that fits your model of tent. Matt Todd did not, and so his did not fit his tent. Which was silly.
 Basically, your tent is expensive. The part of it that touches the ground is durable and waterproof, but it's *much* better to put something else durable and waterproof underneath it to protect your expensive tent.
 If you lie on rocks, they can tear at the bottom of your tent. Or worse, if you lie on an anthill, the dead ants will secrete formic acid which will eat right through the bottom of your tent.
 So, one, don't camp on and anthill. Two, have a groundsheet protector so if you *do* by accident, you do not ruin your expensive tent.
 Sleeping bag. There are lots of brands. One that Stacey and I can unequivocally recommend is the Western Mountaineering HighLite.
 http://www.amazon.com/Western-Mountaineering-HighLite-Sleeping-Bag/dp/B003MSV7FY/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1360006582&sr=8-7&keywords=western+mountaineering+sleeping+bag
 It packs down stupid small, weighs next to nothing.
 And is comfortable down to 35 degrees. You want it to be comfortable for cold temperatures. If it's too hot, you can always sleep outside the bag. But if it's too cold, you do not want to be awake all night freezing your ass off. I have been there, and it is no fun.
 Down is pretty much the best filler for your sleeping bag. Its only real downsides are: expensive, and useless when wet.
 Useless when wet is not generally an issue: don't let your shit get wet.
 I can say with utmost confidence that if you use Ortlieb waterproof panniers, your shit will be bone-fucking dry no matter how goddamned miserable it is outside.
 So, those are the biggies.
 Accessories.
 Silk liners are nice: http://www.amazon.com/Cocoon-MummyLiner-Natural-95-Inch-22-Inch/dp/B001DX5O6I/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1360006889&sr=8-1&keywords=silk+sleeping+bag+liner
 You will sweat in your sleeping bag. Silk liners are easy to wash. Sleeping bags are not.
 Silk liners are to your sleeping bag as groundsheet protectors are to your tent.
 They protect your crazy expensive thing so it lasts longer.
 Sleeping Pad (aka air mattress): http://www.amazon.com/Big-Agnes-Insulated-Sleeping-20x60x2-5/dp/B001AZ3MV8/ref=sr_1_1?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1360007006&sr=1-1&keywords=big+agnes+mummy+pad
 This keeps your ass off the freezing fucking ground.
 The first time Stacey and I camped, we did not have these.
 The campsite was gravel. And it was cold.
 We were very warm inside our tent, except for the parts of our bodies touching the ground. Those parts were fucking freezing, and lying on goddamned rocks.
 You would think that having a groundsheet protector, tent groundsheet, sleeping bag, and silk liner between you and the ground would mitigate this.
 They do not.
 We did not sleep a wink that night.
 I cannot recommend these heavily enough.
 They inflate quickly, and form a pocket of air between you and the ground. The air heats up, you keep your warmth.
 Plus, you are separated from whatever the fuck happens to be on the ground.
 Awesome, awesome, awesome product.
 Compressible pillow: http://www.amazon.com/Therm-A-Rest-015-TCP-66-Thermarest-Compressible-Pillow/dp/B002PWFSHG/ref=pd_sim_sg_2
 Totally optional. It's a pillow. It packs down to nothing.
 It's nice. Totally unnecessary. You can just use some crumpled up shirts or whatever.
 For me, when you're cyclocamping, you *need* sleep. Anything that helps you sleep is worth its weight in gold. Not being able to sleep when you're exhausted and have to bike 80mi the next day is crap.
 Your first night camping it's usually hard to sleep through the night anyway.
 For me anyway.
 And Stacey.
 But anyway, optional.
 Camping towel: http://www.amazon.com/Sea-to-Summit-DryLite-Towel/dp/B000OPPAQK/ref=pd_sim_sg_1
 You need a towel for showering. These pack down tightly, dry quick, and wring out easily.
 Mandatory IMHO
 I mean, you gotta dry off, and a normal towel takes up too much damn space and won't dry quick.
 Book light: http://www.amazon.com/Energizer-FN2BU1CS-LED-Book-Light/dp/B00081K4CK/ref=sr_1_1?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1360007450&sr=1-1&keywords=clip+on+book+light
 The most useful thing ever.
 Clip it to your tent.
 Stacey and I went camping last weekend. It was pitch black at 6.
 Your tent is even darker.
 This shit, you just clip to your tent, and have light. Don't have to hold it.
 SO USEFUL.
 Clothesline: http://www.amazon.com/Sea-Summit-Lite-Line-Clothesline/dp/B000T28X4E/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1360007550&sr=8-2&keywords=camping+clothesline
 If it rains, your shit will get wet.
 These things can hook around your tent and trees.
 Very useful.
 You will want something like http://www.amazon.com/Campsuds-Soap/dp/B001ETJTQ2/ref=pd_sim_sg_3
 Or at least your own small bottles filled with shampoo, conditioner, body wash, and laundry detergent.
 Something that won't leak.
 Ditty sacks: http://www.amazon.com/Outdoor-Research-Ultralight-Ditty-Sacks/dp/B001RTCYE8/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1360007700&sr=8-8&keywords=nylon++stuff+sack
 You want a few bags to keep your shit sorted.
 Not strictly necessary, but so useful.
	Right.
	So.
	A few things.
	You can do this a few ways.
	Traditional is a tent. It's the most flexible option, but it's the most expensive. If you get a tent, you will need a sleeping bag and an air mattress.
	This adds up to a lot of money.
	One alternative is a bivy sack.
	It's basically a tentsleepingbag.
	It's not something you pitch. You crawl into it. And it zips up around you.
	You still probably want an air mattress.
	But those aren't pricey.
	So that's cheaper.
	A third option, which Stacey and I are considering using to augment our tent, is to get a hammock..
	A camping hammock. They zip around you to keep bugs out.
	They're perfect as long as: you're camping in weather that's a comfortable sleeping temperature, and you're camping somewhere with trees close by.
	So.
	The downside to the cheaper options, though, is that they're less flexible. And that there's no storage area.
	Having a tent is nice when it's raining, because you can put your shit in there and have dry storage.
	So, I still recommend a tent, but just sayin'... there's options.
	I believe this was @mtodd's: http://www.cyclocamping.com/Tents__Bothies/terra_nova_laser_photon_1pers_3season_tent/43LPUS-151.aspx
	It served him well, except he broke the tent pole like day one.
	Which could either have been a manufacturing defect, or, well, @mtodd.
	In his non-defense, despite the urgings of Stacey and I, he opted not to ever bother practicing setting it up in the comfort of his own home, where it was not raining.
	I recommend against this.
	It is much nicer figuring out how to set up your tent while you are dry.
	Anyway, that tent was a very nice single-person one. It seemed to have ample space to store gear.
	And it packed down quite small, I believe.
	http://www.cyclocamping.com/Tents__Bothies/terra_nova_laser_competition_1pers_3season_tent/43LCG-151.aspx
	That one might also be quite good. It's a smidge heavier, but has a bit more space.
	Ah.
	The former is 10% taller (which is nice, tents are cramped vertically)
	Has more room between the inner part of the tent and the outer waterproof cover, for storing shit.
	And the former is slightly narrower at the ends (head and feet) but wider at the middle. I kind of prefer that, because it gives you a place to store your clothes and shit
	Shit, I had that backwards.
	The latter is all of those things.
	I'd consider that one.
	http://www.cyclocamping.com/Tents__Bothies/terra_nova_laser_competition_1pers_3season_tent/43LCG-151.aspx
	http://www.cyclocamping.com/Tents__Bothies/terra_nova_laser_competition_1pers_3season_tent/43LCG-151.aspx
	You will want a ground sheet protector for it: http://www.campsaver.com/laser-competition-1-groundsheet
	Make sure it's the one that fits your model of tent. Matt Todd did not, and so his did not fit his tent. Which was silly.
	Basically, your tent is expensive. The part of it that touches the ground is durable and waterproof, but it's much better to put something else durable and waterproof underneath it to protect your expensive tent.
	If you lie on rocks, they can tear at the bottom of your tent. Or worse, if you lie on an anthill, the dead ants will secrete formic acid which will eat right through the bottom of your tent.
	So, one, don't camp on and anthill. Two, have a groundsheet protector so if you do by accident, you do not ruin your expensive tent.
	Sleeping bag. There are lots of brands. One that Stacey and I can unequivocally recommend is the Western Mountaineering HighLite.
	http://www.amazon.com/Western-Mountaineering-HighLite-Sleeping-Bag/dp/B003MSV7FY/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1360006582&sr=8-7&keywords=western+mountaineering+sleeping+bag
	It packs down stupid small, weighs next to nothing.
	And is comfortable down to 35 degrees. You want it to be comfortable for cold temperatures. If it's too hot, you can always sleep outside the bag. But if it's too cold, you do not want to be awake all night freezing your ass off. I have been there, and it is no fun.
	Down is pretty much the best filler for your sleeping bag. Its only real downsides are: expensive, and useless when wet.
	Useless when wet is not generally an issue: don't let your shit get wet.
	I can say with utmost confidence that if you use Ortlieb waterproof panniers, your shit will be bone-fucking dry no matter how goddamned miserable it is outside.
	So, those are the biggies.
	Accessories.
	Silk liners are nice: http://www.amazon.com/Cocoon-MummyLiner-Natural-95-Inch-22-Inch/dp/B001DX5O6I/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1360006889&sr=8-1&keywords=silk+sleeping+bag+liner
	You will sweat in your sleeping bag. Silk liners are easy to wash. Sleeping bags are not.
	Silk liners are to your sleeping bag as groundsheet protectors are to your tent.
	They protect your crazy expensive thing so it lasts longer.
	Sleeping Pad (aka air mattress): http://www.amazon.com/Big-Agnes-Insulated-Sleeping-20x60x2-5/dp/B001AZ3MV8/ref=sr_1_1?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1360007006&sr=1-1&keywords=big+agnes+mummy+pad
	This keeps your ass off the freezing fucking ground.
	The first time Stacey and I camped, we did not have these.
	The campsite was gravel. And it was cold.
	We were very warm inside our tent, except for the parts of our bodies touching the ground. Those parts were fucking freezing, and lying on goddamned rocks.
	You would think that having a groundsheet protector, tent groundsheet, sleeping bag, and silk liner between you and the ground would mitigate this.
	They do not.
	We did not sleep a wink that night.
	I cannot recommend these heavily enough.
	They inflate quickly, and form a pocket of air between you and the ground. The air heats up, you keep your warmth.
	Plus, you are separated from whatever the fuck happens to be on the ground.
	Awesome, awesome, awesome product.
	Compressible pillow: http://www.amazon.com/Therm-A-Rest-015-TCP-66-Thermarest-Compressible-Pillow/dp/B002PWFSHG/ref=pd_sim_sg_2
	Totally optional. It's a pillow. It packs down to nothing.
	It's nice. Totally unnecessary. You can just use some crumpled up shirts or whatever.
	For me, when you're cyclocamping, you need sleep. Anything that helps you sleep is worth its weight in gold. Not being able to sleep when you're exhausted and have to bike 80mi the next day is crap.
	Your first night camping it's usually hard to sleep through the night anyway.
	For me anyway.
	And Stacey.
	But anyway, optional.
	Camping towel: http://www.amazon.com/Sea-to-Summit-DryLite-Towel/dp/B000OPPAQK/ref=pd_sim_sg_1
	You need a towel for showering. These pack down tightly, dry quick, and wring out easily.
	Mandatory IMHO
	I mean, you gotta dry off, and a normal towel takes up too much damn space and won't dry quick.
	Book light: http://www.amazon.com/Energizer-FN2BU1CS-LED-Book-Light/dp/B00081K4CK/ref=sr_1_1?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1360007450&sr=1-1&keywords=clip+on+book+light
	The most useful thing ever.
	Clip it to your tent.
	Stacey and I went camping last weekend. It was pitch black at 6.
	Your tent is even darker.
	This shit, you just clip to your tent, and have light. Don't have to hold it.
	SO USEFUL.
	Clothesline: http://www.amazon.com/Sea-Summit-Lite-Line-Clothesline/dp/B000T28X4E/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1360007550&sr=8-2&keywords=camping+clothesline
	If it rains, your shit will get wet.
	These things can hook around your tent and trees.
	Very useful.
	You will want something like http://www.amazon.com/Campsuds-Soap/dp/B001ETJTQ2/ref=pd_sim_sg_3
	Or at least your own small bottles filled with shampoo, conditioner, body wash, and laundry detergent.
	Something that won't leak.
	Ditty sacks: http://www.amazon.com/Outdoor-Research-Ultralight-Ditty-Sacks/dp/B001RTCYE8/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1360007700&sr=8-8&keywords=nylon++stuff+sack
	You want a few bags to keep your shit sorted.
	Not strictly necessary, but so useful.