Had a fun backpack trip

“Hey you all! I'm back! It was a fine adventure! Saw lots of wildlife. Never saw one other human. Spent a lot of time exploring and climbing out onto viewpoint ridges. Got to hang out at an old vision quest site for quite awhile. I sat in the stone ring, and left offerings of sweetgrass. Some turkeys scared the heck out of me when they surprised me taking a bath...that was pretty funny! It POURED on me for all but 2 days. And i had to leave early when my 15 year old (yes, the 4 pound one)tent began leaking terribly (it never has), and then the zipper got stuck open, and i couldn't repair it. Rain was pouring in (the rain goes sideways here). When i packed out, everything was heavier, thanks to all the water i was carrying. Then the trail was gone in a very dangerous place, so i had to crawl up through the brush in the mudslide (with my very heavy pack on). Still it was all worth it!! I wish i knew how to scan and send photos, and i'd post some for you...but i am technilogically challenged, having lived without electricity for 15 years (and just getting "civilized" these last couple). I want to thank you all for the great tips on lightening my load. I'm definitely buying a new tent, now. Thanks, hobbit, for the encouragement. I WAS feeling overwhelmed with all the stuff it seemed i needed to BUY! The toothpaste strips, pot w/lid for frypan, can stove, Backpacker.com t-shirt,monocular,photon led light, and Kelty Lightyear 25 sleeping bag were some of my favorite ideas. A tarptent is NOT practical out here. I need a bee sting kit, being allergic, and there are tons of crabby yellowjackets. I use a Sawyer snakebite kit, which is the best. My plate doubles as a cutting board if i can't find a nice flat rock, for garlic (necessary) and wild mushrooms, or nettles, etc, i find and eat.”

“If you want a really good 2 person, lightweight tent, I highly recommend the MSR Hubba Hubba.”

“Thanks, treebait. I will definitely check it out. Does it, by chance, have "vents" in the top, so you can see the stars with the fly off?”

“The tent body is mostly mesh, with one fabric panel in the center top.”

“did you just write "backpacker.com" t-shirt?? U sure that wasn't miss-spelled??

hey...didnt' know you where looking for a 2 person tent. I heard lots of good things about the Hubba Hubba.

It's hard if you have a tight budget. do you have any old gear that you can sell? I honestly would invest in a good tent. If you can't afford it...sell other stuff you don't need on ebay or hey...have a yard sale. My neighbors had one the other day and made over $300 by selling crap they didn't need anymore.

I do love my Black Diamond tent.
The North Face Canyonland is a one person tent, but not too small either. I actually really did like it. A little on the heavy site, 3lbs and hmmm... 11 oz. I think. (but you can get it pretty cheap I think)

There so many new 2 pers. tents out...
Good Luck!”

“sounds like a cool trip!”

“Thanks, Gemini, i will check out the Black Diamond tent, too. I thought Doc Nice wrote "backpacker.com" t shirt...sounded like a good shirt. A backpack tent is important to me, so i AM buying one...and may as well get a good lightwieght one, while i'm spending the money. With spring here, when the rains slow up, i will have more money coming in, so... Yay! It WAS a cool trip, Roam Around. I'm ready to go back.”

“Oread, did you really live without electricity for 15 years??”

“helinka, yes i did. Up "off the grid" as one guy i know always said of me. And it might be hard for a lot of people to believe, but i loved it, and miss it. The peace was incredible, and a house FEELS a lot different to me without electricity buzzing throught it.Electricity is "convenient", but once you get "set up" to live without it, things go fine. Mostly, i miss living "out" like i used to. Maybe again!”