I'm a juggler (well technically I'm a diaboloist* but It's easier this way ). Luckily as part of my job I get to attend several juggling festivals every year. Last week was the annual British Juggling Convention that saw 1000 jugglers invade Doncaster in the north of England.
When one of the organisers asked if I would be attending the first thing I asked was what is the campsite like? his reply
'It's great, and there's a hill in the middle of it with trees just right for your hammock!'
The weather until recently has been fairly good but the closer we got to the event the nastier it was sounding. I was getting a bit worried now, the forecast showed a low of -1*C high of 4*c on the nights (30-40*F?) some rain and a possibility of snow. I have an underquilt (snugpack/bushcraftuk synthetic) and generally use a cheap down bag as a quilt, a bag and loop hammock set with rings and tape all under a 3x3m tarp.
The worry lead me to get a hold of a sewing machine, check out the forums and 'to the woods' and attempt to make a sock to even things up a bit.
I finished it at 4 am (not bad seeing as I only started at midnight) I had to make it from what bits I had to hand, the remains of my first bigheadessy clone (that had suffered from a rip) which was made from non breathable ripstop and a length of very breathable light ripstop. The design was a relatively standard tube except that because of the materials dimensions I opted to sew the 2 hammock halves together to make 2/3's of the sock length then sew a ring of the breathable stuff with a hem for a drawstring(Henry's yellow diabolo string, the choice of professionals since you ask) to make the head end. An attempt to set tapers in the foot end kind of negated the use of a drawstring at that end, my plan was just to bunch it up and tie it with cord.
Believe me It was rough and ready, I had to teach myself how to thread a machine, sort out the bobbin, sew slippery long lengths of material. There wont be any close up pictures of the seams appearing in my gallery in a hurry.
When I got on site I had a quick wander towards the camp site and spied the trees which seemed like they would do the Job (I had worries that there would be 3 massive oaks 30 ft apart) so I lent my tent (that just happened to be in my car no plans to use it honest) to an Italian juggler who had forgotten his poles. I helped the organisers to erect security fencing, went on a shopping run until I felt I had done enough to do what I really wanted to do which was set up.
Since I was car camping I was trying a new packing system, basically I'm using something like a cool bag with no insulation to hold my hammock, underquilt, sock and suspension already attached. I could probably have my bag inside the hammock as well but I wanted to keep that separate. The tarp sits in it's own bag inside the cooler. My plan was to select two likely looking trees, sling up the tarp, attach one end of the hammock walk it out halfway, set up the other end tighten it up, throw in my sleeping bag and find the bar.
Site selection was awkward, the hump the trees were on only really had two rings of trees that have been coppiced in recent years, the most promising trees had shrubs, branches and new growth in in the way. Two perfect trees with a lovely drop of about 6ft between head and foot end was probably best avoided so I ended up using 2 trees that whilst still on a bit of a slope only gave about 6 inches spare at the ends of my tarp. All set up I headed for the 24 hr juggling hall to catch up with the other early arrivals, juggle, drink and fend of the prophesies of doom about my chances of getting a comfortable nights sleep. I was actually took to one side at one point by the main organiser to explain hammock camping in inclement weather as she said that on top of everything else she didn't want to have to deal with the authorities and form filling if I did happen to die from exposure .
First night sleep went quite well, I had set the foot end a tad low due to the slope and I was slipping to the foot end and away from the widest bit of the underquilt. I had added a fleece blanket and kept a fleece on just in case.
The non breathable bit of the sock had condensation on it, I loosened out some vents from the foot end that seemed to solve that.
Quite a few people were surprised to see me looking so cheerful the next day, these tended to look less cheerful themselves when I mentioned I had woken up during the night because I was too warm
The festival was a blast, a lot of people commented upon my set up ranging from
'You are the hardest b******d I know!' from Alan Goldie (6'6'' ex infantry)
Getting called Ray Mears** a lot
and my favourite
'you the bloke in the hammock?' *nod* 'warm?' *nod* 'dry?' *nod* '... comfortable?' *nod and big grin* '(walking away muttering something about me being a looker??? sounded like that.)'
Kept warn enough for the rest of the week, I kept my clothes in a locker in the changing rooms, my juggling equipment in the 24hr hall. I think it says a lot for the juggling scene that amongst 1000 people I dont feel too worried about leaving a couple of hundred £s of equipment about.
I was tempted to rewhip at one point and play about with my snazzy 'tinker with your ridgeline system'*** but just let it ride for the whole time I was there, it was near enough, I was warm, comfortable and having too good a time.
Only one major drama when the winds picked up to gusts in the 20's, the tarp was blowing all the way against the hammock, I reset the lines, that seemed to stop that but ruined the balance some how that meant I just got snug when two of the pegs pulled. Hopped out repegged with spare pegs weighted down with branches etc, no more problems, tired enough to sleep through the gale.
I still want to look into something a bit more tent like for sleeping under, to deal with times that I cant find a sheltered spot to hang and so I have the option of setting up with poles when I definitely cant hang. Preachers wife expect a PM soon
Drop
P.s. Oh I nearly forgot for all you smokers out there, usually I enjoy a final 'smoke' whilst reading a book depositing the butt in something handy on the floor. the sock (or a fixed mossie net) kind of cramps this but I did find a great product when I was buying tobacco called an 'ash can'
http://www.pressdispensary.co.uk/feed/991215.php
http://www.ashcan.co.uk/
Leave no trace
P.p.s. I have another little story I wanted to add about my week hanging at the BJC but due to the PG nature of the forum... (even the humour section mods?)
* Nothing to do with the devil, dia bolo to throw across http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f9yKfKvUmOg I'm the 'larger' one.
**Famous British TV bushcrafter
*** A carabiner set above my stomach on the ridge line, I add or remove loops to shorten or lengthen the r-line, I intended to pick a length and remove it but found it very handy to hang things from especially my sleeping bag stuff sack (bottom loop and a guide where a compression strap passes through at the open end) just the thing to throw my smokes, light, money, phone and various other doodads.
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