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  1. #1

    Don't forget about the sprinklers

    I do much more reading on this forum than posting, but I thought this story was a good reason to start my first thread.

    Last night I was spending the night at my parents' place and decided it was a nice night to sleep out in the hammock. They have two perfect trees and I had all my gear with me, so why not? When I told my mom, she let me know it was supposed to rain and I probably said something like "good" (I had my AHE toxaway tarp, so I'd be fine, right?). So as I headed outside to get setup in the dark she reminded me that I might want to turn off the flood light that lights up the whole backyard - thanks for the helpful reminder, mom.

    So I settle in for the night and read my kindle for a little while before I pass out. I'm having basically perfect hammock sleep - no tossing and turning, not too warm, not too cold, just totally out - when I'm jarringly awoken by the feeling that a small reservoir of water had just burst and leaked all over me. It almost felt like somebody broke a water balloon over my head. What the......??? Did it start raining? Was the tarp leaking?

    By the time I figure out what's happening and climb out of the bugnet, I get hit by the water two more times, soaking my quilt, the hammock, my kindle, and my backpack. Then as I scramble to detach my hammock from the suspension I take one more shot of water to the back in an attempt to protect my gear from getting soaked.

    So now it's 4am and I'm hauling all of my wet gear into the house (luckily I had a house key with me, not sure what plan B was if I was locked out), change into dry clothes, and collapse on the couch, defeated and still a little confused. Then, it dawns on me. While my mom was kind enough to remind me to turn off the flood light, neither of us happened to remember the new sprinkler system they had installed at the beginning of the summer. Turns out the timer was set for 4am and one of the sprinkler heads was near one of the trees near the open end of the tarp and essentially pointed right down the ridgeline of the hammock, rendering the tarp totally useless (except for the water that hit the underside of the tarp and splashed me).

    So, let's just say it was a learning experience. I think my favorite part has been listening to my mom tell this story to people and hearing her try to explain why her adult son was sleeping in a hammock in her backyard.

    TL;DR consider sprinkler placement when you are selecting your site.

  2. #2
    Senior Member Adahy's Avatar
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    Good story! Rough way to wake up though!
    Adahy

  3. #3
    Senior Member NewtonGT's Avatar
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    That's rough! Haha
    Dale Gribble: I'm thinking, "new hammock." For me, laying and swaying in a hammock is like a steady morphine drip without the risk of renal failure.

    Randy : yea but just remember yer roots and where ya come from....you got Hennessy in yer blood son......

  4. #4
    Senior Member
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    Well so much for the 'dry' run in the backyard. Good on you for getting out though! Better luck next time. Happy hanging.

  5. #5
    Senior Member _jstevens2010_'s Avatar
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    Lol. Oh man thats crazy! Thanks for sharing

  6. #6
    Senior Member Baby Huey's Avatar
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    Great story. I will be sure to keep that in mind in the future though.

  7. #7
    Banned
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    Well that definitely "covers" you for this ALS challenge thing, no need for any ice or bucket. Sprinklers from below at 4 am is probably colder and more startling. LOL

  8. #8
    Member
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    thats funny!

  9. #9
    New Member salemons's Avatar
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    Do it again but this time video it for us. (Don't include the electronics and try to keep the camera dry}

  10. #10
    Senior Member oldgringo's Avatar
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    Like...........
    Dave

    "Loneliness is the poverty of self; solitude is the richness of self."~~~May Sarton

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