I love rain......now.

**Riverpirate** · 05-16-2010, 16:54

In my tent camping days I hated camping in the rain. But not that I have my Clarks, I love camping in the rain.

**Rug** · 05-16-2010, 17:01

Yeah, me too. Between weather and rocks/roots; ALL of my complaints about camping are eliminated by hammocking.

**TinaLouise** · 05-17-2010, 06:59

Originally Posted by Riverpirate

In my tent camping days I hated camping in the rain. But not that I have my Clarks, I love camping in the rain.

yep!! weatherman said we should get rain last night so I hung up my hammock in the backyard. I never miss a chance to test something or to just lay in my hammock listening to the rain hit the tarp.

TinaLouise

**Highstrung** · 05-17-2010, 07:39

Now, I'm not knockin hammocks, but I have to say that I'm a little disappointed. I set myself up with a real nice kit thinkin it'd be perfect for these mountains in Japan. It's next to impossible to find a tent spot. My only problem is that the woods here are so thick that I still have trouble finding spots. There's bamboo everywhere. Often I have to take off my pack squeeze through them myself.

**mbiraman** · 05-17-2010, 10:03

Hey Highstrung; Sorry to hear about your disappointment. Yea the bamboo forests are going to be difficult , just too close together. It does take a little while to readjust our thinking from tent sites to hang sites. Are you in the south or the north,,you near the alps?. I'm sure after a while you'll find some spots you like to revisit.

**Rain Man** · 05-17-2010, 19:29

Originally Posted by Highstrung

My only problem is that the woods here are so thick that I still have trouble finding spots. There's bamboo everywhere. Often I have to take off my pack squeeze through them myself.

And if you hack off enough bamboo to make an area to hang, then that hacked bamboo grows through your backside over night, right?! Isn't that some kind of torture technique? YIKES!

P.S. I love the rain.

Rain Man

.

**Riverpirate** · 05-17-2010, 21:31

I got home this afternnon and it started to rain. I took off out the door with the wife asking "Where are you going?" "To hang" I replied. This is becoming a habit.

**Highstrung** · 05-19-2010, 06:02

Yeah, I will admit that I'm probably missing out on some good sites just due to my inexperience. I think anybody would have at least a little trouble here though. The hills and mountains are VERY steep so you really are limited to the peaks and valleys. The peaks are bare and the valleys are so thick you can't hang. I live in the Yokosuka area. It's a few hours south of Tokyo.

Not to mention. Camping at all is frowned upon here except for in campgrounds which are few and far between and every single trail I've been on is hiked HEAVILY, so you're kinda forced to get off trail which, again, is pretty difficult in dense bamboo thickets and steep hillsides.

One time, a buddy and I tried to follow a stream bed up the mountain to find a secluded spot. We had climbing rope and basically climbed the way you would a rock wall. We hit a cliff and had to turn back, belaying each other down about 20 feet at a time. We ended up just setting up after dark and tried to get packed up before daylight. We made it, but there were already hikers and trail runners on the trail that early. It's cool. In September, I'm being transferred to Bangor, WA. Heaven for the outdoor enthusiast.

**drewboy** · 05-19-2010, 08:24

I've converted more people to hanging during rainy backpacking trips than just about any other time. Watching me lounge around and then pack up my gear in dry comfort while they crawl out of their rainy cave and huddle around in the rain is a powerful contrast.

**OrionFyre** · 05-20-2010, 16:24

Originally Posted by TinaLouise

yep!! weatherman said we should get rain last night so I hung up my hammock in the backyard. I never miss a chance to test something or to just lay in my hammock listening to the rain hit the tarp.

TinaLouise

BWAHAHA!!!

Last night I was in my room working on the laptop reclined in bed (writing my novel) I didn't have any music on and I heard the TV in the living room "...with showers expected early morning before sunrise"

*click* *save* *power off*

Jumped out of bed grabbed the hammock pack and out the back door. On the way out my dad goes "they just said it was gonna rain during the night."
"I know! I heard! wooohooo"

The only thing better than the rain was the snow in the single digits!