First Hang at The Stone Door in Beersheba Springs, TN

[flight_chick]

With car loaded and two new HH awaiting christening my 11 year old 9lives, our 3lb long hair chi named Buzz and I headed out yesterday afternoon after she was out of school. We filled the car up, picked up pizza, and bought a hot water bottle & 2 chocolate bars from Rite Aid. I am willing to bet the cashier had never seen that combo purchased.

We arrived at the Stone Door in Beersheba Springs, TN around 3:30pm cst. There is a free walk in primitive campsite that we decided to use. After registering at the Ranger Station we parked in the over night section and walked about a .25 of a mile in and selected our site. Selecting trees was fun and we began the task of hanging the hammocks and attaching UQs, blowing up the Thermarest, and placing the CCfs in the SPEs. We only had a couple of hours left to get everything situated and a fire started. I brought a little dry wood from home which was a good thing since everything at the site was still wet from the rain the day before. Hammocks hung, fire roaring, we grabbed some pizza and enjoyed by the fire. The stars were plentiful and the moon a beautiful crescent.

We had another camper stop by our site and ask what kind of hammocks we had. I told him they were HH and he asked if we liked them. I explained that this was our first time using them. He said he wanted a WB. We talked about the DIY UQs I had and all the information that is available on You Tube. He said yeah who is the guy that sings??? I said Shug and he said yeah that's him. I told our visitor about HF and he said he would check it out.


We decided to turn in around 7:30. I got 9lives situated and we discovered that we needed to do some adjusting to the hammock because the ridge line had some play in it and the net was swaging. We tightened it up and got it right and she climbed in for the night. I climbed in my hammock and buzz and I got situated. I was nervous about moving around too much since I thought I might fall or the hammock would rip. I never was cold, but Buzz choose to sleep in my lap. This must be the same effect that a hot water bottle gives. I only felt cold on my toes, but I did not have an TQ. I did throw our coats over the top portion of the hammocks, but of course that left the top bottom portion uncovered. 9lives reported from her hammock that her back was hurting. I called back to her to try and lie on her side. She turned and reported that it felt better.


Around 10pm I was still awake listening to the water rushing in a distant stream when out of no where I hear 9lives SCREAMING ------> MOM!! GET ME OUT OF HERE!!! I went to scrambling. Arms flailing, 3lb chi flying, and again I hear---->MOM!!! GET ME OUT OF HERE!!!!! I finally got to my zipper and sock feet on the wet ground I arrive at her hammock and she again screams ----> MOM!!! GET ME OUT OF HERE. While I am getting her out I am questioning her as to what was wrong. She woke up in panic mode and could not find her hammock zipper. She said she felt like she could not breath because of her coat I had placed over the top of the hammock. She would NOT get back in her hammock, so we grabbed sleeping bags, coats, car keys, and the dog and headed to my car. Once in the car it was 10:15. I could NOT sleep. I went back to the campsite and started packing everything up. With everything loaded we dove over the rangers house to get him to unlock the gate. Have you ever had to wake up a ranger??? It took 30 mins to get him out of the bed and to the door. He drove down and unlocked the gate. I apologized and thanked him as we were leaving. He explained that he does not get paid for emergencies or anything after hours... I thanked him again.

We arrived home around 1am.

Good points---in the 2 1/2 hours we hung we stayed pretty warm. The only thing I had that got cold was my toes & fingers. 9lives reported she was warm the whole time. We got an experience that we will NEVER forget.
Bad point is that I forgot to grab the camera out of the car. I did not go back and get it as I thought I could get pics the next morning.

9lives said she wants to try again.

I did get one pic with my cell phone from inside my hammock...

[hangnout]

1st hangs are always interesting. Were you under different tarps? If so sounds like hanging under the same tarp may be the way to go. Lots of hanging around the house helps too. My wife can not stand the closed up feeling in a gathered end and uses my bridge hammocks on our trips. I am bringing extra of everything next weekend at the Middle TN hang including 2sticks (almost 11 yr old girl hanger). Hope you can make it for the second try.

[Bubba]

Well it will certainly be memorable! Too bad you didn't get to spend the whole night but you got to try out some things and do some tweaking. It's good your 11 year old wants to try again. I predict the next time will be smooth sailing. Thanks for the report.

[flight_chick]

1st hangs are always interesting. Were you under different tarps? If so sounds like hanging under the same tarp may be the way to go. Lots of hanging around the house helps too. My wife can not stand the closed up feeling in a gathered end and uses my bridge hammocks on our trips. I am bringing extra of everything next weekend at the Middle TN hang including 2sticks (almost 11 yr old girl hanger). Hope you can make it for the second try.

Yes, we were each under our own tarp. I would like to see a set up with two under one tarp.

[Detail Man]

What a trip! Nothing like making memories.

Hanging tandem is really easy and it makes middle of the night stuff much easier to deal with. We hang tandem with our two youngest.

Another thing you might try if she is nervous about the zippered net next time, is put her in a hammock without a net. You don't need one this time of year anyway.

Glad she wants to try again.

[Doctari]

A suggestion for next time, so she can find her zipper:
They make mini chemical light sticks (Callume?), get some & hook one to her zipper pull, or if two zipper pulls, 2 lume sticks, of different colors (they come in many hues). The light is very mild, & lasts about 8 to 12 hours. This would do 2 things: Make finding the zipper easy, And, make being "stuck" in a dark cocoon less scary.

Also, put an easy to find (hang it from the ridgeline with a biner) flashlight.

Have fun, you are actually off to a good start!

[flight_chick]

A suggestion for next time, so she can find her zipper:
They make mini chemical light sticks (Callume?), get some & hook one to her zipper pull, or if two zipper pulls, 2 lume sticks, of different colors (they come in many hues). The light is very mild, & lasts about 8 to 12 hours. This would do 2 things: Make finding the zipper easy, And, make being "stuck" in a dark cocoon less scary.

Also, put an easy to find (hang it from the ridgeline with a biner) flashlight.

Have fun, you are actually off to a good start!

Great idea on the chem lights!!! We actually have tons as they have always been something we used when tent camping. I did not even think about bringing them on this trip. They will be a permanent item from this day forward.
I bought her a great little flash light that she hung on the ridge line, but in her panic she did not even think to use it.

[L.D. Cakes]

Have you thought of getting her use to hanging inside some? Maybe put up a couple of eye hooks in a garage or basement or somewhere and play camp-out like most of us use to do in the living room with blankets. If you have backyard trees that's even more fun. I'm hanging in my backyard tonight to test a couple of things. Wish it would snow.

[flight_chick]

Have you thought of getting her use to hanging inside some? Maybe put up a couple of eye hooks in a garage or basement or somewhere and play camp-out like most of us use to do in the living room with blankets. If you have backyard trees that's even more fun. I'm hanging in my backyard tonight to test a couple of things. Wish it would snow.

The back yard was a thought, but I only have 4 mature trees. The closest two are about 25 ft apart. I did see a pic here that member "rip waverly" posted and he used 4x4's in conjunction with trees in his back yard. I just need to get some post hole diggers and get started on that. I do have a detached garage, but was not to sure about hanging from eye hooks....or the concrete floor below.

[L.D. Cakes]

Well I use those swing hooks that are for a front porch swing. I figured if it will hold a swing with a couple of people in it it would hold me. I drilled a slightly smaller hole first where the support beams are and screwed the hooks in with a screwdriver stuck through the hook part. Mine are in my bedroom (painted to match the wall) and I switch back & forth between my hammock and my bed.