Noob? The hammock hasn't even arrived yet!
Making its arduous journey from the left coast to central NH is an HH Expedition and a Cub. I mean Santa is bringing them. The Expedition is for me, you see, and the Cub is for... well, I've got three kids who will be fighting over (under?) it, I'm sure.
My 20+ year old Sierra Designs Clip Flashlight has seen better nights, and I've considered replacing it for years now. Did a lot of pro/con weighing of tents vs. hammocks, a lot of web surfing, and daydreaming. Oh, and Shug.
I was able to try out someone's hammock this summer. Nifty! It had rained during the night at the campsite, and us tenters were all up early, dealing with drips, puddles, condensation, etc. But this hammock guy, on his first hang, snored well into the morning and stayed dry.
It's been a pain packing a small motorcycle for overnight trips when there are tent poles, a large sleeping bag, pad, etc. It's also been a pain sleeping in a tent... just can't get comfortable. I'm hoping a hammock will solve some or all of these problems.
When backpacking last year, I felt limited and pushed by the trail's designated shelters and campsites - either stop early in the afternoon at this shelter, or hoof it to the next shelter before dark. All the while I imagined there was a hammock in my pack that I could set up there, or there, or OOH, there! Instead of stopping early, I pushed on, wrecked my feet, went anemic from feeding mosquitoes, and listened to critters scurrying above me in the shelter as I set up in the dark. Just a bit further than I had anticipated. I then humidified in the stuffy tent, slept like crap, and got up early with a backache. Whee!
So, we'll see what this hammock hullabaloo is all about. They're good, huh?
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