I went to St. Croix state park in Minnesota this weekend for an adventure race. The weather was nice in Minneapolis when we started, but by the time we got there well after dark it was dumping buckets and buckets. Since we didn't know when/if the rain was going to stop, my teammate and I decided to make camp. We had an 8:30 am start and good night's sleep generally enhances one's ability to survive the course.

He had a Eureka A frame tent, and it got soaked. He had to invert the corners to pour the water out. His camp pad was wet. I think his sleeping bag stayed dry.

I had a Hennessy Hyperlight with the large Hennessy poly fly. I set the fly up first and then, while under its protection I set up my hammock, pulled my sleeping bag from the plastic covered compression sack, pulled my clothes out of their bag, and got everything ready. Nothing got wet but my rain jacket and my boots which I was wearing.

Just after we had set up, the rain stopped, the clouds vanished and I spent the next twenty minutes staring at the Milky Way. Awesome.

I slept really well.

I love my hammock and I love the separate fly.

By the way, I am now on my fifth or more hanging session with the panther cleats first identified by ALHikerGal. I still haven't been dropped on my head.

FreeTheWeasel