Solo Camping

 This was neither my first solo trip or my first camping trip, but it was my first solo camping trip; lessons were learned. 

Lesson 1- Make and print a packing list- especially for food.  There's nothing like getting half way through your drive only to remember what you forgot stopping thinking you got what you missed, getting to camp and realizing you forgot more. So my next trip will have a check list for food at minimum. 

Lesson 2- Bring your pillow from home.  I have a camping pillow and for lounging in the car its fine, but on the ground I really need the big fluffy thing.  I'm car camping, I maybe have to carry my gear 20 steps from car to tent, and I have plenty of room for a bigger pillow. 

Lesson 3- Always bring warmer layers than you think you'll need.  How I longed for sweatpants when waking up at 5am with the birds to a dew covered sub 50 degree tent and camp ground. I brought a quilt which met the minimum temp needs, but not the comfort ones so I will be bringing my 40degree bag with me next time. 

Lesson 4- A beer or cider at camp at the end of the day is a treat, and also helps you fall asleep and forget about the things that go bump in the night. 

Lesson 5- State parks may not be for me.  I thought I would feel safer being around so many people camping, but that just wasn't the case. My next trip has 3 sites through hipcamp and I'm interested to see how private land camping that is more spread out makes me feel. 

Lesson 6- I may be more comfortable sleeping in my car.  I sleep at a significant incline at home, it helps with my headaches and sinus issue, so flat on the ground in a tent especially with the crappy pillow left a lot to be desired, this next trip I will try staying in the car at least 1 of the nights and see how it goes.  

Lesson 7- The fairy lights are worth it.  I have LED fairy lights that I strung up in the tent and it may seem frivolous but it made it feel like me and was 100% worth it. 

Lesson 8 - Pack more stacks than you think you'll need and more variety of snacks.  I forget salty and regretted it. 

Lesson 9- Coconut milk is not for me.  I had a matcha latte mix I took with in lieu of coffee, but the coconut flavor already in it ruined the experience and left me without a warm drink in the morning.  I think I'll stick with Chai and just bring oat mylk in the cooler- its worth the space for a warm morning drink I'll actually enjoy

Lesson 10- I can do hard things. I can do things I've never done before, things that scare me. Just because I'm not a expert and will likely never be an expert doesn't mean I shouldn't have fun and try new things. 

In a week I will take the lessons I've learned and use them on a 5 day trip, and hopefully come back with more lessons to share. 

Signing off for now

Claire