Over the Fourth of July weekend, I went camping with some friends of mine in Routt National Forest near Rabbit Ears.  For me, this was mostly getting reacquainted with camping (I hadn’t been camping in almost 20 years) and also an equipment test (I had mostly new gear, on account of not having camped as an adult).

Overall, the camping trip was quite good.  We managed to avoid the main camping dangers: hypothermia, heat exhaustion, dehydration, and food poisoning; no one got sick, lost, or injured.  The car broke down only once, we needed a jump, and, luckily, we were at a more heavily trafficked area.

In terms of equipment test, I felt that everything I’ve got should work great for my needs.  Tent technology has come a long way since my last camping experience (in my father’s ten-man military tent), which isn’t too surprising, but it still felt “new-fangled” to me.  It was also really nice having a backpack that was designed for extended use – it was exceptionally comfortable, even for day hikes.  I think I likely over-packed a bit (especially on clothes), but I used almost everything I had (the exceptions being the first aid kit and the water filter) at least once.  I think I’ll probably invest in a camelback, for carrying water in my backpack, and probably a camping pillow, for more comfortable sleeping, to round out my needs, but I can’t think of anything else I wish I had.

After this trip, I’m looking forward to Yellowstone a bit more.  Committing to a week-long camping trip was a bit intimidating having not gone camping in 20 years, but now I feel more comfortable with my gear and am really looking forward to camping and hiking around!