Camping in Stage 4 Lockdown

[ChrisJHC]

Put the pack on.
Hiked a 5 km loop, ending back at home.
Set up the hammock in the garage.
Will sleep there tonight.
When I wake up I’ll pack everything back in my pack and do the 5 km loop again.
Hiking trip over.

How sad am I?

[Lamont]

Nice.

[neilmny]

Not sad Chris, innovative

[Moondog55]

Thinking inside the box there. I like it very much

[ribuck]

You did the return loop in the opposite direction, right?

[neilmny]

You did the return loop in the opposite direction, right?

That would be the way home............ would the other way would take him somewhere else.
Looking foward to a trip report with photos.

[peregrinator]

You did the return loop in the opposite direction, right?

That would be the way home............ would the other way would take him somewhere else.
Looking foward to a trip report with photos.

And a gpx file.

[ChrisJHC]

Trip report:

Route: 1.5km due west until I hit the Merri Creek.
Then northwards for 1.5km.
Quick time check - 30 mins so should get home inside the 1 hour time limit.
Turn around and reverse the route.
Get home 2 minutes over my planned timings.

Set up the hammock stand then the hammock (inside the garage).
Wimped out and went inside for dinner and until bed time.
Read in the hammock and listened to music for a while.
Woke up after a couple of hours and turned the music off then settled in for the night.

Woke about 1am to the sound of raindrops.
Brief panic as I hadn’t put the tarp up - then relaxed when I remembered I was inside the garage!

8am - woke up, put the gear back in my pack, repeated the route from the day before and home in time for a late breakfast.

Updated plan for next weekend - carry my food and cook in the garage.

Might as well - my wife already thinks I’m crazy!

[Turfa]

Sounds like a great trip, interested in doing it myself !!

Could you publish some track notes........ and do I need to book the campsite ?????

[ChrisJHC]

Photo:

[Ms_Mudd]

That is brilliant!!!
What a great trip report. Glad you didn't have a soggy pack up this morning, good thing you rigged the garage roof over your hammock.
Did it make you think about your gear set up at all? I wonder if a trip like this is a great idea for everyone at some point as it allows you to consider how and what you pack without the pressure of time and needing to get bulk km's done.

I really do love this and think having adventures like this are such an important way to keep you sane in times like these. Your wife may think you are nuts, but I bet not doing it would make you more nuts

Even not in lock down, I sleep in my tent/on my verandah in my sleeping bag/in a beanbag under a tree etc often. I work perm night duties and have never been an outstanding sleeper anyway,as a child would often be found asleep in peculiar places. Something about being outdoors just settles me.

Looking forward to next weeks installment.

[Lamont]

Nice. How was the condensation?

[ChrisJHC]

Due to unforeseen circumstances (AKA Melbourne’s weather) my follow-up trip has been delayed until tonight.
Trip report to follow.

[north-north-west]

Due to unforeseen circumstances (AKA Melbourne’s weather) my follow-up trip has been delayed until tonight.
Trip report to follow.

But it would be perfect conditions to try out wet weather gear, thermals and down jackets.

[ChrisJHC]

Trip report #2:

The Melbourne weather cleared enough that I could fit in my one-hour hike without getting wet on Sunday afternoon. It was still cold so I wore long pants which is pretty unusual for me.

I took my standard load, however because I was only going a short distance I carried my Trangia instead of my usual tuna-can metho stove.

Got back home and set up again in the garage. Luckily I’d left my DIY hammock stand assembled so it only took me a couple of minutes to set everything up.

Come dinner time I finally had a chance to spend the time to get the Strive Risotto dehydrated meal to reconstitute properly. It needs to simmer for a long time or the rice doesn’t really get soft. A lot easier to do on a Trangia!

After that, my usual dessert of a chocolate bar while reading in my hammock. It’s funny what you consider a luxury while you’re camping!

A good night’s sleep with no concerns about the expected rain - it’s amazing what a solid roof over your head does to take away weather concerns.

Up early to greet a cloudless, sunny morning. Had my usual hiking breakfast of cereal with warm powdered milk - living the dream!

Packed everything away, retraced my route from the night before (cold, wore gloves!), had a quick shower then into the office to start the working week.

Checked with the family at lunchtime - they still think I’m crazy.

[Lamont]

Trip report #2:
Checked with the family at lunchtime - they still think I’m crazy.

To which I hope you replied as per Maxwell Smart
"..and... loving it!"

[neilmny]

No not crazy....intrepid
It's dangerous out there Chris

[ribuck]

Luckily I’d left my DIY hammock stand assembled so it only took me a couple of minutes to set everything up.

Sorry ChrisJHC, you can't just leave things in the bush for the next trip. You absolutely need to carry the hammock stand with you, or attach the hammock to improvised supports when you arrive at camp.

[neilmny]

Luckily I’d left my DIY hammock stand assembled so it only took me a couple of minutes to set everything up.

Sorry ChrisJHC, you can't just leave things in the bush for the next trip. You absolutely need to carry the hammock stand with you, or attach the hammock to improvised supports when you arrive at camp.

[crollsurf]

Why not brake open the bean bag and go camping in the snow.

[ChrisJHC]

Maybe I should rig up a sprinkler so I can camp in the rain while camping in my garage?

[neilmny]

Maybe I should rig up a sprinkler so I can camp in the rain while camping in my garage?

Sometimes we need a like button here

[Lamont]

Maybe I should rig up a sprinkler so I can camp in the rain while camping in my garage?

You should at least rig up a telly.

[jobell]

Put the pack on.
Hiked a 5 km loop, ending back at home.
Set up the hammock in the garage.
Will sleep there tonight.
When I wake up I’ll pack everything back in my pack and do the 5 km loop again.
Hiking trip over.

How sad am I?

Not sad at all in my book but you made me smile because I can relate in my own way: I sleep more often than not, whether in a bed in a house or on a mat in a tent, in my sleeping bag.

There’s something about the coziness of it, being able to roll over in the night and not have cold air creep in and it means I wake up not knowing straight away if I am off on an adventure or at home. And yes, my partner thinks I am. A little strange.

And to really bare my all as to exactly how much I like my sleeping bag, I did a letter recently outlining my wishes for post my demise (may that particular event please wait many years) and I specified in it that I want to be “dressed” in my sleeping bag for my body’s cremation...


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[andrewa]

I regularly tuck myself up at night thinking about being in a tent at night.

Had great fortune to enjoy the same concept on Bogong a few weeks ago with one of my daughters - just so nice to snuggle under my quilt with all my down clothing on, whilst the wind buffeted our tent and the temp got down to -3. And just knowing that everything would be fine.

A

[Moondog55]

I need a holiday
I need a break
So I've set up the stretcher on the back porch and lit a fire in the old brake drum.
I'm going to sit out there tonite by the flames with a small glass of port in my hand and pretend I'm somewhere else

[Bushman_Craig]

I pitched an 11x11 tent up behind the stables.

[Tortoise]

I need a holiday
I need a break
So I've set up the stretcher on the back porch and lit a fire in the old brake drum.
I'm going to sit out there tonite by the flames with a small glass of port in my hand and pretend I'm somewhere else

Hey MD. I'd be doing the same if we had lockdown here. (Except with a mat, not a stretcher.) Did you have a good evening?

[Moondog55]

While it was nice to sit by the fire with Cecile and have a glass of port the stretcher wsn't comfortable and my sleeping bag was too warm. Not to mention all the feral cats caterwauling in the night But it beat the heck out of watching TV

[andrewa]

Yes…

I was fortunate enough to get a quick trip up Boges just as our recent snap lockdown was about to happen, but it’s very very difficult to find something exciting about outdoor activities in Vic atm. And nothing really foreseeable.

I spend all day trying to be positive, as a GP, but it is again becoming a struggle.

A