Ok. I am not a camper. Camping is not something we did growing up and to be fair if I still lived in Missouri or Oklahoma I doubt I would want to. It’s too hot there! Here however is a different story. With all of our time outdoors hiking Cory and I talk about camping a lot. My cousins in Washington all have RVs and we have been convinced to stay with them in a tent a couple of times, but other than that have only camped with friends a few times. This weekend we reserved a spot at a campground in Mt Hood National Forest where we have hiked through and wanted to stay for a long time. It was really wonderful. The weather was cool and lightly rained on and off but we were still able to have a fire. We got a spot where our tent was by a stream and we had enough tree cover and distance from our neighbors to feel like we had the woods to ourselves. The stream was loud and reminded me of the white noise machine my baby niece uses to sleep. We had a nice time and are planning our next stay.

A couple tips for camping for other non-campers like myself-

We use an air mattress. As someone with scoliosis (and arthritis, etc because of scoliosis) it’s a life-saver.

Bring more blankets & fuzzy socks than you think you need. No matter how hot it gets during the day, it really cools off anywhere near Hood in the evening. One time we camped and it was 98 during the day and had to be in the 30s over night. This time it was about 50 during the day, so night was no exception. I really like my packable puffy quilts. Several companies make them, I have a Pendleton and a Natural Life one. They are really lightweight but layer up well and stuff down pretty small.

Thing I want for camping? Slip on shoes. Something to throw on to run to the bathroom or to make coffee when I wake up. Lacing up shoes when it’s chilly and drizzling seems like an extra step I’d rather skip. I know what I am buying before next time!