While we’re in Canada and the Northeast next week on WVT, we’re going to fulfill Harrison’s dream of roughing it in the wilderness a few campgrounds. This meant that we had to buy sleeping bags, an air mattress, and a tent. After significant neurotic (on my part) research and advice from Twitter, we went with the REI Camp Dome 2.

We had planned to go on a trial-run camping trip in Virginia, but several elements (namely, torrential downpours and the un-timely arrival of our sleeping bags) conspired against us. With our June 12th departure date fast upon us, we decided to go with the next-best option: urban camping in my mom’s living room.

The tent fortunately came with instructions printed right on the bag, ha!

 

[Insert phallic joke about the long tent pole.]

 

Hey, this is looking right-ish!

Total set-up time on the first try? Ten minutes. Let’s see if we can get it down to five!

Oh look! Some urban “wild” life: my mom!

Bodger was very curious and eager to climb inside the tent.

Our queen air mattress just barely fits in the two-person tent (though not entirely inflated).

After feeling sufficiently satisfied with ourselves and our tent construction, we broke camp and foraged for dinner at Avenue 805.

Camping, we are ready for you!

Don’t worry: we’ve made other preparations in addition to buying and assembling our tent. We don’t have it down to a streamlined and efficient process yet, but I think we’ll be okay “roughing it” for a few days. (And my parents did a pretty bang-up job taking me on fun camping trips in my childhood, so this isn’t my first go-round with using the woods as my toilet.) At the very least, I know (1) not to light a fire or use a gas stove inside the tent, (2) to store food in the car so as not to be attacked by bears, (3) use a footprint under the tent so as not to become soaked overnight. 

Any other helpful tidbits of camping advice? Do share in the comments!