“What is that tent on your car’s trunk for?”
SuperJoy, my perennial travel (and heart) cahoots asked me when she learned I keep a tent (and some mountaineering gears) in my car. A bit surprised, I suddenly grappled for answers.
“I’m going to sleep in a tent should my car break down during long drive”. I can feel we will soon both erupt in laughter. “You mean you’re going to camp in the middle of nowhere oblivious of the environment around you? Isn’t that dangerous?” she followed it up.
“Exactly the reason why I’m sleeping in my tent” I said innocently. And we both laughed at my incredulous reasoning.
I understood my heart buddy’s concern and she is right. But perhaps the real reason is this- we mountaineers really rely on our equipments or gadgets we knew that work rather than venture on somethings we don’t have any skills at all-like fixing a car or carrying it on our backs (arghh!!) And it is our reflex or innate life preserving reaction to any “danger”placed in front of us. Before, I use to refer my backpack to a “house on your back”. That house on my back is now being carried inside my car’s trunk every time I travel. I always feel better equipped of surviving the “harsh” environment of a car breakdown if my mountaineering gears are with me. “I can always walk!”
Aside from that, It will be a lot easier (and cheaper) to just put up a tent at night rather than scourge a wilderness for a comfy bed. And I can cook too! Isn’t that making your car breakdown experience a lot more bearable?!
I like to camp too but I want to have the benefit of economy. I use to camp with my motorcycle it had mpg around 50. I can get that with my prius carry a little more gear safely and have the benefit of climate controlled ride.