I got home a little later than I wanted to but luckily, I had pre-packed everything save for a few little odds and ends. I changed out of work clothes and into cycling clothes and jumped on the bike and headed out from my driveway. It was a short eight miles or so (not really sure since I don’t have a computer on the Kona as of yet.) IT was overcast and spitting rain here and there with 45% chance of thunderstorms. Not necessarily the best “first” night experience one could hope for. I rode easy and packed with my tent in my right rear pannier along with the camp stove (Jet-Boil) and freeze-dried food stuffs. I only had rear panniers and a handle-bar bag. Didn’t need front panniers on this trip. A change of clothes and toiletries in the other along with some miscellaneous stuff. Once packed I could already tell that my sleeping bag is rather large for extended touring. I will have to revisit my choice in the future but for now, I think it will work for short weekend trips. I arrived at the camp sight which is a local community (city) park that was a former pecan orchard. It’s really nice.
I have to say, the Kona is supremely smooth. An incredible ride.
Like I said above, it sprinkled and spit rain here and there while I set up my tent. Across the way were two troops of boy scouts and two troops of girl scouts. I didn’t see myself getting much sleep that night. Got everything set up and then I took off for the showers. It was a nice one. Very clean. Got back to my tent and it started to rain in earnest so in the tent I go.
As soon as I crawled in lightning struck not too far off with a vision impairing blindness and an ear drum splitting clap. I faintly heard the screams of both scout camps. In fact, upon reflection, I think that may have actually been me. Either way, I was not getting out of the tent.
I cooked my dinner in the vestibule area and enjoyed a hot meal.
Afterwards, I laid back on my Exped SynMat UL 7 and quickly thanked my lovely bride for that anniversary gift. It seriously was like sleeping on a full thickness air mattress. I highly recommend it. I’m 6 foot and well over 250 lbs. and I slept on my back and side (inside my Coleman Sabine sleeping bag) and never felt the hard ground below.
I laid there for about an hour and fb’d and texted and few family and friends. Listened to the laughter and giggles of the scouts. Thought about doing my own version of The Blair Witch movie and scare the scouts half to death but figured I was already nice and warm and so I just stuck with snapping a few Blair–esque pictures.
I fell asleep and slept like a baby with the rolling thunder and rain patter on the tent. At some point in the night, a rockin’ thunder clap shot me out of the sleep and flashes of lightning lit up the sky like high noon but it didn’t take long to fall back to sleep.
I woke early to a beautiful sunny morning. I stepped outside and saw that half of the boy scouts had vacated as well as all of the girl scouts at some point in the night.
I packed up after some coffee and bacon and eggs courtesy of Mountain House Scrambled Eggs with Bacon. I took a long-ish way home and enjoyed every minute of it.
The weight of the bike was something I was not used too as I did not take and ‘pre’ runs or ‘shakedown’ rides. I learned a bit for my next trip but all in all, I have to say that I really enjoyed this on several levels.
One, that I finally got off my ass and actually quit talking about it and did it.
Two, the S24O is worth it.
Three, the camping. I really enjoy it. It wasn’t how I normally spend my Friday nights and that itself is worth it. To break out of the norm.
I liked it.
You should try it.
