In Praise of Tent Camping

September 8, 2020. This is my wake-up view, before I even leave my tent. It’s 50 degrees, and my cozy camper is just 30 feet away. So why am I sleeping here?

Look again. That’s why.

Nature is so close, in a tent.

I’ve been sleeping in tents since my teens. I made some adjustments as I got older. I use a thick blow-up mattress now, and a down pillow. My tent must have huge windows so I can see the night stars and the morning sun. It must have room for a chair so I can sit and read. If electricity is available, I’ll use a fan or a heater when necessary. I may even have wine.

Some friends ask,”What are you trying to prove?”

I’m not making a point. I’m making memories.

When I’m on the East Coast, I camp out often when weather allows, usually by myself. In that urban environment, I seek out that solitude so I can hear my thoughts.

But here at Camp Many Moons, I don’t have to seek out solitude. I’m often alone, and usually outdoors. My camper has a great view. I have a meditation path, for pete’s sake! So I understand my friends’ confusion when they ask, “why the tent?”

The truth is, it’s not always pleasant in spite of my comfort-touches. I often don’t sleep well, awakened by the arrival of wind or the scratching of a small animal or the worry of rain.

And yet. Sleeping in a tent brings me back to my roots somehow, in a way I can’t explain.

Those roots prompted me to develop Camp Many Moons. The same roots send me into my tent. To listen. To watch. To wonder.