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Sheila's avatar

Am I right in reading your tent with a view is also waterproof??

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JULIA HUBBEL's avatar

Only the bottom, the rest is bug mesh, so no. However the seams were sealed so well that the poor guides had a hard time lifting it out of the water, so that’s a statement about the quality of the tent!

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Sheila's avatar

That is very impressive seams 🧵 I love the connection to nature with only bug mesh. I did think it rather magical if it was waterproof too, though I feel like we’re not far away from such technology existing!

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Che S.'s avatar

This reminded me of one of my favorite stories by the late, great Patrick McManus. If you get a chance, read "Mean Tents," for some hilarious misadventures from kid camping to pack out trips in the Idaho mountains.

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JULIA HUBBEL's avatar

Thank you!

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Elizabeth Bowes's avatar

I read this sitting on a rock in Massassauga Provincial Park. Coolish here today. Hope to do my swim later after the grey clouds determine what they intend to do. Two nights ago we watched a beaver swim vigorously across the lake, one of the four of us saw a deer off in the distance. Another one of us saw a little snake, maybe a fox snake, we all watched the heron searching for dinner along the shore last night and yes we have seen up close the mosquito gang here. Tomorrow we are off to a new site on a different lake which involves a portage of 500 metres. The two men carry the canoes. Food barrels should be lighter as will the backpacks of boxed wine.

Surrounded by rocks, trees and water, in the Canadian Shield. My favourite place.

I certainly hope your toes mend.

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JULIA HUBBEL's avatar

That sounds wonderful! I was on the river again yesterday all day and while my toes are barky they are healing!

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Elizabeth Bowes's avatar

The loons showed up last night! Two very large turtles came to the shore where we go in to swim. Wanted them to move before we swam. While swimming yesterday I was thinking that if I had just a bit more or your warm water I’d be happy. Take care!

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Jan M. Flynn's avatar

Yes, I got a laugh . . . but my toes are curling in sympathetic pain. Ouch!!

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JULIA HUBBEL's avatar

Happily they heal fast!

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Tim Ebl 🇨🇦's avatar

I’ve learned the same lesson about wind and tents.

We set up camp at Windy Point. Who could have seen it coming? One of our tents flew out over a big drop off and right into Abraham Lake. We couldn’t get it back.

So after that, the first step I always take is to put a rock the size of my head in one corner of the tent the moment I unroll it. Good luck blowing that away!

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JULIA HUBBEL's avatar

So true! I do that religiously. This trip I was just burnt out from the heat...and that's what you get when you don't take precautions!

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Sue Fagalde Lick's avatar

I'm sorry you went through all that, but what a great story. Keep them coming.

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JULIA HUBBEL's avatar

More will be coming I promise!!

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Elizabeth Bowes's avatar

Oh good!

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Elizabeth Barnesco's avatar

A great lesson - sorry about the toes! This must be why I was taught young to move all gear to site before setting up tent. So glad you had awesome guides and an excellent tent! All points to Near Zero.

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JULIA HUBBEL's avatar

Elizabeth, I was super good about that very thing until the last day, when the sand was so hot and the walk to the tent was long-that was by choice. A great lesson!

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Prajna O'Hara's avatar

What an adventure

I love how alive your tent companion is.

Great story

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JULIA HUBBEL's avatar

Thanks so much Prajna!

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Prajna O'Hara's avatar

Of course

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Teyani Whitman's avatar

Oh gosh! I would be most likely screaming and laughing (probably later on the laughing part) as the tent somersaulted down the riverbank. So great that the young guides knew exactly what to do.( I imagine it’s happened before❣️).

And I think most of us oldies here have done that to our toes more often than we’d like to admit.

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Linda Ann Robinson's avatar

Kaelyn & Ben went above and beyond the call of duty. Wow!! Another Wow for the tent that took a beating, yet survived in usable form with some tweaking. Only 4 lbs - unbelievable (not that I would know a typical weight for a tent).

Not wow, for your feet. You obviously just reacted, almost instinctively to chase down your gear. Your frontal cortex was not engaged at first, until of course your little piggies started “talking to you.” Hope they heal quickly and the pain dissipates.

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JULIA HUBBEL's avatar

The piggies are improving, thank you Linda. I am very impressed with this tent!

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Lou Cunningham's avatar

I love a good camping ‘stuff-up’ story. I’m

Sure we all have had them which makes the enjoyment even sweeter when it’s someone else. Good luck either way the toes!

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Kerry's avatar

What a grand adventure! Speedy healing to your boo-boo toes!

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JULIA HUBBEL's avatar

Thank god for a few good supplies of meds at home...thank you!

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