About the only thing I have to add is to go out and get a second job. I can't believe that hasn't been mentioned yet. That should correct your monetary problems faster than anything else I have read and get you back on your feet.

How is it going? Do you have your camp set up?

I hope you are as comfortable as is possible. Am very interested in your adventure.

Please keep us posted.

Dizzie

It's really cool that so many people care about u & are keen to know how ur goin...count me in too....look forward to hearing from u when u are able.....GB

Getting down to 39 F on the gulf coast tonight, I can see my breath as I type...

No heat here in my "condemned building"

Headed to bead. Cotton pants and a thermal long sleeve shirt. A feather blanket, two cats, and the misses in the sack.

Dog sleeping next to bed in a small salvaged cinder block den with a wood top.

Should be the coldest night this week.

One of my rental properties is vacant right now... electric central heat... woo hoo... I am just fine where I am thank you... I gladly leave that push-button hoopla unoccupied awaiting a member of "the masses."

Plans to head out to the river this weekend... "camping" with friends.

We'll both be under the stars, enjoy!

Yawn,

Sri Oracle

Well-I'm alive, so far
It got down to about 35 degrees in Mobile the other night, but earlier that day I'd bought a 20 degree sleeping bag, and slept warmly enough in my tent. In a few days when I get things a bit more set up, I'll snap a photo and post it here....as long as no one laughs- to my face anyway

Thanks again to everyone who has offered advice and thoughts- I printed this thread out and have been studying it in my tent in an effort to make my experience as safe/pleasant as is possible.

Thanks!!

cool....remember bags are rated 'with clothes on'...if naked u got to minus 10 deg. of whatever the rating is....however think ur bag will do the job...u can always throw another 'Layer' over it if u get uncomfortable.....happy camping.......GB

Ice_Man,

Hope your enjoying your time out doors. I lived outside for many months by choice and was lucky enough to meet some cool people in the process, one of these people taught me about free showers at either a forest service station or even community college if you ask around. Also I hire off of "craigslist.org" if you are looking for day to day work or even after hours work.
Good luck.

I really enjoy camping. You become much calmer and the umbilical cord of modern society is lessoned a little. I love it how you fall into the habit of getting up with the sun and going to sleep shortly after sun down.

Maybe you should read a good book. Go to a local 2nd hand book shop and ask the owner for a few titles they recommend.

Just chillax.

when you lay your tent down.. try to put some stray/hay if availabe under it... if you keep it insulated you will stay warm... the blankets on top keep the cold air off.. but many people forget about the ground!!!

ive going camping in the winter many times (i live in Northern Wisconsin)
this is one of the most overlooked things out there. im not sure how cold it gets exactly where you are... but ... even if its not cold the hay will make a softer sleeping area lol.
make sure you don't sleep with your socks on.... and generally it is best to change completely if you are going to sleep, so the sweat from your day doesn't build up then freeze on you!!

Lil Alex, thanks for the advices! I've had my tent set up for about a week and a half now - what I did, was first to rake and clear the area on which I was going to set my tent, of any stones, rocks, debris etc- then there was one small indention in the ground- on top of it I layed some straw to even it out a bit.

I then layed out a very large tarp on the ground, big enough that I could fold it over in half evenly, and it was still big enough to cover the ground area of the tent. After I had the tent set up on top of the tarp, I neatly folded over any slack from the tarp towards the sides on the tent, so that the tarp neatly meets the edge of the tent with just a little protrusion.

Day before yesterday, I bought another large tarp-same size as the ground one- this one to go over the top of the tent, it's big enough so that It covers the tent and reaches the ground on all sides. After draping the tarp over the top of the tent evenly, I again neatly folded in the slack on the back and sides towards the edge of the tent, and then layed bricks down on top of the tarp at even distances. I am only using one "door" of the tent, so on the right door I bricked it down as with the sides and back. The left door, the one I use, I figured out a way to fold the left tarp slack back behind my ice chest on the outside left of my tent, and then roll up the left tarp side to align to the tent's door- so that I can get in and out without fooling with or ducking under a tarp everytime. I guess if it rains hard, I can just unroll the tarp from around the door and let it fall to the ground to have complete water proofing- I'll need to figure out ventilation in that case.

So, as far as I know, this tent is pretty well water proofed, but I can't be sure because after all i'm a beginner and have never done this type of thing before.

If anyone has any further advice, by all means do tell- because it's looking like i'm going to be staying here more like 2 months rather than just one.

Thanks again!

Edit- I have connected my wireless router to the computer back up in my relative's house, and the wireless receiver in my computer is picking up quite a good strong signal out here in my tent, though it is rather far from the main house. So at least now, I don't have to drive 25 minutes to the library in order to check the internet

[edit on 19-11-2007 by Ice_Man]

sounds good Ice....tents & humans do need to breathe, so u might have to roll back the top tarp to uncover the tent more if it gets too stuffy in there & cover up if it looks like rain...as the reviews on ur tent spoke of leaks u maybe able to customize/repair it using a spray on silicone based water sheild...as used to water proof clothing etc....this could be sprayed along all the stitching & seams...as that is more than likely the places water would get in....(this done to the tent FLY sheet)....as long as the fly covers all of the tent this should solve that problem....if it gets 'really' wet, then what u have done should work fine....unless it gets 'really' wet....the other thing to do if ur aunt allows, is to dig a small shallow drain ditch all the way round the tent in order to channel the water away...along the edge of the tarp should do it....to get this working well u'll need ur raincoat on & be outside in the next rain in order to fine tune this drain ditch & to make sure the water drains away from the tent....another way to allow the tent to breathe is to lift the top tarp up & suspend it above the tent...(on a slope so water can drain off it, or flat if u want to harvest rain water....u can use 4 x 8ft steel star posts/pickets knocked into the ground & suspend the tarp using SPRINGS (camping type or 4 old trampoline springs) & nylon rope/cord...without the springs wind can easily rip the tarp, but with them it should last u out....u can also use longer rope/cord to reach neaby objects/trees if they are not too far away...this suspended tarp can give u protection from rain/harvest rain & provide shelter at ur tent entrance (porch)....u could use 4 extra springs & ropes with stakes in the ground to tire down the tarp in the four spaces between the posts....this would really give the whole thing extra support....if its really cold at night & ur happy with the way u have it now....then stick with it if it works for u....just think about that drain..............GB

[edit on 20-11-2007 by dave7]

Hey ice...thanks for sharin ur pics....u've done a great job with that top tarp...& u've got a great view of the forest/trees down the back...now i can see where ur setup...prob. wouldn't be a great idea to start digging up ur aunts backyard....any rain water probs. u may encounter will be in (2) areas....first & the most important is ur front door...without a porch (roof over ur entrance area)...getting in & out in the rain will more than likely get water inside the tent....u have done a top job of making the tarp fit around the doorway...if me...i would be pulling that section of the doorway OUT & supporting it with POLES to form a porch...then i'd be putting down a DOOR MAT in the form of a small bit of tarp or plastic or whatever i could find...so u have the option of removing wet or muddy shoes before entering ur shelter......tents that have a porch or VESTIBULE are a very big plus....most tent vestibules slope down on an angle to the ground...but it wouldn't matter if that section of the tarp didn't reach the ground...u could just have it sloping down a bit to let the water run off away from ur front door.....the other area is on the LEFT side of the tent looking at ur front door...this is ur high ground & any water run off looks like it will come from that direction...if u do have to dig a drain...that will be the side...or u could lay a wide plank along there as a raised path...the grass is already starting to show signs of wear & tear from ur walking on it...that side could finish up a muddy track or drain anyway....any drain u might do along there would have to extend well past the front of the tent so water didn't flow past ur front door...it's hard to really tell from looking at pictures so really U will be the best judge of what & when to do 'IF' any 'UPGRADES' to ur camping site. (with ur Aunts permission)...maybe a straw path or paths around ur tent...if it stays dry this winter u will be cruisin bro....the way it is now looks pretty cosy....if u start getting rain there a porch will be the way to go..................bet the cat/mountain lion likes ur new home too...........GB

Hey there. I looked at the pics.
Excellent going.

The only thing I,d do different is move the tent a little further away from the tree if possible.

For reasons from simple bird poop over the top to protection from a possible lightning strike.

In a normal camping situation it also prevents sparks from a fire travelling up with the heat into the branches.

Great stuff though. I love my tent.

can't realy tell how far in front of those trees u are from photos...like i said, ur the best one to judge ur onsite situation...looks like u have choosen the highest ground on the block which is good...& u have a sheltered position & some privacy from next door....as long as u are not under any big over hanging branches....plenty of people have been killed in tents this way...alway set up in a clearing if possible......hope they let u inside for turkey.......GB

Dave and others, again, thanks for the advice. I was giving some thought to what Dave said, about something to go over the doorway of the tent. It has so far just rained a bit one time, and I did have some trouble getting water inside as I came in or out during that time. My concern is that, if I did unroll the slack from around the door and set up a sort of roof with that slack, the winds could easily blow inbetween the tarp and the tent, allowing the cold air to penetrate.... I could though, buy another small tarp and use it for the purpose of making a sort of roof for rain protection of the door- but I don't know how it's done.... if anyone has any info, or a link on how to set up this structure, please post it asap.

Thanks again

Ice...u breakin new ground here....turn off the targeting computer & 'go with the force luke'....u are only limited by ur own imagination...try ropes, springs, poles, & ground pegs....GB