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The tent city weekend
May. 8th, 2006 10:04 pmFirst of all, I can't get through my FL from the past 5 days, if something important happened, let me know and I will hunt it down and read, I promise.
Thursday we went to Bremerton for the annual (24th!) Governor's Run. This is a joint Goldwing - Harley bike rally held the first weekend of May. In a moment of weakness (and I was sober), I agreed to the purchase of a tent (ok, it was the largest tent I could find, sleeps 10). I haul enough stuff when we are staying in a hotel, take that to the 10th power if I am going to be sleeping inside a canvas enclosure. I decided that we needed to "make the beds" as in comfy flannel sheets. I also included a comforter, 2 sleeping bags and our own pillows. Oh, I will be outside sans cable? Never fear, the 13 inch color tv/vcr and the portable DVD player would make the trip. Bathrooms far away? Portapotty so I don't have to do the Ambian stumble in the middle of the night. Lots of clothes since we had to be prepared for 3 different types of weather (4 if you count the snow and ice pellets felt on the way home). Fill that cooler up with wine, munchies, etc. in the event there is a feeding frenzy in the middle of the night. Space heater must come, after all I am living in a canvas enclosure. Plus the usual normal things, blow dryer, etc. Oh yes, there isn't a maid who brings you dry towels each day, gotta bring your own and hope they dry between showers, which are semi public and a hike away.
Since we wanted the prime location for our compound, we left Thursday, stayed at the Holiday Inn Express, got upgraded to a nicer room and were at the fair grounds bright and early Friday morning. This was the day of unusual weather for the westside, warm, very warm. Not a problem, set up tent, blew up beds (wanting lots of room, we had 2 queen size beds), set up TV (I may be sleeping in a tent but will not give up my news), found homes for everything I had hauled, etc. By the time the beds were made, etc. I was dripping wet. Open all windows (or what passes as windows) to try and get a breeze in. Oh, this means everyone can see you prostrate on your bed. Screw it, I was hot.
At dinner that night I began to feel shaky, sweaty, oh dear, I think my blood sugar has crashed. Bring me cake, bring me kool-aid, take me home so I can test my blood. By the time the shaking had stopped, the carbs I was shoving down my throat had done their job and my sugar was only 122. The next morning, 274. It is always exciting around me.
Night. Night still gets very very cold. I changed into my sleep jammies, long sleeve shirt and crawled into my bed. I fell asleep for about an hour but woke up because cold = have to pee, NOW. Only going to make it to the potty inside the tent - damn that seat is cold. Back into bed then realize I have not taken any night meds and that includes the Ambian. Back out to find the meds, take them, back in the bed with only the tip of my nose out. Believe me, I was never going to do this again. It is cold, it is miserable, the bed has a tiny slow leak, I am only 6 inches off the floor, I hate this. Then the pills do thier magic and I slip away until morning.
Morning brings off to the community showers, oh joy. I decided I wasn't going to do anything with the hair and just shoved it into a clip, threw a hat on it and called it good. Today is not going to be as warm as Friday, begin to add layers of clothing. I talked Mark into playing bike games and do the show and shine (basically show and tell for bikers) so tried to amuse myself with that. The day was ok, bought a new helmet, got a heated liner for my leather jacket (he said it was because I get cold, he wanted it just as bad). We went to awards that night and got 2nd place for custom touring bike, a trophy and everything.
Sleeping tonight was much better. We put the beds on top of each other, moved the tv to the side, brought the heater over to myside of the bed so I now had flannel sheets, comforter, and 2 sleeping bags on top of me. Worked out good until Mark made a right hand turn and I have to drag things back to my side. Even did the wander to the north forty bathroom since Mark was up and going anyways. Note to self: must always take electric heater and keep it on!
Then the rain began. And the wind. And the rain. Sunday was to be the fun ride, 5 check points, get your ride card punched, etc. That didn't happen with us, just had check point 1 punch it 5 times and called it good. We began to load my car, deflate the beds, etc. Ran to Wally World for compression bag for my sleeping bag and to the Navy base to buy stroller cup holders which happen to fit on the bike. Ran up to Kingston to see an old riding buddy of Mark's. Forgot his wife smokes, I was dying after about 15 minutes, coughing, eye burning. We got out of there within an hour and I had to change my shirts and fabrize my hair and jeans. Ick.
The sun finally made an appearance the we began to break down the rest of the camp. I ran and got gas at Costco and we found out exactly how little will fit in the cargo trailer and how much more needed to be shoved into my car. The rain held off so that we could refold the tent and recompress the fly so that it would fit better.
We hung around for closing ceremonies, didn't win anything else and went back to the hotel. Aww, private showers and cable. Heat.
Monday gave us all types of weather, rain at the lower elevations, snow and sleet in the pass, gradual clearing but windy for the rest of the way home. We stopped at Yakima's Costco to fill up - gas had gone up 9 cents in 4 days. Paid my first over 3.00 a gallon. Yikes.
And we are doing this again a week from Friday. I will leave the tv at home but the comforter is still coming with me. We will be adding the screen house to further extend our compound....
Thursday we went to Bremerton for the annual (24th!) Governor's Run. This is a joint Goldwing - Harley bike rally held the first weekend of May. In a moment of weakness (and I was sober), I agreed to the purchase of a tent (ok, it was the largest tent I could find, sleeps 10). I haul enough stuff when we are staying in a hotel, take that to the 10th power if I am going to be sleeping inside a canvas enclosure. I decided that we needed to "make the beds" as in comfy flannel sheets. I also included a comforter, 2 sleeping bags and our own pillows. Oh, I will be outside sans cable? Never fear, the 13 inch color tv/vcr and the portable DVD player would make the trip. Bathrooms far away? Portapotty so I don't have to do the Ambian stumble in the middle of the night. Lots of clothes since we had to be prepared for 3 different types of weather (4 if you count the snow and ice pellets felt on the way home). Fill that cooler up with wine, munchies, etc. in the event there is a feeding frenzy in the middle of the night. Space heater must come, after all I am living in a canvas enclosure. Plus the usual normal things, blow dryer, etc. Oh yes, there isn't a maid who brings you dry towels each day, gotta bring your own and hope they dry between showers, which are semi public and a hike away.
Since we wanted the prime location for our compound, we left Thursday, stayed at the Holiday Inn Express, got upgraded to a nicer room and were at the fair grounds bright and early Friday morning. This was the day of unusual weather for the westside, warm, very warm. Not a problem, set up tent, blew up beds (wanting lots of room, we had 2 queen size beds), set up TV (I may be sleeping in a tent but will not give up my news), found homes for everything I had hauled, etc. By the time the beds were made, etc. I was dripping wet. Open all windows (or what passes as windows) to try and get a breeze in. Oh, this means everyone can see you prostrate on your bed. Screw it, I was hot.
At dinner that night I began to feel shaky, sweaty, oh dear, I think my blood sugar has crashed. Bring me cake, bring me kool-aid, take me home so I can test my blood. By the time the shaking had stopped, the carbs I was shoving down my throat had done their job and my sugar was only 122. The next morning, 274. It is always exciting around me.
Night. Night still gets very very cold. I changed into my sleep jammies, long sleeve shirt and crawled into my bed. I fell asleep for about an hour but woke up because cold = have to pee, NOW. Only going to make it to the potty inside the tent - damn that seat is cold. Back into bed then realize I have not taken any night meds and that includes the Ambian. Back out to find the meds, take them, back in the bed with only the tip of my nose out. Believe me, I was never going to do this again. It is cold, it is miserable, the bed has a tiny slow leak, I am only 6 inches off the floor, I hate this. Then the pills do thier magic and I slip away until morning.
Morning brings off to the community showers, oh joy. I decided I wasn't going to do anything with the hair and just shoved it into a clip, threw a hat on it and called it good. Today is not going to be as warm as Friday, begin to add layers of clothing. I talked Mark into playing bike games and do the show and shine (basically show and tell for bikers) so tried to amuse myself with that. The day was ok, bought a new helmet, got a heated liner for my leather jacket (he said it was because I get cold, he wanted it just as bad). We went to awards that night and got 2nd place for custom touring bike, a trophy and everything.
Sleeping tonight was much better. We put the beds on top of each other, moved the tv to the side, brought the heater over to myside of the bed so I now had flannel sheets, comforter, and 2 sleeping bags on top of me. Worked out good until Mark made a right hand turn and I have to drag things back to my side. Even did the wander to the north forty bathroom since Mark was up and going anyways. Note to self: must always take electric heater and keep it on!
Then the rain began. And the wind. And the rain. Sunday was to be the fun ride, 5 check points, get your ride card punched, etc. That didn't happen with us, just had check point 1 punch it 5 times and called it good. We began to load my car, deflate the beds, etc. Ran to Wally World for compression bag for my sleeping bag and to the Navy base to buy stroller cup holders which happen to fit on the bike. Ran up to Kingston to see an old riding buddy of Mark's. Forgot his wife smokes, I was dying after about 15 minutes, coughing, eye burning. We got out of there within an hour and I had to change my shirts and fabrize my hair and jeans. Ick.
The sun finally made an appearance the we began to break down the rest of the camp. I ran and got gas at Costco and we found out exactly how little will fit in the cargo trailer and how much more needed to be shoved into my car. The rain held off so that we could refold the tent and recompress the fly so that it would fit better.
We hung around for closing ceremonies, didn't win anything else and went back to the hotel. Aww, private showers and cable. Heat.
Monday gave us all types of weather, rain at the lower elevations, snow and sleet in the pass, gradual clearing but windy for the rest of the way home. We stopped at Yakima's Costco to fill up - gas had gone up 9 cents in 4 days. Paid my first over 3.00 a gallon. Yikes.
And we are doing this again a week from Friday. I will leave the tv at home but the comforter is still coming with me. We will be adding the screen house to further extend our compound....
