My first S24O camping trip was a mixed bag of complete success and utter failure. And I totally expected both. (For those who don’t know, S24O stands for “Sub-24-hour-Overnight” camping, where you get to a camping spot, usually by riding your bike, set up, eat dinner, chat by the campfire, sleep, then head in to work the next morning. The great thing is you can do it any day of the week, so long as you’re in riding/driving distance of work.)
Successes:
- Found the campground and got a nice site
- Hiked to the top of Bradbury Mountain with a loaded backpack
- Had a roaring campfire all to myself
- Finished a book by headlamp/campfire light
- Learned a lot about my current gear
- Started (almost) a fire using magnesium firestarter
Failures:
- Lost my $115 Oakley sunglasses on the trail
- Found my gear to be incredibly bulky and heavy
- Forgot the battery to my camera
- Trekking pole lost parts
- Insufficient amount of water
- I have no rain gear
- Headlamp died
- Knee started to hurt
- Chafing. Enough said.
General Observations:
- Need insoles and taller socks for boots
- Heavy cook kit
- Tent was heavy, too big for one person
- Need to improve my backpacking skills
- Found out there’s apparently a pocket for a water bladder in my pack. Will need to use that in the future
Overall, I consider the trip a success. It’s a great way for me to both get outside to enjoy camping and have a nice campfire, and also to test my gear and my skills. I love that I was able to find out what works and what doesn’t, and seriously improve upon my techniques. In the spring, if I’ve been able to meet a few goals, I’ll get a new touring bike with panniers and do an S24O on my bike.