What
kind of person are you? Be honest!
Determining the ideal tent location will vary on whether you
are an 'early riser' or late night person, otherwise known as
the 'night owl: up-til-wee-hours around the campfire".
Night Owl
OK, all you, wine-o's & silly drunks,
try to be a considerate camper & place your tent near the
campfire if you plan to be up late. You & your partying cohorts
will not disturb those who had planned to get 'a good nights sleep' & can stumble to your tent closerby with ease.
Make sure that you have a large bush, boulder or tree on the east side of your tent, as this is where the dreaded sunlight comes from.
Early Riser
If you are the kinda person who welcomes the sunrise, sitting on a boulder with a healthy cup of fresh
brewed coffee, then you probably don't wanna hear folks up late around the campfire discussing philosophy, right next to your pillow. Setting up your tent well away from all communal areas will help you get a decent nights sleep, allowing others to do their normal thing without even buggin you.
Light Sleeper
If you wake at the slightest footsteps (or car alarm) you
might wanna find a distant camp for your bedding spot. Camp outside of a devloped campground for the most secluded & quiet of nature experiences. If you cannot stand someone snoring, then kindly ask your neighbors ahead of time and position your tent accordingly.
Determining East / the North Star
If you fear the morning sunlight like a true vampire, make
sure you are not in the direct line of fire at 6 am, in case you
planned to sleep in until 9 am. If you arrive at camp after dark
& need to decipher where the sun comes up, just locate the
North Star silly. Hmmm, sounds easy? Now where is that sucker.
See the diagram below for gathering the astronomy part of the
lesson.
The stars named
the big dipper is a nice way to find the north star. Draw a line
from the edge of cup -- spilling out straight over to the brightest
star.
Now, for all of you who didn't get a decent high school education:
Locating east can be easy if you always remember this small exercise.
Standing up, point your face to the north, extend your right
arm out sideways & this will be east . The same goes for
left/west. South is right behind ya. The sun sit low in the winter
months & follows more along the south horizon.
Some more Helpful Hints:
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- Shade in the Desert
sound like an oxymoron, unless you find a place with high cliffs,
caves, mines, & slot canyons. Pinyon pines & oversized
manzanita can be found in higher elevation
deserts. The prime desert camping season is generally October
thru March, as April can easily soar close to 90 degrees
high.
Neat deserts include Anza
Borrego, Mojave
National Preserve, Picacho
Peak, Panamint &
Death Valley,
Red Rock,
& oh yeah, the much over-loved Joshua
Tree.
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- Flat & Soft ground is the goal in choosing the
best tent spot. Park your vehicles over the rocky slanted ground
& keep the best flat areas for your camp. SUV & truck
tailgates can also make great kitchens
too.
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- Noise Warning: Net geeks & artist's types (who like
to stay up late) - Retired people, RV'ers, & Families with
Kids tend to get up early. And naturally kids make noise.
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Peace! Take all of the above seriously, whether you
are camping alone or with a large group, these realizations can
& will help you in choosing the correct sleeping environment.