This winter has been a rough one. Since the first real snowstorm in November, we have had the white stuff on the ground non-stop. As a result, cabin fever is hitting me pretty hard. Since I do not really partake in any winter activities (I do not ski, snowmobile or really do anything else in the winter), I have had a lot of time to sit at the computer and plot, scheme and daydream about all the trips I would like to take this summer. While googling away on the web I ran across an interesting post on the Kawasaki Motorcycle Forums about a curious piece of camping gear: the hammock tent.

I was intrigued by the hammock tent as I never really realized there was such a thing. The thought of sleeping in a hammock strung between two trees sounds really comfortable: a lot more comfortable than sleeping on the hard ground with rocks and tree roots digging in to various body parts.  The impact of a hammock is low compared to some tent sites, and they are lightweight and really easy to set up.  The other thing that intrigued me is the fact that if you are caught in the rain, you are off the ground and don’t have to worry so much about water pooling under your tent.  Most good hammocks come with a tarp that acts as a rain cover to deflect the water away from the hammock.  Since the hammock is small, the tarp can easily cover the entire thing and keep rain completely out of the way of the slumbering camper.  If you get a large enough tarp, you may even be able to keep the bike covered as well. Read the rest of this entry »