Time to make a second attempt to dodge the CoronaVirus outbreak and to eventually trial my new tent, along with some little extras to making camping a little more luxurious.
Now... I will be the first to admit its been a while since I last camped and try to embrace the great outdoors under canvas. But after much deliberation over the camp location I arrived on the western shores of Lake Biwa. I arrived early, at midday, to ensure plenty of time to set up camp and scout the area for fuel, food etc.
The new Redverz Atacama tent went up easily, without any need to refer to the supplied instructions. And the luxuries such as a chair, table and cot bed were quickly assembled to contribute to making a very comfortable and substantial domain. I'd grown tired, literally, over the smaller hiking tents when it came to moto camping. The lack of space for drying motorcycle clothing or storage proved troublesome and uncomfortable. So the new larger porch area gave the added bonus of being able to sit or stand under, during any rainy stay at camp with the added ability to work on the bike, if necessary. Making the extra packing weight and size worth the extra hassle.
Bourbon was a favour to my Brother-in-Law... honestly!
Beware the combination of Kentucky Bourbon, a knife and fire!
My new Helinox Chair One had a short life span following a far too relaxing posture change backwards...Ouch! Falling onto my back I became most disappointed in how quickly the back support tubes bent. Leaving the chair unusable and becoming an expensive waste of luggage space. Was it too comfortable?!
As for the rest of the camp gear... great nights sleeping were had due to the new Helinox Cot bed/ Big Agnes Q Core mattress and sleeping bag combo. The Jet Boil worked as well as the last time I fired it up and Sea to Summits X Line cookware and cutlery provided some civility come pig trough time.
During my stay there I managed to tour the northern Kyoto prefecture coastline and discovered some amazing mountain routes through the Tamba Highlands.
A view from the Angel Line roadway towards Murakami.
Single track roads and open valleys in the Tamba Highlands.
My return to camping...the following lessons learned:
Book a camp site with a seated toilet closer than 1km away
Never try batoning firewood with a six inch blade with a craze for...FIRE...FIRE!
Make sure you carry more plasters and not just gauze & tape in your First Aid kit.
Buy a cheaper camp chair that's easier to, inevitably, repair.
Six hours in the saddle enjoying the views...take more derrière breaks.
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