With the inevitable collapse of American society amid pandemic and political polarization, I've found myself unable to resist the lure of camping gear recently. Not only have I spent some down time during work hours checking out Wirecutter's guides to various camping items, but I've also started looking at the same lists of gear on CNet.
It all started in February or so, when the extreme weather in Texas caused all those blackouts. I mentioned then that I'd picked up a solar panel for charging my phone and other electronics, but since then I've been obsessed with finding power banks that could power my laptop, or jump-start my car, or even run household items with AC plugs. Everything that I've seen on Amazon is expensive, or not quite what I'm looking for, but I feel like it's a matter of time before something comes out that I can make use of.
Beyond that, though, I've had a look at articles on what to keep for emergencies, such as first aid kits and receptacles for fresh water, and at articles on stuff to take on a socially distanced road trip to a national park. All of it looks so appealing, from the outdoor dish set to the portable table to the cooler.
All this research on camping and outdoor gear reminds me of my trip to Joshua Tree a few years ago, which occasioned a round of REI expeditions where I picked up snack food, camping dish wear and a headlamp. There was so much stuff that looked fun and useful and that would surely turn me into the indomitable outdoorsman I'd like to be, although I'm also realistic enough to admit that I probably wouldn't use it so much if I did have it. After all, I haven't gone camping since then - between the pandemic and my girlfriend being a little less enamored of the idea of roughing it for a few days in some remote forest among bugs and predators.
Still, I find it interesting that I'm so taken by all this stuff. I guess I just like that it's all so versatile and tidy - presumably bringing out a lot of interesting equipment, unfolding it expertly, and then squaring it all away into small corners of my trunk or garage appeals to the OCD in me.
It doesn't help that I can imagine how I'd use it all. For example, we'd drive up to Yosemite, confident in the knowledge that we wouldn't have trouble with gas stations because I'd be carrying a canister of gasoline for my car. Once we arrived, I'd pull out the collapsible table and chairs, set the table with the stackable dishes and cups, and extract our lunch from the cooler (which apparently can keep ice frozen for a week).
We'd keep our devices charged during lunch with the solar panels hooked up to the 1,000 watt portable generator, which is all electronic so it can't poison us with carbon monoxide fumes. Said generator could also power everything up to and including a fan, to keep cool and ward off bugs. And on finishing, we'd pack everything away back into the car and go for a walk, or back home, or wherever we wanted.
Part of what fascinates me is the idea that going camping doesn't have to be grim and full of deprivation (without going to the other extreme of glamping) - if you do it enough, you know what you need so you bring stuff that lets you cook, relax and keep yourself entertained. The other thing is that sense of order that comes from knowing that the set of dishes you brought stacks into a neat little cube, which you place on top of the cooler that holds all your sodas and snacks.
The other, other thing is probably borne of the pandemic and all this time I've spent at home, which is the feeling of being able to go anywhere and be prepared for it. My vacations have usually been to cities, which I can navigate fairly well even if I don't know the language (as long as there's Starbucks, public transportation and cafes where I can read for an hour). My beloved city breaks feel impossible to achieve at the moment, even being fully vaccinated, since I don't feel comfortable getting on a plane and some places still aren't letting tourists in, so road trips are probably the most likely ways of getting out of the house for a few days.
Though the real limiting factor is bathrooms. Using a campground toilet is one thing, but I'm not quite at the point where I (or my girlfriend) would feel comfortable using a bucket we've brought ourselves. So for the moment it's probably better that I don't go on any REI shopping sprees...
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