Show and Tell: Fort Z.

It's time for...

My virgin S&T post! I don't know how frequently I'll be doing this, but this week, I feature Fort Z., the affectionate name of our ridiculously large tent for 2 people. Since we're going camping this weekend, I thought it would be appropriate.

Let's take a look at this wondrous specimen of outdoor adventure, shall we? I nabbed these pics from the Kelty website.

The Kelty website describes our tent as a "reasonably priced... roomy tent that comes outfitted with a bonus screened-in vestibule with pull down shades. If you want protection from insects and critters, this tent is an obvious choice." An obvious choice indeed, b/c, as much as I love camping, bugs and critters scare the bejesus out of me. This tent was actually on our wedding registry (we registered with BB&B and REI), and someone actually got it for us. Word.

But Miriam, you say, that tent's not so big! Allow me to put on the rainfly. *fusses with rainfly* Ta-da!

That's right, there's a vestibule. Ari and I have joked on many an occasion that one time when we're camping we'll have margaritas under the vestibule. (What actually happens when we camp is that we just leave our shoes in there. Not as exciting as cocktails with umbrellas.)

But Miriam, you say, that still doesn't look that big. Oh really? Well, our tent can hold four, yes four coffins with decapitated heads inside!

(For the record, I find this floor plan horrifying.) What actually happens is that it's just Ari and me, in a corner, on top of an air mattress in our sleeping bags. I can't fathom camping without the air mattress.

So where exactly has Fort Z been? Let's take a look at its travels:

• Shawme-Crowell State Forest in Sandwich, MA (June 2008): The inaugural raising of Fort Z. This was only the 2nd time I'd been camping in the woods... in my life. Also, this was the emergence year for Brood XIV- the 17-year cycle of cicadas appearing en masse to the New England region, particularly the Cape. There were literally millions of cicadas at the campground. Thankfully, not in the area we were staying, but we had to walk through hundreds of cicadas divebombing our heads at one point to get to the camp store. I shit you not, I almost had a mental break. Also, it rained.
  
• So-Hi Campground in Accord, NY (July 2008): We went with 2 other couples, one of whom was 7-months pregnant at the time with their first child! It was an amazing time... but solidified our need to camp at State Parks only. We had some very lovely Eastern European neighbors (read: ~50 Ukrainians from NYC spread over 2 campsites with nearly a dozen tents pitched- TOTALLY not allowed at the campground) sharing their native folk tunes with us (read: cars parked with stereos blaring non-stop techno until 3am each night). Also, it rained.
  
• Acadia National Park in Bar Harbor (Bah Hahbah), ME (September 2008): This time we went with about a dozen people, all connected in interesting ways to one another. We just so happened to camp the weekend that the remnants of Hurricane Ike made landfall in Bar Harbor. In addition to hiking a 1270 ft. mountain that weekend, we also camped through a hurricane. We were lucky our tent didn't float away in the deluge.
  

I feel it important to note here, that these 3 trips, including the first time I went camping in October 2007, it has rained every single trip.

This weekend we're headed to Wells State Park in central MA. And what is the weather forecast? Well, have a look for yourself:

Well, if Fort Z. made it through a hurricane, than it can sure as hell make it through a couple of thunderstorms. Make sure to swing by Mel's to see what the rest of the class is showing!