Sleep, sleep, sleep at last!

Wednesday, September 15, 2022

This is the fifth day of my trip and the first night that I slept through the night.  The first night I got in at 11 and pitched my tent and canopy and crashed about 2 after the couple next door quit partying. I got up at six. The next five nights were due to cold for me (47-52 at night). I spent a lot of early mornings roughing it in Milk with the motor and heater running.

Before I went to sleep at my new campground, Hardy RV and Campground, I researched on the internet to see why I could not sleep in 40 and 50ish temps. I am supposed to be a really smart nationally board certified teacher and know about the second law of thermodynamics. My body with heat (more bouncing around molecules) moved its disorder to the cold orderly mattress until equilibrium.  I got cold and the mattress did not seem to car.  \

Solution. I finally got a sleeping bag rated to 35 degrees and put a comforter under for insulation. Voila a snug warm night's sleep. I paid for a week and am living by the day.

Unfortunately I set up on a hill and rolled down to the doorway and could not move back up.  The reason I rolled is I have queen sized inflatable mattress. When I practiced camped once, the hardest part was getting up off the ground. I thought - get an air mattress.  Great idea until I blew it up with my inverter and it was so big it pulled the stakes up.  I took the tent back and grabbed a bigger one tossed in the front seat before leaving. The next day before practice setting up the new tent I glanced down at the label and in a tiny box with 1 in it read - will fit a queen sized air mattress.  Definitely a God thing.  

The next obstacle besides the roll down mattress was the 47 degree night. I had made the like I have at home for weeks - sheets and comforter.  About 2:30 I was freezing and ended up in the truck with the heater on.  

The next morning it got worse I went away from camp for a bit and came back and sat in my folding chair. After a way being the very aware person I am, I noticed something was different. Then it hit me my canopy was gone.  I fumed who would steal my canopy here - I am the only one camping after the couple pulled at first light.  Then I happened to look to my left two campsites down and there was my canopy “set up.”  In my haste of setting up camp, I did not  put in the stakes in the four metal posts.  When the wind blew the canopy acted like a parachute and fortunately landed on all fours.  I brought it back and staked each post and tied down and staked each corner. 

I was thankful I had bought a one person set up canopy. The first one required two people and I could not count on finding someone to help so I returned it.  After searching all encompassing Amazon, I found one.

It took me one more roll down night before I had energy to move the tent to level ground.  I still did not sleep past 3.  I got up and did my morning meditation for daily instruction and the God of my understanding that I call GIGI (God is good indeed) Told me you do not have to go to KANSAS TODAY.  MOST OF THE TIME NOW I CAN DISCERN WHETHER GOD’S VOICE SOUNDS LIKE ME.  I BROKE CAMP AT MANY ISLANDS AND HEADED TO HARDY AND FOUND A PERFECT  PLACE TO SET UP ABOUT 12 MILES DOWNSTREAM IN A CITY PARK. UNFORTUNATELY THE RAILROAD TRACK FOLLOWED THE RIVER ALSO AND SOUNDS THE LITTLE JINGLE BELLS ON APPROACH AND THEN TWO LONG LOUD TOOTS ONE SHORT AND ONE MORE LONG.