Guest Post: Camping in the Rain

This guest blog is by Matt Parsons, longtime photography intern, writer and avid parks explorer. Check out more of his adventures at his blog The Adventurers.

Having the right camping attitude before you leave the house is every bit as important as having the skills to do so.

One thing we have learned is that there is no right or wrong way to camp. My earliest recollection of camping as a young adult started with spontaneous trips to stock car races and camping in the parking lot. Friends and I would conjure up an idea. Then, like roommates making a stir fry, we would throw everything together from our collective stash. All of us would try to bring something that resembled the makings of a camping trip.

Our mish mash of gear never was complete. Inevitably, we would have to make do with what we had. We adopted the motto: “if we don’t have it, we don’t need it”. Improvising was half the fun. It’s amazing how creative you can be when you are hungry, desire a good night’s rest or want to stay dry. On one early expedition to a race in New York, the forecast was for rain. A co-worker and I fashioned a frame out of steel rebar for the bed of my 1971 Dodge truck. Once at the track, we draped a tarp over the frame and slept inside. Our rig was affectionately known as the wagon train amongst the campers. When the rains came, we were warm and dry. That is, until I decided to push the sagging tarp full of water out from the middle of my covered wagon. A small measurement error in our design, left a small gap on one side that allowed the gushing water to go inside. Now our sleeping compartment doubled as a cold shower!

You see, it is all about attitude and perspective. Though my wife and I have assembled a respective amount of gear over the years, it is still about having the right attitude.

We decided a long time ago that we are not going to let bad weather change our plans to camp. Ann and I live by what we tell our kids and grandkids; “You get what you get, and you don’t pitch a fit”. Accepting the current situation as it is, and having the desire to adapt, has gone a long way to creating fond memories in adverse conditions.

We don’t own a camper, (yet) and we don’t have expensive, or elaborate rain shelters. We own several tarps that serve us around the home. I use an assortment of bungee cords to secure our rain shelter to whatever is available. Whether we are in a lean-to, tent in a State Park, or car camping in the Green Mountain National Forest, Ann and I have always worked as a team to protect ourselves from inclement weather. Sometimes our rain shield and bungee systems resemble a geometry test on steroids. We laugh at our network of crisscrossed lines, followed by a high five! Not taking ourselves too seriously, or comparing ourselves to other “more experienced campers” has helped clear the way for wonderful experiences in the parks.

Bad weather can certainly dampen our outdoor endeavors, but we have learned to be content in every situation. To us, sitting under the roof of a lean-to, or tent, listening to the rain fall, and watching lighting dance in the sky amuses us. Being warm and dry, yet inches away from the elements, gives us a sense of victory. Playing cards or reading a good book to the rhythm of the rain, not only helps pass the time away, but it helps us to unplug and unwind.

A walk or hike through our scenic State Parks and National Forests can be very serene. Raindrops hit their marks in the water like perfectly tossed bullseyes. The sound of raindrops bombarding the canopy above, make me wonder why I’m not wetter than I am. As fog lifts from a forest floor, or lake surface, a different world emerges. Birds begin their grateful songs of praise as children happily play in the mud puddles freshly made.

Our kids are grown up now, but our fondest memories have been sitting under an umbrella while the kids swam in Ricker Pond or Lake Carmi. Soggy Bike rides through a park was as common as smores on a Saturday night. Not only did they have fun playing in the rain, but they slept like babies at night. Today, the same is true for us, only we use cheap rain ponchos, and we snore at night.

We have had fun hiking and exploring the trails at Little River in the rain, we survived paddling at Green River Reservoir and Wilgus, and I have caught fish in the rain at Half Moon Pond. I have even seen a fire in our fire ring come back to life after a torrential downpour at Woodford State Park.

During longer durations of bad weather, we will hop in our car and explore the area for museums, unique restaurants, antique stores, or new places to hike, bike, kayak, or canoe. There is nothing like a good old fashioned reconnaissance mission to get our dream factory going.

We are also part of the Vermont 251 Club, so checking off a few towns in our logbook, and learning about them is always of interest to us. Exploring the back roads of rural Vermont helps us create a sense of wonder and appreciation for this great state and the people in it.

It has been 30 years since my sleeping quarters doubled as a shower, However, we look at every rainstorm as another opportunity to make memories, laugh at ourselves and to have fun. It has been our experience that the sun always comes out, and we are showered with memories that last a lifetime. We hope you do too.