In praise of Real Camping
-------------------------

I was very happy to read Katolaz's entry[1]
in ROOPHLOCH 2019[2] (just over one week left
to enter if you've forgotten!  I'm hoping to
make my post tomorrow) with its spirited
defence of Real Camping.

There's a stupid saying one occasionally sees
floating around the internet or printed on
stupid crap that says something along the
lines of:

"Camping is paying a small fortune to live
like a homeless person"

I've always hated this saying.  In part just
because it's an anti-camping saying, and
camping is awesome, so screw that.  But more
so because to some extent it rings true: if
you decided to go camping for the first time
ever today and you did your research and took
seriously all the recommendations you read in
blogs or heard from salespeople, you
genuinely would end up paying a small fortune
for your gear.  Mainstream opinions and
advice on the outdoors could very easily give
you the impression that it was impossible, or
at least deeply unpleasant, until the past
decade or two.

I'm not denying that this expensive modern
gear works, or that it's smaller or lighter
or warmer than simpler, older, cheaper stuff.
I'm sure it does.  And I acknowledge that the
ultralight approach lets older or less fit
people enjoy the outdoors for longer at a
time or later in life than otherwise might be
possible.  This stuff has its place, and if
you can afford it and it makes you happy,
then more power to you.

But I'm of the opinion that to some extent
this approach misses the point, or at least
misses *a* point, and an important one.  So
katolaz's post resonated with me quite well.
It's put me in the mood for another S24O.
Coincidentally enough, tomorrow is the one
year anniversary of my first[3]!  It seems
this September is a lot colder than last
year's...

[1] gopher://republic.circumlunar.space:70/0/~katolaz/phlog/OT_ROOPHLOCH_camping.txt
[2] gopher://zaibatsu.circumlunar.space:70/1/~solderpunk/roophloch
[3] gopher://zaibatsu.circumlunar.space:70/0/~solderpunk/phlog/my-first-s24o.txt