Live and learn - and sometimes get lucky

[tinktheman12]

Made a few mistakes with a quick getaway last night, but dodged the bullets - more or less. Since the weather was amazing, not to drop below 50-deg, I decided to go get some free therapy at my easiest nearby campsite: 45min drive, 1 mi. hike - or bike, which I prefer for the speed and ease. (20-25ish lbs on the back isn't bad for just 5mins).

I saw some mild rain forecast in early morning, so I knew had to set up the tarp. But decided last minute to grab my new one. Mistake #1: it wasn't fully prepared. I had seam-sealed it. Good. I had installed a CRL. Good. But in my haste, I marched out without the lines and stakes.
The site I chose is on the edge of a 50-ft slope down to a reservoir. Mistake #2: I was pretty exposed to any breezes coming up the steep hill.
I left tarp to the side of hammock and figured I could get my pack under me and pull the other side of tarp over me when rain started. That worked fine. It was calm, so all seemed to be alright. Woke up again around 2pm and somehow realized a potential disaster was afoot: my underquilt protector was somehow collecting water! Realized the tarp slipped inside the UQP (probably due to wind pushing it in me, or perhaps when I got back into hammock), so all the water from that side was filling up. So I guess that counts as mistake #3. But luckily crisis averted and no problems afterwards, until the heavy winds made it unbearable/unsustainable to remain under the tarp. At least by this point I had my full night's sleep (although hoping for extra) and was able to get up, let the wind (no more rain) continue to dry things off, get my coffee and load up the pack and ride home.
Just glad that all those mistakes didn't result in any damaged gear, miserable sleep, or having to bail on the adventure.
PHEW! Sometimes you get lucky and along the way you are able to learn a couple important lessons.
Above all: it's always worth the effort to get out. Just run through the essentials before you jump in the car!

[iceman857]

Fun story and thanks for sharing it! I can only imagine how frustrated you must have been realizing you didn't have all the stuff you needed. If it were me, I would have bailed.

"It's better to be lucky than good." - Lefty Gomez

[Crazytown3]

Thanks for sharing that. Those are the adventures that stick in our head later on. I had a similar trip once with a new tarp that had been packed away for almost a year before I actually used it. Same thing; I had a ridgeline, but no guy outs. I ended up using my shoelaces for improvised guy outs , and just took them off the tarp and laced my shoes back up the next morning. I never forgot to double check my tarps before a trip after that.