So, childofsnow and I have been talking about camping. There are a certain number of large SCA events that involve camping. And for a certain amount of time, I / we are going to be stuck with a tent... the large Coleman number I currently own, or a period pavilion, or what have you.

She's said that she's still not a fan of camping, but will not refuse to come. I, in turn, have promised to find ways to make the experience more comfortable, and less objectionable. Here, therefore, are links to things I need to acquire at some point when I have money:

• She says one of the worst things for her was having dirty hands. Well, REI has a portable camp sink which will help take care of that. Back when I was a member of the Carolina Canoe Club and my ex-wife and I spent a lot of time hauling boats out to the middle of nowhere and then paddling them down rapid-infested rivers, we bought a lot of stuff from REI, and I have confidence in the quality of their goods.
  
  
• My air mattress blew a seam while we were at Highlands War XV. Later, childofsnow shared with me the fact that she's not all that fond of air mattresses, anyway. Kat and Curlew let us borrow some folding futons, and they were very nice. Bulky, difficult to pack, but very nice. Foam Order has some tri-fold foam beds that I'm looking at. Hmm. I should ask Curlew where theirs came from....
  
  
• It was cold at night during the war. And, one night at the last Estrella, I woke up with frost on my blankets. So, I know that I've said it before, but I'm thinking a tent heater might be a good idea. The Coleman ones are designed to be used in a tent, and they produce heat through catalysis, rather than burning, so they don't give off CO / CO₂.
  
  
• None the less... I carry a fire extinguisher to events, and I should probably also think about a CO / smoke detector.
  
  
• Nobody tell childofsnow about the camping coffee maker, okay? We'll let that be a surprise for her.

My momster reminded me of vardos, which I had been enthusing about not that long ago. I remembered this one, and started thinking about it more seriously. As-is, it wouldn't be really suitable for SCA camping, at least, not without being regulated to RV parking, which is usually out on the edges instead of in with the other campers.

And a vardo is at least an order of magnitude more expensive than a pavilion, so it's more of a long-term project. But looking at the one that Kevin made, I'm finding myself thinking about building one on a trailer... say a a 16-foot, tandem-axle flatbed. A new one would be rather pricy, but I might be able to find a used one reasonably priced, particularly if I'm willing to replace the deck. (And I am... I'd want oak instead of pine underfoot, in addition to the changes that would need to be made to put up the walls).

Also, I think there are improvements that could be made to Kevin's design. It looks to me like he's got a seperate warming stove and cookstove, while I'd probably use a single unit like the Baker's Over Stove. And if I don't have the cab to put a loft over, that'd be great space for a wardrobe.

At any rate, I'm going to play with my scale ruler and my sketchbook, and think hard about it. And I'm going to join the email list my mom found, for SCA Vardo owners. And really, even if I get relegated to RV parking, that's not so bad, is it?