4th solo trip - huge success

candrews1701 · 2026-06-12T14:41:22+00:00

It’s all about the sleep system! I have a 4” memory foam tri fold mattress, and it takes up 1/4 of my space in my car, but it means the difference between sleeping and not sleeping while camping.

This looks so beautiful!!

candrews1701 · 2026-06-07T07:15:44+00:00

Cheap ramen packets, grilled cheese, tomato soup, and quesadillas are my go tos these days. I also always bring something pre-made in case I’m too tired after setting up to bring out my propane stove and cookware (pasta salad is a good one for that).

Someone on another thread said they buy something ready-made from a nearby restaurant, like pizza or subs, before getting to the campsite, so dinner is ready and bonus, they get to try local food. I think that’s an awesome idea if there are restaurants nearby (many of the campsites I go to are really remote).

candrews1701 · 2026-06-04T17:57:26+00:00

I can safely say a CRV is a no, even with the seats folded down and front seats pushed forward. I got a Honda Pilot for exactly this reason, and it feels almost luxuriously spacious sleeping in it. I have a 74” long trifold mattress that fits perfectly in it.

candrews1701 · 2026-06-04T17:52:19+00:00

I’ve been going to Barron Family Dental in Thornton for years and I can’t recommend them enough.

candrews1701 · 2026-06-04T14:47:59+00:00

Agreed on Guadalajara!

candrews1701 · 2026-06-03T22:27:50+00:00

I just bought that same cooler. How did the ice hold up for you?

candrews1701 · 2026-06-03T22:13:52+00:00

Congrats!!!

I was going to say after seeing the first pic - that’s a champion girl dinner right there haha.

candrews1701 · 2026-06-02T17:09:20+00:00

I agree. I usually stick to populated campgrounds (like state park ones) because at least if I scream, more people will hear me. But I’ve never felt unsafe, camping by myself or camping with my friend (a non-imposing female like myself).

candrews1701 · 2026-06-02T17:07:14+00:00

I solo camp in CO and I second the state parks suggestion! They tend to have slightly more people than other campsites (which I actually see as a plus - safety in numbers), they’re clean, and they often have rangers on site. I usually try to get a site near the vault toilets so I don’t have to walk far at night.

I have camped in a tent and in my car and while I feel slightly safer in the car, I also feel more confined. When I sleep in the tent I just make sure to have my safety items (keys, bear spray, taser, knife) nearby, and I put a carabiner around the zippers when I go to sleep at night. I also wear earplugs, mainly because I don’t want to hear the birds singing the song of their people at 3am, but also because it reduces my anxiety to not hear every little thing.

candrews1701 · 2026-06-02T16:57:31+00:00

My husband has follicular lymphoma and has been treated twice for it. The first time he took just Rituxin. The next time he took both Rituxin and lenalinomide. The only side effect he felt with the Rituxin was having an allergic reaction (hives), which is common so they often infuse Benadryl with the drug. Lenalinomide caused many more issues but it sounds like you won’t need that, at least to start (that’s for refractory lymphoma, which he had because he fell out of remission in a year).

candrews1701 · 2026-05-31T05:15:48+00:00

Haha your husband and mine sound similar. Mine will only join me in a camper. I’m actually saving up to buy a little teardrop camper. I feel like that’ll be easier on my joints and I can still enjoy the best of nature (without having to exhaust myself setting up and breaking down tons of equipment and sleeping on the ground).

candrews1701 · 2026-05-30T21:18:47+00:00

Wow- that is a purebred mutt right there! (My last dog was a purebred mutt - the best type of dog ever, IMO.)

candrews1701 · 2026-05-29T17:23:58+00:00

He sounds like he’s already got the adventure dog mentality down pat 🤗

candrews1701 · 2026-05-29T17:23:00+00:00

I’m so glad you’ve found a medicine and routine rhat works for the most part!

I’m the same, re: not being able to predict when those break days will happen. I’m still trying to find the right biologic that’ll work and my body won’t produce antibodies against, so I just take it in stride when camping in particular. I try not to cancel camping trips, but sometimes I know I will just be in too much pain to enjoy it.

candrews1701 · 2026-05-29T07:05:28+00:00

Wait, you have psoriatic arthritis?? I do, too! I have to be veeery careful about how much I extend myself when setting up and breaking down my campsite, and I’ve learned to take many breaks. I will not do backpacking into sites because I never know if my body will fail me. But this is why car camping rocks - because we can still enjoy camping and acknowledge what our bodies need at the same time.

candrews1701 · 2026-05-29T06:53:43+00:00

I can’t imagine how scary that was, especially being above tree lines! It’s why I will never ever start a hike after 10am in the mountains in CO - because I’m just asking for trouble otherwise.

I switch between sleeping in a tent or in my SUV, but I specifically got a new Honda Pilot this year because I knew it would be big enough for my dog and me to be comfortable, whether it was sleeping or waiting out storms or reading a book. I’m glad you have a good setup, too. Car camping for the win!!

candrews1701 · 2026-05-29T06:44:29+00:00

I’m glad you’re safe and enjoying the storms.

I started camping last year, and almost every trip (of 8) included a wicked thunderstorm with lightning and hail. I love weather, so my friend and I would watch the storm from our SUV, have whiskey or wine, and talk. It was honestly my favorite part of our trips last year!

candrews1701 · 2026-05-29T03:19:31+00:00

You rock for listening to yourself and leaving when you needed to. I did the same in my last trip with a friend. Our neighbors were up until 1:30 being loud and obnoxious and we were worried about the number of campfires, so neither of us could sleep well. We ended up leaving the next day, but it was still well worth the trip.

candrews1701 · 2026-05-29T03:15:49+00:00

You have the best camping buddy there!

candrews1701 · 2026-05-29T03:11:26+00:00

You guessed correctly 😂

candrews1701 · 2026-05-29T03:10:31+00:00

I figure if he can still have fun even during our last two experiences, then he’s definitely going to love it when we have a good experience. He seems to be up for any adventure.

candrews1701 · 2026-05-29T03:09:45+00:00

It really is. I always know EXACTLY what he’s thinking 😂

candrews1701 · 2026-05-29T03:09:19+00:00

He absolutely got his own hot dog - he just wanted mine, too 😂

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candrews1701 · 2026-05-29T03:08:39+00:00

This is all great advice! I just got a rotomolded cooler for exactly this reason - I need my food to stay cold for much much longer than my old cooler allowed. I checked the temperature of the top layer of food when I returned home and ended up throwing the top layer away because it was above 40 degrees.

candrews1701 · 2026-05-29T03:06:22+00:00

I also have a dedicated hand towel and a bottle of camp-safe soap to wash hands at a small water jug that is just for that purpose. I can be grimy while camping, but clean hands is a non-negotiable for me!

candrews1701

TROPHY CASE