My birthday present to myself this year was a roof top tent from Roofnest for my Subaru Crosstrek. I’d been contemplating the best option for my entrance into the solo camping experience — do I buy a small RV? Pull a trailer? Sleep inside my car? Pitch a tent on the ground?
I went with a rooftop tent because … backing up a trailer fills me with anxiety! I’m not going to sleep on the ground; been there, done that. My car is a car, not a bed. And a RV of any size was beyond my means.
So I bought a Sparrow Eye from Roofnest because it’s easy to put up, has a small footprint on top of my car and was the right price! On sale. Free shipping! It came in a HUGE box. There was little to assemble, although I could not have put it on top of my car without help. It’s extremely heavy. And bolting it to my rack took some effort, but it is not going to come off.
My inaugural solo trip was to Morro Strand State Beach; close enough to my California Central Coast home but far enough to feel adventurous. The campground, a parking lot right on the beach, was the perfect site for my first tent experience. Safe with lots of people around! The tent went up in one fell swoop … no problem. Took a long walk on the beach, made soup on my camp stove, watched the sun dip below the horizon and was lulled to sleep by the soothing sounds of the Pacific Ocean.
Next morning I awoke, toasty warm in my overnight cocoon, to the, once again, soothing sounds of the Pacific Ocean. After a leisurely walk on the beach, I collapsed my tent, packed up my gear and headed home up Highway 1. Stopped in Cayucos for a cup of coffee at Cayucos Coffee and a package of cookies at Brown Butter Cookie Company.
Here’s what I discovered as a solo traveler. Anonymity. I wandered aimlessly. The hellos and good mornings and how ya doing were said in passing. I didn’t know the people who I greeted or who greeted me. Didn’t feel the need to stop and catch up or exchange any information. A nod and a smile sufficed as acknowledgement. No thoughts about “who am I presenting to the world?” Just a wayfarer passing through, absorbing the vitality of an area. It was intoxicating!
Tidbits:
Public bathroom met my expectations. I’ve seen better and worse.
Camping in a parking lot was just fine; a safe spot for my first solo camping outing.
Drinking a hot cup of coffee, made on my little camp stove, walking on the beach watching the morning unfold … unforgettable!