The Story of How I Fell into the Camping Gear Rabbit Hole at Sound House - My First Solo Camping Trip, Day 2

Good morning! It’s the second morning of my first solo camping trip!
I’m the type who can sleep pretty much anywhere, so I was completely out until morning.

You can read about Day 1 here:
⇒ “The Story of How I Fell into the Camping Gear Rabbit Hole at Sound House - My First Solo Camping Trip, Day 1”

Peeking outside through a small opening in the tent, I’m greeted by the crisp air of a clear autumn morning.
I’m inside the tent, but it’s basically considered outside.
And yet, my body is warm and cozy inside the sleeping bag.
That vague, delightful feeling of being half indoors and half outdoors—I absolutely love it.

Listening to the birds singing, I spend a little while just lying around and savoring the moment. (^-^)

Waking Up

Autumn has big temperature swings between daytime and early morning/evening, so to avoid catching a cold, I put on a jacket as soon as I crawl out of my sleeping bag and—before making breakfast—I start prepping to make the later teardown easier.

This season has serious morning dew!
And the inside of the tent gets heavily condensed with moisture too!

You can just pack up the tent as is and dry it at home later, but if the weather is nice, letting the tent dry out at the campsite makes the post-camp cleanup so much easier.
(If it’s raining, it seems best to stuff it into a big trash bag while wet, then dry it at home.)

The tent I used this time is a floorless type (no groundsheet sewn in), so I just tidied up the inside and opened every panel that could be opened—now the prep is done!

If you have an extra towel, lightly wiping off the condensation will help it dry faster.
While you’re at it, if there’s space, it’s a good idea to lay out the groundsheet or your sleeping bag to dry as well.

Once the sun takes over from here, it’s time to start making breakfast!

Making Breakfast

Here’s the breakfast for this morning!
When it comes to camp mornings, the classic choice is a hot sandwich.

The fillings are totally up to you! Just stack whatever you like and make your perfect sandwich♪

↓ Sound House also sells hot-sandwich pans!

LOGOS / LOGOS Hot Sandwich Pan-BA

Works with bread with or without the crust.
The handle detaches so it packs away compactly!

LOGOS / SNOOPY Hot Sandwich Pan (Half-size)

Because it’s a half-size mold, you can make a hot sandwich with just one slice of bread!
Perfect for solo camping or for those who prefer a lighter meal♪

Packing Up

After slowly enjoying a post-breakfast coffee, it’s time to start preparing for cleanup.
This campground has an 11:00 checkout time, so I began packing up by counting backward to make sure I’d reach the management office five minutes before that. (Until you get used to it, make sure to give yourself extra time for packing!)

Ashes from the fire and any trash are disposed of according to the campground’s rules.
As for washing dishes, rather than going all the way to the shared sink area, it’s actually faster to just wipe off the dirt and wash everything at home, so I wiped down the cookware and put it all into a plastic bag to take back.
From there, it’s simply a matter of breaking everything down in the reverse order of setup and carrying it out.

Here’s a tip for storing the inflatable sleeping mat I had laid under my sleeping bag!

When I first used an inflatable mat, inflating it was easy since you basically just leave it alone, but during cleanup I couldn’t manage to roll it down small enough to fit into the storage bag… (^-^;
A more experienced camper taught me a simple trick to pack it down compactly, so I’ll share it with you♪

1. ① Open the valve, fold the mat roughly into thirds, and put your weight on it.
   
2. ② Once most of the air is out, close the valve for the moment.
3. ③ Unfold it and start rolling it up from one end (if you put your knees on it while rolling, it won’t re-inflate).
   
4. ④ When the remaining air becomes fully pressurized near the end, open the valve again.
5. ⑤ After rolling it all the way to the end, close the valve and you’re done.
   

With LOGOS’s inflatable mats equipped with the “Easy Valve,” you don’t even need to manually open and close the valve while deflating — it prevents air from flowing back in, making it even easier to let the air out!

LOGOS / 55 Self-Inflating Mat, SOLO

Leave no trace behind!! Do a final check to make sure you haven’t forgotten any trash, pegs, or other items!
I ended up rushing at the end, but I somehow managed to reach the administration building five minutes before check-out.

After completing the check-out procedure, it’s time to head home.
The camping trip isn’t over until you get home♪
You’re probably more tired than you think, so drive safely on the way back!

Lastly

I tried not to cram too much into my schedule, but even so, the two days went by in the blink of an eye.
The constant mix of nervousness and excitement made everything that much more fun! I just wanted to do more o(^-^)o♪
On the way back, I was already thinking about the next trip—I want to try this, and that…

Since buying my hammock chair and going on my first solo camping trip, I said I’d stick to the essentials, but I still ended up buying all sorts of things…
Like:
“Before the next camping trip, I want my own fire pit…” or
“I also want a knife for splitting firewood…”
My wish list just keeps growing.

This must be what they call the ‘camping swamp’!

Sound House carries a wide variety of outdoor gear and festival goods!
Why not fall into the camping swamp with us at Sound House?

⇒ Let’s Go Camping! Outdoor Gear Special — Perfect for Camping and Festival Scenes
⇒ Daily Goods & Home Essentials List