I survived 28 degrees (that's Fahrenheit, you Celsiusians) last night, without socks; tonight, we're supposed to be in the teens, i.e., well below freezing, and I'll be out in the tent again.
At some point, I need to do an experiment: I have to try sleeping inside my sleeping bag with a corrugated foam pad under me to see whether that'll be enough to survive harsh cold. Up to now, I've slept on top of my sleeping bag and have used the foam roll as a second pillow. But with the ground getting colder, I need slightly more insulation than the thin layer of down in my sleeping bag to keep the chill from seeping into my body. Tonight might be the night I finally unroll the pad. We'll see.
Because I'm home and therefore have a safety net, now is the perfect time to be pushing the limit on cold-weather camping, seeing how well I and my equipment can withstand harsh conditions.* What better laboratory than one's own back yard?
By the way, hats off to Dad for a great cold-weather survival tip: if your jacket's hood isn't thick enough, take a towel and insulate the inside of your hood with it. I'm using two dishrag-sized towels these days. With the towels in place and one of those lovely blankets thrown over my head, I'm toasty warm.
UPDATE: it's 28 again tonight, not the teens. Too bad. No need to unroll the foam this time around.
*I didn't do so well in Arlington, Oregon: you might recall what happened there-- a weather-related disaster of my own making.
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