When we got us this morning, the sun wasn’t there to greet us. A thick layer of grey hung low above us. Never the less it was warm and dry and we planned on setting off into the Glacier National Park for our first day of exploring.
About half way through breakfast a few raindrops warned us about things to come. We were under the trees and still dry but rain got thicker and it wouldn’t be long before the trees wouldn’t be able to help us any longer.
Not tent camping friendly weather
We stayed out in the rain for a while until eventually it got to the point where we went to seek shelter in the campgrounds office / lounge. We spent best part of the afternoon there going back and forth to our camp from time to time.
Hiding from the lounge with a book
I paid a visit to the tent after Zoe told me things were getting a bit wet on the edges where the water splashed back up under the fly. It didn’t take long to realise that our mighty Marmot Tungsten 4 was saturated and letting water in! This was terrible news! Zoe rescued the sleeping bags and I set off to find a store that might sell tarpaulins. Luckily there was a general store a few minutes down the road that sold all sorts of outdoors equipment and within half an hour Zoe and I were standing in the rain again stringing up a tarp over our tent to try and win the battle against the elements.
With one tarp over the tent we strung up a second one over our table so we would have a place to sit out of the rain.
Our sad looking campsite is starting to look like a gypsy camp!
For now we seem to have managed to stem the leak in our tent and now it’s just a matter of waiting for better weather. Zoe spent some time in the lounge, I started a fire and get into roasting marshamellows (my new found camping delicacy!)
The rest of the day was more of the same, constant rain (Belgium style!)which eventually slowed down a bit late afternoon but didn’t fully stop until the early hours of the morning.
I guess in a way we are lucky that in 2-1/2 months of travelling this was our first day in the rain. Sure we have had the odd rain storm at night or while riding now and then but not a full day of constant downpour in a tent!
TA
Hello you two !
If I follow well, hard rain for a couple of hours is ok for the tent but not the everlasting soft rains is it ? You will have to find a little place for your tarpaulins as you might need them again…
Luckily there was a nice office/lounge to stay dry…and shops not too far off to buy what you needed. The place is not all that remote from other living creatures as I see.
Tomorrow will be a nice sunny day !
;D xxx
First full day of rain after 77, sounds reasonable but still annoying if the tent gets flooded.
Millions, if not billions seek shelter under tarpaulins from rain or shine.
Rain eventually stops (even in Belgium!) and will be forgotten shortly after.
Enjoy your trip whatever, it will remain a lifetime’s experience.
Baci