Help! My Favorite Tent wants to Retire

I Love My Tent!

I Need Your Help!

My Mountain Hardware Tri-Light 1
snuggled up against the wind shelter on San Miguel Island
Constant daily wind speed for 3 days was 45mph with gusts ranging from 60-75mph

Can you help me?

I need a tent that provided everything this one did

Do you have any suggestions for a tent that fulfills all my needs?

Free-standing

(will not compromise on this!)

Super light

(2lbs or lighter)

Easy to pitch in 45-70mph winds

Can withstand relentless rain, hail, and wind, all at once

Can handle mice climbing up the tent body and the fly for 3 nights without showing signs of damage.

Comfortable with the rain fly and without

Fly has a skylight or window so I can look at the stars on chilly evenings

Great ventilation

If you have any suggestions for a tent

(that can live up to my Mountain Hardware Tri-Light 1)

or if you would like to share a picture of your favorite ten and a few reasons why you love it, please post your suggestions and pics on my Facebook page.

:)

I realized it may be time I let my favorite tent retire

It's finally begun to show some deterioration.

No place I would have rather been on the drizzly morning of my 40th birthday, then here, inside my 12 year old Mountain Hardware Tri-Light 1, on Santa Cruz Island.
The best part of this view:
knowing my husband is snug in my 12 year Mountain Hardware Thru Hiker.

This tent has been the best investment ever!

I've had it since 2000!

It has survived epic storms on the NaPali Coast

My first Back Packing Trip
and the first trip to put this amazing Mountain Hardware Tri-Light 1 to the test!
Getting ready to wait out another storm with wind gusts of 70+mph
at the 8 mile plateau on the NaPali Coast

It has endured countless adventures in Joshua Tree National Park

It has been a comfort on 12 degree nights as well as been comfortable on summer evenings when it didnt get any lower than the mid 70s.

It has endured 6 weeks in Tasmania

which included several days and nights of crazy winds at Whitewater Wall and on Maria Island, and 5 nights of endless rain along the Tasman Sea.

It has provided the best mosquito and other biting-bug protection

It has protected me during many scampers down the cliffs along the Big Sur coast to slumbers on the sand.

It has protected me from relentless flys and other biting flying critters while on Vancouver Island and Salt Spring Island in Canada.

It has sheltered me from relentless monsoonal hail storms, rain, and wind

During a crazy storm in White Sands National Park, it really proved its worth! I was able to set it up during a crazy freak storm while getting pelted by golf ball sized hail, and being thrashed by unforgiving wind.

It has been on each Island in the Channel Islands countless times

It has withstood 5 days and four nights of crazy wind and rain

on San Miguel Island.

It has endured the wind on several trips on Santa Rosa Island.

It provided the perfect playground for silly mice that enjoyed climbing to the top and sliding down the sides of it on Santa Barbara Island.

It has given me such comfort while back country camping on Santa Rosa Island.

It has provided enough shelter from biting bugs while also allowing me the perfect view of the evening stars.

The Footprint, Rain fly, and Poles
joined me in the Grand Canyon 2 weeks ago!
I was supposed to send the poles back to Mountain Hardware to get re-strung...the people at Mountain Hardware have been amazing! They will replace/re-string my poles for free, but I couldn't pass up a last minute block of time to head to the Grand Canyon!
Since it was over 107 degrees when I got to the bottom at 9am, I decided to not bother with putting up the tent. The fly came in handy when a random, yet very welcome thunderstorm settled in for over an hour.

Nothing says "sexy"
like being wrapped in my Mountain Hardware Tri-Light 1 Rainfly during  a random thunderstorm at the bottom of the Grand Canyon!
You can see more pics of the Grand Canyon Trip Here

Thanks ya'll for reading and for any suggestions!

-Melissa Adylia Calasanz

:)

My Love Affair with the Channel Islands

I've been heading out to the Channel Islands for over 12 years

I fell in love with the Channel Islands back in 2000

after my first trip to Santa Cruz Island

I have traveled alone to the islands for all but 5 trips

yet I have never felt lonely

Except Once

Me
Melissa Adylia Calasanz of Controlled Burn Fitness
Santa Cruz Island, Channel Islands National Park
Scorpion Anchorage
after scampering over 15 miles of Up and Down up and Down 8,000ft elevation gain
from Prisoners Harbor

If I was asked to do the math about how many nights I have spent out on the islands... let’s see...

In the first 2 years
(2000-2002)

I made 15 trips to Santa Cruz Island with a minimum of 3 nights per visit, and on 3 trips, I stayed for 6 nights.

I visited Anacapa on all but 3 of my visits to Santa Cruz Island, and made pit stops at Anacapa when visiting each of the other islands from 2000-2002.

I visited Santa Rosa Island 2 times in 2000, each trip for 3 nights; Santa Barbara Island one time for 3 nights; and San Miguel Island for 3 nights.

Hmmm, looking back, and doing the math, I guess I lived in my tent :)

I did my first back country backpacking/camping trip to Santa Rosa Island, spending 5 nights on a beautiful white sand beach happily; all by myself except for the adorable seals that were so curious about me, and the pelicans that entertained me with their amazing diving- for-dinner skills.

Smugglers Cove
Santa Cruz Island, Channel Islands National Park
One of my favorite hikes!
From Scorpion to the quiet beach of Smugglers Cove
Only about 7 miles round trip

One of my favorite places
Unforgiving weather most of the time, but when the weather is in a good mood
this island is stunning! 

The last time I camped on San Miguel Island
Constant winds of 40-45mph
Gusts up to 70mph
for 3 days

Me
Melissa Adylia Calasanz of Controlled Burn Fitness
San Miguel Island
Trying to get warm and dry off after getting stuck under 3 sets of waves,
climbing up the cliff, soaking wet with a backpack, during an off-trail "adventure"
trying to return along the coast after visiting Simonton Cove
with one of the rangers and 3 other enthusiastic hikers
WOW!

Me
Melissa Adylia Calasanz of Controlled Burn Fitness
San Miguel Island
Many years ago, the last day on San Miguel Island
waiting for the Island Packers Boat to come and pick up the campers.
The sun had finally come out. The wind had died down to a gentle breeze.
Two Blue Whales frolicked in the bay for hours 

I don’t have any pictures from my days on Santa Rosa Island or Santa Barbara Island

Those were super-special days of extreme solitude.

On Santa Rosa, I enjoyed back-country camping for 4 nights at a time carrying all my essentials, including all my water for the entire trip.

There are no water sources, even for filtering, in June on that side of the island. The weight of my pack was reserved for water, food and absolute essentials. 

Taking pictures was never a priority in those days...I didn’t know anyone in those days who would appreciate where I had been.

To this day, I rarely take pictures when I am traveling solo. Stopping to take pictures pulls my focus away from the moment, and there are only a handful of people today with whom I'd care to share such special memories.

Over the last 10 years
(2002-20012)

I have spent countless night on all of the islands except Anacapa. However, I have recently begun volunteering with the Channel Islands Restoration Project, helping eradicate non-native plants and replanting native plants in Anacapa Island. Volunteering has given me the opportunity to give back to the amazing islands that have given me so many days and nights of peace and happiness.

Me
Melissa Adylia Calasanz of Controlled Burn Fitness
Kicking up my heels on Anacapa Island
January 2012
While volunteering with the Channel Islands Restoration Project

January 2012, Anacapa Island
Channel Islands Restoration Project Volunteers hiking
in search of Island Dudleya
and working to eradicate non-native ice plant

I have spent several special occasions out on the islands

I've enjoyed 2 Thanksgivings out on Santa Cruz Island. During one of the Thanksgiving holidays, I had the entire island to myself for 4 days, except for one ranger. It was amazing! No day hikers/visitors or other campers! 75 degrees of crystal clear naked hiking, reading, eating, and sleeping.

I've enjoyed 3 New Years Eve’s on Santa Cruz Island. 

I have spent 3 birthdays on Santa Rosa Island (2 of mine and 1 of a friend).

Me
Melissa Adylia Calasanz of Controlled Burn Fitness
Ringing in 2001
Santa Cruz Island
It poured the entire 3 nights and 4 days
No problem!
Plenty of bubbly, brie, pate, and unlimited miles of hiking made this gal super-happy!

June 14th, 2012
The most recent special occasion
Me
Melissa Adylia Calasanz of Controlled Burn Fitness
and my wonderful husband Andrew Calasanz
I finally convinced Andrew to join me on an island adventure
He only agreed because it is what I wanted for my
40th Birthday

June 14th, 2012
Me
Melissa Adylia Calasanz of Controlled Burn Fitness
and my wonderful husband Andrew Calasanz
about to board the Island Packers boat to Santa Cruz Island
the day before my 40th Birthday

June 15th, 2012
Santa Cruz Island, Channel Islands National Park
Me
Melissa Adylia Calasanz of Controlled Burn Fitness
Happy with a pack on my back.
Exactly where I wanted to be for my 40th Birthday!

I've already booked my next San Miguel Trip for October 5th-8th

I will be traveling solo.

As much as I loved having Andrew with me on Santa Cruz Island for my 40th birthday, I love him enough to leave him at home.

He'd much prefer to be on the road while I'm out on the water, or on the trails with a pack on my back. 

I am so fortunate he understands how much I love to get away by myself.

Those times alone make coming home so much sweeter.

Life's a Trip

Tomorrow marks 1 year since I created the Disciplined Indulgence Blog.

It's also the day Mister AC asked me to be his wife!

:)

Last week, Andrew told me to "Take a Hike!"

No, he doesn't want a divorce! :) He wants me to be happy! So he's sending me away to one of my favorite places, Santa Cruz Island

off the coast of Santa Barbara

The picture above was taken on one of my solo adventures to Santa Cruz Island, about 1 months after I returned from a trip to Tasmania. You can see my little blue tent in the left hand corner

:)

 

Thanks to the love and support of the amazing man I've married, I've begun to embark on several new adventures. Journey #1: I’m jumping back on the trail, of formal education, that I left a long time ago when I left college because my career as a professional dancer had taken off.  I had no clue how to return to school since I had no clue how I had even gotten there in the first place-I had been given scholarships for Ceramics and Photography and no one ever gave me a map in case I decided to return. Thankfully I've found my way back, thanks to much inquiry, and by surrounding myself with productive and supportive people. Journey #2: I'm recovering from the loss of the Controlled Burn Fitness Studio due to that fire in May. This event spurred me on to pursue the LEAP Program at Saint Mary's of California thanks to Career Transitions for Dancers. Journey #3: Taking a Hike! I need to disappear in order to find myself. Anytime I’ve ever been on the brink of a new and intimidating personal journey, I’ve made it a point to head out on a physical, solitary adventure. I’ve found these getaways to be so helpful with gaining perspective on my intentions and expectations, and these adventures give me uninterrupted time to really map out a plan of action.

I want to thank you for reading this far and if you have read any of my previous posts, wow, I am humbled. There is something so powerful, humbling and exciting about being able to transport a person to places where I’ve been. Stories come from experience; my experiences have all been adventures, my adventures have all contained personal epiphanies, and all of my personal epiphanies have coincided with my wilderness adventures. The fact that you've read any of them means so much to me.

Part of my blog's title reads:  "...Every Day Should be a Journey. This is Mine…”

I am so happy that you want to come along!

I invite y’all to share your journeys with me. Please feel free to post links to your blog, website, twitter, or feel free to ask any questions and post comments.

Here’s to the next year of wonderful advedntures!

Can’t wait! J

Rainy Day/Winter Fun

Are you allergic to water?

Are you allergic to snow?

I didn't think so.

I love getting outside no matter what the weather has in store for me

Wind, Rain, Snow, Excessive Heat

as long as you're prepared, you can have a great time out there!

Here I am on December 18th, 2010

taking a break from kayaking in Newport Bay, CA

between the Coast Guard Beach and the Jetty

enjoying a little rain after playing in the wind and waves by the jetty

Don't let a little rain, wind, or snow stop you

from enjoying The Great Outdoors

Here are some more of my favorite pics

from cold/stormy/wet/snowy adventures

This is me enjoying my first real winter

(far from the warm winters of Los Angeles, CA)
on lake Taneycomo in Branson, Mo

I love warm and fuzzy hats
especially when they cover my ears!
: )

One thing I don't enjoy is being cold

but that can easily can be taken care of with the right clothing

Once I get moving
the kayak gets pretty toasty.

But be warned
if you decide to go kayaking in super-cold weather
wear Gortex/something waterproof
It's not the threat of falling in or getting rained on
that you need to be worried about
It's the possibility of sitting in soggy pants
because the condensation that collects on the inside of the kayak from your body heat mixing with the kayak sitting in cold water can create some really drippy-drawers.
Eeeew!
: /

This is me one NYE on Santa Cruz Island
enjoying some bubbly and treats after hiking all day in the rain

It cleared up just long enough to snack for about an hour
Enough time to take some silly pictures, and laugh at a huge crow
that flew off with a WHOLE wedge of triple cream brie
which weighed about a 1/2lb

I figured it would be a good thing to pass the time by taking silly pictures

I was in good company
20 year Tawny and some Bubbly

2nd night

still raining

What the heck

more snacks and more bubbly

Cheers!

Here I am on San Miguel Island

enjoying a super drizzly, super windy, ranger-lead hike to see the Elephant Seals

 

I'm right here, in the back

wearing the super-sexy outfit with the backpack, high socks and the skirt

; )

This is one of my all time favorite pictures

because it was taken on one of my all-time favorite adventures

backpacking the Kalalau Trail on the Na Pali Coast in Kauai, Hawaii

I look very happy here

because I was lucky enough to be able to pitch my tent

before the next really bad storm hit.

This was my first backpacking trip ever!
Here's an incredible quick google aerial video of the trail

: )

However

it turns out that I was there during the worst storm

Kauai had experienced since Hurricane Iniki.

This trip is responsible for changing my perspective
on my personal expectations, acceptance, pride, ability, and respect.

I encourage you to get outside
Embrace a little discomfort.
Face a fear.
Live.
Enjoy!
: )