sleepin in tent is oh so hard.
#76
The Drive Side is Within
I wonder whether eating well-- good hot meals-- might help you out. I sleep hard when hiking and bike touring, but I know I sleep better after a nice hot meal.
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#78
The Rock Cycle
I generally have a hard time sleeping the first couple of nights away from my own bed, whether that be on the ground, in a hotel room or someone else's house. I'm a frustratingly light sleeper to begin with and when camping, this is compounded by the "Gee, I hope I don't have to get up to pee" syndrome. I rarely get up in the night at home, and if I do, it's generally only once. In a sleeping bag, it's every couple of hours. :-)
But, I do like sleeping in my tent, or under the stars so generally I try to find as flat a spot as I can, then take the time to clear away any rocks, twigs, pine cones or whatever from underneath me. If I can find a nice grassy spot, then better still. I try to limit my liquid intake as I get closer to bed time and take every opportunity to pee before turning in. If I don't sleep well tonight, then I probably will tomorrow. Or if not then, hopefully the night after.
But, I do like sleeping in my tent, or under the stars so generally I try to find as flat a spot as I can, then take the time to clear away any rocks, twigs, pine cones or whatever from underneath me. If I can find a nice grassy spot, then better still. I try to limit my liquid intake as I get closer to bed time and take every opportunity to pee before turning in. If I don't sleep well tonight, then I probably will tomorrow. Or if not then, hopefully the night after.
But riding hard makes for a good nights sleep.
Last year after the first day of Bicycle Tour of Colorado: 110 miles, over 12,000ft Slumgullion Pass, 7 hrs of riding. I set my tent up on a rocky crummy piece of ground right next to a gravel road. Slept so hard that I never felt the rocks and I never heard the shower truck semis drive right past my tent during the night.
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#79
Senior Member
Thread Starter
This. But I'm getting better at sleeping well in my tent.
But riding hard makes for a good nights sleep.
Last year after the first day of Bicycle Tour of Colorado: 110 miles, over 12,000ft Slumgullion Pass, 7 hrs of riding. I set my tent up on a rocky crummy piece of ground right next to a gravel road. Slept so hard that I never felt the rocks and I never heard the shower truck semis drive right past my tent during the night.
But riding hard makes for a good nights sleep.
Last year after the first day of Bicycle Tour of Colorado: 110 miles, over 12,000ft Slumgullion Pass, 7 hrs of riding. I set my tent up on a rocky crummy piece of ground right next to a gravel road. Slept so hard that I never felt the rocks and I never heard the shower truck semis drive right past my tent during the night.
btw great bit of cycling i think even i would sleep after a ride like that.
#80
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I also vote for bringing your pillow from home. Even a small improvement in quality of sleep would overcome the weight penalty of hauling it during the day. Almost nothing is more important to day-after-day cycling performance than a good night's sleep. At least that is my experience.
I bought 3 smallish and light weight but not very compressible pillows from IKEA for when my family tours. This was after trying a number of other options (clothes bags, inflatable, etc.). They work well for us, but I would haul full sized pillows if needed.
Sleep well.
Jim
I bought 3 smallish and light weight but not very compressible pillows from IKEA for when my family tours. This was after trying a number of other options (clothes bags, inflatable, etc.). They work well for us, but I would haul full sized pillows if needed.
Sleep well.
Jim
#81
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Sometimes I am wakeful at home, and even when I'm tired. Even de-caf coffee at dinner will affect me. Lately I've gone back to having a cup of Sleepytime tea if I feel restless. It's chamomile, spearmint, and lemongrass, made by Celestial Seasonings. Just a thought - it helps me.
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Dem bones, dem bones...
I've read that one way to improve comfort, for the majority of people who sleep mostly lying on their side, is to create, ie (usually) dig, a small cavity in the ground underneath the tent to accommodate the hip-bone. Size about 25cm diameter by about 15 cm deep, I guess. Of course, this assumes that your sleeping mat - if you use one - is sufficiently thin to conform to the contours of the cavity, if you get my drift...
#84
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I've read that one way to improve comfort, for the majority of people who sleep mostly lying on their side, is to create, ie (usually) dig, a small cavity in the ground underneath the tent to accommodate the hip-bone. Size about 25cm diameter by about 15 cm deep, I guess. Of course, this assumes that your sleeping mat - if you use one - is sufficiently thin to conform to the contours of the cavity, if you get my drift...
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Hammock
I'll just echo what others have said. I recently switched to hammock and I will never go back. Sometimes I even set up the hammock at home. I sleep faster, longer, and wake up less sore. The only downside is feeling like a human pinata in bear country...and places with no trees that aren't worth touring anyway.
#88
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i think i would have to go into training to try the hammock ,no i would much pref air the tent honestly.
i just need to get my pillow sorted and then i'm quiet comfy, then the next thing is getting the mental side sorted .to be honest i think the only hope i have is to take a sleeping pill. mind you its not just the tent i'm a very restless sleeper at the best of times and when i'm away from home i'm cat balue altogether.
i just need to get my pillow sorted and then i'm quiet comfy, then the next thing is getting the mental side sorted .to be honest i think the only hope i have is to take a sleeping pill. mind you its not just the tent i'm a very restless sleeper at the best of times and when i'm away from home i'm cat balue altogether.
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#90
Senior Member
I've always had problems sleeping when camping, it's the pillow thing. If i had the pillow from home I know I'd never have another sleepless night. However that isn't an option on a cycling tour, I've tried the inflatable pillows and the stuff sacks with the lumpy clothes stuffing. The latest is a travel pillow designed for an airplane or bus, seems odd but is working for me....I'm getting my rest....Finally
#91
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I've always had problems sleeping when camping, it's the pillow thing. If i had the pillow from home I know I'd never have another sleepless night. However that isn't an option on a cycling tour, I've tried the inflatable pillows and the stuff sacks with the lumpy clothes stuffing. The latest is a travel pillow designed for an airplane or bus, seems odd but is working for me....I'm getting my rest....Finally
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I just got my hammock in the mail today. I got a Warrbonnet Blackbird. Unfortunately I have to leave tomorrow for work and won't be able to use it until I get back.
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The double layer is my favorite. They're roomy, you can lie flat, and the little storage area comes in handy. I liked mine much better than my Hennessy for ease of entry.
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I'll just echo what others have said. I recently switched to hammock and I will never go back. Sometimes I even set up the hammock at home. I sleep faster, longer, and wake up less sore. The only downside is feeling like a human pinata in bear country...and places with no trees that aren't worth touring anyway.
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like I have said before. I sleep on my side or stomach. I cannot sleep on my back... in the hammock, I sleep under a tarp, out of the rain and on my side and sometimes end up on my stomach..... I guess I have just had better luck than you Medic Zero.
Robi
Robi
#96
Senior Member
Thread Starter
to that hammock just that i have no idea what you mean, i know nothing about hanging from trees in a sling, seriously though would like to see what your talking about.
#98
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two of the lads i cycle with do a bit of touring but no way will they sleep in a tent it's either a b/b or hotel, now whats the point in that, even though i can't sleep well in a tent i would still prefair it to a hotel.might as well stay at home as to go down that route.
#99
Senior Member
$
£
Euros
thats a darn good incentive to sleeping in a tent. Thinking of all the food or bike stuff one can buy with savings sleeping in a tent....
£
Euros
thats a darn good incentive to sleeping in a tent. Thinking of all the food or bike stuff one can buy with savings sleeping in a tent....
#100
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Hammocks may not be for everybody, but they're great enough that they're worth giving a try for everybody.
You can create a spot to stow your stuff out of the rain by having a big enough tarp. If bike touring, I'd take an extra-large tarp to be able to fit the whole bike underneath it.
As for places with no trees, there are tons of them that are definitely worth touring. For those places, you just have to suck it up and sleep on the ground.
You can create a spot to stow your stuff out of the rain by having a big enough tarp. If bike touring, I'd take an extra-large tarp to be able to fit the whole bike underneath it.
As for places with no trees, there are tons of them that are definitely worth touring. For those places, you just have to suck it up and sleep on the ground.