Sunlight.

Wake up when it's light, go to sleep when it's dark. Very simple.

Well, except this weekend when I was awakened by a very bright full moon shining through the window of my tent onto my face at 2:30 am. It was bright enough to read by.

Arthur Digbee wrote:Wake up when it's light, go to sleep when it's dark. Very simple.

You can sleep for 11 hours in September and 14 hours in December? How?

I never use anything but an led headlamp. If I'm planning to be traveling a fair amount in the very early morning hours, I may bring a mondo lamp; I try to travel when there is a waning gibbous moon in such case. Lately I've used my emergency, light headlamp (always in my daypack) for backpacking as well.

In fall and spring, I well may sleep for 11 hours; but my back usually gets pretty sore by then.

MoapaPk wrote:In fall and spring, I well may sleep for 11 hours

Oh, that's silly. And impossible. And in a tent even? Heroin addicts sleep less than that. My son maybe sleeps 11 hours sometimes, but that's because he is 3 years old.

You guy(s) can really sleep 11 hours? In a tent? Crap, I'll try for 8, but I am lucky if I get 6.

Laying in the tent, staring at the ceiling, waiting until daybreak, and checking the time every 5 minutes does not count as sleeping for me.

Sometimes you just feel like sleeping ..

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RG2keYgBiZc[/youtube]

Day Hiker wrote:

Arthur Digbee wrote:Wake up when it's light, go to sleep when it's dark. Very simple.

You can sleep for 11 hours in September and 14 hours in December? How?

You need to be more goal-oriented.

Of course sometimes you need light. Headlamp is best IMHO.

Day Hiker wrote:

MoapaPk wrote:In fall and spring, I well may sleep for 11 hours

Oh, that's silly. And impossible. And in a tent even? Heroin addicts sleep less than that. My son maybe sleeps 11 hours sometimes, but that's because he is 3 years old.

two factors:
1) when the weather is pretty miserable, and the sun sets ~6PM, there isn't much else to do. Sleet sends me in the tent pretty quickly.

2) I have brain damage, and need more sleep than most people (really). It takes a while to replenish the neurotransmitters.

Well, a third factor:
3) rum.

My cat sleeps more than 11 hours a day, and he's my role model (except for the ass-licking part, but I do admire his flexibility).

MoapaPk wrote:My cat sleeps more than 11 hours a day, and he's my role model (except for the ass-licking part, but I do admire his flexibility).

And, I'm sure his vertical leap...relatively speaking.

Day Hiker wrote:

MoapaPk wrote:In fall and spring, I well may sleep for 11 hours

Oh, that's silly. And impossible. And in a tent even? Heroin addicts sleep less than that. My son maybe sleeps 11 hours sometimes, but that's because he is 3 years old.

You guy(s) can really sleep 11 hours? In a tent? Crap, I'll try for 8, but I am lucky if I get 6.

Laying in the tent, staring at the ceiling, waiting until daybreak, and checking the time every 5 minutes does not count as sleeping for me.

I'm usually a 6 hours sleeper at home but a few years ago I tested out my new bivy sac in the dead of winter. Watched TV until midnight then went outside, dug a trench in the deep snow and snuggled in. Thought I would be up early but to my surprise I slept in until 9:00 AM almost missing a 9:30 hockey game. Not exactly 14 hours in winter but longer than I ever imagined.

Brad Marshall wrote:
I'm usually a 6 hours sleeper at home but a few years ago I tested out my new bivy sac in the dead of winter. Watched TV until midnight then went outside, dug a trench in the deep snow and snuggled in. Thought I would be up early but to my surprise I slept in until 9:00 AM almost missing a 9:30 hockey game. Not exactly 14 hours in winter but longer than I ever imagined.

I did that too once. But I crept into the bivy bag at 3am, and woke up around 2pm. I was comfy and snug.








Well, I was also drunk, but that's just details.

Ahhhh, my first choice for light source for outdoor activities is and always will be.....................







It's free btw.

Moonlight is favourite.
Headlamp after that.

OJ Loenneker wrote:I did that too once. But I crept into the bivy bag at 3am, and woke up around 2pm. I was comfy and snug.








Well, I was also drunk, but that's just details.

Nothing beats the illumination caused by lightning during a summer snowstorm.

rcerber wrote:Vote on this poll to see what do you prefer

Go to this link to vote http://www.mountainroute.com/m/poll/&action=show_poll_info&id=3

1. Headlamp
2. Lantern
3. Flashlight
4. Lighter
5. Glow from your phone

PS: I think the "Glow from your phone" will win (the most used light source in Tent )

Sigh...looks like fart lighting is a dying art.