Back in May 2020, while basically everything non-essential was shut down, because of COVID-19, I started looking at meetup.com for any type of events to keep me sane.

Basically everything was virtual, but I did come across an event tentatively happening at the end of June. It was a camping/backpacking trip to Harriman State park, under the assumption that state parks would open for the public by then.

There was already a waitlist, and only 10 people were allowed, because the city mandated that number and we were all going to meet at Penn Station.

About 3 days before the event, I received a notification that I was off the waitlist. I was excited, but at the same time only had 3 days to get my stuff together. I also only had a 4 person tent and didn't want to carry it on the 5 mile hike to the campsite, plus the 2 hours of train travel there. So I checked REI for smaller and lighter tents, but they weren't open yet. So I had to look on Amazon and had to choose something that would deliver in a couple of days.

I found a Bessport Camping tent that looked promising, weighing about 4.4 lbs and about 18 inches long, for about $65. I really wanted something even lighter and smaller, but the 2lb tents wouldn't deliver in time.

 I was able to fit the tent in my Eagle Creek backpack, along with a 2 liter camelback, my ECOOPRO Warm Weather Sleeping Bag, food for one day and night, and a change of clothes.

After a couple months of quanteering, this was my first time taking the subway since March. It was a weird and eiry experience. It was a Saturday and my train car was not filled. When I got to Herald Square, the streets had minimal foot and car traffic. And at Penn station, the homeless outnumbered travellers.

I got to Penn about an hour early and sat on a step, while watching a couple of homeless wandering around and one randomly breaking a glass bottle on the ground.

Eventually I met the event organizer for the first time and then 2 more people. We waited for the 6 other people who reserved to come, but they were no shows. So we made the decision to continue on, the 4 strangers we were.