Camping

I feel like camping is one of those things that people can have a love-hate relationship with. The idea of pitching a tent outside, being dirty for several days, and forgoing some of the conveniences of modern society is one that some people just might not be down with.

But what most people don't know is that there are actually two (2) types of camping. The first type, which we'll just refer to as Rugged Camping, is the type of camping that most people think of and/or have experienced. Rugged Camping involves going to a campground or someplace similarly nature-y and setting up...err, camp, I guess...and just enjoying the time away from the hustle and bustle of the city.



Rugged Camping requires rugged men to ruggedly pound stakes into the ground - sometimes with rocks - to keep the tent in place.



Rugged Camping requires rugged men to ruggedly start fires (don't kid yourselves - Tom Hanks totally used charcoal lighter fluid on that island in Castaway).



Most importantly, Rugged Camping requires everyone - everyone - to become hardcore thugs, advanced science degrees be damned.

The second type of camping - which we'll refer to as Really Rugged Camping - takes place on someone's front lawn. Not many people have heard of RRC, much less experienced it firsthand, so let me explain why this camping is even more rugged than Rugged Camping.

When you go Rugged Camping, you really have no choice but to rough it. Even if you are one to get backaches from sleeping on the ground, you have to simply because you're miles away from anything resembling civilization. Or a bed.

Really Rugged Camping requires no such thing. This is a purely voluntary act. Your house is literally right behind you, and in it is a warm bed and comfortable pillow. Only the truly strong of mind can make it. Think Survivor meets Lost meets Temptation Island and you'll get a taste of what I'm talking about.

But not everyone will agree with me on this one. Some people will call RRC idiotic. Others will call it very idiotic. I'll address some of these critics' concerns.

Critics might say cooking over an RRC campfire takes too long:



To this I say, what's more enjoyable than roasting some food over candlelight while hanging out with friends? Sure it might take 25 minutes to cook through one mini-sausage, but did you know there are hungry children in Africa? Be grateful for what you have!

Critics might also question the ruggedness of the experience if you can get away with using normal blankets instead of sleeping bags:



To this I say, what is a sleeping bag, really? Isn't it just a blanket that zips up? So we're going without zippers. Would you question the authenticity of shoes if they didn't have laces? Besides, if you carefully implement the Burrito Technique while sleeping - as Jay appears to be doing here - the difference is even more negligible.

(Quick side note: I don't know why Jay is the only one in the pictures here. Please believe me when I say this whole RRC experience was more than just Jay and me deciding to sleep outside my house in a tent together. That's pretty Brokeback. Please believe me.)

Perhaps the most glaring criticism is the fact that many wouldn't even consider it camping if a perfectly good house is within a few inches of the tent:



I don't really have an answer to that one. Maybe we can just agree to disagree.