First Night in My New Tent: Solo Camping Experience

Hello there everyone. What a glorious day, look at this, spring is springing into life. We've got anemones on the floor, we've got bluebells starting to come through, the leaves on the trees. It's looking beautiful, what a difference a couple of weeks makes. I feel like I say this every year. Well I've got a new tent to try out today. I'm going to do a bit of Mexican cooking later and tomorrow morning as well. But this is a tent I've wanted for some time, so I guess we should have a look at it. Here it is, it's a Robben's Yukon. And it's a bit of a baker style tent in a poly cotton. And it's always been very expensive. I just happened to see it come up one day and it was down to I think 300 odd pounds. Which is also quite expensive, but nowhere near the levels it was at. So, I watched a video last night and let's see how this goes up. Now I'm already liking this bag because it's got this expandable part here. But, also it opens on the edge. So it's like a big sack. It has some somewhat basic instructions here. You can probably tell from the size, the weight and the sound of this thing. It's a pretty robust tent. I'll bring up some details later, but the poles are still by the feels of things. From the official video I watched last night, there's four poles. One for each corner, two shorter, two longer. And then you've got the ridge ones with the supporting uprights. So, sort these and figure out where I'm putting this. The short one. That's the poles sorted, pretty confident with that. And it's time to lay this out. Let's have a look at the pegs. Oh, there are two types. Look at them. Let's get this pegged out. Right, the small ones should be in the back corners, and then the longer ones in the front. Right, let's see how this goes. Well, it's going to be through here, isn't it? And we've got somewhere to place the end, and somewhere for the upper end. Right, time to peg these poles out. Right. This could be the part that's difficult for one person. I think I'm going to have to do it half at a time. I've got tents with rain caps. This is the first time I've been attached to the tent though, and they're always the thing that you lose. That's pretty good. We've got tie-outs on the side here, which I'm assuming there's vents behind. So, we'll make sure to use them. It's getting a bit hot there. As you can see, we've got this, which we can use as an extended awning. It's not really raining. Or, I guess we can roll it up, yeah. And we've still got this little porch vestibule area. And a massive inner! Wow! This is all very nicely made. The buckles on the tie-offs here as well, they can all be tightened, which is always nice. The materials are all nice. I mean, you expect nice things for the money, but they definitely do deliver on that. I'll show you inside here. We've got sleeves that go Velcro around the pole there, and they also do in the middle of the top. So, I'm just going to roll up the net here, and we'll check it out inside. This is going to be hard to really show, but it is massive in here. I think they show in a diagram four people laying end-to-end, but, yeah, for like a couple with a dog, a kid, loads of gear, whatever, there'd be plenty of room for you. We've got pockets, we've got vents, which is where I thought. There's vents on the back here as well. Loving it! So, like I said, I've been eyeing this tent for some time. I've always liked the look of it. It's the Robins Yukon, and it's poly-cotton, and it's always seemed a bit expensive. I mean, it's very well made, but, you know, I just wasn't prepared to pay for it, basically. And then it went to £349. I got mine... I'll put it on the screen where I got it from, I can't see right now. But that was a good price for it. And it weighs 17.2 kilograms. Poly-cotton and polyester. Pitching time, 15 to 20 minutes. Probably about right, but I was filming as well, but I guess I'm pretty used to it. Two people would make this an easy job. Standing height, yes. Well, maybe a bit slumped. Pack size, 91 by 25 centimetres. Yeah, it's very Baker style. It's not a hot tent or anything. I guess you could put a stove in the porch area if you felt you needed to, but I quite like it how it is. Got quite a good pitch here. I am on a slight decline that way, or incline that way, whatever way you want to look at it. But I think I'll be alright. I've got a cot bed with me. Now, I don't ordinarily like using cot beds in inners, because the legs can kind of sink and pull and tear. This feels extremely rugged. Looks like we've even got a washing line to dry a kit. OK, so this is a new stove I've been sent. It's a Jetboil Genesis Base Camp, I believe is what it's called. As you can see, I've looked in it, but not used it as yet. Because I was just going to do it on the review channel, but I thought I'd get a little practice in with it. And here's the stove itself. Got pots and everything as well. It's all a nesting system. And the thing with this, is if I unhook these, you'll be able to see, it's a double burner. So I'll get this hooked up, and we'll make a cuppa. I'm doing this a bit backwards, but here's how you turn on the gas. And here is the ignition. That is now on. And this spins around a couple of times. It's got quite a fine degree of control. So we'll get the kettle on there. And some water there. And I guess we'll crank it up. The way the flame is recessed in there, probably helps with wind a bit as well. Actually, I think it's come with a wind guard. I'll get that out tomorrow morning, or in the review. Oh, that's nice. I did want to see if I could sit in the awning here. I'll have to move back in a minute, but it looks like it'll be fine. That way, if it's raining, I can be under there. And that equal height was where this extra awning would come out. So if you pitched it a bit higher, you'd be absolutely fine. This is quite a low seat, I guess. That stove and kettle is pinging. Something cooling down. I had a little idea before leaving, because it's very rarely any flat spots here. If I take these off, these big chunky ones for the chair, in mud and stuff, I can use them to kind of level myself. That's the idea, anyway. What I don't want to do right now. I think I'm going to go this way round, because it's less likely to be any kind of fall-off for me and be a bit flatter. Oh, one of my legs is falling off. Of course, we've got the FlexTowel pump. I can't remember the last time I pumped up a mat manually. Et voila. I've put the pump up here as my light for this evening. It's drooping a bit. I'll see if I can tighten that. I can tighten it here, that's good. There it is. Happy Easter. Well, probably it's time I get together some wood. I have got some with me, but as I always say, best to harvest some as well. Make sure it lasts as long as possible. I'm just going to get long pieces. I can't bother doing all the axing, and kind of dead-standing is all quite dry right now. I'm getting nice bits of oak here. I'm going to use a bit of wood wool here, I think. It's my kind of go-to fire style. I've got three in my hand, so I'm going to put all three there. and just put down the bits I've broke down I always find it a little bit weird lighting a fire during daylight especially after the winter it just feels a bit wrong but um yeah we've got a couple of hours of daylight pretty much but I do need to get this going I've got a spit with me the TJM Metalworks spit and I'll show you what I'm going to do in a minute I've got to do a bit of garnish prep first I've got this red onion here I'm just going to slice this up Right, let's cut that through the root there Get some nice slices Right, I need to get these limes I don't have a juicer thing I'll just do some wedges and squeeze them in here They're just going to marinate in that lime juice now and get all nice when I need them So I was sent these Little Sutton Spice Company spices and quite a few in there I've got like a garlic and sweet chilli, spicy barbecue, Moroccan, all sorts, Jamaican jerk and this kind of gift pack but I think I'm going to go with jalapeno lime for my chicken Yeah, that's my choice But I'll link these below Yeah, this is my first time using So I've got this pot and I've got some chicken thighs I'm going to pop them in here I'm going to do all of them actually I've got that spice blend Ooh, that does smell good We'll start layering that in and I've got some salt as well and we'll just get that all massaged in and then we'll get it on the spit Maybe a little oil OK, this is the spit from, or mini spit from TJ and Metalworks I'm just going to put these chicken thighs on here, a bit kebab like and now I'm going to trim them up a bit afterwards Yeah, something like that, so I think I'm going to trim it Can they trim in here? and then we'll get it by the fire See that's about the right distance Yeah We're an hour already Looks like about an hour left of sunlight But yeah, that'll take, I don't know, close to that to get done Depends how close it is to the fire there Pretty hot now Just need to tidy up the mess I've already made and it's going to be pretty easy once that's ready Bit cooler now, I like that I've got some more Arbors These are the ones from Bristol I was drinking last week if you saw that video and I've got a Hell's Lager or Helles I believe is the way you say it Cheers everyone Also got a Palau by them with me as well I don't think I've had the lager Hmm, hmm Not bad Pilsners and Helles I like as lagers because they kind of do actually have flavour And this is a big old pint can as well Better, yeah, chill out for a bit Watch this sun go down while my chicken cooks away Don't know why I'm doing chicken this way It just, I don't know, it just crossed my mind and I thought I'd do it I wanted to try out them spices Wanted tacos because when I don't I want tacos And yeah, just seemed a good way to, you know The weather's better, I can sit out here Enjoy a fire, enjoy some slower cooked food and stuff Not stuck in a tent anymore The wind keeps changing, swirling a bit so it's hard to get that heat in the right place It's starting to look good and I'm hungry I've got some cilantro or coriander God, I say that every time, don't I Pick something out of it I'm just going to trim this up ready I might actually mix it in with the onion Let's get these mixed in Makes life easier See how they're changing colour, going translucent as that lime kind of cooks them, so to speak Pickles them Well, it's looking like this might be done before the sun's actually set It's going down now But I've got that palau I was talking about so as soon as the other one's finished I've only got the two with me As soon as it hits your tongue I'm definitely a palau man Mosaic, I guess it's got mosaic hops in it Tropical fruit flavours and aromas, definitely It's a good one Looking very good Let that rest for a minute I'm just going to warm up my tortillas Well, this looks to be about ready I guess I'll just kind of take off the nice crispy edges to begin with Just do it like that Yeah Right, so we're all ready to roll here I'll do three to begin As I've warmed up three I'm going to go in some chicken in all of them That looks good Immediately and I should have cut these a little finer but some of that kind of almost pickled red onion and a little extra cilantro and of course we've got the scotch bonnet all over there Oh yes Available on the website still I promise I do eat stuff other than tacos I just love tacos So, let's go here Mmm Well That's pretty nice That spice is perfect for what I kind of had in mind for this Oh yeah Mmm Loving them charred edges This will do very nicely Good enough for however many tacos I want there Mmm, mmm, mmm Alright, I can fit one more This is what makes it, of course That meat was perfectly cooked I just took the rest off the spit because I was just picking at it The middle was just so juicy with them ends being really crispy Just to chop it all together and get that good mix I was a little worried to be honest but no, it's perfect Enough for two there I can put that in the cooler and take it home But yeah, successful Tacos are always good Spice was nice as well So yeah, like I said, I'll link that below as well as my own sauce of course It's smoky now Move closer to the fire It's starting to cool down a bit The thing at the moment You get these clear days They're warming the day and then chill right down in the evening Camp like this with the truck doesn't really matter I've got everything I need Chill out here for a little bit Might retire into the tent Experience it Maybe watch a movie in there or something I don't know It's just getting used to the time difference and stuff as well It's getting light later The clocks have changed Just getting used to that Don't have to rush out as early as possible to get to camp Take time packing a bit more Bit of a funny shape to get used to because of the slope down Like this section is absolutely fine I can sit up here and I can kind of stand crouching there I probably shouldn't have put the feet on the bed to be honest I'll be fine but it's just drooping a bit there That's probably due more to my pitch and the fact I'm on a slight incline I think we're all good I'm happy I need to get my sleeping bag out really I'll put my stove in here if I do want to brew in a bit For now I'm just going to have a bit of a chill I'm going to enjoy my tea and then get to bed and I'll join you guys in the morning with some huevos rancheros Good morning! Bit of a chill in the air but it's not too bad actually Bird song Nice to have it back as well I didn't sleep too well Nothing to do with the tent I don't know Just didn't It's what it is I'm not going to light the fire because I want to use the stove for breakfast on the table here but I might just make a cuppa and chill out for a minute first but it's pretty early ssssssssssshhhhh kkkkkkkk kkkkkkk kkkkkkkk kkkkkk So many bits of this lichen stuff just falling out the tree on the tent It did warm up in there last night, must have been the polycotton, just a shame I wasn't that flat. I used the ball ball things on the feet of the bed but it needed more, I had to wedge my jacket and stuff under there. Should design something for that job really because I'm on bumpy ground a lot. I don't know if the sun is technically up yet or not but it's not that bright. It is a beautiful morning, birdsong, pheasants and seeing all the wood anemones and some of the bluebells. Just a nice change from the greenery, rather than just a kind of dead brown stick colour. Got my huevos, got my black beans here, need to make a bit of salsa don't I. Got some of that onion from last night, garlic, cilantro, the tomatoes, and a funny one, looks like little scotch bonnets almost, yes, we'll get this chopped down, I think I brought my chopper with me, that'll be handy. As I've got my chopper I don't have to cut this as small as I can. There's still stuff falling out of the tree. Onion, go in the chopper, don't know if you remember this from a video a while back, I used it for my herb crusted lamb rack. Put that lid on there, then you've got the handle there. Look at that, real quick. Reserve some of that onion for my beans over here, if I just peel this garlic, and again, it's a rough chop and I want to reserve a little bit of that, so that's going in there. There's the cilantro, I suppose I should halve the tomatoes, give it a final chance. Processed down them onions even more than I thought it was going to. Oops, my blade didn't lock in. That's it. That's our salsa, I'm just going to put some salt in it, and some lime, and let's move on. Just going to break up some of this salad cheese, as we call it, which is like a Mexican cheese, like a cojita I think it's called, something like that, off the top of my head, and that will just crumble over at the end. To start off, we've got some oil here, and I'm just going to very lightly toast off my tortillas before starting, and I'm left with two, which is perfect. Let's heat it up quickly, finish it on that side, should do. I've got both pans going here, so I'm going to put some onion in this one. This is going to be for the black beans. In the other one, I'm going to start to cook down that salsa. That's actually loads, isn't it? Get some of them black beans in here, get them stuffed in. Get that sorted as well. Oh, you know I could use one of them spices, couldn't I? This is smoking Cajun. I think that will work quite well, so I'll put some of that in here, and I'll put some in here as well. Don't worry, I'll be using the sauce as well. Over on this side, I've moved the beans on the high end of the table so the oil falls down, and I'm going to fry a couple of eggs, and I didn't go for the membrane. Could be me, but it feels like it's struggling with two pans on at the same time here. I'm going to take some practice, I think. Now, I've got a lid that fits these pans perfectly, helps with them eggs. Out here, where it's a bit chillier than indoors. Get in there, it's not quick by any means. I think it's time to finally serve up. So... I need to make the base a bit sticky. Not too bad. One egg. Two eggs. Serve our beans. Our salsa. Some garnish. A wedge. And a little bit of hot sauce. Oh! And the cheese. Layers upon layers. I'm going to give that stove the benefit of the doubt. Maybe the pressure of the gas is not up to par. I need to read through and stuff before I take it out and give it a go, the way I do things. But, we've got some results, and... I'm just going to pick up a tortilla. No, I'm not. I need a knife. Right, got a knife. Let's see how this is. Mmm. Mmm. Such a flavour bomb in the morning. Try them beans. Mmm. Taste the spice in them. Ooh. Yeah. Frying them tortillas helps, you know, them not just disintegrate with all the slop on them. Mmm. I've not done this for a while. My guess is to do this all in reverse order, basically. But I do want to make sure that I take off these little rain stoppers. There we go. I should probably do something about this first. Well, that's all tidied up. I didn't put the tent in the bag, because it's a bit dirty and wet on the bottom. So, I just wanted to get it home, dry it out, and then put it in the bag. But I'm sure it'll go in fine. Yeah, five bits all cleaned up. We're all good to go. Thank you guys for watching again. Hope you enjoyed that. And see you next time. Goodbye for now.