Rustic camping experience next to lake in my camper jeep: Check!
Camping may sound like a very standard procedure for some people; sleeping in a tent, camp fire at night, being at least two people, canoeing, swimming in the lake, making barbecue and so on…
Where: Wildlife Reserve Rouge-Matawin, Lake Odelin
When: 14-16 September 2018
Vehicle: Jeep Patriot
Price: CAD 45,10 paid for two nights. No water, no facilities, no Night lights except outhouses around. I also had fire pit and lake view.
DELIGHTFUL ROAD
I took Highway 131 N which allowed me to contemplate my beautiful province, Québec. Most of the drivers chose to overtake me and drove by exceeding speed limits, but too bad for them! I drove within speed limits by listening music, looking around and enjoying my road trip.
I stopped at Farm Régie in Joliette and took my time to buy my camping provisions. Fresh fruits, farm bread, vegetable based appetizers, beer and chips… No animal was harmed.
I drove two and a half hour from Montréal downtown to Saint-Michel-des-Saints, Québec. From there 26 km. to Registration Center, and 50 km. to Lake Odelin. From Saint-Michel-des-Saints to Lake Odelin half of the way was a narrow double direction forest road so I had to drive more carefully. The Sun was about to set and fortunately, I made it on time to the campsite as I promised myself, I sipped my beer and crunched my chips while seeing off the smiley sun until next morning.
TRANSFORMING THE CAR INTO BED AND BREAKFAST
Jeep Patriot is ideal for one or two small people to bed in and it can even be used as a small, cozy room.
It took me only 15 minutes to turn inside of the car into a carper-van. I put my sleeping bag and some covers that I brought from home. I also put a curtain between car front and back seats since my car has black filters at the back, but none in the front. It was a safe place, however I always like to preserve my privacy.
EQUIPEMENT LIST FOR SLEEPING IN JEEP PATRIOT
Minimal is the best. I watched a lot of videos and consulted camper-van travelers hints. Most of them offer exhaustive lists in order to live in your jeep in a comfortable way but my challenge was to buy as less as possible and to solve problems by using my creativity.
– Sleeping bag
– Cushions
– Some covers (whatever I had at home)
– Adjustable curtain holder and curtain (if you don’t have curtain, you can take an extra cover from home)
– A mini-light in case you need to go to outhouses at night
MY CAMPING RULES
Camping may sound like a very standard procedure for some people; sleeping in a tent, camp fire at night, being at least two people, canoeing, swimming in the lake, making barbecue and so on…
Well. I always adjust things depending on my needs.
I wanted to be in totally-free-from-human-voice zone (mine included), without caffeine, daydreaming, sleeping whenever and wherever I want, finish reading my book, writing a little, sleeping with sunset and not using light, waking up with sunrise, discovering closest wildlife reserve in detail as much as I can and living the moment by the lake.
Consequently, I went camping alone.
Actually, I was not alone; I was with millions and billions of plants, animals, sounds and views.
I slept in my car, I did not do camp fire; I slept one hour after sunset and woke up with dawn, I was not in contact with people and I chose completely quiet places, I never swam nor canoed, but I watched people who were canoeing peacefully. I did not make barbecue since I spent all my time discovering the reserve, reading and sleeping next to lake.
Next week, I will be visiting another camping zone, and I will have different challenges.
Follow me! You’ll like what you see.
Proofreader: Başak Kılıç
Duygu Özmekik / Bizim Anadolu / September 20th, 2018
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