Riding The Mindway: The Covid Files #3 Rides of Isolation New Tent Day

Without the wing. Total ventilation!

To pass my time in self isolation/lockdown/lockup/quarantine/shelter in place I think about the future. Can't keep me inside forever, can they? "And even on the darkest night we could reach for the light and we could get it right." Bicycle touring season has begun although not recommended. With all the money I am saving from not getting my haircut or going out to eat or going to bars, coffee shops, record stores ect, why not get new kit?

Why a tent? 3 reasons:

1. Shelter in rain
2. Shelter from insects
3. Some modicum of privacy

Most of the time I pack one for insurance. Easier to throw the Thermorest on a picnic table under a shelter and call it good. In the past few years we have been staying in more and more motel rooms but now realizing how much money we are spending for that. We have the opportunity to sleep inside schools during our South Dakota adventures but prefer to sleep outside in a tent v in a gymnasium full of bicyclists. I also like something solid in the front right pannier to play full contact touring bike if you know what I'm saying.

My other tent requirements

1. No special unique poles that can/will/do break leaving one SOL
2. Ability for one person to quickly assemble
3. Ability for that one person to assemble at night and/or drunk
4. Compact size for storage in the panniers of a loaded touring bicycle

After a decade of using the Missing Link from MSR for both self contained hiking adventures and bicycle touring I pulled the trigger and purchased a new tent. Nothing wrong with the Missing Link, I have two of them, but find that they take up a bit more space in the panniers than I care for and are a bit lacking in the ventilation department.

Bad Lands National Park, South Dakota, 2013.

Somewhere in South Dakota during the Faces To Falls ride, RASDaK (Ride Across South Dakota)2013.

Union Grove State Park, Iowa, 2014.

The only time we had both ML in action at the same time. Perry, Iowa, during Ragbrai, 2013.

The Missing Link weighs 3 lbs and uses hiking sticks instead of tent poles. I have witnessed more tents hit the dumpster or buried in the garage because of broken poles. The ML, only needs two 54 cm sticks of a strong material that are easy to carry. Hence hiking/walking sticks. Once, Mary and I got over 40 miles into a 4 day bicycle tour when I discovered the hiking sticks were left at home. We stopped at a local store. I wanted to use hockey sticks but Mary found cheap $12 hiking sticks. As for stowage, the tent fits in one pannier along with a Thermorest and a sleeping bag and a few other items. Despite its relatively small size it seems to take up a lot of room. Great reviews of this tent can be found here.

My personal experience. Got mine used (barely) in 2009. 2 week backpacking adventure in the Rookies at the Philmont Scout Ranch, itinerary 32 IIRC. Rain hard a few times. Never had an issue. After that it became my main tent. Used it for bicycle touring a few times a year every year since then and whenever I went camping. Got an offer on a second one and acquired that one just because. Some reviewers complain about the stickiness but I find that it is only sticky when it is first assembled but once it has been up for a while the stickiness disappears. Lastly, no special folding required, just stuff it into its sack.

The MSR Thru-Hiker Mesh House 3 Trekking Pole Shelter is my replacement for the Missing Link. Basically a high tech pup tent. The entire tent is mesh except for the floor and back end. Maximum airflow! To cover it I purchased the Thru-hiker 100 Wing. The wing, rain fly, can be configured in many ways to protect the tent and the gear of the user. It too is very light and compacts quite small. Together they weigh 2lbs saving me 1 lb and precious cargo space. To be even more minimalist I could just use the Wing only.