In the Car
As Sancho Panza remarked, “Blessed be the man who first invented sleep.” Certainly sufficient and restful sleep is a prime essential if the motor camper is to enjoy his camping trip and is to get full measure of profit from his experience.
In the selection of sleeping accommodations in a motor-camping tour much depends upon the familiarity of the campers with outdoor conditions. There are some people who can curl up under a thick blanket on the bare ground, and there sleep in perfect comfort. There are others who shiver and stay awake even though completely inclosed in a warm, soft sleeping bag under a waterproof tent; and there are still others who find rest and comfort only when sleeping snugly in the car itself. For [[141]]these last it may be enough to remove the tonneau seats, place them lengthwise and thus provide the foundation for sleep.
Every one of the variations just mentioned may be found within the average motoring party of four or five people: one will want to sleep in the car, one in a bag, and the others on and under blankets in a tent. Therefore, a sleeping bag, a removable tonneau seat with the back of the front seat folding down so as together to form a couch, and a couple of small folding cots are desirable on a camping trip.
Comfortable sleeping arrangements are most essential. The arrangements for comfort, especially in the matter of keeping warm, will depend a little on where the tour is to take the camper. If he tours through the state of Maine he will find the nights cool and must provide accordingly. If his destination takes him through the middle states south of the Great Lakes and west to the Missouri River and somewhat beyond, or in the Middle Atlantic States from New York south and including New York, he usually will find the nights in summer warm. If the tourist travels through a mountain region, even the Catskill region, he will need to take an amount of thought concerning covering by night that is entirely unnecessary where the night temperatures are mild and balmy. Should the camper tour through the Rocky Mountain region he will find the nights cold and in the high Rockies even freezing. [[142]]