15 mai, 2026

Trail by Fire: Our First Group Camping Trip

REDCAMP Field Notes / Real trips, real setups, and lessons from our own time outside.

Our first group camping trip was not a perfect one. It started with wind, light rain, too much gear on the ground, and a camp setup that took longer than expected. But by the end of the night, everyone was standing around the fire, cooking together, and talking more than we ever did at work.

This was the first trip in what later became our REDCAMP Field Notes series. We did not know that at the time. It was just a windy, rainy first group camp in [Mar. 2025].

A real group campsite with tents, tarps, camp tables, folding wagons, and a fire pit set up on dry grass near a riverside hill — The full campsite after the tents, tarps, tables, wagons, and fire area finally came together.

Why We Planned a Group Camp

This trip started with a simple idea: take a small group of coworkers outside for a weekend, build camp together, cook over fire, and see how the night would unfold away from our usual work setting.

There were six of us on the trip. We chose a small riverside hill outside the city, partly because it gave us enough open space for tents and tarps, and partly because we wanted a place where a real fire could be part of the evening.

Setting Up in Wind and Light Rain

The setup took longer than expected. The wind kept shifting, light rain came through, and the tarp lines needed more adjustment than we planned for. Gear was spread across the ground, people were moving between tents, and the whole camp slowly took shape piece by piece.

We used one larger tent as the main sleeping shelter, added smaller tents around it, and stretched tarps over the shared cooking and sitting area. The tarps were not just extra cover. They became the part of camp that connected everything together.

People setting up tents and tarps at a group campsite with folding wagons and camping gear on the ground — The setup phase was messy and slower than expected, especially with wind, light rain, and tarp lines to adjust.

The Campfire Changed the Night

Once night came, the mood changed. The city lights were still visible in the distance, but the fire pulled everyone back into the campsite. People who had been busy setting up, unpacking, and moving gear started gathering around one place.

That was the best part of the trip. The fire gave everyone a reason to stay outside, cook together, and keep talking even after the hard part of setup was finished.

A nighttime group campsite with tents, tarps, bright camp lights, and people standing around a fire pit — At night, the campsite felt less like separate tents and gear, and more like one shared place around the fire.

Campers cooking and sitting near a fire pit beside tents and tarps at night — Once the fire was going, people naturally stayed closer to this part of camp.

Cooking Around the Fire

Food became the easiest way for everyone to join in. We grilled skewers, warmed flatbread, cooked near the fire, and kept passing food around the camp table. It was not a polished outdoor kitchen. It was simple, warm, and a little chaotic.

Small shared tasks made the camp feel more natural. Someone watched the fire. Someone turned the skewers. Someone found another cup. Someone moved a chair closer. The food gave everyone something to do around the fire.

Skewers cooking on a rectangular camping grill at a group campsite — The food gave everyone something to do around the fire.

Flatbread warming near a campfire in a small pan — Warm bread by the fire became one of the simplest comfort foods of the night.

A hot pot meal on a camping table during a group camping trip — A shared hot meal made the camp feel much more comfortable.

Grilled meat and lettuce wrapped in flatbread during a campsite meal — Small, casual meals were easier to share than anything too formal.

What Did Not Work as Well

The trip also showed us what did not work as well. The setup took a long time in wind and light rain. Some of the camp lights stayed on too late, which made it harder for people to sleep. The smaller sleeping area was not as comfortable as expected, especially when ventilation and condensation became more noticeable.

Those details mattered more after midnight than they did during setup. Light, airflow, where people walk, where people cook, and where people sleep all start to feel connected once everyone is tired.

Inside a small tent with a sleeping bag, sleeping pad, and boots near the entrance — Sleep comfort was one of the parts we noticed most after the first night.

One Thing We Would Change: Fire Placement

After sharing the trip on Reddit, the main thing people pointed out was the fire placement. They were right. Looking back, the fire pit should have stayed farther from the tarp, tents, tables, and main walking area.

The fire was the center of the night, but it needed more space than we gave it. Next time, we would keep the fire zone more clearly separated from the covered sitting area, with better distance from fabric, gear, and walking paths.

A close view of a raised fire pit at night with cooking tools and a tent nearby

A pan placed over a raised fire pit while cooking at a campsite

What Stayed With Us

The trip was not smooth, but that is part of why it stayed with us. The wind, rain, slow setup, bright lights, smoky fire, shared food, and late-night conversations all became part of the same memory.

Before this trip, most of us knew each other mainly through work. After one night outside, that changed a little. The campsite gave us a different way to be together, and the fire gave everyone a place to return to.

This Field Note was written by a REDCAMP team member and adapted from a real camping story first shared with the r/camping community. It has been edited for clarity, photos, setup notes, and lessons learned. Read the original Reddit discussion.