LMBO @ high octane.
Pete you sound like me when I justify higher end camping or other outdoor gear. Everyone around here wants to go spend a weekend on The Riverwalk in SA. For that kinda price tag I can get some cool stuff or get a dive of a room down on South Padre or Port Aransas and fish like a fool.
yup and my wife is on board unless it is pouring rain , then she is cool with a minimalist hotel
last time we were headed to a family reunion just pouring buckets we ended up at a little 1950s style motel and I think it cost me about 85 a night with the taxes so not too bad for 3 people.
it even had a little kitchenet so no going out for meals saved us , did a little fishing Friday night and had a family fish boil on the Island have to take a boat to get there Saturday and drove back home Sunday.
for the price of a couple drinks at a bar or hotel , can buy a case easy at the grocery.
state parks around here an electric site is 25-30 a night , often can get just a tent site at a county park or state park for 8-15 a night
if it is hot splurge and get an electric site and run a fan in the tent.
my Rigid fan runs on tool batteries and 110 , but it drains a 4ah battery on low in 8 hours so it is easier to run it high on 110.
my wife took over my XXL cot and pad , I should probably buy a second one of those for myself again , I sleep great on that they are just a little large and heavy
we talked about getting a wall tent at some point as our Eureka is getting to be 20 years old and zippers having issues