A Year in the Round: Weathering the Storm

Reader Contribution by Natalie Morris
1 / 2
2 / 2

When it’s raining wolves and tigers outside, like it had been for FIVE WHOLE DAYS this week, of course some rain gets in my “skylight” (the smoke hole) at the top of the tipi. That’s pretty much inevitable (and it sucks). However, less know fact, a lot of precipitation comes in via the poles. I mean, of course it does. If I were a drop of water, I’d go down the poles, too. They’re angled downward like a hilarious play slide for liquids! The rain runs down the inside/bottom of the pole until it gets to the rope that holds the liner. Normally it would just stop there, saturate the rope and drip all over your stuff. However, because the tipi is such a magnificently genius structure, when putting up the liner you put a couple little sticks inside the top liner rope. This creates a little rain channel for the water to continue down the pole and get taken away Calgon-style. Brilliant, eh?!

Hopefully this illustrates what I just said a little better. See those dark vertical lines on the poles? At the point the photo was taken, they’re actually not wet at all. They’re stained from water running down them for five days. No longer are they the virginal and bright poplar princesses they once were. They’re now hardened, scarred and wise from the storm. And I guess me, too. A little.

Comments (0) Join others in the discussion!
    Online Store Logo
    Need Help? Call 1-800-234-3368