During the two years before my Catholic conversion, I spent several nights sleeping on the open ground in the Arizona desert. Tents were too expensive, and I often slept poorly when sharing one with my friends. So, before my monthly or bimonthly drives to Sedona, Tucson, or Lake Havasu City, I would stuff a crumpled $20 Home Depot tarp into my trunk instead. I would then unroll it somewhere flat, inflate my miniature camping mattress, lay out a sleeping bag, and be at home.