[pct-l] Tarps

[Diane at Santa Barbara Hikes dot com]

Ok, so now that the tarp issue has been opened, I have questions  
since I'm a newbie to tarps.

Last year (on my trek from Campo to Dunsmuir) I brought along a  
tarptent but I was bothered by having to look at the inside roof of  
the tent each night when I really wanted to see the trees and sky. I  
wanted to sleep outside more, but the bugs bothered me. And I worried  
about the small tent in lots of rain. Where would I put all my wet  
gear? How would I keep things dry inside the tent?

I have researched tarps and it seems to me to be an ideal system.  
Flexible, able to keep you dry in rain, lots of space, etc. I still  
don't get the whole bivy thing, though. I haven't tried one yet, but  
it seems superflous. If the tarp is big enough, the only thing I can  
see it adding is a little warmth. How necessary do you find the bivy?  
I can see how it's a nice option to have, so I plan to take it, but  
it does seem unnecessary to this newbie. So fill me in.

It turned out that I already owned an Equinox silnylon 8x10 foot  
tarp. The tarp does not have grommets. Instead it has these white  
ties placed on the corners and edges and a couple of them in the  
middle. I have never seen another one like this. I'm not sure the  
best way to implement the ties. With a regular old knot, I can stick  
my trekking pole through the loop made thus or I can tie a guyline to  
the loop. But will the ties last if I do it that way? Or is there  
something special I'm supposed to do with these ties?

I had hoped to try out the tarp this weekend but it rained way too  
much and our volunteer work trip was cancelled. Snow, too. If I like  
the tarp/bivy/bug net system, I may spring for a smaller tarp in a  
less gloomy color. But for now, the big one seems fine.