Re: Your opinion...overnighter turned nasty...

Thing is, this can happen so easily on a long trip when you do not have the 
option to bail out. This happens to many of us.

So, simple guidelines for such conditions:
* Good rainwear - preferably ponchos as they go over the pack and keep your 
back warm
* Snack food while walking, to keep your energy (and speed) up, which will 
keep you warm
* Good waterproof pack and stuff sacks for all your dry clothing
* Spare DRY underwear for camp (yeah, luxury, but vital)
* A decent mat as the ground will be cold & wet
* A decent tent (with groundsheet) with adequate room inside for changing 
and cooking

Tarps are fine in good conditions, but an 8x10 is not enough for the 
conditions you described unless you are very very skilled with it. I 
wouldn't try it myself.

As soon as we have a camp site, I get the tent up and put my wife in it. She 
arranges the interior and puts the mats out while I stake out the guys and 
get water. Then I dive in as well. We are now both out of the wind and rain. 
We strip and change into dry clothing - don't worry too much about towelling 
for this. Then on with the stove and hot food and drink.

You know, it can be quite nice sitting inside the tent drinking hot soup 
with a storm outside, secure in the knowledge that we ARE secure.

Cheers