Locate a level place of ground and securely park your truck. Unload your supplies temporarily from your truck. Close the tailgate when you finish.
Grab both tent poles and twisty ties and climb into the back of your truck. Put one tent pole together, end-to-end.
Stand in one corner of the back of your truck bed facing the front of the truck. Put the straightened pole into a corner that is opposite and diagonal from where you are. Bend the pole up to form an arc and place the other end into the corner where you stand so the pole is pushing against the two corners of the truck bed.
Repeat the process with other pole placing it in the opposite corners. This will form an "X" in the shape of an arc above your truck bed. Twisty-tie the two poles together in the center of the "X" to keep them from sliding around.
Place the 10-foot by 8-foot tarp over the entire structure. Gently pull each side down until it the tarp overlaps the outside of the truck and tailgate. Strap each corner of the tarp to the underneath side frame of your truck with a bungee cord in each corner.
