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Life Lessons you have Learned While Adventuring in the Woods

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  • #16
    Re: Life Lessons you have Learned While Adventuring in the Woods

    Always, ALWAYS, carry a means of starting a fire. I don't really wanna go into it, but an everyday excursion can turn into a survival situation before you know it. Carry a basic kit which you cannot be separated from, come Hell or High Water.
    2018: Any way the wind blows; doesn't really matter to me....Too Meee....

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    • #17
      Re: Life Lessons you have Learned While Adventuring in the Woods

      Originally posted by Irate Mormon View Post
      Always, ALWAYS, carry a means of starting a fire.
      I laughed when I read that. Not backpacking anymore, I carry at least 2 Bic lighters, 2 Zippos, a mini blowtorch, a regular sized blowtorch, a magnesium block and at least a half dozen blocks of Trioxane on every trip.
      Last edited by MacGyver; 03-07-2015, 08:29 PM.

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      • #18
        Re: Life Lessons you have Learned While Adventuring in the Woods

        Years ago when I was in the Scouts we were on a camping trip and I had set up my pup tend and stowed my gear inside including my canteen. I went to get something from my pack later that afternoon and found that my canteen had leaked all over my sleeping bag. I was just young enough to realize that this was a monumental catastrophe as I didnt have a dry place to sleep. Fortunately for me my dad was one of the scout leaders so I naturally went to him (in a near panic I might add) and he calmly came over and. checked it out then told me to take the sleeping bag out and lay it over the tent to dry. I did and it did dry out by the time the sun went down.

        Lesson learned. DON'T panic. Find a solution.

        Use it often in life.
        “I would feel more optimistic about a bright future for man if he spent less time proving that he can outwit Nature and more time tasting her sweetness and respecting her seniority.”
        – E. B. White

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        • #19
          Re: Life Lessons you have Learned While Adventuring in the Woods

          I have learnt on my first trip that bad sleep can ruin the whole adventure. You must have a warm and comfortable place to sleep - unless you want to wake up in "bad conditions". For my second trip I invested in a good quality sleeping bag made in Hungary named Lajhar, I was pleased with it. You can check it here, if you are interested: http://goo.gl/74t1WE

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          • #20
            Re: Life Lessons you have Learned While Adventuring in the Woods

            Originally posted by MacGyver View Post
            I laughed when I read that. Not backpacking anymore, I carry at least 2 Bic lighters, 2 Zippos, a mini blowtorch, a regular sized blowtorch, a magnesium block and at least a half dozen blocks of Trioxane on every trip.
            Um, yeah, that would do as a basic kit...except for the magnesium block. I dislike them.
            2018: Any way the wind blows; doesn't really matter to me....Too Meee....

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            • #21
              Re: Life Lessons you have Learned While Adventuring in the Woods

              Originally posted by Irate Mormon View Post
              Um, yeah, that would do as a basic kit...except for the magnesium block. I dislike them.
              Actually, I've never used it. In my constant search for the Next Big Thing, I realized that that was one of the few common items I didn't have. Got it on sale so I figured why not?

              I'm curious what you don't like about them.

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              • #22
                Re: Life Lessons you have Learned While Adventuring in the Woods

                Good toilet paper is not a luxury. Learn to recognize Poison Ivy for the event you have no toilet paper with you.

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                • #23
                  Re: Life Lessons you have Learned While Adventuring in the Woods

                  The best things I have learned......
                  Do not be in a hurry. Take the time to enjoy it.
                  Be ready for bad weather - colder or hotter than expected, drier or rainier than expected.
                  Be ready for trouble from critters, four or two legged.
                  Have more food and more water (or a filter) than you need for your expected time afield.
                  Longtime Motorcycle Camper. Getting away from it all on two wheels! :cool:

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                  • #24
                    Re: Life Lessons you have Learned While Adventuring in the Woods

                    One thing I have NOT learned is when to pack it in and head home.
                    “I would feel more optimistic about a bright future for man if he spent less time proving that he can outwit Nature and more time tasting her sweetness and respecting her seniority.”
                    – E. B. White

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                    • #25
                      Re: Life Lessons you have Learned While Adventuring in the Woods

                      Originally posted by MacGyver View Post
                      Actually, I've never used it. In my constant search for the Next Big Thing, I realized that that was one of the few common items I didn't have. Got it on sale so I figured why not?

                      I'm curious what you don't like about them.
                      My experience with them is that it takes a lot of magnesium to get a fire started, and that can dull a good knife pretty quickly. Reagent grade stuff is very soft, but those blocks they sell to campers...not so much. Easier for me: A tinder-quik tab (my choice, in an aloksak) or home made tinder (dryer lint, vaseline soaked cotton balls, or whatever your favorite is), and a small firesteel. I do not EVER rely on mechanical devices (lighters, etc.) for fire. Fire can be the difference between life and death. In many parts of the US the environment can kill you. I carry two means of starting a fire always. Waterproof matches and a firesteel with weather resistant tinder. I took a day trip once which almost turned into a survival situation, so now even on day trips I carry these things. They can fit into one of those $1.99 waterproof orange whistle/compass things that you can hang around your neck (minus the aloksak).
                      2018: Any way the wind blows; doesn't really matter to me....Too Meee....

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                      • #26
                        Re: Life Lessons you have Learned While Adventuring in the Woods

                        1. Make a list of what you think you will need on your trip, check your list to be sure everything is there, and then pack a little extra. When you get home check your list and delete the items you never used. After just a few trips you will have a workable list of camping equipment that you need, however, always plan for the unexpected so still pack a few extra items because each trip is different. Eventually you will know what you need for almost any circumstance. I learned the hard way to always check your list to make sure you have everything. Thirty some years ago I was teaching some boys campcraft skills and we planned a weekend campout. I had to work late and just had time to throw all my gear in my vehicle before I met the boys and took them out to our campsite. I stayed busy making sure they got their tents set up properly, cooked their food properly, and then got to bed. I finally had time to set up my tent and the one thing I forgot was my sleeping bag. The temp got down into the 50s that night and I was very uncomfortable and spent most of the night stoking the campfire and trying to stay warm.

                        2. When you buy a new piece of equipment try it out and get familiar with it before you take it camping. I bought a new tent one year and spent a few nights out enjoying nature. The last night there were severe thunderstorms and I sat out under a tarp enjoying a good cup of coffee and watching the storm. When I finally went to bed my sleeping bag and all my spare clothes, which were on top of the sleeping bag, were wet. I packed up everything in the middle of the night and headed home.

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                        • #27
                          Re: Life Lessons you have Learned While Adventuring in the Woods

                          ... don't sweat the little things...
                          Don't let others crank you up because they, or you, forgot or did some thing unimportant (or important for that matter)... no one will. likely, remember any of it in 100 years or even next week...
                          Don't invite/re-invite nitpickers... and or know-it-alls... If all else fails move camp, if they follow, or can't take the hint, tell them to get lost; they are not welcome...
                          Don't let drunks or stoners handle sharp, blunt or heavy objects...
                          Don't invite people who want to fight, boss the camp or get dangerous under the influence...Be prepared to pull them out of the fire, and extinguish them (beer works) when they fall in.
                          Don't invite some one camping that you wouldn't want living next door...
                          Avoid gun idjuts... (those that care and safely handle and or use firearms are rarely idjuts).
                          Anyone that thinks their 9mm will stop a bear is, at best, ill-informed...(but some are best left in their bliss)...
                          Don't camp under trees that have long strips of missing bark, or streaks of charcoaled bark , lightning does strike twice...
                          Knowledge and practice make camping easy, and comfortable; if you are not comfortable, you are doing something wrong (adapt, improvise, overcome; at that point, if practical... or by next trip if not....
                          BIC lighters are the best for igniting fires, hands down (especially when the kindling is fortified with napalm, or a tri-ox tab).
                          Living green wood is often nearly fire proof; as evidenced by the gasoline scorched wood that was left unburned in the fire ring.
                          Safety pins, band aids and bug spray are essentials...BUT not the only essentials...
                          Always bring an extra chair (besides one for each person in your vehicle).
                          If undesirables invade camp; drink up all their likker, shoot up all their ammo, get their dog to prefer you and let them try to follow you a on an "easy" 4wd trail...

                          If desirables invade camp; unplanned parties are some of the best...

                          Have a Happy!! Happy!!!
                          Last edited by Happy Joe; 12-26-2016, 09:18 AM.
                          2006 Jeep Rubicon, TJ; 4.11 gears, 31" tires, 4:1 transfer case, lockers in both axles
                          For DD & "civilized" camping; 2003 Ford explorer sport, 4wd; ARB & torsen diffs, 4.10 gears, 32" MTs.
                          Ground tents work best for me, so far.
                          Experience along with properly set up 4WD will get you to & through places (on existing, approved 4WD trails) that 4WD, alone, can't get to.

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                          • #28
                            Re: Life Lessons you have Learned While Adventuring in the Woods

                            Learn the code for whether your camping companions are "on time" kind of people or not. "I will be there at X" is a timely person; "I will be there around/about X" is a within-a-couple-hours kind of person; "I will leave around X" is a who-knows-when-I'll-show-up kind of person. Don't wait around camp for other than a timely person or you'll spend your entire trip waiting.

                            25lbs of camera gear is still 25lbs - whether it's in a shoulder bag, a backpack, or a rolling bag.

                            Don't put non-waterproof items in a water friendly dog's backpack. Don't put bananas or other "don't squish" items in a dog's backpack.

                            A place for everything and everything in its place. Your bed is your bed - don't use it as a holding center for your gear while you're up and about or you'll spend every night finding other homes for everything before you can crash.

                            Announce your coming and going to the dogs. I have a friend who appears and disappears from camp without warning. Poor Bat-dog gets all freaked out from it because there's no warning before this person is suddenly in her space (she still has people fear and this makes it worse). Even worse to watch is Moose-dog. He loves having friends over and takes his job to keep them safe very seriously - if you disappear without telling him you'll be right back or you're leaving for good, he starts hunting for you. He will hunt for you for hours and hours if you didn't tell him goodbye. When walking/hiking, he will continuously keep turning to make sure you're still there (he always stops and turns when someone passes the other direction to make sure they don't steal you). He doesn't do this with me (I think he expects Bat-dog to watch out for me), but he does it whenever we are out with a friend. Years ago my dad stopped by my house to drop some things off. He came in and used the bathroom and left without saying anything to my akita. That poor dog sat at the front door for 6 hours waiting for my dad to come back in and say hello to him. Dogs are social animals - be social with them.
                            “One could not be a successful scientist without realizing that, in contrast to the popular conception supported by newspapers and mothers of scientists, a goodly number of scientists are not only narrow-minded and dull, but also just stupid.” - James D. Watson

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