Acquisition as Substitution for Adventure

sicily02 said:
When I first started to read this thread I was thinking man that would suck to be in a area where you can not practice any skills or have a little fire, then I read kgd's thread and found out you are not to far away from where kgd goes to practice skills and my thinking
changed.
If you are that close to a place like that get out there to it and tell us about it and oc corse post some pics:D

Bryan
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Well, in my defense, I didn't know it was there.
I've only been here 10 years, how could I know?:D
 
Hook up with KGD. He might just take you with him if you promise to be good and provide the food.
 
Great topic.

I get out quite a bit, plus where I live I can actually put a lot of stuff to use in my own woods.

However I'm a collector too and have lots of difft knives. Way more than what I'd ever use and some of my blades are pimped out things I wouldn't want to scratch up anyway.

However on here I've seen a lot of people get a lot of knives and gear and then maybe get out once in 3 years?

Don't really blame them too much since if you consider it the whole country is overworked and underpaid and lacks free time.

It's not just here shopping has been confused with recreation by most of the country. People buy tons of stuff then sell it at a loss at yard sales.

Really if you consider we are all a little crazy for collecting knives since they do not seem to appreciate in value like guns do.
 
Stabman, 10 years LOL Well now that I know that it's ok then:D. I do hope you can hook up with kgd and sometime I bet it would be a grand time.

Bryan
 
I'd be quick about it Stabman or you'll be practicing winter survival skills soon enough. Windsor is a beautiful city at least when I've visited. But then again Baghdad would look beautiful coming over the river from Detroit.
 
Great thread Stabman. Have you thought about focusing on skills beyond whacking wood to pieces? :) How about working on orienteering and getting in good shape for a long trip and take a week or two off next summer and go camping and hiking? Any interesting in learning archery and made working towards going bow hunting?

Most camping and hiking isn't really hours and hours of batoning wood or making little wooden animal snares like these forums seem to make you think. Most hikers don't carry anything bigger than a multi tool or maybe a small and inexpensive folding knife. There aren't areas around you where you can at least hike and camp for a weekend?
 
Getting a bike is a fine idea, gets you fit, gives you fresh air and a chance to carry some kit.....

Living here in Scandinavia gives a lot of opportunity for outdoors and the like, only problem is the winter is looming and I'm a LOT less keen on the bitter cold and endless dark. That's the time for hibernating and pondering skills or buying new gear, gives you something to look forward to as well. Sometimes wonder what it would be like to assemble all my knives and outdoor stuff, probably rather embarrassing the amount of it, but it gives pleasure, so why not?
 
I get the same feelings as you do Stabman. I can hike in the city for a spell if I want to ( no fires , blades hidden from others usually) or it's a 2hr. drive to real bush with few people. I backyard bushcraft when I can also.

The feeling I have too much gear hits me when I'm out there because if there is any place I should be using it all is when I'm in the woods. The tools/knives/gear I use in the bush is only a fraction of what I do own , so I agree with you that gear aquisition does somewhat become a substitution for adventure. I think this is only because of the love we have for the outdoors and all things associated with it. jmho.
 
Buying and owning "toys" which is all our knives and gadgets are unles we're getting paid to use them, is all part of the "great adventure". Preparing for the end of the world is great and all, but a person really needs to get out camping, hiking, shooting, whatever; and use all their toys to fufill the great adventure.
 
I think of the buying,trading and selling a little like trying on boots. My "Buy it to Try it"- when I find somehting that just "fits" and I am completely happy with it, it becomes permanent. I like to think I am continuing to evolve. I have changed my idea of the length, thickness and style of blades that work for me as well as handle shape that suits "my" hand. I have rekindled my internal pyromaniac ;) & resolved myself to sit in a cold rain in a poncho while others are inside, just to prove to myself that I can.

When on day hiles in areas permitting open flame. I make an excuse to take a 30 minute break and spark a tiny fire iwth found tinder. I am not survival training, just keeping the rust to a minimum.

Acquisition is also an extension of interest. For those stretches of weeks or months between opportunities, I am keeping my mind engaged and trying to learn of something I may use.
 
lmalterna said:
Acquisition is also an extension of interest. For those stretches of weeks or months between opportunities, I am keeping my mind engaged and trying to learn of something I may use.
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True...as long as one then gets out for the opportunities.:)
 
baldtaco-II said:
I've known many a guy working abroad that buys stuff they wont be able to use for a good while and I strongly doubt that they are simply stockpiling a playroom full of bargains too good to miss ready for one fine day is sufficient explanation. I think the buying of stuff is how they are maintaining a link to an identity they can't express at the moment.
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Hey no fair, I'm writing a book with all my junk :)
 
Joezilla said:
Hey no fair, I'm writing a book with all my junk :)
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I may well read it if I stumble across it too. :) -------------------I'm certain you know this but amassed gear alone is no indicator of what I'm driving at. You make for a good example actually - piles of gear but also out getting amongst it a lot. I can think of a few others on here that would come under that rubric. ---------------------I do believe there is another camp though that makes as much sense to as the bloke that is always down at PC World for a computer and OS upgrade, has a slew of high end graphics cards, mebe was an early adopter of T1 trunks or something, but uses his machine exclusively for snagging a bit of pr0n, surfing forums, mail, and keeping an eye on his entirely ungrounded land with a constant Lamebook vigil. Woodland Simms second life for the head with genuine meatspace props.
 
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you hit the nail right on the head, albeit I have been making an effort to get out more. I go up on average of 5-6 times a year, in the meantime I spend a ton of money on new blades, then by the time I do go up I have several new blades to take up with me and it becomes quite cumbersome to haul all this steel. I do get satisfaction from the buying, it seems to fill a void left by lack of woods time. Sitting around at night watching survivor/wilderness shows playing with my knives is a common practice. I long for the days when I was a kid and the woods were right in my back yard. Now they are a 2 hour drive and with kids etc it becomes difficult to find time. At least now my son is old enough to take out with me so I can always pack him in the car and go.
 
Codger_64 said:
One must make opportunities Grasshopper! :D
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I found a bus that goes out by Ojibway!:)
It wasn't a route a couple years back, and I never had to take that bus, so I didn't know it went there.
Got out for some time on Monday. It's nice, and I'll have to take my wife out there for a hike sometime.:thumbup:
But it still doesn't feel right somehow without fire. Fire good...must be the caveman in my genome crying for release.:D

Still, better than nothing, and convenient to get to now that I know it's there.
 
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