another overnighter: 16 nights, 8 days and bow-drill success.

[JV3]

Nice post Jay, and nice photos as always. Thanks for inspiring me to get out tomorrow whether I feel like I can handle it or not

Whose dog?

thanks, brian! to throw more fuel to the fire, the fall colors should be peaking right about now so go out there

i came across another hiker with that dog (there were two of them actually but the other dog, "peaches", was camera shy) on my way out.

 

[bdmicarta]

I think what you're doing is great and any motivation to spend more time outdoors is worthwhile, but I'm also wondering what your goal is. It seems that you are good at fire building and you have created some very good photos.

I started backpacking about 30 years ago, and this was low impact backpacking where we carried tents, white gas stoves, dehydrated food, the whole bit. We could backpack through an area and there would be no evidence that we were ever there. I've done at least 3 backpacking trips of 3 nights or more, and many overnight trips. This type of backpacking is very gear-intensive since you take everything with you and don't rely on campfires or shelters built of native materials. I read books about the gear and so forth and in the beginning of backpacking people sometimes decided that for an overnight trip they didn't need to worry about all that gear for cooking, they could manage 24 hours without real meals, just snacks. Right now I'm on a pretty restrictive diet so 24 hours away from home without extensive food preparation is no big deal, and I have no problem sleeping on the ground without a tent. If you really want to stretch yourself, try going 3 days and 2 nights or better 4 days and 3 nights. And carry everything with you including a backpacking stove.

But I also envy you because these days I don't have many opportunities to spend that much time outdoors.

 

[WILLIAM.M]

Great Photos and cool Dog too

Thanks for posting

 

[JV3]

but I'm also wondering what your goal is.

thanks! my main goal is to just get away from everybody and have a little time by myself. my secondary goals are to play with my camera (my first dslr is only a few months old), knives & sharpen my survival skills.

This type of backpacking is very gear-intensive since you take everything with you and don't rely on campfires or shelters built of native materials.

gear-intensive? been there done that i took everything but the kitchen sink last winter in one of my 2-nighters (3 days, 2 nights)

If you really want to stretch yourself, try going 3 days and 2 nights or better 4 days and 3 nights. And carry everything with you including a backpacking stove.

i've done a couple of 2-nighters (3 days, 2 nights) last winter...i'd like to do it more often and even longer trips but i only have so many vacation days to use. i actually find that it's easy to do multi-day trips with modern backpacking gear though. on those 2-nighters i try to experiment with things that i might be called upon to do in an emergency or trying out new shelter types instead...basically, survival-related.

here's my failed mors kochanski super-shelter from last winter (i had a long fire in front of it but i made the shelter itself too big and no raised sleeping platform):

i/we often mountain bike in the winter too (but before the ground is covered in snow) and on those times i only bring minimal shelter and kit (knife, poncho with cordage, and firesteel) so i slept in a poncho in winter to test it out how i would go about it in real life if i had to.

backpacking stove - i got rid of the jetboil and now have a snow peak gigapower but i still prefer using my emberlit...it's lighter than a canister stove and it still lets me practice fire prep if i want to or use a bic lighter outright if i'm feeling lazy.

i guess what i'm trying to say is i started out gear-heavy but now slowly moving towards being a minimalist (i'm not into ultralight and i think there's a difference). if there's a choice between going minimal or comfort but not both then i always choose comfort.

Great Photos and cool Dog too

Thanks for posting

thanks, dr. bill! i have two dogs myself (silky haired terrier and a golden retriever). i think i 'll bring one of them these days once the weather gets cold enough that ticks are gone.