another overnighter: the white rice episode.

[JV3]

took off the other day for my monthly overnighter...the forest is starting to come alive.

irresponsible gun owners and other crazies scares me more than any wild animals while out in the woods. how do i know this particular gun owner is? he left his mag in the woods. who knows what else he's not paying attention to when it comes to guns (i'm not anti-gun, i'm a gun owner myself)

apologies for the blurry pics - it's a walter p22 mag.

i camped at a new spot this time. notice though on my overnighter threads, i don't provide too many pics of trail features that might let someone find my spots easily - i want to minimize running into dumbasses like that guy who left his mag in the woods.

anyway, another new gear - bcusa 10'x10' multicam...i forgot how roomy it is!

one of the nicest sites i've been on.

...haven't been used in awhile though judging by the well seasoned firewood just laying nearby (logs on the left).

cutting tools for this trip...one of them will not come back home in one piece!

how do i keep my knives from rusting? using it to slice spam ofcourse

with my shelter up, it's time to cook lunch.

golden brown perfection!

i brought some chopped garlic to kick it up a notch!

...once brown, tossed in white rice

top it off with hot peppers and ketchup...good eats!

this little guy wanted a taste of what i was having for lunch.

next to my knife for size-reference...i saw dozens of spiders in this camp site but this one was the biggest i've seen. good thing i like them! i can only imagine someone just freaking out since there were so many around me.

 

[JV3]

the peace and quiet of the woods is really conducive to deep thoughts...code breaking algorithms? nah, child's play...i went deeper...to baton or not to baton is what i pondered

anyway, i didn't plan on having a camp fire (aside from the emberlit) but the pre-cut logs was too tempting and i ended up snapping the blade when i tried to cut more. my fault completely - i was trying to cut a too big a log, tried to push cut it too close to the tip one too many times (the blade kept bending near the base when the tip would dig in a few minutes before) and snap!

prior to this failure, it cut a tremendous amount of wood for me and the blade would've lasted for a few more years otherwise, just mis-used it this time.

the blade flew really close to my eyes too when it snapped! that's why i always wear eye protection if i'm doing anything more than feathersticks. also, the replacement blade is strictly for bones and stuff...tried it and it won't work on wood, the tooth spacing is too fine. i guess it's time to try that bahco that everyone really likes.

after experimenting with different fire layouts, my favorite so far is the reverse log cabin (largest pieces on the bottom and smallest on top)...as the top burns, all the embers drop down below igniting the large logs very easily in my experience.

dumped the emberlit's contents on top to get things going since the sun is starting to set.

nice to see the sun setting at 7:15 instead of 4:30 for a change!

played with my cell phone's camera - flash on.

...flash off.

...on.

...off. interesting to see a lot of blue flames (indication that it's burning the fuel efficiently, some of it at least).

 

[JV3]

next morning...i used cedar bark gathered nearby to get the emberlit started. i find that tilting it sideways makes it a lot easier to get the tinder to catch the spark.

spam fries anyone?

another eureka moment, i discovered that the pot nestles perfectly inside the cover so it lets me hold it like a soup bowl even while extremely hot...much more comfortable this way than trying to hold it via the handle while eating out of it!

anyway, with a full belly i decided to explore the surrounding area...trees struck by lightning are always interesting.

about 200 yards behind my camp is a small mountain (only 900' elevation) and this is the start of it. i always feel like being watched when i'm camped at the base of such things so i had to go exploring.

i guess i'm just paranoid since i can't even see my camp site from here to begin with, not to mention once the trees have leaves again.

it just kept going up so my curiosity (or was it my paranoid side?) was piqued.

stumbled onto a stream near the top which wasn't on the map.

started wandering around some more and i spot this neatly stacked rocks from a distance.

i discovered someone's stealth camp!

man, that took a lot of work to build this awesome fire pit.

complete with a bench! i can only imagine how nice the heat is coming off of that reflector during the winter. the camp was really clean, not a single piece of garbage was left behind.

anyway, back down i discovered these two trees really fighting for their own space.

hard to see but there's tiny leaves sprouting - perfect timing on my part choosing this day to go for the overnighter. by next week it'll probably be full on leaves already.

back at camp, saw this big ant (or maybe termite?) checking out my sleep area...i wish i had my izula with me!

mental note, always take down the tarp last! as soon as i put the tarp inside the stuff sack, it started to rain...d'oh! had to cover my gear with the ground sheet and wait it out.

another new piece of gear is a cover for my exped mat. the bottom is reinforced for more puncture protection and the top feels really soft and as a bonus, the dirt/soil/bugs brushes away much easier than the bare mat too.

this thing is super comfy - it almost feels like a real bed.

another good thing about the mat cover is the gray color for spotting hitch-hikers like this...i spotted a few of them and the mosquitos are already out too!

i think i'm the only one who comes home with a heavier pack than i started with brought this pile of wood home for playing with the emberlit in the backyard.

gotta love birch bark!

all packed up...already looking forward to next month's overnighter!

 

[notos&w]

Nice pictures and a nice post. Thanks for sharing.

 

[Magnaminous_G]

top it off with hot peppers and ketchup...good eats!

Looks delicious. Must have been a really nice meal on the trail. Did you pre-make the rice at home?

 

[Magnaminous_G]

i guess it's time to try that bahco that everyone really likes.

+1. Yes, Bahco Laplander. Silky makes some good folding saws, as well.

 

[Magnaminous_G]

next morning...i used cedar bark gathered nearby to get the emberlit started. i find that tilting it sideways makes it a lot easier to get the tinder to catch the spark.

Hmm. Thanks for the tip! I'll try that with my Emberlit.

 

[CellerDrummer]

As always JV3 great thread,loved your pictures..That Wather P22 mag is for a plastic BB gun model..My 12yr old daughter has that exact pistol, its basically for kids...She got it for Christmas last year and I set up an indoor target so she can practice in the house during the winter..
CD

 

[Battle Creek Knives]

thanks for sharing.. that grub looks great!! hey and if you wet sand that saw blade and buff it out you should be good to go

seriously do you think you could just drill another hole and get some more mileage out of her?? epic spyderco pic!!!

do you use anything to control insects at night?? and I think someones watching me ANY time I go out.......

 

[hiwa]

Great stuff brother !
Glad to see you made it out on another. Works been keeping me too busy lately for my own.
Another vote also for the Bahco saw. ( I have an orange one; easy to spot and a super blade)
Seems to be a nice area to be in for sure.
You like that G10 BC a lot ! Great knife.

 

[kamagong]

...once brown, tossed in white rice

I can't believe you made sinangag for lunch. That's hard core. Something tells me you're Filipino.

 

[panzertroop]

Excellent post as always. Top notch gear and skills bro. Look forward to the next one.

 

[defaultuser]

Very nice! Thanks for taking the time to share your adventures :thumbup:

 

[dakine]

So envious you have the time and locations to do all of this. Great pictures as usual. Did you try a 1/2 brown 1/2 white rice mixture yet for cooking? that's the trend i've noticed now. Also do you usually cook your spam before throwing it in the ramen? i usually just dice it up and throw it in with the noodles, then cook both at same time.

Also did you see NWMANITOU might be coming out with a smaller Emberlit stove for cup size.

 

[August West]

i camped at a new spot this time. notice though on my overnighter threads, i don't provide too many pics of trail features that might let someone find my spots easily - i want to minimize running into dumbasses like that guy who left his mag in the woods.

So someone's magazine accidentally falls out of his pocket and he's a dumbass?

 

[grunt soldier]

great post and pics as always sir.

However I have to ask. so because someone lost a magazine in the woods, that automatically makes him/her a irresponsible gun owner? Have you never lost anything? does that make you irresponsible? stuff happens. that could be as simple as he was late and trying to pack up quick and it got knocked off in the leaves or something very similar. either way I'm just saying maybe we shouldn't be so quick to assume things about people we have never met.

 

[hudak]

Awesome thread. Thanks for taking the time to share.

 

[JV3]

Nice pictures and a nice post. Thanks for sharing.

thanks and you're welcome!

Looks delicious. Must have been a really nice meal on the trail. Did you pre-make the rice at home?

yes, the rice was cooked at home...being filipino, i always have cooked rice in the kitchen

+1. Yes, Bahco Laplander. Silky makes some good folding saws, as well.

i saw that silky makes that giant folding one! i just ordered the bahco laplander, and i learned my lesson not to cut too big a log with these things.

Hmm. Thanks for the tip! I'll try that with my Emberlit.

you're welcome!

As always JV3 great thread,loved your pictures..That Wather P22 mag is for a plastic BB gun model..My 12yr old daughter has that exact pistol, its basically for kids...She got it for Christmas last year and I set up an indoor target so she can practice in the house during the winter..
CD

thanks! bb gun, i see. your daughter is lucky, where i live a bb gun is considered a firearm here's a 16-yr old who just got charged with possession of a weapon just a few days ago http://www.nj.com/hudson/index.ssf/2012/03/jersey_city_teen_arrested_afte.html

thanks for sharing.. that grub looks great!! hey and if you wet sand that saw blade and buff it out you should be good to go

seriously do you think you could just drill another hole and get some more mileage out of her?? epic spyderco pic!!!

do you use anything to control insects at night?? and I think someones watching me ANY time I go out.......

thanks, rob! nah, the base of the blade has a semi-square notch too for the lock and a rounded shape, not just a simple hole. i'll try and see if i can drill two holes there and maybe make a handle for it.

i forgot to mention the mosquitos were already out and the high was 75 deg! crazy weather. i have a mosquito net but i didn't bring it on this trip since i thought it was too early in the season for them to be out but i was wrong...i didn't get any bites at night though nor was i covered in other insects - must be my hot sauce and spam diet that keeps them away

Great stuff brother !
Glad to see you made it out on another. Works been keeping me too busy lately for my own.
Another vote also for the Bahco saw. ( I have an orange one; easy to spot and a super blade)
Seems to be a nice area to be in for sure.
You like that G10 BC a lot ! Great knife.

thanks, bro! i saw that orange one but i get conflicting posts whether or not the blade on that one is specifically made for hardwood vs. the other model where it's made for both soft and hardwood. bahco's catalog says they're both made of the same blade though but some websites' descriptions says something else. for now, i went with the typical laplander model...i might pick up that orange one too down the road though so i have one in my overnight pack and one in my day pack.

the spyderco is my most used knife now (previously it was the lite machete but i haven't used it at all this year because of the emberlit). i'd like to see them make an orange g10 version or at least a sprint run...i'm just looking for an excuse to buy another one

I can't believe you made sinangag for lunch. That's hard core. Something tells me you're Filipino.

hehehe! i forgot to bring egg though, maybe next trip. yup, i'm filipino and lived there until i was 13 (i'm 33 now)...i still use tagalog with other pinoys if possible.

Excellent post as always. Top notch gear and skills bro. Look forward to the next one.

thanks, man! i've seen your posts and the guys you've camped with so i don't take your compliment lightly...much appreciated!

Very nice! Thanks for taking the time to share your adventures :thumbup:

thanks and you're welcome!

So envious you have the time and locations to do all of this. Great pictures as usual. Did you try a 1/2 brown 1/2 white rice mixture yet for cooking? that's the trend i've noticed now. Also do you usually cook your spam before throwing it in the ramen? i usually just dice it up and throw it in with the noodles, then cook both at same time.

Also did you see NWMANITOU might be coming out with a smaller Emberlit stove for cup size.

thanks! i do have brown rice but i haven't tried mixing them together, actually this is the first time i've heard about it. i'll ask my pinoy friends to see if they do it. yes, i usually slice the spam thin and cook it extra crispy to almost burned to give the soup a different texture. when at home though and with rice, i like it thick so the outside is really crispy but still moist inside - i'm a spam connoisseur

yes, i did see nwmanitou post about the mini and family-size emberlit. for solo, the normal size is just perfect for me but i'm interested to see details about the family-size one.

Awesome thread. Thanks for taking the time to share.

thanks and you're welcome!

 

[JV3]

So someone's magazine accidentally falls out of his pocket and he's a dumbass?

in my state which has the strictest firearms laws in the country? in my opinion, yes.

great post and pics as always sir.

However I have to ask. so because someone lost a magazine in the woods, that automatically makes him/her a irresponsible gun owner? Have you never lost anything? does that make you irresponsible? stuff happens. that could be as simple as he was late and trying to pack up quick and it got knocked off in the leaves or something very similar. either way I'm just saying maybe we shouldn't be so quick to assume things about people we have never met.

thanks! any other non-firearms related item and i would've brushed it off but a little background is in order to see where i'm coming from:

1. we have one of the strictest firearms laws in the country (1-gun a month, took me 3 months and numerous required references including my employer's contact info to get my firearms id card, a permit for each pistol i want to buy and it takes my pd normally a week or more to process an application, no hi-cap mags allowed, no flash suppressors, no collapsible stocks allowed, etc.).

2. even bb guns are considered a firearm here and requires a pistol permit. here's a 16-yr old who just got arrested a few days ago for a bb gun and will be charged with a possession of a weapon http://www.nj.com/hudson/index.ssf/2012/03/jersey_city_teen_arrested_afte.html

3. just filling up for gas on the way to the range is already a serious violation! there's a guy here who's currently serving a 10-yr sentence because he stopped-by his parents' house first on his way to his new apartment (he's moving into nj from out of state). his guns were locked in his trunk and unloaded, etc. anyway, i'm too lazy to dig up the posts from arfcom's nj hometown forum but it's been discussed in detail there.

4. retired police officers here can't even get a carry permit without some serious political connections.

5. even slingshots are illegal here.

i think that's enough details. this was a public place where target shooting is not allowed (bb gun or otherwise)...i live in an anti-gun state and they're just looking for any reason to completely take away our rights. that 3-month wait is long enough for anyone to get well acquainted with our laws and i'm directly affected by each owner's actions so i'm touchy when it comes to the subject.

let's step aside from the magazine in a moment...i have pics of the trash within a few ft of that as well (it wasn't there a week ago and this specific spot is way off-trail and well hidden from casual hikers which leads me to believe that it was the same person/group responsible for it). pm me for pics if you'd like to see it (i didn't post it here because others already know about garbage on the trails and don't want to remind them of that)...maybe i'm just sick and tired of picking up after these a-holes?

usually that blatant disregard for other hikers with regards to trash is indicative of how they are as a person. i've had my share of muzzle sweeps and dumbasses handling their guns during a cease-fire while we're down range setting up targets, i really don't want to worry about them in the woods too (where they're not allowed to carry guns to begin with in my state anyway).

...and thanks for keeping your reply civil

 

[Magnaminous_G]

Awesome You should watch this video when you get a chance. Ray Mears has a neat trick to split logs using only a folding saw:

EDIT: notice that Ray is using... a Bahco Laplander

[video=youtube;lSOXU0rrqOM]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lSOXU0rrqOM[/video]