- Joined
- Feb 28, 2007
- Messages
- 9,786
I had a great camping trip this weekend and managed to meet up with a bunch of Michigan bushcrafter folks. On Sat. weekend, I was hanging with a Michigan milita group who were having a public day and shooting competition at Island Lake Recreation area and then on Sunday, I mosyd down to Chelsea, MI where they had a small flint knappers show and then an Atlatl throwing competition.
I left Friday night and camped out at the Island Lake Recreation complex. I wanted to check this place out before hand because it is going to be the same site for a Michigan Bushcrafters meeting to be held at the end of May. It is a great site, with plenty of trails, great camp ground, lots of fatwood and Im looking forward to the meeting.
Friday night was actually kind of cold for this time of year, dipping to just below freezing. A heavy frost was over everything in the morning. Then on Saturday the temperature warmed considerably into the mid-70's and Sat. night was almost too warm! I slept in my Hennessy Hammock, using an Etoweh 10' x 12' tarp as a cover. What a great size tarp for the Hammock. It provides complete coverage and plenty of storage space underneath you. The Hammock is under the tarp, you just cant see it in the shot.
Fire on Friday night with the militia group. Notice everybody is rather wrapped up and soaking the warmth of that fire! The were reporters from CNN and Reuters there too who have been covering the Militia group. These guys are anything but controversial. Really a bunch of really great folks who are promoting the open carry law that Michigan has on the books. Apparently, open carry of hand guns is legal in the state. Part of the point of this public day at the recreation area is to have folks open carry firearms and reaffirm their rights to do so in a public place. The rangers in the park were all kept informed and the event went really well for them.
A couple of bows and walking sticks that one of the bushcrafter/milita person made.
A couple of the militia guys were sleeping in U.S. Army bivvy's. Nice set-ups!
Saturday morning, still feeling the frost. I got to try out my new trianga stove set up. This is one of the 27-series systems with the bottom and top warmer, 0.6L kettle, two sauce pans and non-stick frying pan. This is a very slick set up!
After breakfast all the militia guys went off to their public demonstrations. I hung around camp for a bit and prepared a bunch of bowdrills kits as I was to do some friction fire demo's as part of the public display and information sharing event.
more coming....
I left Friday night and camped out at the Island Lake Recreation complex. I wanted to check this place out before hand because it is going to be the same site for a Michigan Bushcrafters meeting to be held at the end of May. It is a great site, with plenty of trails, great camp ground, lots of fatwood and Im looking forward to the meeting.
Friday night was actually kind of cold for this time of year, dipping to just below freezing. A heavy frost was over everything in the morning. Then on Saturday the temperature warmed considerably into the mid-70's and Sat. night was almost too warm! I slept in my Hennessy Hammock, using an Etoweh 10' x 12' tarp as a cover. What a great size tarp for the Hammock. It provides complete coverage and plenty of storage space underneath you. The Hammock is under the tarp, you just cant see it in the shot.
Fire on Friday night with the militia group. Notice everybody is rather wrapped up and soaking the warmth of that fire! The were reporters from CNN and Reuters there too who have been covering the Militia group. These guys are anything but controversial. Really a bunch of really great folks who are promoting the open carry law that Michigan has on the books. Apparently, open carry of hand guns is legal in the state. Part of the point of this public day at the recreation area is to have folks open carry firearms and reaffirm their rights to do so in a public place. The rangers in the park were all kept informed and the event went really well for them.
A couple of bows and walking sticks that one of the bushcrafter/milita person made.
A couple of the militia guys were sleeping in U.S. Army bivvy's. Nice set-ups!
Saturday morning, still feeling the frost. I got to try out my new trianga stove set up. This is one of the 27-series systems with the bottom and top warmer, 0.6L kettle, two sauce pans and non-stick frying pan. This is a very slick set up!
After breakfast all the militia guys went off to their public demonstrations. I hung around camp for a bit and prepared a bunch of bowdrills kits as I was to do some friction fire demo's as part of the public display and information sharing event.
more coming....
