Hey Guys, firstly merry Xmas and a happy new year to all of you, I wish you and your families the best for 2013!!!!!!
I got out for a day hike today even tho the weather was miserable to explore a new area so I thought I would share some pics with you and a couple of thoughts that occured to me while in the woods.
Ive noticed alot of us share the basic mentality that the more you know the less you need. We like to focus on skills and good simple gear to enjoy the outdoors safely and comfortably . I personally dont focus on survival, I prefer to focus on enjoying myself but I believe its wise to think about possible reasonable worst case senarios and plan accordingly. With this in mind Ive decided Im going to get rid of all my gear I dont use. I want to essentially go back to basics.
Along with having a good skill set and the right gear, today I reflected on how important it is to get to know your environment and how by doing this you can gain all you need to be comfortable from it. Its just a matter of knowing what to look for, how to get it and how to prepare it. I know the environment varies greatly wherever you are in the world but if you know what to look for Im sure theres many useful things you can make, gather or improvise in order to sustain your life in an emergency or just to have fun and learn/try new things on an outing. I dont know something to ponder anyway.
Today on my walk it rained steadily, it wasnt heavey under the canopy tho. I tried to time my walk for a break in the weather, there was a very cold wind and everything in the bush was soaking wet. My goal was focus on fire, shelter and water. The senario in my mind was I had become lost and disorientad and had to stay the night.
I hope you enjoy the pics.
Starting the climb.
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Starting to wonder if staying at home was a better idea as the gorse looms in front of me.
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Although this is alpine country it reminds me of the jungle
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The paper tree, this tree sheds a fine paper like bark. On the underside I managed to find some dry bark
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A dryish handfull
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In the pocket it goes
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After a hard climb I reached a plateau 100m deep and maybe stretching 1 km around the side of the mountain, strange because you cant see it till your on it
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I headed around the side of the hill along the plateau untill I got out of the wind and rain, I then set about finding a dry source of twigs.
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Found it!!!
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And in the pocket it goes.
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The final part I need for fire.
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Because of the heavey rain, I came across this beautiful waterfall on my mission to procure water
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Although it looks clean the waterfall water is dirty, time to have a clean drink
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Drinking through the straw off the moss, the moss filters the water as all the dirt sticks to it
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I was just about to head back the way I had come as I had past some small caves but just past the waterfall I came to find a sheltered spot I could potentially spend the night.
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Its dry and almost big enough to sit up in.
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Everything Ive gathered and everything I have on me all laid out in my new man cave.
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Now to make some tinder.
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Now Ive got a fire.
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Well, Ive had a drink, found shelter and got a small fire going, time well spent.
thanks for looking

I got out for a day hike today even tho the weather was miserable to explore a new area so I thought I would share some pics with you and a couple of thoughts that occured to me while in the woods.
Ive noticed alot of us share the basic mentality that the more you know the less you need. We like to focus on skills and good simple gear to enjoy the outdoors safely and comfortably . I personally dont focus on survival, I prefer to focus on enjoying myself but I believe its wise to think about possible reasonable worst case senarios and plan accordingly. With this in mind Ive decided Im going to get rid of all my gear I dont use. I want to essentially go back to basics.

Along with having a good skill set and the right gear, today I reflected on how important it is to get to know your environment and how by doing this you can gain all you need to be comfortable from it. Its just a matter of knowing what to look for, how to get it and how to prepare it. I know the environment varies greatly wherever you are in the world but if you know what to look for Im sure theres many useful things you can make, gather or improvise in order to sustain your life in an emergency or just to have fun and learn/try new things on an outing. I dont know something to ponder anyway.

Today on my walk it rained steadily, it wasnt heavey under the canopy tho. I tried to time my walk for a break in the weather, there was a very cold wind and everything in the bush was soaking wet. My goal was focus on fire, shelter and water. The senario in my mind was I had become lost and disorientad and had to stay the night.
I hope you enjoy the pics.

Starting the climb.

Starting to wonder if staying at home was a better idea as the gorse looms in front of me.

Although this is alpine country it reminds me of the jungle

The paper tree, this tree sheds a fine paper like bark. On the underside I managed to find some dry bark

A dryish handfull

In the pocket it goes

After a hard climb I reached a plateau 100m deep and maybe stretching 1 km around the side of the mountain, strange because you cant see it till your on it

I headed around the side of the hill along the plateau untill I got out of the wind and rain, I then set about finding a dry source of twigs.

Found it!!!

And in the pocket it goes.

The final part I need for fire.



Because of the heavey rain, I came across this beautiful waterfall on my mission to procure water

Although it looks clean the waterfall water is dirty, time to have a clean drink

Drinking through the straw off the moss, the moss filters the water as all the dirt sticks to it

I was just about to head back the way I had come as I had past some small caves but just past the waterfall I came to find a sheltered spot I could potentially spend the night.

Its dry and almost big enough to sit up in.

Everything Ive gathered and everything I have on me all laid out in my new man cave.

Now to make some tinder.





Now Ive got a fire.


Well, Ive had a drink, found shelter and got a small fire going, time well spent.
thanks for looking
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