My humbling experience

[texastonydobbs]

I know I have failed more times than I'd like to count but it is what you do after failure that makes you better...

 

[MacHete]

If you learned you won.

I love that line.

Back in school once, on a weekend paddling trip, I managed to get a one-match fire going during a steady rain in just a few minutes. I thought I was the bee's knees, man.

I have had pretty much a steady stream of humbling experiences since then.

 

[FortyTwoBlades]

One thing that I have noticed with fires is that I have to chop it twice as thin as I usually would because the others I am with will smother the fire otherwise. They seem to think that logs burn well whole.

My in-laws are like that, and have little to no understanding of proper air-flow. A bunch of big logs piled willy-nilly on top of a dying handful of coals is often what I find in their wood stove. Whenever I can I chop up their logs into smaller pieces so the damage is minimized.

 

[psy-ops]

Prep is often overlooked. I make sure I have enough small twigs near with extra fuzz sticks, a platform on side of the "real" fire, then medium sticks and finally heavier ones.


I made one yesterday. I had to "cheat" and use a cotton ball. I was just trying to do it with steel and fuzz sticks but it was cold and windy and the main purpose of the fire was to harden sticks for spear throwing. This was an activity for my son and I. we had a blast. He also helps collect the twigs.