OT: Dirt Time Pics (56K Beware)

T

tychoseven

Joined
Aug 9, 2005
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Sometimes you just need to get away, ya' know? It had been one of those weeks, and I hadn't gotten my RDA of alone time for the month, so I said: I'm going camping. I'm taking my bike, and riding out someplace secret and camping there for the day. And night. But I'm not taking a sleeping bag, tent, tarp, or anything but clothing and food and some extras like the camera. And of course, I brought a khukri :D

Here's the view from a nearby hill. You're looking east/northeast out over San Jose. Can't see much because of the haze, but it's there. I wanted to take a picture at night because it's much more impressive, but I had to make dinner and fall asleep!
panorama.jpg


Here's the debris shelter I put together. Not much to look at, but it feels good to have something to come home to. You can see the tip of my bed of California Bay leaves. Makes the ground smell real purty like.
shelter.jpg


And here's my hobo stove, maté, and some bones I found. You can see a bit of the foil in the stove. That's dinner.
hobo_kitchen.jpg


And here is dinner. Mini bell peppers stuffed with potato and vegan sausage. Mmm, Dinner...and Breakfast!
dinner.jpg


These are the rest of the bones I found. I think it's a cow.
bovinicus_necro.jpg


And here's the obligatory pinup shot. I know you were all waiting for it.
pinup.jpg


I felled this mighty oak with one swing of the khuk!
paul_bunyan.jpg


And yet more fun with bones and khuks...
khuk_and_crossbones.jpg


It was a bit chilly at night, and I regret leaving my sleeping bag at home, but hey, I still had a great time tromping around in the woods and watching birds and animals do their thing. I also found a bone to use for the socket on my bow drill set. Time alone in the woods is good for one's soul, and I'd stay out there longer if I could. I owe great thanks to the WWII, because it made everything from the shelter to the stove happen, in the field. I'm not sure how I ever got by without one.... Well, I hope you enjoyed looking. Take your khuks out now and then, they'll thank you for the chance to show what they can do.

-Tycho-
 
Nice pics Tycho, looks like you had a good old time. You didn't mention the yerba mate, but for those not familiar with it, it's some really good stuff. I used it to cut my coffee consumption way, way, down. Love that stuff, cheap, healthy, and organic. :thumbup:

Sarge
 
Cool pics! I had check your location when I read no sleeping bag! If you'd done that up here you'd of been hypothermic :D

Sounds like a good time--I need to get out into the woods myself
 
Tycho I'm almost envious. If you were most any other place besides California I would be.:p ;) :D

Had you of pulled a lot more leaves into your shelter you'd a been a lot warmer my friend.;) :D
 
I felled this mighty oak with one swing of the khuk
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You know the neverending sharpness isn't the only reason we call them "magic" notice in the photo how the tree went and dried itself out upon feeling the touch of the Kami's steel--perfect for firewood! ;) :D
 
Great pictures! Thanks for sharing them.

They are like a cool breeze through whatever stuffy room many of us may find ourselves in at the moment.
 
Tycho,

Thanks for sharing your experience. We CA khuk lovers need a get together maybe next year.
 
Yvsa said:
Tycho I'm almost envious. If you were most any other place besides California I would be.:p ;) :D

Had you of pulled a lot more leaves into your shelter you'd a been a lot warmer my friend.;) :D
Click to expand...

Yes, California isn't all it's made out to be. Land of milk and honey, perhaps, but the people here are a bit nutty. Sounds like a tasty combo, but gives you a bit of indigestion ;)

I could have used many more leaves, it's true. I underestimated the temperature drop at night, and paid the price in lost sleep and cold toes. If I do this again I'll dig a scout pit instead of expending lots of energy building a drafty hut. But I found out that a sheathed khukri makes a surprisingly comfortable pillow!


MauiRob said:
You know the neverending sharpness isn't the only reason we call them "magic" notice in the photo how the tree went and dried itself out upon feeling the touch of the Kami's steel--perfect for firewood!
Click to expand...

Thor has his hammer, I have my magic WWII. It does lots of other neat tricks too, like etching itself and yelling "Ayo Ghurkhali!" to scare away the bears.

-T7-
 
Hey, tycho, looks like a lot of fun. You're to be congratulated. Most of California (raises hand to be included) couldn't do that.

Curious, is that first shot (with the wall), off of Skyline?
 
Sounds like a great time, and some nice pics to tell the story, too! Perfect time of the year for such an outing, too. Thanks for sharing!
 
Tycho, that's my old stomping grounds; born and raised in San Jose and spent a lot of time in the hills in that area. The flatland was all orchards and fields in the 60's, but the hills hadn't been built up and were full of wildlife. We used to camp up on Mt. Hamilton, 10 miles or so east of the observatory. Believe it or not in the 60's the smog was even worse looking towards the foothills, and then actually improved in the 70's.

Cool WWII! I sold all but two of mine, but still don't have a Chiruwa handled one as yet.

Like Hrdwrlover and Aarvark said, maybe the CA guys in this area should get together. Sweet is here in Salinas, and there has to be a couple of other guys.

Thanks for the cool pics.

Norm
 
I'm having mid-semester exams now, so a nice solitary outdoor experience would be nice.

But next week, it's fall break at my school, and over it I'll be getting certified in wilderness first aid and going on a week-long canoe trip down the buffalo river. Should be fun! I'm practically drooling. And by going on this trip and getting this training, I'll be qualified as a leader for my school's outdoor recreation program. Which means that I can take more and more trips (and get paid to do it!).

Nice WWII, btw! The crescent moon is Bura, right? I like the chiruwa handle a lot.

Glad you had fun, man!

Nam
 
Aardvark said:
Curious, is that first shot (with the wall), off of Skyline?
Click to expand...

Darn close...it's near Villa Montalvo. Parallel to Skyline, but much closer to the valley. Nobody lives there anymore and there are stone walls, steps, and bridges all around the area. I read somewhere that one of the co-founders of Bank of America built his estate up there long ago, but I dunno who owns it now.

Namaarie, that is indeed a Bura WWII. I like it greatly, and when I ask it nicely it can send the chips flying. Holds an edge well to boot; I don't think I've sharpened it but twice since I got it a few months ago. It'll need some touch-up after that trip, but I can't begrudge a little grinding after it took out that oak ;) Good luck on your canoe trip, I've been on a few and they were all a blast. Getting paid to spend time in the woods? Man, that's my dream job.

Norm, I wish I had been around San Jose before it got to be the way it is now. I've been up to Mt. Hamilton a few times, but never camped out up there before. I'll add that to my list :D

A CA khuk get-together would be swell, especially since it looks like I won't be able to make the Khon this year. I'm gonna be on the east coast and Demilich is playing their last show ever in Baltimore on the 28th...I'll stop by Reno on my way out east in the beginning of May, and maybe I'll see somebody? I'll see Yangdu at least and give her my best wishes.

Thanks for your kind words, all. Now you get out there and do it too!

-Tycho-
 
Looks like a good time Tycho. Nice pics.

My blackberry clearing activities have yielded an unexpected bonus: a flat area under a stand of trees that's relatively free of thorny creepers. I now have my own private campground. If we get a day without rain between now and May I'm planning on trying out a debris hut there.
 
Dave Rishar said:
Looks like a good time Tycho. Nice pics.

My blackberry clearing activities have yielded an unexpected bonus: a flat area under a stand of trees that's relatively free of thorny creepers. I now have my own private campground. If we get a day without rain between now and May I'm planning on trying out a debris hut there.
Click to expand...
REI sells a nice debris hut...
 
It looks like you did everything just right . I often find bones in the wood as well and enjoy trying to determine how the animal died and what kind it was . That shelter looks great . Could you tell me would it keep out a light rain or was it more just to conserve a little heat ?
 
I just put the shelter together to retain a little heat. It would need much more to keep out the rain. I thought it would be warmer than it was...got colder than usual that night. So I hear...I don't usually sleep outside so it's tough to compare. Next time I'll do something smaller and better insulated.

Aardvark, I can give you directions if you like, but it's not as remote as it looks. I went there because it was a good comprimise between travel distance and seclusion. I couldn't see anybody's house from my campsite, but I was close enough to hear them. It was wooded enough to watch the deer openly travel the game trails...man, those things are not quiet at all! I swear I'd hear them coming a quarter mile away, if it weren't for the leafblowers :( I'd have to go further up into the mountains to get away from people, and I wasn't keen on riding my bicycle up to the top of Highway 9 (although I have done that, and the ride down makes it soooo worthwhile).

So yeah...good times, just wish it were closer and more remote.

-T7-
 
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