Put Up Or Shut Up 2010?

[j williams]

Back at the begining of the year, Kevin Estela put up a challenge to put up or shut up for 2010. Im curious how this has went for everyone. Did you accomplish any firsts? Did your resolutions for more dirt time bear fruit? Who actually spent more $$ traveling to classes and meets then on gear? What skills did you hone? Are you satisfied with where you are at after a year of Bushcrafting?

2010 has been an incredible year for me. I attended to classes, got a ton of time biking, Hiking, Camping. Also refined my friction fire skills, caught my first fish on a fly rod, and numerous other fish and frog ended up in my kitchen. Went out west and hung out with mtnfolkmike and Stingray, and HikingMano, etc... I had a great year. I didnt buy very many knives this year, and my gear purchases were kept in line with what I actually needed. I even managed to get into leathercraft.

Im gonna post up a ton of pics of my year. Look if ya want, post up your pics from your year, and tell your stories of how you put up or shut up.

Terry Barneys Midwest School of Bushcraft. Awesome.

Fire!!!!!!

My first sheath

Axe mask I made after losing mine in the bush

BUSH CHAIR

 

[j williams]

A ton of pics.....I know.

Hope ya enjoyed em.

 

[sicily02]

Great pics and it looks and sounds like a great year for ya so far.

Bryan

 

[JK Knives]

I got out a lot more this year than ever before. Lots of hikes with my wife along the I & M Canal, and local areas. Got together with a great bunch of guys from the forums here for a couple of get togethers at my place, and a day long skills outing with them last month. Hope to do even more next year. I`d be surprised if I spent more than $50 on gear, it`s more fun to make it yourself!

Here are some photos from our gathering.

 

[JK Knives]

 

[ratamahatta]

I spent more time in the woods this year....spent four days with Hollowdweller in the WV mountains hiking around, getting ready for another adventure with him in Jan or Feb.....I also went on plenty of day hikes, and camping and fishing with a few of my buddies from work.....I did spend some money on some gear, but not knives, and I have used it all, so no regrets!!!!!

 

[kgd]

I had a pretty darn decent year, about the same as 2009 without all the international travel I had been doing earlier (it was nice to stay home).

1) Attended two bushcraft meets and Great Lakes Primitives. Met TonyM and DefaultUser for the first time. Visited DocCanada a few times.

2) Took a weekend course with George Hedgepeth and made plans for a week long survival course with him in July 2011.

3) Didn't do quite as many multi-day hikes as I'd like, but snuck in a couple of days backpacking and a couple canoe camping. Did two winter weekend camping trips. However, I did day hikes almost every weekend.

4) Managed to get my first solo coal by hand drill under direction from DocCanada

5) Completed all five Kochansky bow drill variations (two stick, two hole, through hole, natural crack and one hole) and made videos of them

6) Did quite a bit of hammock camping and love it. Did a bit of winter tarp camping last weekend.

7) Met my pal, RangerJoe via another forum. He lives close to me and we hang out in the bush quite a bit. The two of us made an effort to explore many of the local woods and conservation areas uncovering so many 'over looked' places from right under out noses.

8) Really made an effort to improve plant/tree I.D. and edibles. Helped going through Hedgepeth's courses and paying more attention to folks in the knowledge. Sampled and ate wild harvests of: burdock, mustard garlic, morels, fiddleheads, hogs peanut, wild ginger, sassafras tea, ramps, highbrush cranberry, false strawberry, and others.

9) Did NOT buy too many knives....One from B. Andrews, Bruce Culberson EDC, a mora allround, ESEE Machete and an OHT SAK. Other knives came in as trades/swaps and I admit to just receiving one of the new Scagels being produced by Derrick Bohn. Okay....I guess I still bought a lot of knives but my craving for steel isn't quite as high as past years.

All and all a pretty good year.

 

[j williams]

Those Scagels are really nice.

Joe is a great guy, and alot of fun in the woods. I met alot of folks this year from the forums. Really great people, that I consider good friends.

I have high hopes for 2011. I am anxiously awaiting Turleys Hardwoodsmen meet in April, and really want to do some canoe trips. I also hope to really get into producing some nice leatherwork. As always skills will be honed, as I believe they are indeed perishable, and like my career field, we are always students. I also have a few blades on my radar for 2011. I want a Gossman Bolo in a bad way, and also a Tusker from Scott. A trip to Gossmans shop campout is 99% gonna happen too.

Great pics John! Looks like you guys had a nice time. One of these days when Im up in Polo, Im gonna stop and see ya.

I bought some blades this year. A Brian Andrews, A couple barkies, and I just scored a sweet Laconico woods knife last week that im loving. I should be up for my Turley order soon as well. Also bought my Maxpedition Kodiak gearslinger that I am absolutely smitten with. Perfect bag for me. I like gear.

 

[j williams]

I spent more time in the woods this year....spent four days with Hollowdweller in the WV mountains hiking around, getting ready for another adventure with him in Jan or Feb.....I also went on plenty of day hikes, and camping and fishing with a few of my buddies from work.....I did spend some money on some gear, but not knives, and I have used it all, so no regrets!!!!!

I bet a trip with HD is a great time. Nothing wrong with buying and swapping gear. Its nice to have good kit.

Cant wait to see a report on your next trip with HD.

 

[DennisStrickland]

j.w. that's a fantastic excursion, just great with all those pics. love to see a sheath on that axe in camp, so many accidents happen with open edges. thanks for all this
dennis

 

[tonym]

Great thread Jake, and it sounds like you,ve been busy.:thumbup:

I had a good year as well. I learned a few things, had a great time reconnecting with my family in Florida, which led to a great 3 day camping fishing trip in the Everglades.
I met some awesome Canadians whom I learned a bunch from. Doc Canada, KGD, and Phil) I also met Rick Marchand at the NYC knife show. We had allot of fun putting back a few beers in NYC and he introduced me to some world class Knifemakers such as Walley Hayes. Whom was also a blast to hang out with.

Marcelo, Riley, Kuruptd and I have spent a bunch of times in the woods together, and now Big Mike has finaly freed up some time to hang out on our schedule as well.

Did a great Canoe/camping trip in Maine with Kevin Estela, Tall Quiet Man, and some others. Camped out with Scott Gossman and a bunch of other forum members again. Allways a ton of fun. And I made it up to The Wilderness Learning Center for Marty Simon's Peace get together. Always a blast!

It was also great to help Kurupt and a few other friends get their first friction fires. As well as intoduce Kurupt to the wonderful world of hammock camping.


So yes, 2010 was a good year despite some financial problems, but 2011 looks very good as well.

I doubt I will get out as much in 2011, as my Wife and I are expecting our second child in August!

Edit, I almost forgot to mention that with Rescue Rileys help I won the ESEEMega Survival Contest

 

[j williams]

Holy crap Tony. Congrats brother. Thats awesome! Heres to a healthy baby, and an easy pregnancy. For both of you.

Congrats on the ESEE contest too. Thats a helluva cool prize. Youll be ballz deep in ESEE gear.

Hopefully you can make it to Gossmans campout. Id like to see ya.

 

[tonym]

Holy crap Tony. Congrats brother. Thats awesome! Heres to a healthy baby, and an easy pregnancy. For both of you.

Congrats on the ESEE contest too. Thats a helluva cool prize. Youll be ballz deep in ESEE gear.

Hopefully you can make it to Gossmans campout. Id like to see ya.

Thanks Jake, If you are going to Gossman's, I'll be there:thumbup:

 

[unit]

I have had a PILE of firsts this year, but most are quite low on the list of survival/bushcrafting skills. But compared to what the AVERAGE guy I know does...they are sort of neat.

Some of my firsts this year include:
1. Carved my first spoon (and used it)

2. Carved my first fork (and used it)

3. First fire with steel, knife (and nothing else other than nature)

4. First fire with String, knife and nothing else 'cept nature (bow drill)

...and every one of these things was done with my son(s) in a manner that they also enjoyed.

Also numerous other little things that seem silly to me (after all I have learned this year).

Thanks guys!

P.S. None of these things were challenges, or goals...they all just sort of happened following me seeing you guys do it and talk about it. It looked interesting...so I tried it. Now I can not seem to stop looking for new (ancient LOL) stuff to learn.

 

[j williams]

Great pics!

 

[fixer]

nice Surly!

 

[unit]

nice Surly!

+1

I still miss my beloved Surly Karate Monkey (I broke it a while back). I explored a lot of woods with that thing!



I forgot another "first" relative to the OP topic...

My first hobo stove thanks to some help from this forum!

 

[j williams]

It was a nice bike. It unfortunatly got stolen off my bike rack back in Aug.


Ive got plans for a Karate Monkey in the Spring though.

 

[kgd]

Great lists everybody. Congrats on the incoming child Tonym! Ha, I just managed to push my fledglings out of the nest. Freedom at forty! (Actually those kids are a hell of a lot more expensive in post-secondary school then they were when they were younger!)....

 

[Shotgun]

Love the ocean side pics. Your leather work looks top notch as well.

I've actually gotten out a bit more than I have in the past but haven't done much bushcrafty stuff. Not much into that hobby as a whole actually. Not knocking it but I'd rather sit on a log then make a chair. I'm lazy like that. However, this is the time of year where survival type training would bear the most fruit. Windy and wet. Summertime survival is easy IMO. Well, as long as I'm not in eastern Oregon.