What draws you to the woods?

Going from the hustle bustle of getting to and from work, the daily drudgery of home, to the woods is great. No worries while you're in the timber.
 
So much good stuff already said:)
The slowing of time, wind in the Pines, smiles of my wife and kids.

I don't have the words to explain the nourishment I get from the woods and waters and sands, mountains and big sky.

Great thread:thumbup:

Mark
 
This question has no single answer for me.... the more I think about it the more I come up with....

I have MANY reasons to step into the wild...

1. Training - to develope my skills, expand my comfort zone and increase awareness.

2. Solitude - as much the extrovert I am, I find that my "batteries" recharge the best when I can "escape it all".

3. Discovery - nuff said.

4. Humility - when I am in the woods, I am always aware of how fragile I am as an individual..... but at the same time, how truly powerful we (the natural world) are. I respect the woods for what it offers and what it can take away.

5. Confidence - when you spend time in the wild, you realize what little you really need to be happy. As your skill sets develope, you gain knowledge of your surroundings and knowledge is the fear killer. Once you understand something (even if it is a danger to you), your fear turns to respect, which is real, beneficial and makes you stronger.

I could type a wall of text, with more reasons, but I will cut it short... these are a few of the major thought that came to mind.

I love the woods and though I may fantasize about living in a mountain retreat, I have no intention of breaking ties with civilization. I like interacting with people. I have kids and want to have access to hospitals, babysitters, and friends they can play with. Community is important.... relationships..... and the internet.:thumbup:


Rick
 
Cool thoughts Ken and the rest. I can not add much to what has been said,
Learning and being out in the woods is awesome.

Bryan
 
I get a yearning for solitude. For 45 hours a week I have between 35-40 people constantly seeking my attention and assistance. Being away from everyone, from mobile phones and from emails I feel like I am truly at peace and I have time that I don't have to think (about work).

That and working on this journey of mine of teaching myself self-reliance, resilience and bushskills. My goal is to start hiking with overnight stays, build up fitness and stamina and see how far I can take it. For the mean time though - it's car camping overnight learning what works and what doesn't and building on skills like firemaking, staying warm and staying dry.
 
Well...I suppose I could say more noble things like the myriad shades of green and the views of the valley and the river from some of the bluffs here. Or the sounds of the birds as the sky is just starting to lighten, the scurry of little feet as the forest comes to life for another day, and the babble of the brooks as the water passes over the worn stone and splashes into small pools. The cool breezes blowing on my face as the wind passes through the hollows 'neath the high canopy of leaves. The different formations carved in the stone by wind and water. The chance to think up and experiment with another technique. The crackle of the fire, the scent of the smoke, and the dancing shadows as the owls call to each other in the distance...all of which I enjoy very much. But in all honesty what draws me there? I'd have to say the absence of people and the noises of the modern mechanized world.
 
I live in the vast forested area of Canada. The woods and rural community is the standard and the norm in my life, everything else is artificial, manmade, and temporary.

Not to say that visiting the city is a bad thing, but urban life is very one sided, and I am always glad to get away from the concrete, including the social walls and hurdles that come with it.
 
Solidude!With Ma Nature as my only companion.
Sitting by the fire at night listening to the owls hoot.
Being woken up in the early morning to the sound of a bear tearing up dead logs & stumps looking for breakfast & being thankful it's not me!
Watching & listening to a herd of elk walk by.
A gobbler calling for a mate.
Chipmunks filling thier cheeks.
Trout taking insects off the surface of a pool of fresh snow melt.
The cry of a hawk as it flies overhead.
Nature in all her glory.
 
I suppose what draws me is illuminated by how I spend my time in the outdoors.

I rarely hike to hike, I usually hike to get into the woods to camp.
I love to make camp. Even if I go to a site I prepared before, I love to set up my tarp and bedroll, get a fire going, do some camp cooking, write in my journals, etc.

In short, it's to get out, get away from the rat race, and just live, nothing more, my only responsibility is to just live.
 
There is nothing more peaceful than being on the shore of a lake at sunset.

Lake provided by Nature
lake.jpg

Stove fun provided by Mr. Bushman5
first--fishing0008.jpg

Fish provided by Nature, knife provided by Mr. Riley
first--fishing0006.jpg
 
G'day Rick

Magnussen said:
....
5. Confidence - when you spend time in the wild, you realize what little you really need to be happy. As your skill sets develope, you gain knowledge of your surroundings and knowledge is the fear killer. Once you understand something (even if it is a danger to you), your fear turns to respect, which is real, beneficial and makes you stronger.....
Click to expand...
Bolded emphasis added by myself.


Well put :thumbup:

IMO, when a person has knowledge & first hand experience they are also less likely to panic :D



Kind regards
Mick
 
Last edited:
Mine differs a bit from what has been posted so far, so I will keep this going.

This is going to sounds a bit cheesy, until I explain it a bit further. But, trips to the woods simply remind me what the important things are in life.

If you get to watch the sunrise, and hit a stand of hardwoods, you realize, those trees are probably older than me. The sun rose and hit those trees last week when my gears were all wound up from work. They didn't care, and the things that got me all stressed out, did not stop them from enjoying life one bit. Those trees will probably still be here when I am gone, enjoying the morning sunrise.

Those trees also don't need a whole lot to live. Sun, rain, air. Not so much different from myself. No iPod touch, fancy GPS, or big tires for the Jeep. It quickly resets you to know what are the things you want, and what are the things you really truly need.

While I love learning stuff that was sadly second nature generations ago, developing skills, being more confident, etc. It is not about that for me. I try to keep a simple life, but sometimes it gets out of control. Going to the woods reminds me that things can be simple, and we are the ones that complicate things. I need that reminder constantly.

B
 
No people, no phone, no traffic, no hurry, no set schedule, it's clean.
Well, I suppose those are what draw me away from civilization, not to the woods.

Wildlife, and beautiful scenery mostly. I have a deep appreciation for nature, but it's also my entertainment. I don't watch tv, listen to the radio, read the paper, things like that. Good exercise, and lots of fun.
 
untamed said:
(Embarassed at how "deep" everyone's reflections are -)

2 Words: No people
Click to expand...

I would venture to guess that there is probably more than that, even if you have not realized it yet :D

Afterall, there are "no people" in your bathroom. Well, at least I hope so :eek::eek::eek::eek:

:D
 
humans are still hardwired to feel more comfortable out of doors i think
we simply havent "evolved" beyond that
even tho our world had been filled with expansive urban landscapes,
technology and many things
to distract us from our nature
still it resides within
and fortunately for some of us
we are able to heed that call
and wander into the woods, the mtns, the plains, the desert, the sea
 
I remember about 5 years back my wife had to go to downtown Chicago on a work visit. She had a fancy hotel paid for and persuaded me to take the week off and live the high life with her in the great metropolis of.... Even though I've lived in cities at a few points in my life, I can vouch that I'm not a city boy. Chicago was fantastic with its architecture, museums, the boardwalk and amazing restaurants.

I just remember after about day 4, walking the black pavement and the shiny buildings reflecting all that energy back to me (I felt like charcloth at the focal point of a magnifying lens) and my head was sinking down, my back was slouching. I wasn't wearing a pack but I might as well of. The only trees were the ones purposely planted. It really felt like the black pavement with its towering buildings were slowly but surely killing me. I had to suffer that last day, as it was my wife's only day off to explore and have fun, and I had to pull all my self control to put on a pleasant face. I still remember that lesson - five days in the city is too much, WAY too much. Almost felt like my soul was leaking out of my pitzips.

The next year, my wife and I took a vacation together. We were to go camping. I had the route planned out for visiting a bunch of provincial parks but when we tallyed the camp fees and gas costs it was starting to get pretty heavy. My wife actually located, what she thought was a bed'n'breakfast. Actually it was a fly in fishing outpost and somehow she never clued into the fact until we were in a little float plane flying out to a remote lake where the cottage we were to inhabit for the next 5 days was the only one on a lake. She fell in love with the place, the solitude and fishing that was the stuff of legends. Since that vacation, there is no longer any talk of taking personal time and spending it in the city :)
 
In general I actually like people, technology, and our civilization. After all, these three things conspired to make a wide variety of microbrew available to the general public. I guess time in the woods/desert is more about going to something I enjoy than going away from something I dislike.

I find that time spent in the woods/desert is mentally and physically calming. There's something about focusing on basic needs that I find comforting and fulfilling. Yea, it may sound cheesy, but I feel as though I get in touch with my surroundings. I get a similar feeling on long motorcycle trips, riding through the mountains, mind and body both relaxed and focused. The wind, feel of the road through the bike, sound of the engine...all very primal and basic.

Also, having grown up in a fairly remote and very woodsy area, the woods feel like home and bring back some very fond memories. Loafing under a snarled old oak tree in the middle of nowhere brings back the smell of mom's waffles in the morning, and the sound of insects buzzing as I took the long walk home from school down that long winding dirt road.

Awwww...I'm getting in touch with feelings, my wife would be proud of me. Isn't that sweet? Do not tell her!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top