Did an overnighter this past weekend to get some work done on a few of my Hardwoodsman's Tab challenges. This was also my 12th trip for 2011, so I just barely achieved my goal for averaging at least one overnight or longer trip once a month. Here's a pic of my load-out, most of what I took is shown but I added a couple minor items after packing it all up:
Items taken:
1) USGI Gore-Tex bivy with Multimat Superlite sleeping pad inside
2) Jacks R Better Sierra Sniveller down quilt (20º rated)
3) Bob Dustrude Quick Buck Saw
4) Wetterlings Large Hunter's Axe (19" axe)
5) Multicam MEST
6) Food (green stuff sack)
7) USGI Canteen setup including cup and lid
8) Wool hat & gloves
9) Line kit
10) Knife (Turley Soldier River w/pommel plate)
11) Fire Kit
12) Headlamp
13) Firesteel
14) Bandanna
The gear's sitting on top of my USGI Gore-Tex parka which also went along, but I ended up not wearing it.
Here's a couple pics of my camp site when I first arrived and just started setting up:
This was my first time camping at this spot. Some friends have generously allowed me use of their few acres of property (abutted to state park land) to practice bushcraft and camp out any time, and this was my first overnighter there. Probably will not be staying there for future overnights as the lay of the land makes it hard to get as far away from the road and homes as I'd like, and it's in a natural bowl so there's essentially no flat spots to set up camp.
You can't really tell in the pic, but I ended up making a huge pile of leaves under the foot end of my bivy in order to even out my sleeping spot, which worked enough so I could sleep reasonably level. It was supposed to be a very clear night so I elected to go without a tarp and just sleep in the bivy under the stars.
First order of business after that was to work on my Split Wood Fire 3 Times the Prep challenge, so I looked for a suitable chunk of wood. Found this dead standing tree that had been split long ago. This saved me some work, and I didn't need any tools since it was a simple matter of yanking on the split piece to pull off a nice dry piece about 5 feet long.
From there it was working on my 3x Prep fire which I documented on video for the challenge. This took until well after dark.
HW Tab - SWF3XP and Solo Overnight - YouTube
Pic of some of the wood being split down:
And here's what the finished 3x prep looked like
And a close up
Some pics of the fires:
Some of the left over prep (there was enough for at least one more fire):
Cooked up dinner (Mountain House) and some tea with the canteen cup over the fire.
Right about this point I realized as the water was heating up that I forgot my spork, for the fourth consecutive trip in a row. I don't know why but I seem to have a mental block on bringing eating utensils! Unfortunately, this time I did not have a spoon knife with me so I just improvised an eating spatula / stirring stick from a nearby branch. It doesn't look like much but it was only a few minutes' work and it worked better than it looked... just enough of a spoon bowl to scoop up beef stew :4:
That was pretty much it for the night, I spent the next 4 or so hours just sitting around the small campfire tending the flames, reading a little and enjoying the outdoors.
Interesting side note - learned on this trip that apparently squirrels running through the dead leaves can sound as loud as a rampaging black bear. This being my first time camping on this private property, at first I was a little concerned that the noise was a neighbor or whoever coming to complain or investigate about the fire. However, I realized in short order that anyone coming up there would need a flashlight so I'd see them well in advance. On top of that, there were so many prickers and thorn bushes that I'd hear anyone coming a half mile away by the sound of them cursing. Next time I visit I'm bringing a machete!
Anyway, around 11:30 or so I decided to climb in the bivy and let the fire die out. Once I was out I slept pretty much straight through the night until around 6ish, then rolled over and back to sleep until 7:30 when the sun was on its way up. Got a really nice view of the sunrise from my perch atop the hill:
EDIT: I should add - this whole trip was totally worth it JUST for the experience of waking up to see that sunrise :dblthumb:
Here's one final shot of my camp after I packed everything up and cleaned up after myself. Tried my best to make it hard to tell anyone had even been there:
That was almost the end of my overnighter. I hiked back to the truck, then made it about 2 miles or so in the direction of the nearest Dunkin' Donuts before I realized I left my bear bag hanging from a tree limb, so I got to make the hike a second time to retrieve it :34:
Thanks for reading, hope you guys enjoyed and I didn't bore anyone too badly :dblthumb:
Items taken:
1) USGI Gore-Tex bivy with Multimat Superlite sleeping pad inside
2) Jacks R Better Sierra Sniveller down quilt (20º rated)
3) Bob Dustrude Quick Buck Saw
4) Wetterlings Large Hunter's Axe (19" axe)
5) Multicam MEST
6) Food (green stuff sack)
7) USGI Canteen setup including cup and lid
8) Wool hat & gloves
9) Line kit
10) Knife (Turley Soldier River w/pommel plate)
11) Fire Kit
12) Headlamp
13) Firesteel
14) Bandanna
The gear's sitting on top of my USGI Gore-Tex parka which also went along, but I ended up not wearing it.
Here's a couple pics of my camp site when I first arrived and just started setting up:
This was my first time camping at this spot. Some friends have generously allowed me use of their few acres of property (abutted to state park land) to practice bushcraft and camp out any time, and this was my first overnighter there. Probably will not be staying there for future overnights as the lay of the land makes it hard to get as far away from the road and homes as I'd like, and it's in a natural bowl so there's essentially no flat spots to set up camp.
You can't really tell in the pic, but I ended up making a huge pile of leaves under the foot end of my bivy in order to even out my sleeping spot, which worked enough so I could sleep reasonably level. It was supposed to be a very clear night so I elected to go without a tarp and just sleep in the bivy under the stars.
First order of business after that was to work on my Split Wood Fire 3 Times the Prep challenge, so I looked for a suitable chunk of wood. Found this dead standing tree that had been split long ago. This saved me some work, and I didn't need any tools since it was a simple matter of yanking on the split piece to pull off a nice dry piece about 5 feet long.
From there it was working on my 3x Prep fire which I documented on video for the challenge. This took until well after dark.
HW Tab - SWF3XP and Solo Overnight - YouTube
Pic of some of the wood being split down:
And here's what the finished 3x prep looked like
And a close up
Some pics of the fires:
Some of the left over prep (there was enough for at least one more fire):
Cooked up dinner (Mountain House) and some tea with the canteen cup over the fire.
Right about this point I realized as the water was heating up that I forgot my spork, for the fourth consecutive trip in a row. I don't know why but I seem to have a mental block on bringing eating utensils! Unfortunately, this time I did not have a spoon knife with me so I just improvised an eating spatula / stirring stick from a nearby branch. It doesn't look like much but it was only a few minutes' work and it worked better than it looked... just enough of a spoon bowl to scoop up beef stew :4:
That was pretty much it for the night, I spent the next 4 or so hours just sitting around the small campfire tending the flames, reading a little and enjoying the outdoors.
Interesting side note - learned on this trip that apparently squirrels running through the dead leaves can sound as loud as a rampaging black bear. This being my first time camping on this private property, at first I was a little concerned that the noise was a neighbor or whoever coming to complain or investigate about the fire. However, I realized in short order that anyone coming up there would need a flashlight so I'd see them well in advance. On top of that, there were so many prickers and thorn bushes that I'd hear anyone coming a half mile away by the sound of them cursing. Next time I visit I'm bringing a machete!
Anyway, around 11:30 or so I decided to climb in the bivy and let the fire die out. Once I was out I slept pretty much straight through the night until around 6ish, then rolled over and back to sleep until 7:30 when the sun was on its way up. Got a really nice view of the sunrise from my perch atop the hill:
EDIT: I should add - this whole trip was totally worth it JUST for the experience of waking up to see that sunrise :dblthumb:
Here's one final shot of my camp after I packed everything up and cleaned up after myself. Tried my best to make it hard to tell anyone had even been there:
That was almost the end of my overnighter. I hiked back to the truck, then made it about 2 miles or so in the direction of the nearest Dunkin' Donuts before I realized I left my bear bag hanging from a tree limb, so I got to make the hike a second time to retrieve it :34:
Thanks for reading, hope you guys enjoyed and I didn't bore anyone too badly :dblthumb:
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