A day in the woods
- Thread starter ateallthepies
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Hey Guest, Early bird pricing on the Summer Moot (29th July - 10th August) available until April 6th, we'd love you to come. PLEASE CLICK HERE to early bird price and get more information.
Excellent stuff and any bit of woodland is good only problem is those who cannot be bothered to pick up after the K9 has deposited.
Is that a P-37 haversack (small pack)? I've not seen one with snap fasteners before.
I like the idea of having a bit of woods to visit on weekends, with the expedition starting at my back door. I generally do pretty much the same thing, though I never seem to get around to doing a real project. But I have one in mind, which is to cook an old-fashioned French Army meal in the field. I have a 5-liter boiler, which I have used to do that, just not outside. Potatoes, carrots, some leftover meat, not much else except salt and pepper. The boiler, by the way, looks like a gigantic German-style mess tin in plain aluminium. Naturally, no authentic French Army meal would be complete without red wine and we're fresh out. I do note that the nearest outdoor store (REI, inc) has all sorts of flasks, wine skins and goblets, so apparently others think the same way. Something else for the wish list.
The place I visit with some regularity looks much like your private wilderness but rather narrower. When the leaves are off the trees, however, the nearness of houses is surprising. Yesterday and today when I was out the temperature was just around freezing. I did heat some soup yesterday but today I took along coffee in an insulated travel mug. I also wore my thickest mitts.
Happy trails! Nice photos, too.
I like the idea of having a bit of woods to visit on weekends, with the expedition starting at my back door. I generally do pretty much the same thing, though I never seem to get around to doing a real project. But I have one in mind, which is to cook an old-fashioned French Army meal in the field. I have a 5-liter boiler, which I have used to do that, just not outside. Potatoes, carrots, some leftover meat, not much else except salt and pepper. The boiler, by the way, looks like a gigantic German-style mess tin in plain aluminium. Naturally, no authentic French Army meal would be complete without red wine and we're fresh out. I do note that the nearest outdoor store (REI, inc) has all sorts of flasks, wine skins and goblets, so apparently others think the same way. Something else for the wish list.
The place I visit with some regularity looks much like your private wilderness but rather narrower. When the leaves are off the trees, however, the nearness of houses is surprising. Yesterday and today when I was out the temperature was just around freezing. I did heat some soup yesterday but today I took along coffee in an insulated travel mug. I also wore my thickest mitts.
Happy trails! Nice photos, too.
Yes it's a 37 pattern back pack that I added a couple of snap fasteners to and also added proper side D ring attachment points to take a shoulder strap. Being out amongst nature where ever it is, is very calming.
While I wouldn't exactly say my trips to the woods are necessarily calming, they do at least take my mind off other matters. Curiously, most of the other matters that worry me have to do with all the modern conveniences at home that are constantly having issues and most of them have to do with water.
Just thinking over this thread and then of my own experiences, it seems to me that one of the challenges of visiting the woods is to make yourself comfortable during a halt when the weather is rain or snow. In theory you would be carrying some form of tarp, ground sheet and all the accessories you need to rig up an overhead shelter. Otherwise, having a break for lunch or tea becomes really difficult. I have only done this a couple of times and in addition to the above, it sure helps to have a level spot with conveniently located trees. In the places I go on long day trips, the level spot is the hardest thing to find.
I'll add my own compliments to the chef. I feel a little guilty about liking things that are ultra-simple to prepare out in the woods. When you are camping at a regular campground with a shower building, a level spot with a picnic table, all the clean water you want and sometimes even electricity, it's not much different from home, provided the weather's nice, except you don't have to worry about dirt on the floor.
One of my projects, if you can call it that, is to prepare a French army-style (Pre-WWI) meal out in the boonies. Recipies are available and they're not difficult. I have all the "correct" gear; all I need is a pretty day, a few pommes de terre, oignons, carottes and some lard (in lieu of actual meat) and I'm all set to go. Naturally, it wouldn't be complete with out issue bread and red wine. I've done all that on the kitchen stove but doing it outside is something else. Of course, real French soldiers (Pre-WWI) weren't in the boonies, so the "correct" thing to do would be to prop the marmite or the gamelle up on some paving stones and fetch water from the fountain in the square. In bad weather you take shelter in the nearest barn. Life can be simple if you have the right attitude.
One of my projects, if you can call it that, is to prepare a French army-style (Pre-WWI) meal out in the boonies. Recipies are available and they're not difficult. I have all the "correct" gear; all I need is a pretty day, a few pommes de terre, oignons, carottes and some lard (in lieu of actual meat) and I'm all set to go. Naturally, it wouldn't be complete with out issue bread and red wine. I've done all that on the kitchen stove but doing it outside is something else. Of course, real French soldiers (Pre-WWI) weren't in the boonies, so the "correct" thing to do would be to prop the marmite or the gamelle up on some paving stones and fetch water from the fountain in the square. In bad weather you take shelter in the nearest barn. Life can be simple if you have the right attitude.
The Titan kettle is so useful and versatile isn't it? I use mine for exactly the same type of cooking as you - chorizo, rice,veg. Its just the right size for a meal for one. That debris shelter is coming on well too.
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