Well, it's pretty quiet here at the moment all over the country - flights are grounded because of the cloud of ash from a volcano in Iceland. Heaven.
An American who appreciates your forum
- Thread starter John Lee
- Start date
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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.
welcome mate. I've been in your area (Bellingham, Cascades & San Juan Islands) and it's a lovely, if not the most lovely, part of your country. As for us over here, we are experiencing the first all air travel block in the history of Europe and it's very special to see teh sky without contrails.
Thanks to everyone of you for your kind comments. You seem to be an interesting group of people. John
Never mind about your Yorkshire ancestry, I'm sure its come out of you by now living in America. 
Its a big hello from North Lancashire in case you needed to wonder which county I'm from. Just got back from a stroll around part of the Howgills today. Now that area is pretty quiet and well worth visiting on a busy weekend as an alternative to the Lakes. less traffic and people. As I'm pretty sure you are aware UK is overcrowded compared to your neck of the woods.
BTW my Grandad came from Michigan. Not quite your neck of the woods but still an interesting spot. Got plenty of stories of my ancesters up there doing what sounds like amazing stuff to an Englishman like me. For example moving a town down a river one winter to a better spot. Driving across the bay in winter it is so cold. Ice hockey on the lake. And so on. America is such big country and hard for someone like me to get my head around. If anyone knows where Escanaba is, well my relatives are from there, Gladstone (smaller town) and the even smaller Raapid River.
As far as guns goes, I work with an older guy who used to be a keen shooter. He could still shoot and own guns but he said the regulations and controls have taken all the fun out of shooting. he does however have a lot of American friends and go out there a lot. Every time he goes out he goes shooting with a friend. The guy has an amazing collection of rifles, shotguns and hand guns. Including a handgun that is actually able to take shotgun cartridges!! That is so mad. I also deal with a Texas based company and remember having a most strange (for an Englishman non-shooter) conversation about shooting. We talked business then had a bit of a social chat as we had both had one hell of a week. It kind of started getting strange when the Texan (amazingly strong drawl) started talking about getting rid of his stress by shooting back a few cans then shooting the cans in his back yard. He asked me if I would be doing that. I said I don't shoot and he got very confused. He couldn't get his head around the idea that if I started shooting cans in my back yard I would have a very difficult time possibly involving armed police and a standoff that would not be much fun. It was a real culture clash, but I guess to some states gun control is not just un-American but a difficult concept to understand. Might be good but the stories from our guys who have gone out there and taken part it is kind of worrying. A bunch of guys from work going out with guns, many rounds and even more cans. Stories like them having a skunk problem under a building being solved with a big pump action shotgun fired low slung about shin level by a guy called Big Ern or something like that.
My Grandad was once promised a civil war musket that his Dad owned. Apparently it was kept on the front porch (veranda) fully loaded and good to go with kids playing around. I can't imagine that ever happening over here. Then there is archery. Not allowed to hunt with bow over here at all. Not even allowed to go ranging I think it is called where you go around picking and trying to hit targets as you go throufh the woods.
Its a big hello from North Lancashire in case you needed to wonder which county I'm from. Just got back from a stroll around part of the Howgills today. Now that area is pretty quiet and well worth visiting on a busy weekend as an alternative to the Lakes. less traffic and people. As I'm pretty sure you are aware UK is overcrowded compared to your neck of the woods.
BTW my Grandad came from Michigan. Not quite your neck of the woods but still an interesting spot. Got plenty of stories of my ancesters up there doing what sounds like amazing stuff to an Englishman like me. For example moving a town down a river one winter to a better spot. Driving across the bay in winter it is so cold. Ice hockey on the lake. And so on. America is such big country and hard for someone like me to get my head around. If anyone knows where Escanaba is, well my relatives are from there, Gladstone (smaller town) and the even smaller Raapid River.
As far as guns goes, I work with an older guy who used to be a keen shooter. He could still shoot and own guns but he said the regulations and controls have taken all the fun out of shooting. he does however have a lot of American friends and go out there a lot. Every time he goes out he goes shooting with a friend. The guy has an amazing collection of rifles, shotguns and hand guns. Including a handgun that is actually able to take shotgun cartridges!! That is so mad. I also deal with a Texas based company and remember having a most strange (for an Englishman non-shooter) conversation about shooting. We talked business then had a bit of a social chat as we had both had one hell of a week. It kind of started getting strange when the Texan (amazingly strong drawl) started talking about getting rid of his stress by shooting back a few cans then shooting the cans in his back yard. He asked me if I would be doing that. I said I don't shoot and he got very confused. He couldn't get his head around the idea that if I started shooting cans in my back yard I would have a very difficult time possibly involving armed police and a standoff that would not be much fun. It was a real culture clash, but I guess to some states gun control is not just un-American but a difficult concept to understand. Might be good but the stories from our guys who have gone out there and taken part it is kind of worrying. A bunch of guys from work going out with guns, many rounds and even more cans. Stories like them having a skunk problem under a building being solved with a big pump action shotgun fired low slung about shin level by a guy called Big Ern or something like that.
My Grandad was once promised a civil war musket that his Dad owned. Apparently it was kept on the front porch (veranda) fully loaded and good to go with kids playing around. I can't imagine that ever happening over here. Then there is archery. Not allowed to hunt with bow over here at all. Not even allowed to go ranging I think it is called where you go around picking and trying to hit targets as you go throufh the woods.
Hi John,
As someone who lives in North Yorkshire, works in Suffolk and spends part of the year working in Arizona & California - I bid you welcome! I also used to work a lot in Alberta and have travelled extensively in BC - so I know that Northwestern corner of your great continent (Alaska aside) pretty well. Oh my brother lives in NYC (London on steroids!) so I've seen a bit of the eastern seaboard as well.
First of all you are fortunate enough to live in a country that has vast areas of pristine wilderness - I always use an anecdote from Canada - The whole of Canada has half the population of Great Britain - but you can fit the total landmass of Great Britain, three times into Alberta alone! So we live in an insanely crowded few islands. However - there are plenty of spaces where you can be totally alone and we have some amazingly diverse ecosystems for such a small place. And small is what you have to think of if ever you get to visit - you have to adjust your sense of scale. For example a "mountain" to us - is anything over 3000 feet - and our tallest peak - Ben Nevis, in Scotland is (only) 4400 feet - however it's North face has 2300 foot cliffs which - when you're at the bottom looking up - is awe inspiring - no matter where you're from (I've never done it but I'll bet that if you're at the top looking down - the "awe" transfers from your brain to your lower intestine!).
We don't have wildlife that can really kill us, not of the fauna kind anyway - so self protection weapons are out - also the right to bear arms isn't enshrined in our (non written) constitution - so firearms legislation is pretty strict by your standards - however it's still possible to go deer hunting (stalking we call it) - you just need the right permits and licenses - oh and money too. Which brings me on to gear. A good rule of thumb is that "stuff" costs the same in pounds here as you pay in dollars there. For example I was after a combo fly/ spinning rod from an international rod manufacturer - cost in UK? - £349:00 (about $540:00). Cost in the US? - you guessed it - $349:00 - sometimes it's great to have a US address to post stuff to!!
I always think of this as a teaching/ learning forum - so stick around - you might learn a thing or two and I, for one, always look forward to and learning from, posts from people with ALL of that backcountry to play in (sigh!)
As someone who lives in North Yorkshire, works in Suffolk and spends part of the year working in Arizona & California - I bid you welcome! I also used to work a lot in Alberta and have travelled extensively in BC - so I know that Northwestern corner of your great continent (Alaska aside) pretty well. Oh my brother lives in NYC (London on steroids!) so I've seen a bit of the eastern seaboard as well.
First of all you are fortunate enough to live in a country that has vast areas of pristine wilderness - I always use an anecdote from Canada - The whole of Canada has half the population of Great Britain - but you can fit the total landmass of Great Britain, three times into Alberta alone! So we live in an insanely crowded few islands. However - there are plenty of spaces where you can be totally alone and we have some amazingly diverse ecosystems for such a small place. And small is what you have to think of if ever you get to visit - you have to adjust your sense of scale. For example a "mountain" to us - is anything over 3000 feet - and our tallest peak - Ben Nevis, in Scotland is (only) 4400 feet - however it's North face has 2300 foot cliffs which - when you're at the bottom looking up - is awe inspiring - no matter where you're from (I've never done it but I'll bet that if you're at the top looking down - the "awe" transfers from your brain to your lower intestine!).
We don't have wildlife that can really kill us, not of the fauna kind anyway - so self protection weapons are out - also the right to bear arms isn't enshrined in our (non written) constitution - so firearms legislation is pretty strict by your standards - however it's still possible to go deer hunting (stalking we call it) - you just need the right permits and licenses - oh and money too. Which brings me on to gear. A good rule of thumb is that "stuff" costs the same in pounds here as you pay in dollars there. For example I was after a combo fly/ spinning rod from an international rod manufacturer - cost in UK? - £349:00 (about $540:00). Cost in the US? - you guessed it - $349:00 - sometimes it's great to have a US address to post stuff to!!
I always think of this as a teaching/ learning forum - so stick around - you might learn a thing or two and I, for one, always look forward to and learning from, posts from people with ALL of that backcountry to play in (sigh!)
I remember a work colleague coming back from a business trip to the USA where having a few hours to kill before he needed to get to the airport he went into a Walmarts. Now to those who don't know Walmart owns ASDA but they are not the same, Walmart has an most interesting sporting goods section that in large ones has everything a hunter, bushcrafter, camper, backpacker and sportsman could want (or mostly). The colleague went in there and saw in a wire bargain bin a load of Garmin GPS units. This was several years ago before the prices dropped back when over here the cheapest unit was bout £150 but over there they were selling for USD$60!!! To give you an idea about how ridiculous that price was the exchange rate was about $2=£1. The guy said he thought about getting one for me but wasn't sure I wanted one. At £30 I would have taken 10 and ebayed them over here!!!
Things aren't quite as bad as back then but things do still cost a lot more over here unless you shop around a lot. You can always get stuff half price but you need to find out about it at the right time and be lucky. Take the £200 Hilleberg Atkos that F&T were selling recently. On the whole USA has the best gear at the best prices anyway.
There are companies in USA who provide a US address for purchases made at US supply only companies. They then forward them on. Some also mark the package as a gift which sometimes gets you out of the customs charges. There are ways around rip-off Britain if you have the energy and inclination to take them.
Things aren't quite as bad as back then but things do still cost a lot more over here unless you shop around a lot. You can always get stuff half price but you need to find out about it at the right time and be lucky. Take the £200 Hilleberg Atkos that F&T were selling recently. On the whole USA has the best gear at the best prices anyway.
There are companies in USA who provide a US address for purchases made at US supply only companies. They then forward them on. Some also mark the package as a gift which sometimes gets you out of the customs charges. There are ways around rip-off Britain if you have the energy and inclination to take them.
Hey John, welcome to the fold. We'd love to hear tales from the other side of the pond. Sounds like you are in a great location, we'd love to see some pictures. Have you ever planned to come and visit? I'm sure there are plenty of people over here that would recommend some great places to visit. I must say the Lake District is a personal favorite (yes, I did spell that just for u).
Do you have any bushcraft heroes over there like our Ray Mears or Bear Grylis (now that should have ruffled a few feathers over here).
Do you have any bushcraft heroes over there like our Ray Mears or Bear Grylis (now that should have ruffled a few feathers over here).
Me too - except for the gun, not interested in them.
Not angling for an invite to the States by any chance are you Wanderingblade? If so, can I carry your bags?
Not angling for an invite to the States by any chance are you Wanderingblade? If so, can I carry your bags?
Never mind about your Yorkshire ancestry, I'm sure its come out of you by now living in America.
BTW my Grandad came from Michigan. Not quite your neck of the woods but still an interesting spot. Got plenty of stories of my ancesters up there doing what sounds like amazing stuff to an Englishman like me. For example moving a town down a river one winter to a better spot. Driving across the bay in winter it is so cold. Ice hockey on the lake. And so on. America is such big country and hard for someone like me to get my head around. If anyone knows where Escanaba is, well my relatives are from there, Gladstone (smaller town) and the even smaller Raapid River.
As far as guns goes, I work with an older guy who used to be a keen shooter. He could still shoot and own guns but he said the regulations and controls have taken all the fun out of shooting. he does however have a lot of American friends and go out there a lot. Every time he goes out he goes shooting with a friend. The guy has an amazing collection of rifles, shotguns and hand guns. Including a handgun that is actually able to take shotgun cartridges!! That is so mad. I also deal with a Texas based company and remember having a most strange (for an Englishman non-shooter) conversation about shooting. We talked business then had a bit of a social chat as we had both had one hell of a week. It kind of started getting strange when the Texan (amazingly strong drawl) started talking about getting rid of his stress by shooting back a few cans then shooting the cans in his back yard. He asked me if I would be doing that. I said I don't shoot and he got very confused. He couldn't get his head around the idea that if I started shooting cans in my back yard I would have a very difficult time possibly involving armed police and a standoff that would not be much fun. It was a real culture clash, but I guess to some states gun control is not just un-American but a difficult concept to understand. Might be good but the stories from our guys who have gone out there and taken part it is kind of worrying. A bunch of guys from work going out with guns, many rounds and even more cans. Stories like them having a skunk problem under a building being solved with a big pump action shotgun fired low slung about shin level by a guy called Big Ern or something like that.
My Grandad was once promised a civil war musket that his Dad owned. Apparently it was kept on the front porch (veranda) fully loaded and good to go with kids playing around. I can't imagine that ever happening over here. Then there is archery. Not allowed to hunt with bow over here at all. Not even allowed to go ranging I think it is called where you go around picking and trying to hit targets as you go throufh the woods.
Paul,
I was stationed just north of Escanaba during 1965-1968 and had a girlfriend there. I would hitchhike the 50 miles to see her no matter the weather. I should have died in a snow storm but a rutting male knows no fear. Gladstone used to be home to the Marble knife company which went out of business and made some quality gear. I had one of their match cases but lost it.
I think the gun culture as it's called here depends on a person's upbringing. I was allowed to hunt with a .22 by myself when I was ten years old and still own the gun. At that time I lived in a small town in Oklahoma. I have loaded pistols hidden throughout my house. It's just my nature. Check out Rugerforum.com for an idea of what goes on here.
I think I have retained your countryman's sense of humor. It's gotten me into trouble at times. Political correctness is a disease here. Never tell a lesbian she needs to experiment! Or never, never, never say niggers. A couple of years ago I stopped to talk to a guy who I thought was looking for arrowheads near the Arkansas River in Oklahoma. Turned out he was a retired cab driver from London who had lived through the blitz. Eddie was funny as hell with a never ending supply of stories.
You know Drew, i've long thought we (Yorkshire) should be a country in our own right.
EdS
Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Oi what it mate - some of in this part are in exile form the correct side of the Tees (not often you here Stockton call correct) despite 2 parentys from the wrong side.
okenest:
and as someone not eligibly to visit, then I think they shouldn't be allowed out
. Not that you'd want to visit my way in the first place.
