Just spent a weekend out with maddave, and while it was a photo trip rather that a bushy trip, it did make me think a bit about the way I do things.
First off I would have to say I don't think of myself as a bushcrafter really, I use bushcraft techniques to be comfortable in the outdoors and most of my reason to be out and about is my landscape photography.
As such, most of the time I'm travelling to different locations in my van and hoofing it short distances to locations like this.
Sometimes, if it's a fair distance, I'll stay on location with a small camp, but more often than not I'll sleep in or near the van.
A good part of the reason for that, is that I really don't like leaving the van unattended in the middle of nowhere, so it actually can become a bit of a liability once I'm on location.
We saw many places we could have set up a small camp quite easily but that would always have left the van exposed to any ned that chanced upon it.
When I was younger and without transport, I used to hitch hike into places so the problem never occurred. Now if I'm near civilization I usually bung a pub landlord a few quid so I can leave the van overnight in the pub car park If I'm out overnight.
But sat round the fire with Dave, near to the vanon this occasion, I started wondering what other people did with their vehicles when they're out and about?
) but that being said My uncle is a police officer and lives in a bigger city where people will often break into cars to steal things, and he says the best theft deterrent you can put in your car is a blanket. the idea is out of site out of mind no one will bother to break into a car if they cant actually see something of value. he said that even expensive car alarms don't do much good because the thieves will just smash and grab and they will be gone before anyone notices the alarm, but if your valuables are covered with a blanket or a spare jacket they will not bother risking breaking in, for a possible low payoff.
, and ask about leaving the car for a few nights. I always offer to pay a fee, but usually get told not to bother so long as I stop and have a beer and meal on my return.
