First solo tarping night

[Lordyosch]

This Saturday I'm hoping to get out into the woods for a night under my new tarp. The forecast predicts rain. Should be fun!

I'm quite excited about it, I don't think I've wild-camped alone before, and certainly not just under a tarp. I hope to make a small fire to make dinner on but I'll take a hexy stove in case my skills aren't up to it.

I'm mainly hoping to practice the skills they taught me on the Fundamental course the other month and try out my new toys.

Watch this space for a (soggy) blog and some (rain-spattered) photos...



Jay

 

[Scots_Charles_River]

It will be amazing for you sleeping with the cozy hmmock and looking out at the rain etc. Enjoy

Nick

 

[Shewie]

Good luck with your first night Jay

You`ll be back for more before you know it


Rich

 

[Mesquite]

I'm thinking of doing exactly the same as the little wifey is away leaving me free to do as I wish I've had a pretty crap week so far and fancy just relaxing watching some camp TV

So what new toys are you trying out?

 

[Lordyosch]

My new toys are...

Most importantly the mental ones -new knowledge
Tarp
Folding saw
Knife
Firesteel
Bag o tinder

Not sure If I'll take my hammock - it too is untested but I have a sneaky it'll be too short (I'm 6'2" and its a cheapy Ebay job... Needs some modding too.)

If I do take the hammock I'll deffo take the bivi too.


Jay

 

[jacksoap]

I got a fire steel a couple of weeks ago and they're amazing well worth it!!! have fun saturday.

 

[bushcraftbob]

Good luck on sat the more it rains the better cos you'll be cosy under your tarp, the sound of rain on tarp always puts me to sleep too!

 

[crazyclimber]

Looking forward to the pics and the story! Hope it goes well for you!
Me, I'm home appreciating the comfort value of a full waterproof roof at the moment!!

 

[NatG]

wish i could go camping this weekend- but unfortunatley other commitments prevail make sure ou chose your spot wisely if bivvying in heavy rain- i've woken up in a puddle more than once

 

[Lordyosch]

I set off this afternoon. The Aire valley was a flood plain, i've never seen it so submerged in the 10 years I've lived down here.

Within 30 minutes of beginning my forest wander I was 'up to the apricots' in a... hmmm... I'm not sure it was a marsh, a grass covered stream or just a massive puddle. Anyway, it was wet and very deep. Hmm thought I. That was fun.

The forest was mostly conifer plantation, they're growing so close together there is nothing else growing near them and its almost impossible to get between them.
I found some areas of decidiuous wood, mostly birch but a fair amount of Alder and a hint of willow too.

I strung the tarp twixt two alders on a piece of fairly sloping ground. The ground was a mass of little streams and puddles. Tarp up it was time to gather firewood.

Thankfully there were a couple of downed trees not far away, unfortunately they were soaked.
I took out my bag of tinder and placed it on the hearth of logs I set up. Putting the soggy kindling to the tiny flame nothing happened. Nothing continued to happen until the flame went out.
Ok. Feather sticks time. I was terrible at feather sticks on the Bushcraft course I went on and continued to be rubbish at them.
So, no fire for me. I had planned for this eventuality and took out my trusty MSR to cook on.

I spent the evening sat in my hammock relaxing and thinking about the world and life in general.

(As can be seen from my posting time) I came home. I think it was the fact I was sat there soaking wet and without my fire and my hammock (so far untested) was just that little bit too short made it look like a less than perfect night ahead.


I enjoyed my time in the woods but it was soooo wet. I think some fire lighting practice is needed before next time.


Jay

 

[korvin karbon]

sorry to hear your expedition didnt go to plan. The weather is a right pratt at times.

i do have to ask, when you started sinking. did you take you bag of and have it jsut slung on your shoulder? makes ditching the extra weight alot easier, plus i would have had a stick to spread the weight if i sunk, also makes agood platform to push your self out of the bog.

 

[Eric_Methven]

A good decision mate. There's no point in suffering under the pretext of having fun.

Eric

 

[SOAR]

Sorry to hear that mate, theres always next time.

 

[Mesquite]

Bad luck Jay but as Eric said no need to suffer needlessly. At least you got out and about and better luck next time

Ps, you're not the only one to have trouble with feather sticks on the course. I wasn't too bad but some of my fellow course members had a really bad time because they just weren't used to using knifes.

 

[Pantalaimon]

The first times never go like you plan them. I have the same.
Its easy to think that lightening fire and building a warm shelter is not very difficult, and in the end you can't light fire in that (wet) conditions and that your shelter is still too big to maintain your body heat.
But the biggest joy is that you actually learn! Not just things you read in books or on the internet. The experience that warmth really matters, especially when you want to sleep, is very important. And in my case, that knowing, having experienced that is a bigger joy than if I just had a comfortable night the first times.

 

[SimonM]

Sorry it didn't work out as planned, but don't let it put you off!

Sounds like you made a good decision to go home tho, sitting still in wet clothing is no fun at all and can lead to all sorts of nasties!

Simon

 

[British Red]

Sounds great Jay. The key for me was the phrase

"I enjoyed my time in the woods". Everything else comes with time. This isn't a competition and even the best can have trouble getting a fire going in a storm (particularly when trying to only use squaw wood). Next time try splitting the wood to little finger sizes. Get the wood from "hung up" (standing) dead wood. Thicker pieces split with an axe or knife will be dry(er) in the middle. Then make masses of feathers - not a few - on masses of sticks (not a few). Also get a LOT of sry tinder - pick it up as you walk - the more tinder you have and the more fine kindling, the better the chances of getting enough heat to dry out larger wood to the point of burning.

Anyway - so what? Importantly you enjoyed it and will hopefully go again

Red

 

[Lordyosch]

i do have to ask, when you started sinking. did you take you bag of and have it jsut slung on your shoulder? makes ditching the extra weight alot easier, plus i wom
uld have had a stick to spread the weight if i sunk, also makes agood platform to push your self out of the bog.

I'm not sure I was technically sinking, rather more like I was stood in deeper goop than I thought. If you see what I mean.

My first reaction was to chuckle to myself then I thought, "if this was just a bit deeper then this could have been awkward". I did think about the using the pack as a support but it wasn't necessary this time.

The wood I took for firelighting was a birch that had fallen but the main part wasn't on the ground, it was supported by nearby trees. Wet on the outside but pretty OK inside. I think I'm going to forage some more wood, split it and make feather sticks in the comfort of my garden.

Practice makes ferpect. or something.

The worst bit of all this is drying kit in a house already full of washing!


Jay

 

[crazyclimber]

Nice to hear back from you Jay, sorry it didn't go quite to plan. Sounds like you have a great attitude towards it though enjoying it anyway and with the 'practice makes perfect'. Fingers crossed you have better weather next time. What a summer!!

 

[andywinkk]

The sooner winter gets here the better, these wet summers are peeing me of,

better luck next time mate