My first solo overnighter..... or at least it should have been....
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Thanks for posting Ron. Great photo journalism dude 
You gave us a taste of the whole trip... As you said, heading out with someone else would have eased the work burden.
I wanna go there
You gave us a taste of the whole trip... As you said, heading out with someone else would have eased the work burden.
I wanna go there
Cracking post ,
It can take a lot to make you change your plans when your on a trip but its that flexability and the ability to change plans that make for a safe trip ,
Good drills and congrats for posting them
Twodogs
It can take a lot to make you change your plans when your on a trip but its that flexability and the ability to change plans that make for a safe trip ,
Good drills and congrats for posting them
Twodogs
Ron that was an excellent read i found it all very interesting just like all your other posts along this line of thought/kit development
i am now desperate for snow to get out in
i am now desperate for snow to get out in
Fair play to you Ron. I did something similar in the same weather conditions as you, using only medieval equipment in February. We found that the fire needed to be BIG to keep the wood dry.
Thanks gents!
You bet I'll be heading out again soon!
@ Merrygold85; I did not do much layering actually. I wore a normal cotton t-shirt, then an ex-army wool sweater and the Swedish wooljacket over it. There were no extra layers under the wool pants. It was just not cold enough! Funny thing is that the t-shirt was soaked when I got home, but the wool sweater wasn't...
@ Sam; I love this old wool/leather/canvas-gear, but learned it's not all just fun and games. The leather straps I used for the bedroll and shelter gave me a bit of a hard time, when they got wet. I really need to rub them with leathergrease more often to make the more waterrepellent.
@ Johan; The temperaturechanges here are extreme sometimes, indeed!! I had no idea that that was possible... It is another thing to keep in mind when selecting gear and clothing.
As for the waterproblem; it took us untill late last night to fix it. Well, actually not fixing, but bypassing the problem. We started to reuse an old well next to the house (and had to alter the plumbing for that), which isn't as deep as the one we used previously, but it will get us through the next couple of days. Living with a family of 5 without running water is tough.
It did make me rethink the whole "living of the grid"- thing and showed me that that will be more of a challenge than I had thought it would be. I seriously underestimated the skills and preparations to be able to do so, but it also made it painfully clear how dependant of running water and electricity we have become. So more very valuable lessons learned here!
I am more determined than ever to make it work!! but that's a different matter all together....
You bet I'll be heading out again soon!
@ Merrygold85; I did not do much layering actually. I wore a normal cotton t-shirt, then an ex-army wool sweater and the Swedish wooljacket over it. There were no extra layers under the wool pants. It was just not cold enough! Funny thing is that the t-shirt was soaked when I got home, but the wool sweater wasn't...
@ Sam; I love this old wool/leather/canvas-gear, but learned it's not all just fun and games. The leather straps I used for the bedroll and shelter gave me a bit of a hard time, when they got wet. I really need to rub them with leathergrease more often to make the more waterrepellent.
@ Johan; The temperaturechanges here are extreme sometimes, indeed!! I had no idea that that was possible... It is another thing to keep in mind when selecting gear and clothing.
As for the waterproblem; it took us untill late last night to fix it. Well, actually not fixing, but bypassing the problem. We started to reuse an old well next to the house (and had to alter the plumbing for that), which isn't as deep as the one we used previously, but it will get us through the next couple of days. Living with a family of 5 without running water is tough.
It did make me rethink the whole "living of the grid"- thing and showed me that that will be more of a challenge than I had thought it would be. I seriously underestimated the skills and preparations to be able to do so, but it also made it painfully clear how dependant of running water and electricity we have become. So more very valuable lessons learned here!
I am more determined than ever to make it work!! but that's a different matter all together....
Good read, thanks for sharing…….. ' Learn from other peoples mistakes as you may not live long enough to learn from all your own"
Cracking honest read mate in my opinion everyone should or probly has already had an experiance like this idealy in a controled way ie close to home. It teaches alot of leasons and everything you learn youl never forget.
Thanks
Thanks
Good post Ron,
Know your limitations, and know when its time to head back! you made the right choice
Next time, you can adapt your kit a bit for the weather! I really would recommend a set of modern waterproof over jacket and trousers and gloves, you don't need to put them on, but are there when you need them the most ..
When out in cold climates, things like sausages, I usually boil first (got the idea of a Heston Blumentol cooking program, it keeps the meat nice a juicy) , then cook off over the fire, that way if you need them, you can eat them, (not as tasty as the fire finished but still edible).
Fire is always a tough one in really cold climates as frozen wood, thaws into wet wood, and needs a lot of drying before it combusts. A shelter over your fire and wind break certainly helps with the smoking issue. Believe me Im a class A1 smoke magnet!!!!!
Even though it seems that the weather got the upper hand, its the experiences that make us who we are, and I certainly remember the 'not so good ones' with equal satisfaction as the really good ones. In fact the really big disasters still cause a laugh or too in the pub on a Thursday!!! :yelrotflm
Have fun mate...
looking forward to your next trip out... remember to give us a write-up
Da
Know your limitations, and know when its time to head back! you made the right choice
Next time, you can adapt your kit a bit for the weather! I really would recommend a set of modern waterproof over jacket and trousers and gloves, you don't need to put them on, but are there when you need them the most ..
When out in cold climates, things like sausages, I usually boil first (got the idea of a Heston Blumentol cooking program, it keeps the meat nice a juicy) , then cook off over the fire, that way if you need them, you can eat them, (not as tasty as the fire finished but still edible).
Fire is always a tough one in really cold climates as frozen wood, thaws into wet wood, and needs a lot of drying before it combusts. A shelter over your fire and wind break certainly helps with the smoking issue. Believe me Im a class A1 smoke magnet!!!!!
Even though it seems that the weather got the upper hand, its the experiences that make us who we are, and I certainly remember the 'not so good ones' with equal satisfaction as the really good ones. In fact the really big disasters still cause a laugh or too in the pub on a Thursday!!! :yelrotflm
Have fun mate...
looking forward to your next trip out... remember to give us a write-up
Da
Great read, Glad you made it back ok. we are learning everyday the day you stop is the day you die.
yup, I wouldn't like to leave my m43 ski cap behind. Its an amazing piece of kit and I recognise some swedish gaiters there too. Those European Ex army coats are the best value too, wool and really well made, mine gets daily use this time of year a cracking 3/4 coat.
If I can just get past the old boys at the farmers market mind you, some of them remember some of the kit from WWII, and not worn by friendlies either. A shame for me as English surplus from 45-late 50's is hard to come by in my experience.
If I can just get past the old boys at the farmers market mind you, some of them remember some of the kit from WWII, and not worn by friendlies either. A shame for me as English surplus from 45-late 50's is hard to come by in my experience.
@ Sideburnt; they are Swiss gaiters actually. The pants and jacket are Swedish. US, Canadian or British wool gear is hard to find for an affordable price. Same goes for ex-Bundeswehr wool uniforms.
@ Badger; the squarepart in the middle is 140x167cm and the triangular sidepieces 140x136x130cm
@ Badger; the squarepart in the middle is 140x167cm and the triangular sidepieces 140x136x130cm
Great post and kudos for giving it a go in rough conditions, it really makes you appreciate how hard life must have been for people before any sort of modern civilisation.
Imagine if you had to wear animal skins,that you'd hunted and sewn yourself with a home made weapon and needle and thread.
Good to get the experience, big uncle Ray makes it all look so easy !
Imagine if you had to wear animal skins,that you'd hunted and sewn yourself with a home made weapon and needle and thread.
Good to get the experience, big uncle Ray makes it all look so easy !
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