See also:
NEW
31/12/2018: What a life Willis has had: https://rosebyanyothernameblog.wordpress.com/2018/12/25/tropical-crime-and-punishment/
31/12/2018: The Intersectionality Scam: If you did not know about this, you owe it to yourself to find out. Please read on: https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/13456/intersectionality-islamism
31/12/2018: The new Internationalists. Thank goodness they are on the way out: https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2018-12-27/angela-merkel-nation-states-must-give-sovereignty-new-world-order
30/12/2018: This would be great, but it’s a scam: Hand Powered Forklift (PS: How come Facebook allows such scams?): https://www.foryouthsome.com/?route=product%2Fproduct&product_id=141&fbclid=IwAR0lTTGX2UAPmgv6dO7dMvohPsB7ScsmwQ4uXMMWWZCE2zNVbVpe5PA0S_Q PS: You can buy it legitimately though - for a few thous!
30/12/2018: Good men are scarce. Get
them while you can ladies before there are none left. That was my advice to my
daughter (wisely and happily followed). With 25% of working age men not in the
workforce, a significant number homosexual - Kinsey used to think about 3% but
lots of people nowadays put the figure much higher – and a revolting number
drunk, drugged, ugly, obese, crazy, or just plain awful, we could easily have a
total of 33% of men who are just not marriage material. Now I know that not all
the fair ladies are actually delightful, but it is obviously pretty hard to get
a man, so that as many as a third of women are going to miss out. (Did you know
for example, that there are practically no retarded women as compared with
men?) This is an existential problem for our society. Is it any wonder that
birth rates per woman are down all over the Western world? And of course we are
being fearfully outbred by other (so-called) cultures, which is why I said it
is an existential threat. Population policy (and particularly programmes which
ensure we have the right kind of people) is perhaps the very most important
issue our government should be tackling (besides Defence, where it is failing
abysmally) – yet there is no Department and no Minister in charge of it. A case
in point: for most of the C20th IQ was rising all over the Western world (by as
much as 3% per decade!). For at least the last generation (or two) it has been
falling significantly – so that today’s youth are about 10 IQ points lower on
average than my (High School) generation in the 1960s. Nearly a whole standard
deviation! If you remember what that means you should feel a shiver of horror.
It really does not matter how much money is poured into (so-called) education,
you will never ‘make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear.’ And clearly you will
never be able to create enough suitable jobs for a plague of folk who are not
much better than chimpanzees – if they are so good! We must above all stop
paying people to breed and paying people to vote. It may already be too late:
the percentage of ‘dependent’ folk probably already outnumbers the productive,
so that democracy itself must fail. Whatever you do at the next election, at
least don’t vote for more socialism. Lysenkoism starved millions in the
30/12/2018: Forget the bad news already. You are wrong, wrong,
wrong: http://www.rationaloptimist.com/blog/the-persistent-appeal-of-pessimism/ & https://www.amazon.com/Factfulness-Reasons-World-Things-Better/dp/1250107814#reader_1250107814 – buy
this book!
29/12/2018: They Shall Not Grow Old. This
is a real audio-visual feast. I watched it yesterday and was stunned (Pirate Bay
29/12/2018: We will
all drown (or be burned – or something) unless you don’t do as we say – on pain
of death if necessary (or preferably): https://www.michaelsmithnews.com/2018/12/leichardt-councils-catastrophe-on-sydney-harbour.html
29/12/2018:
Oh how lovely, ‘Kasim Khuram, 23, from Birmingham admitted lifting the lids
of 'multiple coffins…faces jail as he
admits having sex with corpse in funeral parlour…Wearing
a black hooded top and trousers and sporting a Palestinian flag tattoo on the
left side of his neck, he stood with hands clutched in front of him as the charges
were read’: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6512919/Pervert-23-faces-jail-admits-having-sex-corpse-lifting-lids-coffins.html?fbclid=IwAR2n2xuuOzQiYAWE8TQeVKL2stOVFOkiTk4YPhFb8oJyHr8rFIbt8BcOtDM
28/12/2018: Just so much junk (along with the hundreds of thousands of useless wind turbines which will have done nothing but kill millions of birds and bats.): https://wattsupwiththat.com/2018/12/23/solar-panel-waste-a-disposal-problem/
28/12/2018: The
Left will never admit they murdered 8 million people in
28/12/2018: And they will not admit responsibility for the African gang problem (or the Moslem jihadi problem) Such charming people (Thank God for the kebabs): https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/blogs/tim-blair/words-or-evidence-which-to-believe/news-story/3240975f95ceefddbb489f06223d6369
27/12/2018: Gully Walking: Most of the ‘great’ walking tracks (like the Alps’ for example) head along the tops where I admit the views outward and downwards can be truly awe inspiring. They do lack for water (and fish) however, are often windy and/or with very changeable weather that can be a challenge for tents and even survival. Often they even lack for firewood for a nice cheery fire too.
Myself I prefer the valleys though they seldom for some reason have any track at all. Mind you this means you can mostly have them all to yourself. I prefer the view looking up anyway. I am laid up at the moment but that does not prevent me from dreaming of just such journeys.
And as you can see, Spot is dreaming too:
Let me hint at a route you might follow up the Freestone Creek (Briagalong) from the beautiful ‘Blue Pools’ for example. All the way up. Here and there are walking tracks, 4WD tracks, old abandoned logging tracks, deer trails and just plain bush-bashing.
The beautiful ‘Blue Pool’:
Two dogs eager to start the journey – how young Spot was in May 2013:
But he was keen to lead on up the valley
Past a remarkable bird’s nest:
For just a journey of 3-4 days I guess you could (eg) leave your mountain bike at the top of the unnamed track that drops down from the Rim Track above Mt Blomford (above the Lees Creek Track) and return to your car (at the Blue Pools) via the Marathon Rd – quite a pleasant down hill journey.
The Freestone Creek is a beautiful watercourse (with trout, blackfish, crays, freshwater mussels, etc) and you will find many wonderful campsites along the way. I guess over the years (deer hunting, etc) I have walked pretty much all of it coming out at the top onto the Marathon Rd or the McDonald Gap Track perhaps.Many people who love the Blue Pools have never seen the Upper Freestone (which is even better) and is accessed by the delightful Lees Creek Track which criss-crosses it many times,
What a delightful stream the Freestone is. You can walk in or beside it for many, many kilometres.
The road used to follow the creek all the way but a substantial length now diverts from the river. The old road can still be walked however (as you will find out). Quite a lot of it I would have walked in the dark either trying to get to a twilit bail-up or attempting to round up stray hounds after just such a missed bail-up. I know I have a couple of times walked into a large tired stag the dogs still had bailed up in the dark.
The Upper Freestone:
This
is a heart-starting experience I can tell you. Much like dropping onto the back
of a large shark or porpoise body-surfing when you are a mile out from the
beach on the ‘Groper Break’ at Nobby’s near the Newcastle Heads for example.
Something which used to happen to me when I was a teenager. It’s a wonder I
grew to be a man. There used to be a song about such growing up in
A
shark’s skin (called ‘shagreen’) is much more like sandpaper than a dolphin’s
(smooth) so it certainly alerts you when to be scared if you should touch it. A
mile out to sea there is not much to be done about it. Hard to believe that at
14-15 years old we swam out there to surf (and stayed all day in the water) to
swim back in in the afternoon, then catch the train home (to Fassifern). Much
better than taking illicit drugs, violent video games or whatever it is the youth
risk themselves at these days. We also often rode our bikes up into the
Once you cross the divide (McDonalds Gap Track) you would head down the Little River to the Moroka. This is likely to be tough going after the fires, but might be OK if you walk in the middle of the ‘river’. It is not much more than a gutter really, yet it still held live trout (miraculously) after the fires burnt to the very water’s edge – and even though every fish and eel in the Macalister died! We were one of the first vehicles in after the fires. That was practically the only life we saw in a hundred miles of driving – save for many deer tracks around the deepest waterholes. It is no wonder there are so many deer now – and so little else. Such (wildfire) management is a crime! You might find the going better on the ridges or even sticking to the roads. This is an adventure for you. I can’t do everything there is left to do. (I am 70). You will find out for yourselves.
Moroka Hut
There is plenty of fairly easy walking along the Moroka wherever you hit it – eg from the Moroka Hut down to Horseyard Flat. There is a fine track from Horseyard Flat down to the first waterfall at least. The main set of waterfalls further on is awesome, especially when there is enough water to canoe the river (if you are suicidal!)
You may find it more congenial to cross the river in the vicinity of the main falls and climb to the other side for a better view. Then you might find it easier to walk down the ridges aiming for the Moroka in the vicinity of Higgins’ old cattle yards above the Moroka Creek Track. There are some drops to avoid, as you will find out. However I have beaten my way down through the Gorge itself when I was younger crossing back and forth. It certainly is beautiful and entertaining.
The
Upper falls:
The way gets a bit rougher from here on:
When you are walking along the Moroka (below the Gorge) ignore the so-called track. Criss-cross in such a way as to make for the flattest walking. From Higgins Yards to the Moroka Creek for example the ‘track’ is on the true left bank but it is choked with blackberries. You can walk along the clear ridge on the true right bank. From the Carey down it is pretty clear on the true left bank even though the ‘track’ is usually on the other side. Ignore the ‘track’ Parks Victoria will never do any real work – not so long as they have air-conditioned offices and 4WDs and can have meetings.
From the Moroka Creek Track (at least) the river is ‘canoeable’ (when there is enough water – perhaps 2 metres on the Waterford gauge) though intrepid adventurers have come down it all the way from the bridge on the Moroka Road! Truly. But it is not recommended to come over those falls (though people have)!
So it might have been a good idea to bring along your pack raft because when there is sufficient water (eg above 1.8 metres on the Waterford Gauge on the Wonnangatta) you can raft all the way down – to the Castleburn Creek confluence in this scenario about seven days lying about on your raft like Huck and Tom, say from the Moroka Creek Track down – which would be the safest put in, but there are some interesting rapids between there and the Wonnangatta – and some lovely grassy camps too. If you put in at the confluence (six days) it would be safest There are plenty of beautiful campsites on the Wonnangatta too. See (for hundreds of photos and precise canoeing instructions) eg:
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/2017/11/22/remote-wonnangatta-day-two/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/2017/11/15/a-wonnangatta-spring/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/2017/11/15/a-wonnangatta-spring-day-two/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/2017/11/15/a-wonnagatta-spring-day-three/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/2018/01/04/canoe-wonnangatta-kingwill-to-meyers-flat/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/2017/01/17/wonnangatta-kingwell-bridge-to-black-snake-creek/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/2017/01/17/wonnangatta-black-snake-to-hut-creek/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/2017/01/17/wonnangatta-hut-creek-to-waterford-bridge/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/2018/12/13/wonnangatta-waterford-to-angusvale-day-one/
Moroka-Wonnangatta confluence.
Of course you can walk all the way mainly on the true right bank, sometimes in the water,sometimes criss-crossing along over bends and loops, sometimes walking along on beautiful river flats replete with bell-birds, wood swallows and bee-eaters – and there are roads too in places.
Castleburn Creek Confluence:
If you walk up the Castleburn Creek (there is a lovely campsite at the confluence, but vehicles can get there) you will swing away from the main road till you hit the Black Range Track which you will follow till you hit the walking track that runs down from Pretty Boys Hill via the Lees Creek to the Freestone once again – thence down it as before in the opposite direction to the Blue Pools.
Of course I am assuming you will make this journey in the warmer months but still when the mighty Wonnangatta has enough water to make for an interesting pack raft trip from the confluence down. Some day you may even be lucky enough to find enough water in the Freestone to make it canoeable, or some other side gully might provide an adventure when the rains pour down – something which no man has ever enjoyed The Scorpion or the Castleburn for example. Who knows what delights await in some shady grove deep in the mountain’s heart? I know I have often thrilled to some unexpected ephemeral delight deep in the wilderness.
As a deer hunter I can never neglect the many side gullies which join the main stream. My journey would be likely to take much longer than yours as I spied my way up them. Often they contain hidden wonders which you would otherwise miss in this life: it might be a rare tree or orchid in bloom, or some wildlife or another caught in a surprising way: Baby deer frolicking like lambs for example. Watching a huge goanna fold itself into a miniature tree hole high in some forest giant. A beautiful miniature waterfall or just a perspective (maybe when a rainbow winks into existence) looking up or down the gully which brings joy to your heart. Take your time. You will not pass this way again. And you will pass surprisingly soon. I have seen so many good friends come and go. People whose faces come to me as I see a remembered path or tree in some hidden gully where we once stood, perhaps sharing an orange together long ago..
You
would have to make a couple of food drops (along the Wonnangatta – Moroka Glen
and Castleburn confluence perhaps?) somewhere perhaps if you intended to do
this trip. The old fellas in the C19th would have traveled the land like this
with just an axe, a billy, a bag of flour, some salt, a fishing line and a
rifle – and mostly lived off the land. Of course you could too (barring legalities!).
I favour a .410 myself for its lightness and versatility. Some models such as
Rossi’s ‘Circuit Judge’ can be dismantled so they will fit in your pack but can
also take a .45 calibre pistol round or a solid in .410 – either big enough to
take surprisingly large game. A sambar would have to be quite close and
carefully targeted. A wallaby would be easy. Just across the way in
Ducks are plentiful along our rivers. Likewise native pigeons (though illegal) are a culinary delight. People tell me lyre birds are as tasty as any bantam. And so on. The game will still be there long after the laws and the people who made them are dust. Some years you will find rabbits plentiful, echidna, brush-tailed possums, goannas, water dragons and so on. A PS: The ‘Tea Tree which is found in various spots along the way was so named because the early settlers used to use an infusion from it as a substitute for tea.
I guess it would take me nearly a week (on my 70 year old legs, but enjoying the trip immensely as I go) to reach the Wonnagatta-Moroka confluence from the Blue Pools. I would then have about a week drifting down the Wonnagatta then 3-4 days making my way back to the Blue Pools, so it is not a weekend trip by any means. You are no doubt much younger (and perhaps in a dreadful hurry to get to the grave!) so you can/will be much faster. I only hope you learn and enjoy along the way…
A couple of other ideas:
First
a short one:
Up
the Nicholson (from around Bairnsdale) to say Marthavale (some bastards burned
down the wonderful hut there but it is still a lovely place to camp (although
vehicles) with fresh trout in the river nearby. Over (via ‘Steve’s Track’ –
Yes!)’ into the
I used to love walking up the Deep Creek – a tributary of the Thomson (years ago) then down the Aberfeldy to the Thomson, sometimes by boat. I could raft down the Thomson to Deep Creek and exit via the (now closed) D10 track which used to take me to within a chain of deep Creek just upstream from the Thomson confluence.
I’m sure if you have read this far, you get the point. There are many wonderful valley walking/pack rafting trips to be enjoyed in the Gippsland mountains. All I can say is: ‘Get out there’. Soon you too will be 70 – or worse!
Can I recommend Rooftop’s Dargo-Wonnangatta Adventure Map for this (and many other like) fascinating expeditions?
See Also:
https://www.theultralighthiker.com/2018/11/04/beginning-hiking/
https://www.theultralighthiker.com/2018/12/20/their-torn-and-rugged-battlements-on-high/
25/12/2018:
Why These Umbrellas Will Last
Forever: Davek
Umbrellas. They are confident:
‘Unconditionally Guaranteed For Life: Every Davek umbrella comes with an
Unconditional Lifetime Guarantee. If, during its lifetime, the umbrella should
fail to function properly for any reason whatsoever, the company will gladly
repair or replace it for free.’ https://au.davekny.com/
The lightest appears to be: The Davek Mini: https://au.davekny.com/collections/umbrellas/products/the-davek-mini under 1 lb ie 453 grams. Comes in lots of colours – at least seven anyway..
‘The Davek Mini is our smallest, most compact umbrella. This incredibly convenient umbrella fits in literally any compartment, from a handbag or clutch to your pants pocket. The stylish Mini is the perfect “just in case” umbrella, hardly noticeable when it’s not in use. Keep it with you always—never be caught without an umbrella again. Measures less than 7 inches when closed. Pocket-sized protection, with style to spare. Manual open/close system.’
It costs $A75 (Dec 2018), so it is certainly worth finding out. You are always better off to have good things than cheap things. This is a piece of wisdom which seems to have been lost. For example we drive 1995-6 cars which we expect to last us for the rest of our lives. Most everything we own is like that. We are proud of that fact. We never wanted to be a part of the throw away society.
|
Coverage diameter |
38 in (arc-diam); 34 in (straight-diam) |
|
Closed length |
7 inches |
|
Weight |
Under 1 lb—ultra lightweight |
|
Open/close system |
Manual system |
|
Shaft material |
Steel |
|
Frame system |
Fiberglass reinforced 6-rib frame system |
|
Fabric |
190 thread-count microweave fabric |
|
Warranty |
Unconditional lifetime guarantee |
I carry this Montbell one for emergencies which weighs 85 grams, but I doubt it will last me for life – though I admit the last few weeks have made me think that might not be so long as I might wish! So perhaps it would! It might be more sensible to carry this rather heavier one which I could be confident would never fail me as a roof – so I could perhaps dispense with a raincoat altogether – so the weight difference would be negligible – but how much weight is your life worth in grams?
I have seen a man dead in the rain when I was comfortable nearby. I would not want to be the one who is dead. Rain is deadly. You must have shelter. You must have a roof. There is no such thing as a safe walk. Following a defined trail is really no safer than forging your way through the trackless bush, which I would rather do anyway. How often have I ‘found’ walkers who have followed a deer trail off into the bush and who then can’t find their way back to the marked trail. Some I don’t find!
On a lighter note, here is a genius idea for any hiking umbrella: http://www.theultralighthiker.com/2017/12/14/a-hands-free-umbrella/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/2018/04/29/ultralight-rain-gear/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/2018/09/28/a-wind-shell-and-an-umbrella/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/2017/08/18/raincoat-shelter/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/2016/08/14/hiking-in-the-rain/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/the-importance-of-a-roof/http:/The%20Importance%20of%20Roof
25/12/2018: The neighbours we have - yet we have done nothing since the 1960s: https://www.thesaturdaypaper.com.au/2018/12/22/exclusive-chemical-weapons-dropped-papua/15453972007326?fbclid=IwAR0Wh87AeIp0Eq--UvvGj9TApHjHceutvlbdf7P6mV1brkkNm9K5wccc7rU
25/12/2018: Easy 35 lb PVC Longbow: How-To and Test! No Fiberglass or Heat Needed! Kids are great! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MOcjkReZiig&feature=youtu.be
25/12/2018: 5G and the ‘Five Eyes’. We will be hearing a lot more about this in future. 100 times faster than 4G (or the NBN – what a complete dead duck it will be – even before it is completed). It is inconceivable what ti ill be sued for. I imagine that is much more information than your senses can provide per second – so that artificial reality will seem more ‘real’ than ‘real' reality! https://nypost.com/2018/12/22/how-arrest-of-chinese-princess-exposes-regimes-world-domination-plot/
25/12/2018: We should have voted against this evil bullshit: https://www.michaelsmithnews.com/2018/12/why-didnt-australia-vote-against-uns-global-compact-for-migration.html Get rid of the UN!
24/12/2018: $180 billion: Even
here in
24/12/2018: How one thunderstorm (or maybe a little wind) can take out your entire grid. Renewables. Greatest dumb ideas in history. http://joannenova.com.au/2018/12/sydney-hail-storm-just-how-hailproof-are-those-solar-panels/
24/12/2018: A great big ‘Thank You’ to the guy who invented Scotch Tape (or “sticky Tape’ as we call it here in Oz: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Gurley_Drew
24/12/2018:
23/12/2018: Forty years and still nothing to worry about: ‘Preliminary results suggest that the resulting linear warming trend over the 40 years (+0.13 C/decade) will not change substantially, and thus will remain considerably cooler than the average rate of warming across the IPCC climate models used for energy policy, CO2 emissions reductions, and the Paris’ Agreement.http://www.drroyspencer.com/2018/12/2018-6th-warmest-year-globally-of-last-40/
23/12/2018: Wild Journeys: https://www.amazon.com.au/Wild-Journeys-Bruce-Ansley-ebook/dp/B07BVHRZLZ#reader_B07BVHRZLZ
23/12/2018:
A couple of Hazelwoods taken out by a single storm. How good are renewables: http://joannenova.com.au/2018/12/sydney-hail-storm-just-how-hailproof-are-those-solar-panels/
22/12/2018: Why not buy a
Tesla? They are really hot: ‘Crews on the scene waited six hours for the
battery to cool, but even then, after transporting it 10 minutes away, the car
reignited late Tuesday night. Talk about your renewable energy’ https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/blogs/tim-blair/guess-that-car/news-story/6cb784c28e11a7e7f5b0bb4072ffd4c6
22/12/2018: You will no doubt
remember how wonderful Moslem people’s democracies such as eg Guinea sent over 400 delegates to the
latest ‘climate conference’ or ‘trough’ in Poland (paid for by the UN), where
Australia sent 30 paid for by our Government (too many and too much), but
you maybe hadn’t caught up with the full extent of this immense fraud. This
greenie nonsense is without doubt the largest crime in world history, but will
anyone, ever, be brought to justice over it? I doubt it. Let us at least stop
funding it and that dreadful misnomer the ‘United Nations’: https://quadrant.org.au/opinion/opinion-post/the-very-model-of-a-global-green-rorter/
22/12/2018: Getup is only a dozen people! The eternal totalitarianism of the Left:. https://www.heraldsun.com.au/blogs/andrew-bolt/getup-is-just-12-people/news-story/06f57f3ce28bea981738f4a632b7f4e6 & https://www.michaelsmithnews.com/2018/12/clintonpodesta-linked-sunrise-project-donates-500000-to-getup.html
21/12/2018: We need to start doing this whether it is legal or not. Our immigration and justice systems have just been making our country too dangerous: https://www.shootingillustrated.com/articles/2016/9/27/it-s-not-a-carry-gun-if-you-don-t-carry-it/
21/12/2018: Animals are people too. What a delightful Facebook page. Thanks to Andrew Ferguson: https://www.facebook.com/Animals-are-people-too-1725188497530709/?__xts__[0]=68.ARD3txhl4gE4eJmTahiiTt0iiQS5p4WkXozrXDZ6E4vodVXHjYJLlUslRjKelLMvC8he47WY-PG4nfp9rMDB9o3z1KTdgVm1tqcKEZqULYnUqvKfMDB4ywpcXqhIqk1iyXSACd6e_oyrGOGUP9C0OjYvm5oUhN3RFKfk4djxZNPo76bz4EvR0__8nJFPqE7lTgi6EGqc93YAn7rnpoWuIKZS0ziT8q64PBgesNMrXOH_19l6JQZuAXv8yD4yvk6fPZSbwYTckd7xa9a4DeppGXqM2fgxSXYCdJd-LoPNjMi0NDotGKYdcA-BF68OS9EyJwBif2d7_N9pRks6HagvjaDkp95jnPOd8Zd0ZeL3b1TqQ-e21w&__tn__=k*F&tn-str=k*F
21/12/2018: ‘There is no
Economy B. Once we have wrecked this one…’ http://joannenova.com.au/2018/12/want-to-hurt-the-competition-send-in-climate-protestors-91-billion-cost/
21/12/2018: Their Torn and Rugged Battlements on High : ‘Where the pine-clad ridges raise
Their torn and rugged battlements on high,
Where the air is clear as crystal, and the white stars fairly blaze
At midnight in the cold and frosty sky’
'The
Man from
As you know I am a bit laid up at the mountain, but a young friend of mine has been out and about, and shared this guest post for you:
Kobie Notting: 'Dear Victorian Alps, you really cemented a place in my heart this weekend. Your bipolar weather makes me love and respect you even more, even though you tried to kill me Saturday night. How lucky we are to live within a couple hours drive of this. P.S. Go hike the Crosscut Saw people.
You start from the Mt Howitt carpark. You can do a day trip or an overnighter.. there’s a hut an hour in from the carpark that you camp at the night.. so basically drop your bags there and keep going to the crosscut. It’s a section between Mt Howitt and Mt Buggery where you’re just walking on the top of the ridge.
Views
are just epic; just make sure it’s not going to be windy as there’s some
sketchy sections like half a footpath wide with sheer drops, wouldn’t want it
to be gusty. You could easy get to the view part and back in half a day. It’s
only an hour to the hut, then from the hut another hour to the start of the
crosscut saw. With a light day pack you’d kill it. It’s hilly but if you took
your time you would be fine.
A reader writes: ‘Got stuck on the cross cut saw in a total white out and had to sit it out behind a rock for several hours. The clouds can move in on you very quickly. Take care. The drop below is called the Terrible Hollow for a reason’
Yeah it changes soooo quickly up there! See eg: https://www.trailhiking.com.au/crosscut-saw-mt-speculation/?fbclid=IwAR10nHuvI9Cb7lfLxLRvpCKLs3OoSXgNi3EPNkNoszvhKQovTdmJisrTGFY'
The High Country is always ablaze with wldflowers:
Kobie also posted this video to give a bit of an idea of how a living 360 degrees up there is like: https://www.facebook.com/kobie.notting/videos/10157010309837658/
Chilling out on the roof rack of the Troopie:
Don’t know the full poem? One of the best ever written. Here it is:
The
Man from
There was movement at the station, for the word had passed around
That the colt from old Regret had got away,
And had joined the wild bush horses - he was worth a thousand pound,
So all the cracks had gathered to the fray.
All the tried and noted riders from the stations near and far
Had mustered at the homestead overnight,
For the bushmen love hard riding where the wild bush horses are,
And the stock-horse snuffs the battle with delight.
There was Harrison, who made his pile when Pardon won the cup,
The old man with his hair as white as snow;
But few could ride beside him when his blood was fairly up-
He would go wherever horse and man could go.
And Clancy of the Overflow came down to lend a hand,
No better horseman ever held the reins;
For never horse could throw him while the saddle girths would stand,
He learnt to ride while droving on the plains.
And one was there, a stripling on a small and weedy beast,
He was something like a racehorse undersized,
With
a touch of
And such as are by mountain horsemen prized.
He was hard and tough and wiry - just the sort that won't say die -
There was courage in his quick impatient tread;
And he bore the badge of gameness in his bright and fiery eye,
And the proud and lofty carriage of his head.
But so slight and weedy, one would doubt his power to stay,
And the old man said, "That horse will never do
For a long and tiring gallop-lad, you'd better stop away,
Those hills are far too rough for such as you."
So he waited sad and wistful - only Clancy stood his friend -
"I think we ought to let him come," he said;
"I warrant he'll be with us when he's wanted at the end,
For both his horse and he are mountain bred."
"He
hails from
Where the hills are twice as steep and twice as rough,
Where a horse's hoofs strike firelight from the flint stones every stride,
The man that holds his own is good enough.
And
the
Where the river runs those giant hills between;
I have seen full many horsemen since I first commenced to roam,
But nowhere yet such horsemen have I seen."
So he went - they found the horses by the big mimosa clump -
They raced away towards the mountain's brow,
And the old man gave his orders, "Boys, go at them from the jump,
No use to try for fancy riding now.
And, Clancy, you must wheel them, try and wheel them to the right.
Ride boldly, lad, and never fear the spills,
For never yet was rider that could keep the mob in sight,
If once they gain the shelter of those hills."
So Clancy rode to wheel them - he was racing on the wing
Where the best and boldest riders take their place,
And he raced his stockhorse past them, and he made the ranges ring
With stockwhip, as he met them face to face.
Then they halted for a moment, while he swung the dreaded lash,
But they saw their well-loved mountain full in view,
And they charged beneath the stockwhip with a sharp and sudden dash,
And off into the mountain scrub they flew.
Then fast the horsemen followed, where the gorges deep and black
Resounded to the thunder of their tread,
And the stockwhips woke the echoes, and they fiercely answered back
From cliffs and crags that beetled overhead.
And upward, ever upward, the wild horses held their sway,
Were mountain ash and kurrajong grew wide;
And the old man muttered fiercely, "We may bid the mob good day,
No man can hold them down the other side."
When they reached the mountain's summit, even Clancy took a pull,
It well might make the boldest hold their breath,
The wild hop scrub grew thickly, and the hidden ground was full
Of wombat holes, and any slip was death.
But
the man from
And he swung his stockwhip round and gave a cheer,
And he raced him down the mountain like a torrent down its bed,
While the others stood and watched in very fear.
He sent the flint stones flying, but the pony kept his feet,
He cleared the fallen timbers in his stride,
And
the man from
It was grand to see that mountain horseman ride.
Through the stringybarks and saplings, on the rough and broken ground,
Down the hillside at a racing pace he went;
And he never drew the bridle till he landed safe and sound,
At the bottom of that terrible descent.
He was right among the horses as they climbed the further hill
And the watchers on the mountain standing mute,
Saw him ply the stockwhip fiercely, he was right among them still,
As he raced across the clearing in pursuit.
Then they lost him for a moment, where two mountain gullies met
In the ranges, but a final glimpse reveals
On a dim and distant hillside the wild horses racing yet,
With
the man from
And he ran them single-handed till their sides were white with foam.
He followed like a bloodhound in their track,
Till they halted cowed and beaten, then he turned their heads for home,
And alone and unassisted brought them back.
But his hardy mountain pony he could scarcely raise a trot,
He was blood from hip to shoulder from the spur;
But his pluck was still undaunted, and his courage fiery hot,
For never yet was mountain horse a cur.
And down by Kosciusko, where the pine-clad ridges raise
Their torn and rugged battlements on high,
Where the air is clear as crystal, and the white stars fairly blaze
At midnight in the cold and frosty sky,
And where around The Overflow the reed beds sweep and sway
To the breezes, and the rolling plains are wide,
The
man from
And the stockmen tell the story of his ride.
Have you seen the film? Here is the short version to whet your appetite
Can you imagine galloping a horse down these precipitous slopes. This view (featured image) all used to be Wonnangatta Station type country and not so long ago stockmen droved cattle and horses all over it - just as I used to did when I was a youngster.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?reload=9&v=jo51fIu_fjk
How could you not love these mountains?
See Also:
https://www.theultralighthiker.com/2018/06/02/mattresses-i-have-known/
https://www.theultralighthiker.com/2018/06/02/mattresses-i-have-known/
20/12/2018: The Sinister Yellow Vest Movement: https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/blogs/tim-blair/rise-and-expansion-of-the-yellow-vests/news-story/43eeaf6d5d0367a9f44c9bf721d0063a
20/12/2018: Failure,
failure, failure: ‘The 30,000 alarmists gathered in Katowice, Poland
expected to slam-dunk their report proclaiming a planet-threatening climate
crisis, finalize rules for implementing the Paris accords, redistribute
infinite billions of dollars from industrialized nations to “climate victim”
countries, and solidify their control over people’s energy, jobs, living
standards and liberties. It didn’t work
out quite that way’ .https://wattsupwiththat.com/2018/12/17/we-are-still-in-totalitarians-flunk-basic-reality/ & https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2018/12/17/delingpole-another-un-climate-summit-ends-in-failure/
20/12/2018: Lesson#1:
Don’t go to a Moslem country: https://www.news.com.au/travel/travel-updates/incidents/two-female-backpackers-found-killed-at-morocco-hot-spot/news-story/ee3ece874cc646a77d9aad6e938a92d6
17/12/2018: Lest we forget (the police strike 1923): https://www.news.com.au/national/victoria/news/when-an-australian-city-went-mad-the-unprecedented-chaos-that-engulfed-melbourne-for-three-days/news-story/6285b87b97f55a22a0b8a8e3a56bfe46 & the Botanic Gardens Massacre: https://www.news.com.au/national/victoria/news/when-an-australian-city-went-mad-the-unprecedented-chaos-that-engulfed-melbourne-for-three-days/news-story/6285b87b97f55a22a0b8a8e3a56bfe46 Life was so safe way back when!
17/12/2018: Something to look forward to: First Islamic Country to Ban Christmas: https://freespeechpoint.blogspot.com/2018/10/the-first-islamic-country-to-ban.html?fbclid=IwAR2jlkc1JxuTvNdzmZ5GdNnUIN9hqtWQXS3LEgym0NZPwpc_xcX8y1jSiP0
17/12/2018: Deeds.
Not words. NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian mentions talking with a
triumphant Daniel Andrews at the Council of Australian Governments meeting...
'I said "why did you get re-elected?" and he said "because I’m getting things done".'Yes.
16/12/2018: All the bastards are treasonous scum: https://voiceofeurope.com/2018/12/macron-accused-of-treason-by-french-generals-for-signing-un-migration-pact/?fbclid=IwAR186IPPKVxzeG2St9Je8dNHnI3riNQw8R7CSSh85J9JWkfEAMCcd3CYmAQ#.XBQg9ukKkH0.twitter
16/12/2018: They told you so. Surely this proves the Bible is literally true. Prepare for Doomsday now! Or to be swallowed by a flying spaghetti monster! https://nypost.com/2018/11/24/turns-out-all-of-humanity-is-related-to-a-single-couple/
16/12/2018: You
just can’t imagine how this mistake went unnoticed for 500 years. It has
always been pretty obvious to me that God would not ‘lead one into temptation’.
That would have to be the Devil. But wait. God created and is responsible for
the actions of the Devil. Oh, this religious stuff is such evil rubbish: http://www1.cbn.com/cbnnews/cwn/2018/december/pope-francis-enacting-change-to-lord-rsquo-s-prayer-lsquo-lead-us-not-into-temptation-rsquo
16/12/2018: We
just don’t know everything: https://www.the-scientist.com/news-opinion/opinion--the-central-dogma-of-mitochondrial-genetics-needs-rewriting-65204
15/12/2018: The
Youtube here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-AZl_N4Q5Io
Other people's opinions about it: http://theultimatehang.com/tag/loopalien/
Many other items of interesting hardware are out there, such as this one: https://dutchwaregear.com/product/fleaz/ which weighs less than a gram. There will be a future post about cord knick knacks.
Of course there are plenty of copies out there from US$ .29 cents each.
I am still using the micro clam cleats for my guy lines: http://www.theultralighthiker.com/2014/12/14/the-perfect-guy-line-for-a-hiking-tenttarp/
and I am using whoopie slings for many other uses such as attaching my hammock, centreline and tarp, eg: http://www.theultralighthiker.com/2017/06/02/whoopie-slings-what-a-great-idea/
14/12/2018: Telstra’s Go Repeaters: Your mobile connectivity problems solved: You need: https://exchange.telstra.com.au/new-telstra-go-repeaters-bring-mobile-coverage-to-more-places/ plus https://www.telcoantennas.com.au/antennas/home-office/outdoor/
14/12/2018: Size
of World Economies by GDP. Watch
‘
14/12/2018: Dr. Jane Clare Jones on Twitter “We've
seen this before. But this might be the clearest version yet. Trans women are better able to represent
women that women. Because trans women are female and trans, and hence, they
possess the only universal experience of womanhood. Colonization singularity
complete.” https://twitter.com/janeclarejones/status/1054883446072467456?fbclid=IwAR1G-qRtJTj2V7KonWWpVCSuCZX4-R4jrnvk5MnPfThh0oNQuWw057Pvyko
13/12/2018: Those were the days my friends
12/12/2018: I was given a Lithgow .22 myself (which I still treasure). I only hope the art of making a boy into a man is not completely lost.
05/12/2018: A very special thank you to all
the wonderful people who have sent me Birthday greetings. I apologise for not
having been able to thank you all personally for your thoughtful good wishes,
but life has been extremely hectic and worrying over the last week. I have been
in
30/11/2018: At Last an E-ink Smart Phone: I think e ink is all you need in a hiking phone as long as it has a reasonable camera (or perhaps none at all) and can display maps and books well enough. The trade-off of not having to charge for say a month is enormous value.
This one weighs only 47 grams:https://www.e-ink-info.com/e-ink-devices/mobile-phones
HiSense A6 is a new smartphone with an E Ink screen: https://goodereader.com/blog/smartphones-2/hisense-a6-is-a-new-smartphone-with-an-e-ink-screen
This one’s main screen is e-ink (which probably means the battery will last you a month: https://www.pcmag.com/feature/313023/hands-on-with-the-onyx-boox-e-ink-smartphone/1
See Also:
https://www.e-ink-info.com/e-ink-devices/mobile-phones
More about this when I get out of hospital!
29/11/2018: Spinal Fusion: This week I am having four-level spinal fusion on my lumbar spine (irrevocably damaged by tough hard heavy work from when I was only a child). However, the surgeons have found one disc which is sound so I can have this done, be free of pain and just be a little stiffer getting out of my sleeping bag in the mornings – indeed I might even move to a quilt as the docs are limiting me to 5kg for the next couple of months. That will certainly make me the ultralight hiker! I will find an X-ray of my spine to illustrate this post, but I am in hospital suffering all manner of indignities and cruelties just now so posts are a bit light. Sorry.
I
have two of the best spinal surgeons in
By the time the moose are calling in Fiordland (28th February) the back should be healed enough to carry 8-10 kg so I can hopefully go there with Della and try to get a photograph of that elusive moose.I will keep you posted…
PS (15 Dec): After the op I had a fortnight of absolute nightmare. I will never go anywhere near the Valley Private Mulgrave again. They literally made every effort to kill me and to torture me they could – all this accompanied by deliberate sleep deprivation. Day after day with no (or too little) pain medication. It was awful. I will be making official complaints about my treatment. Finally (we) discharged myself, went home and put myself in the hands of my own reliable GP Fred Edwards here in Churchill whom I have known for thirty years. Finally home, with family to care for me, without (much) pain and learning to walk again.
I still hope to meet the moose deadline though. (Very) slowly cranking up the steps per day. A long while yet to get to my usual 10,000+ per day,but I will make it. Plenty of work to do here on the farm which should substitute for physiotherapy! Wish me luck!
PS: The trees which Merrin and I have been planting (over Spring) are starting to peek over the tops of the tree guards (1.5 metres tall). We will have a sheep forest before many years have passed: https://www.theultralighthiker.com/2018/10/13/electric-drill-earth-auger/
See Also:
https://www.theultralighthiker.com/2018/03/05/the-lure-of-the-moose/
https://vicorthospine.com.au/news-dr-david-edis/
27/11/2018: At last an e-ink smart phone: https://goodereader.com/blog/smartphones-2/hisense-a6-is-a-new-smartphone-with-an-e-ink-screen
27/11/2018: All you ever needed to know about everything…what a brilliant essay: https://quadrant.org.au/magazine/2018/11/modernitys-miracle-ii-practical-romantic-nations/
27/11/2018:
26/11/2018: Julie Burchill is a delight: ‘A vast amount of male Islamic conversion takes place in prison — suddenly thugs have the blessing of a higher power to torture, rape and kill — and with women I think it’s often a combination of grieving for fading physical attractiveness and attention-seeking: ‘Look at me in my lovely special modest costume, you sluts!’ https://www.spectator.co.uk/2018/11/the-lost-joy-of-swearing/
26/11/2018:
26/11/2018: Dated but still instructive: https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2003/05/the-fall-of-the-house-of-saud/304215/
25/11/2018: Have you just run out of the old free supermarket bags too? This is the answer $2 for 40 from Woolworths/Safeway in a handy roll that actually fits in your glove box or hand bag. Of course they are reusable like the old ones. It is annoying they cost 5 cents each but at least we will be able to get rid of all the 'reusable' ones which are choking up our car and house. Perhaps I will throw them out along the sides of the roads as the busybodies deserve to have happen.
24/11/2018: Shadowland – Fiordland Video:
If you wonder why I return again & again to Fiordland (& the Dusky Track) maybe this excerpt from ‘Shadowland’ will whet your appetite. (Della’s favourite part, the kakapo @ 37secs in). You may have to buy the complete video as no-one seems to have uploaded it, but it will be worth it. Even more worthwhile is to tramp the Fiordland wilderness. If you feel you are not as fit as we geriatrics, treat yourself to a heli or plane tour out of Te Anau. I/we have been back again several times since I first posted this back in 2014 – but alas not this year. If my back fusion operation next week is successful we may yet walk the Dusky together in 2019.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jF4ugISWMT8
First Published on: Jan 21, 2014
See also:
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/from-dawn-to-dusky/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/from-dawn-to-dusky-day-2/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/from-dawn-to-dusky-3/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/from-dawn-to-dusky-4/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/from-dawn-to-dusky-5/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/from-dawn-to-dusky-7/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/from-dawn-to-dusky-8/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/insects-can-ruin-a-camping-trip/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/dusky-track-canoeing-the-seaforth/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/dusky-track-adventures-1/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/eddie-herrick-moose-hunting-at-dusky-sound/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/eddie-herrick-moose-hunting-at-dusky-sound/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/a-friend-i-met-on-the-dusky-track-fiordland-nz/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/dusky-south-coast-tracks/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/dreaming-of-the-dusky-track/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/the-dusky/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/moose-hunting/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/fiordland-moose/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/fiordland-moose-2/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/hunting-in-fiordland/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/off-to-fiordland/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/shadowland-fiordland-video/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/the-best-toilet-view-in-the-world/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/10-days-in-fiordland/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/fiordland-2009/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/fiordland-nz-with-bryn/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/fiordland-april-2007/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/weather-for-fiordland/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/more-dusky-adventures/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/insects-can-ruin-a-camping-trip/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/dusky-track-canoeing-the-seaforth/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/dusky-track-adventures-1/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/eddie-herrick-moose-hunting-at-dusky-sound/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/eddie-herrick-moose-hunting-at-dusky-sound/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/a-friend-i-met-on-the-dusky-track-fiordland-nz/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/dusky-south-coast-tracks/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/dreaming-of-the-dusky-track/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/the-dusky/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/moose-hunting/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/fiordland-moose/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/fiordland-moose-2/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/hunting-in-fiordland/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/off-to-fiordland/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/shadowland-fiordland-video/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/the-best-toilet-view-in-the-world/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/10-days-in-fiordland/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/fiordland-2009/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/fiordland-nz-with-bryn/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/fiordland-april-2007/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/weather-for-fiordland/
24/11/2018: Warren
Mundine and I (and a million others) did not suddenly move to the right. The
Labor party has moved shockingly and stupidly to the left (as has the Liberal
Party too). So many of us who used to be voters for either of the major parties
are now lost to them: https://www.news.com.au/national/victoria/politics/joe-hildebrand-the-divide-that-is-creating-two-australias/news-story/bd1bded2ebad93bd585bd9964a98f573 & https://www.news.com.au/national/breaking-news/mundine-confirms-tilt-at-federal-politics/news-story/7b6f3bb4f7812b3f769d36204fda8e4e
24/11/2018: Trump
is winning the trade war with
24/11/2018: Frankly siting a country's embassy anywhere but its capital city is bizarre: https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/blogs/tim-blair/labors-54kilometre-palestinian-panic-attack/news-story/c9d52ad47a50207c4a567a6b699513c2
23/11/2018: Largest built structure on earth: https://www.yahoo.com/news/termite-colony-size-great-britain-built-since-dawn-pyramids-132724663.html
23/11/2018: Just get out:
‘only six dual nationals among the 400 potential terror threats have been
thrown out of
23/11/2018:
22/11/2018: Launch
Pad Water Deluge System Test at
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=13&v=LNkmwrTjKuo
22/11/2018: Maggie.
Always outstanding. Oh, to see her like again: 1950 UK Conservative Party
report on Miss Margaret Roberts, aka Maggie Thatcher
https://www.michaelsmithnews.com/2018/11/1950-uk-conservative-party-report-on-miss-margaret-roberts-aka-maggie-thatcher.html
22/11/2018: Who wants more migrants? Well done on this anyway Scott: https://www.michaelsmithnews.com/2018/11/australia-says-no-to-un-migration-compact.html ‘No one wants migrants in their country except the wealthy lefties who don't have to be around them.’ https://www.frontpagemag.com/point/272008/mexicans-dont-want-illegal-aliens-their-country-no-daniel-greenfield
21/11/2018: The Happiness
Trick: I am indebted for this to Randi Skaug the first Norwegian woman to
climb Everest. First thing in the morning, clasp one hand over the other then
raise your hands above your head – and smile. It is just about automatic. Hold
for a few seconds to a minute. The smile will kick in serotonin production and
actually produce happiness. As Randi says, ‘You are only here on earth a little
while, a century at most. Why not be happy?’ Couldn’t agree more. You can catch
her story on Ben Fogle’s ‘New Lives in the Wild’ Series 7, Episode 4, ‘
See Also: https://www.theultralighthiker.com/its-not-my-fault/
21/11/2018: Farewell Larry:
21/11/2018: Advance Australia – your voice for a fair go: the conservative’s challenger to Get Up (maybe think about joining today to make Larry proud of you): https://www.michaelsmithnews.com/2018/11/conservative-challenger-to-getup-launched.html & https://www.facebook.com/advanceaust/?hc_location=ufi & https://www.advanceaustralia.org.au/news
20/11/2018: Whitetail Hunting in 1810: ‘Forty-four Years of the Life of a Hunter’, Meshach Browning 1859. Lots of wonderful books are available free below (if you look for them). This is from Chapter 6: ‘Whitetail Hunting in 1810’. What a treasure! Six deer taken in a single day with a muzzle-loader. Great hunting!
‘Shortly after returning to my home, three hunters and myself agreed to go to the glades to hunt deer. We all started for what was called the piney cabin and met at the place, but it was too late to hunt that evening, and there was no snow on the ground.
A light snow having fallen during the night, I said in the morning that I would bet any man a gallon of whiskey I would kill two deer that day.
“I’ll take that bet,” said a man by the name of James.
It was agreed on; and I told them to pick their course, and I would take the ground that was left. So they all made choice of a locality for that day, leaving me the very ground I wished for.
Everyone set out in great spirits, but while going to the place assigned me, I heard a buck bleat, which they will do in mating-time when they smell other deer. I walked quickly to the leeward side of him in order that he should not smell me. In doing so, I crossed a number of deer tracks.
Knowing that the buck was after them, I stood close to the tracks, where I could still hear him bleating and every time the sound was nearer. In a short time, I saw him following the tracks. I let him come within eight steps, and then stopped him by bleating as he did, when I shot him in his tracks.
I skinned him very rapidly and went on, but I had proceeded only a short distance when I saw a small buck trot along the top of a steep hill, then disappear down the opposite side.
I ran to the top, and looking down, saw him going leisurely along, whereupon I snorted like a deer, which I could do very naturally. As soon as he heard the snort, thinking it came from the other deer, which he expected to see, he stopped to look round for them.
I had with me a deer’s tail, which I showed him from behind a tree, and then exposed a small portion of my clothes which were about the color of a deer. Uncertain what to do, he stood there, occasionally stamping his foot on the ground, all the while holding his head as high as he could. Then I would show the tail quietly, and as if I was not scared, and at last seeing him lick his mouth, I knew he would come to ascertain what was there.
He came on little by little, still stamping his feet on the ground, until he came within range of my rifle, when I shot at his breast and broke his shoulder. I set my dog on him, and when the deer soon turned to make fight, I shot him again.
I then skinned him, and as I was in the glades without a hat, and it was blowing and snowing as fast as the snow could fall, I started to run across a glade, out of the storm.
As I ran through the ferns, about half-a-leg high, up sprang a large buck, which, after making two or three jumps, stopped in the middle of the open glade. He had scarcely stopped before my rifle sent a ball through him. He jumped forward a few yards and fell over dead.
The storm was so severe that I was obliged to seek shelter in a grove of thick pines. After it abated, I started for camp again, still looking for deer.
I was about halfway in when I saw approaching what I took to be another buck. I stood still, but the deer saw me too, though it could not make out what I was. Each stood perfectly still, looking at the other, until I became tired.
There was between us a large fallen tree, which hid the body of the deer, so that I could see nothing but the head. Finding no other chance, I raised my gun and fired at the head. After the report, seeing nothing of the deer, I hurried forward, and there lay as fine a doe as I ever killed, with her brains blown out.
I commenced skinning her as fast as possible, as it was getting late, and I was quite ready to leave for the camp when I saw on the entrails so much tallow that I stopped to save it. As I was picking off the tallow, it occurred to me that it was a wonder a buck had not been on her track, for she was in that peculiar condition when the males will follow them, wherever they find their track.
So I raised my head to look, and there stood a stout buck within ten steps, staring at myself and the dog as I was sitting at my work, with the dog licking up the blood and eating the small pieces which fell to his share.
I dared not rise to get my gun, which was standing against a tree out of my reach. Finally, I began to creep towards it, all the time being afraid to look at the deer, lest the sight of my face should scare him, for I knew it was not pretty.
When I had secured my gun, I looked around and saw him walking off, and as I did not wish to spoil his saddle, I delayed shooting until I could get his side toward me.
All of a sudden he stopped, turned round and came walking back to look for the doe, stopping at the same place where I first saw him. That moment I pulled my trigger, and the ball, striking in the middle of the breast, killed him at once. He never attempted to jump, but reared up so high that he fell flat on his back. I skinned him, put him on the same pole with the other, and then started off for the camp.
When I arrived there, all hands seemed astonished at my good luck, but James disputed the fact, saying that I had been there the week previous and had hid those skins in the woods. But a Mr. Frazee, who had hunted with me all the previous week, during which time I had killed some eight or ten deer, told James that my boys and his had come out the last of the week with horses, and carried in all the meat both of us had killed, together with the skins. James was satisfied that there was no foul play in the matter. I told James that I could kill a deer yet that night. He was anxious to take another bet, and in order to give him a chance for his whiskey, I closed with him, for when I left the camp in the morning, I had observed a spot where a great many deer had been feeding on thorn-berries, and I knew that they would be there again at dusk after the berries.
Seizing my gun, I made for the leeward side of the thorn nursery in order that the deer should not smell me. The dog scented the deer, and therefore I crept along very cautiously, though I could see no game. Presently, a very large buck made his appearance, and I said to myself: “That will make the sixth deer, beside two gallons of whiskey, and the reputation of being the best hunter in the woods.”
It will be seen that my vanity began to rise. The buck gradually drew nearer, but the pine trees stood so close together that it was a hard matter to secure a good aim, and beside, I found I was becoming so much excited that my hand was growing unsteady.
So I waited till the buck came opposite the space between two trees, when I called to him to stop, which he did, but not until he had so far passed the open space that his ribs were hid from my view. I tried to take aim, but as I could not hold my rifle steady, I waited to get rid of the shakes, though to no purpose, for the longer I delayed, the worse I became. At last, observing the buck’s tail beginning to spread, I knew he was about to make off.
As this was my last chance, I put my gun against a tree, thinking thus to brace myself, but my gun absolutely knocked against the tree. As I was then compelled to shoot or to let the buck run off unharmed, I fired at his hips, at a distance of not more than 20 steps, without ever touching either hide or hair of him.
At any other time, I could have sent 20 shots into a space the size of a dollar, but the idea of a great reputation gave me the ague; and through my vanity, I lost both the buck and the whiskey.
When the report of my gun was heard at the camp, Mr. Frazee exclaimed: “There, James, you have another gallon of whiskey to pay for, as Browning never misses.”
But when I returned empty-handed, the whole company enjoyed a hearty laugh at my expense.’
Full text (available for download here: https://archive.org/details/fortyfouryearsof00browuoft/page/n5
See Also:
https://www.theultralighthiker.com/thrilling-tales-sir-samuel-baker/
https://www.theultralighthiker.com/thrilling-tales-37-days-of-peril/
https://www.theultralighthiker.com/woodcraft-george-washington-sears/
20/11/2018: Labor Offfers
$150 Baby Hampers for $622. Victorian Labor is treating the election like a
giveaway: A $150 baby hamper, with a teething ring, nappy bag and sleeping
wraps, will be given to 35,000 new parents, under a Labor re-election pledge.
The $21.8 million commitment will also include information for parents. But
wait: divide that $21.8 million commitment by 35,000 and those $150 packages
actually cost $622 each. Insane. Surely the advice doesn't cost that massive
difference. Everything Governments build or supply costs more than it would if
you did it yourself. Andrew Bolt. Much
bigger savings could be made by not collecting the money from taxpayers in the
first place!
20/11/2018: The greatest slingshot ever: ‘Hunt down bigger game with arguably the baddest looking slingshot without venturing into full on crossbow territory. This unit features a built-in magazine allowing you to pre-load up to 40 rounds of 8mm ball bearings or a single crossbow bolt.
The position of the front handle can be adjusted, allowing you to reduce/increase the level of power as needed. The rear handle includes a 12mm mounting rail so you can install a scope with laser sight or a tactical flashlight.
This slingshot has been built to withstand the toughest conditions. Full stainless steel construction with a matte black finish. How many slingshots have you seen recently with a steel cable attached to EIGHT sets of high tension rubber bands?
- Weight 1.8kg / 4.4lbs
- Size: 70cm x 20cm / 28″ x 8″
- Range: 100+ meters
- US$249.95 (Nov 2018)
They
are obviously a lot of fun, aren’t they? And might even be enough to put a
bunny or two on the table. They do ship direct to
20/11/2018: A pretty good thermostat really – one which keeps temperatures within less than half a degree Celsius: Notice that the (unexplained) .2C drop in temperature at the beginning of the observation period is as great as all the .2C rise that has occurred since approx 1990. Also note that the temperature had pretty much returned to its 1980 point in 2000 and again (nearly) in 2010. This could not happen if the large increase in CO2 over that time really was heating the earth. We were up .2C c2015 but were down .2C c1985. Nothing is to be made of that. These variations are natural. NB: As the sun has been extremely quiescent of late we can expect to see those temperatures take a dive again soon – and for a long while, probably going under the 1985 record. http://www.drroyspencer.com/2018/11/uah-global-temperature-update-for-october-2018-0-22-deg-c/ & http://joannenova.com.au/2018/11/climate-models-are-a-joke/
20/11/2018: The ‘social justice fascists: https://quillette.com/2018/11/17/the-institutionalization-of-social-justice/ & https://quillette.com/2018/11/17/is-it-sexual-harassment-to-discuss-this-article/
19/11/2018: Jordan Peterson’s Forward to Solzhenitsyn ‘s ‘The Gulag Archipelago’. This is a brilliant ‘must read’ essay which has disappeared behind a paywall as many good things do, but I have sought it out especially for you. If you have ever been caught out for a riposte to one of your Leftist friends, you will find it here. It is breathtaking: https://web.archive.org/web/20181101224701/https://quillette.com/2018/11/01/the-gulag-archipelago-a-new-foreword-by-jordan-b-peterson/
18/11/2018: Perhaps society would be safer without the bail system: https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/blogs/tim-blair/wrong-arm-of-the-law-victorias-deadly-jihadi-bail-fail/news-story/3197ef2ee2243d85e6e9f3e57ffe131e
18/11/2018:
The ‘Crappus’ Touch: ‘Everything
government touches turns to crap.’ Ringo Starr.
18/11/2018:
Wind and solar nearly useless: http://joannenova.com.au/2018/11/white-elephant-solar-panels-force-feeding-high-voltage-raising-costs-breaking-things-shutting-themselves-down/
18/11/2018:
The enemy among us: ‘I, an
Australian Muslim, refuse to condemn the violence that took place on
17/10/2018:
A reusable nuclear-powered launch
vehicle: Looks like
17/11/2018: Lots of common chemicals can be used to make explosives: one of the
oldest, sulphur carbon and saltpetre to make gunpowder for example. Iron and
aluminium filings to make thermite; nitric acid and glycerine to make
notroglycerine; Ammonium nitrate (fertiliser) plus diesel fuel; ammonia plus
iodine, acetone and hydrogen peroxide to make Triacetone Triperoxide, the
favourite weapon of deranged terrorists today…Should we ban chemistry books? I
have known about this stuff (and much else in the home chemistry laboratory –
how to make soap for example) since I was in High School over 50 years ago, but
I have not been moved to make anything for anti-social purposes. We made
‘cracker-guns’ and cannons. Those twopenny bungers were awesome. Such weapons
were capable of chopping down small trees, as I recall. I remember also my
cousin Richard nearly blowing his eye out creating a makeship rocket when we
were around 13! However, it really does take the addition of religion to create
evil! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LrUY8QbEcpM
17/11/2018: Unbelievable: ‘Forty of the 300 refugees who left Nauru to resettle in the US have contacted the island nation asking to come back because life in America was harder than expected, the Nauruan President has revealed.’ https://www.michaelsmithnews.com/2018/11/refugees-pick-nauru-over-us.html
16/11/2018: The Coldest Temperature Ever Recorded on Earth: -97.8 degrees Celsius measured on the high East Antarctic Plateau at approx 4,000 metres elevation. ‘At that temperature, just a few breaths of air would induce hemorrhaging in your lungs and quickly lead to death.’ Come on CO2. Do your stuff: https://wattsupwiththat.com/2018/11/13/antarctic-temperatures-recently-plunged-close-to-the-theoretically-coldest-achievable-on-earth/
16/11/2018:
Macron: ‘Nationalism is Treason’. What
does this idiot not understand: https://www.breitbart.com/europe/2018/11/11/french-president-emanuel-macron-nationalism-is-treason/ Of course he might just be mad, but he
is certainly dangerous: https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/blogs/andrew-bolt/imagine-a-brussels-with-guns/news-story/5914ea1a66bac24812e6ed2095033192
& https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/blogs/andrew-bolt/macrons-insult-doesnt-even-make-sense/news-story/af67b7dcd272ce2a25d093de41c4e84f
15/11/2018: Thindown: A new down insulation material. Thindown creates this fabric by adding an adhesive to the down after it has expanded which then traps the down between two ultralight layers of fabric so what it can no longer move around. This means that the resulting product can be used in many different ways to create a range of new down garments and products which do not require channels or quilting. It also makes the down garment much more washable or even dry-cleanable. It is a brilliant idea, and will seriously challenge synthetic insulation.
One of the first manufactures to use this product is Eddie Bauer. Below their beautiful ‘Evertherm’ jacket.12.64 oz. US$299 (Nov 2018)
LOW
ACTIVITY RATING 40°F.
MODERATE ACTIVITY RATING -20°F.
See:
https://www.eddiebauer.com/product/mens-evertherm-down-hooded-jacket/38832324
https://gearjunkie.com/revolution-eddie-bauer-launch-fabric
15/11/2018: Should you have self-esteem? Probably not, eg: ‘Sometimes patients would come to me and tell me that they had low self-esteem and I would tell them that at least they had one thing right...I suspect that modern education, which lays emphasis on the relevance of what is taught to children’s present lives rather than, as it should be, on its irrelevance, is partly to blame for the very large numbers of people who cannot lose themselves, and therefore are left to the vagaries of entertainment provided for them under our current regime of bread and circuses.’ http://takimag.com/article/lose-yourself/#axzz5WSoKUGFQ
15/11/2018:
Can we even offer
15/11/2018:
An incisive comment from William: ‘I have a colleague who is a Christian
Chaplain in a large jail in the
14/11/2018:
How men can live longer. This is for me:
Stare at boobs; have more sex; get married…https://nypost.com/2017/03/27/staring-at-boobs-is-just-one-of-six-easy-ways-men-can-live-longer/
14/11/2018:
Why the Left fails to understand the
magic of the market: ‘One of the mistakes folks on the Left make about
capitalism is to describe capitalism as mostly about competition. In
fact, capitalism is mostly about
cooperation, it’s a self-organizing process where people who don't even
know each other cooperate to deliver products and services, facilitated by
markets and the magic of prices. Sure, competition exists but it is not
the fundamental feature, but an enabler that makes sure the cooperation occurs
as efficiently as possible. Capitalism in fact is about zillions of
voluntary trades and transactions every day that each make both parties better
off -- or else both sides would not have agreed to it. Capitalism in fact
is a giant positive sum game, a fact that many on the Left simply do not grasp.’
http://www.coyoteblog.com/coyote_blog/2018/11/does-the-zero-sum-nature-of-academic-success-contribute-to-the-left-wards-bias-of-academia.html
14/11/2018:
13/11/2018: The
Fastest Hiker:
13/11/2018:
What will the future be like? First
of all we will (soon) have virtually free, virtually unlimited energy from
nuclear fusion with generators sized according to need: ones maybe as big as a
railway engine or two to power a fair sized city to ones the size of a shoebox
to power a homestead. With such abundant energy we will be able to do and have
anything we wish. We will not have to chase rich lodes of ore in inaccessible
places to harness the resources we need. Any piece
of rock, earth or water will be able to be broken down easily into its
component elements to provide whatever resource we need, whenever we need it.
Such unlimited energy will make growing food completely independent of seasons,
indeed independent of available light, water and nutrients as we will easily be
able to provide all these. There will be no shortage of food, and most of the
land now used to produce it will be returned to nature. Indeed, we will rework
photosynthesis. It is dependent on rubisco, the best that nature has evolved,
but we will re-engineer photosynthesis with more efficient processes so that
plants will yield many times what they are capable of now. Both these things
will happen in your lifetime, possibly within a decade. Poverty and want will
completely vanish. And this is only the beginning: we will have habitats at the
L5 points and on the moon and Mars in the next twenty years. Life expectations
will soon soar by 20-50 years! Old age and death will be seen as preventable
diseases. The future will be much better than the past…
13/10/2018: The transition from unemployment to employment is a crucial step in moving people out of dependency and poverty. We should not put artificial barriers in the way: http://www.coyoteblog.com/coyote_blog/2018/10/some-thoughts-about-income-growth-and-mobility-part-2-hours-of-work-matter-more-than-wage-rates.html
13/11/2018: Gender Wars: I usually don’t buy into this stuff, but one aspect is definitely wrong: sentences for spouse murder. I would take the view that murder is murder – and nothing excuses it. Not pleas of ‘crimes of passion’ or ‘insanity’ for example. You don’t just accidentally murder someone. Very considerable intent and effort is required. You can step back from this. The law should value the lives taken equally and sentence accordingly. I think concurrent sentences for example are equally abhorrent. First you pay for this crime, then the next and so on. If you run out of life paying your debt to society, Tough! https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/blogs/tim-blair/only-a-wife-sentences-cut-down-from-life/news-story/744b80eece8cb98c3e118a5ff560d291
12/11/2018: Ultralight Cigar Case: Something for the ultralight hiker who has everything (with Xmas always coming up). But these might also be quite serviceable as ultralight glasses cases, if you can’t afford a plastic jar of Hormel Bacon Pieces at 33 grams (which I keep my spare pair in) or this free idea at 12 grams!
12/11/2018:
100 Years Goes By So Fast, and How Things Change: When I was in Primary
School (just the other day it seems) a good half of my teachers were WW1 men
much younger than I am now. Later in High School most were WW2 men (mere boys
it seems to me now). When I was in University most of the students were talking
about how they could get out of serving in
12/11/2018: This has been the problem with the AGW theory from the beginning: a complete lack of reliable data on either temperature or CO2. Just as the real temperature records have shown a steady decline in temperature world-wide throughout the C20th, the same has been true of CO2 records: they were much higher when I was born in the 1940s: http://www.coyoteblog.com/coyote_blog/2018/10/warmists-and-skeptics-should-agree-that-this-is-the-real-scandal-in-climate-science.html Some things you might NOT know: Ice core expert Jaworowski states, ‘The basis of most of the IPCC conclusions on anthropogenic causes and on projections of climatic change is the assumption of low level of CO2 in the pre-industrial atmosphere. This assumption, based on glaciological studies, is false.’ http://wattsupwiththat.com/2015/10/17/deconstruction-of-the-anthropogenic-global-warming-agw-hypothesis-2/
10/11/2018:
10/11/2018: Life in the Wild:
‘When Miriam Lancewood and her partner Peter set off to live alone deep in
the
But the couple came to enjoy their nomadic, off-grid lifestyle — foraging for edible plants and killing their own animals — so much that they’re still living it, nearly a decade later.’
See Also:
https://www.theultralighthiker.com/thrilling-tales-6-new-zealands-remotest-family/
https://www.theultralighthiker.com/gorge-river-fiordland-2/
https://www.theultralighthiker.com/the-mountain-gnomad/
https://www.theultralighthiker.com/nzs-south-coast-track-westies-hut-to-cromarty/
https://www.theultralighthiker.com/the-compleat-survival-guide/
https://www.theultralighthiker.com/dick-proenneke-alone-in-the-wilderness/
https://www.theultralighthiker.com/not-quite-alone-in-the-wilderness/
https://www.theultralighthiker.com/what-to-include-in-a-wilderness-cache/
https://www.theultralighthiker.com/the-lure-of-the-moose/
https://www.theultralighthiker.com/hatchet/
https://www.theultralighthiker.com/thrilling-tales-37-days-of-peril/
08/11/2018: I Just Love Hats: I guess you’ve noticed I am almost always wearing a lid of one kind or another. Here are two I think would be good for the outdoor life (hiking or hunting): Enlightened Equipment’ s Hooligan and Sealskinz’ Waterproof Beanie.
This is the Hooligan at .85 ounce (21 grams – A$76.24). It is very similar to the ‘Bomber Hat’ Della sewed me from a kit bought from Ray Jardine (the ‘father of ultralight’) many years ago – and which has seen excellent service over the years. Such a hat is the best weight-for-warmth investment you can possibly make. I am never without mine. Now you can buy one just like it – even the same colour as mine! On wet.cold days it fits snugly under your raincoat hood. Even if it gets a little damp the synthetic insulation dries ourt very quickly. Usually I reserve the hat for sleeping on cold nights or for keeping my head warm in camp. You have probably noticed the Icebreaker cap I usually wear during the day.
Their 1.3 oz (32 grams - $A83.17) Hoodlum below is their synthetic insulated answer to keeping your head and neck warm in your sleepiong bag or quilt. You just need a Buff to keep your nose warm and you’re good to go.
I also like these waterproof and windproof offerings from Sealskinz. I have owned their waterproof socks for many years. I used to wear them as night socks before I made myself a pair of ultralight booties. Thie beauty was that you could put your wet boots back on when you wer wearing them when you had to go outside to answer one of nature’s calls.
This waterproof beanie looks just the thing for going around he sheep eg when they are lambing on those cold, wet winter’s days they like to choose. Fortunately for me I have sold of the vast flocks we used to have and only keep a hundred or so for companionship and sentimental reasons! Someone who has been a ‘sheep husband’ for over thirty years has to have something to do in retirement! UKL25.
This waterproof cap may be even better than my Icebreaker obne (especially as they may have discontinued it! You need a peak like this on any hunting cap so that you aren’t dazzled by the light when shooting into the sun. You can guarantee that the best stag you have ever been will have the sun at his back – and soon be gone! UKL28.
This one is a real foul weather hunter’s hat. It’s going to you’re your head dry and your ears warm, as well as shading your eyes from sun and rain. What a beauty! UKL30.
Enlightened Equipment’ s Hooligan
https://www.theultralighthiker.com/are-you-beautiful-in-the-buff/
https://www.theultralighthiker.com/19-gram-dyneema-camp-shoes/
Below is another great idea for a ‘sleeping hat’ - but you will have to make it yourself from a kit for US$14.95. This hat is also intended to keep your nose warm (like the Buff).
http://www.rayjardine.com/ray-way/Sleeping-Hat-Kit/index.htm
08/11/2018: Still punching above our weight. Graphic showing $ value and percentage of world GDP:
08/11/2018: Longevity only 7% genetics: https://www.wired.com/story/the-key-to-a-long-life-has-little-to-do-with-good-genes/
08/11/2018: What about all that heat from undiscovered
volcanoes? 80% of the sea floor is more unexplored than Mars or the moon.
Is that heat in any of the climate models? https://www.euronews.com/2018/11/01/huge-underwater-volcano-chain-discovered-coast-tasmania-ncna929881
05/11/2018: Liptrap to the Five Mile: Fit young people might complete this walk in a single day, but folks with more age or sense will take two or more. It is a beautiful, isolated part of our coastline which we plan to walk again as soon as/if my back is better. Then I hope for an extended foray to Mt Darling this time with my darling, Della. You will need to leave a second vehicle at the beginning of the Five Mile Track (or a bicycle) so you can return to your car at Liptrap lighthouse.
Nonetheless it can be walked, but going around the bottom of Liptrap can be tricky. People used to come up this goat track then down another one just below Evan Walker’s driveway – which can still be done. Lots of wonderful surfing ‘breaks’ used to be enjoyed down there on Maitland Beach in the past, campfires on the beach, etc.
You are looking to come out where that gully below meets the sea:
There is a path across that gully.
After you pass by the locked gate and a bit of dense shrubbery you will come to an open ‘lookout’ which used to be a camping area – one of many which have been closed as the public continue to be denied access to their lands. You can see the grassy path along the other side of the gully to your right from the top. You have to get down and over to it. There are only a couple of ways. The best is to take the path down to your right and cross high. If you take the path to your left and down you can still cross but it is steeper and thicker. If you are coming back, pay close attention, as it can be tricky finding the right wallaby track to ascend on! Hint: both could use a little bit of machete work (See: Nuts to Leave no Trace).
You were looking across the gully for a clear grassy walk like this.
As
I explained in the earlier post, there is a goat track down to the beach
starting at the locked gate 100 metres back along the road from the lighthouse
carpark. Parks Victoria plan to have a continuous walk from
The
Once you are on the beach the going is splendid (even with a crook knee and back). To your left you will see a sea cave in the beetling cliffs. It contains a rock bivy you could use for an overnight camp (if you have brought water with you).
It is well above the level of the sea, as you can see:
And has a nice dry flat spot to hang out:
And beautiful views to the West:
Or like this:
The beach looked like it had been painted by a scarlet Jackson Pollock:
You see what I mean by 'beetling cliffs'?
They have spectacular synclines embedded in them.
The view around the corner to the east towards Liptrap.
You should check before you begin this through hike that the Ten Mile Creek which you cross just east of the Buffalo-Ten Mile intersection has water flowing in it, as you will need this water for an overnight camp. There is usually/often water at Mueller’s Creek and from rock seeps along the way. Some may even be found in the very small gully at the Five Mile in wetter weather. There is a patch of cumbungi about 150 metres inland from the beach which is a sure indication of underground water – but water cannot be counted on in very hot weather, so check the Ten Mile Creek before you begin!
We head West.
Lots of sponges in the sea wrack today. This one could have been the inside of a motor-bike seat.
This could be a leftover of one of Christo's wrapped coasts:
The sea has ploughed these furrows very straight.
Around the corner looking West
[embed]https://youtu.be/BI_GLI46HkE[/embed]
Still looking West
There
is a lovely little beach here. Looking East along it towards where the previous
shot was taken. 
And
closer up
The pigface was putting on a splendid display.
One of the seeps of fresh water I mentioned coming from the rocks. Such a phenomenon is common along the (Gippsland) coast and can be a lifesaver. You need to be prepared to harvest the water though. And maybe even filter it if it is muddy.
Another day when my back is better I will walk all the way again. There are many other delights to see before tracks end...
At the Five Mile looking back towards Liptrap:
Walking out the Five Mile Track:
I
realize you could continue along the beach and exit at
Of
course everyone comes home with a few trophies. The sea is depositing hundreds
of semi-trailers worth every day, and we maybe take away a small bucketful. The
most interesting thing I found was an old iron ship's rivet which had become
encrusted on one end with barnacles.The plants which had used stones as anchors
were pretty special too. And the coral which has no trouble growing in these
10C colder waters just as they have no trouble growing in the 10C hotter waters
of the
See Also:
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/liptrap/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/the-five-mile/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/the-great-gippsland-circuit/
05/11/2018: What an election ad! The Reps deserve to win. When will we get leaders like this? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=utyev4Im87o
05/11/2018: The hardest college course they have ever
done, yet they have to turn students who want to do it away. There is hope yet:
https://www.jamesgmartin.center/2018/10/a-remarkably-hard-college-course-proves-remarkably-popular/
05/11/2018: BOM Outlook Failure: 25% accurate at best.
I have for years used the fact that the opposite of what they predict is
what is most likely to occur to inform my own farm planning. However, given
that they have 1-2 of the best supercomputers in the world (and know to a
fraction of a degree how hot it will be in 100 years), their failure to predict
the 3 months ahead is disquieting to say the least!
05/11/2018: Alex Honnold
Free Solo Climbing Capitan. Just about
impossible to watch – but then I’m not good with heights, or watching people
die…The good news is he doesn’t. Watch here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=53&v=urRVZ4SW7WU or here: https://www.nytimes.com/video/opinion/100000006186870/what-if-he-falls.html?action=click>ype=vhs&version=vhs-heading&module=vhs®ion=title-area&cview=true&t=21
05/11/2018: Beginning Hiking: (or hunting). Too
many people are 'gear junkies' or 'gear snobs’. However, remember this: Grandma
Gatewood completed the
Often I see novices crying out for advice on various forums - usually in the form, 'What should I buy/'. They are almost universally answered with expensive alternatives which must at least work as a disincentive for many to begin the wonderful sports of hiking or hunting - which otherwise would be of such benefit to them, and great fun! Essential to both anyway is developing the skills required for camping out overnight safely, but what to take - not what to buy?
The traditional advice to young brides seems appropriate to me: ‘Something old something new, something borrowed and something blue’. (Incidentally, blue is a really good colour for small camping equipment as there is practically nothing blue in the bush - save things found in bower birds bowers - so that if you drop them they will be easily found, at least by bower birds anyway!) In any case don’t rush out and buy everything ‘new’. Your purchase decision is almost certain to be the wrong one. You will have wasted money, though you may have learned something about whose advice it is best to follow!
If you should visit a 'hiking' store' with such a question in mind, be sure to have a very full wallet - and a strong back, as you are likely to come out with a camel's load of expensive junk you almost certainly do not need. Few such shop assistants will know (or care about) how much the items weigh for example, or even have any extensive experience themselves with such equipment.
It is also quite true that you have something ‘old’ lying about which will do. Take Grandma Gatewood’s shower screen raincoat as a case in point. You really don’t need the latest ‘ultralight’ $500 rain coat when you are unlikely to venture out (the first time – if you are wise) when it is going to rain anyway! A pocket sized space blanket which you will find somewhere for $2-4 is quite waterproof (and warm) and will keep you quite dry – as well as doubling as a ground sheet. It is a bit of a nuisance holding it closed at the front – but so is parting with $500! You can worry too much. Still, you may prefer one of these: http://www.theultralighthiker.com/if-you-could-only-carry-two-things-in-the-bush-what-would-they-be/ You probably already have a $5 umbrella which will suffice anyway.
There
are plenty of things in your cupboard will do fine for your first (warm weather
anyway) hike. I camped for many years with just a wool
blanket on the ground or in a hollow log if it was
raining, and a billy. Not much else – and I am still here. The swagmen of yore
rolled all their possessions in such a blanket and carried a billy in their
hand – and there were once hundreds of thousands of them. Such a ‘swag’ was called
a ‘bindle’ in the
One advantage of a wool blanket is how it will save your life in a forest fire if you roll yourself in it (and particularly if you can wet it down) and get yourself eg into a hollow in the ground - when all your friends with their synthetics will die horribly, poor dears! When the disastrous fires occurred here (I mean coming as close as 200 yards away from us) in 2009 (and killing lots of people) an old man in his nineties (just over the hill from us) saved his own life a second time in this way. In a street where several people died and all the houses burned down he rolled himself in a wet blanket and lay in the same drain he had in the incredible 1939 fires. ‘Live and learn or you won’t live long’.
We were better prepared than that. We were able to sit on the verandah, drink beer and watch it all burn. Lots of fire pumps, generators, dams, sprinkler systems and acres of short green grass surround our house once you move outward from our lush green garden of mostly introduced trees. Friends and children flocked around to help out, mostly with the beer as it turned out!
If you don't own a blanket, you almost certainly have a quilt. For a beginner's mattress try this idea or this. If you must buy something, try a search above right for 'quilt', 'bag', 'mat', or 'pad'. You will find many cheaper ideas which are also very light.
Shelter is essential. I have already posted about several cheap options starting with a blue poly tarp for $10, a very serviceable tent (for two) delivered for $50, and many other DIY choices.
For cooking, the 3 stone fire has worked fine for centuries. Where there is plenty of wood, it will still do, but be careful. Don't burn yourself and don't let it get away. People are always trying to improve it, people like me: http://www.theultralighthiker.com/the-egg-ring-ultralight-wood-burner-stove/ - and you have to watch out as some stones explode! Or, you can spend hours of fun and enjoyment playing around creating your own alcohol stove.
You can carry the alcohol in a used soft drink bottle (lightest option) or you can use a Platypus bottle as I do (more durable, less space). I saved a medicine measure from the hospital when I had my back operation in 2013 which I use to add just exactly the amount of alcohol I will need to boil eg 1 cup of water (7 mls when I use a windscreen). I tote up all my meals and cups of hot drink before I set out and take just the amount of fuel I will need. This measure replaced one I had borrowed from an unused pack of herbicide saving me a few precious grams actually. Both were free anyway - the best kind of gear!
For free gear Jim Woods’ genius ‘super cat’ stove is a good place to start, as is Ray Garlington’s Yacc stove you can make from an empty soft drink can with just a pair of scissors. You can start with a billy made from a large used can (such as a coffee can) and a coat hanger as the swagmen and hobos did, or an inexpensive aluminium one for under $10 say from Aussie Disposals where I bought my first one - which I still have sixty years later (in a drum up the bush at one of my winter camps actually).
These caches are such a delight to me. When I open one it is a trip down memory lane. I find a teaspoon I used to feed my first-born - or my last! A poncho I bought thirty years ago. A worn enamel plate which dates back to my childhood and my parents' bee-keeping days, and so on. I often become nostalgic when I am camping alone in the bush a few days' walk from any other soul - I can't imagine why. Old is good. On every hiking trip I am still using the same plastic cup I bought over 20 years ago from a $2 store (for $1). I am yet to find a lighter one, though I could do this I suppose.
Only you know what you have in the cupboard or can ‘beg, borrow or steal’, so I will leave that up to your imagination. Most people already have a backpack of some sort, for example. If it is just an overnight hike (which your first should be) 25-40 litres is going to be quite adequate. If you do not, a duffel like Grandma Gatewood's will suffice, or even a simple bedroll - or swag.
I go away for 7-10 day trips carrying all my food and necessaries in just a 50 litre pack which weighs under 400 grams empty! If my wife Della is with me (as we both prefer anyway even after 50 years) she carries a pack of only around 30 litres. Between us we might have 15-18 kgs at the absolute max at the beginning of a 10 day hike (with no tracks or huts). I bought these quite serviceable 40+ litre packs from Amazon for under $20. If you do a search at the top of the page for ‘cheap’ and ‘budget’ and ‘DIY’ you will find many other ways of saving money. I just did, and believe me, you are in for some surprises! I have been busy! You will find several cheap lightweight shelter/tent alternatives, sleeping mats, sleeping ‘bag’s, etc, etc. Have a look.
It will certainly save you money if you don’t plan to hike/camp out when it is wet or cold. Once the temperature gets below freezing the danger obviously increases so that the level of your preparedness needs to be better. It is also crucially important to stay warm and dry – or at least warm. It is the rate of heat loss which is a danger, not the temperature or even how wet you are. And I cannot repeat too often you must practice lighting a fire in such conditions again and again until you are certain you can both light and maintain a fire in the wet.
I
know an old (late) friend Ray Quinney told me that he spent a night marching in
a river in near freezing water during the Korean War because his sergeant had
worked out that our soldiers would be warmer and survive better there than in
the monstrously cold blizzarding air inadequately clothed – as they were;
Australia (everyone probably) has a record of sending their soldiers off in
emergencies without quite the right equipment. Napoleon’s (lost) army in
It is preferable to stay dry. There is no reason to add yourself to a statistic by freezing to death, which is much less likely to happen in the warmer months. Still and all, I always prepare for sub-zero conditions, as I usually walk (off-track) and camp eg in the Victorian mountains whose changeable weather is notorious, and whose weather bureau’s forecasts are just as notoriously unreliable!
Where
you live might be similar. I have encountered the coldest conditions
(relatively) on a ‘warm’ autumn day at
I know my wife, Della nearly ‘froze’ in a light drizzle that came up one warmish day when we were climbing the South face of Mt Whitelaw on the Baw Baw Plateau across the valley from here. I had to get a shelter up quickly and a fire going to thaw her out. Again it was highly unexpected. Having a tarp or poncho which you can use for shelter, (or being able to construct one) and light a fire are essentials. I repeat you need to practice these skills in some local bushland in poor weather conditions before you venture too far from home – eg before you set off on something like the South Coast Track in Tasmania (which will take you 7-8 days). In an emergency you can use your raincoat as a shelter. It may save your life: http://www.theultralighthiker.com/raincoat-shelter/
Some places (like Fiordland) it is very difficult (if not impossible) to light a fire, so you have to be able to get a shelter up quickly and use body heat and clothing etc to warm up. This is one reason why I often travel (in such places) with a light tarp (150-200 grams) and a hammock of a similar weight. I always sleep on an insulated inflatable pad of some kind. Once you are under the roof, up off the ground, out of the wind, on top of the mat and snuggled into your clothes and sleeping bag you will be alright. I have encountered such conditions (and employed such a strategy on (and off) the Dusky and South Coast Tracks in Fiordland, for example in my search for the elusive moose. A blue poly tarp will do as a shelter, and a cheap hammock will also suffice. You need to learn how (not) to tie it to a tree, otherwise you will be leaving it there. (Check out some of my posts about hammocks).
If you already own some solid wool clothing, though it might not be ultralight it is also likely to be ultra-safe when you are alone in the wilderness. You do not need to overdo clothing. Here is an idea what to take: http://www.theultralighthiker.com/how-many-clothes-should-i-take-in-my-pack/
Choosing where to go. As you probably realise I almost never walk tracks or trails (with a few exceptions - as previously mentioned). I prefer off-trail travel which guarantees greater freedom and peace of mind (if crowds are not your thing). They are certainly not mine! I have been doing this since before I went to primary school - over 65 years now! My advantage here is that I grew up on a farm surrounded on all sides pretty much by trackless bush. From when I was a toddler I was allowed to just roam at will, and to find my own way home when I was hungry. The older I grew the further I traveled - and I always managed to get home by tea-time!
If you are just starting out you will have to learn a few skills that I mastered before I was in kindergarten! Not staying lost is the most important lesson. If you begin your explorations in a patch of bush nearby which has clearly defined boundaries you will (eventually) find your own way out at the same time as finding out a thing or three as well - one with a river or stream at the bottom will be best so you will have water for your evening cuppa
Sometime you should invest a little money in some topographical maps (our Vicmaps are only A$8ea to download to your phone and can be paired with the Pdf maps - as explained here). Other countries/states have other systems, but something comparable. In any case it is a good idea to get a feel for the lie of the land at the same time as familiarising yourself with navigating by map. Backcountry Navigator is another excellent App.
You might on your first trip plan to circumnavigate a largish valley, say one something like 3-5 kms long. If you can chose one which as a road or 4WD track at the top a stream at the bottom and a number of ridges running more or less straight down to the stream that would be excellent. There are millions of spots which fit this description.There is very often a tiny flat at the bottom of a ridge or adjacent to the main stream. The topographic map will indicate this.
If you start out with the hammock + tarp I recommended before you will be either able to camp in the trees or on the ground. You might take a small saw or a machete to make a clearing big enough for a tent. If the fishing is good, you will probably be back! Remember the water in your drink bottle is always level. Use that fact to select a (parallel) level(ish) spot to camp. You don't want to be sliding down the hill or rolling sideways all night.
You might walk down one ridge the first day, camp at the river or stream at the bottom the first night (catch a few fish or crays - or both), then travel up or down the river to the bottom of the next ridge and walk back up it to the road at the top, thence back to your vehicle. This should guarantee a pleasant peaceful couple of days away from people and away from tracks. I hope you begin like this instead of starting out as a track walker. Too many never progress from track walking. If the weather is cooler and the bush not too dry, you can even have a cheery fire to warm your camp - and cook your fish. Do take some Alfoil to cook them in - much lighter than a frying pan!
Have a great time. PS: The links in the text are there for a reason, just like the ones below. They will lead you to many other posts with advice for the novice, or the person on a budget. I have been on a budget all my life which is one reason why I make so much of my own gear - besides 'making do' is both fun and character building.
See Also:
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/the-compleat-survival-guide/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/poachers-moon/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/mattresses-i-have-known/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/if-you-could-only-carry-two-things-in-the-bush-what-would-they-be/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/humping-your-bluey/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/supercat-hiking-stove/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/diy-side-burner-metho-stove/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/ultralight-cups/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/ultralight-ultracheap-backpack/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/the-importance-of-a-roof/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/raincoat-shelter/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/hammock-camping/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/restore-pdf-maps-functionality/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/the-lie-of-the-land/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/a-gorilla-in-the-hand/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/the-ultralight-fisherman/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/60-diy-ultralight-hiker-ideas/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/from-dawn-to-dusky/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/poly-tent-by-the-ultralight-hiker-on-the-cheap/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/finding-your-way/
04/11/2018: ‘I
am the master of my fate: I am the captain of my soul’. These are the words
which should be engraved above every school gate. I know most learned them
there when I was young. No-one else, nothing else is to blame. You alone are
responsible for what you are, what you can become. Today’s technology and
wealth ensures that the possibilities are endless…
Invictus William Ernest Henley (1849-1902)
Out of the night that covers me,
Black as the Pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.
In
the fell clutch of circumstance
I have not winced nor cried aloud.
Under the bludgeonings of chance
My head is bloody, but unbowed.
Beyond this place of wrath and tears
Looms but the Horror of the shade,
And yet the menace of the years
Finds, and shall find, me unafraid.
It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll.
I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul.
04/11/2018: Trump and Melania touring a
04/11/2018: Ten years since we lost Michael Crichton. The world has been a poorer place. There has not been much new that is good since The world has been a poorer place. There has not been so much new that is good (as there might have been) since alas – at least in fiction, the world of ideas. I guess you are all familiar with ‘Jurassic Park’, ‘Westworld’, but maybe not ‘State of Fear’, which you should read after you have read his wonderful essay, ‘Did Aliens cause Global Warming?’ : https://stephenschneider.stanford.edu/Publications/PDF_Papers/Crichton2003.pdf & https://www.steynonline.com/8958/the-admirable-crichton
04/11/2018: These Down-Filled Quilts are So Light: Filled with hydrophobic down the Enlightened Equipment Enigma Quilts start at 272 grams for a 30F/-2C quilt in 5’6” Regular and cost from US229.99 on Massdrop. This would be Della’s size though she would go for a warmer version (20F) at 347 grams which would still ave her over 50 grams on the one she uses now (also cheaper) – which I find astonishing. In my size (5’6’ to 6’) it would weigh 287 grams (Regular/Wide) around 300 grams less than my beloved Montbell – or if I wanted a warmer (20F) quilt in Regular/Wide it would weigh 388 grams, still a saving of over 200 grams but with a temperature rating 10F (7C) lower. If I can get comfortable sleeping on my back again (if I ever get it better!) probably on a 4” mat such as this or this, I will buy one of these. A saving of 200 grams is not to be sneezed at, plus the added ease of getting in/out of bed which is an important factor at my age – as you will learn sooner than you think!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=1&v=CMS3ibJIPTU[/
It is hard to believe that manufacturers have now whittled a comfy summer weight hiking bed down to under 500 grams (quilt plus mattress) ie 40F quilt (Regular/Regular) 232 grams plus Thermarest Uberlite 250 grams. Total = 482 grams. Given that you can get a shelter under 250 grams and a pack of not much more, you can now have the ‘Big Four’ at under a kilo. Stupendous!
Specs
- Enlightened Equipment
- Shell: 10d nylon
- Insulation: 850fp RDS-certified DownTek water-resistant down
- Handmade in
40-Degree Quilt
- Loft: 1.5 in (3.8 cm)
- Down fill weight, short/regular: 7.2 oz (204 g)
- Down fill weight, regular/regular: 7.87 oz (223 g)
- Down fill weight, regular/wide: 8.2 oz (232 g)
- Down fill weight, long/wide: 8.9 oz (252 g)
- Total weight, short/regular: 12.1 oz (343 g)
- Total weight, regular/regular: 13.08 oz (370 g)
- Total weight, regular/wide: 13.7 oz (388 g)
- Total weight, long/wide: 14.7 oz (416 g)
- Packed size: 6 x 15 in (15.2 x 38.1 cm)
30-Degree Quilt
- Loft: 2 in (5.1 cm)
- Down fill weight, short/regular: 9.6 oz (272 g)
- Down fill weight, regular/regular: 10.4 oz (294 g)
- Down fill weight, regular/wide: 10.5 oz (297 g)
- Down fill weight, long/wide: 11.9 oz (337 g)
- Total weight, short/regular: 14.7 oz (416 g)
- Total weight, regular/regular: 15.8 oz (447 g)
- Total weight, regular/wide: 16 oz (453 g)
- Total weight, long/wide: 17.9 (507 g)
- Packed size: 8 x 16 in (20.3 x 40.6 cm)
20-Degree Quilt
- Loft: 2.5 in (6.3 cm)
- Down fill weight, short/regular: 12.07 oz (342 g)
- Down fill weight, regular/regular: 13.09 oz (371 g)
- Down fill weight, regular/wide: 13.7 oz (388 g)
- Down fill weight, long/wide: 14.8 oz (419 g)
- Total weight, short/regular: 17.3 oz (490 g)
- Total weight, regular/regular: 18.7 (530 g)
- Total weight, regular/wide: 19.6 (555 g)
- Total weight, long/wide: 21.1 (598 g)
- Packed size: 8 x 16 in (20.3 x 40.6 cm)
10-Degree Quilt
- Loft: 3 in (7.6 cm)
- Down fill weight, short/regular: 14.4 (408 g)
- Down fill weight, regular/regular: 15.7 oz (445 g)
- Down fill weight, regular/wide: 16.5 oz (467 g)
- Down fill weight, long/wide: 17.8 (504 g)
- Total weight, short/regular: 19.9 oz (564 g)
- Total weight, regular/regular: 21.5 oz (609 g)
- Total weight, regular/wide: 22.5 oz (637 g)
- Total weight, long/wide: 24.2 (686 g)
- Packed size: 9 x 16 in (22.9 x 40.6 cm)
Dimensions
- Short/regular: 66 x 54 in (168 x 137 cm)
- Regular/regular: 72 x 54 in (183 x 137 cm)
- Regular/wide: 72 x 58 in (183 x 147 cm)
- Long/wide: 78 x 58 in (198 x 147 cm)
Included
- Silnylon stuff sack
- 100% cotton storage bag
- 2 elastic pad straps (removable)
- Enlightened Equipment’s limited lifetime warranty
See: https://enlightenedequipment.com/enigma/
See Also:
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/a-quilt-for-all-seasons/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/how-light-can-a-tent-be/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/ultralight-hunting-daypack-update/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/thermarest-neoair-uberlite/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/backpacking-gear-advice/
03/11/2018: The Ultralight Comb: No longer happy with your old plastic comb to ensure you always look beautiful in the wilderness? ‘Vanity, thy name is man’ as Hamlet says. I know mine which has been in my pack for over twenty years has a tooth missing (courtesy of my daughter, Irralee on the Dusky Track c 2007), so perhaps I should consider replacing it with a true ‘Rolls Royce’ of combs.
The Chicago Comb Company Carbon Fibre #1 & 6 Combs:
Naturally I am attracted to their Titanium Models as I have become a titanium fetishist (as you might have noticed - much like the rubber fetishist in Spike Milligan’s wonderful movie, ‘The Bed-Sitting Room’ - Watch on https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=de0w8tU0j1U) However the carbon fibre model is much lighter, though in fact not lighter than my old plastic one, but 10X the price – you can’t take it with you! After a while you wonder what you can spend it on; your house is so full of amazing things you just can’t resist! Tip: Don’t let your pack go the same way though. You will suffer! BTW my ancient Priceline $1 comb weighs 4 grams (albeit with a tooth missing).
Model #1:
Weights: ‘For the stainless steel combs, the Model No. 1 and Model No. 3 weigh 1.7 ounces (similar to a candy bar), but they feel much more substantial in hand than any plastic comb. The stainless steel Model No. 2 comb weighs 1.1 ounces, and the Model 4 weighs 1.3 ounces. Model 5 combs weigh under one ounce. All of the Titanium combs also weigh less than one ounce. (For our international customers' reference, 1 ounce = approximately 28 grams). The Carbon Fiber Model 1 weighs 10 grams (about 1/3 of an ounce) and the Model 6 weighs just slightly more’. (NB Models 1 Top & 6 Bottom shown) https://www.chicagocomb.com/store/c25/Professional_Grade_Carbon_Fiber_%28Model_No._1_%26_No._6%29_Starting_at_%2414.99.html
BTW: Your fingers can be used to comb your hair and weigh nothing!
03/11/2018: It has begun. Prediction: Julia Gillard will go to gaol: https://www.michaelsmithnews.com/2018/11/court-attendance-notice-and-brief-of-evidence-in-the-gillardwilson-slush-fund-matter.html
03/11/2018: We both attended Sydney Uni and have been
married now for nearly 60 years, but we would probably not pass now. I tried
the sample questions and was flummoxed: https://www.news.com.au/finance/business/other-industries/uts-students-must-do-an-online-consent-matters-course-to-obtain-exam-results/news-story/db2011e043b41d1c1d75e6dab78c4e0b
03/11/2018: Send them back to where they came from. See video: https://www.michaelsmithnews.com/2018/10/victoria-police-believe-its-ok-to-write-this-off-with-no-further-police-action.html & https://www.news.com.au/news/national/st-kilda-chef-bashed-by-group-of-youths-after-refusing-to-hand-over-cigarette/news-story/e22189f33fdd59898b422da0aa0d8db4
03/11/2018: A fearful mystery certainly, but imagine
our police force arriving at a rural residence in only four minutes. We have
been lucky if they arrived at all: https://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/real-life/news-life/the-bizarre-crime-story-gripping-america-and-baffling-police/news-story/225d25736e8c60591f6de6934eb919f6 It looks to me as if the mother was shot
at 12:30 and believed dead by the perpetrators but managed to activate her
mobile phone at 12:58 just enough to say, ‘Help’ before she died. This must
have alerted the perps who fled in the critical 4 minutes. They obviously still
have the kid/wanted the kid in the first place though. A very sinister crime.
02/11/2018: What a Beautiful Knife: The CRKT Eros K455TXP Titanium Gentleman's Folder available on Massdrop this morning for US$ 109.99 instead of the regular price of US$225 – over 50% off! What a bargain. Love this site! I know I don’t either need or deserve a new pocket knife but I am seriously temted (for Xmas perhaps?) It comes with a ‘flipper’ for easy one-handed opening and a frame lock (the model shown is right-handed).
‘The CRKT Eros earned a spot in the pockets of many due to its slim build, sleek appearance, and overall utility. Now it’s back, this time with a lighter, stronger 6AL4V titanium handle and a designation of Imported Knife of the Year at Blade Show. Blending the best aspects of a tactical folder and a gentleman’s knife, this new type of hybrid is larger than the original Eros, with a 3-inch blade. Made from Acuto 440 stainless steel, it features a satin finish to complement the handle. The blade’s elongated tip makes it great for piercing tasks and adds to its angular, tapered aesthetic. Deployment is a breeze, too: Just press on the flipper and it rotates open smoothly thanks to the IKBS bearing system. Also notable is the unique V-shaped pocket clip for right-handed tip-down carry.’
Specs
- Blade: Acuto 440 stainless steel with satin finish
- HRC: 59-60
- Handle: 6AL4V titanium
- Frame lock
- IKBS pivot system and flipper
- Pocket clip for right-handed tip-down carry
- Blade length: 3 in (7.6 cm)
- Closed length: 4 in (10.2 cm)
- Overall length: 7 in (17.8 cm)
- Weight: 1.4 oz (39.7 g)
02/11/2018: A spirited relationship certainly, but does not compare with the woman who believes she is married to a train station. BTW: I told you this would happen: https://nypost.com/2018/10/30/woman-who-had-sex-with-20-ghosts-is-now-engaged-to-a-spirit/
02/11/2018: The ancient evil from 5,000BC – how wonderful is it that we have this ancient writing (the author might almost ne talking about the dangers of ‘climate change’ today): https://publicdomainreview.org/collections/the-devils-and-evil-spirits-of-babylonia-1903/
02/11/2018: An excellent review by Geoffrey Luck, To paraphrase: “Before his death Muhammad could claim: ‘I have been made victorious with terror.’” What a lovely (perfect) man. ‘The History of Jihad: From Muhammad to ISIS’, Robert Spencer Bombadier Books 2018: https://quadrant.org.au/opinion/qed/2018/11/muhammads-bloody-creed/
01/11/2018: Everest: Two years ago today. Facebook is reminding me, ‘First view of Everest. These lovely blue flowers were everywhere. Garlic soup for lunch and dinner. With Steve Hutcheson’: http://www.theultralighthiker.com/i-followed-my-footsteps/
01/11/2018: Thomas Paine didn’t mince words on
Christianity. ”What is it the Bible teaches us?” he asked, and answered:
”rapine, cruelty and murder. What is it the New Testament teaches us?—to
believe that the Almighty committed debauchery with a woman engaged to be
married; and the belief of this debauchery is called faith.” Exactly! (‘The Age
of Reason’ 1794-1807). A woman in
31/10/2018:
An important new book on how we get to
be who we are; finally the truth: http://www.rationaloptimist.com/blog/the-genes-of-human-behaviour/
31/10/2018:
‘So, having spent years denying that
there is any objective reality to racial classifications, liberals start
sifting people into racial categories with an obsessiveness that puts South
African policemen under the old regime to shame. Race, among other
classifications, becomes a lens through which the whole of social life is
examined. In short, there is no racist as fanatical as an anti-racist’ http://catallaxyfiles.com/2018/10/26/identity-politics-and-apartheid/
31/10/2018: Real people put living Standards above Virtue Signalling, says Alan Moran: http://joannenova.com.au/2018/10/80-of-australian-dont-want-the-government-to-put-renewables-ahead-of-costs-health-housing-jobs-etc/
29/10/2018: Anti Aging – Probably you should begin now with Metformin and NMN (increase your life expectancy by 10-25%) and wait for the next major breakthrough – which apparently will be along in about three years: ‘The interventions include: dietary restriction, exercise, mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) inhibitors, metformin and acarbose, NAD precursors and sirtuin activators, modifiers of senescence and telomore dysfunction, hormonal and circulating factors, and mitochondria-targeted therapeutics.’ https://www.nature.com/articles/npjamd201621
29/10/2018: A further alienation of the public’s lands from the public – and another step on the road to apartheid: https://amp.theguardian.com/australia-news/2018/oct/26/victoria-native-title-agreement-gives-rights-to-11-per-cent-of-states-landmass?fbclid=IwAR3NWPOMbhnO8ozgRki9ZLe6urDXyLLkueYKFT65bBFnRbCzHd5bvW4mJzU
29/10/2018: Locking it all up: Bans on mining and mineral exploration (even where major deposits have already been found – such as gas in Victoria or petrochemicals in the Great Barrier Reef region and the Great Australian Bight) are insane public policy: https://wattsupwiththat.com/2018/10/28/does-the-u-s-and-green-tech-have-a-looming-technology-security-minerals-crisis/
26/10/2018: DIY Air Frame Pack: This will make your frameless pack more comfortable, transfer load to your waist belt and help keep your back dry. You can still buy an ‘air beam’ from Granite Gear for US$50. You will need to make a 3D wicking mesh pocket on the back of your frameless pack (one like this or this for example) to help keep your back dry – and to make the load transfer from the air beam work.
For best results get a piece of mesh that is slightly wider than the air beam ( and slightly longer). Sew it as a pocket on the back of the pack so that it covers the entire pack. You will have to leave an unsewn space on each side for taking it in and out. In other words sew each end to the pack, then each side about 6” up at either end. Hope that is clear. You can buy the mesh eg here or here - see 3D Spacer Mesh: PS: You can use two layers of the 3ml mesh to get extra cushioning, drying, wicking if the thicker material isn’t available.
The Vapor Air Beam comes with a handy pump which will get it very tight, but you can do this to save a little weight. You can also cut it to the size you need in the same way you would with a sleeping pad. You can cut down this Air Beam to fit a Gossamer gear Pack such as this Gorilla. For best wicking results you will need to construct a mesh cover or modify the pack a bit.
Tip: I you are using a 3./4 sleeping bad such as the Thermarest Neoair Xlite at 260 grams, you can use the air beam for extra insulation under your feet.
See: https://www.granitegear.com/outdoor/accessories/vapor-current-airbeam-frame.html
https://ripstopbytheroll.com/collections/pack-fabric/products/3d-spacer-mesh-1-4
https://www.questoutfitters.com/mesh_fabrics.htm#POLYMESH1
See Also:
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/klymit-air-beam-inflatable-pack-frame-update/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/air-beam-pad/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/pimping-a-gorilla/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/budget-pack-mods/
26/10/2018: Heinlein’s ‘Space Elevator’ just became real. This development will liberate mankind from the prison of earth’s gravity, and having a single home. ‘Tomorrow the Stars’ – as was the title of one of his famous books: https://wattsupwiththat.com/2018/10/26/space-race-game-changer-chinese-space-elevator-breakthrough/
26/10/2018: I have noticed this about glaciers myself. They NZ ones were at exactly the same point when I returned in 2000 as when I first saw them in 1974. Of course they grow in a wet year and shrink in a dry one. (They are made of water, stupid), so temperature is the lesser factor. They are obviously always somewhere damned cold: http://joannenova.com.au/2018/10/evil-nature-caused-swiss-glaciers-to-melt-faster-in-1870-see-solar-and-volcanic-effects/
26/10/2018: Wentworth Update: Dave Sharma would have won if the Liberals had not published a faulty ‘How to Vote’ card in the local newspaper (missing the number 10!) provoking a swag of informal votes. I wondered too why they were so high. This single folly probably cost them the by-election – and compares with their electing Turnbull as the Leader – twice – how many times do you have to play Russian Roulette? https://www.michaelsmithnews.com/2018/10/the-liberal-party-genii-strike-again.html
25/10/2018: I was wrong:
Sharma is toast. His percentage of the postal votes has clearly plummeted.
I assumed that there would be a huge preponderance of Jewish postal voters
(because the election was on a Saturday) which would put his percentage up, but
the people who ‘held onto’ their votes until after the election date (this
should not be allowed) have decided in favor of Phelps (her majority is
increasing). You can see this from the AEC figures this morning: he is now
nearly 1800 behind when I predicted he would pick up 280 per 1000: https://tallyroom.aec.gov.au/HouseDivisionPage-22844-152.htm. What this
means is that unless Scomo very quickly changes his ways, he too is toast. The
pre-poll postal votes which were nearly 64% to Sharma show that before Scomo
intervened in the by-election Sharma was set to win! This is a serious problem
for Scott. Unfortunately he is beholden to all the Turnbull backers in the
party room so he is unlikely to change (as evidence his continuing to send
Turnbull to
25/10/2018: Trump is right about the caravan (just as he was right about the Russians) & etc: https://legalinsurrection.com/2018/10/video-migrant-caravan-has-people-from-all-over-the-world/ Bizarrely this writer thinks he has found ten reasons to vote democrat. Personally I am surprised he could ‘find’ even one: https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2018/10/24/stop-donald-trump-10-reasons-vote-democrats-asap-midterm-elections-column/1733264002/
25/10/2018: Jo Nova: ‘Since 1995, the temperatures didn’t rise for longer than any of the modelers thought was it was possible for temperatures to not rise. Antarctic sea ice set new highs, Antarctic temperatures did nothing, and tropical islands grew instead of shrinking. The hot spot went missing, and never returned, despite multiple search parties combing the data in search of missing upper tropospheric redness. Thus we found out the core assumption driving most of the prophesied warming was wrong. We also found out CO2 didn’t lead temperatures for the last half a million years, instead, the hallowed ice cores showed the exact opposite. The evil pollutant turned up 800 years late to nearly every warming party there was. So much for “cause and effect”.
A thousand tide gauges showed sea levels rose slower than expected, and had even slowed down. Ocean heat went missing too and instead of being where the IPCC thought it would be in 1995, it’s probably twenty-three light years away, approaching Cassiopeiae. Predictions of methane growth failed dismally (see here) after the Russians plugged their leaky pipes. The IPCC did not see that coming. But carbon dioxide emissions grew faster than expected, yet had even less effect.
Meanwhile hurricanes over the US stopped for the longest time on record, and hurricanes all over the world became less energetic.’
25/10/2018: Aliens at Work: https://wattsupwiththat.com/2018/10/23/nasa-releases-photo-of-weird-rectangular-iceberg/
25/10/2018: Beware of jinns! Maybe more women should take his advice? How primitive some people are – and still be allowed to vote: https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/blogs/tim-blair/a-freedom-sack-each-day-keeps-the-lovestruck-jinns-away/news-story/a6ca980a2f9dc5b155362a9afa536ef3
24/10/2018: ‘In the 620 cases of people who were wrongly imprisoned for rape, the median length of time that they spent in a cage for something that they didn’t do was fifteen long, endless years.’ Before you join the #IBelieveSurvivors look at the facts of these cases. The ‘survivors’ or other witnesses were ‘wrong’ 92% of the time! There are no doubt lots of other people still in gaol who were innocent. We must always give people the benefit of the doubt and let the law take its course: https://rosebyanyothernameblog.wordpress.com/2018/10/19/false-rape-accusations/
24/10/2018: Sharma is still in with a chance (and I for one hope he succeeds). There are (as of this morning) 1895 envelopes still to be opened, another 920 which will be looked at again as will the 4806 ‘informal’ votes, and 4442 postals still to come in. So more than 6000 votes and perhaps 7000 still to be counted. He has been running at as much as 64% (and it could go higher) so 280 more votes per 1,000 than Phelps. He was 1554 behind as of this morning (the gap has been slowly narrowing – boy these AEC staff take their time to count votes – as compared to temporary employees on the day!) As you can see he needs approx 6,000 more votes to be counted at this percentage to win, and there may be 7,000 to count or re-count, and his percentage may go up… We may not know until Nov 2 (the closing date) as there are still people voting who want to see that it was their vote that decided the matter. It should all be complete (electronically) at a second after the close of polls on election day. This system is absurd! inhttps://tallyroom.aec.gov.au/HouseDivisionPage-22844-152.htm
24/10/2018: Many dyed-in-the-wool ‘Liberals’ will be turned to Trump in the ‘Mids’ because of this: (Thank goodness): ‘I lived through the Clarence Thomas Wars, the Sarah Palin Wars, the public destruction of John McCain and Mitt Romney… This was different. This was murder — the first-degree, cold-blooded murder of a man’s reputation, his young family, and his entire future using the Soviet-style revolutionary tactics of vile lies in pursuit of power. This was a leftist mob backed by the billions of corporate dollars that flow through CNN, NBC, etc., throwing an innocent man, his wife, and traumatized young daughters into a volcano as a sacrifice to the cause, as a means to appease the hysterics stalking the halls of the Senate screaming, “Witch! WITCH! WIIIIIIITCH!!!!!!!!!”’ https://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2018/10/06/nolte-winners-and-losers-of-the-kavanaugh-confirmation/
24/10/2018:
‘It’s a shot from last year Steve…The Rolling Ground 20k NE of Kosci. Beautiful remote area and very exposed. Probably covered in snow after this cold blast. I’m home and just about to light a nice fire.
No deer on the Main Range Steve but quite a few horses in northern KNP and Dead Horse Gap. There were baits for pig and dog/fox eradication in some areas of Namadgi and KNP. Rabbits around Kiandra and a greeting party on the last day…
Kiandra
to Thredbo is a great section Steve ~100k. Not as difficult as
I think you will be checking out your schedule over the wamer months now you’ve seen these!
See:
http://www.john.chapman.name/vic-alpt.html
23/10/2018: Ramble On: I like the title. It sounds like something I would use myself! These folks have written a history of hiking. So far it is only available in paperback at US$18.95 from Amazon which is a bit of a problem for folks like me in Oz – but remember you can use Shipito. Perhaps there will be an electronic version available soon, because looking inside it you will find many interesting snippet – and some wonderful photos. Historical curios such as hikes by Alexander or the Emperor Hadrian intrigue me. I suggest you have a close look at this fascinating new book.
Some interesting historical photos to whet your appetite:
Book Cover
Three Musketeers
Orson Phelps
Civilian
Conservation Corps workers 
Fanny
Bullock Workman 
See: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1725036266/
See Also: http://www.theultralighthiker.com/woodcraft-george-washington-sears/
22/10/2018:
Turnbull chosen by Scomo to represent us
at the
22/10/2018:
22/10/2018: Wentworth still in play: The postal votes have already been running nearly 2/3 to the Libs. There are 4500 still to come in - which need not be posted yet. People have until 2 Nov to get them in! (Aside: I find this hard to believe that people can apply for a postal vote then wait until after the election day so that their vote can be the decider! This has to change). Phelps is 884 votes ahead. If these 4500 postals just fall the way they have been running Sharma will still win! Who knows which way the people who haven’t yet posted them will go…
21/10/2018:
Did you
see the huge drop in the Labor Party vote? Down from 25% to 10%! And the
Green vote was down a corresponding amount. That was what won Phelps the seat.
She won't win it at the General election. You could argue the total
conservative vote was up massively: Greens plus Labor got only 20%. They had
35% at the last election in that seat.The rest of the Independent vote (nearly
8%) went straight to the Libs – which means Phelps secured 18% of the Liberal
vote hopefully on a once-only basis. Conservative vote: 80%? Better than
Malcolm ever managed. Now do you see why Scomo wasn't quite so upset?
21/10/2018: Climate change is crap: https://wattsupwiththat.com/2018/10/18/trump-is-right-to-question-climate-change-causes/
21/10/2018: With cops like this, they’ll soon take down ‘the bad guys’ – and you thought our police force was dreadful: http://pickeringpost.com/glance/sydney-s-sister-city-of-san-fran-or-is-it-brother-city-/8661
20/10/2018: Nuts to ‘Leave No Trace’: Leave No Trace Extremism vs Vandalism: There is a better way. I view this (mainly urban) ‘philosophy’ (‘Leave No Trace’) as yet another example of green extremism and of statist efforts to further alienate public land from the people. Prior to sometime in the C12th ‘the public’ owned the ‘public land’ where they had pretty much unfettered rights to roam, hunt, collect (firewood, food, flowers, materials, gemstones, etc), shelter, live and generally enjoy its amenity. The Crown Land Act basically appropriated all the public land to the King, and the public were ever after forbidden its every use on pain of death (so this was a big change, back then) – so that Robin Hood and his ‘merry men’ (who lived there) became ‘criminals’ and could be hanged for ‘taking’ one of the ‘King’s deer’ for example – as in the old Television show, available to download free on the Internet Archive. (They are gold!) I would see the Crown Land Law Act repealed everywhere – and the land returned to the people.
After
the settlement of the various British colonies (
Otherwise you could pretty much walk, camp, hunt, light a campfire etc almost anywhere within the state forests which were nonetheless preserved in perpetuity for public use as crown land and forest. The Government retained the right to make special rules as circumstances required, so that some such activities could be circumscribed in specially ‘sensitive’ areas or areas with heavy use, (or times, etc) – and were. For example, there were duck ‘seasons’ and rules on taking fish, crayfish, deer, native animals, wildflowers etc – so that the resource could be preserved for future generations. This system of management preserved all the creatures and flora we still enjoy today for over 100 years – I would argue much better than the present ‘system’ of ‘conservation’.
Then
came ‘National Parks’, ‘State Parks’, ‘Reference Areas’ and other such
alienations of the public lands from the public. Interestingly these things
came simultaneously as fewer and fewer people lived , worked in or used these
wild areas. I suppose ‘everyone knows’ that Wilsons Prom was ‘pretty much’ the
first ‘National Park’ declared anywhere in the world. Probably the majority of
citizens of Victoria know how onerous the rules and regulations there are –
though some no doubt help preserve ‘delicate’ areas from too much human
traffic. In very busy areas more rules and regulations no doubt are
needed – whether the area be ‘National Park’ or ‘
There
remain vast areas of the Park though which one might well want to venture
(off-track) but may not, and which it is hard to see how the solitary hiker
would/could cause much disturbance by wanting just to see them. One might well
want to walk along the beach (for example) from the public access at Shallow
Inlet to the
Most other ‘National Parks’ are more remote and much less ‘busy’ so that it defies all reason why they need to be ‘National Parks’ – or have any rules at all. However in the vast ‘Alpine National Park’ for example, it is illegal to walk off-track anywhere (unless you are a deer hunter) – or to camp anywhere other than at ‘designated camp sites’ (few enough of them anyway). Some places there are ‘designated walking tracks’ it would be impossible to traverse in a single day but without ‘designated camp sites’ – so that it is both ‘permitted’ to venture there, but ‘illegal’ at the same time!
There appears to be pretty much zero maintenance of tracks both walking and vehicular by the tens of thousands of state employees of those government bodies responsible for the State Forests, National Parks etc. Deer hunters, 4WDers, fishers and loggers appear to do the lion’s share of any work carried out. Instead every year more and more tracks and roads are closed to public access (or even all access – including so-called ‘Management’ – hundreds of kilometers pretty much every single year). It is clear what the intention of all these track closures is: the total alienation of the public lands from the public whose (future) enjoyment was the intention of their ‘preservation’.
This has been happening ‘progressively’ since the 1970s. The amalgamation of the Forestry and Land Depts into various new super Depts with ever-changing fancy names only heralded the take-over of these Depts by green activists particularly since the 1980s. The focus of all ‘management’ has shifted from managing the actual land for which they are responsible to managing meetings, the office and the 4WD vehicles with road tyres they use to go from one meeting to another – and of course to the creation of more and more rules to micro-manage or further restrict public access to ‘their’ lands. As an example, the spread of sambar deer was clearly explained and identified by Max Downes as early as 1980 (before he and anyone else who did not suit the new ‘green’ philosophy was squeezed out).
The need to manage that spread by increasing hunting opportunities was clear, yet track access has been closed to vast areas (making any management of anything at all impossible) access to huge areas for hunting remained forbidden. Now that the deer have increased very substantially (mostly due to poorly controlled wildfires that their lack of management basically caused), the deer are so numerous in places they are now being shot from helicopters (and wasted) rather than being the premium hunting opportunity for recreational hunters that they ought to be, yet there remain large swathes of country hunters still may not go (or be able to go – due to track closures). Hunters, hikers, campers etc are adjured to ‘leave no trace’ yet even if they acted like the worst yobbos and vandals you have ever encountered in the bush they would do much less damage than the new ‘green’ management has resulted in – with millions of hectares ruined for decades by out-of-control wildfires (in the absence of any policy of regular fuel reduction, for example – or just the ability to drive on tracks which no longer exist to where the fires started).
Any ‘philosophy’ which aids this rabid theft of public land (by the bureaucracy) is reprehensible. Rather than ‘leave no trace’ I think it is the public’s responsibility (as they use the public land) to make improvements to it for future users. Clearing and maintaining vehicular and walking tracks, (including re-opening closed tracks) building and maintaining huts and campsites is an obvious place to start. At the moment it is actually illegal to ‘cut or lop’ any native vegetation without a permit – so that when a tree or plant encroaches on a track or falls over a road you may not cut it with your machete, pruning saw, axe, or chainsaw so that you can continue on your way. You are obliged by law to ‘leave no trace’. This is a ridiculous situation – and is sensibly disobeyed by most users.
At the same time the so-called ‘managers’ of these areas totally neglect them so that they are over-run by pest animals such as foxes, rabbits and cats and weeds such as the thousands of acres of blackberries in the Alpine National Park. There is zero fire prevention or fire break maintenance – indeed there are no firebreaks or even fire access roads. They have all been closed – so that episodically the whole vast area is swept ‘clean’ by shocking disastrous bushfires which far from leaving no trace, erase all life within them. Yet this is what the Green extremists and the bureaucrats who have stolen the land from the public seem to want – so long as the public can be totally excluded from those areas!
It seems perfectly reasonable to me help keep any tracks or roads clear, fill any vehicular holes with stones, to whipper-snip the grass in a camping area, (tidy up any rubbish vandals have left behind), and improve the amenity of the site generally eg by keeping a (non-designated) walking track to the river/stream clear, spraying any invasive weeds which have grown up nearby, throwing the cursed rings of stones back into the river and so on. None of these sensible activities would be allowed under the green extremist, ‘Leave No Trace’ ‘philosophy’. It is just another deplorable ‘religious’ mantra – and should be avoided, like all the others!
The human interface between ‘man’ and nature starts as soon as we open our eyes wherever we are, and every interaction leaves a ‘trace’ – on both parts. In suburbia we have the swallows nesting under our verandahs or in our garages who ‘paint’ interesting designs down our walls and on our cars. Some folks are so annoyed by this they knock the swallows’ nests down or even attempt to kill them eg with tennis rackets. I know I had a friend who acted so. Bad karma got him in the end and he died young! So beware! Myself, I love the swallows and eagerly await their return. If they are a day late (around 20th August here) I start to worry that someone in their other home (I guess in North Asia somewhere) has harmed them – but they must have nice human friends there too, as they return every year and help clear the air of mosquitoes over Spring and Summer.
Most folks have a small (or large) garden I suppose (or wish for one) where they can plant a beautiful tree (or a thousand) and watch with delight as insects, birds and other creatures visit their garden. Many have ponds for frogs and other creatures to enjoy, and also bird feeders so the local inhabitants can stave off seasonal scarcity and fill the air with wonderful birdsong. In helping construct the natural environment which begins right outside their bedroom window (as ours does), they are doing just the reverse of ‘Leave No Trace’ – and doing so quite properly. May all gardeners prosper – and the world become one vast garden which we share with every living thing!
The
dams that beavers build, the bowers of birds and the termites’ mounds are all
works of nature – just as our houses and gardens are. The line between
ourselves and nature is not clear and stark but very blurry – as it should be.
Nature is enormously resilient. We must all have seen photographs of ruined
cities such as Ankor and Macchu and wondered at the way nature is ‘reclaiming
them’ – or just melding with them, as it ever does. All the CO2 folks have
produced over the last thirty years or so has created forests greater than two
As we move further out from suburbia we begin to interact more and more with the natural world. Our farms and roadsides teem with wildlife which farmers are careful to nurture and encourage by building dams, shelter-belts and providing nest boxes for wildlife to live and breed in, for example. You can observe some of our own modest efforts here. If all we did was ‘leave no trace’ we would do nothing. Then there are the hordes of people who spend their leisure time in one way or another caring for the land. The duck hunters who acquire, create and re-vegetate swamps and fill them with nesting opportunities, for example, the thousands of fox hunters who spend every winter weekend out in the cold and rain attempting to reduce or eliminate the plague of these terrible destroyers of wildlife, and so on.
Most people venture out from suburbia every now and then to vehicular campsites, caravan parks, beaches etc where they interact with nature in various ways. It is common for them to pick wildflowers, or take a feather or pretty stone or piece of driftwood home with them. The kids build sandcastles, or gather sticks and driftwood and make cubbies (Everyone takes a few seashells, an interesting skull or a few pretty stones home). They children may dig pools in a stream or heap stones to dam it. Everyone plays at skipping stones (how wicked!) Various objects find their way into the stream to see how fast they will race. Many are lost forever. All also like to gather wood and have a campfire; they may even burn some rubbish in the fire – and may even feed the ducks! All this outrageous everyday behaviour is anathema to the ‘leave no trace’ brigade. How silly and authoritarian they are!
There
are vast areas of wilderness where no-one is ever likely to live – but which
one might visit. Here in the East of
If I failed to return for only a little while (a couple of years is enough) my ‘track’ would be gone – and I would have to make a new one. I am speaking here only of opening up an existing ‘game trail’ so a person may walk without stooping overmuch. Sometimes others followed my ‘tracks’ and also enjoyed the camping spots I found and ‘improved’. Most folk are too blind to ever notice such ‘game trails’ at all. To make such trails and camps is a ‘public service’ and many more should do so, far from ‘leaving no trace’.
I
would see a path leading down every ridge and up every valley, and a soft,
pleasant camp on every cool, shady level spot. There are scarcely
enough people in the whole world to simultaneously occupy every such path and
spot as exist just here in the East of Victoria. Certainly there are not so
many folk in
I am talking here about breaking off the odd bough or sapling – with your hands is enough, so that a single person can freely pass, bending this way and that between the trees. I do not mean ploughing vast tracks under the treads of countless dozers. Where a level camp can be made beside a cool stream, it is enough to cut a half dozen saplings at most so a small pup tent can shelter one from a mountain storm. It would overgrow in a couple of seasons at most if left unused, or make a tiny clearing where wildlife might lie in the sun on a cool afternoon or nibble a sweet shoot or two. I am talking about removing a few twigs in a whole forest. Scarce anyone would notice my passing. The ‘butterfly effect’ is not reality. A broken twig does not shake the forest.
Mostly I carry a machete and a pruning saw to help me in this work. The two that I recommend here and here are mighty tools – plus light and inexpensive. Hand tools are best for this type of work so folks don’t become too enthusiastic! The tracks my Gerber machete has cleared though are very long – hundreds of kilometers are down to me. You might have encountered some over the years. I know I have encountered ones that others have cleared and breathed a word of thanks that they had so thoughtfully eased my way. Or enjoyed a night in a camp they made – and replaced what firewood I used in a pile leaned against a log to keep it dry – as you should.
As I canoe our rivers as I often do in summer , I stop to clear a path where there is an obstruction in the river, or sometime a side path where you can portage around a dangerous rapid. If there is an overhanging branch which would have you out on a fast inside bend (or possibly cause a drowning) I take it out. As I often camp overnight, naturally I chose a level spot which is already clear, but if it needs a nip here or there so you can put up a small tent and sit on a chair or hiking mat in the cool shade of a hot summer’s day – off it goes. These prunings will only be someone else’s campfire after all. I have cleared many rivers like this over the years. Of course it is only ‘stream improvement’. The work needs to be done again and again. I encourage others to take up where I left off. I also move a few stones betimes to make a rapid or a pebble race easier or safer to navigate. Sometimes, because things weigh less under water, the rocks I have moved are larger than myself – it is no wonder perhaps I have this back trouble which keeps me restively home of late. I love it when I come to a deep pool where someone has thoughtfully climbed a huge tree to tie a stout rope for swinging and perhaps cut some steps to aid your ascent. Or where people have thoughtfully cleared a path and/or cut steps down from some beautiful campsite amongst glorious shade trees.
Many remote waterfalls are marked on topographical maps, yet few have walking tracks to handy viewing spots so you can visit them. Such falls are surely a delight to all. Surely too it is a public duty to carefully make such a path, and create steps too to get folks down to lovely swimming pools or fishing holes? So too places with delightful views perhaps of yawning precipices or vast horizons. These wonders are being ‘saved for future generations’ but it would be bizarre indeed if the current one could not enjoy them too! I am certainly not going to be held back from doing so by some silly current law or absurd quasi religious belief! My handy machete will continue to go snicker-snack for many years yet, and open them up to searching eyes that yearn for wide vistas.
Oh, and mostly I take a dog or two with me wherever I go, whether they are allowed or not. I will pay their fine if I have to, as their price of admission. They pay their taxes too (on dog feed, collars, flea medicine etc), so they deserve to see all these wonders the Government (?) provides which otherwise would only be seen by their descendants whom the areas are being ‘saved for’. They enjoy!
A reader wrote me this letter – which provoked this post. He is obviously young and has been indoctrinated all his life – but he also needs to learn there are other ways of thinking, which are really not downright wickedness! I was hard on him I guess, but you must remember I came up through the ‘school of hard knocks’ not the cosseted insulated namby-pamby nonsense that has been the lot of young people today. I am used to ‘calling a spade a bloody shovel’ as my mother used to say,
‘Hi Steve,
My name is ——, and I am working on my final project for my Outdoor Environment and Sustainability Education degree. The goal of my project is to encourage outdoor activity and spread awareness for reducing the environmental impact while outdoors.
As an avid camper, I’ve chosen this comprehensive guide “The Big Green Guide to Responsible Camping” as the focus for my assignment:
https://www.vouchercloud.com/resources/big-green-camping-guide
I thought that it might be a helpful resource for your site and visitors.
Thank you so much for taking the time to read this.
I look forward to hearing your thoughts.’
I replied: Hi ——,
Thank
you for your input. Unfortunately the bits I agree with are time honoured
truths; while the green religo bits are anathema to me, as I happen to think
Greens are the most evil people on the planet – rather worse than the Nazis and
Communists even – as they want to kill at least a third of the world’s people,
probably more: they would take out 25% just if ‘organic farming’ was
implemented everywhere, for example. I would not buy
I am saddened that you are wasting your life studying for such a degree when you could be doing science, engineering or business all of which have a far better chance of improving both the human and natural environment (and have) than silly retrograde and ‘distributionist’ notions. I hope it is not too late for you to change courses. You should not spend your life ‘preaching’ such evil nonsense!
I am an ‘avid camper’ myself though I almost never do most of the things in the guide. For example, I almost never walk on paths or camp where others have camped. I own this might be harder in the UK which has a plague of people (We have been given a free return ticket there, but I doubt I will ever go; just too many people) – nonetheless world-wide the area of wilderness has expanded by 20%+ over the last quarter century because of the success of Western farming methods freeing up so much land, so there really are increasingly more places to go.
Also, I almost always have a fire (I never camp in summer) and I have observed that it is better for the environment if you have fires on fresh spots each time, as this maximises interesting regrowth. I often clear a path for others to follow (I admit this is largely because my wife is partially sighted) and I think this is a good thing to do, as it is better entirely if people are more spread out, rather than localised in formal camping spots.
I notice the guide omitted the idea of making your own camping gear (which is what I usually do). Surely this is much ‘greener’ than nearly all the other options? It doesn’t seem to encourage hunting either (which I have always done). Surely hunting is much ‘greener’ than consumerism. I also always make, rather than buy my own meals. Why not try the Nepali Dahl meal I just posted about?
I know you will probably find the above awfully rude. I just hope that it is not too late for you to change your very wrong thinking. We were all young once, and if when we were impressionable we came under the evil influence of bad ‘teachers’ we might all have gone where you seem to be headed. However, I have known many who were able to see through the fog of propaganda they have been served, and who have mended their ways entirely. I hope you become one such.
Good Luck, Steve Jones.
He never replied. There is always still time. At least I tried!
PS: Just a sprinkling of our photos to illustrate what otherwise might be too much writing in one hit. Hope you enjoy. Cheers, Steve.
PS2: I see no reason why folks who chose to live in the wilderness far from any track or road should be prevented from doing so…Watch these films: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leave_No_Trace_(film) & http://www.theultralighthiker.com/dick-proenneke-alone-in-the-wilderness/
CO2
is greening the earth. Two new areas the size of
This great greening news even comes from NASA which usually warns about its ill effects. See: https://www.nasa.gov/feature/goddard/2016/carbon-dioxide-fertilization-greening-earth
& http://www.thegwpf.com/matt-ridley-global-warming-versus-global-greening/
& http://www.rationaloptimist.com/blog/bumper-harvests-save-nature/
In
another fifty years – when I am long gone, 3-4 more
A Thoughtful Comment and Reply:
Nate:
I think a lot of this controversy over land management has to do with
differences in what is appropriate for different places and our failure (mine
included) to recognize this. Clearly, what’s appropriate for Gippsland
would not be appropriate for
I’m really appreciative of you showing me a different perspective than what I typically hear hawked over and over. Granted, I still won’t be bringing outside firewood to a state park, because rules like that exist for good reason, but maybe I won’t be so worried about cutting a few saplings or having a small fire outside of an established ring in rural national forest areas.
Steve: I haven’t been to the States but I gather there are a lot of wild places away from established trails and that these areas are increasing as land has been abandoned for farming etc and CO2 fuels their growth. (Further reading: Gossamer Gear Blog) Apparently lots of people other than hunters are ‘bushwhacking’ as you call it – or going off track and camping away from hard-pressed areas. I think this is a good thing. This policy of designating camping areas which then become over-run by people is questionable. Likewise trails funnel people who would otherwise be dispersed.
Of course I dislike vandals, people who leave rubbish, people who make rings of stones, chop down large live trees, leave campfires burning, light campfires in warm weather, chop up tracks with their 4WDs, let off guns unnecessarily or have poor gun safety, kill game and leave it to rot…Bizarrely some of these things are permitted or practiced by current land managers – even though they are clearly nothing like ‘leave no trace’ which they religiously preach at everyone else to practice, eg don’t move a stone in a river or pick up a piece of wood, or tie your hammock to a tree, etc, etc.
There needs to be a bit of rethinking, eg about people’s access to the land, fire management and especially fuel reduction, fire breaks, etc. In fact the natural landscape would benefit from more disturbance like logging, mining and grazing – if it prevents large-scale destruction from wildfires for example, or increases species diversity – which it does. There are more species in secondary growth than old growth, for example.
Most people have become far too religious in their attitudes to ‘conservation’. When I was young ‘conservationists’ were people who planted (thousands) of trees on their land (as I have done all my life – I must have planted out square miles by now!) I think this allows me to chop up a dead tree for my winter firewood for example – which is our only source of winter warmth, and has been all my life, or have a campfire up the bush.
I have never lived in a city or town. Most of my life I have never even lived where I can see another house, but instead where within minutes I can step into ‘untouched ‘forest either on my own land or adjacent to it!) I can show you a photograph looking up our valley in as little ago as 1983. You can pretty much count the trees in the (couple of square miles of valley behind us (which then used to be a large sheep grazing property – and before 1968 small dairy farms).
Now it is mostly unbroken forest from here to Yarram, about 40 miles away. Before 1968 it was all grassy paddocks. Over a thousand square miles of forest has sprung up right behind us in that (to me) short time. Now (evidently) I am being told by ‘conservationists’ that I may not even walk off the edge of my own property into that forest (I must ‘leave no trace’) when, as I pass through it, I can still recall the names and faces of people who lived and worked it (milked cows etc) in what to me is the recent past. Some of the (new) streets and older roads around here are named after them too.
I
remember another area (near
The
company found it unsuitable after a few years. Copper deficiency in the
soil rendered it poor land for sheep. They (successfully) applied to have their
grant moved to near ‘Goonoo Goonoo’ near
I
can remember as a child visiting my father’s old mates on these blocks in the
1950s. Mile upon mile of ring-barked forest turning into grassland –
which it did. After
The
Blue Mountains (including the iconic
Today’s
road does not take their exact routs – as an even routes were found (Cox’s,
I
will give you another example: the
When the first settlers arrived there (in the 1840s) the whole area was a clear plain as far as the eye could see, with at most one tree per hectare/2 acres. It was surveyed and divided into 320 acre (half square mile) blocks for ‘selectors’ to farm, which they did, felling the few trees to build fences and houses. They and their sheep dogs quickly gobbled up the innumerable rat-kangaroos.
In
the 1860s there was a drought which forced them to move away for 7
years. When they returned there was a forest coming up everywhere
which every effort for 100 years failed to remove! They brought in huge
traction engines from
Just
across the (Latrobe) Valley from us is the Baw Baw Plateau . I can see it out
my study window as I type – Mt Baw Baw itself still snow-capped today.
(It holds one of the best walks in the world, the Upper Yarra
Track) The whole area is now the
In 1914 the Long Tunnel gold mine at Walhalla had cleared every tree for nearly thirty miles around Walhalla – ie most of the ‘Park’. today. Back then it looked like the surface of the moon as innumerable miners had turned it completely upside-down. There was a road right along the top of the plateau and much of it was clear land for grazing bullocks to feed the miners.
After the gold mine closed (after WW1) the land was abandoned and regrew to forest. The Mountain Ash (Eucalyptus Regnans – the king of the eucalypts, and the tallest tree in the world – over 300 ‘ or 100 metres!) can grow at an astonishing rate. Trees which were seedlings after the 1939 fire were logged in the 1980s. Each single trunk was more than a log truck could carry!)
We
used to hunt the whole area with hounds for sambar deer until the Park was
declared in the early 1980s – well, after that actually! The
government eventually chased us out with helicopters! Now I may not even take
my Jack Russell, Spot for a walk there. Stuff and Nonsense!
It gets worse: I have watched a much larger area, the size of Victoria (100,000 square miles!) grow to be forest in Western NSW after having to be abandoned by farmers in a drought in the 1970s. I think you can see that these are very large changes, so perhaps you can understand why I view the very small changes implicit in ‘leave no trace’ to be the merest ‘butterfly effect’ fantasies.
19/10/2018:
Eric
Holthaus is completely right – the IPCC is no different from the Cominterm, ie
they are communists bent on destroying capitalism and installing their own
world government where they get to live out of our pockets forever and bully us
with things we neither want nor need: https://wattsupwiththat.com/2018/10/09/ericholthaus-new-ipcc-report-calls-for-rigorous-backing-to-systematically-dismantle-capitalism/ Hidden in all
this is even a $240 per gallon ($80/litre) tax on petrol: https://wattsupwiththat.com/2018/10/09/ipcc-demands-240-gal-gasoline-tax/
19/10/2018: Watch out: Severe climate events could cause shortages in the global beer supply: https://wattsupwiththat.com/2018/10/15/climate-beer-goggles/
19/10/2018: Turnbull Junior is the best reason I can think of for people to vote Liberal in Wentworth: https://www.news.com.au/national/politics/malcolm-turnbulls-son-names-provocative-list-of-liberal-party-crazies/news-story/60d9f48c1cfa5d6cc423faa3cf191f08
18/10/2018: World oil supply and demand now at a record 100 million barrels per day. Petroleum Engineering is the highest paying major in college. Ain’t it just grand: https://wattsupwiththat.com/2018/10/15/oil-production-at-100-million-bbl-d-twin-peaks-straining-the-system-to-the-limit-or-just-another-day-at-the-office-in-a-highly-resilient-industry/
18/10/2018:
Grisly details of Khashoggi’s murder
begin to surface. (There is a tape).
They took seven minutes to kill him, first cutting his fingers off, then
cutting his body up while he was still alive! His killer identified as the head of Saudi forensic medicine. Hard
to see how King Salman can wriggle out of this one (whatever you think of
Khashoggi) https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/exclusive-khashoggi-829291552
18/10/2018:
Wentworth is looking a mess, after all. The
Libs needed Labor to finish second on the primary vote, bur Phelps is at the
moment by a country mile, (4%). Whilst the Greens have preferenced Labor ahead
of her, Labor has a lot of distance to catch up on before her preferences are
counted ahead of Labor’s (she preferenced Lib), so it could well be a disaster
for the Libs contrary to what I said back on 8/10. Morrison is desperately
wooing the Jewish vote, which might work. Some polling has the Libs losing
Wentworth 55:45. It would be hard for Morrison to seem anything other than a
‘lame duck’ after such a defeat. All down to Mal’s malice against the Liberal
Party of course. Why did they ever choose him – even once?
17/10/2018: Kill Wasp Queens Now: Spring and the wasp queens are out and about. If you don’t kill them now there will be hundreds of worker wasps everywhere come summer to spoil your barbecue or sting your kids. Last year I managed to tread on a European wasp’s nest and was bitten dozens of tiems. Let me tell you it was not ppleasant, and the swelling and irritation from the bites lasted for many days. People who are allergic could easily be killed, likewise pets.
Simple milk bottle trap.
You can easily kill them with simple milk bottle traps. You can use the recipe below (btu you will kill some other insects too, such as bees. A poisoned meat baiot is better as it will only kill wasps and the occasional blow-fly (if the wasps allow it near the rotting meat. You can easily make a poisoned meat bait from mince and a readiy available spot-on (dog) flea chemical. If only one household per suburban block did this we would eradicate the wasp from our cities.
The Kiwis
are wiping out European wasps. Let’s do it too: https://www.stuff.co.nz/environment/wasp-wipeout/87865462/the-weapon-to-wipe-out-wasps-the-story-of-vespex--wasp-wipeout?rm=m
‘For those who would like queen lure
here it is again
Use a 1.25 L soft drink bottle with 3, 10mm holes, approx. 150mm from bottom of
bottle
Make up a solution 8 tablespoons of honey in hot water with a 2 teaspoons pure
vanilla essence Queen red label 35% alcohol this will do 4-5 traps, divide bait
between traps, top up with water to just below holes replace cap and hang in a
sunny spot in garden, near water. Fruit trees with curly leaf is a good place,
bait will take a week or so to activate. Shake every few days to let bait
dribble out .keep in place until January. Strain out when full, reuse and top
up bait with water. Replace bait every 4-5 weeks
Will also catch workers Jan-April plus flies.’ European Wasp Control Project
Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/927515897312332/
I bought one 2.68ml pipette of Frontine (large dog) from my local Safeway store for A$17 (April 2018). Diluted 100 times (268 mls) with water this was (or will be) enough to prepare 52 x 20 gram minced meat baits (I bought 24 x 20 grams meatballs from safeway for $6) which I simply slipped into a used plastic milk bottle I had drilled a few 12mm holes in and hung in the garden after training the wasps for a couple of days with unbaited mince. That single purchase should kill very wasp within 200 metres of our property for several years!
Instructions for preparing poisoned baits here and here:
Male Queen and Worker European Wasps
European Wasp and (native) Paper Wasp
See Also:
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/eradicate-european-wasps/
17/10/2018:
What else about Khashoggi don’t we know?
What an awful, awful place the
17/10/2018: It’s OK to be a Red Indian – particularly if you are just the same amount Red Indian as the average European American, ie .18 of 1%! Many of our so-called ‘aborigines’ are no doubt much the same as Elizabeth Warren – why, they may even be distantly related. Pocahontas indeed! Perhaps after all, ‘It is OK to be white.’ https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/blogs/tim-blair/the-worlds-fractionest-indian/news-story/d105cd53e9300e76d57509a6ca11b89b
17/10/2018: ‘Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen dies of cancer at age 65 He ranked 44th on Forbes' 2018 list with more than $20 billion. After the game, the pawn and the king go in the same box.’ Roger de Hauteville
16/10/2018: ‘There are three kinds of men: The ones
that learns by reading. The few who learn by observation. The rest of them have
to pee on the electric fence for themselves.’ Will
16/10/2018: How to Delete Facebook and Instagram From
Your Life Forever. (It’s harder than you might think): https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/10/technology/personaltech/how-to-delete-facebook-instagram-account.html
16/10/2018: Looks like Trump has ‘persuaded’ the
Saudis to ‘fess up’. (He is amazing). Do you remember when this guy’s
Khashoggi’s uncle (?) brought down the Whitlam Government? Perhaps you are too
young. Of course the Saudis also not only created Bin Laden but also financed
him. So too the Taliban,
15/10/2018: Still at 53: 47 (error 2.4). Not nearly good enough. Hopefully after Wentworth is finished Scott will be able to sell some real conservative policies that voters will love. Otherwise: the deluge! : https://www.news.com.au/national/politics/coalition-claws-back-support-newspoll/news-story/146ef5ae77c5d35d6d516ee8c04ee39d
15/10/2018: Global area-averaged lower tropospheric
temperature anomalies (departures from 30-year calendar monthly means,
1981-2010). September the coolest in 10 years
up one tenth of a degree from the 1980-2010 average (a warmer period
anyway). A whole one-tenth of a degree (yet it killed the
15/10/2018: Che: You may not recognize this guy without the cap and T-shirt, but yesterday was the 50th anniversary of the death of the evil murderer, Che Guevara. He does look a little annoyed to have been executed just as he executed so many – shot up against a wall, without a trial. The guy pointing is obviously commenting on their good shooting.
To
my astonishment when I was at Uni he was a hero to the benighted Left. He still
is on a current Irish postage stamp. What a strange country
14/10/2018: Electric Drill Earth Auger: I have been substantially laid up with this back (slipped disc then back op. – basically since July dammit!). Slowly getting better I hope (?) Meanwhile however my daughter Merrin and I have planted about 300 trees mainly using this method which costs at most a couple of dollars ($A) and at least A$1 when you get to re-use the conduit a couple of years later when the tree has grown enough so that the sheep will not bother it any more.
This
evergreen alder has already grown a foot in the month since we planted it. In
the background you can see the tree guards we used to use (last year’s
planting) which cost over $20 each instead of $2.
Some of those we have put in we will be able to re-use the conduit next autumn! Willows, poplars and evergreen alders (for example) really get up. We have growth out the top of the plastic guards (5’ up!) already in less than a month! We expect similar results from some other trees eg prunus (esp suckers), elm suckers, pawlonia (suckers), ash…I will add to the list). Mostly we are using plant material we can get for free eg from roadsides and other bits of rough or wild, so the total cost of those planted trees is $A1 and our labour – and it is fun planting trees with your daughter – when she can get a break from her infant son.
Japanese
Maple. It’s amazing how much growth you can slip the tube over when the
branches are bare. Of course she may have planted this the other way, ie
slipping the root ball through the tube. In either case, this is quite a tree
given that it has only been in the ground a couple of weeks. (Aside: the
thistles are out of control this year due to my not being able to spray them.
We have a contractor coming next week – and hopefully a couple of inches of
rain too!)
I bought a 2” x 9” (long) earth auger from these folk (because I wanted it in a hurry) which cost me around $A50 delivered. I believed it would have a standard hex head which I could attach to a drill extension, but it ended up being a much larger hex head which I could not buy an extension for (locally) so I cut off a length of a long M12 bolt and welded the two together to give me a drill around 18” long, which was about what we wanted for the hole. (PS: It would have cost me closer to A$200 for one that long!) If the soil is nice and moist at that depth it will give the cutting a good start and leave pretty close to the 5’ of conduit (and plastic tube) sticking out of the ground to protect the growing plant from maraudering sheep. We have been using an 18 volt rechargeable Makita Drill Model DHP 481. It is very suitable for the purpose as it has a long handle which is great for resisting the turning force of the auger.
The
Makita DHP 481, hole punch from Officeworks, roll of protective tubing and the
poorly welded auger – which nonetheless works perfectly well!
We have pruned quite a variety of other (potted) trees (mainly tube stock and bare-rooted trees) to a single leader and planted them in the tubes too. Lots of them are doing well. The longest has been in the soil for less than a month. Others we planted just yesterday. They included English Oak, Holm Oak, Black Walnut, Chestnut, Red Oak, Pin Oak, Lilypilly, Magnolia, Maple…
The
old blackwoods are near the end of their life. This one has fallen down. Winter
wood for next year. When all those tree tubes
have grown their trees Merrin will have quite a little forest there just above
our bottom dam.
It is as simple as this: Drill the hole to 16-18”. Put the conduit in the hole. Give it a couple of taps with a mason’s hammer to secure it in the bottom. If planting a cutting place it in the hole next to it. If a potted tree dig a big enough hole right next to the conduit so you can fit the tree (pruned back to a single leader) inside the plastic tube, refill the hole making sure that there is loose moist dirt the full length of the hole. Slip the plastic sleeve over the tree and conduit (carefully so you don’t snap the tree). Pull the sleeve out in the middle (not the edge as the tree will get more air this way) and make three double rows of holes with the hole punch. Secure the plastic sleeve to the conduit with three cable ties. (Water in if necessary when you finish). Move on to the next tree.
This
Magnolia and Japanese Maple arte already above their protective tubes after
less than a month. These trees will be over 10′ high (3 metres) by
autumn. Instant forest. This planting will both beautify and stabilise this old
slip above our top dam.
We are going to have some very nice walks right here on our home farm – and in the bush up the creek behind us where there is a waterfall, fern gullies, giant mountain ash forest, eagles’ nests and etc.
I
have been looking up some other (cheaper) earth augers you might also use. A
couple from the States which typically cost less than $US20 plus maybe $US10
(max) delivery to a
For example: Yard Butler 1 3/4″ Roto Digger & Jisco 1/3/4″ x 2′ Earth Auger
You may be better with these offerings from Aliexpress. This one for example is 43mm x 370 mm and costs US$20 inc shipping (This will be long enough if you give the conduit a couple of taps with the hammer): or you can buy 5 for US$90 – and sell four to your friends for $22.50ea and get yours for nothing!:
If
you want a longer one (800 mm) you could buy this one US$36.67:
Note that you will need the electric drill adapter for US$ 13.32 Also free shipping
to
See Also:
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/trees-and-tree-guards/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/the-tree-planting-team-today/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/wildlife-proof-fencing/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/our-valley-of-plenty/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/fencegarden/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/instant-trellisfence/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/capillary-mat-plant-starters/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/boastful-food-shots/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/ultralight-gardening/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/birds-in-our-garden/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/eradicate-european-wasps/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/several-winters-fires/
14/10/2018: For those who came in late. Here is how
you have been gulled: A summary of Donna Laframboise’s ‘The Delinquent Teenager who was mistaken for
the world's top climate expert’ – a critique of the workings of the IPCC: http://www.the-rathouse.com/2012/IPCC.html
14/10/2018: Gold! This will put Gillard behind bars. Imagine forging an important document for presentation to the Royal Commission – and imagine they never noticed! Incompetence and criminality in ‘high’ places: http://www.michaelsmithnews.com/2018/10/former-wa-corporate-affairs-chief-gives-sworn-evidence-for-gillard-prosecution.html
13/10/2018: Shepherd’s Crook: I bought one of
these in Hawick during our trip to
Also available above are these ‘gambrels’ used for restraining sheep (eg ewes giving birth). I have had one of these in my ‘lambing bag’ for 30+ years. I can’t imagine how many ewes/lambs it has helped save the lives of:
The large space in the middle goes over the neck then you lift the two front legs into the other two spaces. The string is never needed. You can use a piece of cord of the appropriate length in each end of which you have tied an overhand knot. You place the middle of the cord over the neck (as above) and pull the front legs through the loops.
The beauty of this arrangement is that it costs nothing and slips into your pocket.
See Also:
https://www.theultralighthiker.com/car-camping-scotland/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/convert-a-car-to-a-camper-for-50/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/great-scot/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/genius-strainer-post/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/happy-birthday-ultralight-hiker-2/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/mattresses-i-have-known/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/beach-burial-2-the-cat/
https://www.theultralighthiker.com/riding-on-the-sheepss-back/
https://www.theultralighthiker.com/what-tree-wont-sheep-eat/
https://www.theultralighthiker.com/sheep-farm-retirement/
https://www.theultralighthiker.com/the-tree-planting-team-today/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/the-tree-planting-team-today/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/wildlife-proof-fencing/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/our-valley-of-plenty/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/fencegarden/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/instant-trellisfence/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/capillary-mat-plant-starters/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/boastful-food-shots/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/ultralight-gardening/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/birds-in-our-garden/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/eradicate-european-wasps/
https://www.theultralighthiker.com/riding-on-the-sheepss-back/
https://www.theultralighthiker.com/trees-and-tree-guards/
https://www.theultralighthiker.com/hello-possums/
13/10/2018: At last, alongside the Holocaust
Museum we now have the Museum of
Communist Terror – 100 million murdered so far is surely noteworthy. Hopefully there will soon be a Museum of Islamist terror to
showcase how it is even worse – around 270 million murdered so far, and
billions enslaved: https://www.museumofcommunistterror.com/
13/10/2018: Maybe you know some people who would like
to go on this trip: https://thefreethoughtproject.com/flat-earthers-plan-quest-to-prove-earth-isnt-round/
13/10/2018: ‘The release of heat when water vapor condenses drives thunder clouds (known as cumulonimbus), and the energy in a thundercloud is comparable to that released in an H-bomb’. Lindzen Yet all around the tropics there are tens of thousands of them every evening! Makes our own butterfly effects look pretty trivial: https://wattsupwiththat.com/2018/10/09/richard-lindzen-lecture-at-gwpf-global-warming-for-the-two-cultures/
12/10/2018: There has been this measured stratospheric cooling going
on since the satellite records began. Personally
I can’t see much difference in the two ‘periods’ they want to split it into.
However, my observation is that if the increased CO2 is supposed to act as a
sort of blanket producing a predicted tropospheric ‘hot spot’ - which has never
been observed incidentally – which ought to then warm the stratosphere, and so
on: then where exactly is the predicted warming? Even the land surface
measurements can only be ‘adjusted’ into showing it. Realistically folks we are
heading for another ice age (hopefully glacially slowly) and nothing we can do
will prevent it – and it will last for 100,000 years, like all the previous
ones. But for the nonce, relax. BTW: A young fellow from James Cook has been
auditing the land-based temperature series and finds them to be utterly
questionable. Meanwhile of course the satellites have been showing a
tropospheric cooling since 2016 and the coolest September ina long,long time: https://wattsupwiththat.com/2018/09/29/revisiting-the-mystery-of-stratospheric-cooling/ & https://www.manhattancontrarian.com/blog/2018-10-7-the-greatest-scientific-fraud-of-all-time-part-xix
12/10/2018: The other side of #metoo. Males falsely
accused by women. For example : ‘[The boy] was basically being tortured in
school by the other students and investigators, but the administration was only
focused on protecting the girls who were lying. The false accusations led to
the firing of their son from his job at a swimming pool and he was
then “forced to endure multiple court appearances, detention in a juvenile
facility, detention at home, the loss of his liberty and other damages.’ So far
no consequences for the ‘mean girls’ involved: https://www.foxnews.com/us/five-high-school-mean-girls-targeted-boy-with-false-accusations-of-sexual-assault-lawsuit-claims
12/10/2018:
11/10/2018: The
11/10/2018: The police we need vs the police we get: http://www.michaelsmithnews.com/2018/10/uk-police-chief-watched-from-inside-locked-police-car-while-islamist-stabbed-pc-to-death.html
11/10/2018: Morrison in the Australian on the IPCC’s gobbledygook, ‘We’re not held to any of them at all, and nor are we bound to go and tip money into that big climate fund…We’re not going to do that either. I’m not going to spend money on global climate conferences and all that sort of nonsense.’ I think nonsense is the semantic equivalent of Tony Abbott’s ‘bullshit’. There is hope: https://quadrant.org.au/opinion/doomed-planet/2018/10/tolerating-nonsense-prove/
10/10/2018: ‘This concept of wilderness is nothing but
a new incarnation of terra nullius’ (Marcia Langton). Aborigines in 1788
merely experienced what everyone else had already had done to them (and of
course, what they had done to the earlier inhabitants, some of it within the
lifetimes of people still living today ie the destruction of the Cape York
pygmies https://quadrant.org.au/opinion/history-wars/2002/06/the-extinction-of-the-australian-pygmies/ ). In the
C12th the Crown took over
10/10/2018: If you have
not been following, you may not understand this post, http://www.michaelsmithnews.com/2018/10/marmion-on-the-gillard-forgery.html but it confirms that Julia Gillard is guilty of a gross
forgery which was used by her (and others) to illegally acquire hundreds of
thousands of dollars and spend them on herself (which the Royal Commission
established). What this means is that Michael Smith’s upcoming private
prosecution of her (http://www.michaelsmithnews.com/2018/09/progress-report-on-my-private-prosecution.html) will succeed and that she will go to gaol. How the
sisterhood will shriek! Myself, I cannot wait to see her (new crocodile) tears.
Of course it is all the fault of misogyny – and Tony Abbott especially! (Rhyme intended)
10/10/2018: Is this woman the ultimate player of victim politics – such pretty blue eyes and ‘peaches and cream’ complexion yet a ‘Moslem woman of colour’. If you build a trough: https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/blogs/tim-blair/shes-literally-shaking-people-down/news-story/159cb75e5ae1367045212b9821717369
09/10/2018: Minnow Gripper: What’s not to like
about these little beauties? https://countycomm.com/products/minnow-gripper Made in
the
You could carry a couple of these for emergency tie-outs for your tent or tarp. I carry a couple of these myself, but the minnows might well be better – though not so much use for fishing!
If you haven’t discovered Countycomm before you are in for a treat (and a lighter wallet). They have a bewildering variety of interesting an ultralight goodies. I have often posted about their wonderful Maratac torches, for example. Their Peanut Lighter is an ultralight and indestructible beauty. These Titanium Keychains would be worth a look. Enjoy your visit!
(You
may have to email to discuss freight to
See Also:
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/lighter-brighter-better/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/super-aaa-torch-145-lumens/
https://www.theultralighthiker.com/worlds-lightest-tarp-clip/
09/10/2018: ‘So many of our young appear over-privileged, unwilling to take on responsibility, emotionally fragile, narcissistic and utterly lacking in resilience.’ (Grace Collier) 14 years of ‘education’ now will help! ‘Give me the child and I will give you the man’ (Loyola) is just becoming ridiculous. I know this is the main impetus behind Labor’s plan – just as is buying votes by imposing high immigration and high welfarism on us is – but is any of this any more desirable than having a socialist government certainly isn’t? Especially as ‘education’s' measurable outcomes have clearly continued to fall - just as we spend more and more on it. When I went to school we had a maximum of 11 years of school education - which I foreshortened by two. This was more than enough, yet it produced better outcomes and a more employable population than we now have with more than a quarter of the population having fake bachelor’s degrees yet being largely illiterate and woefully impractical. There are huge savings for the taxpayer to be made by cutting the education budget and giving it a more practical and outcome focused approach. I doubt there is anything to be gained by giving any more than 10% of the population university-style ‘education or pre-school education at all (which is just expensive baby-minding and a pale imitation of being raised by competent parents anyway) for a start. More technical and practical education would also be a godsend. Read Grace’s take on this re-posted from the Australian by ‘OldOzzie in comments here: http://catallaxyfiles.com/2018/10/06/open-forum-october-6-2018/comment-page-3/#comment-2833359
09/10/2018: Imagine personally killing 40,000 babies! Many of them delivered live only to have their spinal cords severed and then left to die in agony on the bench! Is there any other serial killer worse than Gosnell? This film about him will be the nail in the coffin for the Dem’s and the sisterhood’s prospects of winning the ‘Mids’ eve if the Kavanaugh circus was not, (which it was): https://www.steynonline.com/8826/gosnell
09/10/2018: Colonialism? Phooey. Melania looks good in anything, full stop: https://www.thepiratescove.us/2018/10/06/melanias-hat-evokes-colonialism-comparison-or-something/
08/10/2018:
08/10/2018: Looks like
Scomo will win the Wentworth by-election. In their usual inept style the Greens preferenced Labor
ahead of the Independent (defacto Labor candidate Phelps). She in turn
preferenced the Libs ahead of Labor (in an effort to win outright). This means
that the Greens votes will go to Labor, meaning she will finish third instead
of second. Her votes will go to the Libs instead of Labor, so the Libs will
win. If she and the Greens had a bit more smarts (unlikely), she would have
won. Labor is deliberately ‘running dead’ (have you seen their awful
candidate?) so that she would win. This win will give Scott some free air in
which he can underline definitive policies which distance him from Labor, and
articulate them – something he is far better at than anyone else in Parliament.
If he wins Wentworth, he will win the General Election next year – and Shorten
will never be Prime Minister. Thank God. Hopefully he is replaced by Kimberley
Kitching – or someone like her. Maybe the Left has had its day after all? You
can only hope. Bring on the 20th October. No big upsets before then.
http://theconversation.com/poll-wrap-phelps-slumps-to-third-in-wentworth-trumps-ratings-up-after-fight-over-kavanaugh-104478 & http://www.michaelsmithnews.com/2018/10/kimberley-kitching-defender-of-conservative-judaeo-christian-values.html
08/10/2018: Trillions of dollars spent on climate
because of fake data, eg temperatures of 80C allowed into the records: http://joannenova.com.au/2018/10/first-audit-of-global-temperature-data-finds-freezing-tropical-islands-boiling-towns-boats-on-land/ when the
real data was staring us in the face. This
is the Bureau of Met's records for our oldest continuous remote station in
07/10/2018: Renewables
produce warming – how about that? And of
course that’s not even countinf the CO2 required for their production,
maintenance and dismantling. Much worse
than coal! http://joannenova.com.au/2018/10/warning-wind-power-warms-local-climate-for-next-hundred-years-needs-5-20-times-as-much-land/
07/10/2018: Don’t move in
with that unemployed boyfriend: ‘don’t
even f-----g consider it for a second awful idea.’ http://stuartschneiderman.blogspot.com/2018/10/the-case-of-deadbeat-boyfriend.html
07/10/2018: Dr Strangelove please move over – we have some lovely new nukes for you: https://www.foxnews.com/tech/new-us-nuclear-bombs-and-futuristic-stealth-aircraft-to-provide-mind-boggling-military-might
07/10/2018: Riding on the Sheeps’s Back: Or vice
versa. Patagonia’s
Woolyester Fleece (US$139 – Oct 2018)
might be a great mid-layer addition to your other wool clothing, your
Kathmandu/Columbia thermal for example, and your Kathmandu or
Mind you it would have to be comparable in weight and insulative value to our Montbell Superior Down jackets (at 208 grams Mens Medium $A199 – Oct 2018) – though it might well be a little more durable. I can’t get any info on its weight. Fleece tends to be somewhat heavy though. You might think about something like a cashmere wool vest as an alternative.
The advantage I see it having over your run-of-the-mill fleece is that the wool should make it smell better after prolonged heavy exertion. I would have to buy one to confirm this – but I already have a cupboard full of old fleece garments for use around the farm. Anyway it will want to be better as it costs more. For example you can buy a good brand (like Columbia for US$79.99 and you can do much better than that at eg Harris Scarfe – A$25- Oct 2018 – or this one from Anaconda for $A24 – Oct 2018!
What they say about it:
‘
‘With
heritage design lines, a warm fleece jacket made with a modern blend of
recycled wool, polyester and nylon fabric that’s Fair Trade Certified™ sewn.
This classic style is rendered in a recycled wool/polyester/nylon fabric blend,
moving us one step closer to a zero-waste apparel industry. Because this
classic, every day, all around layer is rendered in a recycled
wool/polyester/nylon fabric blend, it is a better choice when buying new, and
moves us one step closer to a zero-waste apparel industry’. (
I imagine others will be along with wool/poly fleeces which actually benefit sheep farmers like us before long. Meanwhile we continue to treat our Finnsheep quite humanely. And, listen up: their fleece is the very best in the world for making fine felt – which Della does often. I may try to entice her to make me an anorak yet. I have been trying for years. And a hat! Her Finn wool felt is also very nearly waterproof.
Here she is in two of her recent felted creations. Over the years she has made many more beautiful garments:
You won’t be getting something like these from Paragonia (or anywhere else in a hurry! You probably won’t be getting a wife nearly as good as this either – and we have been together nigh on 50 years! Eat your heart out!
Can you see why I might want her to make me a felted anorak now?
Available here for US$139:
See Also:
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/if-posts-are-light-2/
06/10/2018: More
CO2 please. I have been saying this since the 1980s (because I was
observing it – I get out
there, you see)
that forest area was increasing – when all the ‘conventional wisdom’ said it
was decreasing. I think the same about temperature – that it has been getting cooler,
at least all of my life (the Cape Otway
records -
our oldest continuous station, say for over a century now – and by 2C degrees).
At least the September just gone was the coldest for a decade as the satellite
records show. Pity those satellites weren’t around in the 1930s to see when it
was really hot! In any case CO2 has added an area of forest equal to two
06/10/2018: Most
of you reading this already have sarcopenia. Listen up, you have to do
something about it. Here’s what: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/09/03/well/live/preventing-muscle-loss-among-the-elderly.html
06/10/2018:
Kavanaugh will be endorsed. Ford’s best friend contradicts her testimony,
and two other blokes say it was they who groped her. Endgame for the Dem’s
stalling. There will be a conservative judiciary for a generation. This is what
‘draining the swamp’ is all about. Go
Scomo: https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2018/10/christine-fords-close-friend-and-alleged-witness-leland-keyser-testifies-for-third-time-that-she-was-never-at-party-with-kavanaugh/ & https://www.dailywire.com/news/36377/judiciary-talking-man-who-thinks-he-forced-ryan-saavedra
06/10/2018: 1200th Post: Every hundred posts or so I take time to highlight significant posts on the website over the last few months. In this case it is 200 posts since 6th October 2017 and my 1000th Post. In that time I have made some belated posts about our Qld trip back in September including our ascent of Mt Bartle Frère Qld’s tallest mountain over 1600 metres – and you begin at about 100 metres above sea level – so it is quite a contrast of climates in a single day.
I did lots of Canoeing and pack rafting last summer as there was adequate water about even if not plenty. We had several trips on the the Wonnagatta the Macailister and the Thomson rivers.
I have been making some efforts to Speed up the website which have resulted in faster loading times. There is still much more to do but some of it is quite technical, time consuming – and fraught with pitfalls. I have loading times down to a bit over a second. I think I can more than halve that in the future for people who are every impatient – apparently many are.
I made a couple of new tents I am very happy with. This wonderful Siligloo which is vast yet only weighs 385 grams and my Pocket Poncho which weighs only 185. I plan a new version of the latter to accommodate two. It should increase its weight by only about 50 grams.
Some wet weather posts : how to enjoy hiking in the rain How to make a Hands free umbrella and other Rain gear
Some electrical posts including Chargers, Solar power, other Battery gear and a New sat messenger which weighs under 100 grams.
Lots of other DIY ideas including a great way to sleep two under one tarp in a Hammock Double Up and other hammock ideas New DIY: an ultralight New stove, some advice about ultracheap backpacking, pack mods, ultralight cups, hearing aid clips, cheap pads and cheap quilts, cheap tents and an ultralight saw – and how to eradicate wasps. There are posts about Cold season pads and others and cheaper alternatives.
The old dog Tiny sadly
departed after many years & the new dog Honey arrived.
We have spent some time exploring the Gippsland coast: Liptrap & the Five Mile & Waratah Bay & the Isthmus for example.
Some Recollections of Fox hunting my dad and other early adventures.
There is
as usual Food, lots of
food
and
numerous Deer doings and
advice including
how to be an Ultralight
deer hunter
We have a new tree planting method which has seen lots of success. There has been wildlife fencing and other doings around the farm.
In may we had a ten day Scotland trip. I include our $50 camper instructions which we used on the trip.
There is more hiking advice including how not to die and how to find water
Unfortunately we have had some ill health We hope Della’s heart is now fixed My Back and knee have failed. Here is what I did about it.
To round off I offer this Life advice. Stay happy.
06/10/2018: Ultralight Pocket Lockpick: 54 grams: The SouthOrd Jackknife Lockpick. How could you go anywhere without one? Why bother to carry keys at all? They are probably heavier then this anyway. A great substitute for the Keychain Reinvented. Of course it might take a little practice to actually open your front door with it – and it may be highly illegal in some jurisdictions. In Victoria our Government are awful kill-joys who won’t even allow us to make a shanghai, let along carry a pocket shanghai when hiking, should we want to knock over a coney or scare away some nasty like a dingo perhaps, so carrying one of these would most likely incur the death penalty or something. Usual price US$39.95 from South Ord. Available on Massdrop for US$32.99. Instructions are also available from South Ord.
Specs
Tempered stainless steel construction
3.5 x 0.25 in (89 x 6.30 mm)
1.91 oz (54.15 g)
Included
Half diamond pick
Half single ball pick
Snake rake pick
Long hook pick
Key type pick
Key extractor
Tension wrench
https://www.southord.com/products/jackknife-pocket-lock-pick-sets
See Also:
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/pocket-slingshot/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/the-keyring-reinvented/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/hunting-the-wonnangatta-moroka/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/the-ultralight-persuader/
06/10/2018: First
they came for the…we have not been told that the Chinese Premier has gaoled
over a million party members since he came to power. I admit this is the palest
shadow of Mao who murdered tens of millions, but it is one reason to be
concened about
05/10/2018: Will
CERN destroy the world – just something else to worry about? Well, we
shouldn’t worry really. When it’s gone, it’s gone: https://wattsupwiththat.com/2018/10/02/forget-climate-change-large-hadron-collider-set-to-destroy-the-world/
05/10/2018: Notice
anything about the new Government in
05/10/2018: Modern
Slavery? This looks like a ‘beat up’ to me. Where will the poor guy/s go
now? Question: Is this worse, or better than the NDIS? https://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/real-life/news-life/man-rescued-after-40-years-of-slavery/news-story/550b664468879928cfccb0a7d25eb9c4
04/10/2018: It’s Not My Fault: On 02/10/2018 I had this post The Parting of the Ways (Below) in which I hinted that not only may there be a small group of themes which inform our lives but that there may be a small group of delusions which drag them down. As an example of that, let me suggest the delusion, ‘It’s not my fault’. I am a child. It is the world that is wicked and unfair. I am helpless in a world I can’t control, and it is depressing and terrifying. I can’t express just how much I must terribilise it so that I can justify continuing to do nothing…you know how it prattles on and on.
The
sane reply? ‘I can do it’. ‘Can do’. The motto of the 15th Infantry Regiment of
the United States Army, a ‘parent’ regiment which dates back to the American
Civil War – and beyond. They endured the most terrible battles of two world
wars and more. ‘
One of the reasons for the ‘success’ of Christianity is that its principal tenet helps to focus such troubled spirits outwards. If they can ‘love’ their neighbours (others), they can stop obsessing about themselves – and their woes. This is a good strategy.
‘Happiness’ is not some external thing (no more than misery is). Happiness is an internal thing. You might start with the adage, ‘Smile and the world smiles with you. Cry, and you cry alone.’ A primer for such sufferers is to do just that: ‘Smile’.
Smiling actually causes the associated feeling, happiness. Even if you feel that you are going through the day with a rictus. Try this. It will help to banish those internal gyrations where you circle and circle, coming back to the same scab to pick each time.
There is nothing at all you can do about the past. You must learn to pass on. To let ‘it’ go, whatever ‘it’ is. Tell yourself over and over ‘Let it pass’. Move on – and focus on the external world, not as the source of your misery. Not as something to blame. But as an adventure to be had. Something to work with.
You are not alone in having ‘lost your mind’. You are in good company, though many of us are loth to admit it. I am well today (in mind), though my back is broken. I have ‘moved on’ You must move on too. Believe me, it is not as hard as dragging this back around my afternoon walk, having to lie down and do my exercises against the exquisite pain every few hundred metres – but it takes the same determination: ‘Can do’.
Tyers
River 2010 Let it pass…
Today perhaps is the time to fix that tap, plant that vegetable, service the car, sort your camping gear, plan for that long hike you will begin tomorrow…It is your fault if you are unhappy. No-one else is the slightest bit interested, or to blame. And the only person who can lift you out of that unhappiness is yourself. You cannot have happiness delivered like a milkshake. It was always within yourself.
Think back to a time when you felt happy. There is always some time. For me, I go back to a time when I was sitting quietly under a bridge watching the deep waters of a river roll past. Try to capture the emotion you felt in just two words. For me they were, ‘Quiet. Calm.’ Say those two words over and over to yourself slowly whilst thinking of nothing else at all. Do that for a few minutes, then,
Smile right now. That is the beginning of sanity – and happiness. Have a happy day!
May I repeat the advice I gave in the post Cure Back Pain: Regret Nothing. Smile along with the music: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rzy2wZSg5ZM
20/10/2018: Nuts to ‘Leave No Trace’: Leave No Trace Extremism vs Vandalism: There is a better way. I view this (mainly urban) ‘philosophy’ (‘Leave No Trace’) as yet another example of green extremism and of statist efforts to further alienate public land from the people. Prior to sometime in the C12th ‘the public’ owned the ‘public land’ where they had pretty much unfettered rights to roam, hunt, collect (firewood, food, flowers, materials, gemstones, etc), shelter, live and generally enjoy its amenity. The Crown Land Act basically appropriated all the public land to the King, and the public were ever after forbidden its every use on pain of death (so this was a big change, back then) – so that Robin Hood and his ‘merry men’ (who lived there) became ‘criminals’ and could be hanged for ‘taking’ one of the ‘King’s deer’ for example – as in the old Television show, available to download free on the Internet Archive. (They are gold!) I would see the Crown Land Law Act repealed everywhere – and the land returned to the people.
After
the settlement of the various British colonies (
Otherwise you could pretty much walk, camp, hunt, light a campfire etc almost anywhere within the state forests which were nonetheless preserved in perpetuity for public use as crown land and forest. The Government retained the right to make special rules as circumstances required, so that some such activities could be circumscribed in specially ‘sensitive’ areas or areas with heavy use, (or times, etc) – and were. For example, there were duck ‘seasons’ and rules on taking fish, crayfish, deer, native animals, wildflowers etc – so that the resource could be preserved for future generations. This system of management preserved all the creatures and flora we still enjoy today for over 100 years – I would argue much better than the present ‘system’ of ‘conservation’.
Then
came ‘National Parks’, ‘State Parks’, ‘Reference Areas’ and other such
alienations of the public lands from the public. Interestingly these things
came simultaneously as fewer and fewer people lived , worked in or used these
wild areas. I suppose ‘everyone knows’ that Wilsons Prom was ‘pretty much’ the
first ‘National Park’ declared anywhere in the world. Probably the majority of
citizens of Victoria know how onerous the rules and regulations there are –
though some no doubt help preserve ‘delicate’ areas from too much human
traffic. In very busy areas more rules and regulations no doubt are
needed – whether the area be ‘National Park’ or ‘
There
remain vast areas of the Park though which one might well want to venture
(off-track) but may not, and which it is hard to see how the solitary hiker
would/could cause much disturbance by wanting just to see them. One might well
want to walk along the beach (for example) from the public access at Shallow
Inlet to the
Most other ‘National Parks’ are more remote and much less ‘busy’ so that it defies all reason why they need to be ‘National Parks’ – or have any rules at all. However in the vast ‘Alpine National Park’ for example, it is illegal to walk off-track anywhere (unless you are a deer hunter) – or to camp anywhere other than at ‘designated camp sites’ (few enough of them anyway). Some places there are ‘designated walking tracks’ it would be impossible to traverse in a single day but without ‘designated camp sites’ – so that it is both ‘permitted’ to venture there, but ‘illegal’ at the same time!
There appears to be pretty much zero maintenance of tracks both walking and vehicular by the tens of thousands of state employees of those government bodies responsible for the State Forests, National Parks etc. Deer hunters, 4WDers, fishers and loggers appear to do the lion’s share of any work carried out. Instead every year more and more tracks and roads are closed to public access (or even all access – including so-called ‘Management’ – hundreds of kilometers pretty much every single year). It is clear what the intention of all these track closures is: the total alienation of the public lands from the public whose (future) enjoyment was the intention of their ‘preservation’.
This has been happening ‘progressively’ since the 1970s. The amalgamation of the Forestry and Land Depts into various new super Depts with ever-changing fancy names only heralded the take-over of these Depts by green activists particularly since the 1980s. The focus of all ‘management’ has shifted from managing the actual land for which they are responsible to managing meetings, the office and the 4WD vehicles with road tyres they use to go from one meeting to another – and of course to the creation of more and more rules to micro-manage or further restrict public access to ‘their’ lands. As an example, the spread of sambar deer was clearly explained and identified by Max Downes as early as 1980 (before he and anyone else who did not suit the new ‘green’ philosophy was squeezed out).
The need to manage that spread by increasing hunting opportunities was clear, yet track access has been closed to vast areas (making any management of anything at all impossible) access to huge areas for hunting remained forbidden. Now that the deer have increased very substantially (mostly due to poorly controlled wildfires that their lack of management basically caused), the deer are so numerous in places they are now being shot from helicopters (and wasted) rather than being the premium hunting opportunity for recreational hunters that they ought to be, yet there remain large swathes of country hunters still may not go (or be able to go – due to track closures). Hunters, hikers, campers etc are adjured to ‘leave no trace’ yet even if they acted like the worst yobbos and vandals you have ever encountered in the bush they would do much less damage than the new ‘green’ management has resulted in – with millions of hectares ruined for decades by out-of-control wildfires (in the absence of any policy of regular fuel reduction, for example – or just the ability to drive on tracks which no longer exist to where the fires started).
Any ‘philosophy’ which aids this rabid theft of public land (by the bureaucracy) is reprehensible. Rather than ‘leave no trace’ I think it is the public’s responsibility (as they use the public land) to make improvements to it for future users. Clearing and maintaining vehicular and walking tracks, (including re-opening closed tracks) building and maintaining huts and campsites is an obvious place to start. At the moment it is actually illegal to ‘cut or lop’ any native vegetation without a permit – so that when a tree or plant encroaches on a track or falls over a road you may not cut it with your machete, pruning saw, axe, or chainsaw so that you can continue on your way. You are obliged by law to ‘leave no trace’. This is a ridiculous situation – and is sensibly disobeyed by most users.
At the same time the so-called ‘managers’ of these areas totally neglect them so that they are over-run by pest animals such as foxes, rabbits and cats and weeds such as the thousands of acres of blackberries in the Alpine National Park. There is zero fire prevention or fire break maintenance – indeed there are no firebreaks or even fire access roads. They have all been closed – so that episodically the whole vast area is swept ‘clean’ by shocking disastrous bushfires which far from leaving no trace, erase all life within them. Yet this is what the Green extremists and the bureaucrats who have stolen the land from the public seem to want – so long as the public can be totally excluded from those areas!
It seems perfectly reasonable to me help keep any tracks or roads clear, fill any vehicular holes with stones, to whipper-snip the grass in a camping area, (tidy up any rubbish vandals have left behind), and improve the amenity of the site generally eg by keeping a (non-designated) walking track to the river/stream clear, spraying any invasive weeds which have grown up nearby, throwing the cursed rings of stones back into the river and so on. None of these sensible activities would be allowed under the green extremist, ‘Leave No Trace’ ‘philosophy’. It is just another deplorable ‘religious’ mantra – and should be avoided, like all the others!
The human interface between ‘man’ and nature starts as soon as we open our eyes wherever we are, and every interaction leaves a ‘trace’ – on both parts. In suburbia we have the swallows nesting under our verandahs or in our garages who ‘paint’ interesting designs down our walls and on our cars. Some folks are so annoyed by this they knock the swallows’ nests down or even attempt to kill them eg with tennis rackets. I know I had a friend who acted so. Bad karma got him in the end and he died young! So beware! Myself, I love the swallows and eagerly await their return. If they are a day late (around 20th August here) I start to worry that someone in their other home (I guess in North Asia somewhere) has harmed them – but they must have nice human friends there too, as they return every year and help clear the air of mosquitoes over Spring and Summer.
Most folks have a small (or large) garden I suppose (or wish for one) where they can plant a beautiful tree (or a thousand) and watch with delight as insects, birds and other creatures visit their garden. Many have ponds for frogs and other creatures to enjoy, and also bird feeders so the local inhabitants can stave off seasonal scarcity and fill the air with wonderful birdsong. In helping construct the natural environment which begins right outside their bedroom window (as ours does), they are doing just the reverse of ‘Leave No Trace’ – and doing so quite properly. May all gardeners prosper – and the world become one vast garden which we share with every living thing!
The
dams that beavers build, the bowers of birds and the termites’ mounds are all
works of nature – just as our houses and gardens are. The line between
ourselves and nature is not clear and stark but very blurry – as it should be.
Nature is enormously resilient. We must all have seen photographs of ruined
cities such as Ankor and Macchu and wondered at the way nature is ‘reclaiming
them’ – or just melding with them, as it ever does. All the CO2 folks have
produced over the last thirty years or so has created forests greater than two
As we move further out from suburbia we begin to interact more and more with the natural world. Our farms and roadsides teem with wildlife which farmers are careful to nurture and encourage by building dams, shelter-belts and providing nest boxes for wildlife to live and breed in, for example. You can observe some of our own modest efforts here. If all we did was ‘leave no trace’ we would do nothing. Then there are the hordes of people who spend their leisure time in one way or another caring for the land. The duck hunters who acquire, create and re-vegetate swamps and fill them with nesting opportunities, for example, the thousands of fox hunters who spend every winter weekend out in the cold and rain attempting to reduce or eliminate the plague of these terrible destroyers of wildlife, and so on.
Most people venture out from suburbia every now and then to vehicular campsites, caravan parks, beaches etc where they interact with nature in various ways. It is common for them to pick wildflowers, or take a feather or pretty stone or piece of driftwood home with them. The kids build sandcastles, or gather sticks and driftwood and make cubbies (Everyone takes a few seashells, an interesting skull or a few pretty stones home). They children may dig pools in a stream or heap stones to dam it. Everyone plays at skipping stones (how wicked!) Various objects find their way into the stream to see how fast they will race. Many are lost forever. All also like to gather wood and have a campfire; they may even burn some rubbish in the fire – and may even feed the ducks! All this outrageous everyday behaviour is anathema to the ‘leave no trace’ brigade. How silly and authoritarian they are!
There
are vast areas of wilderness where no-one is ever likely to live – but which
one might visit. Here in the East of
If I failed to return for only a little while (a couple of years is enough) my ‘track’ would be gone – and I would have to make a new one. I am speaking here only of opening up an existing ‘game trail’ so a person may walk without stooping overmuch. Sometimes others followed my ‘tracks’ and also enjoyed the camping spots I found and ‘improved’. Most folk are too blind to ever notice such ‘game trails’ at all. To make such trails and camps is a ‘public service’ and many more should do so, far from ‘leaving no trace’.
I
would see a path leading down every ridge and up every valley, and a soft,
pleasant camp on every cool, shady level spot. There are scarcely
enough people in the whole world to simultaneously occupy every such path and
spot as exist just here in the East of Victoria. Certainly there are not so
many folk in
I am talking here about breaking off the odd bough or sapling – with your hands is enough, so that a single person can freely pass, bending this way and that between the trees. I do not mean ploughing vast tracks under the treads of countless dozers. Where a level camp can be made beside a cool stream, it is enough to cut a half dozen saplings at most so a small pup tent can shelter one from a mountain storm. It would overgrow in a couple of seasons at most if left unused, or make a tiny clearing where wildlife might lie in the sun on a cool afternoon or nibble a sweet shoot or two. I am talking about removing a few twigs in a whole forest. Scarce anyone would notice my passing. The ‘butterfly effect’ is not reality. A broken twig does not shake the forest.
Mostly I carry a machete and a pruning saw to help me in this work. The two that I recommend here and here are mighty tools – plus light and inexpensive. Hand tools are best for this type of work so folks don’t become too enthusiastic! The tracks my Gerber machete has cleared though are very long – hundreds of kilometers are down to me. You might have encountered some over the years. I know I have encountered ones that others have cleared and breathed a word of thanks that they had so thoughtfully eased my way. Or enjoyed a night in a camp they made – and replaced what firewood I used in a pile leaned against a log to keep it dry – as you should.
As I canoe our rivers as I often do in summer , I stop to clear a path where there is an obstruction in the river, or sometime a side path where you can portage around a dangerous rapid. If there is an overhanging branch which would have you out on a fast inside bend (or possibly cause a drowning) I take it out. As I often camp overnight, naturally I chose a level spot which is already clear, but if it needs a nip here or there so you can put up a small tent and sit on a chair or hiking mat in the cool shade of a hot summer’s day – off it goes. These prunings will only be someone else’s campfire after all. I have cleared many rivers like this over the years. Of course it is only ‘stream improvement’. The work needs to be done again and again. I encourage others to take up where I left off. I also move a few stones betimes to make a rapid or a pebble race easier or safer to navigate. Sometimes, because things weigh less under water, the rocks I have moved are larger than myself – it is no wonder perhaps I have this back trouble which keeps me restively home of late. I love it when I come to a deep pool where someone has thoughtfully climbed a huge tree to tie a stout rope for swinging and perhaps cut some steps to aid your ascent. Or where people have thoughtfully cleared a path and/or cut steps down from some beautiful campsite amongst glorious shade trees.
Many remote waterfalls are marked on topographical maps, yet few have walking tracks to handy viewing spots so you can visit them. Such falls are surely a delight to all. Surely too it is a public duty to carefully make such a path, and create steps too to get folks down to lovely swimming pools or fishing holes? So too places with delightful views perhaps of yawning precipices or vast horizons. These wonders are being ‘saved for future generations’ but it would be bizarre indeed if the current one could not enjoy them too! I am certainly not going to be held back from doing so by some silly current law or absurd quasi religious belief! My handy machete will continue to go snicker-snack for many years yet, and open them up to searching eyes that yearn for wide vistas.
Oh, and mostly I take a dog or two with me wherever I go, whether they are allowed or not. I will pay their fine if I have to, as their price of admission. They pay their taxes too (on dog feed, collars, flea medicine etc), so they deserve to see all these wonders the Government (?) provides which otherwise would only be seen by their descendants whom the areas are being ‘saved for’. They enjoy!
A reader wrote me this letter – which provoked this post. He is obviously young and has been indoctrinated all his life – but he also needs to learn there are other ways of thinking, which are really not downright wickedness! I was hard on him I guess, but you must remember I came up through the ‘school of hard knocks’ not the cosseted insulated namby-pamby nonsense that has been the lot of young people today. I am used to ‘calling a spade a bloody shovel’ as my mother used to say,
‘Hi Steve,
My name is ——, and I am working on my final project for my Outdoor Environment and Sustainability Education degree. The goal of my project is to encourage outdoor activity and spread awareness for reducing the environmental impact while outdoors.
As an avid camper, I’ve chosen this comprehensive guide “The Big Green Guide to Responsible Camping” as the focus for my assignment:
https://www.vouchercloud.com/resources/big-green-camping-guide
I thought that it might be a helpful resource for your site and visitors.
Thank you so much for taking the time to read this.
I look forward to hearing your thoughts.’
I replied: Hi ——,
Thank
you for your input. Unfortunately the bits I agree with are time honoured
truths; while the green religo bits are anathema to me, as I happen to think
Greens are the most evil people on the planet – rather worse than the Nazis and
Communists even – as they want to kill at least a third of the world’s people,
probably more: they would take out 25% just if ‘organic farming’ was
implemented everywhere, for example. I would not buy
I am saddened that you are wasting your life studying for such a degree when you could be doing science, engineering or business all of which have a far better chance of improving both the human and natural environment (and have) than silly retrograde and ‘distributionist’ notions. I hope it is not too late for you to change courses. You should not spend your life ‘preaching’ such evil nonsense!
I am an ‘avid camper’ myself though I almost never do most of the things in the guide. For example, I almost never walk on paths or camp where others have camped. I own this might be harder in the UK which has a plague of people (We have been given a free return ticket there, but I doubt I will ever go; just too many people) – nonetheless world-wide the area of wilderness has expanded by 20%+ over the last quarter century because of the success of Western farming methods freeing up so much land, so there really are increasingly more places to go.
Also, I almost always have a fire (I never camp in summer) and I have observed that it is better for the environment if you have fires on fresh spots each time, as this maximises interesting regrowth. I often clear a path for others to follow (I admit this is largely because my wife is partially sighted) and I think this is a good thing to do, as it is better entirely if people are more spread out, rather than localised in formal camping spots.
I notice the guide omitted the idea of making your own camping gear (which is what I usually do). Surely this is much ‘greener’ than nearly all the other options? It doesn’t seem to encourage hunting either (which I have always done). Surely hunting is much ‘greener’ than consumerism. I also always make, rather than buy my own meals. Why not try the Nepali Dahl meal I just posted about?
I know you will probably find the above awfully rude. I just hope that it is not too late for you to change your very wrong thinking. We were all young once, and if when we were impressionable we came under the evil influence of bad ‘teachers’ we might all have gone where you seem to be headed. However, I have known many who were able to see through the fog of propaganda they have been served, and who have mended their ways entirely. I hope you become one such.
Good Luck, Steve Jones.
He never replied. There is always still time. At least I tried!
PS: Just a sprinkling of our photos to illustrate what otherwise might be too much writing in one hit. Hope you enjoy. Cheers, Steve.
PS2: I see no reason why folks who chose to live in the wilderness far from any track or road should be prevented from doing so…Watch these films: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leave_No_Trace_(film) & http://www.theultralighthiker.com/dick-proenneke-alone-in-the-wilderness/
CO2
is greening the earth. Two new areas the size of
This great greening news even comes from NASA which usually warns about its ill effects. See: https://www.nasa.gov/feature/goddard/2016/carbon-dioxide-fertilization-greening-earth
& http://www.thegwpf.com/matt-ridley-global-warming-versus-global-greening/
& http://www.rationaloptimist.com/blog/bumper-harvests-save-nature/
In
another fifty years – when I am long gone, 3-4 more
A Thoughtful Comment and Reply:
Nate:
I think a lot of this controversy over land management has to do with
differences in what is appropriate for different places and our failure (mine
included) to recognize this. Clearly, what’s appropriate for Gippsland
would not be appropriate for
I’m really appreciative of you showing me a different perspective than what I typically hear hawked over and over. Granted, I still won’t be bringing outside firewood to a state park, because rules like that exist for good reason, but maybe I won’t be so worried about cutting a few saplings or having a small fire outside of an established ring in rural national forest areas.
Steve: I haven’t been to the States but I gather there are a lot of wild places away from established trails and that these areas are increasing as land has been abandoned for farming etc and CO2 fuels their growth. (Further reading: Gossamer Gear Blog) Apparently lots of people other than hunters are ‘bushwhacking’ as you call it – or going off track and camping away from hard-pressed areas. I think this is a good thing. This policy of designating camping areas which then become over-run by people is questionable. Likewise trails funnel people who would otherwise be dispersed.
Of course I dislike vandals, people who leave rubbish, people who make rings of stones, chop down large live trees, leave campfires burning, light campfires in warm weather, chop up tracks with their 4WDs, let off guns unnecessarily or have poor gun safety, kill game and leave it to rot…Bizarrely some of these things are permitted or practiced by current land managers – even though they are clearly nothing like ‘leave no trace’ which they religiously preach at everyone else to practice, eg don’t move a stone in a river or pick up a piece of wood, or tie your hammock to a tree, etc, etc.
There needs to be a bit of rethinking, eg about people’s access to the land, fire management and especially fuel reduction, fire breaks, etc. In fact the natural landscape would benefit from more disturbance like logging, mining and grazing – if it prevents large-scale destruction from wildfires for example, or increases species diversity – which it does. There are more species in secondary growth than old growth, for example.
Most people have become far too religious in their attitudes to ‘conservation’. When I was young ‘conservationists’ were people who planted (thousands) of trees on their land (as I have done all my life – I must have planted out square miles by now!) I think this allows me to chop up a dead tree for my winter firewood for example – which is our only source of winter warmth, and has been all my life, or have a campfire up the bush.
I have never lived in a city or town. Most of my life I have never even lived where I can see another house, but instead where within minutes I can step into ‘untouched ‘forest either on my own land or adjacent to it!) I can show you a photograph looking up our valley in as little ago as 1983. You can pretty much count the trees in the (couple of square miles of valley behind us (which then used to be a large sheep grazing property – and before 1968 small dairy farms).
Now it is mostly unbroken forest from here to Yarram, about 40 miles away. Before 1968 it was all grassy paddocks. Over a thousand square miles of forest has sprung up right behind us in that (to me) short time. Now (evidently) I am being told by ‘conservationists’ that I may not even walk off the edge of my own property into that forest (I must ‘leave no trace’) when, as I pass through it, I can still recall the names and faces of people who lived and worked it (milked cows etc) in what to me is the recent past. Some of the (new) streets and older roads around here are named after them too.
I
remember another area (near
The
company found it unsuitable after a few years. Copper deficiency in the
soil rendered it poor land for sheep. They (successfully) applied to have their
grant moved to near ‘Goonoo Goonoo’ near
I
can remember as a child visiting my father’s old mates on these blocks in the
1950s. Mile upon mile of ring-barked forest turning into grassland –
which it did. After
The
Blue Mountains (including the iconic
Today’s
road does not take their exact routs – as an even routes were found (Cox’s,
I
will give you another example: the
When the first settlers arrived there (in the 1840s) the whole area was a clear plain as far as the eye could see, with at most one tree per hectare/2 acres. It was surveyed and divided into 320 acre (half square mile) blocks for ‘selectors’ to farm, which they did, felling the few trees to build fences and houses. They and their sheep dogs quickly gobbled up the innumerable rat-kangaroos.
In
the 1860s there was a drought which forced them to move away for 7
years. When they returned there was a forest coming up everywhere
which every effort for 100 years failed to remove! They brought in huge
traction engines from
Just
across the (Latrobe) Valley from us is the Baw Baw Plateau . I can see it out
my study window as I type – Mt Baw Baw itself still snow-capped today.
(It holds one of the best walks in the world, the Upper Yarra
Track) The whole area is now the
In 1914 the Long Tunnel gold mine at Walhalla had cleared every tree for nearly thirty miles around Walhalla – ie most of the ‘Park’. today. Back then it looked like the surface of the moon as innumerable miners had turned it completely upside-down. There was a road right along the top of the plateau and much of it was clear land for grazing bullocks to feed the miners.
After the gold mine closed (after WW1) the land was abandoned and regrew to forest. The Mountain Ash (Eucalyptus Regnans – the king of the eucalypts, and the tallest tree in the world – over 300 ‘ or 100 metres!) can grow at an astonishing rate. Trees which were seedlings after the 1939 fire were logged in the 1980s. Each single trunk was more than a log truck could carry!)
We
used to hunt the whole area with hounds for sambar deer until the Park was
declared in the early 1980s – well, after that actually! The
government eventually chased us out with helicopters! Now I may not even take
my Jack Russell, Spot for a walk there. Stuff and Nonsense!
It gets worse: I have watched a much larger area, the size of Victoria (100,000 square miles!) grow to be forest in Western NSW after having to be abandoned by farmers in a drought in the 1970s. I think you can see that these are very large changes, so perhaps you can understand why I view the very small changes implicit in ‘leave no trace’ to be the merest ‘butterfly effect’ fantasies.
19/10/2018:
Eric
Holthaus is completely right – the IPCC is no different from the Cominterm, ie
they are communists bent on destroying capitalism and installing their own
world government where they get to live out of our pockets forever and bully us
with things we neither want nor need: https://wattsupwiththat.com/2018/10/09/ericholthaus-new-ipcc-report-calls-for-rigorous-backing-to-systematically-dismantle-capitalism/ Hidden in all
this is even a $240 per gallon ($80/litre) tax on petrol: https://wattsupwiththat.com/2018/10/09/ipcc-demands-240-gal-gasoline-tax/
19/10/2018: Watch out: Severe climate events could cause shortages in the global beer supply: https://wattsupwiththat.com/2018/10/15/climate-beer-goggles/
19/10/2018: Turnbull Junior is the best reason I can think of for people to vote Liberal in Wentworth: https://www.news.com.au/national/politics/malcolm-turnbulls-son-names-provocative-list-of-liberal-party-crazies/news-story/60d9f48c1cfa5d6cc423faa3cf191f08
18/10/2018: World oil supply and demand now at a record 100 million barrels per day. Petroleum Engineering is the highest paying major in college. Ain’t it just grand: https://wattsupwiththat.com/2018/10/15/oil-production-at-100-million-bbl-d-twin-peaks-straining-the-system-to-the-limit-or-just-another-day-at-the-office-in-a-highly-resilient-industry/
18/10/2018:
Grisly details of Khashoggi’s murder
begin to surface. (There is a tape).
They took seven minutes to kill him, first cutting his fingers off, then
cutting his body up while he was still alive! His killer identified as the head of Saudi forensic medicine. Hard
to see how King Salman can wriggle out of this one (whatever you think of
Khashoggi) https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/exclusive-khashoggi-829291552
18/10/2018:
Wentworth is looking a mess, after all. The
Libs needed Labor to finish second on the primary vote, bur Phelps is at the
moment by a country mile, (4%). Whilst the Greens have preferenced Labor ahead
of her, Labor has a lot of distance to catch up on before her preferences are
counted ahead of Labor’s (she preferenced Lib), so it could well be a disaster
for the Libs contrary to what I said back on 8/10. Morrison is desperately
wooing the Jewish vote, which might work. Some polling has the Libs losing
Wentworth 55:45. It would be hard for Morrison to seem anything other than a
‘lame duck’ after such a defeat. All down to Mal’s malice against the Liberal
Party of course. Why did they ever choose him – even once?
17/10/2018: Kill Wasp Queens Now: Spring and the wasp queens are out and about. If you don’t kill them now there will be hundreds of worker wasps everywhere come summer to spoil your barbecue or sting your kids. Last year I managed to tread on a European wasp’s nest and was bitten dozens of tiems. Let me tell you it was not ppleasant, and the swelling and irritation from the bites lasted for many days. People who are allergic could easily be killed, likewise pets.
Simple milk bottle trap.
You can easily kill them with simple milk bottle traps. You can use the recipe below (btu you will kill some other insects too, such as bees. A poisoned meat baiot is better as it will only kill wasps and the occasional blow-fly (if the wasps allow it near the rotting meat. You can easily make a poisoned meat bait from mince and a readiy available spot-on (dog) flea chemical. If only one household per suburban block did this we would eradicate the wasp from our cities.
The Kiwis are wiping out European wasps. Let’s do it too: https://www.stuff.co.nz/environment/wasp-wipeout/87865462/the-weapon-to-wipe-out-wasps-the-story-of-vespex--wasp-wipeout?rm=m
‘For those who would like queen lure
here it is again
Use a 1.25 L soft drink bottle with 3, 10mm holes, approx. 150mm from bottom of
bottle
Make up a solution 8 tablespoons of honey in hot water with a 2 teaspoons pure
vanilla essence Queen red label 35% alcohol this will do 4-5 traps, divide bait
between traps, top up with water to just below holes replace cap and hang in a
sunny spot in garden, near water. Fruit trees with curly leaf is a good place,
bait will take a week or so to activate. Shake every few days to let bait
dribble out .keep in place until January. Strain out when full, reuse and top
up bait with water. Replace bait every 4-5 weeks
Will also catch workers Jan-April plus flies.’ European Wasp Control Project
Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/927515897312332/
I bought one 2.68ml pipette of Frontine (large dog) from my local Safeway store for A$17 (April 2018). Diluted 100 times (268 mls) with water this was (or will be) enough to prepare 52 x 20 gram minced meat baits (I bought 24 x 20 grams meatballs from safeway for $6) which I simply slipped into a used plastic milk bottle I had drilled a few 12mm holes in and hung in the garden after training the wasps for a couple of days with unbaited mince. That single purchase should kill very wasp within 200 metres of our property for several years!
Instructions for preparing poisoned baits here and here:
Male Queen and Worker European Wasps
European Wasp and (native) Paper Wasp
See Also:
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/eradicate-european-wasps/
17/10/2018:
What else about Khashoggi don’t we know?
What an awful, awful place the
17/10/2018: It’s OK to be a Red Indian – particularly if you are just the same amount Red Indian as the average European American, ie .18 of 1%! Many of our so-called ‘aborigines’ are no doubt much the same as Elizabeth Warren – why, they may even be distantly related. Pocahontas indeed! Perhaps after all, ‘It is OK to be white.’ https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/blogs/tim-blair/the-worlds-fractionest-indian/news-story/d105cd53e9300e76d57509a6ca11b89b
17/10/2018: ‘Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen dies of cancer at age 65 He ranked 44th on Forbes' 2018 list with more than $20 billion. After the game, the pawn and the king go in the same box.’ Roger de Hauteville
16/10/2018: ‘There are three kinds of men: The ones
that learns by reading. The few who learn by observation. The rest of them have
to pee on the electric fence for themselves.’ Will
16/10/2018: How to Delete Facebook and Instagram From
Your Life Forever. (It’s harder than you might think): https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/10/technology/personaltech/how-to-delete-facebook-instagram-account.html
16/10/2018: Looks like Trump has ‘persuaded’ the
Saudis to ‘fess up’. (He is amazing). Do you remember when this guy’s
Khashoggi’s uncle (?) brought down the Whitlam Government? Perhaps you are too
young. Of course the Saudis also not only created Bin Laden but also financed
him. So too the Taliban,
15/10/2018: Still at 53: 47 (error 2.4). Not nearly good enough. Hopefully after Wentworth is finished Scott will be able to sell some real conservative policies that voters will love. Otherwise: the deluge! : https://www.news.com.au/national/politics/coalition-claws-back-support-newspoll/news-story/146ef5ae77c5d35d6d516ee8c04ee39d
15/10/2018: Global area-averaged lower tropospheric
temperature anomalies (departures from 30-year calendar monthly means,
1981-2010). September the coolest in 10 years
up one tenth of a degree from the 1980-2010 average (a warmer period
anyway). A whole one-tenth of a degree (yet it killed the
15/10/2018: Che: You may not recognize this guy without the cap and T-shirt, but yesterday was the 50th anniversary of the death of the evil murderer, Che Guevara. He does look a little annoyed to have been executed just as he executed so many – shot up against a wall, without a trial. The guy pointing is obviously commenting on their good shooting.
To
my astonishment when I was at Uni he was a hero to the benighted Left. He still
is on a current Irish postage stamp. What a strange country
14/10/2018: Electric Drill Earth Auger: I have been substantially laid up with this back (slipped disc then back op. – basically since July dammit!). Slowly getting better I hope (?) Meanwhile however my daughter Merrin and I have planted about 300 trees mainly using this method which costs at most a couple of dollars ($A) and at least A$1 when you get to re-use the conduit a couple of years later when the tree has grown enough so that the sheep will not bother it any more.
This
evergreen alder has already grown a foot in the month since we planted it. In
the background you can see the tree guards we used to use (last year’s
planting) which cost over $20 each instead of $2.
Some of those we have put in we will be able to re-use the conduit next autumn! Willows, poplars and evergreen alders (for example) really get up. We have growth out the top of the plastic guards (5’ up!) already in less than a month! We expect similar results from some other trees eg prunus (esp suckers), elm suckers, pawlonia (suckers), ash…I will add to the list). Mostly we are using plant material we can get for free eg from roadsides and other bits of rough or wild, so the total cost of those planted trees is $A1 and our labour – and it is fun planting trees with your daughter – when she can get a break from her infant son.
Japanese
Maple. It’s amazing how much growth you can slip the tube over when the
branches are bare. Of course she may have planted this the other way, ie
slipping the root ball through the tube. In either case, this is quite a tree
given that it has only been in the ground a couple of weeks. (Aside: the
thistles are out of control this year due to my not being able to spray them.
We have a contractor coming next week – and hopefully a couple of inches of
rain too!)
I bought a 2” x 9” (long) earth auger from these folk (because I wanted it in a hurry) which cost me around $A50 delivered. I believed it would have a standard hex head which I could attach to a drill extension, but it ended up being a much larger hex head which I could not buy an extension for (locally) so I cut off a length of a long M12 bolt and welded the two together to give me a drill around 18” long, which was about what we wanted for the hole. (PS: It would have cost me closer to A$200 for one that long!) If the soil is nice and moist at that depth it will give the cutting a good start and leave pretty close to the 5’ of conduit (and plastic tube) sticking out of the ground to protect the growing plant from maraudering sheep. We have been using an 18 volt rechargeable Makita Drill Model DHP 481. It is very suitable for the purpose as it has a long handle which is great for resisting the turning force of the auger.
The
Makita DHP 481, hole punch from Officeworks, roll of protective tubing and the
poorly welded auger – which nonetheless works perfectly well!
We have pruned quite a variety of other (potted) trees (mainly tube stock and bare-rooted trees) to a single leader and planted them in the tubes too. Lots of them are doing well. The longest has been in the soil for less than a month. Others we planted just yesterday. They included English Oak, Holm Oak, Black Walnut, Chestnut, Red Oak, Pin Oak, Lilypilly, Magnolia, Maple…
The
old blackwoods are near the end of their life. This one has fallen down. Winter
wood for next year. When all those tree tubes
have grown their trees Merrin will have quite a little forest there just above
our bottom dam.
It is as simple as this: Drill the hole to 16-18”. Put the conduit in the hole. Give it a couple of taps with a mason’s hammer to secure it in the bottom. If planting a cutting place it in the hole next to it. If a potted tree dig a big enough hole right next to the conduit so you can fit the tree (pruned back to a single leader) inside the plastic tube, refill the hole making sure that there is loose moist dirt the full length of the hole. Slip the plastic sleeve over the tree and conduit (carefully so you don’t snap the tree). Pull the sleeve out in the middle (not the edge as the tree will get more air this way) and make three double rows of holes with the hole punch. Secure the plastic sleeve to the conduit with three cable ties. (Water in if necessary when you finish). Move on to the next tree.
This
Magnolia and Japanese Maple arte already above their protective tubes after
less than a month. These trees will be over 10′ high (3 metres) by autumn.
Instant forest. This planting will both beautify and stabilise this old slip
above our top dam.
We are going to have some very nice walks right here on our home farm – and in the bush up the creek behind us where there is a waterfall, fern gullies, giant mountain ash forest, eagles’ nests and etc.
I
have been looking up some other (cheaper) earth augers you might also use. A
couple from the States which typically cost less than $US20 plus maybe $US10
(max) delivery to a
For example: Yard Butler 1 3/4″ Roto Digger & Jisco 1/3/4″ x 2′ Earth Auger
You may be better with these offerings from Aliexpress. This one for example is 43mm x 370 mm and costs US$20 inc shipping (This will be long enough if you give the conduit a couple of taps with the hammer): or you can buy 5 for US$90 – and sell four to your friends for $22.50ea and get yours for nothing!:
If
you want a longer one (800 mm) you could buy this one US$36.67:
Note that you will need the electric drill adapter for US$ 13.32 Also free
shipping to
See Also:
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/trees-and-tree-guards/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/the-tree-planting-team-today/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/wildlife-proof-fencing/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/our-valley-of-plenty/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/fencegarden/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/instant-trellisfence/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/capillary-mat-plant-starters/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/boastful-food-shots/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/ultralight-gardening/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/birds-in-our-garden/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/eradicate-european-wasps/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/several-winters-fires/
14/10/2018: For those who came in late. Here is how
you have been gulled: A summary of Donna Laframboise’s ‘The Delinquent Teenager who was mistaken for
the world's top climate expert’ – a critique of the workings of the IPCC: http://www.the-rathouse.com/2012/IPCC.html
14/10/2018: Gold! This will put Gillard behind bars. Imagine forging an important document for presentation to the Royal Commission – and imagine they never noticed! Incompetence and criminality in ‘high’ places: http://www.michaelsmithnews.com/2018/10/former-wa-corporate-affairs-chief-gives-sworn-evidence-for-gillard-prosecution.html
13/10/2018: Shepherd’s Crook: I bought one of these
in Hawick during our trip to
Also available above are these ‘gambrels’ used for restraining sheep (eg ewes giving birth). I have had one of these in my ‘lambing bag’ for 30+ years. I can’t imagine how many ewes/lambs it has helped save the lives of:
The large space in the middle goes over the neck then you lift the two front legs into the other two spaces. The string is never needed. You can use a piece of cord of the appropriate length in each end of which you have tied an overhand knot. You place the middle of the cord over the neck (as above) and pull the front legs through the loops.
The beauty of this arrangement is that it costs nothing and slips into your pocket.
See Also:
https://www.theultralighthiker.com/car-camping-scotland/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/convert-a-car-to-a-camper-for-50/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/great-scot/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/genius-strainer-post/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/happy-birthday-ultralight-hiker-2/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/mattresses-i-have-known/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/beach-burial-2-the-cat/
https://www.theultralighthiker.com/riding-on-the-sheepss-back/
https://www.theultralighthiker.com/what-tree-wont-sheep-eat/
https://www.theultralighthiker.com/sheep-farm-retirement/
https://www.theultralighthiker.com/the-tree-planting-team-today/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/the-tree-planting-team-today/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/wildlife-proof-fencing/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/our-valley-of-plenty/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/fencegarden/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/instant-trellisfence/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/capillary-mat-plant-starters/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/boastful-food-shots/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/ultralight-gardening/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/birds-in-our-garden/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/eradicate-european-wasps/
https://www.theultralighthiker.com/riding-on-the-sheepss-back/
https://www.theultralighthiker.com/trees-and-tree-guards/
https://www.theultralighthiker.com/hello-possums/
13/10/2018: At last, alongside the Holocaust
Museum we now have the Museum of
Communist Terror – 100 million murdered so far is surely noteworthy. Hopefully there will soon be a Museum of Islamist terror to
showcase how it is even worse – around 270 million murdered so far, and
billions enslaved: https://www.museumofcommunistterror.com/
13/10/2018: Maybe you know some people who would like
to go on this trip: https://thefreethoughtproject.com/flat-earthers-plan-quest-to-prove-earth-isnt-round/
13/10/2018: ‘The release of heat when water vapor condenses drives thunder clouds (known as cumulonimbus), and the energy in a thundercloud is comparable to that released in an H-bomb’. Lindzen Yet all around the tropics there are tens of thousands of them every evening! Makes our own butterfly effects look pretty trivial: https://wattsupwiththat.com/2018/10/09/richard-lindzen-lecture-at-gwpf-global-warming-for-the-two-cultures/
12/10/2018: There has been this measured stratospheric cooling going
on since the satellite records began. Personally
I can’t see much difference in the two ‘periods’ they want to split it into.
However, my observation is that if the increased CO2 is supposed to act as a
sort of blanket producing a predicted tropospheric ‘hot spot’ - which has never
been observed incidentally – which ought to then warm the stratosphere, and so
on: then where exactly is the predicted warming? Even the land surface
measurements can only be ‘adjusted’ into showing it. Realistically folks we are
heading for another ice age (hopefully glacially slowly) and nothing we can do
will prevent it – and it will last for 100,000 years, like all the previous
ones. But for the nonce, relax. BTW: A young fellow from James Cook has been
auditing the land-based temperature series and finds them to be utterly questionable.
Meanwhile of course the satellites have been showing a tropospheric cooling
since 2016 and the coolest September ina long,long time: https://wattsupwiththat.com/2018/09/29/revisiting-the-mystery-of-stratospheric-cooling/ & https://www.manhattancontrarian.com/blog/2018-10-7-the-greatest-scientific-fraud-of-all-time-part-xix
12/10/2018: The other side of #metoo. Males falsely
accused by women. For example : ‘[The boy] was basically being tortured in
school by the other students and investigators, but the administration was only
focused on protecting the girls who were lying. The false accusations led to
the firing of their son from his job at a swimming pool and he was
then “forced to endure multiple court appearances, detention in a juvenile
facility, detention at home, the loss of his liberty and other damages.’ So far
no consequences for the ‘mean girls’ involved: https://www.foxnews.com/us/five-high-school-mean-girls-targeted-boy-with-false-accusations-of-sexual-assault-lawsuit-claims
12/10/2018:
11/10/2018: The
11/10/2018: The police we need vs the police we get: http://www.michaelsmithnews.com/2018/10/uk-police-chief-watched-from-inside-locked-police-car-while-islamist-stabbed-pc-to-death.html
11/10/2018: Morrison in the Australian on the IPCC’s gobbledygook, ‘We’re not held to any of them at all, and nor are we bound to go and tip money into that big climate fund…We’re not going to do that either. I’m not going to spend money on global climate conferences and all that sort of nonsense.’ I think nonsense is the semantic equivalent of Tony Abbott’s ‘bullshit’. There is hope: https://quadrant.org.au/opinion/doomed-planet/2018/10/tolerating-nonsense-prove/
10/10/2018: ‘This concept of wilderness is nothing but
a new incarnation of terra nullius’ (Marcia Langton). Aborigines in 1788
merely experienced what everyone else had already had done to them (and of
course, what they had done to the earlier inhabitants, some of it within the
lifetimes of people still living today ie the destruction of the Cape York
pygmies https://quadrant.org.au/opinion/history-wars/2002/06/the-extinction-of-the-australian-pygmies/ ). In the
C12th the Crown took over
10/10/2018: If you have
not been following, you may not understand this post, http://www.michaelsmithnews.com/2018/10/marmion-on-the-gillard-forgery.html but it confirms that Julia Gillard is guilty of a gross
forgery which was used by her (and others) to illegally acquire hundreds of
thousands of dollars and spend them on herself (which the Royal Commission
established). What this means is that Michael Smith’s upcoming private
prosecution of her (http://www.michaelsmithnews.com/2018/09/progress-report-on-my-private-prosecution.html) will succeed and that she will go to gaol. How the
sisterhood will shriek! Myself, I cannot wait to see her (new crocodile) tears.
Of course it is all the fault of misogyny – and Tony Abbott especially! (Rhyme intended)
10/10/2018: Is this woman the ultimate player of victim politics – such pretty blue eyes and ‘peaches and cream’ complexion yet a ‘Moslem woman of colour’. If you build a trough: https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/blogs/tim-blair/shes-literally-shaking-people-down/news-story/159cb75e5ae1367045212b9821717369
09/10/2018: Minnow Gripper: What’s not to like
about these little beauties? https://countycomm.com/products/minnow-gripper Made in
the
You could carry a couple of these for emergency tie-outs for your tent or tarp. I carry a couple of these myself, but the minnows might well be better – though not so much use for fishing!
If you haven’t discovered Countycomm before you are in for a treat (and a lighter wallet). They have a bewildering variety of interesting an ultralight goodies. I have often posted about their wonderful Maratac torches, for example. Their Peanut Lighter is an ultralight and indestructible beauty. These Titanium Keychains would be worth a look. Enjoy your visit!
(You
may have to email to discuss freight to
See Also:
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/lighter-brighter-better/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/super-aaa-torch-145-lumens/
https://www.theultralighthiker.com/worlds-lightest-tarp-clip/
09/10/2018: ‘So many of our young appear over-privileged, unwilling to take on responsibility, emotionally fragile, narcissistic and utterly lacking in resilience.’ (Grace Collier) 14 years of ‘education’ now will help! ‘Give me the child and I will give you the man’ (Loyola) is just becoming ridiculous. I know this is the main impetus behind Labor’s plan – just as is buying votes by imposing high immigration and high welfarism on us is – but is any of this any more desirable than having a socialist government certainly isn’t? Especially as ‘education’s' measurable outcomes have clearly continued to fall - just as we spend more and more on it. When I went to school we had a maximum of 11 years of school education - which I foreshortened by two. This was more than enough, yet it produced better outcomes and a more employable population than we now have with more than a quarter of the population having fake bachelor’s degrees yet being largely illiterate and woefully impractical. There are huge savings for the taxpayer to be made by cutting the education budget and giving it a more practical and outcome focused approach. I doubt there is anything to be gained by giving any more than 10% of the population university-style ‘education or pre-school education at all (which is just expensive baby-minding and a pale imitation of being raised by competent parents anyway) for a start. More technical and practical education would also be a godsend. Read Grace’s take on this re-posted from the Australian by ‘OldOzzie in comments here: http://catallaxyfiles.com/2018/10/06/open-forum-october-6-2018/comment-page-3/#comment-2833359
09/10/2018: Imagine personally killing 40,000 babies! Many of them delivered live only to have their spinal cords severed and then left to die in agony on the bench! Is there any other serial killer worse than Gosnell? This film about him will be the nail in the coffin for the Dem’s and the sisterhood’s prospects of winning the ‘Mids’ eve if the Kavanaugh circus was not, (which it was): https://www.steynonline.com/8826/gosnell
09/10/2018: Colonialism? Phooey. Melania looks good in anything, full stop: https://www.thepiratescove.us/2018/10/06/melanias-hat-evokes-colonialism-comparison-or-something/
08/10/2018:
08/10/2018: Looks like
Scomo will win the Wentworth by-election. In their usual inept style the Greens preferenced Labor
ahead of the Independent (defacto Labor candidate Phelps). She in turn
preferenced the Libs ahead of Labor (in an effort to win outright). This means
that the Greens votes will go to Labor, meaning she will finish third instead of
second. Her votes will go to the Libs instead of Labor, so the Libs will win.
If she and the Greens had a bit more smarts (unlikely), she would have won.
Labor is deliberately ‘running dead’ (have you seen their awful candidate?) so
that she would win. This win will give Scott some free air in which he can
underline definitive policies which distance him from Labor, and articulate
them – something he is far better at than anyone else in Parliament. If he wins
Wentworth, he will win the General Election next year – and Shorten will never
be Prime Minister. Thank God. Hopefully he is replaced by Kimberley Kitching –
or someone like her. Maybe the Left has had its day after all? You can only
hope. Bring on the 20th October. No big upsets before then. http://theconversation.com/poll-wrap-phelps-slumps-to-third-in-wentworth-trumps-ratings-up-after-fight-over-kavanaugh-104478 & http://www.michaelsmithnews.com/2018/10/kimberley-kitching-defender-of-conservative-judaeo-christian-values.html
08/10/2018: Trillions of dollars spent on climate
because of fake data, eg temperatures of 80C allowed into the records: http://joannenova.com.au/2018/10/first-audit-of-global-temperature-data-finds-freezing-tropical-islands-boiling-towns-boats-on-land/ when the
real data was staring us in the face. This
is the Bureau of Met's records for our oldest continuous remote station in
07/10/2018: Renewables
produce warming – how about that? And of
course that’s not even countinf the CO2 required for their production,
maintenance and dismantling. Much worse
than coal! http://joannenova.com.au/2018/10/warning-wind-power-warms-local-climate-for-next-hundred-years-needs-5-20-times-as-much-land/
07/10/2018: Don’t move in
with that unemployed boyfriend: ‘don’t
even f-----g consider it for a second awful idea.’ http://stuartschneiderman.blogspot.com/2018/10/the-case-of-deadbeat-boyfriend.html
07/10/2018: Dr Strangelove please move over – we have some lovely new nukes for you: https://www.foxnews.com/tech/new-us-nuclear-bombs-and-futuristic-stealth-aircraft-to-provide-mind-boggling-military-might
07/10/2018: Riding on the Sheeps’s Back: Or vice
versa. Patagonia’s
Woolyester Fleece (US$139 – Oct 2018)
might be a great mid-layer addition to your other wool clothing, your
Kathmandu/Columbia thermal for example, and your Kathmandu or
Mind you it would have to be comparable in weight and insulative value to our Montbell Superior Down jackets (at 208 grams Mens Medium $A199 – Oct 2018) – though it might well be a little more durable. I can’t get any info on its weight. Fleece tends to be somewhat heavy though. You might think about something like a cashmere wool vest as an alternative.
The advantage I see it having over your run-of-the-mill fleece is that the wool should make it smell better after prolonged heavy exertion. I would have to buy one to confirm this – but I already have a cupboard full of old fleece garments for use around the farm. Anyway it will want to be better as it costs more. For example you can buy a good brand (like Columbia for US$79.99 and you can do much better than that at eg Harris Scarfe – A$25- Oct 2018 – or this one from Anaconda for $A24 – Oct 2018!
What they say about it:
‘
‘With
heritage design lines, a warm fleece jacket made with a modern blend of
recycled wool, polyester and nylon fabric that’s Fair Trade Certified™ sewn.
This classic style is rendered in a recycled wool/polyester/nylon fabric blend,
moving us one step closer to a zero-waste apparel industry. Because this
classic, every day, all around layer is rendered in a recycled
wool/polyester/nylon fabric blend, it is a better choice when buying new, and
moves us one step closer to a zero-waste apparel industry’. (
I imagine others will be along with wool/poly fleeces which actually benefit sheep farmers like us before long. Meanwhile we continue to treat our Finnsheep quite humanely. And, listen up: their fleece is the very best in the world for making fine felt – which Della does often. I may try to entice her to make me an anorak yet. I have been trying for years. And a hat! Her Finn wool felt is also very nearly waterproof.
Here she is in two of her recent felted creations. Over the years she has made many more beautiful garments:
You won’t be getting something like these from Paragonia (or anywhere else in a hurry! You probably won’t be getting a wife nearly as good as this either – and we have been together nigh on 50 years! Eat your heart out!
Can you see why I might want her to make me a felted anorak now?
Available here for US$139:
See Also:
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/if-posts-are-light-2/
06/10/2018: More
CO2 please. I have been saying this since the 1980s (because I was
observing it – I get out
there, you see)
that forest area was increasing – when all the ‘conventional wisdom’ said it
was decreasing. I think the same about temperature – that it has been getting
cooler, at least all of my life (the Cape Otway
records -
our oldest continuous station, say for over a century now – and by 2C degrees).
At least the September just gone was the coldest for a decade as the satellite
records show. Pity those satellites weren’t around in the 1930s to see when it
was really hot! In any case CO2 has added an area of forest equal to two
06/10/2018: Most
of you reading this already have sarcopenia. Listen up, you have to do
something about it. Here’s what: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/09/03/well/live/preventing-muscle-loss-among-the-elderly.html
06/10/2018:
Kavanaugh will be endorsed. Ford’s best friend contradicts her testimony,
and two other blokes say it was they who groped her. Endgame for the Dem’s
stalling. There will be a conservative judiciary for a generation. This is what
‘draining the swamp’ is all about. Go
Scomo: https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2018/10/christine-fords-close-friend-and-alleged-witness-leland-keyser-testifies-for-third-time-that-she-was-never-at-party-with-kavanaugh/ & https://www.dailywire.com/news/36377/judiciary-talking-man-who-thinks-he-forced-ryan-saavedra
06/10/2018: 1200th Post: Every hundred posts or so I take time to highlight significant posts on the website over the last few months. In this case it is 200 posts since 6th October 2017 and my 1000th Post. In that time I have made some belated posts about our Qld trip back in September including our ascent of Mt Bartle Frère Qld’s tallest mountain over 1600 metres – and you begin at about 100 metres above sea level – so it is quite a contrast of climates in a single day.
I did lots of Canoeing and pack rafting last summer as there was adequate water about even if not plenty. We had several trips on the the Wonnagatta the Macailister and the Thomson rivers.
I have been making some efforts to Speed up the website which have resulted in faster loading times. There is still much more to do but some of it is quite technical, time consuming – and fraught with pitfalls. I have loading times down to a bit over a second. I think I can more than halve that in the future for people who are every impatient – apparently many are.
I made a couple of new tents I am very happy with. This wonderful Siligloo which is vast yet only weighs 385 grams and my Pocket Poncho which weighs only 185. I plan a new version of the latter to accommodate two. It should increase its weight by only about 50 grams.
Some wet weather posts : how to enjoy hiking in the rain How to make a Hands free umbrella and other Rain gear
Some electrical posts including Chargers, Solar power, other Battery gear and a New sat messenger which weighs under 100 grams.
Lots of other DIY ideas including a great way to sleep two under one tarp in a Hammock Double Up and other hammock ideas New DIY: an ultralight New stove, some advice about ultracheap backpacking, pack mods, ultralight cups, hearing aid clips, cheap pads and cheap quilts, cheap tents and an ultralight saw – and how to eradicate wasps. There are posts about Cold season pads and others and cheaper alternatives.
The old dog Tiny sadly
departed after many years & the new dog Honey arrived.
We have spent some time exploring the Gippsland coast: Liptrap & the Five Mile & Waratah Bay & the Isthmus for example.
Some Recollections of Fox hunting my dad and other early adventures.
There is
as usual Food, lots of
food
and
numerous Deer doings and
advice including
how to be an Ultralight
deer hunter
We have a new tree planting method which has seen lots of success. There has been wildlife fencing and other doings around the farm.
In may we had a ten day Scotland trip. I include our $50 camper instructions which we used on the trip.
There is more hiking advice including how not to die and how to find water
Unfortunately we have had some ill health We hope Della’s heart is now fixed My Back and knee have failed. Here is what I did about it.
To round off I offer this Life advice. Stay happy.
06/10/2018: Ultralight Pocket Lockpick: 54 grams: The SouthOrd Jackknife Lockpick. How could you go anywhere without one? Why bother to carry keys at all? They are probably heavier then this anyway. A great substitute for the Keychain Reinvented. Of course it might take a little practice to actually open your front door with it – and it may be highly illegal in some jurisdictions. In Victoria our Government are awful kill-joys who won’t even allow us to make a shanghai, let along carry a pocket shanghai when hiking, should we want to knock over a coney or scare away some nasty like a dingo perhaps, so carrying one of these would most likely incur the death penalty or something. Usual price US$39.95 from South Ord. Available on Massdrop for US$32.99. Instructions are also available from South Ord.
Specs
Tempered stainless steel construction
3.5 x 0.25 in (89 x 6.30 mm)
1.91 oz (54.15 g)
Included
Half diamond pick
Half single ball pick
Snake rake pick
Long hook pick
Key type pick
Key extractor
Tension wrench
https://www.southord.com/products/jackknife-pocket-lock-pick-sets
See Also:
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/pocket-slingshot/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/the-keyring-reinvented/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/hunting-the-wonnangatta-moroka/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/the-ultralight-persuader/
06/10/2018: First
they came for the…we have not been told that the Chinese Premier has gaoled
over a million party members since he came to power. I admit this is the palest
shadow of Mao who murdered tens of millions, but it is one reason to be
concened about
05/10/2018: Will
CERN destroy the world – just something else to worry about? Well, we
shouldn’t worry really. When it’s gone, it’s gone: https://wattsupwiththat.com/2018/10/02/forget-climate-change-large-hadron-collider-set-to-destroy-the-world/
05/10/2018: Notice
anything about the new Government in
05/10/2018: Modern
Slavery? This looks like a ‘beat up’ to me. Where will the poor guy/s go
now? Question: Is this worse, or better than the NDIS? https://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/real-life/news-life/man-rescued-after-40-years-of-slavery/news-story/550b664468879928cfccb0a7d25eb9c4
04/10/2018: It’s Not My Fault: On 02/10/2018 I had this post The Parting of the Ways (Below) in which I hinted that not only may there be a small group of themes which inform our lives but that there may be a small group of delusions which drag them down. As an example of that, let me suggest the delusion, ‘It’s not my fault’. I am a child. It is the world that is wicked and unfair. I am helpless in a world I can’t control, and it is depressing and terrifying. I can’t express just how much I must terribilise it so that I can justify continuing to do nothing…you know how it prattles on and on.
The
sane reply? ‘I can do it’. ‘Can do’. The motto of the 15th Infantry Regiment of
the United States Army, a ‘parent’ regiment which dates back to the American
Civil War – and beyond. They endured the most terrible battles of two world
wars and more. ‘
One of the reasons for the ‘success’ of Christianity is that its principal tenet helps to focus such troubled spirits outwards. If they can ‘love’ their neighbours (others), they can stop obsessing about themselves – and their woes. This is a good strategy.
‘Happiness’ is not some external thing (no more than misery is). Happiness is an internal thing. You might start with the adage, ‘Smile and the world smiles with you. Cry, and you cry alone.’ A primer for such sufferers is to do just that: ‘Smile’.
Smiling actually causes the associated feeling, happiness. Even if you feel that you are going through the day with a rictus. Try this. It will help to banish those internal gyrations where you circle and circle, coming back to the same scab to pick each time.
There is nothing at all you can do about the past. You must learn to pass on. To let ‘it’ go, whatever ‘it’ is. Tell yourself over and over ‘Let it pass’. Move on – and focus on the external world, not as the source of your misery. Not as something to blame. But as an adventure to be had. Something to work with.
You are not alone in having ‘lost your mind’. You are in good company, though many of us are loth to admit it. I am well today (in mind), though my back is broken. I have ‘moved on’ You must move on too. Believe me, it is not as hard as dragging this back around my afternoon walk, having to lie down and do my exercises against the exquisite pain every few hundred metres – but it takes the same determination: ‘Can do’.
Tyers
River 2010 Let it pass…
Today perhaps is the time to fix that tap, plant that vegetable, service the car, sort your camping gear, plan for that long hike you will begin tomorrow…It is your fault if you are unhappy. No-one else is the slightest bit interested, or to blame. And the only person who can lift you out of that unhappiness is yourself. You cannot have happiness delivered like a milkshake. It was always within yourself.
Think back to a time when you felt happy. There is always some time. For me, I go back to a time when I was sitting quietly under a bridge watching the deep waters of a river roll past. Try to capture the emotion you felt in just two words. For me they were, ‘Quiet. Calm.’ Say those two words over and over to yourself slowly whilst thinking of nothing else at all. Do that for a few minutes, then,
Smile right now. That is the beginning of sanity – and happiness. Have a happy day!
May I repeat the advice I gave in the post Cure Back Pain: Regret Nothing. Smile along with the music: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rzy2wZSg5ZM
The Parting of the Ways: Perhaps it is true and there are just a limited number of themes which inform life. The Journey is certainly one such. Re-reading ‘The Odyssey’ or “Robinson Crusoe’ ever regenerates that thrill of the eternal journey, echoed so brilliantly in Tennyson’s wonderful poem, ‘Ulysses’: ‘To sail beyond the sunset, and the baths Of all the western stars, until I die.… To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield.’ Another recurring theme is ‘the parting of the ways.’ How often have we traveled with comrades on some distant adventure, or held a dying friend’s hand for comfort till we come to that penultimate end when we must part, perhaps be sundered forever. I’m sure everyone’s heart rings to Robert Frost’s lines from ‘A Road Not Taken’ ‘Two roads diverged in a yellow wood, And sorry I could not travel both… I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference’. How many themes inform one’s life? I’m sure it is far from infinite – it may be less than a dozen even. I will try to work it out. It may be the same with madness: that there is a small number of types of delusion which inform all mental illness…(See above)
See Also:
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/cure-back-pain/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/my-life-was-wide-and-wild-and-who-can-know-my-heart/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/you-will-not-live-forever/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/free-willdeterminism/
04/10/2018: Send
them (all) back to
04/10/2018: WW3:
When will
04/10/2018: Time
to remember Ern Malley, a fictitious Australian poet of the 1940s concocted
by James McCauley and Harold Stewart to fool ‘modernist’ Max Harris. Harris and
his clique could not tell the difference between ‘good’ poetry and the sheer
nonsense that ‘Malley’ wrote. So too in just about every ‘intellectual’ field
today. The Emperor’s nakedness is plain for all to see. It has once again been
(brilliantly) exposed by three academic spoofers ridiculing feminism,
post-modernism and so on: https://quillette.com/2018/10/01/the-grievance-studies-scandal-five-academics-respond/ The trouble with such spoofs is that they only work
after (because?) the lunatics have taken over the asylum. We spend far too much
money on so-called ‘education’. We should re-establish our manufacturing
industries so that we can give all these time-wasters a real job doing something
productive.
04/10/2018: Ford
lies and lies and lies - while the Senate burns. Her ex-boyfriend sinks some of
her favourite fibs: https://www.frontpagemag.com/point/271495/kavanaugh-accusers-ex-boyfriend-accuses-her-lying-daniel-greenfield One of the most amazing lies is the way
she has shifted the date of the alleged assault by several years – this alone
would be enough to invite a perjury charge.
Just get on and approve Kavanaugh lest the swamp not be drained.
Interestingly, Ford’s dad works for the CIA! https://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2018/10/visualize-this.php
03/10/2018: Mark
Steyn’s Song of the Week:
‘Beautiful girls
Walk a little slower
When you walk by me...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w0X-O1BGAug
There's
a lot of truth in that sentiment. As a man grows old, he learns that young love
is one of the things you leave behind, that are lost to you. Other kinds of
love take its place - warmer love, deeper love. But there will be moments when
a head turns and her hair sways and you'll be momentarily reminded of when such
fancies made a heart of leap. But it's not about romantic appetite anymore,
just a wistful, warm nostalgia for something that can never come again. Sinatra
was moved by the tenderness and sensitivity of that fragment from a Gordon
Jenkins lyric, and with it was born the idea for an entire album of songs in an
autumnal hue’. https://www.steynonline.com/8883/this-is-all-i-ask The Sacroiliac: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sacroiliac_joint
03/10/2018: These
two guys are certainly heroes today even if they might have been naughty boys
once: https://www.dailywire.com/news/36377/judiciary-talking-man-who-thinks-he-forced-ryan-saavedra
03/10/2018: I
wouldn’t have believed it but there are young people who are not born-again
commies. Yet this one has written a wonderful essay about the power of the
individual. A must read – as is the site it appears on: https://libertyworks.org.au/why-individualism-trumps-collectivism/
03/10/2018: Cure
Back Pain: Yes, it will! This is
a summary of the ‘McKenzie Method. I have just had a laminectomy which has
‘gone wrong’. The 2/3 junction which had a disc bulge has been ‘decompressed’
successfully but that has transferred the pain to a misalignment at the ¾
junction which is impacting several nerves and producing exquisite agony – much
worse than the original disc bulge which had very nearly gort better before the
operation – but I feared it would ‘slip’ again sometime when I was in the
wilderness. (We all make mistakes –
there is no sense regretting them), so that I wish I had discovered this
method before surgery as I would then (certainly) have been able to cure
myself.
My all-time favourite song: Je Ne Regret Rien:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rzy2wZSg5ZM
It always makes the hairs stand up on the back of my
neck. There are better (sound only) reproductions.
|
French |
English |
|
Non, rien de rien Ni
le bien qu’on me fait Non,
rien de rien C’est
payé, balayé, oublié Avec
mes souvenirs Mes
chagrins, mes plaisirs Balayé
les amours Balayé
pour toujours Non,
rien de rien Ni
le bien qu’on me fait Non,
rien de rien Car
ma vie, car mes joies |
No, absolutely nothing Not
the good things that have happened No,
absolutely nothing It’s
paid, swept away, forgotten I
set fire My
troubles, my pleasures I’ve
swept away past loves Swept
away forever No,
absolutely nothing Not
the good things that have happened No,
absolutely nothing Because
my life, because my joy |
To continue:
Now I may need spinal fusion if the McKenzie methoid does
not work. However, I can report on Day Two of beginning it that I can now
control the pain and banish it for extended periods of time. The pain is also
slowly moving inwards (from my legs) towards the centre of my back. McKenzie
claims it will slowly do that, and then vanish. I certainly hope so. I think it
is worth a shot if you have back pain. The first two/three exercises definitely
banish the pain for a time, so they are worth trying for that reason alone.
I bought the book in ebook from from Amazon for US$11.99: https://www.amazon.com.au/Treat-Your-Back-Robin-McKenzie-ebook/dp/B00UM2O264 I downloaded the book. It then appears in a new place on
your computer, something Like this: ‘C:\Users\Steve\Documents\My Kindle
Content’
If you download a programme called: https://www.epubsoft.com/kindle-drm-removal.html?c=KIEDR1 you can remove the proprietary ‘drm’ protection from it,
so it can be copied – which is what I did (Easy). Then you can convert it into
epub or pdf form so it can be read or even printed out. Obviously you save the
converted copy in an appropriate file.
Then you can copy it to your phone and read it eg with
the Coolreader
App (epub) or (I use)
the qPDF Viewer
App – if you prefer
Pdf. You can print out sections – like
the exercises (I have) and eg highlight the important bits you want to
remember.
Additionally you could ‘lend’ it to a friend who also had
a bad back, though this might break copyright, even if you have made a printed
copy – I don’t know. I do know that I have a friend who has a bad back and very
little money – or computer savvy – such that if I were to help him with this
book I would have to buy/make him a printed copy.
Here is a summary of the exercises, a sort of ‘try before
you buy’ – but I recommend you buy the
book:
Exercise 1: Lying
face down
Lie face down with your arms beside your body and your
head turned to one side.
Stay in this position, take a few deep breaths, and then
relax completely for two or three minutes. Start each session with this
exercise. Repeat the sessions about
every two hours. In addition, you may lie face down whenever you are resting.
Exercise 2: Lying
face down in extension
Remain lying face down, place your elbows under your
shoulders so that you lean on your forearms
Allow the muscles in the low back, hips and legs to relax
completely. Remain in this position for two to three minutes.
Exercise 3:
Extension in lying
This is also the most useful and effective first-aid
procedure in the treatment of acute low back pain. The exercise can also be
used to treat stiffness.
Remain lying face down. Place your hands under your
shoulders in the press-up position Now you are ready to begin as you straighten
your elbows, push the top half of your body up as far as pain permits
It is important that you completely relax the pelvis,
hips and legs as you do this, and remember to keep breathing. Maintain this
position for a second or two, then lower yourself to the starting position.
Repeat this movement cycle in a smooth rhythmical motion and try to raise your
upper body a little higher each time, so that in the end your back is extended
as much as possible, with your arms as straight as possible. Once your arms are
straight, remember to hold the sag for a second or two as this is the most
important part of the exercise. The sag may be maintained for longer than one
or two seconds if you feel the pain is reducing or centralising. Never be
satisfied that you have moved as far as possible. Say to yourself each time you
push up, “further, further, further”. Perform this exercise ten times per
session.
Emergency Panic
Page
In case of a sudden onset of acute pain, carry out the
following instructions:
• Immediately lie face down (if this is impossible
because of pain intensity, go to bed and attempt exercises the next day).
• If absolutely necessary, rest for two days maximum,
correctly supported.
• Use The Original McKenzie® Night Roll around your waist
when resting in bed. A piece of sponge rubber or a rolled towel if you do not
have a ‘Night Roll’. Aside: I have found a pillow under the knees (but none
under the head) works for me.
• Perform Exercises 1 and 2 once, and then 3 ten times
Repeat this sequence every two hours during your waking hours.
• If the pain is more to one side and not reducing, move
hips away from the painful side and do Exercises 2 and 3.
• Avoid all movements that aggravate symptoms.
• Do not slouch or bend forward for three to four days.
• Use The Original McKenzie® lumbar roll for support when
sitting. (The $3 lumbar supports I wrote about here are a good start)
• Maintain perfect posture at all times.
There are more exercises (and advice) If the above works
for you, buy the
book. Good luck!
PS: If you enjoyed that Piaf song, try Le Vie en Rose
which was my parents-in-law’s favourite song – and is inscribed on their grave:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rzeLynj1GYM
|
French |
English |
|
Des yeux qui font baisser les miens Quand
il me prend dans ses bras Il
me dit des mots d’amour Il
est entré dans mon coeur C’est
lui pour moi Et,
dès que je l’aperçois Des
nuits d’amour à plus en finir Quand
il me prend dans ses bras Il
me dit des mots d’amour Il
est entré dans mon coeur C’est
lui pour moi Et,
dès que je l’apercois Lalalala,
lalalala |
A gaze that make me lower my own When
he takes me into his arms He
speaks words of love to me He
has entered into my heart It’s
only him for me As
soon as I notice him Endless
nights of love When
he takes me into his arms He
speaks words of love to me He
has entered into my heart It’s
only him for me As
soon as I notice him Lalalala,
lalalala |
A truly lovely love song. I can feel why they loved it.
See Also:
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/back-operation/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/count-dracula-had-it-right/
PS: McKenzie also has a treatment for knees https://www.amazon.com/Treat-Your-Own-Knee-838/dp/0987650483 and etc (Try Google).
Here is a video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l_KJTx5ZPRM
02/10/2018: The Parting of the Ways: Perhaps it is true and there are just a limited number of themes which inform life. The Journey is certainly one such. Re-reading ‘The Odyssey’ or “Robinson Crusoe’ ever regenerates that thrill of the eternal journey, echoed so brilliantly in Tennyson’s wonderful poem, ‘Ulysses’: ‘To sail beyond the sunset, and the baths Of all the western stars, until I die.… To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield.’ Another recurring theme is ‘the parting of the ways.’ How often have we traveled with comrades on some distant adventure, or held a dying friend’s hand for comfort till we come to that penultimate end when we must part, perhaps be sundered forever. I’m sure everyone’s heart rings to Robert Frost’s lines from ‘A Road Not Taken’ ‘Two roads diverged in a yellow wood, And sorry I could not travel both… I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference’. How many themes inform one’s life? I’m sure it is far from infinite – it may be less than a dozen even. It may be the same with madness: that there is a small number of types of delusion which inform all mental illness...
Just perhaps, ‘Auntie’ can be fixed: https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/blogs/andrew-bolt/jonathan-shier-how-to-fix-the-abc/news-story/0420142d173d2b0adbe136de2bf7d687
02/10/2018: Steve Kates Nails the Kavanaugh Fiasco: Here: http://catallaxyfiles.com/2018/09/30/its-all-politics-which-means-there-are-no-easy-answers-on-what-to-do/ and here: http://catallaxyfiles.com/2018/10/02/whats-evidence-got-to-do-with-it/
02/10/2018: The Submarine deal is surreal and a threat to national security.
Delivery in the 2050s is lunacy. We should scrap in now (and the Collins-class
subs which never worked – only one at best is ever operational) and replace
them with off-the-shelf
01/10/2018: Cheap
Insulated Pad: US$69.99 (Sept 2018) Paria Outdoors a Texas-based company (
‘The ReCharge UL camping pad is the perfect size (72 x 20 x 2.5 – 189 x 50x 6 cm) and weight (20 ounces – 570 grams) for ultralight backpackers and thru-hikers’. It has 90 grams/ square metre microfiber insulation laminated inside which make for an R-value of 3.5 and they are good down to about -10C. Perfect 3- season capability. Of course the Noeair Womens is only 340 grams – but if you are on a budget, and young and strong…
You could carry this in your Budget Backpack ( US$17.99 and 315 grams) along with your Budget Tent ($US59.98 and 410 grams)
Mind you their Sanctuary
Siltarps
are good value too at US79.99 (Sept 2018) as are their Thermodown
30 down quilts at
US$ 144.99 and 32 oz (912 grams) or these cheap folding Trekking
Poles at US$49.99 (20 oz – 600 grams) and 15”/40cm
folded – so they’ll fit easily into your pack.
See Also:
https://www.pariaoutdoorproducts.com/products/recharge-ul-sleeping-pad
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/ultralight-hiking-on-a-budget/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/ultralight-ultracheap-backpack/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/budget-pack-mods/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/make-your-sleeping-pad-warmer/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/3f-tents/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/pine-down-blanket/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/brawnys-tarptent/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/cosco-quilt/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/poly-tent-by-the-ultralight-hiker-on-the-cheap/
There are also many DIY options, eg:
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/60-diy-ultralight-hiker-ideas/
Mind you, you should never head off into the wilds
without one of these, or these.
01/10/2018: I do love steam trains – and coal; the Chinese certainly put ours to good effect – I remember when they replaced the steam trains in NSW; a family friend Wayne Thompson was a fireman on the railways. He used often to give me a ride in the engine on the way to/from schools. A treat which ended then. Still, they had to retain a steam train on stand-by at our local station (Fassifern) for years because it had one of the longest, steepest grades in NSW, and none of the new diesel-electrics had enough ‘oomph’ to get a heavy goods train up the incline. Perhaps that is what is happening here: the night-time sweeps are particularly brilliant: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8grHpQAB1jA
01/10/2018: Things to look forward to in
01/10/2018: One of the great things about the net is the diversity of perspectives/information
which is available (even more using the Tor browser which now comes in a user-friendly Firefox version – you
should try it). Unfortunately the major social media and mainstream media sites
are heavily partisan and censorious, so that this diversity is automatically
restricted (like 1984 or Marshall McLuhan’s predictions). You can catch up on
some interesting perspectives you missed elsewhere here: https://www.infowars.com/
30/09/2018: The Ultralight Barista: So you would like a decent cup of coffee on the trail. I know that this is a problem for Della. Me? I am a philistine. I actually prefer instant. There are some little luxuries though where you might want to add a few grams to your otherwise ultralight outfit so that you can savour the comforts of home. I think, for Della this is one of them. I have been searching for an ultralight way to make a decent cup of coffee and this is it:
This is Vargo’s Titanium Travel Coffee Filter. It weighs 1.27 ounces (36 grams). Its dimensions are 3.5″D x 2.8″ (87 mm x 71 mm). It would clearly also be suitable for other kinds of travel applications – in your hotel room, & etc. They are listing it at US$49.95 (Sept 2018).
Here is what they have to say about it: ‘Don’t let anything come between you and a fresh cup of pure coffee. The Vargo Titanium Travel Coffee Filter is a solo pour-over coffee maker that easily fits and nests with your favorite mug. Made from pure titanium, it’s reusable, eco-friendly, and biocompatible so that the only thing you taste is delicious hot coffee in your cup whether at home or on the trail.
Features:
- 100% biocompatible titanium won’t leach chemicals, corrode, or impart any flavors for absolutely pure tasting coffee
- Double mesh construction offers strength and fine filtering
- Reusable and eco-friendly – no plastic cups or paper filters to waste
- Sturdy talon-style folding legs fit and nest with a wide variety of mugs
- Easy to clean and maintain for many years of use
- Folding handle for easy lifting without burning fingers
- Compact size and included mesh bag for easy storage’
I would probably make/buy a silnylon bag to carry it in instead – as I would be putting it away wet, but it might just fit inside your billy – depending on what else you are carrying there.
Anyway it will surely make for a wonderful luxury addition to your hiking ‘kitchen’. If you have made all the other ultralight changes I have suggested over the years, you probably won’t mind this small addition to your kit particularly if you hanker after a decent cup of java. I will be purchasing one for Della for sure. A Xmas gift perhaps for her, or for your beloved hiker/hunter?
PS: I have found Vargo to be a fine company selling excellent products. I own many of their products for years. None has ever failed me.
https://www.vargooutdoors.com/titanium-travel-coffee-filter.html
See Also: http://www.theultralighthiker.com/a-hiking-food-compendium/
30/09/2018: Curious things: Moth drinking tears from a bird’s eyes: https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2018/09/watch-moth-drink-tears-bird-s-eye
30/09/2018: A (female) witness
analyst expert looks at Blasey Ford’s testimony. You may not have noticed
her odd baby talk before either. It is quite obvious the woman has schooled
herself and is lying. Something is seriously wrong with her. What a dis-service
she has actually done to #metoo: https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=56&v=uGxr1VQ2dPI
30/09/2018: Our universities have been utterly destroyed. I’m not sure it is
possible to find a way forward. Perhaps we should just scrap them altogether: https://quillette.com/2018/09/27/western-civilisation-not-welcome-here/
29/09/2018: The kind of trash
your taxes finance: https://www.news.com.au/national/nsw-act/courts-law/teens-charged-with-attempted-murder-after-allegedly-throwing-woman-into-hawkesbury-river/news-story/cf6aedf791728965080d79e7655632dd
29/09/2018: Why would
29/09/2018: Brett Kavanaugh
admits to having been a virgin throughout High School and College (two
actions which I find rather amazing really) yet the Left has made him
28/09/2018: How much weight in fuel? Alcohol weighs 0.789 gram per cubic centimeter (or per millilitre – same thing). I use about 7 ml to boil one (250 ml) cup of water or about 5-6 grams. If I used butane I would use perhaps only 4 grams as it has a higher heat coefficient.
However once I count carrying around the heavy metal canister and the much heavier gas stove, alcohol becomes significantly lighter than a canister stove especially on shorter (eg weekend) trips when I can perhaps carry as little as 100 mls of alcohol in a bottle which weighs maybe 10 grams. On longer trips I usually use a 500ml or 1 litre Platypus bottle which weighs about 20 grams.
For example, on my Dusky Track Walk last year which took ten days (unsupplied), I started with less then 600 mls of fuel. I had worked out exactly how much water I would need to boil. At the end I had less than 30 mls left over – I must have missed a cup of coffee there somewhere. Well, actually I also had three sachets of porridge – my emergency supplies in case I took another day!
The empty canister of a butane stove can weigh 150 grams, then there is the stove weight. A simple alcohol stove like this (or this) can weigh as little as 7 grams – if you only want to boil. A canister stove typically weighs around 80-100 grams. It is also impossible to take just the right amount of butane, and you never know when you are going to run out as it is impossible to judge how much is in the canister. Sometimes therefore you need to carry two canisters. This is just silly even if the gas is slightly quicker, more controllable and ‘looks’ more ‘professional’.
Apparently the only more weight efficient fuel – than alcohol) is hexamine (esbits). They are a lttle slower to cook with, but you can simmer with them though you might not realize it –as mentioned here. Generally I prefer a simmer type alcohol stove like this one – or this even lighter one you can make yourself.
The only lighter fuel option is a wood burner stove. I usually carry one as well as the alcohol stove – in case I run out of fuel (eg bottle leak – it has never happened to me) or I decide to stay longer than I thought (which has – often) or if I stupidly did not have a windscreen and it was very windy (everyone makes mistakes) so that I used twice as much fuel as I intended (We were all young once!).
I have a variety of choices here. In my hunting day pack (which is super-minimal I carry only my egg-ring stove (as I am only staying out in an emergency – or (planned) overnight. If I am somewhere open fires are banned and enclosed type stoves are mandated (some National Parks – though I believe the rule only exists to protect us from idiots – and nothing will!) then I have a gasifier type stove like the Bushbuddy or Suluk.
My everyday carry is a bare Caldera Cone – I do not worry about leaving a tiny burnt spot; I only camp in the trackless wilderness anyway – which only weighs at most 30 grams and doubles as a windscreen for the alcohol stove. I always carry a couple of spare tent pegs anyway which is all that is needed to sit your billy on. Wherever I go there are always twigs. Hope you enjoy your dinner as much as I do.
See Also:
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/from-dawn-to-dusky/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/the-best-alcohol-stoves/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/supercat-hiking-stove/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/new-fancy-feast-stove/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/alcohol-simmer-stoves/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/the-ultralight-deer-hunter/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/the-egg-ring-ultralight-wood-burner-stove/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/bushbuddy-stove/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/suluk-stove/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/cookset-woes/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/a-hiking-food-compendium/
28/09/2018: A Wind Shell and an Umbrella Might be your best choice combo for keeping dry in unexpected squalls without the need to carry a heavy rain coat. (You would be looking at around 5 oz/160 grams). A wind shell such a Montbell’s famous Tachyon is also the lightest way to add a little warmth on a cool day. (at 2.5 0z/ 72 grams (US$99 – Sept 2018). My umbrella of choice is also a Montbell (at 85 grams and US$52 – Sept 2018.
Massdrop’s ultralight ultra cheap wind shirt for US59.99 (Sept 2018): ‘the Massdrop Veil wind shell is ideal for hiking, biking, running, traveling, and more. Along with being totally windproof, the 15d ripstop nylon fabric is breathable to keep you comfortable longer—so you can kiss that sweaty, clammy feeling goodbye. The DWR (durable water repellent) finish provides some protection against light precipitation, while the antimicrobial treatment prevents stink from lingering after a long run. Plus, this wind shell looks and feels great: It’s soft to the touch, drapes well, and isn’t noisy like most other wind shells. Wear your Veil while warming up, all day for low-intensity activities, or as an emergency jacket you can always have around. Packed down into its own chest pocket, it’s easy to bring everywhere.
The Veil is equipped with only the critical features to keep from weighing you down. We worked with one of the world’s foremost mills for high-end performance materials to develop a fabric that’s ultralight, breathable, and durable. It’s performance focused for the trails and good looking enough, with its matte finish, to wear around town. The front has a YKK full-length zipper, as well as a zippered chest pocket that doubles as a stuff sack for the jacket and is large enough to fit a cell phone when you’re wearing it. When not in use, the three-panel contoured hood can be rolled up and stowed using the Velcro strip at its base. Finally, elastic trim around the cuffs, hem, and hood creates a seal when the breeze picks up.’
See Also:
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/ultralight-rain-gear/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/ultralight-rain-jackets/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/the-ultralight-deer-hunter/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/raincoat-shelter/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/hiking-in-the-rain/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/rain-skirt/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/the-importance-of-a-roof/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/how-to-avoid-being-wet-cold-while-camping/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/how-to-light-a-fire-in-the-wet/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/vapor-barrier/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/tyvek-jack-russell-rain-coat-13-grams/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/ultralight-shorts-28-grams/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/tyvek-jack-russell-rain-coat-13-grams/
28/09/2018:
28/09/2018: Maybe the Japs are just weird – or is this the future? https://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/relationships/dating/why-young-single-people-in-japan-are-no-longer-having-sex/news-story/ef416ffecdba398b6aab91e56564bfcb
28/09/2018: 1984’s
Ministry of Truth condemns Kavanaugh: https://www.nationalreview.com/2018/09/kavanaugh-nomination-battle-like-orwells-1984/ ‘she lived something like 6-8 miles from the
country club and yet insists she ran out of the house after being assaulted but
has no recollection of how she might have gotten home – and at 15, as she
noted, she was not able to drive. What I find quite interesting, but is never
brought up since saying anything along these lines is verboten, is that she was
a complete party girl; no shrinking flower. The notion that a random high
school attack was so devastating that it has scarred her for life is
improbable, to say the very least’ http://catallaxyfiles.com/2018/09/28/advice-and-consent-replaced-by-search-and-destroy/
‘‘Evidence? That too is a fossilized concept. Ford could name neither the location of the alleged assault nor the date or time. She had no idea how she arrived or left the scene of the alleged crime. There is no physical evidence of an attack. And such lacunae in her memory mattered no longer at all.
Details? Again, such notions are counterrevolutionary. Ford said to her therapist 6 years ago (30 years after the alleged incident) that there were four would-be attackers, at least as recorded in the therapist’s notes.
But now she has claimed that there were only two assaulters: Kavanaugh and a friend. In truth, all four people — now including a female — named in her accusations as either assaulters or witnesses have insisted that they have no knowledge of the event, much less of wrongdoing wherever and whenever Ford claims the act took place. That they deny knowledge is at times used as proof by Ford’s lawyers that the event 36 years was traumatic.’ This must not be allowed to happen. Ford should be charged and punished for her illegal, malicious conduct.
27/09/2018: Folks
were clearly having a lot more ‘fun’ back in the 1980s than I remember (according
to these three women anyway). What astonishes me is that none of the numerous
molested girls ever went to the police. My own recollection of that era is that
everyone then was intensely opposed to rape – even moreso than today, so that
it seems inconceivable that none of these alleged rapes was ever reported or
investigated by the police. Of course it is very difficult to get a conviction
for something which never happened! https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2018/09/breaking-creepy-porn-lawyer-avenatti-reveals-3rd-kavanaugh-accuser-making-gang-rape-allegation/ One (odd) guy’s
experiences here: https://quillette.com/2018/09/25/how-an-anonymous-accusation-derailed-my-life/ Interestingly not even
one Democrat has spoken out in defence of Kavanaugh, a man with an impeccable
record: https://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2018/09/the_democrats_have_viciously_overplayed_their_hand.html What they want, of course is to continue to have abortions up to
full-term, something which I consider to be murder ie once the fetus is capable
of leading an independent life if allowed to be born (something like 25 weeks
from conception).
27/09/2018: Eagle Poisoning Instructions: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-09-24/man-poisoned-wedge-tailed-eagles-in-gippsland-jailed/10298426 Lannate
methomyl $139.95 for 5 litres! Cheap at half the price. That would be enough to
kill several thousand eagles! A few quick jabs around the neck of a dead lamb
and you have a dead eagle not twenty yards away – as in the picture! I was
surprised when I attended a ‘farm chemical users’ refresher course a few years
ago (a certification I need so that I can kill foxes) to be advised by the
instructor that you needed six times as much fox bait to kill an eagle. At the
time I thought this was a useful piece of information, though I wondered how
you would get the eagle to eat them! He also advised snares and traps for foxes
which I also thought useful advice. The snares cost only about $3 ea and work a
treat. The ‘break-neck’ snares are best. Unfortunately their use occasions a
$60,000 ‘aggravated cruelty’ penalty in
27/09/2018: A great speech by the Don at the UN. Arguably the greatest
President ever. No doubt you missed it. You can
(should) read the full text here (below): https://www.vox.com/2018/9/25/17901082/trump-un-2018-speech-full-text
26/09/2018: Girls (sometimes) do lie: https://legalinsurrection.com/2018/09/will-kavanaugh-accuser-really-testify-now-that-all-her-eye-witnesses-dispute-her-story/
26/09/2018: The Human Race: ‘When injustice is redressed, the hitherto
outcast and maligned group must not benefit in reverse from the racism they
justly complained of. They do not suddenly possess, as a group, the virtues
they were previously denied, and it is no sign of wisdom in the former
oppressors to affect a contrite preference for those they once abused.’ http://catallaxyfiles.com/2018/09/25/jacques-barzun-on-race-2/
26/09/2018: Chris Kenny: ‘imagine if
you had been stranded on an island for the past few years with nothing to
watch, listen to or read from but Australia’s public broadcaster…You would
be under the false apprehension that our navy tortured asylum-seekers who were
then raped on Nauru. You would think the people-smuggling trade was impossible
to stop and that if boats were turned back there would be a conflict with
25/09/2018: Do We Have a Duty to Die at 75? https://www.nationalreview.com/corner/bioethicists-push-helath-care-rationing-healthspan-duty-to-die/ With only five years to go for me this is a pressing question. Whether it be 75, 80, 85, whatever, I guess there comes a time when I can no longer look after myself and it is time to move on…‘but it is not this day’!
25/09/2018: Simply Wow!
25/09/2018: And surely girls never make things up? Read one mother’s awful experiences: https://pjmedia.com/trending/when-every-boy-is-guilty-every-girl-becomes-a-monster/ - or why girls sometimes need to be spanked!
23/09/2018: Tick Eliminator: These little pests are
becoming more common in
The main point is not to squeeze the tick so that it injects more nastiness into the wound. You have to ease it out. Something must lift it from the front. If you can coax it to let go first is a good idea. Some Permethrin is what my vet recommends. Some interesting gadgets:
Protick Remedy: https://tickinfo.com/protickremedy
Tickminator: https://tickminator.com/
Tick Ease: https://tickease.com.au/
Tick Key: http://tickkey.com/
The irrepressible Brian Green has ‘hacked the tick key bringing it down from the unwieldy 5.4 grams to a more acceptable 1.6! Well done Brian. It is an ingenious solution. I hope he doesn’t mind me ‘copying’ his photo of it:
https://www.briangreen.net/bbb/2013/09/micro-tick-key-hacking-size.html
PS: It seems to me, looking at the various credit card tick removal tools (for example) that a couple of (different sized) v-shaped nicks in your normal credit card (titanium wind screen, etc) might create a tool which would have negative weight(in that you would have removed a tiny portion of the weight of the credit card/game licence (or similar) you would have had to carry anyway. Just saying…
Another point. A minute quantity of a variety of recommended tick removing fluids (eg Aerostart) ought maybe to be carried. This might be the ideal application for the drinking straw hack.
Some fine tick advice below:
http://www.abc.net.au/news/health/2016-11-02/the-tick-debate:-how-should-you-pull-them-out/7541358
https://www.quora.com/How-do-you-remove-ticks-from-a-dog
See Also:
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/tick-removal-spots-first-tick/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/a-tiny-life/
23/09/2018: If you
have forgotten why The People elected Donald Trump – and why they will
continue to support him. The greatest American of our generation. Please, show
23/09/2018: The
thought police are coming for us (?) Be careful you do no oppose new ‘public’
holidays eg for ‘Eid’: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/sep/20/france-marine-le-pen-scorns-court-ordered-psych-tests-after-sharing-images-of-is-killings
23/09/2018: Debunking the
plastic myth: https://wattsupwiththat.com/2018/09/19/magical-plastic/
22/09/2018: How Light Can a Tent Be? Well, let’s talk about a tarp really. You will ned about an ounce I guess for the smallest Polycro groundsheet (unless you don’t use one, because you are perhaps desert hiking). To that you have to add the weight of a fly. I calculated that I could make my Pocket Poncho Tent (which weighed 185 grams in the silpoly I used) in .32oz/yd2 cuben fibre, in which case it would weigh about 75 grams. It gives a reasonable shelter on at least three sides (which I think is desirable). There are some tarps out there available commercially which push close to that.
For example there is Mountain Laurel Designs ‘Grace’ Tarp in cuben
at 140 grams for a roof which is 5’ at one end, 7’ at the other and 9’ long: https://mountainlaureldesigns.com/product/mld-grace-tarp/ It will set
you back US$270 (Sept 2018)
Zpacks have the http://www.zpacks.com/shelter/hexamid_pocket.shtml again in .51 cuben fibre
with a claimed weight of 96 grams. These weights are for the tarps alone
without guys, stakes, etc. Its price
is US199 (Sept 2018) which seems very reasonable.
A firm called Lightwave seem to make a
couple of very light tarps. The Starlight 2 at a claimed weight of 96 grams (The site also says 130
grams) and the Starlight 1 at a claimed 77 grams (or 100!) This one is UK304.99
(Sept 2018) making it just about the most I have seen anything quoted on a per
gram basis!
Starlight1:
Starlight 2:
I calculate this would have side flaps of approx 2.3 x 1.75 x 2.5.
There are a few other folk have a variety of cuben tarps (.51oz/yd2) around the 100 grams, so I think that is about the limit for now. Given that you could make your own in say a .9 oz Silpoly eg from Dutchware at US$5.20 /yd (Sept 2018) for around US$20 – I like the Dark Olive colour myself - (Minimum required for an 8’ x 8’ square tarp would be 3.6 yards), and that it is only just straight sewing (plus tie-outs) I think you should. It should weigh about 190 grams.
Such a tarp can do double duty as a hammock tarp with the addition of a 150-200 (inc suspension) hammock for a super-flexible camping system - you can use the hammock as a groundsheet when you are camping on the ground, so you don't need the Polycro. You will notice I have sewn an extra couple of wings on my cuben one which weighed around 150 grams before I put the guys on it to provide just a little bit of extra shelter. This has added less than 50 grams to its weight (ie 8'/2.4 metres of .51oz/yd2 cuben). The 'wings' are the width of the cuben wide at the widest end - a bit over 4'6". You can see it here: http://www.theultralighthiker.com/hammock-camping-double-bunking/ but this is a better method of double bunking:http://www.theultralighthiker.com/simple-hammock-double-up/
If you wanted you could have a go at making your own Stalight 2 from
the dimensions above. In the above material it should weigh around 180 grams.
Happy sewing.
22/09/2018: When
is the best time to plant a tree? ‘25 years ago.’ However, my daughter
Merrin broke the 200 trees for this year barrier yesterday. No doubt in (much
less then 25 years) there will be a beautiful forest here at Jeeralang: http://www.theultralighthiker.com/the-tree-planting-team-today/
22/09/2018: There are more
public servants in
22/09/2018: Women
Can’t Fight: 12 snipers from the Soviet 3rd Shock Army with a total of 775
kills. Photo taken in
First row – Guard Staff Sergeant, VN
Stepanova: 20 kills, Guard Sgt JP Belousova: 80 kills, Guard Sgt AE
Vinogradova: 83 kills.
Second row – Guard Lieutenant EK Zhibovskaya: 24 kills,
Guard Sgt KF Marinkin: 79 kills, Guard Sgt OS Marenkina: 70 kills.
Third row – Guard Lieutenant NP Belobrova: 70 kills,
Lieutenant N. Lobkovsky: 89 kills, Guard Lieutenant VI Artamonova: 89 kills,
Guard Staff Sergeant MG Zubchenko: 83 kills.
Forth row – Guard Sergeant, NP Obukhova: 64 kills, Guard
Sergeant, AR Belyakova 24 kills.
Some of these girls were quite lovely, and appear to be a cheery lot; ‘the female is deadlier than the male’ https://rarehistoricalphotos.com/775-confirmed-kills-one-picture-1945/
22/09/2018: Whoopie Sling Guy Line Tensioners: I am surprised you can’t buy whoopie sling guy lines. I am even more surprised that high-end tents don’t come with them as standard. They have to be the lightest and most elegant option. You will have to make your own. I would say that the 1.75mm ‘Zing It’ would be an ideal size for the novice to work with. They are an elegant solution, and an interesting hobby to wile away the idle hours of a night (when you aren’t camping/hiking). Here is an informational: ‘How to make a whoopie sling’: https://www.animatedknots.com/whoopiesling/index.php It is really quite straightforward. All you need is a largish needle.
PS: Learn all about (and buy) whoopee slings and adjustable ridgelines here: https://www.whoopieslings.com/
Some other information about dyneema cord: https://www.arrowhead-equipment.com/blog/the-dope-on-rope For DIY, cord available eg here: https://dutchwaregear.com/product/zing-it-or-lash-it/ or here: https://www.tiergear.com.au/shop/shelter-systems/guylines-ridgelines-and-hardware/mallee-wire-1-75mm-dyneema-cord-per-metre
See Also:
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/whoopie-slings-what-a-great-idea/
https://hummingbirdhammocks.com/tree-straps/
http://www.tiergear.com.au/11/products/adjustable-hammock-ridgeline
https://shop.whoopieslings.com/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/a-hummingbird-in-the-hand/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/australian-outfitter/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/make-your-own-tarp-or-hammock/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/diy-netless-hammock/
Other hammock related posts:
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/a-hummingbird-in-the-hand/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/adjustable-hammock-ridgeline/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/continuous-loop-another-great-hammock-idea/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/whoopie-slings-what-a-great-idea/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/side-insulation/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/hammock-pad-extender/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/diy-netless-hammock/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/klymit-hammock-pad/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/make-your-own-tarp-or-hammock/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/hammock-camping-double-bunking/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/hammock-hunting-till-dark/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/all-in-one-hammock-tent-poncho-backpack-at-1-2-kg/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/laybag/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/all-you-ever-need-to-know-about-tarps/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/tier-gear-catenary-cut-hex-tarp/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/900th-post/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/sleeping-pad-reinvented-big-agnes-q-core-slx/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/modifyingshortening-hiking-mats/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/catenary-cut-tarp/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/thermarest-speedvalve/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/hole-less-ponchoshelter/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/hammocks/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/hammock-camping/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/the-ultralight-deer-hunter/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/hunting-in-fiordland/
21/09/2018: Bird Feeder: Della is happy at least with her new feeder: ‘New view out my kitchen window! Thank you to everyone for this wonderful Birthday gift. The voucher for my choice of bird-house had been waiting months for me to redeem…but there were so many choices, and I wanted to find the best style and garden placement. Well, eventually I got there, and this is just perfect! The native garden is already a bird haven and the seed eaters will very quickly suss out the new feeder. The steps provide easy access for seed scattering and when the bottlebrush blooms above it open, it will be a real treat to see! Thanks also to Steve Jones for installing it despite the pain in his back the day before his operation!’ My back is still giving me hell now a week after my op. I trust that it is all just a part of the healing process. I have been poring over maps of places to go when I am back on my feet. I will not be allowed to lift more than 2kg until the end of October! By then we will have to concentrate on high country hikes like this or canoeing like this.
Posts are Light as I said back when as I just can’t sit up or stand for any length of time yet. But (hopefully) I will get better, and be better than I have been for a long time! Many thanks for all the kind wishes.
PS:
Feeder from Bird’s The
Word,
21/09/2018: An astonishing optical illusion. We don’t see things with our eyes; we
see them with our brain, and sometimes (?) our brains are wrong: https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=327&v=DkVOIJAaWO0
21/09/2018: The
Real Reason You Should Never Drink
21/09/2018: So,
what if old age is a disease? ‘The largest overall longevity
increase has been found using a combination of rapamycin and metformin,
indicating that combination therapy may be applied for synergistic effects. A
remarkable finding from these and other such studies suggests that
interventions as late as the mouse-equivalent of older than 70 years of age
could significantly extend life by more
than 20 years and increase health span even more substantially’ https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2703112?utm_source=silverchair&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=article_alert-jama&utm_content=olf&utm_term=091718
21/09/2018: We
should listen to The Dalai Lama: ‘Europe Belongs to Europeans, Refugees
Should Return Home to Build Their Own Countries’: https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2018/09/the-dalai-lama-europe-belongs-to-europeans-refugees-should-return-home-to-build-their-own-countries/
20/09/2018: 17 physicians from
across the world appear to have dispelled the theory that there are links
between having high LDL-C levels - known as bad cholesterol - and fatty
deposits that clog arteries: "For everyone else, the tens of millions
taking the drug worldwide who don't fall into these categories, they should
know statins won't help them live one day longer." https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/7280954/high-cholesterol-heart-disease-evidence/
20/09/2018: And meanwhile, Eating Cheese and Butter Every Day Linked to Living
Longer: https://www.newsweek.com/eating-cheese-and-butter-every-day-linked-living-longer-1115213
20/09/2018: Bloody Nimbys:
19/09/2018: And now for the good news: “We think we have the science, speed and scale to put carbon-free
fusion power on the grid in 15 years.” Robert Mumgaard, CEO of Commonwealth
Fusion Systems (PhD in Nuclear Physics, MIT): https://wattsupwiththat.com/2018/09/17/the-bright-light-of-fusion-might-burn-away-climate-doomsters-fears/ If we had
funded fusion research in the 1970s we would have had fusion power in the
1990s. We have never funded such research, ergo we have never had the result.
19/09/2018: Did we even know that ‘On Thursday, June 28, the Senate was
debating a motion from Katterite Fraser Anning that the government allow citizens import Tasers, Mace and other
pepper-extract sprays for self-defence. The motion was spurred by the raw
memory of the rape and murder of Eurydice
19/09/2018: Well
Done. Israeli terror victim shot assailant before dying. We need an end to
our ban on guns for personal protection here too: https://www.jpost.com/Arab-Israeli-Conflict/One-seriously-injured-in-stabbing-in-Gush-Etzion-567307
18/09/2018: Two Great Cheap Tents: Two weeks ago I posted a suggestion
that you could get a pretty good tent from Aliexpress for around A$50. I was so
impressed by my own hype I ordered two of them on the 2nd September and they
were in my mailbox on the 12th – all the way from
The first is this little floorless mid weighing 410 grams which cost me US$43,50 or A$ 59.98 delivered! It came with reflective guy lines and tensioners already attached, and with some quite sturdy lightweight aluminium stakes (and a tube of seam sealer). All you need is a piece of fabric (eg Polycro or a mylar space blanket – I have lots of Tyvek lying around from other projects) for a groundsheet/floor and a stick or two which I can cut with this @ 28 grams – and away you go.
I erected it with a couple of cheap hiking poles I had lying around. It is a sweet little tent to put up. Almost puts itself up. Nothing to go wrong. You need just three pegs to locate the back wall. First the two ends, with just enough slack to pull the centre out and back into position. Slip a single trekking pole inside to start at what seems a suitable height (about a metre) and see if the front three pegs meet the ground neatly. When they just do tension up a little with the adjusters and you are done.
Like almost all mids, it is going to rain inside the tent with the door opened. A problem I have solved. You would be able to largely prevent this by having the flaps zipped down about a foot from the top and with the flaps pegged out high. You would do that if you were wanting to sit in the tent (during some drizzle) but enjoy the warmth of a fire out the front. You do have to be very careful of fire around nylon tents: they will burn, and sparks will melt holes in them. Easily enough repaired with this though. When the tent only costs $50 I would not worry overmuch. Better a bit of warmth and comfort – if you are careful!
This tent is clearly a good solid silnylon about 1.50 oz/yd2 is my guess. It is going to be plenty waterproof enough once you seam seal it. Rain will not get in. A tent is not a submarine! It is also clearly well made. There is lots of stitching and it is done well. The reinforcing of the tie outs is solid, and the zipper is a tough model. I think you will get many years of use out of this tent. It will certainly last you a ‘through hike’ for example – or many winter hunts in rough country! I cannot imagine what you might think you are going to get from a $500 tent that you don’t get with this little $50 one!
There is room for two and some gear – if you are good friends. Or two dogs as in this example!
Or
a grandson!
The roof has a nice perspective.
The tie-outs are solid and come with cord tensioners and reflective lines attached.
Again, that is a good, solid zip.
Altogether an excellent little tent.
The other tent I tried was this one. A Trailstar. An even A$50 delivered to my door. I am only sorry I didn’t squander another $30 and get the lighter model, as this could easily be your go anywhere hunting tent for a couple of keen deer shooters. 760 versus 590 grams. Still, I am mightily impressed by this tent and it is wonderfully solid. You are not going to trash this beauty which you might do with a lighter one if you are rough. And you are likely young and strong enough to carry a couple of hundred grams extra between the two of you. For that 200 grams you get a fabric that is at least 2 oz/yd2 and clearly very watertight.
This one came complete with reflective guy lines and tensioners attached too, and with quite good diamond shaped pegs. I erect such a tent as a sort of igloo, (as you can see) so that the only direction any rain can get in is through the door, and then only if it’s blowing very flat. As the wind scarce ever turns around this much overnight it should not be much of a worry. You could always tie a raincoat up over the door if you were worried.
My grandson likes it, as you can see. You would probably spend $50 on a toy (or a cubby) for yours anyway!
Side view – look at that overhang. You can certainly sit in this tent when it is raining (with a warm fire out the front) and not have it raining in the tent.
Rear view. I am sitting down. It was a really big effort getting down on all fours and putting this tent up by myself when only days ago I was cut in half. We are made tough here in Jeeralang! I could probably have got the tent even tauter, but it’s not too bad, you’ll have to admit. That shape is going to cleave the wind and sit there nice and stably.
Other
side: 
Front view.That is a standard 6 x 4′ tarp my daughter Merrin is sitting on. Can you see the huge amount of free space around her? This tent is a ‘circle’ of nearly 10′ in diameter! Plenty of room for two and a heap of gear. Not enough room to stand as in my Siligloo – but what can you expect for $50? There is sitting room for us, but we are a bit vertically challenged. Your head may touch the roof.
A touching moment here between mother and child. So much fun to be had in a tent. There used to be as saying,
‘Were
you born in a tent’ which would be addressed to people who were poor at closing
doors and letting drafts in in winter. I was not born in a tent though is
was very nearly born in a rowboat during the 1949
I
do love the quality of light in this tent. That is something to watch for. You
can get an awful garish light from a dark blue tent will make you want to puke.
Cuben fibre, though it has an interesting frosted light produces almost no
shade so that it is often hot and sweaty inside. Probably therefore not worth
the cost or weight saving. I find you do want a measure of ventilation as well
as relaxing shade from a tent. I favour dark colours, particularly dark brown
myself – but nonetheless this green is very pleasing.
No-one I would want to know would be unhappy to receive either of these tents as a gift for either birthday or Xmas. I recommend you think of buying one of them – particularly if you are just starting out hunting or hiking.
PS: There may well be other ways to erect this tent. The photos on the Aliexpress website indicate there are. Della spent some time trying to get it to sit well under my over-critical ‘supervision’ I must say. You make little discoveries all the time. This one, that whilst we have been together for half a century and spent very many nights sleeping in a tent but that Della had never put one up before was frankly surprising. In any case she did not succeed. You might not either.
I have set the tent up with the windward side close to the ground as I envisage you will want the shelter in the cool mountain air and in squally conditions. First I tied another cord tensioner on the other end of the ‘door’ guy line so I could tension it at the bottom and tie the pole at the top. Then I put the first rear stake in, stretched the material out gently and put in the other two rear stakes, then I attached a hiking pole to the door and tensioned that guy. Then I went inside and erected the centre pole till I judged the four main sides were taut, the readjusted the front pole. The result is as you see.
The heights I ended up with for the poles are 45’/115cm centre and 43 1/2″/110cm door. I would mark these lengths on the door edge with indelible texta so I could cut poles just so, so that it would work perfectly every time. I imagine if you wanted more ventilation you could just add 6″ to the dimensions all around and it would come out right too – but my back will not allow me to experiment just now. It is as much as I can do to sit up for a while and type this. I will be lying back down after I have finished the post.
I
do hope you enjoy this tent and have many memorable trips/hunts in it. Cheers,
Steve.
18/09/2018: The Theory of Sorts: It’s like this: it’s well nigh impossible to
sort for two things at once. Surely when we were children we all sorted our
marbles many times over? For thirty years we have sorted sheep over and over
again. And let me tell you that the end result of all that sorting is a flock
today of enormously better sheep. First you sort for one, then the next and so
on until all your criteria are exhausted. You have to decide the order in which
you do the sorts. Any given sort can leave you with none at all of a class of
objects needed for subsequent sorts. This is simply the nature of the universe.
For example, if your first sort is ‘the best candidate available on the day’,
it is perfectly probable that the collective result of 150 such sorts (the
number of seats in the House of Reps) will lead to no candidates at all
selected who are: over 70, ex-servicemen, red-headed, women, geniuses, over 7’
tall, scientists, and so on. That is just the nature of the universe. Nothing
at all needs to be done about it. If you decide to sort in a different order,
eg folks over 70 or ex-servicemen first – both highly desirable criteria if you
want to get the wisest and most trustworthy leader for our country in my
opinion, you will get a different result than if your first sort for hair
colour or height. I am particularly opposed to looking between folks legs at
any point in the sorting process. Not only should be the last criterion; it
should not be a criterion at all, likewise hair colour, race, height,
wealth…First work out what the desirable criteria are for a leader or a
representative, then prioritise them. Sort in that order. Do not resile from
the result.
18/09/2018: A collectible must: https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/123369296501
18/09/2018: This is a top idea. Let
the people who want to pay for high immigration instead of the ordinary
taxpayer: http://pickeringpost.com/story/congratulations-scotty-/8550
17/09/2018: Mac Cat Tarp: If you are looking for a lightweight intelligently designed tarp which will keep you safe and dry in the back country I think you should try one of these. I would probably go for the MacCat Standard Silpro model myself – 285 grams, US$117.95 (including seam sealing – Sept 2018).
This
low-stretch material which Brian says will not need any guyline tensioners yet
will stay put just exactly so sells me. I would choose the Coyote Brown as I
reckon the colour attracts deer. Whenever I have been out camped in one of my
own creations in this sort of colour eg the Pocket
Poncho or the Siligloo I have had
deer pretty much walk right up to it!
Brian MacMillin put himself through years of High School and College designing and making these tarps. I think that is such a worthy thing that he deserves your support.
SilPro: ‘New with our Gen4 redesign, OES now offers a SilPro version of all of our MacCats, available for the ultimate in performance. These versions of our tarps feature a 20D x 50D ripstop silicone impregnated polyester for a huge reduction in tarp stretch when exposed to rain. Strong, lightweight and super quiet. Leave the tarp tensioners at home, this tarp will stay taught. Cuben fiber performance for half the price and without the drawbacks. Seam sealing is included by default for these premium offerings.’
They
come in three different sizes. I think you could manage to stay dry with the
‘standard’ one in pretty much any situation though – and you could also use it
as a tarp to sleep under on the ground when not hammocking. A hammock would
only add a couple of hundred grams to this set-up. You would want a slightly
wider one if you were going to double up: http://www.theultralighthiker.com/simple-hammock-double-up/
See: http://www.outdoorequipmentsupplier.com/maccat_tarps.php
See Also:
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/hammock-hunting-till-dark/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/simple-hammock-double-up/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/no-cold-shoulder-spreader-hammock/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/a-hummingbird-in-the-hand/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/adjustable-hammock-ridgeline/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/continuous-loop-another-great-hammock-idea/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/whoopie-slings-what-a-great-idea/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/side-insulation/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/hammock-pad-extender/
17/09/2018: Pat Condell on Brexit – but how much what he has too say so sensibly about how democracy works redounds on the choices facing us all: Watch it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=634&v=R9T4dGAxtO0
17/09/2018: Scott must have an agenda. At the
moment (much as I like him personally) I fear he will be a failure. Like so
many I will probably end up giving the coalition my preferences because there
is nowhere else to go. At least we live in a Nationals seat! But the
alternative (Labor/Greens) is just unthinkably catastrophic. Steve Kates’
agenda here is a good starting point:
- strongest imaginable support for closed borders to self-selected migrants
- defence of Western civilisation and our way of life
- deep scepticism of man-made global warming as an issue of any substance
- strong opposition to all efforts to ruin one’s own economy to fix the non-existent AGW non-problem
- full and unequivocal support for free enterprise and opposition to crony capitalist ventures funded by governments
- support for a strengthening of national defence against foreign aggression with maintenance of the American alliance the top priority.
- http://catallaxyfiles.com/2018/09/15/this-suicidal-infighting-is-a-madness/
- At least the latest Ipsos poll shows the Liberals improving since ditching Turnbull. Up 2 points. Now a winnable 53: 47 and with Scott (unsurprisingly 10 points ahead of Turnbull as preferred PM: https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/blogs/andrew-bolt/morrisons-liberals-improve-but-fairfax-denies/news-story/b7c124dd41dbf6eeed995263f6f0f6e9 .
17/09/2018: Can Putin really be this sinister? https://www.news.com.au/world/europe/part-of-salisbury-town-hit-by-novichok-poisonings-closed-off-after-two-fall-ill/news-story/0a7d4f7b5577931d740fc30c3a836dc9
16/09/2018: Laminectomy Update: The surgery went well (I hope) and my back
should be all repaired (when it heals). For the last few days though I have
been suffering horribly from the effects of the opiate they put me on. (You
don’t want to know!) I have now taken myself off it. Pain is better. Hope that
things will start to look up in another 24 hours.
16/09/2018: David Leyonhjelm is always refreshing, especially here on live sheep
exports: http://catallaxyfiles.com/2018/09/14/david-leyonhjelm-on-live-exports/ PS: We are
sheep farmers. The last thing we would ever want to do is be cruel to a sheep.
We love sheep. I do so resent though the way
the Left always want to deprive us of our ability to make a living.
16/09/2018: This comes as a surprise. No doubt the sisterhood will be pleased
about part of the story though: https://www.fox4now.com/news/national/nancy-crampton-brophy-how-to-murder-your-husband-arrested
16/09/2018: Andrews’ latest ‘renewables’ scheme is just obscene: http://catallaxyfiles.com/2018/09/14/david-bidstrup-delusional-disorder-the-politics-of-electricity-in-victoria/
15/09/2018: In remembrance of one of
15/09/2018: In
case you haven’t noticed, ‘Socialism is no longer about providing necessities
to the oppressed, but luxuries to those who don’t want to work for them’ https://www.frontpagemag.com/fpm/271266/luxury-socialism-and-end-working-left-daniel-greenfield ‘Most of the remaining rhetoric of labor politics, oppression,
martyrdom and revolution, has been reappropriated by identity politics to serve
everything from black nationalism to gay rights to Islamists… Despite the
volumes of texts, the tons of theories and the endless plays, novels, movies
and poems about the working class, the left never understood what workers
actually do.’
15/09/2018: Gee, really? https://pjmedia.com/trending/transgender-man-sexually-assaults-female-inmates/
15/09/2018: Turnbull
is now determined to utterly destroy the Liberal Party, urging its own members
to cross the floor: https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/blogs/andrew-bolt/turnbull-urges-lib-mps-to-destroy-the-government/news-story/823dd86a7523d46187388afbed4ce51b
‘There is nor flying hence nor tarrying here.
I 'gin to be aweary of the sun,
And wish th' estate o' th' world were now undone.—
Ring the alarum-bell!—Blow, wind! Come, wrack!
At least we’ll die with harness on our back.’ Macbeth Act
5 Scene 5.
14/09/2018: So much stupider
than the ‘great generation’. When Hitler invaded
14/09/2018: Look, S—t happens! Quit the victimhood BS. The test of a good
character is being able to rise above it! Remember eg Mark Tapley in Martin
Chuzzlewitt – or ‘Weary’ Dunlop, and so on...
14/09/2018: Engineers warn 55%
renewables will add $1400 to electricity bills in
14/09/2018: Was the moon landing the apogee of human achievement – and we have
declined ever since? Quite possibly: https://www.steynonline.com/8802/the-lost-frontier
11/09/2018: The power bill of Heinemann's (small) Bakery in Charleville has risen from $30,000 in 2008/09 to $112,000 in 2016/17: http://www.michaelsmithnews.com/2018/09/this-small-bakers-power-bill-up-from-30k-to-112k-a-year-get-out-of-un-get-out-of-paris-.html
11/09/2018: Why they need Trump’s wall:
11/09/2018: Do
we need equal gender representation? In this ‘untouchable topic (intelligence)
it has been found ‘that there are
more idiots and more geniuses among men than among women’. Of course we do
not need more idiots to represent us (the current state of affairs – but
perhaps they really do represent us?), however more geniuses might be good.
Quotas may act against that: https://quillette.com/2018/09/07/academic-activists-send-a-published-paper-down-the-memory-hole/
10/09/2018: Make Your Sleep Pad Warmer: For the ‘budget hiker’ the sleeping pad and bag are no doubt the most expensive items. Such a pad need cost no more than US$13! If your expeditions are likely to only occur in the warmer months you can improve the insulative ability of a cheaper pad enough by simple expedients. In this post I noted that you can purchase an entry level pad from approx A$20. A search like this on Aliexpress will find you a range of other options under from US$4 , $10.28 to US$20. Some of these at least will be inflatable pads up tpo 4” thickand possibly under 400 grams. They should have an approx R-rating of 2.0 which should be fine for summer.
PS: Punctures and running repairs. Use this or this.
Pictured $10.28 inflatable mat from Naturehike.
To increase that rating, you could add a cheap (from $5.86) foam pad under. A ½” closed foam pad should have an R-rating of approximately 1.0. It need not go all the way under you. You could shorten it to torso length (but you risk having cold legs if the temperature really falls. You lose more heat where your body exerts the mst pressure so that all forms of heat loss (conduction, radiation and convection) are accentuated – but obviously in this case conduction. The same thing (pressure) is why your ultralight ‘waterproof’ groundsheet might leak through at your hips. The extra pressure there may have the effect of increasing the ‘head’ to over the rating (in millimeters) of the might sheet.
Some people will argue that you should place the foam pad on top of the inflatable on the theory that the stiffness of the foam will reduce the compression of the inflatable thus leading to greater insulation than the other way around. I believe that the pad on the ground will perform better (and will certainly be more comfortable) as it will much more greatly reduce the conduction from the inflatable pad which is where you would otherwise lose the most heat.
Another way you can increase the R-rating of this cheap pad is to place it (but not yourself- because of teh condensation) inside a space blanket bag. These are very cheap (from around US$2.67) and weigh less than 90 grams. Because it will reduce radiative heat loss (particularly if you are also using the foam pad) this should add about another 1.0 to that R-rating. Now you have an R-rating of 4.0 enough for a night down to -5C or so, fine for three season use. The total cost, from $13 to say $40!
To that US$13 pad I would add a DIY Cosco Quilt (US$20ea), a budget backpack (US$17.99), and an ultra cheap tent (A$50). Some Polycro for a groundsheet (US$4.23) and a cheap poncho and a DIY stove nearly completes your kit.
NB: Too many people are ‘gear junkies’ or ‘gear snobs. Grandma Gatewood completed the AT (twice – at 67 the first time!) equipped with a shower curtain as a raincoat (& etc). I’m sure John Colter and Daniel Boone crossed the continent with considerably less – though they may have carried a rifle.
BTW: Those ‘Laybags’ are getting ridiculously cheap. US6.79!
See Also:
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/3f-tents/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/ultralight-hiking-on-a-budget/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/budget-pack-mods/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/pine-down-blanket/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/cosco-quilt/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/brawnys-tarptent/
10/09/2018: Contrasting Menzies
and Turnbull: http://catallaxyfiles.com/2018/09/09/justin-a-blot-on-a-soon-to-be-forgotten-party/ I
particularly like Menzies excluding from the Liberal base the ‘rich and
powerful: those who control great funds and enterprises, and are as a rule able
to protect themselves’. And was deeply sceptical of the political acumen of
said ‘rich and powerful’ people, stating: ‘in a political sense they have shown
neither comprehension nor competence’. Both
Labor and Liberal seem to have forgotten Menzies’ sensible middle class
Australians – and their values and aspirations.
10/09/2018: 56:44. Newspoll this morning. You cannot win Scott unless you stand for something and against something. Forget about being ‘all things to all men’. Be the leader of the conservative centre.
10/09/2018: The
Word for World is
09/09/2018: How To Carry a Saw: A 31 gram 6″ hiking/hunting saw sounds pretty good doesn’t it? Complete with handle and sheath it cost me less then $A9. The Diablo saw blades are A$17.47 per pair in the Tools section of Bunnings. Holding it in the vice I carefully cut just enough of the teeth off with the angle grinder so I could hold it comfortably. A pruning saw cuts on the ‘pull’ stroke so it should be fairly safe to use.
Of
course I will have to be careful using it but it will cut me a tent pole which
would otherwise weigh much much more than the saw does – and enable me to take
the antlers off a stag, If I had had it with me on our Bartle
Frere walk (below) I would have trimmed off half a
dozen small saplings at most to make a similar number of tent sites on the
summit saddle we camped on. Perhaps next time. I think it is a worthwhile
carry. The same situation occurred on the South Coast
Walk (
A
1″ strip of aluminium flashing works well to protect my pack from the
blade when I am carrying it. Some duct tape on the handle will be enough to
protect my hand. I had been having difficulty acquiring the Darlac
folding pruning saw (35 grams) that I recommended here and here at a
reasonable price and freight out of the
You can see that it is a useful little saw. Surely you can afford an ounce in your pack for such a useful thing? Whoops – my nails need a bit of a scrub; you can see I have been crutching sheep today.
It occurs to me you could sharpen the back of this saw blade so it also doubled as a knife! It is obviously good steel. You would have to go easy with the angle grinder when you were shaping it or you would ruin its temper. A knife and saw for 30 grams…sounds good! Well, a little bit of trimming and it has finger holds and come in under an ounce at 28 grams!
See Also:
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/hatchet/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/ultralight-saws/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/improvised-bow-saw/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/uki-buck-saw/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/dermasafe-ultralight-knives-and-saws/
09/09/2018: Wire Tricks: Cobb & Co Hitch: This
is a wire variation of the Spanish
Windlass whose name harks back to the
C19th days of Chris Cobb and his wonderful coach service which opened up
outback
I
came across an old gold miner friend of mine Dennis Renowden one day on the
I have used it myself around the farm (and elsewhere) hundreds of times to secure two things together with ‘just a bit of wire’. I remember my grandfather, George had a saying that many things were held together with ‘just a bit of wire and some chewing gum’ which I’m sure from my own experience was true of his makeshifts and those of many other folks. The bushman must needs improvise with the materials at hand. I remember his old hammer shotgun’s stock was carefully wired up with many careful turningss of fine copper wire. As it was an ancient ‘Damascus Twist’ barrel worn to such paper thinness I wonder that it did not blow his head off. I would dearly have liked it as a keepsake but it went to a cousin of mine who handed it in years ago in one of those ‘gun amnesties’.
As you can see from the diagram above, it can be done with either a double strand (stronger) or a single strand (if you are short of wire!). It was traditionally tightened with a file or a rasp as everyone had these tools in their kit. Nowadays folks probably don’t understand the phrase, ‘S/he had a rasping voice’! Any bar will do the trick. A Phillips Head screwdriver works well. You have to be careful not to over tighten it or the wire will snap. The Spanish Windlass is capable of developing awesome power!
This is the knot I (and practically everyone else) uses to secure a wire to a strainer post.
There is a trick to winding that ‘tail’ of wire around the other. After you have passed it through the loop, bend the wire 90 degrees (twice) to make a ‘crank’, then it is a simple matter to wind the wire neatly and tightly around the other.
This is the ‘famous’ ‘Donald’ knot used to join two lengths of wire together. It works well with both plain and barbed wire.
The
‘figure of eight’ knot is much more elegant (uses less wire) and never comes
undone. It is a variation of the ‘reef knot’ as you can see, but takes some
mastering (for some reason).
Here is a great way to use the Spanish Windlass method to strain a piece of fence, if you have no tools. As you can see, you slip one branch through the loop behind the other, then turn it to strain the wore. When it is taut enough you can bend the wire 90 degrees to secure it, then unwind the sticks from the wire and wind up the end of the wire like the one below to finish the knot.
See Also:
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/the-spanish-windlass/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/bush-shower-mechanical-advantage/
09/09/2018: These ‘gender war’ Liberal (and Labor) women give me
the pip! Take a
look at all the vile abuse and bullying all of them heaped on Pauline. Sure you
have to be tough in public life, but you also have to be able to get as well as
what you give. Pauline is an outstanding example of a woman who does not play
this weird victim card politics. Good Lord, remember that lying, thieving creature
Gillard giving a speech when she was PM (how much higher can you get?) claiming
she was a victim of ‘misogyny’? After being Deputy for 9 bloody years Bishop is
on about the same sort of nonsense now. Bizarre! And this crazy Banks has to be
seen to be believed – I would not put it past her to cause an election and
bring the Government down: https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/blogs/andrew-bolt/is-this-really-the-argument-for-more-female-mps/news-story/0a081f099228b4e8f811daaaab018763
09/09/2018: The Spanish Windlass: My father, Lawrence used to use this trick sometimes to pull stumps out of the ground. He would wrap a rope around a crowbar (as shown) and wind the rope up with a stout branch. This windlass applied enormous force and was enough to pull quite large stumps out of a line of fence, for example. Of course you might need to shorten the rope a few times as it gets hard to turn after you have several loops around the bar.
I have ‘helped’ an old (late) friend Ray Quinney pull a flooded Land Cruiser from a river with this method. It had inadvertently dropped into an ‘invisible’ deep hole in a river crossing we should probably not have been making. I thought it would need to be abandoned there and we would have to walk out. It took a while, but as we had no winch it was a godsend – well, a Ray-send actually! Then he took the glow plugs out, cranked the engine until all the water was out, restarted the truck and off we went again.
It is wonderful to have hunted, traveled and learned from such wonderful old bushmen. Ray was a Korean War veteran. He had lived and worked in the bush most of his life, a ‘jack-of-all-trades’. There was not much of a practical nature he did not know, from constructing his own house to rebuilding a bulldozer, distilling his own hooch, or operating a gold mine. You should also understand this: that such people who were willing to fight your battles for you, or able to rescue you from a tight spot in an emergency or fix the brakes on your car (and etc) were just as likely to be right with financial and political advice too.
Those (much admired!) completely impractical ‘academics’ for example such as you meet at University who would run away from a man with a gun and be dead in a day if left to their own devices in the wilderness – where your practical man would be enjoying himself and growing fat – are just as useless when it comes to economic or political advice! See: http://www.theultralighthiker.com/the-compleat-survival-guide/ Alas, I only learned a fraction of what they had to teach before they were gone. Don’t make the same mistake yourself. Surround yourself with practical people, not armchair theorists – or worse, keyboard warriors!
I have moved a log (that fell on the fence) with this method when neither the Land Rover nor the tractor could budge it. This goes to show how much force you can create. I have also used it to tighten a sagging fence (when I had no tools – see top illustration), to securely tie down a load on the back of the truck (and on the Della’s roof rack just yesterday), and in its wire iteration, (The Cobb and Co Hitch) to secure innumerable things around the farm and ‘up the bush’. It is a very useful piece of bush lore. You can also use it to hoist a heavy carcass up into a tree to ‘set’ overnight as I saw another (late) old friend Max Saunders do many years ago – when I was droving with him in the 60s. Maybe you will one day find yourself in a tight spot (but having about you that piece of rope you always ought) will be able to use this wonderful mechanical invention to ‘save the day’.
See Also:
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/bush-shower-mechanical-advantage/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/wire-tricks-cobb-and-co-hitch/
09/09/2018: Wagga
yesterday and
09/09/2018: The
deeply concerning transgender ‘fad’: https://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2018/08/cowardice-at-brown-university.php
08/09/2018: If
Posts Are Light:
Della: I was planning on keeping this old heart of mine firmly in line, but it has been well and truly playing up again over the last couple of months. So yesterday I underwent a second angiogram (Just to take a look at things) and had my usual run of luck in being one of the statistical oddballs that attracts complications. The routine angiogram turned into a loudspeaker call-out for the medical emergency team to assist. (Sorry to bother you, poor Steve Jones in the waiting room) Fortunately I am still here with no lasting damage done, and scheduled for another angiogram tomorrow to finish stress- testing and possibly add a stent or two. I was quite blase about angiograms before this…so hopefully I will still be able to put on a brave face in tomorrow’s Cath-Lab!
Above: Della in the Bourtree Hotel Hawick May 2018 – BTW: great cheap food!
Steve: There but for fortune go you or I! I am very lucky to still have Della today. Last night I really thought I was going to lose her for more than an hour, the worst hour of my life so far. She was very sick indeed:<30 beats per minute and < 50 systolic pressure with a pacemaker wire from her groin to her heart keeping her going. I would have given her my heart if I could. Well, in a sense I did that long ago. Here I mean literally. Needless to say we are both anxious about tomorrow’s repeat which we hope will have a successful outcome! Thanks for all your kind thoughts. My turn under the knife next week!
Update 6/09: Della now has a very long stent in the LAD artery (the ‘widow-maker’). It is amazing the difference this has made to blood flow on the scan of her heart. Lots of blood vessels are now clearly (at least) twice as wide as before, ie sectional area (Pi r squared) carrying 4 times the flow! The upstream of the blockages is also improved – clearly the heart ‘knows’ when extra pumping will avail nought!
An interesting thing: My experience with plumbing was telling me that small narrowings would likely create much larger pressure/flow drops than that envisaged by the conventional (surgeon’s) wisdom. I kept on mentioning this to the specialist. He was at one point amused by my reliance on plumbing/river flow/canoeing ‘analogies’ (as he called it), but he did get the point! Fortunately.
The two restrictions in this artery were below the level which they would normally stent, but the pressure test they were persuaded to do (to prove me wrong actually) showed such a significant drop in pressure/flow after the second narrowing that the cardiac surgeon stented all the way from before the first narrowing to after the second. The improvement is astonishing – but not if you understand that r squared rule!.
I knew this from all my mucking around with irrigation fittings trying to get some acres on the Hazelwood Flats well watered from 10+ underground bores we dug by hand some years back! Not many couples have hand dug 6″ bores to a total collective depth of half a kilometre!
It seems astonishing to me that cardiologists would not normally stent until the narrowing was well over 50% (70 actually) when clearly the flow rate from a 50% narrowing would be only one quarter (ie 1/2 squared!) and that they do not follow the rules set out in Davy’s (free) Pump brochures (my source) about the effects of friction/pressure/flow on the diameter of pipes/number of junctions/bends/restrictions, etc. The circulatory system is obviously (to me) just a piece of plumbing.
This information enabled us to solve the weird situation we had (years ago now) of putting lots of water under enormous pressure into this end of the irrigation pipe only to have (pretty much) nothing at all come out that end – even though there was no blockage at all! I will send a copy of Davy’s brochure to any cardiac specialist I can. Doubtless it will save lives – if they read it.
I am now suspecting that ‘micro-vascular disease’ ie the hardening or blockage of small blood vessels in the absence of any blockage in the major vessels (what we thought Della must have if the major vessels were not at fault) is not what Della was suffering from at all. The enormous increase in size of these tiny blood vessels in Della’s heart is astonishing. Some have gone from being invisible to very thick black lines on the scan. Clearly low blood flow was allowing them to shrink away and ‘dry up’ .
I am now expecting a major improvement in turbulence in Della’s veins and arteries which should clean out lots of her plumbing – in much the same way as when I cure a pump of some suction problem it had, resulting in a huge increase in flow volume. All sorts of black gunk which had been sitting around in the pipes sluggishly for years (what the heart surgeons call ‘plaques’) suddenly comes flushing out the taps! Perhaps cardiac specialists might find a course in plumbing and pump maintenance of interest?
The two arrows on the left hand image are where the artery was most blocked – just see how much more blood is getting through after stenting beyond the second blockage. (Sorry for the poor quality image). But notice also how much more blood is now arriving at the point the blockage started. The heart sure knows its job!
Anyway, with any luck Della will be fit for hiking again soon. I will need my back fixed (next week) and possibly my knee as well. However, though we had expected a second ascent of Mt Bartle Frere (see below) and an excursion on the (Qld) Misty Mountains walk in September as well as a couple of weeks in the Wonnangatta (for me at least) while the gates are closed, some of these activities at least have had to be curtailed or postponed. But, we will be back! Another month could make a big difference. Unfortunately it is obviously also going to be a ‘good’ year for thistles, I notice as I go around the sheep!
08/09/2018: The
catastrophic decline in reading is also very worrying: https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2018-08-27/reading-teens-become-dying-breed-third-teenagers-havent-read-single-book-past-year
08/09/2018: In April the
08/09/2018: Vales Point made a
$100 million profit. The Government should compulsorily acquire Munmora and
Hazelwood (etc) make a profit and keep the lights on: http://joannenova.com.au/2018/09/40-year-old-coal-plant-sold-for-1m-makes-100m-profit-and-will-run-another-30-years/
05/09/2018: This might just work: ‘The next time you hear activist daughter Stephanie complaining to one of her friends about terrible capitalism, take her mobile phone, fix it to the hallway wall and remove the chip. Explain that for the purpose of this exercise you will be playing the role of the pre-1975 Postmaster-General's Department, and she will be a customer subject to the whims of a nationalised telecommunications monopoly.’ https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/blogs/tim-blair/having-never-known-socialism-they-are-attracted-to-it/news-story/03ec98ef9c909c6cbb925575f0c22353
03/09/2018: Commerce 101: ‘Nobody ever saw a dog make a fair and deliberate exchange of one bone for another with another dog. Nobody ever saw one animal by its gestures and natural cries signify to another, this is mine, that yours; I am willing to give this for that….But man has almost constant occasion for the help of his brethren, and it is in vain for him to expect it from their benevolence only. He will be more likely to prevail if he can interest their self-love in his favour, and show them that it is for their own advantage to do for him what he requires of them. Whoever offers to another a bargain of any kind, proposes to do this. Give me that which I want, and you shall have this which you want, is the meaning of every such offer; and it is in this manner that we obtain from one another the far greater part of those good offices which we stand in need of.’ Adam Smith. http://catallaxyfiles.com/2018/09/02/the-first-fair-and-deliberate-exchange-in-world-history/
03/09/2018: They closed Hazelwood for this?
03/09/2018: Now that Mal is gone perhaps we can dispense with the ridiculous
‘Snowy 2’ as well. What a waste of money (and water): https://quadrant.org.au/opinion/doomed-planet/2018/09/white-elephants-painted-green/ Oh, and if you had any doubt Mal was a Labor PM, note
how his son is soliciting cash for Labor for the Wentworth by-election: http://www.michaelsmithnews.com/2018/09/best-bang-for-your-buck-turnbull-jr-soliciting-for-labor-in-wentworth.html
02/09/2018: A year ago we were mountain climbing. This year we are having
trouble walking to the front gate: http://www.theultralighthiker.com/mount-bartle-frere/
02/09/2018: 8 compelling reasons why we should switch to nuclear subs (now we have
sunk Mal): https://quadrant.org.au/opinion/qed/2018/09/scuttle-french-subs-enemy-will/
02/09/2018: Bleeding hearts for McCain: When I was supporting his runs for the
Presidency the people now eulogizing him were condemning him utterly. The sheer
hypocrisy of the Left – and that Jihadist Obama is the worst of the lot. PS:
What is it with this weird cult the Yanks have that the bodies of the recently
dead are left lying around for weeks for folks to gawk at?
02/09/2018:
01/09/2018: I like
Scott, but he has only about a week until Parliament returns to decide on a
strategy. He simply can’t stand up there as leader without a programme,
without things he/his government stands for – and it can’t be just the same
rubbish Turnbull advocated. Clearly energy and immigration are right up there.
Everyone seems to have forgotten about the state of the nation’s finances.
01/09/2018: You can’t
blame
01/09/2018: White ants at work beneath the scenes driving agendas;
31/08/2018: 3F Ultra Cheap Tents: Some of these look very impressive both as to weight and price such that they should be worth a go if you are in the market for a cheap, light tent. A$50 for a 2 person ultralight shelter is hard to beat! For example, this 740 gram single person tent which is very similar to this one costs only US67.05 (less $10 if you are a new customer) plus about $15 shipping to Australia – so around $100 all up, not bad at all. There is plenty of room for one person and their gear, and you can set it up with a verandah as I did the Big Sky tent. It is a fully lined tent with a waterproof floor.
This one person floorless mid is pretty spectacular at 410 grams and US$ 32.37. Length: 7’6” - 230cm Width: 4-5’ 120-160cm Height: 4’ -120cm
This two person tent is interesting. It is just a fly (at 500 grams) but is 8’6” long by 5’6” wide and 4’6” high (265 x 170 x 135) and weighs 500 grams. US$58.65. You could easily add some Polycro as a groundsheet. Certainly plenty of room for two people and a lot of gear.
This
is a copy of the MLD Trailstar but only
costs US$35.71 for a huge two person shelter weighing 760
grams. You can't even buy a tarp for that! Again you would have to add eg some
Polycro for a floor. I think this is cheap enough I would risk a fire to warm
it out the front for a deer-hunting camp shelter though sparks would no doubt
burn small holes in it over time. You could repair them with this. The price
includes free shipping to
This tent is a huge pyramid tent much like my Supermid ie 9’ x 9’ x 5’4” and a similar weight 1635 grams. This one costs US160.
They have many others. It would certainly be worth giving one a try.
31/08/2018: The
new (Leftist) tyrants of Google http://catallaxyfiles.com/2018/08/30/the-power-of-ignorance/ and Facebook: http://www.michaelsmithnews.com/2018/08/facebook-engineer-calls-zuckerberg-out-on-his-lefty-trendy-faux-diversity.html
31/08/2018: I too
am a grumpy old man who laments the demise of that great nation
30/08/2018: Quite
a title. A good read
at 99 cents too:
‘Marxism/Socialism. A sociopathic philosophy conceived in gross error and
ignorance, culminating in economic chaos, enslavement, terror, and mass murder:
a contribution to its death.’
30/08/2018: Well
done Hillary: https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2018/08/developing-chinese-govt-killed-and-imprisoned-18-20-cia-spies-after-penetrating-hillary-clintons-private-server/ - and some people are upset about banning
Bradley/‘Chelsea’ Manning! Don’t the Chinese have the right idea about
executing traitors?
29/08/2018: Is
there any hope? This is the standard of academic at our old alma mater Sydney
Uni these days. I am dumbfounded at this guy extolling
29/08/2018: Were the Turnbulls even further left than Sarah Hanson Young?
Unfortunately Yes: https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/blogs/tim-blair/chip-off-the-old-blockhead/news-story/6fa41b11cb1eb2288b4702f9beef90cc
29/08/2018: Morrison: This is the problem: ‘We shouldn’t make any mistake about a Shorten government. This isn’t just the usual overspending and overtaxing lot whose damage can be rectified. Aiming for fifty percent renewal energy will wreak enormous damage on the Australian economy. Industries and jobs will be irretrievably lost. Shorten is like a menacing figure in a dark alley ready to pounce. We can’t be too choosy about who is best placed to fight him off. My guess is that right now Morrison is best placed to do that. Let’s hope he proves to be a much better street fighter that Turnbull. And sensible enough to arm himself with winning policies.’ https://quadrant.org.au/opinion/qed/2018/08/change-course-die/
29/08/2018: Spring at Jeeralang: (Della) ‘Well, the minus 2 temperature did
feel a bit intimidating this morning, but looking out the bedroom window to a
little spring blossom certainly cheers the heart to start the day! This is just
a wild plum that grew up in the hedge outside the window as a result of total
inattention during the busy years of full-time work. Now that I enjoy its
no-nonsense life-force every morning upon waking, I wouldn't swap it for a more
dramatic yet fussier specimen. It brings a host of birds to entertain me as
they eat its summer fruit and squabble over territory and I do love the subtle
harmony its spring blossom creates with the enthusiastic flowers of the native
hibiscus. I have been watching the buds preparing for spring launch over the
last 10 days or so and can now announce that it is officially spring in
Jeeralang Junction’
28/08/2018: 7 Things I'd Do if I Wanted to Keep Poor People Poor.
Spoiler: we're already doing all of
these things. https://fee.org/articles/7-things-id-do-if-i-wanted-to-keep-poor-people-poor/
28/08/2018: Some
further tips for Scott from Steve Kates. I can’t find anything I don’t like
here: http://catallaxyfiles.com/2018/08/27/a-preliminary-agenda-for-our-new-government/
28/08/2018: What warming there is has been caused by natural factors.
Anthropogenic Warming is inconsequential. Not so inconsequential is the
misallocation of resources from productive purposes to fripperies such as
renewables. Kininmonth is a major climate scientist: https://quadrant.org.au/opinion/doomed-planet/2018/08/paris-longer-relevant/
27/08/2018: How much do you look like your ancestors? You can upload a couple
of snaps and find out here (You may have to open an account): https://www.familysearch.org/discovery/compare
27/08/2018: So
much for an ‘ice free
27/08/2018: Come
on Angus Taylor. In the past the new Energy Minister has clearly been a
climate sceptic and an opponent of renewables, the anti-fracking anti-coal
crowd & etc. Let’s hope he moves quickly to get rid of the RET and NEG,
over-ride the States’ bans on fracking, and use the money saved to buy and
build some new coal or nuclear power stations: https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/blogs/andrew-bolt/taylor-cant-stop-fighting-the-climate-religion/news-story/7eb2e6cbd9d0b799aa496eff78c961d6
26/08/2018: A
“There are some who can live without wild things, and some who cannot. These essays are the delights and dilemmas of one who cannot.” — Aldo Leopold
Thank You Michael. I see I have made a mistake. Of course I own the book. I will try to find a link that works. In the meantime, people will have to content themselves with a free look inside at Amazon here, or buy the ebook for a mere US$6.29:
If you love the natural world you should read this splendid book: 'A Sand County Almanac' Some excerpts here: and here:
Some see Leopold as the founder of the 'modern' conservation movement (ie pre-WW2), and the father of wilderness conservation. That he was also a keen hunter of many types of game will surprise some - but not many real hunters, eg particularly Field and Game members (which I have been for over thirty years) and the like - who have bought, reclaimed and donated so many thousands of acres of wildlife areas to the public here in Victoria, areas such as the Clydebank Morass for example at the mouth of the Avon River, which if you have not visited, put it on your 'bucket list'.
There is also a feature length documentary film about the author, 'Greenfire' which you should try to access: https://www.aldoleopold.org/teach-learn/green-fire-film/
Trailer here: https://vimeo.com/8669977
26/08/2018: Nut
Milking Exposed: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JJCTIPWPNtw
26/08/2018: Yet
another case for concealed carry: Defense Against Bears with Pistols: 97%
Success rate, 37 incidents by Caliber; I believe this would work with ‘Drop
Bears’ as well – and may help if you want to go out to dinner unmolested in
Melbourne too: http://sportingclassicsdaily.com/defense-against-bears-with-pistols-97-success-rate-37-incidents-by-caliber/
26/08/2018: 40C (what we used to call ‘100 in the shade’) used to be a normal hot day in summer – time for a swim in the creek, that sort of thing. Now it is described as a ‘once in ten year extreme event’ (caused by ‘climate change’), but the really bad news is that now in Victoria we will have a 1 in 3 chance of blackouts on such hot days (in the afternoon when the solar panels stop delivering). Andrews’ solution is another billion of ‘free’ solar panels. That will work? Restarting/Rebuilding Hazelwood and getting rid of renewables is what would work. Come on Scott. Do your thing! https://www.9news.com.au/national/2018/08/24/14/52/vic-risks-summer-power-failures-report
25/08/2018: Two for the price of one – and the stick insect gone as well as Turncoat. It doesn’t get any better than this. I have been suggesting these two guys as future leaders one day, and now we have both of them together. I feared they were hopelessly tarnished by all that Malcolm had them do…we shall see. Hopefully they can win – against Shorten anyone ought to be able. Michael Smith has an immediate agenda for them. It would be a good start:
‘Put Tony Abbott in the Cabinet
Make Abbott responsible for attacking Shorten
Dump
Dump renewables subsidies.
Prioritise price over emissions for power
Scrap the NEG.
Cut immigration.
Slash bureaucracies in Climate, Innovation etc.
Review the
Slash foreign development aid.’
24/08/2018: All
Flesh is Grass: How many deer are out there in the bush? The study below
looks at an area in the
A
sambar deer eats roughly twice what a sheep eats. On good pasture on the
Hazelwood Flats we ran 6 ewes per acre (with stored silage we were able to cut
for out-of season rations) and raised on average 12 lambs. This represented
nearly a tonne of quality meat produced annually per hectare! This is about as
good as it gets in
Studies have found that an acre of good pasture will 'carry' a certain weight of 'meat'. It does not matter a jot whether it is mice or elephants, the same quantity of pasture will sustain the same weight of meat. All flesh is grass: or sward anyway. Many other plants make up a nutritious pasture. The indication that it is nutritious is that it has been eaten down. You will notice that such grasses (or other plants) as for example Poa Tussock will not be eaten by anything - save a small moth. One of the reasons that the white ant is the most common grazing animal in Australia is that so much vegetation is unpalatable to anything else - a result of thousands of year of burning reducing the Phosphorus and Potassium levels in the 'soils' to nearly zero. This is why so many Australian birds are insectivores, od course.
Our home farm where we are now ‘retired’ is not nearly such good country (but we are steadily improving it) and does not lend itself to hay-making (too steep) so that we are limited to closer to 4 ewes per acre. The trees we are planting will help. That would represent approximately two sambar hinds per acre – if nearly all the stags were removed (Go for it fellas!) so that it could produce 2-4 poddies a year to harvest, probably in late Spring would be best.
Along many of the rivers and fertie valleys in Gippsland there is just as good feed as on our home farm – in some places considerably better. Where you see grassy areas eaten down (as if mown) the area is clearly supporting something like that 2 hinds per acre – but the deer disperse during the day to the poorer country on the ridges which would only support perhaps ¼ to 1/10th of what the good feed along the bottoms would feed.
Suppose you are walking through a kilometer of grassy well-mown flat say 50 metres wide along the valley bottom (a common enough experience, surely) you have a feed area of 5 hectares or about 10 acres. Somewhere adjacent to that there are 20 deer plus what the intervening ridge would support. If the deer walk back another 1 kilometre from the valley to camp (as is normal), that area of 1 square kilometer or 100 hectares could easily be supporting 50 deer, probably more. I arrive at that figure like this:
Once you get away from the better watered valley bottoms the soil usually gets worse and the vegetation is also often less palatable. Dry, steep shaley or rocky sides with large trees frequently has little feed being dominated by prickly or coarse vegetation with very little nutritional value. But not all slopes are like this and particularly after some disturnbance such as logging or a bushfire when young succulent vegetation usually dominates for a few years. Clearly this will support more animals.
If we assume that the 95 hectares of ridges can only support say 1 deer per three hectares, that is still 50 deer in that square kilometer. Some county is better than this and some far worse. Clearly though there are plenty of accessible areas which can support 100 deer per square kilometer – if there is little competition from other herbivores – which has frequently been the case since the disastrous fires of ten years or so ago.
Most of my hound hunting was done before those fires. Even so I sometimes found a small valley where the deer numbers were like this. You could return again and again to the same small area yet take a deer pretty much every weekend more or less forever (till someone else discovered it!) At the same time, when starting the dogs (or early in the hunt before the deer had dispersed) it was quite normal to see groups of 10-20 deer camped together in an area smaller than a suburban house block!
There are no doubt areas where there are too many deer, large herbivores in general – here at Jeeralang Junction for example the wombats and grey kangaroos have bred up to the detriment of everything else. We are now seeing mobs of 100 roos on the land adjacent to us. That and the fox problem is why we are building fences to keep them out – else there would be no feed at all for our sheep – or ourselves. Yet, though they have eaten out all the vegetation in the neighbouring bush so that the soil is completely exposed – and eroding, thus critically endangering small marsupials a cull is somehow impossible.
This is just poor land management. There has to be room for everything. Where there are large numbers of deer there needs to be much more hunting pressure (and there will be) which means that your treasured dream of discovering that ‘Valley of the Deer’ which is your very own is largely fanciful – though the further you are willing to journey from your car the more likely you are to find substantially undisturbed hunting areas.
Here is one of mine:
If you are not seeing them somewhere in that square kilometre, you are walking too fast, too noisily, or you have not learned to keep a careful look-out through the trees. If you truly had it to yourself ou could hunt that same spot all year and harvest perhaps 25 of them without having much impact on their numbers!
The
impacts of sambar (Cervus unicolor) in the
24/08/2018: I’m
sure it is too late, but it’s good fun: https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/blogs/tim-blair/ten-ways-malcolm-turnbull-can-remain-in-power/news-story/768151f3c11f8536edcfa8b4088e3991 & http://pickeringpost.com/story/today-s-canberra-cup-form/8491
24/08/2018: The DC
Swamp: Corruption in high places. The ‘fake news’ have conspired to hide
the real criminals in what has been going on in Washington, eg Hill and Bill’s
‘Clinton Foundation’, the largest personal fraud in history. Some details here:
https://old.reddit.com/r/greatawakening/comments/98yduw/connnecting_some_dots/ Evidently they have even succeeded in mudering several
people who would have blown the whole thing!
24/08/2018: This: https://wattsupwiththat.com/2018/08/22/edict-the-modern-automobile-must-die-to-solve-climate-change/ or this: https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/blogs/tim-blair/power-to-the-people-and-petrol-for-all/news-story/03e1d03437a2704556d88dde15d4b234 ? I know which I
prefer.
23/08/2018: They
are back. They returned yesterday and have been busy nest building. Welcome
home fellas. Two days late. I blame global cooling.
23/08/2018: Yes,
seriously, PETA Frees Animal Crackers From Cages: https://www.dailywire.com/news/34789/not-onion-peta-frees-animal-crackers-cages-ashe-schow
23/08/2018: Sea
level risen has risen on average 7 inches per century for 7000 years, just as
it did the last 100 years: https://www.thepiratescove.us/2018/08/21/person-decides-to-tear-down-home-rather-than-sell-because-you-ate-a-cheeseburger/
23/08/2018: Why
Socialism Always Fails. Socialism Ignores Incentives: http://www.aei.org/publication/why-socialism-failed-a-2018-update-part-i/
21/08/2018: Just
some of his silly ideas. Turnbull was a walking disaster from Day One: http://catallaxyfiles.com/2018/08/21/malcolm-turnbulls-prime-ministerial-obituary/
21/08/2018: ‘This
seems to be a generation in which good intentions are enough. Actually, I
am not sure this is exactly right, let me try again. This seems to be a
generation in which the signaling of good intentions is enough.’
21/08/2018: The tree-planting team today. ‘Over 80 trees planted since Thursday – Great work, guys!’ (Della)
Above,
my grandson,
I am very pleased – as my back was so bad a couple of days ago I had trouble walking or standing for more than a couple of minutes. I have now been incapacitated for six weeks. Damn-it! but after the last few days I am hoping that we may get a couple of hundred more trees planted before Spring. This method is really great: http://www.theultralighthiker.com/trees-and-tree-guards/ and this: http://www.theultralighthiker.com/what-tree-wont-sheep-eat/
We have ‘retired’ from farming onto our long-neglected home 25 acres having sold all our other farms in 2012 and invested the proceeds so we have something to (modestly) live on. We will not take charity from the Government – or anyone! We plan that before we ‘shuffle off this mortal coil’ it will be a sheep-forest with useful and nutritious trees every 15 yards or so, and fox-proofed so that the birds and (small) wildlife which will benefit can proliferate.
Already there is some progress: http://www.theultralighthiker.com/hello-possums/
PS: We built our own (mud-brick) house here making every brick ourselves by hand, cutting every piece of wood and driving every nail ourselves. We even did the plumbing and wiring ourselves. We have also been self-sufficient in meat, fruit and vegetables for nearly thirty years. This is where we raised the kids so we don’t ever want to leave. To get a better idea what it looks like round here see: http://www.theultralighthiker.com/drone-hunting/
See Also: http://www.theultralighthiker.com/wildlife-proof-fencing/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/our-valley-of-plenty/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/fencegarden/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/instant-trellisfence/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/capillary-mat-plant-starters/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/boastful-food-shots/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/ultralight-gardening/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/birds-in-our-garden/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/eradicate-european-wasps/
PPS: Merrin grew up here and plans to build her own house (soon) on our property. Here she is over 25 years ago as a small girl:
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/the-last-rebels/
21/08/2018: They
are a day late; so looking forward to their return this year. Here
is my post for the same date six years ago: 'The swallows are back: a good
dozen of them were scything the air above me this morning as I went round the
lambs on the hill. I do love their aerial agility; the quick flash of deepest
blue as the sun darts off their backs as they sweep by. They always nest in the
garage and make Jackson Pollock's of the cars. I will finish the wall and lock
them out some day; then I will make ledges for them around the inside edges of
the verandahs. They have multiplied greatly since
we have been here; now we are seldom troubled by mosquitoes. A friend used to
kill his: bad karma I think - and he is no longer with us. I just wonder what
they think of us 'stick in the muds': lingering here when they have been to
21/08/2018: Government
to control farmer’s livestock: You may not know this, but under the ‘Paris
Agreement’ the government will force farmers to kill their own cows and sheep –
to save the planet – whether you enjoy a lamb chop or steak or not. This has to
be dumped: http://catallaxyfiles.com/2018/08/20/john-constantine-great-safe-cow-cull/
21/08/2018: Just want this said before the 9:00 am Party
meeting this morning: Tony Abbott is the
only leader with a plan to save
21/08/2018: The
Living Dead: Now (10:00am) it seems the Party Room may agree with me as
Dutton failed to win. Go Malcolm. Go to Hell! Hopefully next time (say less
than a fornight), Abbott will win.
21/08/2018: Yes,
Australians do want their cheap electricity back – and
20/08/2018: Sad I
suppose, but ‘Live and learn or you don’t live long’ - as the saying goes: https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2018/08/bleeding-heart-liberals-bike-through-tajikistan-to-prove-evil-is-a-make-believe-concept-are-stabbed-dead-by-isis/
20/08/2018: Minor
(conservative) parties up 4% to 19%. Libs 33% and Labor 35%. Clearly no-one
wants Malcolm – or Bill either. We will have a different choice very soon,
perhaps tomorrow: http://pickeringpost.com/story/lodge-dinner-mal-s-last-supper/8472
19/8/2018:
19/8/2018: This morning Turnbull haas dropped the NEG after
yesterday’s declaration of 100% support for it. Possibly this has something to do with his sending copies
of it to the Labor party first before it went to Liberal members! His judgement
has always been awful, He is now casting around for all sorts of solutions to
save his leadership – including making Bishop Governor- General. Good Lord!
There will be a change of PM very soon. Abbott or Dutton? Hastie? Morrison will
be conniving. What’s the betting?
19/8/2018: Ultralight
For that weight you get a 10 litre shower which will give
you about 7-8 minuetes of shower time, plus the rope/suspension system. As you
can easily turn it on and off with the shower rose this gives you plenty of
time. Simply wet yourself down, then turn it off, lather up, rinse. Do the same
with your hair. I find I have no trouble getting sparkling clean long before
the water runs out.
Thing is you need to heat about 5 litres of boilng water.
An ‘ideal’ temp I find is about 50:50 boiling to cold water. (Put the cold water in first!) Della and
I used to carry two billies of about 1.4 litres each which gave us 2.8 litres
of hot - so 5.6 litres altogether. This was ample. We carry slightly smaller
billies now (100 and 900) but it is enough.
The shower also doubles as a waterproof dry bag at other
times: https://seatosummit.com/product/pocket-shower/ Approximate
cost A$35 (August 2018)
If this seems like too much to carry, (which it is for me
- I still use my Sea to Summit one when we are car camping – as in
Scotland here),
you might do what I do and shower with your 2 litre Platypus bottle. Here are
my instructions how to do just that: http://www.theultralighthiker.com/bathtime-on-the-trail-the-one-gram-platypus-shower/ The advantage of this system is it only weighs 1 gram
and doubles as a water bottle!
PS: Here is a great way to make hoisting your shower over
a branch easier: http://www.theultralighthiker.com/?s=bush+shower
18/8/2018: Hiking Washing Machine: In my last post I talked about what clothes I take with me hiking and mentioned that I usually wash them every day. I probably don’t get them as clean as one could (I usually just wash them in a river or stream without soap or detergent). And I usually just put them back on wet. My back is my best ultralight clothes drier!
However if you want to be meticulous about this you may want to try this interesting invention, the Scrubba Wash Bag. Basically it is just a waterproof bag (such as Sea to Summit make – and which you probably carry your clothes, sleeping bag etc in – if you don’t want them to get soaked – a pack liner bag is a good idea too).
This one has been modified though so that it has welts of ridges on the inside so that when you knead your clothes in it it has the same effect as those old wash boards folks used to use before the advent of washing machines. This agitation (in the presence of a small amount of detergent - and well away from waterways) will definitely get you clothes much cleaner. Of course you can also use it to carry your sleeping bag in at other times. I weighs 145 grams and costs approx from A$64.96 eg https://www.backpackinglight.com.au/
See: https://thescrubba.com.au/
See Also:
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/dry-bags-sea-to-summit-ultra-sil-nano/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/a-tardis-folding-space/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/how-many-clothes-should-i-take-in-my-pack/
17/8/2018: How Many Clothes Should I Take in My Pack? I’m sure many people take far too many – just as they take far too much of everything else – and yet often enough not enough survival equipment, such as a knife or a roof or a satellite messenger, for example.
I don’t think it matters whether you are just away for the weekend, or for a month. I probably take exactly the same items. I just don’t believe unless you are off hunting/hiking in some exceptional circumstances I have not envisaged/experienced that you need heaps of changes of clothes. I have been doing this for sixty years or more, so if there is any danger it is not much.
For example, I go to Fiordland NZ most years in late autumn. It is likely the wettest place on earth. Nighttime temperatures are usually below freezing and much colder than that on the mountain tops. The thick bush (I do a lot of off-track exploration) means I can be pretty sure I will be soaked by the end of the day. Even there I only take one dry change.
I am now in my 70th year. Here I am (moose hunting) having lunch on the Hauroko Burn on the second day (of 8 needed) walking the Dusky Track in Fiordland in late May 2017. As you can see, no-one else about (which suits me!) My wife (alas) was not feeling well enough for the trip (angina), but we are hoping for better health in future. However I was able to message her (back and forth) at breakfast, morning tea, lunch, afternoon tea and at day’s end – and of course we also had a goodnight chat on the sat phone before bed. (The Sat Messenger includes location with each message, and has an epirb, if needed). All this communication after very nearly 50 years together – perhaps there may be something to be learned from us after all!
All my gear and food for 10 days (plus emergency supplies for a further two) fitted easily in a 400 gram 50 litre (inc pockets) Zpacks Dyneema pack I have had for many years. They no longer make such a one, though Mountain Laurel Designs do. The couple of folk I encountered labouring along under their mountain of gear (yet as it turned out not having enough food – I had to give them some!) thought I was carrying just a day pack! They were even more surprised when they learned I was intending to camp out (something they were foolishly completely unprepared for!)
My normal behaviour wherever I am is to take a light change of dry clothes to sleep in – so either a pair of wind pants and matching top (summer) or wool long top and long johns winter, plus a light down coat and vest, down socks and an insulated hat – and of course my Buff to keep my nose warm on cold nights. If there are going to be lots of people about I might take a pair of light shorts for swimming/bathing (Yes, even at daytime temps of 5-10C) or for wearing when I am washing my clothes.
Usually there is no-one apart from my wife so I usually just take my clothes off and wash them (naked) wring them out and put them straight back on again sometime during the day. Body heat dries them in less than 15 minutes.
Elsewhere (eg winter hunting in the Gippsland moutians, Victoria) if I have a fire (and it is not raining) I will wash them out whilst wearing my dry change then hang them in front of the fire so that they will be dry and clean for the next day. I make open shelters for camping in which I can enjoy the pleasure of a fire out front. As nearly all of my camping is wilderness (bushwacking) there is always plenty of fuel, and in the cooler months there is little or no danger of the fire escaping. If there were I would not have or need a fire.
I have found that a light down coat and vest is all one needs to supplement a -1C sleeping bag down to temperatures of -10 to -15C. I would wear the vest on my lower body. The down socks and insulated hat are an added luxury.
My
day clothes are a pair of Columbia Silver Ridge trous (or the like). I have
found them very serviceable for many years now, though I have ripped some. I
carry a needle and thread for such repairs or fror sewing up the occasional
wound. In the winter I would wear a wool shirt such as
Wool
underpants (Icebreaker) are excellent, though I have pretty much never needed
long johns during the day. In NZ folks almost invariably wear shorts during the
day no matter what the weather. Wet longs or waterproofs trous do impede your
progress and consune much more energy walking. I find the light
I usually only wear light socks such as Holeproof’s ‘Heroes’ as sneakers are pretty warm – anyway I don’t suffer from cold feet. I usually carry a dry/spare pair for when the down socks are too warm, or for when you wear a hole in your main pair of socks. As you have probably noticed I have a homemade pair of dyneema moccasins which weigh 12 grams each for dry camp shoes.
I carry two handkerchiefs cut down from a microfiber towel as I suffer from sinusitis especially in the morning. I also carry a microfiber towel cut in half lengthwise (so I can dry my back). The half towel doesn’t get you quite as dry as a whole one would, but the time difference is probably less than a minute after you put your clothes back on, so I don’t see the point of hauling the extra 50 grams or so. My wife takes a whole towel. Sissy! I admit if you are drying yourself at less than freezing such as on the Everest Base Camp trip the larger towel would have been an acceptable luxury.
I have a pair of Mountain Laurel Designs Event mitts and a thin pair of wool Icebreaker liner gloves for when it is very cold and wet. Though most of my camping out is in the winter (and in the mountains) I doubt I ever put them on more than once a year. I guess I don’t suffer from cold extremities in general. My wife Della uses hers much more than I do.
Of course I carry a light raincoat. I now own a pair of light breathable waterproof trous, but I would only take them if I was going to Fiordland or somewhere which is going to be very wet and cold. Again, my wife suffers from the cold more than I do and wears hers much more. They do keep your legs and trous much warmer and drier in inclement weather. Usually too warm for me. For somewhere it is going to rain a lot (like Fiordland or Southern Tasmania) we now have an ultralight umbrella each.
I also have a pair of Mountain Laurel Designs ultralight gaiters. These are great for keeping mud and trash out of your boots especially when wading through swamps and the like (common in Fiordland).
In very wet places like this I would usually take a hammock and light tarp (the two together weighing less than 350 grams). You can hang two hammocks under one tarp, but when stopping for lunch the two of us can sit side by side and even boil the billy for a hut cuppa during lunch-stops or when we need another break. In Fiordland especially it is frequently too wet or the ground too uneven (or both) to put up a tent where you may need to stop. Because the area is heavily forested it is never very difficult to find a couple of suitable trees however.
My -1C sleeping bag (compressed to 2 litres) and all my (spare) clothes (compressed) take up less than 6 litres in my pack. See: http://www.theultralighthiker.com/a-tardis-folding-space/ My tarp and hammock take up less than a litre. I know these are not clothes, but remember what I said right at the start about folks carrying too much other stuff but not enough survival equipment. You should never count on getting to shelter. The very next step you take you might turn your ankle for example, then where will you spend the night?
See Also:
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/carry-a-knife/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/the-importance-of-a-roof/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/the-poor-mans-satellite-phone/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/from-dawn-to-dusky-day-2/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/the-lure-of-the-moose/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/best-hunting-daypack/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/an-open-shelter/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/the-deer-hunters-tent/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/montbell/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/hiking-pants/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/ultralight-rain-jackets/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/tasmanias-south-coast-track-hells-holiday/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/19-gram-dyneema-camp-shoes/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/i-followed-my-footsteps/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/ultralight-mitts-and-gaiters/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/hammock-hunting-till-dark/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/simple-hammock-double-up/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/a-tardis-folding-space/
17/8/2018:
16/8/2018: Lest We
Forget. In the context of Julie Bishop’s failure to even ask North Korea for
the 43 Aussies soldiers still ‘missing’ in Korea, you should know the ADF is
still trying to recover ‘missing’ soldiers from WW2 such as this hero, Sergeant
Leonard Siffleet: https://www.scribd.com/document/386230685/ADF-report-on-the-execution-and-burial-of-Sergeant-Leonard-Siffleet#from_embed
With his fiancée Clarice 1941:
On the beach at
16/8/2018: Fraser
Anning is right: Too many immigrant groups are in effect at war with ‘us’:
In Melbourne during just the last week alone police have seized two AK-47s from
gang members. This news is all behind pay-walls: https://news.google.com/stories/CAAqOQgKIjNDQklTSURvSmMzUnZjbmt0TXpZd1NoTUtFUWpfNE52cWpJQU1FYUhuZHlZYnVvY1RLQUFQAQ?hl=en-AU&gl=AU&ceid=AU:en Meanwhile in Sweden immigrant gangs burn hundreds of
cars in a co-ordinated attack: https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2018-08-14/furious-swedish-pm-rages-violent-gang-rampage-what-hell-are-you-doing
15/8/2018: Shock,
Horror! Fraser Anning simply articulated what most Australians believe: http://www.michaelsmithnews.com/2018/08/senator-fraser-annings-first-speech-quotes-churchill-gets-canned-by-almost-everyone.html PS: You should have stuck with this guy Pauline.
15/8/2018: News
you had not heard: https://wattsupwiththat.com/2018/08/14/the-planet-is-experiencing-an-unexplained-major-cooling-and-scientists-are-ignoring-it/
15/8/2018: The
good news: Communism may be coming to an end in
14/8/2018: Topper EzLift turns your SUV canopy into a camper: This looks like a great addition to your truck (at least if you are only a couple). They have a DIY kit for US$1995 (Aug 2018) PS: You have to supply your own 'Lacey'. https://www.topperezlift.com/
Videos:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=23&v=IcRB_9jdgwU
https://www.facebook.com/BusinessInsider.Cars/videos/493810121031296
See this post for a cheaper alternative:
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/convert-a-car-to-a-camper-for-50/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/car-camping-scotland/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/great-scot/
14/8/2018: The
Roman ‘mile’ was 1,000 paces as the name implies. Boy those ancient Romans
must have had long legs: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mile
14/8/2018: Please,
Dump Turnbull Today - before he utterly destroys us with his NEG: ‘What
a deal. You could have free electricity for the next four years or an imperceptible
difference in the air outside the nursing home for your children’s 94th
birthday...Each family in
14/8/2018: Shock
results show that half of the population is now below average intelligence! What
went wrong? The tyranny of numbers: http://catallaxyfiles.com/2018/08/12/david-bidstrup-the-average-human-has-one-breast-and-one-testicle/ & http://catallaxyfiles.com/2018/08/13/enjoy-morning-coffee-and-hot-meals-while-we-still-have-coalfired-power/
13/8/2018: The
‘sliming’ of Ben Roberts-Smith is vile at the very least. Turnbull’s part
in it is deplorable: http://www.michaelsmithnews.com/2018/08/turnbulls-spirited-lack-of-defence-for-ben-roberts-smith-vc-mg.html Hope the Libs dump Turnbull tomorrow instead of
supporting the NEG!
13/8/2018: Youtube
and Facebook are working hard with other ‘progressives’ to take down
alternative news and opinion. I imagine we can expect this excellent site
disappearing soon: https://www.facebook.com/DCNFthefacts/ I found the item about the ‘training camp’ in
13/8/2018: It will be interesting to see who is right…A 'Mini Ice Age' Is Coming in The Next 15
Years: https://www.sciencealert.com/a-mini-ice-age-is-coming-in-the-next-15-years
12/8/2018: ‘To
see what is in front of one’s nose requires a constant struggle,’ George
Orwell, 1946…Imagine if you had just one switch that controlled everything in
the world…it would be well-nigh impossible for the powers-that-be to avoid
using it. It would not matter a jot whether it was true or no – or whether they
believed it was. All that matters is ‘Does it work?’ ‘The entire policy of using anthropogenic global warming as a
false front to implement global governance and impose how we will all live is
working with remarkable success’: https://wattsupwiththat.com/2018/07/07/whatever-happened-to-agenda-21-and-climate-change-policy/ & https://quadrant.org.au/opinion/doomed-planet/2018/08/doubleplusgood-greenthink/
12/8/2018: Stealing Thunder: You can’t win by stealing the other side’s thunder. Why do ‘conservatives’ keep doing this? The public is in fact fed up with the Left and all its nonsense. It neither wants nor deserves leftist policies delivered by ‘conservative’ politicians. Yes, it is time for a new paradigm. David Leyonhjelm for PM?
12/8/2018: Manufacturing Straw Men: https://nypost.com/2018/07/02/banning-plastic-straws-is-more-scam-than-science/
11/8/2018: The Compleat Survival Guide: Over the years I have written lots of posts about this. To summarise, if you have no air, you have only about a minute to live. The absence of shelter and warmth may kill you in a few hours, lack of water in a few days, lack of food in weeks. Therefore it is clear where your priorities should lie, yet every year many folks perish/suffer mostly for the want of some elementary survival knowledge.
I guess death from lack of air is most likely to happen in the wilderness by drowning, but avalanches and other forms of asphyxiation can catch people out – injudiciously entering caves and mines for example. Mostly though, it is folks’ approach to river and lake crossings that gets them into trouble.
If you are crossing a lake, traverse the margins no more than 20 metres from shore even though it will take much longer. Do not cut across. Lakes frequently have a warm layer floating on an icy layer. They are also prey to unexpected (and unexplained) large standing waves which can overset whatever craft you are using. If you find yourself suddenly pitched into deep water far offshore you will need to keep horizontal near the surface and head for the quickest route to shore as you can quickly die from hypothermia. Better still do not cross lakes.
As for rivers the advice here might help: http://www.theultralighthiker.com/river-crossings/, http://www.theultralighthiker.com/river-crossings-2/ and http://www.theultralighthiker.com/why-you-should-get-your-feet-wet-when-hiking/ To summarise, undo your shest and waist belts on your backpack. Your backpack is more use as a flotation device than strapped to your back to drag you down. Don’t cross on (slippet) logs. Don’t’t try to use rocks as stepping stones. Don’t jump. If in doubt don’t cross. Find a slow wide section which will give you plenty of time to cross. Better to swim across a wide slow section using your pack strapped to your inflated mat as a kickboard than to attempt to wade a fast-moving stream whewre you can’t even see arounfd the next corner…and etc.
Fire and shelter are the next two important survival needs, but especially shelter. Somehow you need to stay as warm and dry as possible. A raincoat will not necessarily keep you dry and warm. Water carries away body heat around 20 times as quickly as dry air, so that icy rain running over the outside of your raincoat can kill you if you don’t get out from under direct contact with it. You need some shelter. It might be as simple as a hollow tree or log (or under a log) or the lee of a large rock or cliff face. Just getting behind a large tree will help. If you can use your raincoat for shelter or construct a debris hut that will be even better: http://www.theultralighthiker.com/raincoat-shelter/
If you can do so it is really good to be able to light a fire. These two posts are vital in this regard: http://www.theultralighthiker.com/carry-a-knife/ and http://www.theultralighthiker.com/how-to-light-a-fire-in-the-wet/
. You may nee to know how to light a fire in the snow: http://www.theultralighthiker.com/fire-on-the-snow/
Before you get into difficulty begin your preparations for spending the night outside in the wet. For example, hurrying to a camp/hut you are unlikely to make until after dark may not be the wisest decision. Stopping when you first have doubts that you will make it especially when you are passing some desirable sheltered spot with plenty of time still to add to its advantages (eg by gathering fire lighting, insulation and waterproofing (roofing) materials, would be a better, perhaps a life-saving decision. Every day you read about someone who is dead basically because they did not value their own life enough and had though something else to be more important. Don’s make that decision – unless your life is worthless!
Many people carry an umbrella for just such an eventuality and for those days when it ‘rains’ inside your raincoat because of the humidity. If you spend enough time outdoors, eventually you will encounter this phenomenon. If the weather is cold when this happens the consequences can be truly unpleasant, or even catastrophic: http://www.theultralighthiker.com/the-importance-of-a-roof/ & http://www.theultralighthiker.com/how-to-avoid-being-wet-cold-while-camping/ & http://www.theultralighthiker.com/hiking-in-the-rain/ I have several other posts about umbrellas eg: http://www.theultralighthiker.com/a-hands-free-umbrella/
Lack of water is unlikely to be a problem (unless you are somewhere very hot and dry) for several days. Lack of food is only a major problem after weeks! Most people die on the first night out. Most do not thirst or starve to death. Keeping warm and dry are your most important considerations. In my post Hatchet I pointed out some ways of obtaining water, and why carrying a titanium trowel might be a very good idea.
You can eat practically anything, but eating stuff which might be poisonous or at least make you sick might make your situation worse, so if in doubt, don’t. You are unlikely to be many days by foot from help anyway, so that missing a few meals should not matter. That being said however, there is not much that is flesh which is not edible (save some toads and non-scaley fish for example). Similarly the fresh growth of most plants, particularly grasses is quite edible and will stave off the unpleasantness of hunger even if it does not provide enough to fatten! There are many plants which are much more nutritious but of course you need to now what they are. Look for a future post about wild food.
I
am imagining you will find yourself in this situation because you have
misjudged how long it will take to reach your destination, because the way
ahead is blocked (eg the river has risen) or because you have lost the path
ahead. Of course there are many other disasters which can befall you. One chap
was driving through the
If you can avoid getting stuck in the wilds it might be preferable. Learning to find your way with just the tools you were born with is a good idea. Some of these posts might help: http://www.theultralighthiker.com/finding-your-way/, http://www.theultralighthiker.com/the-lie-of-the-land/, http://www.theultralighthiker.com/walking-the-line/. Each of these posts has a number of others linked to it. It is also a good idea to be prepared. You might for example consider the advisability of carrying 'The Poor Man's Satellite Phone' for instance.
See Also:
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/river-crossings/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/river-crossings-2/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/why-you-should-get-your-feet-wet-when-hiking/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/raincoat-shelter/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/carry-a-knife/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/how-to-light-a-fire-in-the-wet/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/fire-on-the-snow/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/the-importance-of-a-roof/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/how-to-avoid-being-wet-cold-while-camping/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/hiking-in-the-rain/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/a-hands-free-umbrella/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/thrilling-tales-37-days-of-peril/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/the-poor-mans-satellite-phone/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/finding-your-way/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/the-lie-of-the-land/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/walking-the-line/
11/8/2018: Virtue
signalling and seizing the nettle: Virtue signaling never put a single crumb on
the plate. Stock are starving. They need fodder to save them. To grow fodder
farmers need water. There is water. The Government needs to provide it
instead of stealing it. They have poured the value of billions of dollars of
agricultural produce uselessly down the Snowy instead of its going to the
Riverina (where the Snowy Scheme intended it) to fatten sheep and cows. Then
they have poured further billions into keeping the Coorong fresh water when it
was salt water for a million years before the barrage at the mouth of the
11/8/2018: The EU
bureaucrats are insane (about ‘frankenfood’ amongst other things). As a result
much more pesticide will have to be used: http://www.rationaloptimist.com/blog/gene-editing-in-agriculture-affectively-banned-in-the-european-union/ Oh, furthermore
bees are not in any danger: https://www.cedarwrites.com/2018/07/31/bees-are-not-in-danger/
11/8/2018: The
Labor Party chooses a Leninist to run for
11/8/2018: This is
obscene: AGL triples profit after closing Hazelwood: http://joannenova.com.au/2018/08/lets-close-coal-so-agl-triples-its-profits/
10/8/2018: Nothing
new under the sun: 1922 Mobile Phone: http://www.messynessychic.com/2016/05/05/calling-on-her-cell-phone-in-1922/
10/8/2018: Bishop
(the ‘Stick Insect’) couldn’t give a rat’s about our war dead. She hasn’t even
asked they be brought home, yet Trump has them coming home by the plane load: http://www.michaelsmithnews.com/2018/08/our-dfat-foi-no-record-of-bishops-claims-about-korean-war-mia-representations.html
10/8/2018: How
much should we ‘worry’ about ‘University ‘Life’ ‘For example, someone who just a few months earlier was
being driven to school by his or her parents may now decide to be an authority
on international politics and global peace.’ https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/blogs/tim-blair/sydneys-higher-education-reversal/news-story/be4d0d0af81bceaf128634f99f08755a
09/8/2018: This
‘incident’ really underlines the fascists the Antifa are: As Candace Owens
says, ‘To be clear: ANTIFA, an all-white
fascist organization, just grew violent and attacked an all-black and Hispanic
police force. Because I, a BLACK woman, was eating breakfast.’ https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/blogs/tim-blair/white-supremacy-opponents-target-black-woman/news-story/e789867a0e51953361412d85db12ec36
09/8/2018: Looks
like
09/8/2018: The heat wave in
08/08/2018: The
Great Generation: Mary Ellis delivered the adjacent Spitfire 75 years before
this ride. She took this Spitfire ride on her 100th birthday. She died last month: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TwU1HRylERU
08/08/2018: The
NEG is a disaster. We need to refurbish all the old coal generators and build a
new one in the
08/08/2018: 25
million: When I was born there were 8 million of ‘us’. And it really was
‘us’ in those days. We were able to fend off the Japanese with that population
and fight WW2 because we were one people. Now we are a nation of tribes with no
national identity. Last year we imported over half a million ‘new Australians’.
This year as many again. And so it goes on. We are throwing away our country.
Whatever you do at the next election, do not vote Coalition, Labor or the
Greens – unless you want this to go on: https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/blogs/andrew-bolt/we-get-our-2040-population-today/news-story/4ea5a70dbd3f63435aaf6627e55503b1 & http://assistantvillageidiot.blogspot.com/2018/08/nationalism-revisited.html & https://quadrant.org.au/opinion/qed/2018/08/hope-land-hopers/
06/08/2018: One
polar bear which won’t be starving to death: https://www.canberratimes.com.au/world/europe/polar-bear-shot-dead-in-attack-on-arctic-cruise-20180729-p4zuap.html
06/08/2018: Hope for me yet: A record number of folks
age 85 and older are working. Here's what they're doing. https://www.lmtonline.com/business/article/A-record-number-of-folks-age-85-and-older-are-13051373.php
06/08/2018: Half a
billion to six guys who never asked for it (none of them farmers). This is
Turnbull’s latest ‘Captain’s Call’. Turnbull has got to go! http://www.michaelsmithnews.com/2018/08/turnbull-handed-over-nearly-half-a-billion-borrowed-dollars-to-the-private-great-barrier-reef-founda.html
05/08/2018: Thermarest Vesper Quilt: Thermarest have a new down quilt, the Vesper, available soon. It comes in 32F at 15 oz (0C & 428 grams) and 20F at 19 oz (-7C & 542 grams) and insulated with Nikwax treated down. I would pair one with either their new Uber mat at 8.8 oz (250 grams) for summer or with a Neoair X-Lite Womens (340 grams at R=3.9 & 5’6”/168 cm) or an X-Therm (430 grams at R = 5.7 & 6’0” /183 cm – 394 grams at 5’6”) for cooler weather.
05/08/2018: Some people seem to object to me putting dents in their cars by opening my doors into them at the supermarket. We live in the country. They should park further away. We always buy hail damaged cars because we like cars which look like golf balls, not because they are less than half the price. Golf balls have dimples because it makes them fly further. The Mythbusters TV show tested whether cars with dimples would travel further or faster – and the answer was, ‘Yes’. So actually our beat-up looking cars are better than their shiny new ones. I should charge folks a fee for putting dents in their cars in future.
05/08/2018: Seven
'Great' Marxist Leaders Young Socialists Need to Know: https://pjmedia.com/lifestyle/seven-great-marxist-leaders-young-socialists-need-to-know/
05/08/2018: Things you need to know: Not drinking alcohol in middle age increases dementia risk: https://news.sky.com/story/report-not-drinking-alcohol-in-middle-age-increases-dementia-risk-11457068
04/08/2018: Warren Mundine on reclaiming work as a
virtue. Everyone should read this: https://quillette.com/2018/08/01/reclaiming-work-as-a-virtue/
04/08/2018: Patrick Moore was the founder of Greenpeace.
He long ago repudiated their extremism. It is well worth reading what he now
thinks, ‘CO2 is lower in the atmosphere today than it has been
through nearly all the history of life and that global temperature during the
ongoing 2.5 million-year long Pleistocene Ice Age is colder than it has been
for the past 250 million years are simply ignored. Never mind the fact that CO2
is the basis for all life on Earth’ & ‘The fact is a piece of plastic
floating in the ocean is no more toxic than a piece of wood. Wood has been
entering the sea in vast quantities for millions of years. And in the same way
that floating woody debris provides habitat for barnacles, seaweeds, crabs, and
many other species of marine life, so does floating plastic. That’s why
seabirds and fish eat the bits of plastic, to get the food that is growing on
them. While it is true that some individual birds and animals are harmed by
plastic debris, discarded fishnets in particular, this is far outweighed by the
additional food supply it provides.’. https://wattsupwiththat.com/2018/08/03/twelve-invisible-eco-catastrophes-and-threats-of-doom-that-are-actually-fake/
04/08/2018: On a
day when another five Moslems are charged with terrorist offences in
04/08/2018: Poacher’s Moon: The poachers of yore endowed us with so many gems of wisdom such as, ‘Stolen fruit taste best,’ ‘Little fish are sweet,’ ‘Putting meat on the table’, ‘Feeding the family’, etc. Traditionally the ‘poacher’s moon’ in the UK is the first full moon after the autumn equinox, when poachers could get out and harvest wounded deer left over from the massed autumn hunt. The bright moonlight would enable them to see their quarry and find their way undetected in the dark.
Here
in
The days are cool enough that you can walk all day without getting up a sweat and the nights are just so a fire is a delight without the biting chill we sometimes find in late winter. Mind you I have usually found that you rarely see a deer during the day if the night is to be a full moon. To crepuscular animals moonlight is twilight. It is very difficult (apart from being illegal) to shoot a deer by moonlight.
Poaching and game management ought properly be antithetical notions, but the explosion of various ‘wildlife reserves’ such as National and State Parks, ‘land for wildlife’ and etc means that exactly the opposite is the case. Here ‘game’ and vermin breed up in an uncontrolled manner alike with no attempt at management at all, and in most cases any idea of a sustainable harvest of animals or other food is banned – save that in some areas of the Alpine National Park in Victoria limited hunting of sambar deer by stalking is permitted.
Such rules are just a ‘red rag’ to poachers to get out their kit and begin their harvest. Who can really blame them, especially if the ‘meat’ so obtained is destined for the family table? This used even to be the ‘traditional’ motive of spotlighters, much as I deplore their unethical behaviour – though I suspect that nowadays their main motive is commercial, ie supplying illicit venison to the restaurant trade.
You will have noticed perhaps (in my recent post) that the 1966 party who walked the Westies Hut to Cromarty section of the South Coast Track, New Zealand (Ah, what a trip to look forward to!) took with them fishing tackle and rifles so that they could supply much of the food they needed on the trail. This used to be the normal behaviour of ‘hikers’ or wilderness folks in general in the past.
One only has to read that early book Woodcraft to learn that. Do. Too many today are ‘environmentalists’ without any understanding about how the natural systems (such as game) might best be managed. Everything has to be managed. There is no land which does not require work. Reading the works of Aldo Leopold, such as ‘A Sand County Almanac’ might help. You can download it for free here: https://archive.org/details/ASandCountyAlmanacTheAldoLeopoldFoundation It is a gem of true wildlife conservation - such as that ever practiced by hunters and fisherfolk.
In any case, I think it is a good idea to be able to supplement your hiking rations with things hunted, fished for, or otherwise collected on the trail, both animal and vegetable – and don’t forget the tinder! You may call this ‘poaching’ – which it will be in most places, but mostly it is making good use of things which would otherwise go to waste or be consumed only by vermin. It also makes your pack even more 'ultralight'.
I have elsewhere suggested a range of different firearms (such as this one or this) which might suit the ultralight lifestyle. If carrying a firearm is either too heavy or not an option, you might consider a shanghai of some sort (This one is a beauty) or a sling. They are light, concealable - and there is plenty of free ammunition!
I think the fishing kit shown in my post The Ultralight Fisherman at less than 30 grams will reward you with many times its weight in fish or crayfish. It has me. You can easily cast it accurately thirty yards! In any case always carry a piece of cordage. It has many uses including to construct shelters or traps and snares.
A fixed blade knife which you should carry anyway for firelighting, is also necessary for safely opening many kinds of shellfish – or prying them off the rocks. (All kinds of shellfish are edible, by the way – indeed pretty much all flesh and fish are - with few exceptions), and of course it is much better and safer for ‘dressing’ game or filleting a fish than a folder.
I recommend the Ka-Bar Johnson Adventure Piggyback at 23 grams myself. I always carry one. The Gerber knife sharpener at 17 grams is just the trick for keeping an edge on it. (You need the fixed blade knife for splitting wood to get at the dry stuff which you shave to create ‘excelcior’, the acme of firelighting ‘stuff’).
I have spent many, many moonlit nights hunting or fishing. A very fortunate life indeed it has been. When I was a lad it was (still) legal to take and sell the skins of many (native) animals – so not just rabbits, as today. If it was not legal, we might not have known (or cared) anyway. Somehow we eluded gaol anyway.
The skin of the water rat was I recall the most prized. What a fine sleek pelt they have. With the near total dominance of the fox over almost every small beast it would be hard indeed to get enough of them today to make a beautiful handkerchief with, yet when I was young, before Myxomatosis conferred such dominance on the fox, the streams were alive with them. Glorious creatures they were too. So like an otter. We used to take them with a floating rat trap baited as I think with pumpkin seeds – which seems unlikely! I would not do so now. I doubt I see more than one a year!
I remember as a lad shooting possums out of trees with .22 shorts (they are the quietest – and cheapest). The technique we used was to so walk along beneath the tree as to run the full moon along the branches until we spotted one, then it was a simple matter to plink it down. You skin them just like a rabbit, the work of a minute. Good eating they were too. I wonder that folks don’t add a few more brushtails to the pot here (they are in plague proportions in our cities) – as they do in NZ! Some places there 'Possum Pie' is on the menu - 'Straight from the roadside to you' the sign says!
The
.22 Long Rifle round was the most common used in
I
doubt there is any game in
As
a youth I killed hundreds of grey kangaroos and thousands of rabbits with mine
which otherwise would have devastated the wheat fields. I got so I could head
shoot a rabbit on the run or even (still shoot one) out at 200 yards. (And you
wonder why I still don't use a telescopic sight?) I have shot wild goats
scrambling around precipitous cliffs of the
Seasonally
‘Poddy’ mullet used to swarm in the backwater creek behind our house in
Fassifern (
You held it at the very tip between thumb and forefinger. You had to rid yourself of it in a twinkling or it would explode in your hand and hurt like hell! If you held it in any other way it would blow fingers off! Young people today are not allowed any risk taking at all – so there is a plague of them taken by drug overdoses. The risk of losing the tip of a finger seems like a better idea to me. And the ‘forbidden fruit’ of an illicitly taken mullet is safer and better for them than heroin or crack cocaine.
He has been gone now (when I was but 13) these 55 years this week, yet I miss him dearly still. Fortunately I have these many recollections eg of him sitting by a moonlit fire, yarning, his face aglow with the hot coals, grabbing a handful of prawns from the 4 gallon drum bubbling over the fire and shelling them as quickly as he could devour them. Perhaps finishing off his meal with a cup of billy tea and a song accompanied by the harmonica – both brothers played ‘by ear’. I wish I had inherited that ability. Ken never bothered to shell his prawns: he ate them whole. You can do this with small greasybacks, much as you can eat sardines whole.
Sometimes when we were dragging the net through the lukewarm waters (of Lake Eraring perhaps) a ‘Fisheries’ boat would come put-putting by, attracted no doubt by the light of our ‘Tilley’ lantern on shore (quickly extinguished). On such occasions we would have to just submerge ourselves in the water and hold our breath until he was far enough away – you could still see his riding lights from underwater. An old poacher’s trick no doubt. In any case we were never caught, and those undersized prawns certainly did taste sweet. We would also take small flatfish by the light of the lantern on a nail fastened to the end of another tomato stake. They made a pleasant accompaniment.
On days off (there weren’t that many in my father’s short life) he loved to go hunting with his hound, Felix. I have written about him before. No doubt most of what we hunted (save foxes and hares) was and is illegal. Wallabies for example. On such hard-scrabble farms as ours they were a pest which would devour whatever meagre crops my parents managed to grow (with immense effort) for our dairy cows (milked by hand).
The hounds enjoyed the chasing and the eating of them both anyway. We enjoyed the ‘sport’. I notice our old property (between Martin’s Creek and Paterson) is still called ‘The Chase’ on topographic maps, few knowing now that this was in memorial of my father’s passion of hunting – or ‘poaching’ as many would rather call it.
My
father, Lawrence Jones died horribly from brain cancer 55 years ago this week
when he was only 48 and I was 13. Nonetheless despite the passage of time, that
event remains poignant and pivotal for me. If I seem a little more somber than
usual today, I’m sure you will understand. I have no good photographs of him,
indeed less than half a dozen in total. I remember this one was taken at
PS: I guess long before that day I came to understand all should, and since that day (I) needs must shift for myself, stand on my own two feet, blame no-one or nothing, but make of the world what I might. So, for example I completed High School at 15 with the aid of scholarships which I earned from just that, then I completed a number of full-time degrees at university whilst also working full-time, the first four years seven day roster shift work in a heavy metal refinery.
I have worked from that day to this (well over 50 yearsnow) probably hardly ever earning today's 'minimum wage', but we have been able to provide for ourselves and our family and set aside savings which we can continue to live on, and never take a cent from the Government – or our fellow men, as we understand it.
I am wholly against the 'entitlement' society. I also think it is tantamount to a crime against humanity that so many today are growing up without a father - or with the State as their family. At least I had one, if only for a short, precious time.
People have been posting on Facebook recently about what is the most important thing in life. Wealth, success, love?
Character is all!
PS: When I began this post I was thinking that the title was the same as one of Peter Capstick’s wonderful hunting books. Not so, I’m afraid. Nonetheless it is a good title. However, you should read some of his books eg ‘Death in the Long Grass’ one of my personal favourites. You may find a copy here: https://archive.org/details/deathinlonggrass00caps
See Also:
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/nzs-south-coast-track-westies-hut-to-cromarty/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/woodcraft-george-washington-sears/
https://archive.org/details/ASandCountyAlmanacTheAldoLeopoldFoundation
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/the-ultralight-fisherman/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/pocket-slingshot/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/great-way-to-advertise-a-shanghai/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/carry-a-knife/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/how-to-light-a-fire-in-the-wet/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/the-ultimate-survival-gun/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/packable-rifle/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/rope-dont-leave-home-without-it/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/ultralight-knife-sharpener/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/you-must-learn-to-shoot-your-own-dog/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/mattresses-i-have-known/
03/08/2018: Packable Rifle: A packable .22 Winchester Magnum rifle at under 1 pound has to be a useful thing to own, surely?
'PRK is short for Pack Rifle Kit. The PRK converts your Crickett or Chipmunk youth rifle into a light weight, take down pack rifle. The PRK replaces the barrel and stock of of your Crickett or Chipmunk rifle with light weight alternatives, shaving 1 pound 10 ounces out of the OEM version. The barrel is constructed of a carbon fiber outer, with aluminum components joining the carbon fiber outer to the Cro-Moly steel, button rifled barrel liner.
The carbon fiber tube stock is simple and functional, it is made of carbon fiber and aluminum tube. The stock is hollow, with an ID of .875 Inches by 11 Inches deep for storage. The PRK has 13-5/8 Inch length of pull for adult frames. We recommend having a gunsmith install the PRK, but for those of you that are mechanically inclined, it is relatively simple. This is a Kit that consists of a barrel and a stock, it is not a complete rifle. You have to provide a Crickett or Chipmunk rifle to put this kit on.
.22LR Kits require a .22LR Cricket, Magnums require that you start with a magnum Crickett’
I'm sure ingenious DIY Gunsmiths could think of a couple of ways to either cut the weight down a bit more (eg shorten the barrel, hollow out the bolt) or to increase its hitting power a mite eg by moving it up to .22 magnum. I notice that Rotalocura (aka The Titanium Goat - he has lots of wonderful stuff) supply a carbon fibre 4.25 oz (121 grams) barrel for US$200 (Aug 2018) as well as the kit.
Available here: http://rutalocura.com/PRK.html & http://www.titaniumgoat.com/
See Also:
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/the-diy-gunsmith/
03/08/2018: Our education system – should we just scrap it? http://www.libertylawsite.org/2018/05/30/the-case-against-education-bryan-caplan/
03/08/2018: The
problem is,
03/08/2018: What
the Left want: A 300,000 Illegal Immigrants in Islamic Colony Saint-Denis: ‘If
a massive foreign army of 300,000, allied with other large armies throughout
the country and bent not merely on conquest but on cultural eradication, had
amassed 6 miles from the Eiffel Tower, would France prepare to defend itself
from the threat?’ https://moonbattery.com/300000-illegal-immigrants-in-islamic-colony-saint-denis/
02/08/2018: The
Straw Man Argument was invented by a nine year old boy. That’s about how
much sense the ban on drinking straw makes: https://wattsupwiththat.com/2018/07/31/graph-of-the-week-the-strawman-argument/
02/08/2018: Count Dracula Had It Right: Hanging upside down is the best thing you can do for a herniated disc. I bought this machine to get some relief from the agonies I suffered for years when I had bony arthritic spurs growing into my spinal cord and I had to wait for farms to sell before I could have an operation to rid myself of them. I also slept each night in a hammock stretched across the living room. That helped a lot too.
A tip: If you need a back operation, see a neurosurgeon, not an orthopedic one. You will be up and running pretty much the next day!
Lately I have had a herniated disc. Core exercises have helped, but since my knee problems I have been limping and have put a lot more weight on one side of my body than the other (especially whilst building the new vermin proof fences on our steep hillsides - the sheep are also lambing) such that the disc had popped out and was giving me exquisite pain.
I had tried everything including the chiropractor when I remembered I still had the Inversion Table in the shed. Yesterday lunchtime we dragged it out and set it up in the living room. Instant relief. What bliss. I no longer feel quite such a twisted wreck of a man - no matter what others may think!
This is a great contraption. It cost me less than A$150 on eBay. It folds up out of the way against a wall when you are not using it. You need to hang there for a while until you feel things in your back popping back into place. 2-3 times a day brings immense relief.
It's a great way to relax!
One of the two eye-bolts I attached to the roof posts to swing my hammock from.
My knee is also recovering. I may yet get to continue my adventures. For example I may manage to use my wilderness cache before the end of this winter. Time will tell. I also hope to get back to Fiordland early next year, perhaps to walk the Dusky Track again, perhaps this continuation of the South Coast Track (now complete with instructions).
02/08/2018: Yay!
In Defence of Men: eg: ‘The women’s
movement is rooted in the belief that we don’t need men. All it will take is
one natural disaster to prove how wrong that is. Then, the only thing holding
this culture together will be masculine men of the working class.’ The new
middle-class clerisy, whose number includes Webb, would do well to remember
this: your literary luxury to demean the virtues of masculinity is predicated
on the fact that you live in a society in which masculine men, particularly
working-class ones, will defend your life and your family in the face of a
disaster that will hopefully never come. You are free to insult these people
precisely because these people have developed the ‘masculine’ strength to
defend the society you live in... there are many people out there, millions of
people, who see their values as better than yours, and who indeed see your
values as crazy or at least incredibly unuseful. People who think that emotional
awareness is a ridiculous value and utterly unhelpful in the negotiation of
daily life, daily work, and daily struggle. But these people don’t have book
deals and don’t have Joanna Lumley and JK Rowling singing their praises — as
Webb’s book does — and so we can sneer at them. They become ignorable, even
morally inferior. That grates with some of us because we know that in the
communities we grew up in, the ‘toxic masculine’ values that it has become
fashionable to disdain are viewed incredibly positively, and actually are
incredibly positive: they provide you with the armour for the unforgiving
trials of life in a society in which nothing is given and everything must be
fought for.’ http://www.spiked-online.com/spiked-review/article/in-defence-of-men/21563#.W2EH0MJ9jct
02/08/2018:
Without a single doubt all of this is happening in
02/08/2018: It’s
Time to make
01/08/2018: Interesting: Race is not a social construct it’s in our DNA. A recent analysis by American geneticist Henry Harpending confirms his earlier finding that the genetic similarity of members of ethnic groups is typically that of first cousins (in the field of genetics, genetic similarity is known as kinship): http://pickeringpost.com/story/race-is-not-a-social-construct-it-s-in-our-dna/8346
01/08/2018: The Good Populism: https://www.newcriterion.com/issues/2018/6/the-good-populism-9842
01/08/2018:
Turnbull: Even the Labor party didn’t want him. We certainly don’t: https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/malcolm-turnbull-wanted-to-join-labor/news-story/48bc14a793ffa9671d2450457e36886e
31/07/2018:
31/07/2018: These graphs are killing us. We must
dump renewables and build some new baseload generators (coal or nuclear): http://joannenova.com.au/2018/07/the-crash-test-dummy-speeds-up-our-renewable-target-is-16-and-rising-so-are-our-electricity-prices/
31/07/2018: What’s the opposite of ‘diversity’? Answer:
‘university’. Mark Perry, an economics professor at the
30/07/2018: A Plague on Both Your Houses: This is the
public’s verdict on Super Saturday: More people voted for someone other than
Labor or Liberal than for either of them. One Nation for example scored 16%
of the vote in Longman after a meager $30,000 campaign where their leader was
absent! They were up 6.5% - that swing is enough to consign any government to
the dustbin. This is a big change, but I suspect there are bigger to come.
Notice how eg in
True,
the Liberal Party didn’t field candidates in
Have no doubt, due to their failures over the past decade, the major parties are on the nose. In two significant cases, the Liberal primary vote has collapsed. In 2013 under Tony Abbott, the Liberals had a primary vote of 44.8% in Longman and 53.8% in Mayo. Yesterday under Malcolm Turnbull, these figures were 28.6% and 36.3% respectively – in both cases, a drop of 16-17%.’ https://www.facebook.com/MarkLathamsOutsiders/posts/2101016159939712 See also: https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/blogs/andrew-bolt/to-repeat-turnbulls-popularity-is-irrelevant/news-story/66929a9149b24bea8f585d07456927ca
30/07/2018: The
Fatal Lure of Democratic Socialism: ‘For everyone who is given money without
working for it, someone else has to work without getting money for it.’ https://rosebyanyothernameblog.wordpress.com/2018/07/22/the-fatal-lure-of-democratic-socialism/
30/07/2018:
29/07/2018: NZ's South Coast Track: Westies Hut to Cromarty: After you have completed the wonderful journey on the South Coast Track from the Rarakau Car Park to the magical Westies Hut it is possible to continue the journey all the way to Puysegur Point Lighthouse, the Te Oneroa shelter and the ruins of the old mining town of Cromarty way out at Preservation Inlet - as well as the 'fabulous' Kisbee Wilderness Resort which you will no doubt not be able to afford to stay at! At least I wouldn't.
Conversely you might do better to get dropped out there by float plane or chopper and make your way back. The advantage of a helicopter would be that you could leave supplies at Westies (for example) so you didn't have to carry them all the ay back. Then you could spend a few days resting and enjoying yourself at that incredible spot. I wish we had. I would /will walk back there sometime so we can do just that!
I have found only two accounts of this incredible adventure.
This account in NZ Geographic: https://www.nzgeo.com/stories/walking-the-line/ by Kennedy Warne is almost encyclopedic. There is lots of interesting history of what used to be the "telegraph track' built to create and maintain a line out to the lighthouse at Puysegur Point. You come across sections of this wire here and there and see old insulators nailed to tree trunks on the way out from the Wairaurahiri. The detail in Kennedy's account should provide an excellent guide for anyone young and adventurous enough to try this track. There is not much detail in Moir's. I will not spoil your reading of it by saying more - only do read it. It was clearly a wonderful trip.
The other one is by Tristan Riley (https://web.archive.org/web/20170406113730/http://www.tristanriley.co.nz/blog/archives/149) Tristan's website seems to be broken so I have copied the contents from the internet archive's version of it. I hope he doesn't mind. What it is to be young and fit. I would dearly like to do this trip, but at just shy of 70 (and having taken 4 long days to get to Westies in 2016 - which took Tristan two! - I doubt my ability). Still I am (maybe) getting fitter every day, so maybe I will yet.
Tramping the Telegraph – a trip to Puysegur
Point
Puysegur
Point at last! Thunder rolls, lightning strikes the ocean and waterfalls fly
upward in the wind. Titi wheel out to sea as Tasman rollers pound the point. A
dramatic arrival at one of
We
had arrived at Puysegur following the 1908 telegraph line route along the coast
from
—
Day 3 – Westy’s Cave to Andrew’s Cave
After two-day’s walk along the South Coast track we arrived at Westy’s Cave, a
character hut tucked into a sea cave. With wild seas and few visitors, Westy’s
is a great place to hide out. An hour on,
—
Big River provides the main obstacle to Puysegur. The 50m wide, deep crossing
is affected by the tide and could easily flood and block an exit. On our return
trip we found the lake had dropped by 50cm. Wading along the shore among beds
of freshwater mussels is fun. The biggest climb of the trip is the 300m
scramble up and over to
The most difficult section of the trip was the descent of Andrew Burn to the sea. Foolishly ignoring deer trails, we sidle the steep sides of the gorge until eventually emerging on the coast.
—
Day 4 – Around the Coast to
After a night in a sea-cave, we wandered around the coast to Green Islets. A
fur seal colony provides comedy in the posturing of the beach master bull.
Crossing the peninsula to the west, the force of the wind hits and a truly wild
coast appears. Orange pingao dunes are covered in rare Euphorbia glauca. Cooks
Turban, catseye and massive paua shells lie among the kelp, polished to
mother-of-pearl.
A
compass bearing carries us west, through orange Halocarpus scrub to a crossing
of Kiwi Burn at the mouth. More beach, gravel and boulder to Long Reef, then
easy travel (and a brief swim in the sea for Matt) to a pleasant camp at the
head of
—
Day 5 –
Open coastal forest became flatter and easier, cut in by steep sided creeks.
Kaka and kakariki cackle and big rata impress, though the undergrowth is sadly
depleted by deer. Despite the carnage we bless the deer as we walk, following
trails around obstacles. Rain floods the bush creeks, but the bigger crossings
are fine at the river mouth. A karearea calls our arrival at Sealers Creek, the
river cutting between three impressive islets. From here a track leads to
Puysegur.
—
Day 6 – Te Oneroa shelter
Our rest day, a return to the lighthouse in fine sunny weather revealed an
impressive vista of
—
Day 7 – Plateau between The Knob and
Popping in to visit the caretaker at Kisbee Lodge, the only people for miles
around, we found a pretty flash setup. Carrying on up the wooden-railed bush
tramway, munching our bag of crayfish legs, we soon passed The Knob.
A
wide manuka covered plateau, dissected with squiggling creeks, offers fantastic
views of the ocean,
—
Day 8 – Hill E and return to
Ignoring the route described in Moirs Guide, we bypassed
Day
9-11 Hitch-hike a Jetboat ride up
Matt had met a team of adventurers from South Coast
Jet at Waitutu Hut. Hearing about our trip they
kindly offered a ride out on their jetboats. The trip along the coast in 2m
swell was white knuckle stuff, fantastic! Blasting up the Wairaurahiri into the
mighty
PS:
Another account from 1966 here: https://issuu.com/cleangreen/docs/southcoasttrip This trip
was undertaken before ever there was a South Coast Track. The team went on past
Puysegur Point to
For more detailed information about some sections of the track see also:
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/westies-hut/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/south-coast-track-fiordland-nz-wairaurahiri-to-waitutu-2016/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/dusky-south-coast-tracks/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/fiordland-2014-2/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/a-walk-in-fiordland/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/bucket-list-westies-hut/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/fiordland-wairaurahiri-to-rarakau/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/fiordland-wairaurahiri-to-waitutu-part-4/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/westies-hut-topo-map-errors/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/waitutu-forest-fiordland-warm-air-pockets/
29/07/2018: The
29/07/2018: The new child abuse: https://quadrant.org.au/magazine/2018/07/experimenting-children-gender-dysphoria/
29/07/2018: Before Rudd/Gillard immigration used to sit at less than 100,000 per year. Now under Turnbull it is 262,000! And he has lost Braddon and Longman. He has always been a dud. Get rid of him now! Bring back Tony! http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/Latestproducts/3412.0Main%20Features52016-17?opendocument&tabname=Summary&prodno=3412.0&issue=2016-17&num=&view= The election results are devastating, eg Labor will win Longman 55:45! Erratum: Actually 539,000 immigrants! http://www.michaelsmithnews.com/2018/07/new-abs-report-record-539000-migrants-24000-refugees-.html
28/07/2018: The
Last Survivor of an Uncontacted Amazon Tribe: https://althouse.blogspot.com/2018/07/the-indigenous-man-in-hole-last.html
Remember the poem by Henry Kendall, ‘The Last of His
Tribe’:
He crouches, and buries his face on his knees,
And hides in the dark of his hair;
For he cannot look up to the storm-smitten trees,
Or think of the loneliness there --
Of the loss and the loneliness there.
The wallaroos grope through the tufts of the grass,
And turn to their coverts for fear;
But he sits in the ashes and lets them pass
Where the boomerangs sleep with the spear --
With the nullah, the sling and the spear.
Uloola, behold him!
The thunder that breaks
On the tops of the rocks with the rain,
And the wind which drives up with the salt of the lakes,
Have made him a hunter again --
A hunter and fisher again.
For his eyes have been full with a smouldering thought;
But he dreams of the hunts of yore,
And of foes that he sought, and of fights that he fought
With those who will battle no more --
Who will go to the battle no more.
It is well that the water which tumbles and fills,
Goes moaning and moaning along;
For an echo rolls out from the sides of the hills,
And he starts at a wonderful song --
At the sound of a wonderful song.
And he sees, through the rents of the scattering fogs,
The corroboree warlike and grim,
And the lubra who sat by the fire on the logs,
To watch, like a mourner, for him --
Like a mother and mourner for him.
Will he go in his sleep from these desolate lands,
Like a chief, to
the rest of his race,
With the honey-voiced woman who beckons and stands,
And gleams like
a dream in his face --
Like a
marvellous dream in his face?
28/07/2018: If
it weren’t serious it would be funny: ‘Get the L Out’: Lesbians Secede from
LBGT Movement: ‘A man who says he’s a lesbian is a rapist.’
I get their point: https://moonbattery.com/get-the-l-out-lesbians-secede-from-lbgt-movement/
28/07/2018: More
Mel Brooks, ‘Look, I really don’t want to wax philosophic, but I will say
that if you’re alive, you got to flap your arms and legs, you got to jump
around a lot, you got to make a lot of noise, because life is the very opposite
of death. And therefore, as I see it, if
you’re quiet, you’re not living. I mean you’re just slowly drifting into death.
So you’ve got to be noisy, or at least your thoughts should be noisy and
colorful and lively. My liveliness is based on an incredible fear of death. In
order to keep death at bay, I do a lot of “Yah! Yah! Yah!” And death says, “All
right. He’s too noisy and busy. I’ll wait for someone who’s sitting quietly,
half asleep. I’ll nail him. Why should I bother with this guy? I’ll have a lot
of trouble getting him out the door.” There’s a little door they gotta get you
through. “This will be a fight,” death says. “I ain’t got time.”’
27/07/2018: ThermaRest NeoAir Uberlite: Thermarest
has taken up the challenge of Big Agnes
270 gram AXL Air Pad and presented their new
offering a 250 gram Uberlite pad at the Outdoor retailer Summer show in
27/07/2018: Maybe I am losing my memory – I find it
hard to remember these mornings when I last got up without any aches and pains.
27/07/2018: More
Dual Citizenship: About those ‘Super Saturday’ by-elections: there remains
a whole bevy of defrauding members who were dual citizens on the day of their
nomination (on both sides of politics). Anne Aly and Emma Husar are cases in
point – as is Albanese. The Australian public deserves better: http://pickeringpost.com/story/the-missing-by-elections/8405
27/07/2018: Get a trough: When Gillard first mooted the NDIA I noted that after WW2 (when there was some reason to expect a high level of ‘disability’) the percentage of folks with one stood at way less than 2%. It has now exploded to over 10%, and in some scenarios to over 20% - or higher! It should be scrapped: https://www.jamesgmartin.center/2018/07/college-students-disability-claims-show-unintended-consequences-of-ada/
26/07/2018: Great Scot: Interesting things we saw
on our
Just
outside
Many
delightful burns. This one was in the lovely little town of
The (back) roads are exceedingly narrow. This one was nearby the Fortingall Standing Stones and Yew tree. They are single lane, then there is a stone wall. Believe it or not between the road and this wall there is a 3' deep drain only about 1' wide. You have to be paying very careful attention to your driving particularly if folks behind you are wanting to push you to go faster (all too common) - which is a pity as you miss some pretty scenery which there is almost nowhere to pull over to admire. Private property gateways mostly. An ever-present grouse in the field beyond the wall.
This
is the ancient yew tree reputed to be the 'oldest tree in
These
crows were at
As
was this charming cemetery - almost worth being dead.
Somewhere along Loch Tay there was this wonderful shop selling a bewildering variety of home-made horn and antler ornaments where we maxed out our credit cards with souvenir gifts for the kids, sock knives, fancy spoons and such.
These
amazing slugs were ubiquitous. This one was up one of those small white roads
which I highly recommend at Loch Bad a' Bhathaich above Alness. It was thriving
on a large dog dropping left behind perhaps by one of the Baskerville hounds -
at least the dog had killed and eaten a
This was the Glen Orchy valley above Dalmally, one of the prettiest spots we saw.
Canoeing
at Glencoe. I often do this sort of thing! There is an 'entertaining' three
metre drop just like this on the Thomson (Gippsland) above the
A
delightful stone bridge on a quiet back road near
Around Camster I was impressed by this roof
And the amazing brocks
And some of the ubiquitous red deer.
A
jackdaw amid the interesting C19th industrial ruins at Castletown - some good
campsites here. No-one in
Cliffs at Dunnet Head aswarm with sea birds, mainly kittiwakes (seagulls to us!).
There
are lots of campsites which are easy to miss. This tiny national Trust park and
walk called Heathsfield at Dunnet Head is a case in point, as is the delightful
It was a gift from a deceased couple who had made it their life's work to restore bothies (huts) for hill walkers. You have to do something with your life I suppose.
A
astonishing stone dog house at Mary Anne's Cottage, Dunnet.
Where the rhubarb grows amazingly well!
The
Red Priest's Stone on the Strathnaver Trail (near Tongue) has links to St
Columba. Only the sheep are interested in this bit of 'holy' reliquary
now - as a scratching post for their behinds. May all such nonsense pass away
just so. In times past folks were killed on account of this stone. Weird stuff!
One
of the crofts which was 'cleared'; on the Strathnaver trail at Grumbeg. Its
only use now is as a rubbish tip. There was an interesting old motor car
decaying into the pasture behind it too. Adjacent was the ruin of a brock 6,000
years old. Such a desolate and depressing place where 300 people had lived on
50 acres (for endless centuries) only to be evicted by their 'laird' c1820 (for
sheep - which are still there). No doubt they lamented for a time - until they
saw how much better NZ, Oz and
A very strange old car - a 'Centaur' perhaps. Someone will know.
Harvesting peat just out of Durness amid an absolutely awful desolation. God what a depressing place! Near there an old woman drowned harvesting peat in just such a gully (the compulsory informational sign opined). I imagined she drowned herself. I would.
As was the entire West Coast. Godawful scenery. What a splendidly slimy loch.
There were places there you could see the ruins of one wee keep through the ruins of yet another. Mad kilted savages murdered each other for centuries over this dismal scenery. How awful.
The River Spean made one piece of pleasant relief as we fled South towards Della's dad's hometown of Hawick on the borders.
But
the Cairngorms were simply appalling.
Here is my wee Scottish lassie enjoying a glass of wine in the Bourtree Hotel Hawick. Great food and very cheap!
A
cheerful robin greeted us in the gardens there.
And this delight.
And they certainly were lovely gardens (along the Teviot river). This was her dad's back yard where he must have played as a boy.
He
used to work in the woollen mills there (before the War). Most of those are
long ago closed, their businesses moved to
'Life will find a way' - on a Hawick chimney.
The Wellogate cemetery where Della's ancestors remain in hiding despite two days spent searching for them!
These dandelions were at the front gate of Della's dad's old house (near the Motte) in Hawick. They were utterly huge, perhaps 2" across. He loved dandelions - I can understand why now!
PS:
It is very easy to find suitable car camping spots in
There is no need to pay for accommodation, though you may need to pay for washing - yourself or your clothes. A Sea to Suummit camp shower can take care of the former, and a simple canoe drum the latter. You could also consider this interesting hiking washbag, the Scrubba.
Mostly you can camp alone (particularly on the back roads) but Scotland (like everywhere else) suffers from that peculiar 'disease' where as soon as you pull over (even to 'go' behind a tree - well, there are not as many trees as I would like actually), some idiot pulls over right behind you 'thinking' perhaps there is something interesting to photograph! Perhaps there is! The 'B' and most minor white 2WD roads are most worth exploring even though they will almost all be dead ends leading to hunting/fishing lodges perhaps or just forestry blocks. The forestry blocks merited much greater exploration instead of the touristy things. Another time perhaps.
See Also:
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/car-camping-scotland/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/convert-a-car-to-a-camper-for-50/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/happy-birthday-ultralight-hiker-2/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/genius-strainer-post/
26/07/2018: Bravo.
Trump has won his trade war with the EU, which
eclipses this article entirely: Europe refuses a free trade deal with the
26/07/2018: Not since (the late) Alene Composta has there been a spoof as good as
‘Genderqueer Muslim atheist’ Godfrey Elfwick: eg: ‘It’s 2018 and women should be free to do whatever feminists say
they can’ http://spiked-online.com/newsite/article/the-death-of-godfrey-elfwick/#.W1jub8J9jct
26/07/2018: Everything about
the ‘mindfulness’ fad seems designed to do little more than teach people with
too much time on their hands to think about themselves even more. https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/rendezview/forget-mindfulness-its-boring-and-narcissistic/news-story/9a2b77c5469a6ce1c16c963983807672#itm=newscomau%7Chome%7Cv2-homepage-topstories%7C5%7Cheadline%7Chomepage%7Chomepage&itmt=1532507675058
25/07/2018: Hands Free Hammock Media Viewer: The Hangtime Hook: This is a neat little gadget for watching a movie when you are lying back in the wilderness somewhere in your hammock. I can’t say I am so addicted to TV that I do this often, but I have done so a couple of times. It requires a ridgeline, which is a good idea anyway if you want your hammock to hang a little ‘flatter’. I also makes for a handy place to hang various bits and pieces.: https://ridgelinemediasystems.com/ I suspect it will soon be available from Tassie hammock manufacturer Tier Gear.
See Also:
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/adjustable-hammock-ridgeline/
25/07/2018: The
world would be a much poorer place without Mel Brooks (as it is without
George Burns and Bob Hope): https://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2018/07/portrait-of-an-artist-as-an-old-man-mel-brooks-in-his-90s/564683/
25/07/2018: This guy is seriously interesting. Here
is just a sample of today’s thoughts: ‘There are interesting results that make
sense if (and only if) you’re thinking in terms of mutational load:
intelligence is extremely polygenic, and if you have fewer bad mutations that
influence IQ (true on average for people with high IQ) – you have fewer total
bad mutations. Lower mutational load, which should result in better health and
increased lifespan – and apparently does’: https://westhunt.wordpress.com/2018/07/22/more-theory/
25/07/2018: I am
just too old (and happily married) for this. I think I will just stay home
on the farm: ‘Ten women to every man, a black market in Viagra, and a 'thriving
swingers scene': Welcome to The Villages, Florida, where the elderly residents
down Sex on the Square cocktail in 'honor' of woman, 68, arrested for public
sex with toyboy’ http://maggiesfarm.anotherdotcom.com/archives/31979-Disney-for-Adults.html
24/07/2018: What Tree Won't Sheep Eat? For years I have been planting trees in expensive guards to prevent the sheep from eating them. More recently I have started planting large cuttings in cheaper plastic guards which seems to work quite well. But I should really have been going round with my eyes open as there was a kind of tree I have planted a number of now which the sheep just simply won't eat. I had always assiduously planted them in the expensive guards, but I realised about three weeks ago that they probably didn't need a guard at all (as they had hardly troubled the guards, so I planted one out just to see. Next day there was a tiny bit of exploratory nibbling, then nothing. This tree is going to grow tall in the middle of a sheep paddock without any guard at all. This is wonderful!
After 25 years this tree is over 10 metres (30') tall, but there is foliage within 2' of the ground!
The tree is the Bunya Bunya Pine (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Araucaria_bidwillii) which once covered most of Eastern of Australia (before human burning almost made them extinct over the last few thousand years). They grow to be a large tree to 50 metres tall and produce huge cones up to a foot in diameter and 18 kilograms in weight - quite dangerous if they fall on you - full of tasty and nutritious nuts about the size of the first knuckle of your thumb. Underneath them is really great dry shelter for sheep. Their prickly nature (and abundant food source) also makes them a great wildlife habitat tree. Birds and possums nesting/roosting in them are pretty much safe from hawks and other predators. Our largest (nearly thirty years old now has been home to many creatures for many years. They can live for 500 years!
I
suspect their relative, the Monkey Puzzle Tree (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Araucaria_araucana) would
perform the same service. They too are very prickly (as well as interesting)
yield highly nutritious nuts & etc. Both are remnants of when
After three weeks, just a bit of nibbling to taste.
PS: I have also noticed that some of the solanums are not eaten by sheep (They are poisonous too), but they are also a dreadful weed and do not produce very good shelter except as a hedge.
See Also:
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/trees-and-tree-guards/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/progress-it-always-seems-more-than-it-really-is/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/fencegarden/
24/07/2018: Self Control: The Overlooked Key to Wealth
and Health: (And dare I say, happiness): https://www.intellectualtakeout.org/article/self-control-overlooked-key-wealth-and-health
24/07/2018: For those of you who thought it could not get any worse, try these three: TED Speaker: ‘Pedophilia is an Unchangeable Sexual Orientation, Just Like… Heterosexuality’ https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2018/07/ted-speaker-pedophilia-is-an-unchangeable-sexual-orientation-just-like-heterosexuality-video/ Revolutionary Transgenderism: https://quadrant.org.au/magazine/2018/06/revolutionary-transgenderism-march/ A Specialty in Lesbian Dance Theory http://catallaxyfiles.com/2018/07/22/a-specialty-in-lesbian-dance-theory/
24/07/2018: Steve Kates: ‘I do have to say that if you do not see the virtues in the miraculous election of Donald Trump as president, you are a political fool of the highest order. Your opinions are dead to me since as far as I am concerned, you are as big a political dimwit as I can possibly imagine’. http://catallaxyfiles.com/2018/07/22/the-purity-wing-of-the-political-right/
23/07/2018:
Delightful: The Secret Life of Sea Birds: eg: ‘An Arctic tern that
my friend John Walton ringed on the Farne Islands off Northumberland in 1980
was recaptured and photographed with him in 2010. In those years it had
migrated to Antarctic seas every winter, returning to Northumberland each
spring, covering almost a million miles. Unlike John, it looked as young as
ever.’ http://www.rationaloptimist.com/blog/seabirds/
23/07/2018: Andy
May: ‘99.9 percent of the Earth’s surface heat capacity is in the
oceans and less than 0.1 percent is in the atmosphere. Further, CO2 is only 0.04 percent of the atmosphere. It
beggars belief that a trace gas (CO2), in an atmosphere that itself contains only a
trace amount of the total thermal energy on the surface of the Earth, can
control the climate of the Earth. This is not the tail wagging the dog, this is
a flea on the tail of the dog wagging the dog. https://wattsupwiththat.com/2018/07/21/stephen-why-global-warming-is-not-a-problem/
23/07/2018: TS Eliot: ‘Humankind can not bear very much
reality.’ Unfortunately people construct their own, from the relatively
benign belief in the existence of God which still seems to afflict half of the
population, or the desirability of socialism (ditto), to even more disastrous
craziness. The worse thing is that even the tiniest of challenges to people’s
self-constructed world view is too much and is answered with at best anger and
ostracism, at worst violence and outright war.
22/07/2018:
22/07/2018: Saved
from Socialism:
22/07/2018:
Disgraceful Vic police are charging a speaker at a venue rather than the
protestors outside against it (her): https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/blogs/tim-blair/charge-the-protesters/news-story/f0011662d76ea38e63986f803323d41c So much for
‘free speech’. VicPol seem to have ‘lost the plot’ on a wide front: https://quadrant.org.au/opinion/qed/2018/07/victoria-state-disgrace/
21/07/2018:
Ultralight Multi-Tool: ‘Do you need a knife you barely notice it’s
in your pocket because it is so unbelievable light and thin? German steel and
Swiss precision work makes it to a great tool.’ https://www.swiss-advance.com/product/swiss-pocket-knife/
Crono N3:
Weight:
28 g
Measures: 9.5 x 1.5 x 0.4 cm
Features: Bottle opener, fish scaler, wire stripper, cm-scale, hexagon (4x),
wing nut opener, blade, screwdriver
Crono N5
Weight: 41 g
Measures: 9.5 x 1.6 x 0.6 cm
Features: Bottle opener, fish scaler, wire stripper, cm-scale, hexagon (4x),
wing nut opener, cheese knife blade, bradawl and sewing, square (2x), fork,
screwdriver
N3
Pictured:
These folk have some other amazing gear: https://www.swiss-advance.com/
The
two Crono models are available today (21 July 2018) on Massdrop from
US$29.99:
21/07/2018: The
Thermal Conductivity of Gases: It appears you can nearly double the
R-rating of hiking mats or other gear by filling them with eg CO2 which is
cheap and readily available instead of eg air or nitrogen. I can see how this
can easily be done eg with closed cell foams, but for an inflatable mat you
would either need to carry a (heavy) canister) or have some way of
re-compressing the CO2 into an acceptably small enough space. Still, an
interesting idea.
21/07/2018: Car Camping
We have finally done that and now returned, having driven around most of the country and avoided most of the cities. We have seen beautiful countryside, barren and forbidding highland landscapes and countless picturesque ruins of generations past: My camera has recorded amazing panoramas of it all! But the tourism thing, while interesting, had little impact on us. So much driving ( almost all of it generously undertaken by Steve)!
For me, what mattered above all else was the time spent in the small town that was home to my father and his people for at least as long as records have been kept. I have always told people that my father was Scottish, but until now, I have had no real sense of what that statement meant. Now, after spending some time in Hawick, I have gained a stronger sense of family and, more strangely, a sense of belonging to a place that I have not experienced as a first generation Australian. To stand on the same soil and see the same hills as my forebears saw every day - now that is really something: A life-changing shift in the perspective of who I am!
Della at Glen Orchy:
And so it is a different me who has returned to our relatively new home of
Australia: To the children ( and grandchild!) who have worked hard to care for
our farm and beloved dogs, sheep and birds in our absence, and for whom it has
ever been important for me to create a home in this wonderful new country to
which we all now belong!
I will share some pics over the next few days as time permits!
Some photos of Hawick, the town in the Scottish border country which has been home to my father and his people for innumerable generations: A solid town with beautiful vistas of the fertile sheep country that encircles it. It is now falling on hard times as many of the woollen mills that made it a prosperous centre for centuries have closed. So many of my forebears worked in these mills as knitting frame workers, who were artisans skilled in the production of knitted stockings, underwear and outerwear for much of Britain. More recently (and still) the town is renowned for its cashmere and lambswool luxury items and my father also worked in one of the major mills before heading off to serve during WW2.
Hawick and the hills beyond.
Some lovely parkland in the centre of town and an abundant water supply from 2 streams that have ensured the viability of the many woollen mills.
Butcher in the High Street who was also displaying his haggis as well as black and white pudding.
So many of my forebears buried here, but despite hours of walking up and down we were unable to locate any family headstones. I suspect my family ghosts were happier to have me wander in their presence for longer, and I confess that it was a very congenial occupation in the warm spring sunshine.
"Beneath those rugged elms, that yew-tree’s shade,
Where heaves the turf in many a mouldering heap,
Each in his narrow cell for ever laid,
The rude forefathers of the hamlet sleep."
From "Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard", by Thomas Gray.
This is the older part of Hawick, the west end, and the censuses reveal that all my recorded forebears lived here for generations within a stone's throw of each other. Of course, the houses have all been demolished and rebuilt since then, but the streets remain the same and this is the view of the town that would have been a part of their daily lives.
Wellogate.
I
had planned to post some of our
View
from our bedroom in the small town Glenrothes, near
Our second night camped by the Glen Orchy river, below Glencoe.
Car
window snap of a typical roadway near
Another
windscreen shot while driving: Nowhere to stop here either - just the norm in
Into
the Scottish highlands: The northeast coast. This was a delightful section of
the trip. The Camster cairns were amazing, 5000 year old dwellings, one large
complex of which has been reconstructed and into which it is necessary to crawl
to inspect the large inner chambers. We also climbed the Whaligoe Steps (all
365 of them) at Lybster to access the tiny fishing harbour which had a long
history of herring fishing. We camped overnight at Dunnet Head, which is the
most northerly point in
Steve emerging from the crawl-tunnel to access the inner chamber of the cairn
Whaligoe Steps
Camster main cairn
Inside one of the cairn's chambers
A sweet harbour at Dunnet (Brough)
Dunnet Head looking east
Dunnet Head looking west
Plenty of space at Autiphurst
Autiphurst - just a mile or so off the main drag.
"Right to Roam" at Autiphurst.
Near Bettyhill
Along the Strathnaver Trail: The ruins of centuries. (I don't mean Steve!)
Nearly at Tongue on the Strathnaver Trail. We were sorely tempted to camp the night here next to the old croft and would have, had the need for a shower and laundry facilities not forced us on to the Tongue Backpackers.'
Steve: We found the West Coast rather bleak and forbidding. No doubt it's OK of you like treeless hills covered with weeds (heather, gorse, fern) but having been farmers most of our lives we felt that they needed to spend some money on 'Brushoff, and plant a few trees.Of course it is hard for trees to grow when even the forestry blocks have to be deer fenced else they too would be barren wastelands.
We stopped to take a pic of a depressing small castle on a dismal lake - somewhere it was hard to imagine anyone would ever have wanted to fight over, and there was a brace of mangy stags sitting on a crag by the roadside watching us.
We camped for the night on Skye next the best stream we could find. Again this island was bare neglected and barren but utterly overrun by tourists. We had intended to visit Harris and Lewis, but the barrenness and the innumerable tourists put us off. At the point we turned around(with some difficulty) we could see the road ahead for many miles wending its way across bare hills and dotted all the way with a double string of vehicles.
We do like to get away from folks more than that. Besides, Steve had fallen and dislocated his hip, which remained very painful, so we decided to foreshorten our trip and flee home via Hawick, Della's father's birthplace. It is a bit ironic when he goes to all sorts of truly wild places and comes back whole, yet falls on a virtual lawn in a paddock near the ruined keep above and hurts himself badly...We had planned to be away too long anyway. We should stick to a maximum of ten days, I think. Three weeks is just too long. I worry about the sheep - and the dogs.
On the way, there was one place which was deserving of further exploration along the River Spean:
The Cairngorms though seemed to us to be just a repetition of the West Coast and Skye. Dreadful (Steve Ends)
Della again:
'I love old traditions and pride! Hawick, the little Scottish border town of my forebears, is currently holding its annual Common Riding, a festival dating back centuries that celebrates the annual tradition of riding out to check the security of the town borders as well as a famous historical victory when a group of youths overcame an English raiding party and seized their standard whilst the men of the town were all off at war. The celebratory events are spread over several weeks, reaching a peak this weekend. I just love this little video of yesterday's pomp and splendour, compiled by the local newspaper. What a wonderfully joyous town to be part of!
See Also:
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/convert-a-car-to-a-camper-for-50/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/genius-strainer-post/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/happy-birthday-ultralight-hiker-2/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/mattresses-i-have-known/
21/07/2018: Good
on you
21/07/2018: Is
Aging a Disease? If so I hope they find a cure soon: https://www.acsh.org/news/2018/07/11/aging-disease-13174 It is interesting to note the many things which not so
long ago were considered a disease, or conversely were considered ‘normal’ and
so not worth studying, eg Alzheimer’s and osteoporosis…’ Consider JK7
Rejuvenating Serum-Lotion currently the most expensive anti-aging serum in the
world at $1,800 per ounce.’
21/07/2018: The
Left’s ‘march through the institutions’ has captured Google and via it, the
World Wide Web: https://wattsupwiththat.com/2018/07/19/news-flash-worlds-library-sabotaged/ Only the ‘fake news’ will remain. & https://wattsupwiththat.com/2018/07/21/google-big-brother-knows-best/
20/07/2018: How Warm a Bag or Quilt Do I Need? I was asked this by a friend of mine who was planning his first overnight hunt (in winter) years ago in an area I often visit too. I have never needed a bag warmer than -1 to -3 C (and weighing just over half a kilo) even though I often sleep out in winter - indeed I prefer winter camping. The weather is usually drier and more stable, the night sky clear and brilliant with a billion stars, birdsong and the wild dingo's call carry so much farther on the frosty air - and you can have a cheery toasty fire with perfect safety. Once you are away from vehicle tracks there is no shortage of firewood, so you can build your fire as large as you wish. You can always put a few more clothes on if it gets a bit colder, or get up and put another log on the fire!
In my hand is my trusty old -1C Montbell Ultralight Spiral Stretch #3 down bag compressed down to 2 litres in one of these: http://www.theultralighthiker.com/a-tardis-folding-space/
He bought the biggest warmest sleeping bag available. probably something like -15 or 20C and weighing several kilos - and he froze. He was so unhappy about it, he threw the bag, the tent and the back pack in his breakfast fire and never went winter camping again! He is like that: pig-headed. Some people have an aversion to learning from their mistakes.
I had told him also what mat I normally used - back then it was a Big Agnes Insulated Air Core which they claimed (correctly) was good for around 15F, so I had always been warm enough with it. Back then they only cost about US$50! And what did my friend take? You guessed it. A blue foamy! He had spent literally hundreds of dollars on the warmest sleeping bag he could find, and went away with a $5 mat which had practically no insulative quality at all!
Winters
here in
The human body makes something like 150 watts of heat which is quickly dispersed unless it is covered by some kind of insulation. Insulation just slows this heat loss by a certain number of watts per square metre per unit of time. The higher the 'R' or 'Clo' rating the more that heat loss is slowed. Thinking only about the rating of your bag ignores where your body is losing heat. It is possible (even likely) that the ground is colder than the air and/or that conduction of heat may mean that you lose more heat to the ground to the air (radiation and convection). Further your body weight compresses the insulation in your bag and reduces its insulative ability so that it may approach zero where you are heaviest - and that is just where you will lose the most heat, and be coldest.
So, the most important thing to have is not the warmest bag, but the warmest mat! Obviously you are going to lose at least half your heat downwards, probably more. If you can substantially stop or slow this, you will not need such a warm bag or quilt. A brush or fern bed will help enormously at little cost or effort. Further, as you can wear some clothes to supplement the bag, clothes which you would need anyway, you can reduce the weight of the bag in this way.
I usually carry a down vest and coat, and of course wool longsleeve top and longjohns (in winter). I also own down trousers, though it would have to be very cold indeed for me to need them. However, as they only weigh around 200 grams they are a better (weight-wise) investment than the same (increased) weight of sleeping bag would be, particularly as clothes keep you warm too when you are not in bed. When it gets colder, I usually put on the down coat and slip my legs into the down vest. I also have a pair of down socks, which I heartily recommend. This strategy allows me to be comfortable down to probably -15C.
If I were to use a warmer mat than my normal Thermarest Neoair Xlite Womens, I would be comfy down to a much lower temperature, say -20C. That is one of the reasons why I am investigating the Thermarest X-Therm and some other cold weather pads - not to mention that I have a birthday coming up! With only half the heat loss, your bag will feel at least 5C warmer - and a warmer mat adds much less weight than a warmer bag or quilt. For example. a 5'6" Womens weighs 340 grams (R=3.9) . An X-therm (R= 5.7) cut down to the same length will weigh 394 grams. Only 54 grams for probably a 10-15C increase in warmth! That 5.7 r-rating equates to comfort at around -24C or -20F. Warm enough for you? Another way to think about it is that if you are not losing heat to the ground you can 'afford' to lose twice as much heat to the air - and it is harder to lose heat to the air. Air is itself a good insulator. That is, if you have been cold outdoors (like my friend was), there's a very good chance it was your mat's fault, not your bag's.
Of course it is also true that the insulation in the bottom of your bag doesn't do much good (being compressed) so that you might be better off with a bag which has no insulation there at all (eg the Zpacks bag - but more in the top) or even a quilt - same principle. Some bags also have more insulation at the leg end on the theory that you can put a warm coat on the top half of your body.
In either case down is still warmer weight for weight than any synthetic insulation available. it pays to keep your sleeping bag dry anyway (eg by not breathing or sweating in it) as it will both become heavier and lose some of its insulative ability - though the myth that down has no insulation effect when wet is simply not true.
I encountered a girl on the Dusky Track in 2009 (when I pack rafted the Seaforth River) traveling with someone with the remarkable name 'Caspar' who simply could not be broken of the habit of having her head inside her sleeping bag and breathing in it to warm it up. During one afternoon and evening I loaned her all my warm clothes and sleeping bag whilst her partner tried to dry her bag out before a very measly fire at the Lake Roe Hut where there is just about zero firewood. I even let her use my coat and vest overnight, but she was still not convinced that she was causing the problem by breathing inside her bag. She was having a very miserable trip of it and I much doubt she has gone hiking often again.
PS: If you find your eg -1C bag is not quite warm enough, you can add some down to it, as we did in preparation for my Everest trip in 2016 where it can really easily get down to -20C.
PS2: Of course it also pays to keep your nose warm: http://www.theultralighthiker.com/are-you-beautiful-in-the-buff/
Just a reflection: My sleeping bag, mat and (poncho) tent (including groundsheet) take up about 3 litres of space in my pack and weigh less than a kilo altogether. I am almost without a doubt warmer, drier and more comfortable in them than someone with one of those giant canvas swags you see piled up on the back of every SUV ute heading 'up the bush' on weekends. Here I was set up on the upper Wonnangatta which I pack rafted back in November. (Plenty of firewood and no-one else there!)
Those guys with their swags usually have a 'comfortable' 2" open cell mattress. How bad is that? What sort of R-rating do you suppose? Nowhere near the X-Lite Women's even. Then, if it rains, that cold water (a much better conductor than air - as much as twenty times better), is stripping their body's warmth away as quick as thought. A swag is just the most dreadful device and an awful encumbrance to boot. I made one once in my early years of hound hunting. After an awful cold night in a puddle on a mountaintop waiting for dogs, I went back to my K-Mart $20 dome tent. Much warmer, more spacious, drier and cheerier. But the set-up above (including the Cyclone Chair), is superior by far.
See Also:
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/womens-are-great-in-bed/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/cold-season-pads/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/i-followed-my-footsteps/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/adding-down-to-a-sleeping-bag/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/dusky-track-canoeing-the-seaforth/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/new-zpacks-sleeping-bag/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/montbell/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/the-pocket-poncho-tent/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/pack-rafting-the-remote-wonnangatta/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/cyclone-chair/
20/07/2018: A
wink’s as good as a nod to a blind horse.’ A NSW man has been gaoled for
having sex with a horse even though he claimed the horse consented by winking
at him. At least we have made some progress since Leviticus’ time when they
would both have been put to death – or have we? https://www.couriermail.com.au/news/national/man-who-had-sex-with-horse-said-it-gave-consent-by-winking-at-him/news-story/6afb81210f2311d6fafd003748948fd7 PS: I suspect that if the offender was instead allowed
to continue his practice of allowing horses to fellate him, his problem would
be self-correcting!
20/07/2018: How
would this work out? ‘The ABC should be financed by those who
actually watch or listen to it, like Netflix’ Yes, ‘Auntie’ is not just in
terminal decline; it is the walking dead. ‘The problem is not so much its
chronic leftism as its incompetence. Want one example? You get plenty of
obscenities in ABC 'comedies' but precious few laughs’ https://quadrant.org.au/magazine/2018/07/never-mind-bias-wheres-talent/
20/07/2018: Bravo,
Warren Meyer: ‘Why Western Efforts To Ban Plastic Drinking Straws Are Great for
Global Prosperity: Yes, most plastic waste in the ocean comes from monsoon
flooding of Asian rivers / cities that washes trash out into the ocean. Yes, plastic drinking straws are a trivial
percentage of the waste stream. So yes,
plastic drinking straw bans will have little effect on cleanliness of the
environment. But, this effort does
seem to be occupying environmentalists and satisfying millennial needs for
social media virtue signalling, all people who have many much worse ideas for
"improving" the world. In
other words, every day spent by these folks pushing for and preening over this
lame plastic straw effort is one less day they can spend pushing for things
that would be much more destructive.
It's like getting the termites around your yard to focus on eating the
dead log in the back rather than eating the rafters in your house’.
19/07/2018: Fox Airlite 100 Series Air Chamber Pad: This pad is on sale right now for US$0.00 (18 July 2018 - you will have to pay freight) which has to be pretty much an unbeatable price! Because of its integrated foot pump it may be an excellent candidate to add some down to (as I posted about here) if you want to make yourself a cheap cold season pad: https://www.foxoutfitters.com/airlite-100-series-air-chamber-pad/ As you can see it comes in a 24" width (and 3 1/2" thickness) and could easily be cut down to length.
Specs & Features
Thickness::
3.5"
R-Value:
1
Unrolled (Long)::
24" X 78" X3.5"
Rolled (Long)::
13" X 5" X 5"
Weight (Long)::
1.8lb
Unrolled (Regular):
20" X 72" X 3.5"
Rolled (Regular):
12" X 5" X 5"
Weight::
1.5lb
19/07/2018: ‘The French language has no equivalent of the
word “f--k”. How the hell they communicate without it is a mystery!’
19/07/2018: More
Thomas Sowell: ‘One of the consequences of such notions as ‘entitlements’
is that people who have contributed nothing to society feel that society owes
them something, apparently just for being nice enough to grace us with their
presence.’ and ‘No one will really
understand politics until they understand that politicians are not trying to
solve our problems. They are trying to solve their own problems – of which
getting elected and re-elected are number one and number two. Whatever is
number three is far behind.’
19/07/2018: So
Trevor Ruthernberg (Lib candidate for Longman) wrongly named the defence force
service medal he earned! How many such medals have been earned by anyone on
the other side of politics? They are almost to a man/woman too ‘good’ to fight
for their country. Susan Lamb, Labor’s candidate definitely has not, and indeed
has stolen many thousands of the Commonwealth’s money. Ex-servicemen and women
are far too thin on the ground on both sides of politics – something which was
once the opposite. Perhaps you should have to have given such service before
you are eligible to stand for election?
18/07/2018:
18/07/2018: Just
one day’s commie nonsense from the damned ABC – why do we all have to pay for
this crap? https://quadrant.org.au/opinion/media-2/2018/07/just-another-day-abc/
18/07/2018: How we
lost our country: This article shows just how the elites have let us down and
destroyed our nation.The vote for Brexit shows it is not too late to
reverse this appalling situation, but we best not sit on our hands too long: https://quadrant.org.au/opinion/qed/2018/07/australia-vanished-slept/
17/07/2018: Another
plus for coal. Making concrete: researchers have created a sustainable
alternative to traditional concrete using coal fly ash, a waste product of
coal-based electricity generation. https://wattsupwiththat.com/2018/07/12/useful-making-concrete-from-coal-ash/
17/07/2018: When
fewer than 25% of your population would fight for their country under any
circumstances and they are also so caught up in hedonism and selfishness
they have virtually no children, they are easy pickings for those who don’t
share their peculiar madness: http://www.atimes.com/article/natos-problem-is-that-europeans-wont-fight/
17/07/2018: DIY
firearms success in the
16/07/2018: White Moose: Just as the ‘polar bear’ is only a ‘sport’ of the grizzly bear, so every now and then nature throws up another white creature better adapted to an environment of snow and ice: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0JoHGwSdRak In a similar vein, over the years I have seen both a striped fox and a dingo. (With thanks to Marg Tustin for the video)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0JoHGwSdRak[/
I doubt I will see one in Fiordland though - mind you it would stand out!
See Also:
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/the-lure-of-the-moose/
16/07/2018: Medieval
Porn: The 93 penises on the Bayeux Tapestry: http://www.thehistoryblog.com/archives/52003
16/07/2018: I just
do not get that it is better for folks to die of cancer than to legalise
vaping. After all, the Royal College of Physicians (who wer the first to
report on the dangers of smoking way back when) say, ‘The public can be reassured that ecigarettes are much
safer than smoking’…’For vaping to be beneficial, it does not have to be
harmless. Surveys suggest 98% of vapers are smokers, so even if vaping carries
a moderate risk, so long as it is less than the risk of smoking, there will be
harm reduction…After five days, the levels of harmful toxicants measured in
their blood and urine was like that of smokers who went cold turkey over the
same time…It found no evidence of any safety concerns or serious health complications
in smokers after two years of continual ecigarette use’ http://www.rationaloptimist.com/blog/britains-vaping-revolution/
16/07/2018: Lomborg:
the costs of…carbon cuts are high and the benefits quite small. It pays to
look at the evidence. The best estimates show global warming has roughly a zero
net cost to humanity.The most pessimistic study finds a cost of 0.3 per cent of
gross domestic product, while the most optimistic suggests a net benefit of 2.3
per cent.https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/blogs/andrew-bolt/lomborg-abbot-right-to-denounce-paris-con/news-story/e56ec3019d3bc936bfd674ac99b73448
15/07/2018: The Mountain Gnomad: This young Kiwi chap Arash Tahan contacted me recently about his plan to spend a couple of years tramping and hunting the South Island of New Zealand. What an admirable idea. If I was 40-50 years younger (and unattached) I can imagine doing so too, but I have had my own adventures and continue to have the odd one still! Anyway, he has now started out. I thought you might like to check on his progress from time to time. Currently he is in one of my favourite places, Fiordland. May he see a live moose! And hopefully not shoot it.
Here is what he proposes to do:
'18
months of solo hunting on public land; for either red deer, chamois, or Tahr.
All the while embracing the spirit of adventure, the dirt-bag lifestyle, and
the utterly refreshing freedoms which accompany them - such as being broke,
growing unruly, lice-infested facial hair, eating road-kill whenever my efforts
in the bush aren’t rewarded, and wearing the same pair of underwear for months
on end…mum will be proud.
I’ll live on the road between hunting trips and work odd jobs for farmers and
other rural folk, in return for brief accommodation or petrol/food...'
There is going to be some spectacular photography:
Some great stories...This one begins well: 'Broken logs. Frosty, serrated tussocks. Soggy ground. I clawed and flinched my way along the edge of a swampy clearing; all the while fastened on my destination - a North facing spur, roughly two kilometers away. A likely spot for deer to bathe themselves in the warmth of the morning sun...'
Even some interesting poetry:
'I yearn for a change of scenery.
An opportunity to escape.
A reason to greet each morning
with a smile upon my face.
To hell with conventional living!
‘Tis never done me any good.
A heavy pack is all I need,
and a rifle, with walnut wood.
I will set off on a big adventure
The horizon - my guiding star
I
will explore the entire
traversing mountains, near or far.
Weathered and wily deer I’ll seek
Perhaps a chamois or two
I’ll drink from the deepest alpine tarns,
and pen experiences I shall never rue
And during the final hours of my journey
As the sun sinks through the sky
I will hope that my handful of learnings,
will serve me ‘til the day I die.'
Already really more or less at the very beginning of his adventures, there are some wondrous things. It is going to be a great year. Anyway a great read for we voyeurs at home who can only dream of trampming the mountains of Fiordland with just a pack and a rifle. Check out his web site and blog here: http://www.themountaingnomad.com/blog/the-game-plan
And good luck to you Arash, and happy hunting!
PS: This seems to be a bit of a NZ thing. See eg my earlier post: http://www.theultralighthiker.com/thrilling-tales-6-new-zealands-remotest-family/
Another couple have spent seven years living in trh NZ
wilderness. There is a book and a Youtube:
See Also, eg:
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/from-dawn-to-dusky/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/hunting-in-fiordland/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/south-coast-track-fiordland-nz-waitutu-to-westies/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/the-lure-of-the-moose/
15/07/2018: How much air (nitrogen actually) is there in a bag of chips: https://twistedsifter.com/2018/07/percent-of-air-per-bag-of-chips-infographic/
15/07/2018: At last a cure for motion sickness (Wish they had this when I and my kids were little!) https://visuall.net/2018/07/09/seetroen-the-first-glasses-to-elimitate-motion-sickness/
15/07/2018: Somehow I still believe all the money we spend was intended for these few people: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C2nvaI5fhMs
14/07/2018: Magic
Places: Traralgon Railway Reserve: Della: '
[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KH5_sdcO8BI[/embed]
So many magical places hiding just around the corner! PS: Isn't it great to have a grandson with the same love of the great outdoors?
See Also:
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/moe-yallourn-rail-trail/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/yarra-falls-shelter-house-2/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/stealth-camping/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/sale-common/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/a-birthday-treat-mirboo-north-rail-trail/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/invisible-worlds-the-weir/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/morwell-river-falls/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/gippslands-hidden-secrets/
and etc...
14/07/2018:
Was it a blue whale? Is so how come there are so many of them? Was its death
good for the planet? Are they good to eat? Maybe book a dinner in
14/07/2018:
The oldest Odyssey: http://www.thehistoryblog.com/archives/51974
14/07/2018:
Don’t throw those old blurry snaps away. Have a look at how the syncroton brings them to life: http://www.thehistoryblog.com/archives/51980
13/07/2018:
Pine Down Blanket: Ultralight on a budget. Over at Massdrop they have this
interesting 3 season
down quilt for just US$99.99 (July 2018).
It can be used as a blanket or a quilt due to some interesting innovative
features. If you pair it with their Massdrop
Klymit Ultralight V Sleeping Pad at only US$59.99 you have a
very cheap warm weather sleep system. Reader Muzza has this to say about his:
‘The Klymit Massdrop pad with a 4.4 R rating,light (is) way comfy. I’m playing
with it and the Massdrop Pine Down Quilt (US99 Jul 2018). Slept in 3C the other
night in
Specs
Shell material: 20d 1.1oz downproof nylon
Insulation: 850-fill Allied HyperDry down (RDS certified and bluesign approved)
Temperature rating: 40º F (4.4º C)
Loft: 2 in (5.1 cm)
Sewn-through baffles
Baffle width: 4.25 in (10.8 cm)
Cord channels along each side
Hidden stretchy cords and cord locks along short sides
3 pairs of snaps along the side
4 hang loops
Open dimensions, W x L: 54 x 86 in (137 x 218 cm)
Stuffed dimensions: 8 x 11 in (20 x 28 cm)
Blanket total weight: 19.2 oz (544 g)
Insulation weight: 10.5 oz (298 g)
Stuff sack weight: 0.4 oz (12 g)
https://www.massdrop.com/buy/massdrop-pine-down-blanket
If you are abit more 'cashed up' you might consider the Enlightened Equipment Quilt: http://www.theultralighthiker.com/a-quilt-for-all-seasons/
See Also:
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/ultralight-hiking-on-a-budget/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/budget-pack-mods/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/cosco-quilt/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/brawnys-tarptent/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/cheap-insulated-inflatable-pad/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/ultralight-ultracheap-backpack/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/60-diy-ultralight-hiker-ideas/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/emergency-cb-radios/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/klymit-ultralight-pillow/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/diy-dry-back-hiking-pack/
13/07/2018:
Palliative sedation vs euthanasia: http://www.post-gazette.com/aging-edge/aging-edge-reports/2018/07/05/Palliative-sedation-an-end-of-life-practice-that-is-legal-everywhere/stories/201807050128 Just can’t see what is wrong with
suicide if you want out.
13/07/2018:
Dying Organs Restored to Life in Novel Experiments. An unusual transplant
may revive tissues thought to be hopelessly damaged, including the heart and
brain: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/10/health/mitochondria-transplant-heart-attack.html
13/07/2018:
Since Hazelwood closed we have emptied
12/07/2018:
On Toxic Femininity. This woman is worth listening to: ‘Hotness fades,
wisdom grows— wise young women will invest accordingly. Femininity becomes
toxic when it cries foul, chastising men for responding to a provocative
display… Creating hunger in men by actively inviting the male gaze, then
demanding that men have no such hunger—that is toxic femininity. Subjugating
men, emasculating them when they display strength—physical, intellectual, or
other—that is toxic femininity. Insisting that men, simply by virtue of being
men, are toxic, and then acting surprised as relationships between men and
women become more strained—that is toxic femininity. It is a game, the benefits
of which go to a few while the costs are shared by all of us’ https://quillette.com/2018/07/09/on-toxic-femininity/
12/07/2018:
Trump is right about NATO. Only 5 out of 29 NATO countries met their 2%
defence spending obligation last year.
12/07/2018:
Refurbish Hazelwood now. End this ‘renewables’
guff: ‘The Australian Competition &
Consumer Commission ... report found that the market it would be expected to
operate in was broken and consumers faced an “unfair” and “misleading” system.
One of the key recommendations is for government to effectively underwrite the
construction of new dispatchable power sources — either baseload coal or gas — by guaranteeing long-term contracts
for large industrial and commercial users’. (Australian 11/07/2018): http://joannenova.com.au/2018/07/ten-years-late-the-accc-says-rooftop-solar-deals-must-stop/
11/07/2018: Pack
Raft Saves The Day: Della and I had a foreshortened trip on the
We saw nine deer in the four hours walking in, mostly just honking at us and running away. During the night when we were sitting on our Cyclone Chairs in front of a cheery fire a whole troupe of sambar came by and gave us an entertaining chorus for ten minutes or so from not more than twenty metres away. You could actually see their eyes shining in the fire light, Delightful. We were only half way through our hike, so we will be back.
I'm afraid it is impossible to get 'good' photos when two of you are squeezed into a raft that is only 4' 6" long inside. Bad angles, difficulty focusssing & etc. They now call this raft the 'Mule'.
I was told never to publish this photo of Della because she thought she looked and felt terrible. Well she did feel terrible, but she always looks good to me!
She heroically had to struggle along boulder-hopping during portages whilst I carried the boat and the packs.
It
is a lovely river as you can see in the background of the shots. If you really
want to have a good look at it, try these two posts: 
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/pack-rafting-the-remote-wonnangatta/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/remote-wonnangatta-day-two/
It is not yet time to trade her in though. We'll try again. I have this really lovely campsite about six hours walk (for me) from my car which I really want her to spend a few days at (thought it would be this trip) - followed by a relaxing raft drift down the river on the way out. It didn’t quite work out that way though…
PS: We have been back a number of times. Next summer (2018-9) I plan to spend several days with Della pack rafting down from the Humffray Confluence to Eaglevale. It is one of the loveliest trips I know of anywhere.
She looked a lot happier in this post from 2017:
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/pack-rafting-the-wonnangatta-mitchell/
In case you are thinking Della is a chapter of accidents, this was her only other disaster: http://www.theultralighthiker.com/10-days-in-fiordland/ dislocating her shoulder on the Dusky Track and having to be helicoptered out to Invercargill.
However, these two illustrate perhaps what I said in my 'About' post: 'I have camped out a lot, more than two years plus of my life in total. I have seen the failure of just about every type of gear, and experienced just about every disaster which can befall you in the wilderness, and survived.' See also: http://www.theultralighthiker.com/trapped-by-flood-waters/
Published on: Nov 19, 2011 Updated with pics etc July 2018.
11/07/2018:
Why Johnson Quit: (BTW
11/07/2018:
It stupefies me that a large percentage of children are now being taught Maths
and Science by ‘teachers’ with zero tertiary qualifications in those
disciplines, but it is a symptom of a continuing trend to continue ‘schooling’
ad nauseum whilst dumbing it down to complete irrelevance such that average IQs
have been falling in the West for a century – by as much as 15 points (thanks
also to immigration!) https://quadrant.org.au/opinion/qed/2018/07/dumb-dumber-growing/
11/07/2018:
Jonah Goldberg, ‘The startling truth is that nearly all of human progress
has taken place in the last three hundred years (and for many of the billions
of non-Westerners lifted out of crushing poverty thanks to capitalism, it’s
happened in the last thirty years)....Capitalism
is the most cooperative system ever created for the peaceful improvement of
peoples’ lives’ https://pjmedia.com/trending/how-socialism-can-ruin-your-life/
10/07/2018: Trapped by Flood Waters: 'I got away up the bush for a few days
recently. Lots of rain came in. The rivers were in flood, went up over 2
metres and home was on the wrong side. Also discovered that the seam sealer
tape on ultrasil dry bags deteriorates - my sleeping
bag and all my gear was saturated wading through chest high water. Spent a
rather uncomfortable night getting dry. (NB: Body warmth will dry everything
out eventually - as was pointed out here, it is just not true that wet down has
no insulative properties: http://www.theultralighthiker.com/andrew-skurka-on-down-versus-synthetic/)'.
Just look at the amount of debris the river brought down with it - acres and acres of fallen timber.
I wrote this back in 2010 when the rainfall forecast had me failed and I found myself for a few days on the wrong side of a very swollen river. Nowadays I usually have supplies stowed in a drum for such an eventuality. You could easily have to wait it out for a week or so until the flood subsides!
This was back when, though I owned a digital camera I still had not somehow got my head around the fact that photos are now virtually free. Growing up with film cameras where every snap cost say a dollar or more, you become quite stingy of taking 'trivial' photos, so I don't have actual photos of the flood, roaring water, etc. Next time...I went on:
'I saw lots of deer though no good stags and had a good time really. An interesting test of myself and various gear. Learned a lot. Many things I can improve. Finally swam out (using my inflatable mat and pack tied together as a raft/kick board – as I have done many times before) and am home safe'.
A nice sunny day followed anyway for drying out the camp. You would not think on that slight slope that your groundsheet would soak through, but during the night I guess 1-2 cm of water was flowing through the tent. The pressure of my bum was enough to increase the water pressure so that the waterproofness of the Tyvek was exceeded. A lesson there.
'I had a Tyvek tent floor and Sea to Summit Ultrasil drybags leak through (also a wet sleeping bag is not much fun!) and Tyvek is twice as waterproof as silnylon. I think this guy has the solution to increasing waterproofness. (Also his Supercat stove is excellent): http://jwbasecamp.com/Articles/Silnylon1/index.html'
I tried this waterproofing method out on the floor of a Mountain Laurel Designs Supermid we carried on our cross Tasmania hike in 2011 and it worked a real treat. The ground was very sodden in some places we had to camp in Tassie but all our stuff stayed nice and dry - as well it needed to since we were nearly 8 days on the trail without resupply or any other shelter.
About
the Sea to
I have even swum rivers with them, and used them in canoes and pack rafts where gear can get pretty wet (eg here and here) - but they have never failed me again. I am also most impressed by the company's after-sales service. I have experienced it also with a Black Diamond torch (from them) on which a part broke - and they sent me the new part by express post same day. No questions asked!
I spent a couple of days trying to find a (safe) way across the raging floodwaters. I walked upstream for about ten hours for example, but there was no safe place to cross. A couple of times I found a spot where a large log spanned the torrent but with the water lapping up to its underside. Downstream there was always some huge tangle of debris or ruinous rapids such that if you slipped in you would be swept to your death. You must cross where the river is widest and the current least - but best to wait it out!
You have to be very careful with river crossings if you don't want to end up dead earlier than you would like. The corollary of this is folks who fanny about overmuch trying not to get their feet wet. Hazards will occur in the back country. Be prepared for them, and be careful. Be especially able to light a fire in the wet.
However, this post and this illustrate perhaps what I said in my 'About' post: 'I have camped out a lot, more than two years plus of my life in total. I have seen the failure of just about every type of gear, and experienced just about every disaster which can befall you in the wilderness, and survived.'
See Also:
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/what-to-include-in-a-wilderness-cache/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/mld-supermid/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/south-west-track-tasmania/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/tasmanias-south-coast-track-hells-holiday/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/dusky-track-canoeing-the-seaforth/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/pack-rafting-the-remote-wonnangatta/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/river-crossings/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/river-crossings-2/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/why-you-should-get-your-feet-wet-when-hiking/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/how-to-light-a-fire-in-the-wet/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/pack-raft-saves-the-day/
Published Nov 30, 2010
This
was by no means the only time I have been 'trapped by flood waters'. I can
remember the farm I grew up on being isolated for many days during the 1955
floods in the
See Also:
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/brer-fox/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/how-to-have-fun-when-hiking-in-the-rain/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/mattresses-i-have-known/
10/07/2018:
10/07/2018: Terrorist group Al-Shabab has banned single
use plastic bags in
10/07/2018: No wind and SA has electricity at $1200
this morning (as compared with Hazelwood’s $30). This madness must end.
Refurbish old coal generators and build new ones now. Snowy 2 is just a waste
of money. Hazelwood could have been modernized for much less, probably still
could: http://joannenova.com.au/2018/07/hydro-storage-is-an-anti-generator-that-destroys-20-30-of-the-electricity-fed-into-it/
09/07/2018: Have you tried the new Pulse Pasta? Made only from beans and peas instead of grains – and so much better for you. Especially if you have a blood sugar problem. Also gluten free. We have and found it delicious. It has more of a nutty flavour than normal wheat pasta: https://sanremo.com.au/products/pulse-pasta-spaghetti/
Of
course you will need a sauce to go with it. We have successfully dehydrated
Another idea which we quite like are the Gravox dehydrated flavored gravies eg French Onion, Mushroom Sauce & etc. The addition of some salami to them will make quite an acceptable meal. They go fine with this pasta – or with some Continental Deb Mashed Potato. They also go well with Chinese sausage (which you should save the from so that you can have falafels for breakfast.
See Also: http://www.theultralighthiker.com/a-hiking-food-compendium/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/this-book-may-save-your-life/
09/07/2018: Good on you Terry Gilliam: I am a black lesbian: https://www.breitbart.com/london/2018/07/05/monty-pythons-terry-gilliam-im-a-black-lesbian/
09/07/2018: The Polls today: Turnbull must go: ‘Voters have swung to Labor in every mainland state since
the last election, putting Opposition Leader Bill Shorten and his party ahead
of the government by 53 to 47 per cent in two-party terms...The Coalition would
lose as many as 18 seats if the latest poll was reflected at a general
election...At 43 per cent, the over-55 age group — the Liberal party’s
traditional base and a large numerical voting bloc — is seven points down from
the election result and showing little sign of returning’.
09/07/2018: ‘This
paper broke the news a decade and a half ago that the idea of Aboriginal welcome-to-country ceremonies
was specifically devised by actors who felt
08/07/2018: Ultralight Pack Raft: Supai Adventure Gear say, ‘At just 14 ounces, our pack raft paddle is the lightest on the market…When combined, our pack raft (24 ounces) and paddle (14 ounces)…weighs an astonishingly light 38 ounces (2 lbs, 6 ounces).’
If you want ‘light’ these guys are the place to go! https://www.supaiadventuregear.com/ Their pack rafts range from US$299-349 and weigh 24-28 ounces (685-798 grams) making them just about the lightest on the market.
Naturally
you cannot ruggedise something this light, so they deem them suitable for
mainly flat water – but there are many such opportunities out there, and
particularly if you are carrying a boat just to get yourself across water
obstacles on your route, they might be a great choice (or for emergencies).
That being said, these folks who make them have even taken them down the
Probably their nearest competitor is the Klymit Lite Water Dinghy raft I wrote about here: http://www.theultralighthiker.com/klymit-packraft/ It weighs 35 ounces (998 grams)
See Also: http://www.theultralighthiker.com/how-many-of-these-needed-to-make-a-pack-raft/
or Try a search for 'pack raft' in the Search box at the top. Many pack rafting adventures, including: http://www.theultralighthiker.com/pack-rafting-the-remote-wonnangatta/
08/07/2018: Creeping or galloping socialism? Insanity
whichever way you cut it. If you build a trough, you will have swine. Can
we build a trough big enough for all the swine in the world? 10% was about
right. Let’s get ourselves back to that and have the majority of the population
standing on their own two feet and off the backs of the productive.
08/07/2018: Learn to be careful when hunting: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5920565/amp/Three-poachers-EATEN-lions-trying-hunt-rhinos-South-African-nature-reserve.html?__twitter_impression=true
08/07/2018: Who’d have thought solar is destroying the
planet: ‘the manufacture of PV panels requires the use of small—but still
significant—amounts of solvents that have Global Warming Potential numbers
around 20,000 times that of carbon dioxide. Nitrogen trifluoride was not
covered by the first commitment period under the Kyoto Protocol, but is 16,000
times more powerful a greenhouse gas (GHG) than carbon dioxide, and sulphur
hexafluoride is 23,900 times more powerful than carbon dioxide. This means
that—on a life-cycle basis in
07/07/2018: Wildlife Proof Fencing: There are many kinds of theft. For farmers (such as us) one of the worst thefts (after rules against clearing our own native vegetation on our ‘freehold’ property) is government (and others) stealing our livelihood by allowing their livestock to stray onto our land. That is what wildlife and vermin are, ie someone else’s stock. For example 1 kangaroo = .625 DSE (1 dry sheep equivalent = eg one Merino wether/dry ewe).
Every day I see a mob of over 50-70 grey kangaroos on the property next door across our valley in just one 10 acre paddock where once we used to run 30-40 breeding ewes when we leased it. (There are probably many many more of a night, plus innumerable wombats judging from all the giant holes on the hillside). There is no feed at all there now, and the roos are in poor condition, such that I would invite prosecution if my sheep were so neglected – and of course they are also heavily parasitised & etc.
Wombats, by the way, in this Parish and many others are 'unprotected'. A farmer may legally if s/he so desires shoot one any time at all, though I rarely do (only when they are suffering terribly from mange, fly-blown and moaning etc - as they often are because there are far too many of them). I prefer to fence them out, if I can. There they can be someone else's problem to neglect as they see fit. There is a veritable plague of wombats in the Strzeleckis. You should see the damage they do in the forest where there is no vegetation - or soil at all because of their ceaseless digging. They just have no predators any more except cars. They are just giant rabbits.
The only practical solution (though it is often not economic) is to fence the ‘wildlife’ out. Killing them will either earn you odium (or a penalty). Besides, more will just move in until they reach the point where they are starving to death again (apparently the chosen strategy of animal libbers and other ‘kindly’ souls). If you fence them out they can at least starve to death on someone else’s land ie on those who are responsible for their existence in the first place, so often the government. The ‘rub’ is that the government will not contribute their half to the construction or maintenance of the fence, as any other neighbouring property owner must!
We successfully built this type of fence on our last couple of properties and are working our way around to doing so on our home property right now. The results are quite astonishing – especially the build-up of small native herbivores, carnivores and birds (things which are much more ‘endangered’) which are either starved out by the large native herbivores or eaten by the foxes – the infinite increase of which all seems to be the chosen management aim of those who would have such things as eg ‘Land for Wildlife’ or ‘Trust for Nature’ and the like! http://www.theultralighthiker.com/vermin-proof-fence/
A picture is worth a million words: (after just one month).
I’m sure you can work out which side the native wildlife is on. Public land mismanaged thus is just neglect - and animal cruelty. It is not something which should generate a warm inner glow!
It is equally absurd that whilst a landowner can easily obtain a permit to ‘cull’ an insignificant number of the troublesome wildlife (say a max of 10% - including eg up to five eagles, Really!) you are not allowed to make use of the carcasses in Victoria – you may not eat them or feed them to your dog, even compost them. They must be buried deeply. Who would comply with such absurd rules? Yet kangaroos taste quite good. I was brought up on them actually.
07/07/2018: Why do people with any fat stores ever feel hungry? It is a very good question, and there are some very good (brief) answers: ‘Our attitude is that, if you have spare lard, feeling hunger is the happy sign that you are burning fat rather than a signal that nutrition is needed. To burn lard, embrace that feeling.’ http://maggiesfarm.anotherdotcom.com/archives/31895-Why-do-overweight-people-ever-feel-hunger.html
07/07/2018: The Ayers Rock closure is another scam: ‘on
average, for days tourists are able to make a fair choice between the climb and
other activities, an average of
44% choose to climb, with the highest figures well above 70%.’ https://quadrant.org.au/opinion/qed/2018/07/ayers-rock-statistical-legerdemain/
06/07/2018: The
Great Thomas Sowell at 88: ‘In their haste to be wiser and nobler than
others, the anointed have misconceived two basic issues. They seem to assume:
1) that they have more knowledge than the average member of the benighted, and
2) that this is the relevant comparison. The real comparison, however, is not
between the knowledge possessed by the average member of the educated elite
versus the average member of the general public, but rather the total direct
knowledge brought to bear through social processes (the competition of the
marketplace, social sorting, etc.), involving millions of people, versus the
secondhand knowledge of generalities possessed by a smaller elite group…The vision of the anointed is one in which
ills as poverty, irresponsible sex and crime derive primarily from ‘society,’
rather than from individual choices and behavior. To believe in personal
responsibility would be to destroy the whole special role of the anointed,
whose vision casts them in the role of rescuers of people treated unfairly by
‘society.'’
06/07/2018: The Latest Panic is about ecosystems
collapsing all over
06/07/2018: The world gone mad. Skirt banning: ‘One month after a private secondary school in England banned its male students from wearing shorts during the summer - instead requesting that they wear a more "gender neutral" ensemble that includes a skirt, dozens of private schools have taken up the banner of intersectional feminism and banned their female students from wearing skirts as part of their uniforms.’ https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2018-07-03/uk-secondary-schools-ban-skirts-accommodate-trans-students
05/07/2018: ‘You
do not own what you own, did not build what you built, did not earn what you
earn… The mania for equality masks a narrative in which one person’s
success can only have been purchased at someone else’s expense. You did not
build it. You cheated. You lied. You oppressed and exploited. Thus, the logic
of socialism has it that what is yours is mine. But especially what you worked
to earn must be redistributed to those less fortunate or less industrious.
Until, as Margaret Thatcher pointed out, you run out of other people’s money.’ http://stuartschneiderman.blogspot.com/2018/07/western-civilization-is-drowning-in.html
05/07/2018: Can
Tony Abbott save us (again)? http://joannenova.com.au/2018/07/its-on-abbott-dumps-paris-speaks-science-and-ramps-it-up-against-turnbull/ CO2 output continues upward (especially the developing
world) https://wattsupwiththat.com/2018/07/03/bp-data-analysis-global-co2-emissions-1965-2017/ World temperatures continue to fluctuate within a narrow
range between half and one degree Celsius https://:
wattsupwiththat.com/2018/07/03/global-temperature-report-june-2018/ Whatever the
human race does on this issue will not make the planet any warmer than it was
during the Medieval Warm Period (when eg Southern Greenland was inhabitable -
had trees and crops) and nothing like as warm as earlier warm periods (Roman,
etc) when civilization flourished. The prospect of an Ice Age to contrast,
where most of the inhabited areas of the earth become impossible for civilised
life is bleak indeed. Please try to imagine eg Europe and
05/07/2018: Read
what Tony said here: https://quadrant.org.au/opinion/doomed-planet/2018/07/neg-government-kidding-us/
05/07/2018: Sarah
Hanson-Young does not seem to understand that accusing all men of rape is a
serious matter. My own view is that not only David Leyonhjelm but several
million other men (including myself – I would have remembered) are innocent of
this charge, and that Sarah should receive the punishment normally meted out to
those who make such false accusation, ie serious gaol time! http://pickeringpost.com/story/richard-di-natale-facing-rape-allegations-from-female-colleague/8343
PS: SHY wants to
escape this by the claim she said ‘men’: 'Men'
means 'All men' else it is a meaningless sentence. That is all. I am a man,
ergo I am a rapist. I am insulted - though I am not going to descend into
crocodile tears like the dreadful SHY. However, she should be punished for
making such baseless allegations. Rapists make up a very tiny percentage of
either sex. It would be just as objectionable to say eg 'Women are victims'.
04/07/2018: How Many of These Needed to Make a Pack Raft? I recently bought one of these for $A20 (July 2018) from K-Mart to play with. I wanted to practice some seam heat-sealing with something available and cheap before I began modifying an expensive hiking pad: http://www.theultralighthiker.com/axl-air-down-pad/ . I had in mind that I would probably be able to make an inflatable pack frame with one of them (You can make at least two as it turns out – more if you buy some extra valves: https://www.diypackraft.com/shop/merchandise/valves/pressure-fit-inflationdeflation-valves/ ). The material is quite heavy, so I wondered whether it would be suitable for a DIY pack raft.
It looks very similar to this one from Aliexpres for US$14.28 (July 2018) or this one from Amazon for US$24.11. Walmart etc no doubt have them too - a double one might give more material at a lower per square foot cost - and with more options.
Some of you have no doubt noticed my post about this back in 2011 where I reinforced a cheap Intex brand raft with a blue poly tarp. (I have since seen these sold for <$A30). We canoed 2 Grade 2-3 rapids with one all day with no problems at all – only a very slight delamination of the cheap tarp was happening – but it is easily and cheaply replaced (and you can carry a spare).
If you attach it with tarp clips, this will be the work of a minute, and you can even use the tarp for an overnight shelter! http://www.theultralighthiker.com/home-made-pack-raft/ It held up to 4 years stored in a drum in the bush quite well, such that I was able to get it out for a trip in 2015: http://www.theultralighthiker.com/not-quite-alone-in-the-wilderness/ and put it back in the drum again against future need.
After perusing some pack raft making instructions eg here: https://www.diypackraft.com/construction/how-to/v2/ and here: http://blog.hillmap.com/search/label/Homemade%20Packraft and looking at some simplified pack rafts which are available to be purchased eg http://www.theultralighthiker.com/klymit-packraft/ and : https://www.supaiadventuregear.com/ I am definitely of the opinion that the DIY pack raft is a worthwhile project, and that there are simplified designs out there which will work quite well. (PS: I also rather liked this guy’s DIY pack raft catamaran: https://www.diypackraft.com/2018/06/13/tims-pontoon-kayak-version-2/ )
The K-Mart pad is comprised of two sections: an approx 5’ x 2’ pad and a 1’ x 2’ pillow. Both have valves, so you get approx 24 square feet of quite tough fabric for A$20 (July 2018), which compares favorably to the ‘genuine’ heat sealable materials at perhaps US$14 plus delivery per yard (ie 15 square feet).
I admit the ‘exercise’ is mostly about ‘Can you do it?’ rather than ‘What’s the best way to make a pack raft?’ but still, I think you should get a serviceable raft out of perhaps four of these pads which you can pick up today for A$80 total. Geniuses will no doubt make something out of three (or even two!)
You will also need a heat sealing iron (which you would anyway) such as those readily available for aircraft modeling and other hobby activities, eg: https://www.diypackraft.com/construction/tools/ These cost around $20.
Another DIY Pack Raft supplier: https://iron-raft.co.uk/
A couple of cheap pack rafts for these who can’t be bothered making their own:
https://www.klymit.com/litewater-dinghy.html
https://www.supaiadventuregear.com/ eg https://www.supaiadventuregear.com/products/canyon-flatwater-boat-manufacturing-seconds at 24 oz 685 grams
04/07/2018: Some
people do not deserve to live at all; others are (inter)national treasures: https://www.dailywire.com/news/32495/sick-dirtbags-steal-life-savings-americas-oldest-michael-j-knowles
03/07/2018: Several Winter's Fires: I have been busy building a new wood shed and stocking it with rather more than my favourite poet Edward Thomas' 'recommended' 'Fifty Faggots'. I can get the wood to this one no matter how wet the paddocks are, and simply throw it straight off the tray and into the shed. It has plenty of height for block splitting, and a dry place to stand when I am doing so. This is luxury. I am also lining the shed with corrugated iron so that when I throw the wood in it does not shake the cladding off. I have also equipped the walls with several built-in possum nests and don't doubt it won't be long before the possums find them and move in.
There will be 16 possum platforms in the walls of the shed when I have finished cladding it. I plan to build similar boxes for possums, parrots, kookaburras etc on every strainer post (and elsewhere) over time. It is a delight to share your home with these wild creatures too.
The frame up
Of course I am not quite finished yet. I have to suspend operations at this point to get the sheep and fences ready for lambing. I have at least a week's hard work on the latter project so that we can minimise losses to foxes. I am finding all this particularly heavy going this year as I seem to have torn the cartilage in my left knee - pretty much just standing in the paddock playing with a new drone which I hope will simplify getting the sheep into a fox-proof area every night during lambing. You can see how well that will work here: http://www.theultralighthiker.com/drone-hunting/
Ant ten tonnes of wood in - this was hard going yesterday with this agonising knee.
This is the belated beginning of the replacement of the old Buggy Shed (1924) hopefully with something which will last just as long (or longer). Later on in the year I will be building a workshop in its place complete with hoist for working on our many old cars - after nearly half a century of lying underneath them! Interestingly, I am lining the new wood shed with iron off the old one. Lysaghts Newcastle - where I worked briefly during the 1960s sure made good galvanised iron back then. if the new iron on our house roof lasts as well, it won't need replacing for a very long time!
There are six metres of bedding sand underneath that ten tonnes of firewood. (Other people think 'work' is having meetings. They should look up the scientific definition!) The wood should last us through to next summer. We have enough old trees dying, and enough new ones coming along to be largely self-sufficient in wood - besides, we own a wood lot at the Eastern edge of the property, a patch of bush I fenced last year much to the surprise of many local residents who had long believed it was a public space. When they started riding motorbikes in it though we had to act. We could not have the risk of such noisy idiots injuring or killing themselves when trespassing on our land.
Here
we usually light our first fire around Easter and our last around Melbourne Cup
Day (Guy Fawkes Day if you are elsewhere than
It is a lovely little warm sheltered valley here at Jeeralang Junction: we can have all the cold season type of fruit (such as cherries - if the birds will leave us any), but also we grow guavas, (sugar) bananas, mountain and American paw paws, sapote - many things which you would expect to have only much further North. I guess we have over a hundred different types of fruiting things growing in our garden, and are adding to them every year. We are legends with all the local parrots and currawongs - not to mention the possums!
See Also:
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/boastful-food-shots/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/you-must-learn-to-shoot-your-own-dog/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/you-will-not-live-forever/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/my-life-was-wide-and-wild-and-who-can-know-my-heart/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/rich-beyond-telling/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/deer-oclock/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/boastful-food-shots/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/why-do-i-love-my-garden/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/brer-fox/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/only-the-moon-and-me/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/a-tiny-life/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/fifty-faggots/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/in-troy-achilles-delivers-this-line/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/pristine-beaches/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/the-last-rebels/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/most-travelled-cat/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/birds-in-our-garden/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/swallows/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/thrilling-tales-daniel-boone/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/welcome-swallows/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/the-frogs-the-sequel/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/the-wildlife-seems-to-get-wilder-everyday/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/repurposing-camping-gear/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/you-never-know-when-your-numbers-up/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/venery/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/her-craft-or-sullen-art/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/not-such-a-dam-nuisance/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/sour-grapes/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/a-dam-nuisance/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/things-that-keep-you-from-hiking-hunting/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/lost-at-fromelles/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/bend-that-knee-to-no-man/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/progress-it-always-seems-more-than-it-really-is/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/hidden-worlds-nocturnal-ants/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/its-that-time-of-year-again/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/bright-sky-at-night/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/everyone-loves-a-good-fire/
03/07/2018: Extraordinary
measures in
03/07/2018: Our
We 'chose' such a serendipitous spot to live (because it was at the time very cheap) thirty years ago: in the winter we are just above the fog and just below the cloud. The winter sunlight wakes us every morning streaming in our living room windows brightly. Mid-morning we always witness the fog rising and wafting by us quickly up the valley.
Our back fence marks the beginning of a continuous band of forest which stretches all along the South Gippsland Coast to Foster/Wilsons Prom so that we are often visited by koalas, kangaroos, wallabies, deer etc - and of course by a myriad of different bird species, including very rare creatures such as this one (http://www.theultralighthiker.com/white-headed-pigeon/) and this (http://www.theultralighthiker.com/water-babies/) We often take a walk further up the valley where there are enchanting fern gullies and waterfalls. Just pottering around our (ever expanding) garden any day you will be able to see (at any given time) a couple of dozen different species of birds from any single vantage.
For more such views (and video) see http://www.theultralighthiker.com/drone-hunting/
PS:
We have the first and most genetically diverse flock of Finnsheep in
Finnsheep Quintuplets:
See Also:
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/you-will-not-live-forever/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/my-life-was-wide-and-wild-and-who-can-know-my-heart/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/rich-beyond-telling/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/deer-oclock/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/boastful-food-shots/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/why-do-i-love-my-garden/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/brer-fox/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/only-the-moon-and-me/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/a-tiny-life/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/fifty-faggots/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/in-troy-achilles-delivers-this-line/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/pristine-beaches/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/the-last-rebels/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/most-travelled-cat/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/birds-in-our-garden/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/swallows/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/thrilling-tales-daniel-boone/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/welcome-swallows/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/the-frogs-the-sequel/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/the-wildlife-seems-to-get-wilder-everyday/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/repurposing-camping-gear/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/you-never-know-when-your-numbers-up/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/venery/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/her-craft-or-sullen-art/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/not-such-a-dam-nuisance/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/sour-grapes/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/a-dam-nuisance/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/things-that-keep-you-from-hiking-hunting/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/lost-at-fromelles/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/bend-that-knee-to-no-man/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/progress-it-always-seems-more-than-it-really-is/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/hidden-worlds-nocturnal-ants/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/its-that-time-of-year-again/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/bright-sky-at-night/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/everyone-loves-a-good-fire/
03/07/2018: The Good News: Bishop cuts funding for
02/07/2018: Exped Synmat HL Winter M: My thanks to reader (Belle) for alerting me to the Exped Synmat HL Winter M (I had overlooked) which weighs 430 grams and has an R-rating of 5.0 at 183 cm long 52 wide (35 cm at the foot) and 9 thick. You do need a 60 gram bag to blow it up, but this also doubles as a pillow. This is an awesome pad. I only need a mat to be 5'6' long, so I could cut this down to approx 394 grams.This is serious competition for the Thermarest X-Therm that's for sure! (Same weight, slightly lower R-rating ie 5/5.7, but over 1" thicker)
It also comes in a wider configuration the SynMat HL Winter MW 65 cm at the chest and 42 at the foot and 545 grams. This would come down to approx 500 grams at 5'6".
http://www.exped.com/australia/en/product-category/mats/synmat-hl-winter-m
http://www.exped.com/australia/en/product-category/mats/synmat-hl-winter-mw
See Also:
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/axl-air-down-pad/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/cold-season-pads/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/a-quilt-for-all-seasons/
02/07/2018: Meanwhile the UK
02/07/2018: Fraser Anning seems OK really – a pity Pauline can’t get on with her own
members. For example, he pointed out that 56% of Moslems are unemployed: https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/blogs/andrew-bolt/abc-fails-to-reassure-me-about-muslim-welfarism/news-story/f1c1ed6061bb0fd5c5d4ef2f1d84d209 (So, why
would we need more of them?) And that we send aid to
02/07/2018: Soon, we may not be entitled to religious opinions…even though ‘There is no apparent reason as to why speech concerning religious matters should not simultaneously be characterized as political communication for the purposes of the freedom of political communication implied in the Australian Constitution’ https://quadrant.org.au/opinion/qed/2018/06/sharia-stealth/
01/07/2018: AXL Air Down Pad: I am thinking of modifying one of Big Agnes' AXL Air Pads (by cutting it down say to 5'4") and adding in approximately 4 ounces of Hyper Dry Down. This should give me a pad which weighs approx 360 grams is 4" thick yet has an R-rating of around 6.0 - so suitable for say -20C. The Hyper-Dry down should be water resistant enough it should not matter if I blow it up directly by mouth.so long as I hang it up to dry from time to time with the valve pinned open in some arm sunlight eg next to my study window.
The down can be purchased eg from eg Ripstop By The Roll for US$25 (800 fill) to $38 (850 fill) per three ounces (plus delivery). The AXL Air pad starts at US$139.95 (July 2018). Note it also comes in a 25" width configuration. In this dimension you could have a down filled pad that you can really luxuriate on at under 480 grams.
I do love my AXL Air pad - it is the most comfortable night's sleep i have ever had in the back country - but it is not quite warm enough for winter. I figure this mod will 'winterise' it.
PS: If I can wait for it I may be better using this new Climasmart insulation from Downlite (as they seem to have 'solved' the moisture retention problem: http://www.textileworld.com/textile-world/knitting-apparel/2018/06/downlite-introduces-new-climasmart-temperature-regulating-performance-fills/
PPS: As you can see (below) a reader (Belle) has alerted me to an Exped Synmat HL Winter M (http://www.exped.com/australia/en/product-category/mats/synmat-hl-winter-m which weighs 430 grams and has an R-rating of 5.0 at 183 cm long 52 wide (35 cm at the foot) and 9 thick. You do need a 60 gram bag to blow it up, but this also doubles as a pillow. This is an awesome pad.
She also has a point that some down would escape the AXL valve when you deflate it. I was wondering how to attach some mesh on the inside of the valve (possible, though a bit messy). Also technically I would only need 3 ounces of down to fill it (85 grams) and I could cut the pad down with a taper (such as the Synmat has) probably making the whole thing considerably lighter, possibly even less than 315 grams if you are short like me and can fit on a 5' mat. I still think this might be an interesting option especially for a dedicated gram counter who already owns the AXL Air pad.
The Synmat is available from Summit Gear for A$ 219 (July 2018):
See Also:
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/modifyingshortening-hiking-mats/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/massdrop-in-stock/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/a-cure-for-slippery-mats/
01/07/2018: What a wave: https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=130&v=bjKzJIu56oU
01/07/2018: 10
Things I Would Do If I Were Twenty-One (from 1922). Interesting. So many of
these points remain utterly germane today – particularly the point abut getting
married when you are young (and poor). I may have regrets about some things in
my life (very few), but getting married was my best decision ever: https://www.artofmanliness.com/articles/10-things-twenty-one/
01/07/2018: Finally,
a support group for people who (think they) have been abducted by aliens…as
I read the headlines every day, the same vague feeling comes over me: https://www.neatorama.com/2014/01/20/How-To-Tell-If-Youve-Been-Abducted-By-Aliens/#!Rk6bs
30/06/2018: No Cold Shoulder Spreader Hammock: I like the spreader bar on this new hammock from Rei. This would stop that annoying thing where the hammock fabric compresses the insulation of your sleeping bag at shoulder-to-elbow and creates a cold spot.
There are several other ways around this eg a wider mat, a pad extender, etc, but I feel that this is genius and could also be done very lightly as a mod (by sewing in two reinforcing patches and attachment points eg some webbing formed into tubes) to any hammock and that the spreader could be as simple as a bent stick which would go up above your head (towards the end of thr hammock so that it did not interfere with getting into the hammock.
Only I am resting a torn meniscus in my left knee today (and that it is raining) stops me from getting out a hammock and the sewing machine and getting to work on it. (You could probably even do it using a couple of tarp clips). I figure I could do this without adding any more than 20 or so grams to the hammock. This rivals that other wonderful spreader idea which allows two people to hang side by side from just one pair of trees under a single tarp. Anyway, watch this space - my knee cannot be stuffed forever (MRI Monday)!
The Rei Flash Air Hammock system
Detail of their spreader bar
Rei Flash Air Hammock System (including mosquito net, fly, etc) available here: https://www.rei.com/product/127400/rei-co-op-flash-air-hammock?cm_mmc=aff_AL-_-5889-_-7185-_-NA&avad=7185_e1262cadd US$199.95 (July 2018) Weight:2lb 12 oz complete
Some other hammock ideas:
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/klymit-hammock-pad/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/simple-hammock-double-up/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/hammock-pad-extender/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/adjustable-hammock-ridgeline/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/whoopie-slings-what-a-great-idea/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/continuous-loop-another-great-hammock-idea/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/hammock-camping-double-bunking/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/hammock-hunting-till-dark/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/a-hummingbird-in-the-hand/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/side-insulation/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/diy-netless-hammock/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/tier-gear-catenary-cut-hex-tarp/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/the-ultralight-deer-hunter/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/australian-outfitter/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/cheap-insulated-inflatable-pad/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/a-quilt-for-all-seasons/
30/06/2018: These ‘tax cuts’ are disgusting. First of all they are mostly
arguing over ‘cuts’ that will not happen for six years – if at all. Second, the
immediate cuts are completely unaffordable anyway given the parlous state of
the nation’s finances. Where is the leadership in this?
30/06/2018: Is
cheap sex making men give up on marriage? It is a good question and almost
certainly part of the answer. The other part is the inordinate cost (of
marriage) for men. Then there is the public rewarding of infidelity (as I
warned when Hayden in 1974 brought in the ‘Supporting Parent’s Allowance’ or
whatever it may now be called). We now have many hundreds of thousands of
‘fatherless’ children, (a logical impossibility) probably millions – but these
children are supported from the taxes of (unrelated) working women and men (who
also have their own children to raise) – which is just an obscenity - as are the immense social problems which
fatherlessness has created. Again, we also have the ‘epidemic’ of childlessness
and the so-called ‘aging of the population’ which is consequent upon it. It is
long since time that the (nuclear) family was brought back to centre stage as
the bastion of civilisation – or is it too late, and civilisation doomed? https://pjmedia.com/drhelen/2017/09/03/cheap-sex-making-men-give-marriage/
30/06/2018: Is the
Left Insane? It often seems that way. The way they can oppose both sides of
the same issue for example, eg being in favour of ‘renewables’ yet opposed to
wind farms and Basslink: https://www.nationalreview.com/2018/06/family-separation-outrage-liberalism-at-worst/ The little girl in the photo was actually stolen by her
mother from her father then illegally smuggled into the US. Anything to make
Donald look bad eg for trying to spare the children the detention hardship
their parents had earned.
29/06/2018: The
DIY Gunsmith: In the US this is a popular (and legal) pursuit though quite
properly it is an offence to misuse any firearm. In
I knew of a chap who custom made 12 gauge shotgun-based shark killing guns for example. He supplied a ready market. I have known quite a number of other people over the years who have manufactured their own guns. Some even went on to patent them and attempt to sell them on to the armed forces!
The
famous gun buybacks and gun registration laws only account for about 20% of the
total number of firearms definitely known to exist in
Hitler’s
There are so many desirable designs: I particularly like this guy’s DIY air machine gun: http://thehomegunsmith.com/ This site introduces you to the DIY AR-15: https://survivalblog.com/building-your-own-no-ffl-ar-from-an-80-complete-receiver-by-jag/
There are lots of sites eg https://www.pewpewtactical.com/diy-gunsmithing/ & https://www.gungods.net/5-beginner-diy-gunsmithing-projects/ & http://www.shootingtimes.com/gunsmithing/10-must-have-tools-for-the-diy-gunsmith/ . A simple Google search for ‘DIY gun’ or 'firearm' will be most instructive.
It
may now be illegal even to publish (or own) such instructions in
Picture yourself (with Churchill) and one of these:
Happy Hunting!
PS: A helpful and thoughtful comment from Scott: 'Checkout Clinton Westwood on Youtube https://youtu.be/WfvJtjbY9TM He has several interesting builds including rifling your own barrels. Our ridiculous laws only stop the law-abiding from making them, such a shame as it would be such an interesting project'.
See Also:
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/great-way-to-advertise-a-shanghai/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/how-to-make-a-sling/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/pocket-slingshot/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/diy-stun-gun/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/miniature-weapons-the-toothpick-crossbow/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/1-in-a-billion-police-shooting-cops-bullet-jams-suspects-gun/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/tactical-pens/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/how-to-treat-a-gunshot-wound-part-2/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/hatchet/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/the-ultimate-survival-gun/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/greatest-sling-shot-man-ever/
29/06/2018: Let’s
see if we can get Qantas etc to do this here: https://www.theblaze.com/news/2018/06/22/airline-offers-to-send-illegal-immigrant-children-in-us-separated-from-families-back-home-for-free
29/06/2018: The NEG is just nuts. Turnbull should be hanged for treason: http://joannenova.com.au/2018/06/neg/ & https://wattsupwiththat.com/2018/06/26/neg-the-white-elephant-in-the-room/
29/06/2018: Ocean
plastic comes from ‘recycling’: https://wattsupwiththat.com/2018/06/28/shocker-recycling-plastic-is-making-ocean-litter-worse/
28/06/2018: If Trump can ban people traveling to the
28/06/2018: The thought police come to the prairie: ‘Fans of Laura Ingalls Wilder are encouraged to buy up her books before they become unavailable. Within a generation, she will have been erased’: https://moonbattery.com/little-house-on-the-prairie-now-shunned-as-racist/
28/06/2018: Further evidence of fraud against Julia: http://www.michaelsmithnews.com/2018/06/contempt-of-the-wa-supreme-court-legal-work-done-by-a-person-not-a-certified-wa-legal-practitioner.html No wonder WA police dropped the charges against Blewitt
(for insufficient evidence! – even that provided by the Royal Commission!) even
though he pleaded guilty! When will this dreadful criminal be brought to
justice?
27/06/2018: You thought it could never happen: ‘Crowds in
27/06/2018: The Link Between Poverty and Energy Use: ‘In the
27/06/2018: Unrepresentative Democracy: Just two years ago Australians elected
76 Senators to represent them. Since then 16 have gone, most because they had
failed our citizenship test. Another seven have switched parties –and this is
leaving aside the fact that you need nearly ten voters to elect one senator in
NSW compared with only one voter in
26/06/2018: Where
to buy disposable plastic shopping bags A$6.25/250 or A$45/2000: https://www.kentpaper.com.au/bags/plastic-carry/
26/06/2018: Massdrop In Stock: Massdrop now have some of their great specials in stock - so you don't have to wait for a drop. For example, they have the Enlightened Equipment Quilt I recently posted about for US $219.99 (Jun 2018).
Their excellent Fizan compact hiking poles I wrote about here are just US$59.99 a pair.
The Massdrop Klymit pilllow I wrote about here is only US$14.99.
They also have the Massdrop Pine Down Blanket (which would make a real good summer quilt for US$99 (Jun 2018).
The Massdrop Klymit Ultralight V Sleeping Pad is only US$59.99 (add $5 for a longer one). This is not quite the same pad I wrote about here (it is not the 23" wide one, (which is US94.95 ) and has an extra valve which increases its weight by around 14 grams, but it is very like it. It still has that amazing for the price R- rating of 4.4. That is a super cheap cold season pad.
You could afford to play around with it and shorten it to just the length you need. Here is a 20 second video from John Abela from https://hikelighter.com/ showing just how easy that is to do:
[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wW5MtF02POI[/embed]
If you need that in more detail and step by step, Danny Milks has them here: https://www.massdrop.com/talk/2026/how-to-shorten-your-massdrop-x-klymit-sleeping-pad
Danny manages to cut down the Klymit version of the pad down to 398 grams at 5' 8" for example.
Check all the in stock items out here: https://www.massdrop.com/all-communities/drops/stock
26/06/2018: Tommy Robinson’s Letter
from Prison: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-3VPWzSXQQg
26/06/2018: Education Abandoned: some
snippets: ‘When you treat knowledge, the very substance of education, with
suspicion, what is left? What should be taught in schools, if not knowledge?’ Popularly
known as ‘Gonski 2.0’…it provided little evidence to support its proposals,
despite evidence being a key requirement in the terms of reference…The
historical figure with the greatest single influence on today’s education
academics and bureaucrats is probably Jean-Jacques Rousseau… Rousseau is a complex figure. He gave up his own children to a home
for foundlings and this makes his musings on education seem incongruous…
there is no evidence that critical thinking and problem-solving
can be taught in this way. As Daniel Willingham, a professor of psychology at
the University of Virginia, explains, you need to master a subject before being
able to think critically about it… these skills are
domain specific and cannot be taught as stand-alone abilities, divorced from
subject knowledge…Another difficulty with the progressive approach is that it
is at odds with cognitive scientists’ understanding of how memory works…
Knowledge can fade if we fail to make use of it, or it may still
be there in the long-term memory but hard to retrieve. This suggests the value
of regularly recalling knowledge that we want to be available for us to use,
something that has been confirmed by research… This understanding of the mind suggests that novices need to learn new
concepts in small, discrete steps. They need to be guided to pay attention to just a few features at a time… Once learning progresses, ideas can
start to be integrated into more complex wholes… effective teachers presented concepts
and procedures in small chunks, fully explaining them, and they asked lots of
questions of students… There
is no shortcut to doing this without the right knowledge…The tragedy of Gonski
2.0 is that…
25/06/2018: The Other Kingdom: This autumn we were
in
Some of these guys are edible but the ones below are definitely not!
I particularly like these ones cause they explode in a cloud of yellow powder when they are ripe.
Fungi are not a good survival or forage food actually. You need too much expertise to identify them. Fruit and roots are a better choice - as indeed are beetle larvae! The one below - one of the many kinds of bracket fungi though are excellent (when dried) as tinder. Even straight off the log like this many will smoulder for many minutes.
Below, Della's collage. The dogs get into the act:
You can
see what Spot thinks of Amanita (Fly Agaric), the 'Santa Claus' mushroom so
called they say because it can give you the hallucination of flying - and
death!
Of course I could not resist snapping this lovely little fallow hind out for her evening browse - until the dogs startled her!
See Also:
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/my-life-was-wide-and-wild-and-who-can-know-my-heart/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/you-will-not-live-forever/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/deer-oclock/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/boastful-food-shots/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/why-do-i-love-my-garden/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/brer-fox/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/only-the-moon-and-me/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/a-tiny-life/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/fifty-faggots/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/in-troy-achilles-delivers-this-line/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/pristine-beaches/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/the-last-rebels/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/most-travelled-cat/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/birds-in-our-garden/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/swallows/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/thrilling-tales-daniel-boone/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/welcome-swallows/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/the-frogs-the-sequel/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/the-wildlife-seems-to-get-wilder-everyday/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/repurposing-camping-gear/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/you-never-know-when-your-numbers-up/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/venery/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/her-craft-or-sullen-art/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/not-such-a-dam-nuisance/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/sour-grapes/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/a-dam-nuisance/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/things-that-keep-you-from-hiking-hunting/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/lost-at-fromelles/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/bend-that-knee-to-no-man/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/progress-it-always-seems-more-than-it-really-is/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/hidden-worlds-nocturnal-ants/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/its-that-time-of-year-again/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/bright-sky-at-night/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/everyone-loves-a-good-fire/
25/06/2018: People rightly complain about the high cost
of housing in
I could fix all this in five minutes: Well, get rid of the rules and regs for one thing. Go back to Keatings minimum requirement for a dwelling ( 15 Metres squared with a roof, washing and cooking facilities - no need for walls. (It really was/is that simple). Remove all planning rules which prevent people from building their own according to those minimums. Scrap a lot of other planning regs about tiles, bricks, curb and gutter, water, sewerage & etc. Scrap Bracks' union dominated rules which restricted owner builders particularly the rule about only plumbers can screw a roof on. I have just come inside from screwing a new roof on a shed I am building. It won't come off or leak - if it did it would be my responsibility! Decrease demand (reduce immigration). Increase supply: release a lot of new land, allow more subdivisions in urban areas....Increase interest rates enormously _ so savers can make a living out of them and borrowers only borrow what they actually need and can pay off...
25/06/2018: When
will there be an inquiry into pedophilia in the aboriginal (and other ethnic)
communities? For example, ‘in Roebourne…By June this year, 36 men were
charged with 300 child sex offences. More shocking, there were 184 victims,
more than the number of children who turn up most days at Roebourne school’: https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/blogs/andrew-bolt/the-real-rape-crisis-the-left-wont-touch/news-story/05bbb7415692bf1091aa2e04b3515878
25/06/2018: Love
Equality: Vikki Campion (Barnaby’s gal) ‘said. “You can’t help who you fall
in love with”. Of course you can. The step before falling in love is a
conscious choice and let’s not pretend that women who make that choice with a
married man don’t know exactly what they’re doing...’ Andrew Bolt) There is
just too much of this bullshit. People
need to understand what it means to give (and receive) a commitment. What
making a promise or vow actually means. These are not undertakings to be
entered into or abandoned lightly. Those who do should pay some penalty. In
Barnaby’s case, it should be the end of his career – likewise for Ms Campion!
24/06/2018: Rich Beyond Telling: Most evenings if we go for a walk at the back of Yinnar a huge flock of yellow-tailed black cockatoos comes in to roost after spending the day dispersed sowing destruction on innumerable hapless plants all about (as is their wont). I guess there has to be at least a thousand of them. Their raucous calls ( a language in its own right I daresay) is well-nigh deafening when you are close by and they are all around you - as they were last night.
I tried to get some shots of them silhouetted against the sky - as Della would like to use them as patterns for some crafty textile thing she has in mind. I also tried to get this one adjacent to the waning moon, but was not wholly successful.
In some sad pet shop elsewhere I doubt not a pair would be worth $10,000 - or more. This noisy crowd which surrounded me or drank from a roadside puddle at my feet must therefore be worth several million dollars - yet for a time each evening, they are all mine. How rich am I?
The new camera takes a passing decent hand-held snap of the moon, don't you think? If only I could have captured it and the cockie together with this sort of clarity.
You have to take a lot of snaps before you get a really great one, don't you?
Like this one:
See Also:
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/deer-oclock/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/boastful-food-shots/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/why-do-i-love-my-garden/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/brer-fox/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/only-the-moon-and-me/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/a-tiny-life/
etc.
24/06/2018: Where the ‘No Ending a Sentence With a Preposition’ Rule Comes From: ‘in Latin, the preposition, as indicated by the first three letters of the word “preposition,” always comes before the noun.’ https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/why-cant-you-end-a-sentence-with-a-preposition?utm_source=Atlas+Obscura+Daily+Newsletter&utm_campaign=88e47efa52-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2018_06_15&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_f36db9c480-88e47efa52-63446725&ct=t(EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_6_15_2018)&mc_cid=88e47efa52&mc_eid=7c004464f6
24/06/2018: Antioxidant found
to wind back the clock on blood vessel function by up to 20 years: https://newatlas.com/antioxidant-blood-vessel/54338/
24/06/2018: ‘From time to time I have marveled at how the Left has changed over the years – basically, from steel-driving commies to gender-bender commies. Which leads me to wonder what would happen if, via some mechanism built of ivory and twisted crystal rods, they were ever to meet. The imagination reels’ https://westhunt.wordpress.com/page/2/ & ‘Childe is also an interesting example: a man of the Left, in fact a deep-fried Marxist, yet he was able to actually think in a useful way. Back then, leftists dreamt of making steel and shooting kulaks, rather than lavishing praise on incompetents, deviants, and ragheads’ https://westhunt.wordpress.com/2018/05/01/who-we-are-9-europe/
23/06/2018: How
long after the plastic bag ban will there be a push to reintroduce them because
of the unacceptable rate of death from reusable bags? ‘When
23/06/2018: The ‘Swamp’ Washington is: The 2016 presidential voting in the District of Columbia was 92% Clinton
23/06/2018: Interestingly,
of the four murder trials underway now in the Victorian Supreme Court, three of the defendants or co-defendants are women – but women
are always the victims!
22/06/2018: DIY Stun Gun: Personal Defense: How to make a stun gun with a disposable camera. This is the guide to make a device which runs on a battery and produces sparks at tens of thousands of volts very rapidly. No doubt illegal in Victoria and many other ‘nanny state’ places, but very useful anyway.
http://preppingfortheworst.blogspot.com/2012/10/personal-defense-how-to-make-stun-gun.html
SeeAlso:
http://survival-mastery.com/skills/defence/homemade-self-defense-weapons.html
https://www.skilledsurvival.com/homemade-survival-weapons/
http://www.returnofkings.com/97318/14-self-defense-tools-to-use-where-weapons-are-banned
https://www.lifehacker.com.au/2015/07/basic-self-defence-moves-everyone-should-know/
22/06/2018: Ban Food: We all
know that overeating causes more deaths than drugs do. If it’s in principle OK
for the government to say you must not consume drugs because they’ll do you
harm, why isn’t it all right to say you must not eat too much because you’ll do
harm? Why isn’t it all right to say you must not try to go in for skydiving
because you’re likely to die? Why isn’t it all right to say, “Oh, skiing,
that’s no good, that’s a very dangerous sport, you’ll hurt yourself”? Where do
you draw the line?
22/06/2018: Just
have a look at the two tables and see whether you can figure out what is wrong
with our ‘education’ system (
22/06/2018: Jordan
Peterson is arguably the West’s best chance of saving itself from the enemies
of civilization: https://quadrant.org.au/magazine/2018/06/great-bohemian-cultural-revolution-enemies/ Just a reminder: The Rules:
- Stand up straight with your shoulders back
- Treat yourself like someone you are responsible for helping
- Make friends with people who want the best for you
- Compare yourself to who you were yesterday, not to who someone else is today
- Do not let your children do anything that makes you dislike them
- Set your house in perfect order before you criticize the world
- Pursue what is meaningful (not what is expedient)
- Tell the truth – or, at least, don't lie
- Assume that the person you are listening to might know something you don't
- Be precise in your speech
- Do not bother children when they are skateboarding
- Pet a cat when you encounter one on the street
22/06/2018: Deer O'Clock: Three years ago we started to see the odd deer print on our evening walks.
Then one day a fallow stag kindly donated me this nice antler.
Back in February when I was telling you about losing Tiny and the progress we were making with her 'replacement' Honey, I posted this snap to illustrate how cheeky the wallabies were becoming.
By March I was seeing stags.
Last week I was saw this little stag as I alighted from my car and was able to use him to illustrate a few points about stalking.
By today the deer were emulating the wallabies and were waiting for us to return to our car.
Isn't it wonderful to live somewhere like Jeeralang where you can see so much wildlife just five minutes from home on your afternoon walks with the dogs?
Or they can be waiting for us on our front gate when we return home:
Like this Frogmouth
or, Hello Possums:
At home we keep planting lots of trees to attract them, and will be building more nest boxes for birds, possums and bats on our fence strainer posts, and elsewhere.
21/06/2018: More Power to You: These ‘new’ lithium powered jump starters are amazing. I had been thinking of installing a dual battery system in the (’95) Discovery but it is difficult though not impossible to fit one in, as well as vey fiddly. Anyway I realized that the main reason I would need one would be if the battery went flat when I left it parked up the bush which I often do for a week or more in very cold weather. Of course I always try to leave it on a bit of a slope so that I can roll start it if the need arises (and it has) – but sometimes ther just isn’t any convenient appreciable slope to use. I have’t been stuck yet, but eventually I would be.
There have ben jump starters for some time usually utilizing a fairly bulky sealed lead acid battery, but the range now includes picket sized models which will noinetheless start larghe diesel engines. The one I bought is an 18 mAh one which also includes a very bright torch (which would clearly run for weeks!) and a couple of USB outlets for charging other things. It is probably a bit of overkill as a supplementary battery for charging your electronics whilst hiking, but the smaller 10,000 mAh ones would do such dual service admirably even on a long trip. These things will jump start your car up to a dozen times – which is pretyy amazing for something you can fit in your back pocket!
Antigravity Batteries were apparently one of the first cabs of the rank with this type of product, and reputedly are still one of the best eg http://themicrostart.com/xp-10/ Their 18,000 mAh jump starter weighs 510 grams. This is not such a bad weight that it could not see double use as a hiking (oe everyday) power supply. Of course most people will not need that many amp hours. Small 2.5 .litre diesels will only need 10-12,000 mAh which would be a considerable weight saving –probably over 100 grams, and of course smaller petrol engines might get by with much less.
I bought an 18,000 mAh unit from Total Tools for around A$240. This one has an amazing 1200 cranking amps! They had a smaller unit available of less than A$200 but were out of stock on the day. Anyway this will be more than adequate to start either of my two Landrovers should I leave them up the bush for a couple of weeks in the middle of winter whilst I am off hunting – and supposing their batteries go flat.
Very compact.
Everything you need in this neat little bag.
You can just charge them at home or with the cigarette lighter socket when driving. They remain charged for eg a year, so they are just great to have in the car glove box in case something goes wrong. They come with all the leads, etc in a neat little box.
21/06/2018: Western Civilisation –
what a good idea it has been! Yet the ANU has rejected the Ramsay Centre donation
to teach about it. Now the row has emerged at our old Alma Mater Sydney Uni.
You would think that all the world owes to the West (more than to any other
thing - and the contribution of the English speaking peoples to that is
paramount) would be a 'given' in every university in the world. Yet the awful
rabble that is the Left has so taken over our centres of ‘higher' (and lower)
education that the idea of studying Western Civilisation is an anathema to
them. These are sorry times indeed. Can I recommend a (re) reading of Bertrand
Russell’s wonderful ‘History of Western Philosophy’, or Winston Churchill’s
‘History of the English Speaking Peoples’? You can read the first online for
free here: http://www.ntslibrary.com/PDF%20Books/History%20of%20Western%20Philosophy.pdf and the latter here: https://archive.org/details/A-History-Of-The-English-Speaking-Peoples-4-volumes
21/06/2018: We have failed to teach the
‘young’ about the terrible evil excesses of the Left such that now the
majority 20-40 year olds believe that socialism is better than capitalism, and
have not even heard of those evil monsters Mao, Lenin and Stalin (for example)
who collectively murdered over 100 million people! https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/blogs/andrew-bolt/dumb-and-red-the-new-millennials/news-story/7338c93bf204ce5a73e98d3cbd231a07
21/06/2018: A Somali gang drives by a
Maine Park shooting pellet guns at people, then beats a young father to
death; Police are investigating to make sure no racist words were used during
the beatings’ https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2018/06/somali-gang-drives-by-maine-park-shooting-pellet-guns-at-park-goers-then-beat-a-young-father-to-death/
20/06/2018: The ‘War on Drugs’ is 47 Years Old. How much good did it do? Here’s the great economist Milton Friedman’s opinion: http://www.aei.org/publication/the-us-war-on-drugs-started-47-years-ago-tomorrow-some-commentary-from-milton-friedman-on-that-failed-and-shameful-war/
20/06/2018: Well said Peter Smith: Andrews: ‘women don’t need to change their behaviour. Men do’. Fiddlesticks: ‘Andrews is quite clearly stupid beyond the normal degree of stupidity that is increasingly evident among the political class… I am a father of two daughters. I can’t imagine ever advising them to go out alone where they liked and when they liked. That would be a form of abuse. No-one should be advised to be careless of their circumstances – least of all young women….To say that men have to “change” is bordering on the deranged. Men do not commit atrocities on women. Monsters do. Men protect women from monsters. That’s their job and most try to do it as they are able and as circumstances allow. I don’t know whether men nowadays understand their protective role as acutely as once they did. Perhaps that masculine role bears reinforcing among boys in homes and in schools. It can’t do harm…. what is a right when it can be taken away by circumstances? It is an illusory and empty right… To maintain our right not to be assaulted and perhaps killed we all, as individuals — men and, yes, women — have to keep our wits about us. The world is not a safe place… Change men’s behaviour? Let us first fix the courts, judges and sentencing so that monsters like Jill Meagher’s killer go to jail and stay there.’ https://quadrant.org.au/opinion/qed/2018/06/wrongheaded-rights/
And of course many men are attacked, even killed too - but that is not so important that anything needs to be done about it! https://theconversation.com/men-are-killed-at-a-greater-rate-than-women-in-australia-what-can-we-do-to-reduce-their-risk-78251
Of course the 'rate' of homicide is less than 2 per
100,000. Though some folks murder multiple victims, the percentage of murderers
in the population is clearly very similar (even if the majority of them are
men). 2 bad people per 100,000 (or 50,000 men) is not a large enough number
that you can attribute such conduct to 'all men'. Quite the contrary. these
people clearly are 'monsters'.
20/06/2018: Prof.
Richard Lindzen, a truly great climate scientist is interviewed: ‘Of
course, the warming that has occurred over the past 200 years or so, has been
too small to have been a major factor. However, objective reality matters
little when it comes to propaganda – where repetition can effectively counter
reality…The question is can this increase in CO2 produce much in the way of
climate change. Increases in CO2 have produced about a 1% perturbation in the
earth’s energy budget. This impact was so much smaller before around 1960, that
almost no one (including the IPCC) claims the impact was significant before
that date. Even a 1% change is no
greater than what is normally produced by relatively small changes in cloud
cover or ocean circulations which are always carrying heat to and from the
surface.
Observationally, one would have to see changes since 1960
that could not otherwise be expected. According to the IPCC, models find that
there is nothing competitive with man-made climate change, but observations
contradict this. The warming from 1919-1939 was almost identical to the warming
from 1978-1998. Moreover, there was an almost total slowdown of warming since
1998. Both imply that there is something
at least as strong as man-made warming going on…
the fact that upper level tropical cirrus shrinks with
increasing surface temperature has been confirmed in several subsequent papers.
Moreover, since the water vapor feedback is only relevant in the absence of
upper level cirrus, one cannot actually separate the iris effect from the water
vapor feedback. The combined feedback is more accurately referred to as the
long-wave (i.e., infrared) feedback, and direct measurements confirm that this
feedback is zero or even negative.…we
found that the areal coverage of tropical cirrus (which result from the
detrainment from deep cumulus clouds) does decrease with temperature, and that
this effect was sufficient to more than cancel the commonly assumed water vapor
feedback which is essential to predictions of high climate sensitivity….
Actually, the hype around man-caused climate change
serves many agendas – of which global governance is but one. As I pointed out
many years ago, almost every interest
except that of the general public has figured out how to profit from this issue.
The interests, ironically, include the fossil fuel industry….
I have to admit
that I don’t think replacing the Ten Commandments with ‘watching one’s carbon
footprint’ has much long term potential’. https://wattsupwiththat.com/2018/06/18/a-conversation-with-prof-richard-lindzen/
19/06/2018: People Against Violence:
The vigil at Eurydice’s memorial last night was described by the ABC as
‘against gender based violence.’ I am sick of this sort of sexist nonsense.
‘Family Violence’ leans towards the majority of offenders being women
(especially against children), male rape is almost as common as that against
women (moreso in our gaols), women are quickly moving towards equality in their
proportion of murderers…but that is not the point. Surely all of us want an end
to murders, rapes, home invasions, armed robberies and the like, whoever
perpetrates them and whoever they are directed against?
19/06/2018:
Turnbull’s ‘National Energy Guarantee’ is a carbon tax in disguise (why
Labor supports it!) which will require that, for example the 100 biggest users
of electricity — those with a peak load of more than 5 megawatts — would be
accountable for the reliability of supply’. If those 100 walk the situation
will be even more of a disaster than it already is. Tony Abbott rightfully
opposes it. This in a week when Tunrbull has lost his 34th straight
Newspoll: https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/blogs/andrew-bolt/turnbulls-carbon-tax-hits-hurdle/news-story/da3080274edd39a2af6acd98833f4d58
19/06/2018: Cook
and Phillip: Champions of the Enlightenment: How the little people seek to
tear the great people down. https://quadrant.org.au/magazine/2018/06/enlightenment-virtues-australias-origins/ It is also instructive to read Tench’s memoirs of the
founding of
18/06/2018: Garmin Inreach Mini: At last a fully functional GPS, satellite communicator and epirb which weighs 100 grams (3.5 oz!) I already own the earlier model (190 grams) which I love, and can’t imagine spending perhaps A$499 (Jun 2018) on its replacement in order to save carrying 90 grams. Too bad. Maybe Garmin will offer me one to review! But if you haven’t already got one (or something like it), it really is time you went out and bought one. https://buy.garmin.com/en-AU/AU/p/592606
What you get is a ‘Small, rugged, lightweight satellite communicator enables two-way text messaging via 100% global Iridium® satellite network (satellite subscription required)
Trigger an interactive SOS to the 24/7 search and rescue monitoring center (satellite subscription required)
Access downloadable maps, color aerial imagery and more by using the free Garmin Eathmate® app and compatible devices
Optional InReach weather forecast service provides detailed updates directly to your inReach Mini or paired device; basic and premium weather packages available
Send and receive InReach messages through compatible Garmin devices, including connected wearables and handhelds
Internal, rechargeable lithium battery provides up to 50 hours of battery life in 10-minute tracking mode’
It includes many other features such as, ‘Wireless unit-to-unit connectivity lets you remotely control inReach Mini to send and receive messages using compatible Garmin handhelds, wearables or other mobile devices. GPS-based location tracking lets you share your whereabouts with those at home or out in the field.’
This will pair so well with my new ‘Atom’ mini phone: http://www.theultralighthiker.com/mighty-tiny-phone/
The Go Tenna is also an excellent lightweight device for keeping in contact in the field: http://www.theultralighthiker.com/gotenna/
The Iridium Extreme (268 grams) remains the gold standard for off-grid communication and epirb functionality, but it will set you back nearly three times as much. I think it is worth carrying both though – how much is your life (or your wife’s life) worth after all?
Hikers, hunters and fishermen can fill their Xmas stockings with these three goodies!
PS: I notice Spot also have a new model two-way Messenger/Epirb which weighs 7 oz (200 grams) but is very much cheaper (US 250 Jun 2018) than the Garmin (though with many fewer features): https://www.findmespot.com/spotx/lander.php
See Also:
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/the-poor-mans-satellite-phone/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/the-poor-mans-satellite-phone/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/somewear-a-3-ounce-satellite-messenger/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/get-lost-get-found-plbepirb/
18/06/2018: Eurydice: What sort of vile creature would vandalise her memorial? https://www.3aw.com.au/memorial-to-eurydice-dixon-vandalised-with-shocking-act-of-graffiti/
18/06/2018: ABC not biased? What percentage of ABC
employees or commentators agree with the Liberal Party that it should be
privatised?
18/06/2018: Black racism good. White racism bad – but surely claiming to belong to a race is racism: https://quillette.com/2018/06/05/high-price-stale-grievances/
17/06/2018: A Quilt for all Seasons: There is no doubt though that a quilt can be lighter, more comfortable, and a lot less inconvenient to enter and exit than a bag. A down quilt can weigh under 500 grams for something which will rate around -10C (providing you have a warm mat), so you can see that you can definitely make one an integral part of your ultralight ‘system’. Over ten years ago I often used to use a sleeping quilt before I had a bad back, but now I toss and turn too much because of it, so I have gone back to my sleeping bag.
I had two different quilts I used. One was made up from bits and pieces of a Mountain Designs down bag plus some extras. The other Della made for me from a kit purchased from Ray & Jenny Jardine (from US$109.95 Jun 2018). I could have slept on a Greenland Glacier in it. I found both excellent (at different seasons) for hammock camping (because they are much easier to ‘get in to’ in a hammock than a sleeping bag is). I used the former (hanging in our lounge room from two eye bolts screwed through the wall!) for over a year when my back was really bad whilst I waited for an op to fix it.
Nunatuk for example, have some of the most awesome quilts, such as this 0C/30F model which weighs under 400 grams – but it will set you back US$ 320 (Jun 2018). No doubt it is superb.
Tier Gear is an Australian quilt manufacturer who you can rely on for excellent products and service. For example they have this -1C model for the Quenda which weighs 566 grams for A$395 (Jun 2018): https://www.tiergear.com.au/shop/sleeping-systems/ultralight-top-quilts/quenda-quilt-1
Of course Della's Zpacks sleeping bag is very like a quilt (and they make quilts too - approx US$359 Jun 2018). In her size (and -7C) Hers weighs 499 grams in its stuff sack: http://www.theultralighthiker.com/new-zpacks-sleeping-bag/
However, on Massdrop this morning they have an Enlightened Equipment quilt which looks very nice (for US$219.99 Jun 2018) This must be nearly half-price for an excellent product. If you miss out on this ‘drop’ they will have another one. Just keep watching.
It has many interesting innovative features too. ‘On those three-dog nights, tuck it snugly around your body with the included elastic straps and leave the footbox closed. When it’s warmer out, let it hang looser to allow air to circulate. And when it’s really balmy, unzip the footbox and let your quilt lay open like a blanket. When it’s fully open, you can also drape it over your shoulders while sitting around the campfire. Please note that because this quilt doesn’t have a hood, you’ll want to wear a hat to stay warm at night.
Along with creating more room around the knees, Enlightened Equipment’s signature quilt shape is wide up top for wiggle room and tapered at the foot for increased warmth and reduced weight. It also lines up the baffles to keep the down where you need it. Vertical baffles around the torso prevent the down from shifting from side to side, while horizontal baffles in the foot area ensure it stays at your feet, rather than shifting up toward the torso.’ Check it out.
Its Specs are as follows:
Check it out.
Its Specs are as follows:
Massdrop x Enlightened Equipment
15d nylon taffeta fabric (DWR treated and calendared)
800-fill-power DownTek down (hydrophobic, RDS certified, Zero PFC)
Temperature rating: 20º F (-6.7º C)
20 in (50.8 cm) zipper #3
Elastic drawstring at foot and head areas
2.5 in (6.4 cm) loft
Green shell and charcoal liner
Weight per included strap: 0.5 oz (13 g)
Made
in
Short/Regular
Length: Up to 5 ft 6 in (168 cm) tall
Width: 54 in (137 cm) head tapered to 40 in (102 cm) foot
Down fill: 13.4 oz (380 g)
Weight: 20.7 oz (587 g)
Regular/Regular
Length: Up to 6 ft (183 cm) tall
Width: 54 in (137 cm) head tapered to 40 in (102 cm) foot
Down fill: 14.5 oz (411 g)
Weight: 22.1 oz (626 g)
Regular/Wide
Length: Up to 6 ft (183 cm) tall
Width: 58 in (147 cm) head tapered to 42 in (107 cm) foot
Down fill: 15.2 oz (431 g)
Weight: 23.4 oz (663 g)
Long/Wide
Length: Up to 6 ft 6 in (198 cm) tall
Width: 58 in (147 cm) head tapered to 42 in (107 cm) foot
Down fill: 16.4 oz (464 g)
Weight: 25.2 oz (714 g)
Included
2 removable elastic straps (1 straight, 1 looped): 0.9 oz (25 g)
Lightweight 13L (793 cu in) stuff sack: 0.7 oz (20 g)
Enlightened Equipment’s limited lifetime warranty
See Also:
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/ultralight-sleeping-bag/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/cold-season-pads/
17/06/2018: Death is the only
just reward for the most evil acts: 30,000+ innocent people die in
A lovely young girl I used to know, Anne Smerdon was
murdered along with her brother in law and best friend in 1992 by Ashley Mervyn
Coulston. There is no possibility that it was not him. He is one of three
people never to be released in
Think how many innocent lives could be saved using that
money for medical intervention instead of keeping this monster alive. 100? By
refusing to execute such people we are condemning hundreds of innocent people
to die every year.
It is just a question of triage. There is only ever so
much money to go around, and only so many deserving of life. What money there
is should be shared amongst those who deserve life, not those whose vile
conduct has forever shown that they clearly no longer deserve to live.
There are around 100 murders in
Anyway, special provisions could be implemented to ensure that no-one was executed where there was any shadow of doubt they were guilty. I would suggest putting all such people under ‘truth’ drugs, lie detector tests, and/or hypnosis, for example - if not torture. This would have the further advantage of solving some crimes they have hitherto been unwilling to admit to – or the whereabouts of their victims.
I would include in the list of tools above the right to bribe the
offenders (but never with release or commutal) providing something socially
worthwhile comes of it, eg information about other crimes including those
committed by others, the whereabouts of victims, etc. They might for example be
offered food, luxuries, party drugs, benefits conferred on their loved ones
(supposing they have any), deferral of their death penalty or exemption from
medical experimentation which otherwise ought to be allowed (no matter how
hideous) if it is likely to serve some societal benefit. I know that this is
morally repugnant (it is to me too – particularly as it might mean that the
worst would receive the greatest ‘reward’), but if it is for the ‘greater
good’…
There are also clearly many more murderers out there: hundreds of people go missing each year for every one deemed murdered – but it is impossible that all of the missing are alive. A significant proportion (say at least 10%) must have met with some horrible fate. These same perpetrators know what has happened to many of them.
The fact that the likes of Jaymes Todd, Julian Knight, ,
Gargasoulas and the like continually launch legal bids for parole, retrials etc
clearly shows that they remain just the evil people they have shown themselves
to be. If they were not they would obviously have long since accepted they are
the monsters they are and taken their own lives.
Neither should others who have committed much more trivial
offences have to suffer their company in prison – or worse, innocent mentally
ill people be thrown in together with these evil pariahs. It is unimaginable
that innocent sick people should be made to suffer so, because we cannot find
the courage to say, ‘This must stop. The truly evil must be put to death.”
To further prevent such monsters being able to prey on us,
we need to have the right to go armed: In the most recent terrible case (Jaymes
Todd vs Eurydice Dixon) he followed her for four kilometres. I doubt she was on
the phone all that time, so that she could not (equally easily) have taken her
Smith & Wesson from her purse had she had one – and then, Goodbye Jaymes,
and not Eurydice!...To have the right to go armed involves the 'Panopticon
Principle': not everyone needs carry a pistol, but bad people need to believe
that anyone might be so armed. That perception would prevent a lot of
tragedies.
There is an unpalatable corollary to all this: virtue signalers who are opposed to the death penalty, taking the ‘high moral ground’ that they will not thereby be responsible for another’s death (albeit some monster’s) are indeed responsible for the deaths of all those innocents who would have lived if we who favour the death penalty had our way, and for the deaths of those others too whom the monsters went on to kill.
Think of Peter Walker who escaped from Pentridge with Robert Ryan for example –
who went on to kill others (Arthur Henderson), and Leigh Robinson who would
have been the last man hanged in Victoria had not the death penalty been
abolished (killed Tracey Greenbury 2008), John Leslie Coombes (went on to
murder two others); there are plenty of other who committed a litany of other
crimes (and should never have been free) who nonetheless were allowed out to
kill, Adrian Bayley (Jill Meagher’s killer), for example. I rest my case.
17/06/2018: This story is truly terrifying. Bioweapons have clearly spread (From Saddam? To IS? To?) Just as clearly the recipe for making ‘ricin’ has leaked out. It was the agent which killed so many on the Japanese subway years ago if you remember: https://voiceofeurope.com/2018/06/bio-weapon-of-arrested-tunisian-asylum-seeker-could-have-killed-hundreds-of-germans/ & https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tokyo_subway_sarin_attack
Addendum: I have confused ricin and sarin. They are both very nasty all the same: https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/5759501/about-ricin-nerve-agent-poison-sarin-gas-thallium-vx/
17/06/2018: Folks with tails to tell: Some people have long doubted my story of an encounter with a drunken, lachrymose long-tailed gentleman in the Blue Peter Hotel in Newcastle in 1967, but there certainly are people with tails: https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/1917309/lad-18-finally-has-18-inch-tail-removed-after-spending-his-life-being-worshipped-as-a-monkey-god-in-india/
16/06/2018: A grave opens a wonderful window into Homeric Greece: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/golden-warrior-greek-tomb-exposes-roots-western-civilization-180961441/ There is something comforting about this sentence, ‘small sections of pieced-together fragments indicate that many of the paintings were Minoan in character, showing nature scenes, flowering papyri and at least one miniature flying duck’ See also: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/construction-workers-find-rare-intact-tomb-rome-180969247/
16/06/2018: White Flight #2: Throwing our country away:
‘Over five years to 2016, according to the research conducted by The
Weekend Australian’s columnist and demographer Bernard Salt, up to two-thirds
of the 266,000 new arrivals in Sydney’s western suburbs were not
Australian-born and had a “non-Anglo heritage”. Of those who departed over the
same period, 63 per cent of the 183,000 total were Australian-born and a
further 5 per cent were born in
16/06/2018: ‘I am a democrat because I believe in the Fall of Man. I think most people are democrats for the opposite reason. A great deal of democratic enthusiasm descends from the ideas of people like Rousseau, who believed in democracy because they thought mankind so wise and good that everyone deserved a share in the government. The danger of defending democracy on those grounds is that they’re not true. And whenever their weakness is exposed, the people who prefer tyranny make capital out of the exposure… The real reason for democracy is just the reverse. Mankind is so fallen that no man can be trusted with unchecked power over his fellows. Aristotle said that some people were only fit to be slaves. I do not contradict him. But I reject slavery because I see no men fit to be masters.’ CS Lewis, ‘Equality’ 1943.
15/06/2018: The Deer Hunter’s Apprentice #2: To continue. Where is the deer? So, let’s say you have mastered walking quietly, that you can reason out where a deer has walked, and that you can see through the bush, so that if a deer is there it will be visible to you. Still and all, you need to also be looking in the right place. For example some places may be too thick, and though there may be lots of deer there, you may never see them. Such areas are better suited to hound hunting. The Upper Thomson springs to mind as an example.
You
need to pay attention to the topography, rainfall etc. Say for example a river
runs East-West (here in
When you do see a deer (or any quarry) do not look at it when it looks at you. And do not move. A single muscle. Unless you are going to shoot straightaway - maybe the best option in many cases, and one reason why I prefer iron sights. Mammals have the magnificent visual acuity they have for very good reason. The eye and brain are hard-wired to sound alarm bells whenever movement is detected, and the nervous system is brilliant at detecting it. Movement is always (potentially) dangerous.
Watch a cat stalking its prey: a mouse or a bird. In the presence of prey it will hold still for a very long while. When it does move the movement will be slow and smooth. Jerky, sudden movements always generate alarm. The only sudden movement is the final pounce.
Sometimes I have demonstrated to folk how to catch a wild wallaby by the tail. Whenever you see a wallaby, if you approach it very slowly and methodically, averting your eyes when it looks at you or looking away completely, remaining in a bent position as if you were another wallaby, even lowering your head right down to the ground, as if eating…you can walk right up to one and catch it by the tail. Try it for yourself. It is a useful exercise in stalking. A black wallaby is surprisingly hard to hold on to by the tail though. Do not try this with a grey kangaroo (I have). Let us just say that it is unwise, and that Spot learned straightaway from my demonstration not to approach the beasts at all!
It is possible to do this with a sambar deer. Of course it is most appealing to try it out on a mature stag. Again, make like a wallaby. A deer will have seen lots of them. It is the most common biped in its experience – and no threat at all to it. Indeed, it will flush them away if it feels like it. It is a matter of pattern recognition. Herbivores do not generally have the cognitive sophistication of primates. Mind you there are plenty of folks though who nonetheless have walked blithely into veritable lions’ dens!
Bow hunters become particularly good at getting up close to deer – because they must. Even without camo a skilled bow hunter gets to within 20 metres of the quarry regularly - probably almost every time they go out. Practice and experience. They don't happen overnight. It might be a useful exercise for you to go out in just such a way sometimes, armed only with a bow - or a camera.
Once you get right up next to the sambar stag, you may overwhelmed by a wild temptation to simultaneously leap upon its back and seize it by its horns, perhaps thinking to cut its throat with your blade knife after some ‘slight’ tussle. This would be unwise in the extreme. Sometimes it is just very sensible to resist temptation! My late old friend Arthur Meyers found himself on a mature stag’s back in just such a circumstance many years ago. We were all victims of youthful exuberance once. He did live to tell the tale (and many others besides) and lived quite a long time, even more than me, but he also regretted it considerably for some time!
I have also wrestled a stag to the ground by its antlers and cut its throat when I was younger. It was a seriously wounded stag, and I was out of ammo, so there was no other choice really – but I hope I never have to do the same again. I would not recommend this approach to anyone. Of course, if you had hold-down dogs it would be a different matter, Sir Samuel Baker dispatched 400 of the beasts in this way with just a bayonet.
Anyone who has wandered around the bush in pursuit of deer for many years will have had many such close encounters. I once found myself astraddle a doe in the Flourbag, and bucked suddenly into the air and down again to a heavy, awkward landing on my shoulder. Attempting to step over a sleeping deer you have mistaken for a log will get you into this sort of situation mighty quickly. So watching out over there for a deer instead of looking where you are putting your feet isn’t always the right advice!
I guess I have been bowled over (or nearly so) by a running deer over half a dozen times and have only just managed to avoid their antlers on a couple of occasions too. They take fright pretty quickly and without much care as to direction when they bolt being only mad keen to be gone from danger. I have even been in the midst of a stampede of probably 30-40 deer on the side of a valley off the Mitchell a few years ago. That was a minute’s heart-starting action, let me tell you! I guess it was my scent provoked the rush as there didn’t seem to be anyone else about. But they behaved exactly as if when danger threatens, it threatens all alike. And off they went. In a veritable thunder of hooves. Pretty much right over the top of me. Frightened me silly.
I have also been bowled over by roos and wombats which I think much more dangerous in some ways because of heir immense teeth. I reckon they could just about take a leg off if they set their mind to it. One of them tried to take a swipe at me once. I was nimble enough to avoid him, but what a maw he had!
First though, as I said at the outset, you have to find the deer – and where might it be?
Some people are immensely better at finding them than others. I once met a chap years ago on the Lazarini Spur. He used to just shoot the deer and take the tails as proof of his tally. On this day he had nine fresh cut tails! As I said, this was thirty years, ago long before the deer population ‘exploded’. Whilst I do not condone such wanton destructiveness, I include the story to illustrate that it is possible to see (and shoot) a lot more deer than you are now.
This guy was able to do this just walking through the bush (and with iron sights). No camo. No trail cams. No telescopic sights. Just his own unaided eyes and ears. His living proof that it was possible inspired me to give much more thought about how to do so.
Clearly seasons, time of day, the moon, changing feed (and water) conditions, the presence (or absence) of other hunters, oestrus, breeding & etc all create separate conditions which determine the deer’s whereabouts. Nonetheless there are always some good places to look, eg: feeding areas, bedding areas, nursery areas, scent marking, wallows, crossings…
A BTW: Drinking spots: mostly the deer using them will be does. The demands of lactation and pregnancy require more water. Most of the year most deer (especially stags) can get all the water they need from the food they eat (as do sheep). Sometimes the deer will be up high (when birthing and when the fauns are very young for example where there is often no water source, though sometimes (I'm sure you have noticed a tiny stream will be flowing high up which dries up or goes underground lower down. There are sometimes spring scrapes too deep under tree ferns where it appears no water exists. Often a group of does will have a stag with them, but most often it is just a spikey or an immature stag. The master stag does not need to hang with the does save in the rut. He won't be far away though down wind. Bachelor stags (the most numerous kind) often hang together high in valleys together and never go near the does. Quite often they are the most handsome and largest - just like Rock Hudson I guess.
All these areas have game trails leading to and away from them. The trails converge and diverge. Clearly where they converge is a highly desirable spot for deer, for whatever reason - usually feeding, bedding, scent marking (think wallows). These are the areas where the cowboys place their trail cams and their ambuscades.
Deer are just as lazy as you (unlike wombats who seem to like to climb vertically). Their paths take an easy line up teh ridges and gullies. For that alone they are worth following, but get to know the angle of that line so you can anticipate where they will be (in the genera;l topography) and where consequently the deer will be. You should be able to spot the really likely hot spots from the river bottom kilometres away.
I know you will likely shoot more deer just waiting quietly (until dusk probably, or after) in such spots, but it would not be fair. You should go seek out the quarry where he has the opportunity to use all his senses to avoid you and escape - else there will be no sense that taking him makes a trophy representing something difficult and well done. It will be not much better than having shot him on the road in the light of your car's head lamps really, and that is too easy to do - as I notice from the evidence on the side of the road practically every time I go up the bush.
The game trails are not unlike a human road system; they branch and branch: there are freeways, then highways, then back roads, and finally driveways. You may remember my photo of Della on the post http://www.theultralighthiker.com/pack-rafting-the-wonnangatta-mitchell/, along with the comment: 'This, believe it or not, is a deer path on public land! This would be a good place to be at dusk with a .308 – if you were hungry!'
This is a deer freeway, nearly a chain wide! Clearly they must have some compelling reason to cross the river in such numbers at this point. Such numbers as this is always down to feed, and when I say 'feed' I mean pasture, just as if they were sheep or cattle, as pasture is their chief food whatever else they might eat (and they eat many things).
That is why I have said before that you will always find deer bedded behind a farmer's paddock, no matter how much effort he has made to reduce their numbers - and I know one who has shot over 400 of them in a the last year! If you are a farmer (as I have been for over forty years and want to preserve your livelihood, you are going to either have to fence out whatever critters prey on your income or seriously reduce their numbers - whether it is legal to or not!
I had a client who lost over 800 Merino ewes in a single night to dingoes, for example. Once I went out with an old friend one night and counted over 3,000 roos in his wheat paddock. We built a huge pen in the corner, rounded them up and seriously depleted their numbers, else there would have been no crop that year!
With a bit of practice you will get a map in your head of where any system of game trails goes to and comes from. Right at the top (the driveway) is where you will find the biggest stags, save in breeding season - and they do have a season, though many young are born out of season. You can sometimes see a huge increase in competitive stag behaviour for example: thrashing, rubbing, preaching, push-and-shove grounds, howling and clashing etc. This is clearly the mating season. At other times (in the bedding areas) the ferns are packed with piles of tiny droppings and you will often trip over a fawn sleeping next to a tree.
The stags can smell the does are in oestrus from at least a kilometre away. They do not need to move until they are so lured. That is why they will invariably be camped uphill and downwind of the does. When they are in rut they are just as silly as any other bunch of young blokes out for a night on the town, drunk as lords and hoping (usually against hope) to get their legs over. They are as mad as March hares.
And reek - rather like the young fellows with their excesses of deodorant. If you shoot a stag in rut you will have trouble eating the meat. I know I can't. It's just too gamey for me. It can have been in the freezer for six months and will still stink terribly when thawed out. If you have any sort of nose at all you can follow this rut scent up the wind right to the stag who is making it!
You should practice walking without making any sound at all. If you buy yourself a pair of cheap hearing aids such as Walkers Game Ears and you turn them up fairly loud they will alert you to just how much noise you are making. If you can hear yourself, obviously a critter with ears ten times as big as yours will be able to easily too. Such devices are good too if you are a bit hard of hearing (my own is too far gone for the best aids to make enough difference).
It seems like only yesterday that I could hear the bats hunting of a night, and at the other end of the spectrum I could hear the hum of the power station chimneys four kilometres away. I have completely lost those high frequencies. I need 85 decibels of amplification to hear any of them. The low frequencies are not quite so bad. I can usually hear a roo crashing off, but I can no longer make out a doe stamping - which should be a dead giveaway if your ears are still OK.
Before i was quite deaf I had the fact I was losing my hearing underlined for me one day years ago. I was walking quietly down a track with a friend., wending our way down to a valley to what I though might be a good spot. Suddenly he whispered, 'Listen' - which I did, but to my ears, there was nothing. I was utterly astonished when he quietly stepped off the track and took a (successful) shot at a nice fat hind! His superior hearing had been able to pick up her faint movements in the bush. A pair of these 'Game Ears' might get your hearing back to that level! I have to rely on my ears and my nose.
Hearing aids are good for protecting your hearing too as they Doppler down to a maximum volume when you take a shot. These 'Game Ears' are also some of the cheapest hearing aids on the market. If you think you might need hearing aids you most certainly do! Try some. If you put off getting them you are causing your hearing to worsen more than it otherwise would have. Act now.
Birds can be your greatest enemies. They have such a predisposition to fly up when alarmed. If you can avoid alarming them you should. Flying is such an energy demanding pursuit that birds only take flight at need. You have surely noticed how many birds starve to death each winter as compared with other sorts of creatures? As I said, the demands of flight are huge.
Mind you it must be a marvelous thing to be able to do. It is hard to imagine how once having mastered it anything could possibly give up its obvious pleasures and practicalities, as the dodo and the moa to name a couple clearly did. Oh well. Of course their startle response to something large moving near them can also be put to your advantage. You must have noticed how various birds, particularly pigeons, kookaburras and the various magpies give a clear warning that a deer is passing by where they are – somewhere up front of you?
It will be moving away from you. As it is passing them, this gives you a line of its travel. It is not much troubled yet and will quickly settle again. You could note the line it is taking, estimate where it will stop, wait a little while till you are sure it would have settled, then begin a circuitous approach. it will definitely be watching its back trail so you must approach from some other downwind direction which offers good cover.
I like to get up above the stream to about the height I reckon deer will be bedded at that time of day and year, and just gradually work my way (into the wind) crossing from gully to gully. I enjoy walking all day anyway and would be bored (as well as cold) just sitting around waiting. Besides you see lots of interesting things moving along.
I guess you only get a shot at perhaps 20% of deer you put up in this way, and they are often up and off in a hurry if you are not particularly careful about how quiet you are being, which I am usually not any more - as I really just enjoy the walk these days, and usually have a Jack Russell or two for company, so that there's not much point in being quiet anyway.
In such circumstances it is usually snap-shooting through bush where the first shot is the only one that counts, so the rifle probably goes up at least half a dozen times between shots. I like to do a complete circuit of a large valley in this way during the day and finish up somewhere near where I began - to camp on the flats at the bottom with a nice warm fire and just the stars and the dogs for company. Something like this or this.
What to do when you see a deer. Maybe I can best illustrate this with this series of photos taken on my afternoon walk with the dogs yesterday (I know this is a small fallow stag; the same points apply to other species). The snaps are a little grainy due to the failing light:
If you come around the corner or over a rise and you see a deer in this position you must freeze. This one is about 250 yards away. Deer (likely) have better visual acuity sideways (unless you too have been hunted a lot). He will therefore likely notice any movement straightaway and react. He is quite relaxed, ears down. He is also too small to take except for the table where he should taste just about as good as lamb!
If you don't move he will go about his business - in this case feeding on some lush pasture. You can creep up quietly while his back is turned trying to keep as much cover as you can between him and you so that when he turns this way you can freeze but he will not be able to make you out as your outline will be broken up.
He is just going to continue to go about his cervine business. You could creep closer (as above) or creep along in cover out of sight then slowly pop your head up for a closer look. Of course I realise that right at the start he was close enough for a sure shot with a telescopic sight. I do not use them as they reduce the deer's ability to use its senses so are unfair. Now I will want to get to say within fifty yards for a sure shot with iron sights. Of course (when I was younger certainly) I could have shot him at 300 yards with iron sights without a rest - but we all get old! Hope you enjoy it as much as I do!
Now you see his head has come up (and his ears). He has noticed something (probably the two dogs who are romping in plain sight). If you saw him begin to do this you could slowly crouch over (reducing your threat level) and freeze. Don't look straight at him! Likely he will just remain attentive for a minute and go back to grazing - in which case you can resume your stalk.
Now he is watching (the dogs) and listening intently. His muscles have tensed up ready for flight. If you are frozen (preferably in a bent over position), and you don't have two dogs running around, he will still most likely quieten down again and resume feeding. Wait. If you had not alerted him to this level, you could likely have crept up to inside 20 yards of him (using cover), being dead quiet and being very patient (and so long as you are downwind). He stood like this for over a minute watching the dogs fool about, then decided to slowly sneak off into the trees. BTW: For some bizarre reason fallow stags seem always to have their pizzle hanging out like this.
PS: Another of my 'apprentices' recently took his first sambar stag, a small spikey. This is a significant achievement and no doubt will be the first of many, as he has learned a lot. As he is also a qualified chef, I think the family will be delighted with this addition to their larder:
Such a sweet little trophy. he will remember this for many years.
Some careful dissection work ahead:
The carcass has been well (and cleanly) butchered and all the meat was carried out to be consumed at home.
PPS: Amerindians had a custom of 'counting coup' eg on their enemies (instead of killing them), so that they would show their bravery and skill by coming close enough to touch them. This might be a good idea to practice on deer as in this video kindly sent to me by a young friend:
[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7p7c3FokGgQ[/embed]
I think this poor young stag has been blinded in a fight - damaged optic nerve probably; maybe hearing impaired too. We had a ram which this happened to a few years ago (always your best ram, dammit). The ram did not recover or survive. I think you would have a bit more difficulty having a stag stand for this kind of treatment, but why not give it a try?
Stags can also get tangled when fighting, though I think this is much less likely with sambar due to their fewer points than might be the case with red or fallows. I was trying to find an example of this when I found this interesting footage from somewhere in Fiordland:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tVH8_cGAjCc[/
Here are two tangled in a fence though:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8vSqwpEPdvA[/
You would wonder how this lady hunter got so close as to leave her bra on this stag's antlers though:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Df8vQNpNpKs[/
I don't usually watch videos, but...this really is 'counting coup' on an elk:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0A4eX1YYg0Y[/
Good luck with your hunting!
Some recent hunting related posts:
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/the-deer-hunters-apprentice-1/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/the-lure-of-the-moose/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/best-hunting-daypack/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/ultralight-cookpot/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/ultimate-blades-for-the-ultralight-hunter/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/crkt-pdk-replacement-blades/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/fire-umbrella/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/are-you-beautiful-in-the-buff/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/a-spot-of-solitude/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/nz-moose/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/follow-your-nose/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/hunting-thumbtack-reflectors/
15/06/2018: No laughing matter: Women (everyone) should be able to walk home alone at night (or any time) safely. Clearly society does not and can not protect us from creatures like this Jaymes (sic) Todd who will no doubt like Gargasoulas claim ‘unfit to plead’ – as if he should not be punished. Nonsense. As far as I am concerned his life is forfeit for conduct like this. We should never waste a single extra penny on such scum which could be better spent saving the lives of innocents afflicted with terrible diseases – as could the perpetrator’s spare parts! To prevent such tragedies, people should be able to protect themselves by being allowed to carry personal weapons such as pistols. It is the government which has exposed us to such dangers by banning them, then failing to protect us from mongrels like this preying on us: https://www.news.com.au/national/victoria/crime/police-charge-teenager-following-investigation-into-young-womans-death-in-melbourne-park/news-story/537046458df2ccb73fd668fbe54e301f A further point: nor should the inmates of psychiatric facilities (and their staff) be endangered by being thrown together with murderous scum such as this. We need to just remove such people as expeditiously as possible from the human race.
14/06/2018: Boastful food shots: Della: 'I have generally eschewed these on FB, but this one is a little different from the norm, I think. Nothing flash, not the good china, not the expensive restaurant, just what I dished up for Steve and myself for tonight's tea after a latish walk with the dogs. As a somewhat hit-and-miss vegie gardener, I often do a mental stocktake of the origin of what is on my plate. Tonight's result was a pleasing one (though not untypical): lamb backstrap from our paddocks (marinated in our home-grown rosemary, garlic and lemon juice - olive oil and salt as ring-ins), home- grown beetroot, parsnips and silverbeet with purchased fresh corn and canned beans. I could have selected all home-grown vegies to prove a point, but this is just a random, typical meal, and I had no prior intention of doing anything other than eating it. I take more pride in this humble home-cooked meal (is that an accidental oxymoron?) than in the fanciest of restaurant offerings.'
PS: We have been mostly self-sufficient at least since we bought our first little farm back in 1976. We have also done all our own car repairs (and most other repairs), made many of our own clothes, even our furniture. In fact we built the house we live in with or own hands, even making the mud-bricks it is constructed from ourselves. Every saw cut, every nail driven was done with one or other of these two pairs of hands. We may not have made much money over the nearly fifty years we have been together, but we have saved a lot by such economies and can afford to live modestly on our own means, a virtue which we think is to be encouraged!
See Also: http://www.theultralighthiker.com/natures-bounty/
14/06/2018: A truly great achievement on Korea, and
let’s not forget: ‘Sticking with foreign policy, in the aftermath of the
G-7 summit the Democrat-Left-Media complex and the Eurabians are all butthurt
that PDT has insulted them and not knuckled under, like previous
administrations have (for the most part) since the end of World War II. With
all due respect to
13/06/2018: What to include in a wilderness cache: I have a number of favourite spots I visit every now and then sprinkled around the Gippsland bush mainly far from roads. Many are on the other side of large rivers which sometimes rise unpredictably and can cut you off for many days from ‘civilisation’ – whatever that is.
Here I was two days ago just finishing a visit to two of them in the Wonnangatta Station before the gates are closed till November. This is last crossing (of seven) before you begin the truly terrible climb up the Hernes Spur.
And here I was in the same spot (just behind the car) putting the pack raft in back on 17 Dec 2017. What a lovely trip that was: http://www.theultralighthiker.com/wilderness-siligloo/ See also: http://www.theultralighthiker.com/pack-rafting-the-remote-wonnangatta/
Frankly I feel much more ‘civilised’ when I am alone in the bush than when I am thrown together in some urban crowd, but each to his own I guess. In the event I do find myself isolated by floodwaters for example when I may rather be at home, something which has happened to me on more than one occasion, it is comforting to know that I have a stash of necessities which will see me through such a situation safely and in some degree of comfort.
Because I often hunt/camp many days from my car there are many other mischances where I may find such a stash a great solace. If I should lose my pack for example several days from my vehicle, I would be most distressed. The closest I came to this was having lunch high up. My pack nearly rolled down a slope where it would have lodged high in a tree well out of my reach. One can imagine your pack disappearing off the edge of a cliff into the sea (this nearly happened to us on the South Coast Track, Tasmania (http://www.theultralighthiker.com/south-west-track-tasmania/ & http://www.theultralighthiker.com/tasmanias-south-coast-track-hells-holiday/ or being swept away by a raging river, falling down a (mine) shaft, &etc.
I have also had the misfortune of having other people interfering with my gear over the years. Someone stole a paddle for example I had left underneath my canoe on a multi-day hunting/canoeing trip. Once I had my front hub locks stolen from my locked vehicle on a very long steep slippery $WD track. Twice folks stole my radio tracking collars from my hounds (which i noticed when i was putting the dogs back in the truck). I had then to go and hunt for the collar with my tracking antenna. Of course it was moving In each case and I needed to holler out something like, 'If you don't put the collar down I will shoot' or I would not have got it back. Lots of folks have had similar experiences, I’m sure.
This is why I like to go as far away from where there will be other people as I can. Even though you hope to leave such perils of ‘civilisation’ behind, the barbarians are ever ‘at the gate’. I am also always mindful that I might come back to my camp to find it ransacked by wild dogs, or (unlikely) that my smouldering fire has managed to creep along the ground and burn my tent down! In all such circumstances having a cache is a handy back up.
Another
reason to have such a stash is if you plan to winter hunt beyond a seasonal
road closure such as applies in many Alpine areas of
A winter fire serves so much more of a useful purpose without endangering the bush to the risk of wild fire. Because the winter air is cold and dry (and winter is the driest season), the skies are most often shot by the most brilliant display of stars you ever saw lighting up the frigid nights. A veritable Aladdin’s Cave entertains your every night.
For that reason I leave a canoe drum or more in strategic spots where I can easily find them again, but where they are unlikely to be stumbled on by even the keenest-eyed hunter. Some folks say they bury their stashes but I do not. I doubt they do either. I usually tie the drum up under a pile of logs somewhere so that wombats etc will not roll them away. Obviously I place them well above the highest point to which floods in the past have come in that particular locale.
These excellent 30 litre drums (they also have a 60 litre model) are available very cheaply from Ampi Plastics (something like $10 each last time I bought some): https://www.ampiplastics.com.au/
I find you can fit 8-10 days food in each drum, plus a shelter (such as Brawny's or mine), fire lighting materials, small billy, a couple of cups, plates and spoons and a metho burner (plus a litre of meths). A small cheap blade is always a good idea (as is something to whet it with. Enough tissues and wet ones for a fortnight is a great idea. When I drank I used to decant some overproof rum into a 500 ml bottle. A tipple of rum on a chilly night warms the cockles. I think a couple of survival blankets or bags is good too - or a Blizzard Bag if you can afford it. A fishing line and a small frypan may come in handy (or some heavy weight Alfoil such as barbecue dishes available in the supermarket are made from) - for cooking fish or venison. A jack saw blade with two attached large key rings will fit around the inside of the lid. Such an impromptu saw can come in handy. When I get round to making some up, I think a 'fire umbrella' would also be good in case you are stuck there with rain for ages.
Of course the food I leave is all dried or canned with long 'use-by' dates. The canned food is usually tuna/sardines to add a bit of protein to a dehydrated meal. The Hormel Bacon is good for this too. Everything is in sealed plastic or Alfoil packages which will not absorb water (you might be putting the tarp away wet sometime). I may not after all get round to eating it this year, though I plan to. I would want it to be safe in a few years time.
Snap lock bags are not impervious to water. Dehydrated contents will absorb water through them if it is there to be absorbed. Oven bags are better. Just twist the ends around tightly a number of items and seal with a wire bag tie or similar. A pack of dry biscuits such as Vita Weats will keep well in them (and a jar of peanut butter goes well with them as do many spreads). Grains and pulses (such as McKenzies) will remain edible for centuries - so do not get too carried away about those 'use by' dates, but do make yourself aware of the causes of food poisoning.
I choose Carmen's Porridges for breakfast (with canned powedered milk). The former will not spoil in their foil wrappers, and the milk will be fine until it is opened and can be decanted into snap locks.
For dinner there are so many pasta, risotto and coucous dishes (which can be improved with the addition of a can of fish). Then there are two minute noodles and cupasoups of various sorts.
For hot drinks I usually leave tea bags (in an oven bag) and alfoil sachets of drinking chocolate. Coffee just goes into a hard undrinkable lump after a time.
A large 370 gram pack of Nobby's peanuts in foil will stay fresh for many months and can be eaten as 50 grams snacks at a time over a week. Similarly Craisens.
That should get you started.
Some places I have two or even three drums so I have many more 'luxuries' there. You have no doubt seen photos of some of my larger fire shelters which half a dozen could enjoy together. For example, a hammock is great for a relaxing lie in the sun on a warm day. Even an emergency pack raft can be left here and there eg for getting the meat out in the winter time. Some spare ammo can also come in handy - but you'd better not leave your name on the drum!
Of course if the dogs are going to join you, you should include some dry dog food. It keeps best in an empty plastic screw top jar. PS: Honey did actually survive the encounter below:
On this trip I left two drums containing 8 days food each approximately four days walk apart and around three days walk in from where my car will be in the winter time. I expect I will go in there later on in the season for 2-3 weeks by myself, or for half that time with a companion - if someone foolish enough turns up!
See Also:
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/cold-season-pads/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/brawnys-tarptent/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/poly-tent-by-the-ultralight-hiker-on-the-cheap/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/ultralight-personal-hygiene/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/blizzard-bag/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/the-ultralight-fisherman/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/improvised-bow-saw/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/fire-umbrella/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/a-hiking-food-compendium/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/hammock-hunting-till-dark/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/home-made-pack-raft/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/fire-tent/
14/06/2018: Go
14/06/2018: Man-made warming on the moon – who’d have
thought: https://wattsupwiththat.com/2018/06/12/man-made-warming-on-the-moon/ The
role of the solar wind: http://joannenova.com.au/2018/06/solar-wind-bombardment-worse-than-we-thought-but-we-know-particles-at-800kms-have-noooo-effect-on-our-climate/ Meanwhile
Opportunity is lost in a hugs=e dust storm: https://wattsupwiththat.com/2018/06/13/huge-planet-wide-dust-storm-on-mars-knocks-out-nasas-opportunity-rover-scientists-worried/
13/06/2018: Blizzard Bag: A cheap lightweight
reusable waterproof sleeping bag/shelter which will save your life in an emergency.
I have had one of these in the bottom of my day pack for over ten years. To
date (fortunately) I have never had to use it, though I have come pretty
close a number of times. By the same token I had an
elastic bandage, a sling, painkillers and anti-inflammatories in my bag for
thirty years before they were needed (when Della
dislocated her shoulder on the Dusky Track, but when
I did they certainly were needed (as well as a helicopter, and a couple of
ambos). It does not hurt to be prepared as Baden Powell used to say. If you had
been at
I have their original one https://www.blizzardsurvival.com/product.php/100/blizzard-survival-bag which weighs 385 grams and has a TOG (a thermal rating somewhat like the R-rating) of over 8. This is akin to a pretty warm duvet or doona. I don't say that you will be comfy and cosy in midwinter in the Gippsland bush or if you become lost on the snow fields but you will very likely survive a cold night - which is surely a lot better than being dead. Costs UKL33.25. I know this may be more than your life is worth! Perhaps you should consider buying one of these before you eat out at that expensive restaurant or buy that new 4WD!
They also have a number of lighter weight options. This one which has the same TOG rating (8): https://www.blizzardsurvival.com/product.php/111/blizzard-survival-blanket-small It weighs 320 grams and costs UKL22.50. Probably a better option. Why not buy two?
And this one which has a lower rating of 6 https://www.blizzardsurvival.com/product.php/115/blizzard-2-layer-bag-active-range It weighs 280 grams and costs UKL24.50.
And this interesting poncho shelter which weighs 480 grams and costs UKL48.25: https://www.blizzardsurvival.com/product.php/104/blizzard-rescue-jacket I have one of these which I really must shrink back into a usable size with my vacuum cleaner!
See all their products here: https://www.blizzardsurvival.com/section.php/6/
I particularly like this interesting 15 gram (TOG 8) UKL4 hat: https://www.blizzardsurvival.com/product.php/120/blizzard-beanie-hat-without-strap
That has to be a stocking filler for any hiker/hunter, surely? You can surely imagine the ultra light hiker wearing one of those in the bush!At least I would not get shot - or maybe I would!
They even have a pet blanket: https://www.blizzardsurvival.com/product.php/125/blizzard-vet-blanket
I think Spot can see himself in one of these (the cat may not agree, by the look in its eyes):
Something to consider though if you are hiking with cats: http://www.theultralighthiker.com/camping-with-cats/ & http://www.theultralighthiker.com/most-travelled-cat/
This
kit looks like a good buy for
Refelxcell is a three layer laminate which traps air and heat, as you can see:
The idea of Reflexcell™ was conceived 15 years ago when the founder and managing director of Blizzard Survival, Derek Ryden, realized that outdoor enthusiasts and professionals needed something more effective than plastic bivvy bags and lighter than conventional sleeping bags.
Performance
Warmth: 8 Togs - equal to a medium weight regular sleeping bag.
Weather protection: fully waterproof and windproof.
Storage: bags may be stored indefinitely, and are not affected by temperature or moisture, either during storage or in use.
Portability: the bags' small size and light weight make them easy to carry, whether as personal safety equipment, or for rapid deployment in emergencies involving large groups of people.
Re-usability: bags can be re-used many times without loss of performance.
When you get home, a vacuum cleaner will enable you to re-pack a used Blizzard Survival Bag to a very small size.
What makes Blizzard's Reflexcell™ products so warm?
The cells in the material trap warm, still air, providing insulation.
The silver reflective surfaces block radiated heat.
The elastic causes the material to hug the body, stopping drafts, reducing convection, and keeping the material right next to you where it is needed.
The outer layer is completely waterproof and windproof.
Unlike most other insulating materials, ours works just as well when wet.
As a rough guide, if you are wearing the type of clothes appropriate for the season and you make some effort to find a sheltered spot and put some insulation underneath you, then in spring, summer and autumn you should be warm and comfortable. In winter you may not be so comfortable, but you should be able to survive for several days in all but the most extreme conditions.
How strong is Reflexcell™ material?
Surprisingly strong. Single layer reflective blankets are very fragile because they are easily punctured, and once a tear has started to develop, it rips right across the material. This doesn’t happen to Reflexcell™ material because:
The three layers reinforce each other, and even if one is damaged, the others usually remain intact.
The seams in the material act like the thick threads in ripstop nylon, stopping tears from developing.
Materials only tear when they are pulled tight. The elastic in the Reflexcell™ material helps to keep the material in a relaxed state – if it doesn’t get pulled tight, it doesn’t tear.
At very least you should have some type of survival shelter on you at all times as soon as you step away from your vehicle/comfort zone. I have written about this many times. see for example:
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/survival-shelter/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/new-ultralight-survival-shelter/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/if-you-could-only-carry-two-things-in-the-bush-what-would-they-be/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/raincoat-shelter/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/pitching-the-poncho-warning-this-may-save-your-life/
See Also:
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/a-gorilla-in-the-bush/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/10-days-in-fiordland/
11/06/2018: Everyone Loves a Good Fire: Certainly Della and the two dogs, Spot and Honey do. It’s been such a dry autumn that burning off has been postponed into early winter to prevent the risk of fire. This pile used to be a large cypress that needed to come down in my daughter’s front yard in Traralgon. Nearly 60 metres in all the loads on the Defender to get it her where it could be safely disposed of today.
How time flies for dogs. Honey will be 6 months old next week and looks like she might be going to be bigger than Spot. A little bit of Corgi in with that Jack Russell looks like too, but maybe just a type variation. She also looks like becoming the boss, poor Spot. Already 4 months since Tiny left us.
The quality of the shots is not great as they were taken on my old Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini (and the lens needed a bit of a clean too, by the looks). Maybe soon I will have a new phone such as the Atom.
You probably think burning off is all we do around here:
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/repurposing-camping-gear/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/things-that-keep-you-from-hiking-hunting/
11/06/2018: So
you think
11/06/2018: Playing with people’s lives: ‘Bigger, heavier vehicles are safer, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has said for decades. Smaller, lighter vehicles are less crashworthy, less safe. Drivers and passengers in cars and light trucks are many times more likely to die in a crash – and far more likely to maimed, disfigured, disabled or paralyzed… “Climate change” is now used to justify replacing the capitalist economic model with a global governance system – and redistributing the world’s resources and wealth. The treaty itself says climate action must include an emphasis on “gender equality,” “empowerment of women,” “intergenerational equity” and “climate justice.”’: https://wattsupwiththat.com/2018/06/freeze-reduce-or-eliminate-caf-fuel-standards/
09/06/2018: How many miles can you paddle in a pumpkin: This guy made 8.5 which is pretty awesome. What a wonderful addition to DIY watercraft this hobby is: https://www.ripleys.com/weird-news/aboard-a-gourd/
09/06/2018: Death
Star Rising: Meteor 2018 LA (ZLAF9B2)seen from farm between Ottosdal and
Hartebeesfontein North West South
09/06/2018: ‘It could not be done by the men of today.’ I wonder: http://americandigest.org/wp/june-6-a-walk-across-a-beach-in-normandy/ & https://pjmedia.com/lifestyle/six-facts-about-d-day-you-never-learned-in-school/
09/06/2018: ‘Rejecting values and responsibility leads
to a life devoid of purpose’ https://fee.org/articles/psychologist-in-1960-rejecting-moral-accountability-was-a-big-mistake/ For
example, ‘Among the biggest obstacles
to educating children in many ghetto schools are disruptive students whose
antics, threats and violence can make education virtually impossible. If only
10 percent of the students are this way, that sacrifices the education of the
other 90 percent.’ https://no-pasaran.blogspot.com/2018/05/2014-among-biggest-obstacles-to.html
05/06/2018: Cold Season Pads: I have used the Thermarest Neoair Womens for years. It has an (insulation) R-rating of 3.9. I was quite warm enough in it at around zero Celsius with just a Columbia Silver Ridge shirt and trousers and a pair of thin (Holeproof Heroes) wool socks in my - 1C Montbell bag. If it got a little colder I might put on my down jacket as well.
My new Big Agnes AXL has a lower R rating (perhaps 3). Anyway at approx 4C a couple of nights ago I was still freezing with three layers of wool plus my down coat (upper) and a pair of long johns (as well as my Columbia trousers, a thicker pair of Wigwam wool socks together with down socks plus a neck warmer and an insulated hat. Though the mat is definitely more comfy than the Thermarest it just does not 'cut it' when it is cold. Della always claims to not be warm enough too. One R rating in a mat makes an awful lot of difference; I would not have believed how much.
I am now investigating an even warmer mat. There are very few (compact) mats which have an R rating over 5. The obvious 'go to' is Thermarest's X-Therm series at R 5.7. They roll up to almost exactly the same dimensions as the Womens but are about 100 grams heavier (430 grams). Mind you, weight wise this 90 grams 'investment' in warmth is a much better choice than trying to add more insulation and weight to go over you. To add 5C extra warmth on top will be more like 500 grams, but the two points of R rating will be more than 10 degrees Celsius.
Thermarest X-Therm:
As Jack Stephenson said, 'It’s good to minimize weight, but you can carry much more if you get a good comfortable night’s sleep...We often hear of people using short or narrow pads to save weight. When sleeping you need more insulation at your feet since you are no longer producing lots of excess heat in your legs and feet as you do when hiking. If your pad isn’t wide enough to support your arms when on your back you won’t be able to stay comfortable and won’t sleep well.' That first sentence is a gem. You should etch it into your brain.
Stephenson DAM below:
Stephensons offer the only other real (compact) choice in cold weather mats, their Down-Filled Air Mat (DAM). You should really read their FAQ page: https://www.warmlite.com/product/down-filled-air-mattress/ A 5'6" DAM (their smallest) will weigh 18-20 oz (say 530-590 grams; there is a mis-print on their site) but it is 22" wide (your arms will thank you for that extra 2") and it is 4" thick compared to the X-Therm's 2 1/2". That gets back to that comfortable night's sleep which will see you with much more energy for hiking/hunting the next day! The R rating of the DAM is somewhere 5.5-15.5!
These photos 'borrowed' from Trailspace's excellent site (see below) show the 6'4" dam compared to the X-Therm Regular (20"x 72"). The 5'6" DAM which is all Della or I would need would be very much the same size as the X-Therm, but would add about another 100 grams (for comfort), and would be warmer. Of course the DAM would have to be stored inflated (as with other down things to preserve loft), and you need to inflate it with a bag or a 2 1/2 oz (inc battery) electric Microburst pump which is maybe a little less convenient.
PS: While you are over at Stephensons you should check out their bag 'system' and particularly their Vapor Barrier concept which prevents your sleeping bag from becoming heavier (and colder) from sweat.
Dam on right (blue)
DAM on left (red)
http://www.trailspace.com/gear/stephensons-warmlite/warmlite-triple-bag/
Another pad to consider ( I own one and find it very comfy) but really much more suitable for car camping is Exped's Downmat 7 which has an R rating of 5.9. The packed size though is 24 cm x 15 cm so it is going to take up a lot of space in your pack.and it weighs 870 grams.
Yet another pad to consider - R Rating of 4.4 and weight of just over half a kilo (and costing only around A$100!) is this one: http://www.theultralighthiker.com/klymit-insulated-static-v-lite-sleeping-pad/
& https://www.klymit.com/insulated-static-v-lite-sleeping-pad.html
See Also:
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/mattresses-i-have-known/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/unsung-genius/
Of course, you really do need a pillow too:
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/diy-super-ultralight-pillow/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/klymit-ultralight-pillow/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/ul-pillows/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/a-soft-pillow-and-a-warm-bed-under-the-stars/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/exped-ultralight-pillow/
05/06/2018: Trump, the greatest President in
05/06/2018: In Merkel’s
05/06/2018: If you
really were from the future rather than just believing you are because you
are mad, you’d think you might be able to sketch out a few useful new gadgets,
for example: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5800695/Man-travelled-year-6491-says-hes-stuck-2018-PASSED-lie-detector-test.html
04/06/2018:
Hezbollah chief's net worth is $250 million, mainly thanks to drugs: http://www.israelhayom.com/2018/05/29/uae-paper-hezbollah-chiefs-net-worth-is-250-million-mainly-thanks-to-drugs/
04/06/2018: The Second Coming of Karl Marx; the young continue to be seduced by this old tosser: ‘The love of grand theory has long been compelling for leftists, especially in Germany and France, but a theory of all human history in one sentence is absurd. There are so many variables and contingencies in the story of human affairs it is inherently implausible that one size could fit all. Unlike the evolution of species, the thing that distinguishes history is that it is made by human beings who intervene in the process with their will and reason. Luck, stupidity, good judgment and fatal errors, not to mention world-changing technological advances, all play their part. We learn what happened in history by accumulating empirical evidence, not by deducing it from grand theory. No one advocating a one-theory model of history should be taken seriously.’ https://quadrant.org.au/magazine/2018/06/second-coming-karl-marx/
04/06/2018: So, you think Trump
started the tariff war, ‘here’s what passes for the “free trade” that
everyone is so hyped up about. The European Union charges a 10% tariff
on all cars that come from the
03/06/2018: Mattresses I have Known: I doubt anything else about camping has changed so much as sleeping. When I was a lad I always just slept on the bare ground. As a bit of a sissy, my only concession to comfort was to dig the traditional hip hole (which was derided by tougher-minded types) then maybe lean my head on something, a bag perhaps – or just my arm.
When I was very young my parents were itinerant beekeepers so we ‘followed the flow’ of honey all over the Western slopes and plains of NSW in an old ten-ton Chev truck, and sometimes a Willey’s Overland. Sometimes we towed a caravan but that was filled with beekeeping equipment (extractors and such). At night we camped in a duck tent usually on folding canvas army cots my mother set up for us. They could very cold if you didn’t have enough blankets under you.
My mother had a trick of folding blankets to make a bed, but I have forgotten it now; nor can I find any reference article explaining how it worked – but it did work very well, and the blankets never came untucked. There were never any sheets, I remember that. We slept in our clothes and those blankets could be quite scratchy.
This was all before I started school. I can remember three very vivid events from that era. Once we were camped out on the Dimbey Downs near Quirindi. During the night a large willy willy (a sort of mini-cyclone) came and lifted all the empty sixty pound honey tins off the back of the truck and scattered them for miles all over the blacksoild plains. We were days chasing them up, and never accounted for all of them. We all had to get out of bed and hang onto bts and pieces of the tent for dear life so it would not blow away too.
I remember the old black and tan hound Felix used to ride on the running board of the truck. It took a long while to climb over the steep twisting road up from Murrurundi to the pass at the top, and just about as long to creep down into Willow Tree. Old Felix used to take this opportunity to slope off, have a hunt then join us on the other side.
I can also remember once my grandfather was in the car with us. The roads used to go through a lot of properties then and there were usually gates which had to be opened and closed before stock grids were put in. Grandfather alighted to open a gate. Dad drove on to the next gate, then said to him, ‘George, are you going to get out and open the gate’. He usually rode in the back with us kids. Of course there was no replay as dad had forgetfully left him at the last gate!
Of course I grew up North of Sydney, so much of the year (along the coast) nights are quite balmy. You can often get by quite comfortably just sleeping on the ground in your clothes, perhaps zipping up your jacket. If you were sleeping on the beach as I often used to do perhaps after a night spent prawning or spearing flathead, warm dry sand made an excellent insulator.
Further inland, west of the Divide out on the black soil plains for example nights often get a bit more chilly. I spent many months out there at a time as a teenager droving sheep over a thousand miles at a time along NSW’s ‘Great Stock Routes’.
You would spend some time making up a ‘bough bed’ under a canvas tarp or the dray if it rained (the smell of fresh eucalyptus is most refreshing), or gather dry grass and ferns till you had a pile 6” to a foot deep as the nights can come in pretty close out there rolled in your blanket with the other end of the tarp thrown over you against the morning dew.
It was quite delicious to slumber under cloudless skies lit by a billion brilliant stars with only the curlew and mopoke for company – and a few thousand ‘jumbuks’. Usually there was a sheep dog to warm your back, one of the many unimaginatively named ‘Ring’ or ‘Ginger,’ ‘Nugget’ or ‘Blackie’. All are but memories now - along with the mates I went droving with.
Still the introduction of the cheap blue foam mat was a godsend. For one thing it wasn’t itchy! Laid on a 2” bed of grass or fern it created a level of comfort and luxury undreamed of hitherto, and it wasn’t itchy. It took me a long while before I was ready to carry one though, as they were so cumbersome when previously all you had to lug around was a pocket knife, blanket, tarp, billy, spoon and tucker bag – and obviously some tucker.
I often
used to head off into the bush by myself for a night or two when I was at
school. I can remember being rolled in my blanket camped under a rock ledge
high on the Watagan mnountains near
About then I was just about to buy a ‘blue foamie’ when I noticed they were now selling inflatables which rolled up much smaller, though they were a tad heavier – well over 500 grams for an uninsulated pad - so I chose one of them.
Compared to today’s mats the ones I had weren’t exactly the acme of comfort. None of them was insulated. The first ones were just tube construction and were much like sleeping on a rail fence. The later ‘box’ construction ones were much better, but I never owned one of them until after I was married.
You can hardly take your new bride on a honeymoon sleeping on the bare ground. Being a city girl though Della had never seen the Milky Way (and was frankly astonished by it) or woken in the morning covered in dew! Nearly half a century later she is a country girl through and through, and still enjoys a night or a dozen under the stars – we have just spent a fortnight camping out around the Scottish Highlands.
The first insulated inflatable was made by the Stephensons: http://www.theultralighthiker.com/unsung-genius/ I never had one. Thermarest commecialised the idea (in open cell foam) and as they say, ‘the rest is history’. I had a range of Thermarests over the years.
Before I had a ‘bad back’ I could manage with a ¾ length mat, so for years my go-to mat was a 350 gram model of theirs which I even used in a hammock where it left a few bits and pieces a little chilly on a cold night. Now I find that having my legs drop down that inch or two just gives me a nasty lumbar pain so I choose a longer mat.
For car camping we had their longer models and even their ‘luxury’ 2” thick self inflating model (which took up a fair amount of the car)! You do get so used to these luxuries. Nowadays I am apt to think I will die if I just had to lie down for a night wrapped in only a coat or blanket straight on the cold ground as I did a thousand times when I was a youth, mostly too with no shelter overhead, just looking round for a bit of shelter if rain threatened: a rock overhang, a hollow log or tree, or a bolt of canvas draped over me.
It
takes a bit more than that to kill a man though, so I would not. I have slept
sitting up in front a of a fire on a snowy night well below freezing wrapped
only in one of those ubiquitous 50 gram aluminium backed plastic space
blankets, which I recommend you carry in your day pack if you wish to survive.
It may not have been the most comfortable nights I have spent but all in all no
worse than a long aeroplane flight such as that from
I
really can’t imagine how people become ‘travel junkies’. I would not go (or
have gone) if Della had not wanted to visit the land of her ancestors. And I
would not go again. How people can tolerate so many other people everywhere
they go is beyond me. I was not even tempted to travel down into
My first insulated inflatable mat was a Big Agnes, the predecessor of their Air Core model with its ‘I-Beam’ construction. It was way ahead of the old tube type mattresses in comfort, plus you did not get a cold back on even the most freezing nights. My first one weighed over 600 grams but I was utterly rapt in its level of comfort. We found that we could fit on their ‘Petite’ (5’ long) models so this reduced our carry to nearer 500 grams which I thought would never be bettered. You did have to have them ‘right side up’ though, or they did not work – this may still be the case. To Americans, ‘right side up’ means ‘face up’ ie the product’s name should be on top.
Then Thermarest came along and revolutionized the field for years with their ‘NeoAir’ line of which the best representative (for me) was their Women’s model at 340 grams! I must have slept on mine nigh on a thousand times over the last ten years. It has a few pieces of sticky tape here and there where a thistle or a dog poked/chewed a hole in it, but it is still quite serviceable and has done double service most trips as a chair, and as a raft as well.
I also have their ¾ length model at 270 grams but as I said my back won’t let me really enjoy it otherwise it would always be in my hunting day pack along with my Montbell sleeping bag (500 grams), a Cuben tarp (150 grams), a puffer jacket, an ultralight billy and some tucker just in case I decided I was going to spend the night somewhere remote and promising.
Now I have Big Agnes’ new AXL pad which beats everything I have ever owned for comfort hands down. Their regular 6’ model weighs in at 300 grams yet is just under 4” thick, so you can really sink down into it. I somehow doubt anyone will better that, but I’m sure Thermarest (for one) are working hard on it. In the meantime, if you are in the market for a pad, try one of these.
PS: The illustration of a swagman's bag bed is just one of many similar types of bed which could be made simply with a few boughs and a couple of hessian bags. I particularly like the ingenuity of this one which makes use of another bushman's favourite: some fencing wire. You always used to find such beds in shearers' quarters and stockmen's huts. They should be on the National Trust as priceless relics of a bygone era. Jute or hessian bags were much more comfortable and serviceable (and recyclable) than today's ubiquitous poly bags. They were reused like this endlessly until they were no use save as tinder. A wet one was also excellent for helping put out a fire. Without them many more lives would have been lost during the 1939 bushfire, for example.
03/06/2018: Still,
the most dangerous drivers on the road are obviously the sober ones, a
greater percentage of them are killed in accidents: https://www.usnews.com/news/health-care-news/articles/2018-05-31/more-drivers-killed-under-the-influence-of-drugs-than-alcohol
03/06/2018:
‘African nations are fed up with the West’s hand-me-downs…(it) is preventing them from
building their own apparel industries’: https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/africa/african-nations-are-fed-up-with-the-wests-hand-me-downs-but-its-tough-to-keep-them-out/2018/05/28/c4041c8c-5478-11e8-a6d4-ca1d035642ce_story.html?elq=73c802c7163846f79be1748fdc7c4a3d&elqCampaignId=8749&elqTrackId=1ec0728320eb40dc9d2ee565e8a6c36b&elqaid=19246&elqat=1&noredirect=on&utm_term=.f7f9357312fe
03/06/2018: Save
our energy supplies: We urgently need this too but the problem is political
uncertainty has wrecked energy investment. All our plants have been run into
the ground and ultimately the entire grid will collapse unless it is replaced,
‘ignorant green political interventionism has put the West in extreme
peril. Business owners who believe they might be shut down next week don’t
spend money maintaining their equipment. The only rational behaviour in such
circumstances is to run the plant into the ground, spending the absolute
minimum possible to extract whatever profits can be extracted before some
politician pulls the plug. But this strategy of running plants into the ground
is an end game. Running equipment into the ground accumulates a huge technical
debt of maintenance which has been deferred. Sooner or later minimal low cost
maintenance is not enough, something serious breaks, and the owners of that
plant have to decide whether to risk spending large sums fixing expensive
problems, or shut the plant down. Right now the balance of risk suggests the
smart course from a business perspective is to shut down the plant. All of
them’ https://wattsupwiththat.com/2018/06/president-trump-moves-to-rescue-coal-nuclear-plants/ Just about everything Trump does is
inspirational: https://wattsupwiththat.com/2018/06/president-trump-has-broken-the-spell-of-climate-change-mania/
02/06/2018: ‘The
Pax Americana, which has guaranteed peace in
02/06/2018: The
Shenanigans at James Cook Uni which ‘is funded almost entirely by
government and the salary of the Vice-Chancellor is near twice that of the
Prime Minister or even the President of the
02/06/2018:
Killjoy? 7% better apparently: http://assistantvillageidiot.blogspot.com/2018/05/is-alcohol-better-for-you-than-exercise.html
01/06/2018: Damn!
More delays (after July 1) in getting the goods I want to buy; more taxes less
freedom: https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/blogs/tim-blair/attention-amazon-shoppers/news-story/218f8d9d1754e93498537a025d8ab956 & it’s not
just Amazon, it’s all overseas sites: https://www.news.com.au/finance/business/retail/turnbulls-online-shopping-tax-punishes-aussie-consumers-how-to-avoid-the-amazon-ripoff/news-story/a9fc27c89f4f9c8ad933c34551e463df & https://www.news.com.au/finance/business/retail/we-regret-any-inconvenience-this-may-cause-amazon-to-stop-shipping-to-australia-from-july-1/news-story/0842f955c18b0f84c3cee7046f63b894 This is so like
Turnbull’s ham-fisted attempt to control the internet and close down
file-sharing – and just as inept: http://www.theultralighthiker.com/ipvanish/
01/06/2018: If you
can’t figure out video piracy there are lots of alternatives to Netflix, but
personally I enjoy the ability to choose myself. Downloading Utorrent and
signing up to a VPN (like Ipvanish) which will be necessary if you want to
continue to make internet purchases after 1 July anyway) isn’t so difficult
really: https://moneypantry.com/netflix-alternatives/
30/05/2018:
Genius Strainer Post: This was one
of the most interesting things I saw on our recent trip to
I was astonished that (such a) short stay only about one-third of the way up even a tall post such as used on deer fencing nonetheless maintained the wire at a much tauter strain than I normally apply worked so perfectly – but it does. The ‘poms’ have a thing or two to teach us yet.
Instructions here: https://www.lifestyleblock.co.nz/lifestyle-file/running-the-farm/fencing/item/427-strainer-assemblies
30/05/2018: Verney Carron 'Stop&Go®': Considerable angst is being generated this morning about this ‘new’ action shotgun just as was present not so long ago about the Adler’s ‘new’ 150 year old action, and overlooking the fact that it is already available in shops as a ‘Speedline’ rifle.
The firearm in question ejects the spent shell ‘automatically’ using the firearm’s recoil (like a semi-automatic) but it does not reload itself (watch the video below). There is a bolt stop which you have to press to complete the reload before another shot is available at the trigger. This two-step process makes it pretty much the same as other manual loading firearms such as bolt, lever or pump action https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EMOABUq3FmQ
As a lever action hunting rifle devotee (because of its safety and speed at getting off the first and subsequent shots) I would buy an Adler- type shotgun for hunting (if I was in the market for a new gun – and when is this no the case; only when there is not enough money!) but I probably wouldn’t buy this ‘Stop&Go action type firearm because it is less safe to walk around with unloaded than a lever action.
However, as many shooters walk around most of the time with a round in the breech (and there is no legislation preventing this) relying only on the safety catch, I can’t see any additional problem with this ‘new’ action – indeed it is inherently safer than the previous strategy.
Of course there is also the point that it would only be sold to licenced shooters anyway, folks who already have controlled access to a whole range of potentially lethal equipment without there being much evidence that any of them ever abuse that access. On the other hand the public has uncontrolled access to a bewildering range of kitchen and gardening equipment which is regularly used to kill and injure people without anyone vociferously advocating bans on such things as knives and axes that I am aware of. Mostly I would much rather face a firearm in a public place than such a bladed weapon in a confined space, though I would rather face neither.
People are shot every now and then due to a failure of firearm’s safety (such as over-reliance on safety catches). This is tragic, but I doubt that many shooters would want further legislation to protect themselves from the occasional very isolated accident. Life is fraught with all sorts of dangers.
We once bought a farm cheaply as a deceased estate because the previous owner had choked to death on a boiled lolly. Obviously as I benefited I would not be advocating banning boiled lollies, but I doubt whether I could offer up a compelling argument for their prohibition even if I had not.
See Also:
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/308s/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/the-ultralight-deer-hunter/
30/05/2018:
(Writing about Rousseau) ‘In the Confessions, he claimed to be “drunk on virtue.” And indeed, it turned out that “virtue” for Rousseau had nothing to do with acting or behaving in a certain way toward others. On the contrary, the criterion of virtue was his subjective feeling of goodness. For Rousseau, as for the countercultural radicals who followed him, “feeling good about yourself” was synonymous with moral rectitude. Actually behaving well was irrelevant if not, indeed, a sign of “inauthenticity” because it suggested a concern for conventional approval. Virtue in this Rousseauvian sense is scarcely distinguishable from moral intoxication. Anyone who has contemplated the suppression of free speech in the name of sensitivity and identity politics on our college campuses will understand what I mean. Establishing the reign of virtue is no easy task, as Rousseau’s avid disciple Maximilien Robespierre discovered to his chagrin. All those “particular wills” -- i.e., individual men and women with their diverse aims and desires -- are so recalcitrant and so ungrateful for one’s efforts to make them virtuous. Still, one does what one can to convince them to conform. And the guillotine, of course, is a great expedient’: https://pjmedia.com/rogerkimball/the-long-march-reckoning-with-1968s-cultural-revolution-50-years-on/
30/05/2018:
http://americandigest.org/wp/we-cannot-be-sensitive-in-sensitivity-training/
29/05/2018:
Brawny’s ‘Tarptent’: This is a very
useful video on how to create a lightweight shelter from a standard 10’ x 12’
silnylon tarp:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ir-5R9PCIok
Many other fascinating vids by this outstanding lady, Carol Wellman: https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=brawny03
You can buy such a tarp eg from Aliexpress for around $30: http://www.theultralighthiker.com/ultralight-hiking-on-a-budget/ Hiking does not have to be just for the well-heeled!
More about ‘Brawny here: http://www.trailquest.net/ultralight.html & http://www.trailquest.net/BRindex.html
Some other interesting shelter ideas here: https://ultralighter.blogspot.com.au/2008/11/under-this-shall-ye-sleep.html
The photo is from one of my takes on tarp tents, try this $10 tent: https://www.theultralighthiker.com/poly-tent-by-the-ultralight-hiker-on-the-cheap/ I have been sleeping under tarps of various sorts for around sixty years - and i am still here, so why not try one?
29/05/2018:
In the
29/05/2018: Is
a Third World War begun by
29/05/2018:
Posthumous LGBTI Confessions: ‘A poet
could not but be gay’: William Wordsworth (1770-1850) Daffodils
I
wander'd lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o'er vales and hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd,
A host, of golden daffodils;
Beside the lake, beneath the trees,
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.
Continuous as the stars that shine
And twinkle on the Milky Way,
They stretch'd in never-ending line
Along the margin of a bay:
Ten thousand saw I at a glance,
Tossing their heads in sprightly dance.
The waves beside them danced; but they
Out-did the sparkling waves in glee:
A poet could not but be gay,
In such a jocund company:
I gazed -- and gazed -- but little thought
What wealth the show to me had brought:
For
oft, when on my couch I lie
In vacant or in pensive mood,
They flash upon that inward eye
Which is the bliss of solitude;
And then my heart with pleasure fills,
And dances with the daffodils.
28/05/2018: Corrugated Heat Diffuser, 3 grams. Sick of having to clean the burned bottom of your pot, particularly after a long simmer. Zelph has the answer. Place this underneath your pot above the burner. I’m afraid he doesn’t give any other clues to how it was made, but I’m sure if you have any experience in sheet metal work you will work something out. I imagine you could fairly easily make one out of a piece of aluminium flashing, or some titanium sheet. I hope he doesn’t mind my reposting his photo here: http://www.bplite.com/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=6449
He has many other interesting ideas. See here, for example: http://www.woodgaz-stove.com/ Perhaps he will make you one?
See Also: http://www.theultralighthiker.com/new-fancy-feast-stove/
28/05/2018:
If you had any doubt
about who is winning the Fifth Crusade the Tommy Robinson should be
an eye opener. Tommy had merely been reporting on a huge (mainly) Moslem sex
predator ring which has raped hundreds of children in
28/05/2018: Anarchists unite: ‘The fact that regularly observed rules of behavior – laws – emerge spontaneously among individuals going about their daily affairs is unknown to most people. The common but incorrect notion today is that society is engineered by the state through the “laws” that it issues. The uncommon but correct understanding is that the state is incapable of making laws; it can make only legislation. And whatever you think of the state’s record of legislating, you fall into error if you believe that the state makes law’: https://cafehayek.com/2018/05/quotation-of-the-day-2443.html
28/05/2018:
Freedom and the DIY Gunsmith: http://americandigest.org/wp/long-read-of-the-week-the-mathematics-of-countering-tyranny-by-james-wesley-rawles/ & https://survivalblog.com/building-your-own-no-ffl-ar-from-an-80-complete-receiver-by-jag/
27/05/2018:
‘Interestingly, when rickety,
unseaworthy vessels loaded with human beings were put to sea, leading to more
than 1000 deaths, leftists railed against the cruelty of stopping those boats. But
when a bunch of stupid sheep are aboard, it’s “stop the boats!” all the way’ https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/blogs/tim-blair/sheepweeper-wilcoxs-woolly-leftoid-logic/news-story/7414f695f8341c2664424c1889aac69a
27/05/2018:
The Great Barrier Reef is around as
large as
27/05/2018:
This man, Norman Borlaug is responsible
for saving the lives of over a billion people. If the climate becomes colder
as was predicted in the 1970's (& some current predictions, see eg:
http://wattsupwiththat.com/2012/05/25/the-cia-documents-the-global-cooling-research-of-the-1970s/#more-64229)
we will need SEVERAL of his kind to prevent catastrophe. Remember this, the
Little Ice Age killed something like 1/3rd of
26/05/2018: Happy Birthday Ultralight Hiker: Who would have thought three years ago today that this blog would have over 1100 posts, probably a million words plus of content, over 15,000 images, and so many followers - often more than one a minute!
My
daughter Merrin launched it with this Facebook post back in 2015. She said,
‘Lately I have been working on a new website and Facebook page for my dad
Steve's incredible Hiking Blog "The
Ultralight Hiker". If you or someone you
know is interested in hiking, canoeing, camping, hunting etc in
Facebook also reminds me this morning that this was also the day three years ago when I published this story on Facebook and my old hiking blog: http://www.theultralighthiker.com/dusky-track-canoeing-the-seaforth/ What an adventure that was, but one I will probably not repeat if I want to continue breathing!
Some recent doings:
Exploring
a Brock in
And (ditto) relaxing by the Glen Orchy:
26/05/2018: Mighty Tiny Phone: Following the success of their ‘Jelly’ the smallest 4G smartphone, which is still available for US124.99 (May 2018) Uniherrtz have developed this little beauty the 'Atom' which comes with many other features (including now a really serious 16 meg camera).
If you remember the Jelly weighs only 60 grams and fits in the fob pocket of your jeans. The new model is even waterproof. There is a special 47% discount offer available now: https://www.ogadget.com/x1/atom#Join This could be the perfect phone for hunting or hiking when weight really counts.
26/05/2018: So much corruption in high places: The 31 charges against Blewitt for which the Royal Commission found there were grounds have been dropped by the WA police as ‘there was insufficient likelihood of obtaining a conviction’. Clearly this is political interference just as the similar case which was dropped by Vic police (in both cases (just) after a Labor Government had been elected in that state. The grounds these dogs will go too to protect their darling Julia, a piece of scum whom the Royal Commission found had lied, conspired and benefited from illegal doings involving herself Blewitt and Wilson. There certainly is no justice in this land. Hopefully Michael Smith’s private prosecution against this vile creature (Gillard) will go ahead (and succeed). She richly deserves to be gaoled for her part in stealing hundreds of thousand of dollars from Australian worker in the 1990s: http://www.michaelsmithnews.com/2018/05/the-australians-report-after-hearing-the-dpps-reasons-for-discontinuing-the-blewitt-awu-prosecution.html & https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2014/sep/10/julia-gillard-gives-evidence-at-trade-union-commission-live
26/05/2018: The case for personal defence: http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/389329-armed-bystander-kills-man-who-opened-fire-in-oklahoma
26/05/2018: Of course Foley was right at the outset about the ‘white flight’ phenomenon. It is long since time we reprised our ‘refugee’ and immigration programmes so that we only admit (many fewer) people who will be an asset to our country and fit in with our way of life: https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/blogs/tim-blair/failey-foley-fires-up-then-folds/news-story/e806d1ba7dceb8323b63a5d6f24f46f0
25/05/2018: Nightcore Tube Hat Clip: My thanks to Kiarnan over at Reddit for this idea https://imgur.com/gallery/JfLTn
I t worked just as well with a couple of 'O-rings' such as I usually use in my own head torch mod, but this has the advantage of preventing the reflection on your glasses you get from mine, so it is better in some ways.
And added a bare gram to the weight of the torch.
See Also:
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/11-gram-rechargeable-head-torch/
25/05/2018:
New Evidence of Fiordland Moose:
Some time back I was contacted by a young journalist, Charlie Mitchell from
Les
Murrrell's two bulls in the
There have been two authentic DNA confirmations of the NZ moose this century. Only last year I encountered fresh browse and fresh moose scent in the Hauroko Burn.
Eventually
someone's hard work will pay off with authenticated footage of one of these
'gentle giants'. Of course everyone involved hopes it will be their photos
which reveal this strange carry-over from an ancient era lurking in the
primeval forests of
Meanwhile you can find Charlie's two fine articles here:
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/104071821/there-are-signs-moose-still-live-in-nzs-wilderness
See also my posts, eg here:
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/the-lure-of-the-moose/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/from-dawn-to-dusky-day-2/
25/05/2018: The Great Martian War 2013, a ‘must watch’: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zq_YrXmx9Gw
25/05/2018: The Infantilising of Society: This will not end well: ‘A society in which it becomes the norm for 40-year-olds to climb the stairs every night to their childhood bedroom, the same one that once had the teddy-bear wallpaper and the Thomas the Tank Engine coverlet, will not be a world that makes men, or women, in any meaningful sense of those terms…We've created a world in which a 37-year-old Italian male can stroll into a singles bar, tell the chicks he lives at his mom and dad's place in the same bedroom he's slept in since he was in grade school—and nobody laughs. Though they would have at any other point in human history’: https://www.steynonline.com/8670/the-land-of-the-middle-aged-child
24/05/2018:
A Cure for Slippery Mats: I have
just spent a couple of weeks sleeping on my new Big Agnes AXL Air mat in
(The dogs as you can see will not agree to being left behind again!)
Before you begin on anything more complex remember the problem can just be caused by an over inflated pad. For best comfort and stability the pad should be inflated just enough to keep your bum from touching the ground. That way your body sinks into the mat, making it comform to your shape. That is the secret of a comfy night’s sleep anyway.
The second secret to a perfect mat is to have it just about the length (and width) of your body. Any part of the mat which sticks out from your body will just fill with air which is not doing anything at all. In fact it is making the mat less comfortable as you will have to inflate it more so that your bum doesn't touch the ground. I recommend shortening your mat to exactly fit your needs. You will also save a couple of ounces doing so.
But ‘if the problem persists’ as they say, then try some of these solutions:
- Roll something like a t-shirt up and put it under your mat beneath your knees. This will stop your bum from sliding down the hill. Eg:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fqlup8pgM7U
- Or put it on the mat (just like a garment at the top to create friction): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kpZTf8_NS-k
- Add strategic dots or lines of seam sealer to the mat : https://www.backpacker.com/gear/how-can-i-stop-sliding-off-my-sleeping-pad
- Add a Gossamer gear Thin light pad – this will also increase the ‘R-rating- of your setup a bit.
- Add a piece of anti slip grid matting approx 9 x 12 (such as you can buy from caravan stores) just below your bum.
- Thermarest non slip fabric spray such as this https://www.amazon.com/Performix-075815100139-Super-Fabric-Spray/dp/B000UDCC8K Thermarest used to sell a proprietary product which apparently worked well and lasted for years. You may still be able to find some.
I would be a bit careful using such spray ons. Check them out on some cheap fabric first. Ideally you will want one which just makes the material of your pad slightly tacky (without increasing weight) and without attracting dirt! You will also want one which does not harm the pad.
See Also:
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/modifyingshortening-hiking-mats/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/adding-down-to-a-sleeping-bag/
24/05/2018: Fewer than half of Australians want the ABC – that is how bad it has become: http://joannenova.com.au/2018/05/one-third-of-australia-wants-public-abc-spending-cut-14-cents-a-day-but-not-worth-it/
24/05/2018: We should stop paying the Danegeld, as Rudyard Kipling explains:
Dane-geld A.D. 980-1016:
IT IS always a temptation to an armed and agile nation
To call upon a neighbour and to say: –
"We invaded you last night – we are quite prepared to fight,
Unless you pay us cash to go away."
And that is called asking for Dane-geld,
And the people who ask it explain
That you've only to pay 'em the Dane-geld
And then you'll get rid of the Dane!
It is always a temptation for a rich and lazy nation,
To puff and look important and to say: –
"Though we know we should defeat you,
we have not the time to meet you.
We will therefore pay you cash to go away."
And that is called paying the Dane-geld;
But we've proved it again and again,
That if once you have paid him the Dane-geld
You never get rid of the Dane.
It is wrong to put temptation in the path of any nation,
For fear they should succumb and go astray;
So when you are requested to pay up or be molested,
You will find it better policy to say: --
"We never pay any-one Dane-geld,
No matter how trifling the cost;
For the end of that game is oppression and shame,
And the nation that plays it is lost!"
24/05/2018: Vikings in
23/05/2018: Lentil and Bacon Soup: Here is a simple tasty lentil soup (for those who don't like curry) made entirely from dry ingredients. I made some up for my lunch today and found it pleasant but perhaps a bit strong tasting. Next time i will go easier on some of the stronger ingredients such as the onion and garlic powder and the tomato puree. Still, it makes a meals big enough for two for just a few cents and is very light to carry.
To 3 1/2 cups of water add:
i cup red lentils14o grams Hormel bacon pieces
2 teaspoons onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
1 sachet Continental garden vegie cupasoup (or similar)
1 50 gram sachet of tomato puree (or 1/2 sachet of tomato cupasoup)
4 teaspoons milk powder
Bring to the boil then simmer for 10 minutes stirring occasionally
Enjoy!
See Also:
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/a-hiking-food-compendium/
18/05/2018: A remarkable Australian: http://www.michaelsmithnews.com/2018/05/a-matter-of-trust-australias-z-special-forces-and-borneos-dayak-people.html
17/05/2018: Car-Camper Conversion: $50: We have recently been on a car camping holiday in Scotland where we wanted to stay away from people as much as possible on such a crowded island, and save on accommodation costs by sleeping in the rental car wherever we could find a pleasant spot. The car we hired turned out to be a VW Golf which you might think would be a tad small for this purpose, but when the front seats are all the way forward and flipped over there is over 6' of room. All that was needed was to create a platform to fill up the well in front of the rear seats once they were folded down into the stowage position.
A 4' x 2' x 1/2" sheet of plywood from the local hardware and a few short lengths of 3" x 2" were all that was needed to create a platform with two legs which would support our weight. I had my trusty Fiskars pruning saw for this purpose and a $10 hammer. Then it was only a matter of rolling out the hiking mats and sleeping bags - and Voila! Our bedroom for the night. I just used some 3" flat head nails to assemble this but you could use the nail holes as guide holes for screws if you wanted a more secure permanent structure
Just make the platform like this:
Pop it down like this. We packed some flattened cardboard boxes behind so we did not feel the 1/2" drop.
And there we are, as cosy as. There was plenty of room too stow all our gear while we slept. We quickly got into a routine of knowing where everything went, and could be quickly in/out of bed and making a cuppa in the front seat with the car heater on those frosty mornings. We did not have to worry about rain/wind carrying off our small hiking tent or being bothered by strangers.
Detail of the window flaps:
Leaving about a 1"gap:
Then
we were able to find some lovely private spots - complete with: 'A Flask
of Wine, a Book of Verse —
and Thou Beside me singing in the Wilderness —
And Wilderness is
The
Should be some wild otters along here any minute. Plenty of trout anyway:
This
is where the other 'free campers' stop (on the
We
also carried a Sakura
peltier-type cooler bag which kept our food and drinks
adequately cool and we have a couple of gas burners for cooking and warming
water for a Sea to Summit portable shower. I also
cut down a 6' x 4' poly tarp into two pieces for standing on when we are
getting changed and two strips to keep the rain out of the windows when we have
them open about an inch of a night. All of this works very well. It is
astonishingly easy to find free, private spots to spend the nights even in an
island as crowded as the
15/05/2018: These popular courses underline what is wrong with 'education' today. Read the review then get some: https://www.city-journal.org/html/great-courses-great-profits-13393.html
07/05/2018: For the whole of my life fusion has
remained ‘just around the corner’, but one day it will be here, and what a
game-changer it will be: http://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/20289/china-touts-fusion-progress-as-new-details-on-lockheed-martins-reactor-emerge
07/05/2018: The Left’s ‘march through the
institutions’ has just turned on the CWA. The ‘C’ apparently now means ‘City’
or ‘Commie’: https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/blogs/tim-blair/country-womens-association-becoming-commie-womens-association/news-story/daa979351e85aa4e9190308533d004fb Fortunately they have failed for now: https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/blogs/tim-blair/cultural-appropriation-city-folk-who-identify-as-country/news-story/0bf02b6c7d328c322fd936e814ee46b0
07/05/2018: If you thought that there was one iota of
science left in the CSIRO, think again as it now employs witch doctors: https://quadrant.org.au/witch-doctor-will-see-now/
06/05/2018: Hello Possums: As Dame Edna would say...just installed some security cameras. This one shows our front gate. Pretty much as soon as it got dark our wild critters got very busy: one fox, two ringtails, two brushtails, two rabbits. Who know what will turn up as time goes by: https://youtu.be/BDcQRD4e-_s/
So Brer Fox hasn't eaten all of them after all!
06/05/2018: 21 Great Questions: https://quadrant.org.au/opinion/qed/2018/05/twenty-one-times/
06/05/2018: Forget the Russians, ‘
06/05/2018: Will we run out of sand: http://joannenova.com.au/2018/05/climate-change-causes-beaches-to-grow-by-3660-square-kilometers/
05/05/2018: A Career in Whale Dissection: https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/how-anatomists-dissect-whales
05/05/2018: After 8 years of schooling (all that my parents had – yet they were highly literate) the majority of students today are illiterate and innumerate. More Gonskis is not what we need. Larger classes taught by competent teachers and corporal punishment would be more likely to help. Of course the Left's solution is to scrap the test: https://www.dailywire.com/news/30102/failing-majority-8th-graders-public-schools-are-ryan-saavedra Another interesting read: https://quadrant.org.au/opinion/qed/2018/05/gonski-guaranteeing-generation-dolts/ & https://quadrant.org.au/opinion/qed/2018/05/gonski-education-then-and-now/
05/05/2018: Can there be any point in allowing such
people to continue to live in
05/05/2018: Meanwhile in the Northern Hemisphere, the coldest April since 1895: https://wattsupwiththat.com/2018/04/26/likely-coldest-april-since-1895-u-s-farmers-delay-planting-crops/ & http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2018/04/26/delingpole-earth-in-greatest-two-year-cooling-event-in-a-century-shock/ & https://wattsupwiththat.com/2018/04/27/some-major-u-s-cities-headed-for-coldest-april-in-recorded-history/
04/05/2018: These Jeans Will Outlive You: These jeans are 52% Dyneema which as everyone knows is stronger than steel. It is envisaged that you will never wear them out so that their high price of US$275 may well be justified: https://gearjunkie.com/outlier-dyneem-denim-jeans-review & https://shop.outlier.nyc/shop/retail/end-of-worlds.html
You could pair them with this top which is claimed will last a century
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/never-buy-clothes-again/
or these other bits of gear which are also supposed to never wear out – or your money back:
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/woven-dyneema/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/warranties-on-outdoor-gear/
04/05/2018: Some people are just crazy – riding an 80’
wave: https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=30&v=-2jbS7uiCuU
04/05/2018: Colonel Van T. Barfoot won the
Congressional Medal of Honor in World War II.
He also fought the battle vs his local homeowner's association to
erect a flagpole in his front yard: https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=252&v=IckATrrqhMM
04/05/2018: Karl Marx’s 200th Birthday – and
his pernicious influence continues…we must also be close to 200 million people
murdered in his name: https://www.dailywire.com/news/30050/nyt-celebrates-marxs-birthday-op-ed-happy-birthday-ben-shapiro & http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5679069/International-Workers-Day-rally-Trafalgar-Square-features-banners-Stalin.html
03/05/2018: P.J.O”Rourke is wonderful (as usual) on the Parallel Universe that is Leftist politics: https://www.weeklystandard.com/pj-orourke/the-parallel-nyt-universe-where-hillary-is-president-and-yet-everything-is-still-terrible
03/05/2018: Nepalese Roads: http://twistedsifter.com/videos/dangerous-waterfall-road-in-nepal-pov/
03/05/2018: Bizarre
enough? https://www.sadanduseless.com/hairy-chins/
02/05/2018: The Littlest Hiker: My grandson
They are also particularly susceptible to ‘I Spy,’ ‘pick up sticks’ and ‘skipping stones’. Games of all sorts make life more fun no matter your age. Never forget the ‘little hiker’ in yourself! They will want to stop and look more than you usually do. The world is a newer place for them. It is a worthwhile trick for you to relearn too. There really is no reason to hurry. The journey is everything!
A
jolly song will raise the spirits and keep them tramping happily along the
trail. Here are some of
Lightweight gear is specially important for tiny hikers. They can carry their own stuff, but keep it light and make it fun! For example, they will particularly enjoy lighting a fire. Knowing how to do so may save their lives one day, so do not stint on this game. A pack of marshmallows to roast on a stick might be a good thing to have in your pocket, apart from a cigarette lighter. PS: Always carry an umbrella. Rain is much more fun from under a roof!
Della:
'This week Steve has been putting the finishing touches to one of the
ultralight tents he has been designing and making. Here is little
PS: This is my Silgloo Tent now with a bathtub floor. Here it is in use.
02/05/2018: Please Mr Turnbull, I want .08c/KWh
electricity too: There is as much as 6,000 megawatts available right now. That
will do until we can build a dozen new coal fired stations: http://joannenova.com.au/2018/05/gamechanger-chinese-crypto-miners-can-get-8c-cheap-electricity-in-australia-using-old-coal/
02/05/2018: Unbelievable: http://www.michaelsmithnews.com/2018/05/10000-scholarships-for-africans-on-offer-paid-for-by-julie-bishops-dfat.html
02/05/2018: You have a lot to look forward to! I am
certainly happier at 60+: NB To really enjoy these years you need to ramp
up your physical activity: particularly leg work, strength and endurance – use
it or lose it: https://nypost.com/2018/04/28/science-proves-that-happiness-begins-at-50/
01/05/2018: Ultralight Rain Gear: Our new Montbell raincoats and umbrellas have arrived just in time for testing on an upcoming trip. The two shown are Dellla's (modelled by our daughter, Merrin) in front of our Siligloo tent which we have been making a bathtub floor for. The coat is the Versalite Women's Medium (colour Mallard) which weighs 160 grams (on our scales). It s claimed waterproofness is 30,000 and breathability 43,000. Della is very pleased with it. It will save her a couple of hundred grams off her pack weight. Some of that saving will be taken up (on some trips) by her Ultralight Trekking Umbrella at 128 grams.
I have a matching jacket (Burgundy Mens XL = 200 grams) and an 'emergency' umbrella, their Travel Umbrella at 86 gram. Unbelievable. Yet durable too! It is a magical piece of gear which as to be seen to be believed - but a real life saver if you are ever stuck outside for a protracted period in freezing rain - something which can happen at any time of the year given the right (wrong) circumstances.
These
items come highly recommendedby lots of other folk. We have heaps of other Montbell gear
including their
Ultralight Super Super Stretch Spiral Down Hugger #3 sleeping
bags, Superior Down vests and coats,and Thermawrap vests and coats for example.
Their gear has always been just about the lightest, best priced, and best gear
we have found. The items are available in
We can now have fun hiking in the rain.
01/05/2018: Worst Gonski Yet: One of the chief
failings of poor teachers is undoubtedly inadequate lesson preparation, which
was exacerbated by increased teaching loads as class sizes fell. Reducing class
sizes to one can only mean no time at all for preparation. Gonski is an idiot.
Instead of spending more money on education we should spend less (as other
better performing countries already do), increase class sizes, get rid of poor
performing teachers and give the remaining good teachers enough time to do the
necessary preparation and marking. Allow them to discipline unruly students
(with corporal punishment if necessary). And reward those good teachers with
better salaries and superannuation. Here is one of the problems though: https://quadrant.org.au/magazine/2018/04/teaching-history-nothing/ ‘Many who
emerge with a Bachelor of Arts degree rightly earn and confirm the poor
reputation that degree now confers. They come out knowing nothing, and many
plunge black into the schools, this time as teachers, to pass on nothing. It is
a depressing sort of carousel…Our past does not exist purely to justify our
present preoccupations. It must be learned for its own sake, and a study of
history, properly accomplished, is a moral mission as much as a mental one. As
01/05/2018: No hope for/from Vic police. My advice:
barricade your home and arm yourself: http://www.michaelsmithnews.com/2018/04/idahobit-for-lgbti-is-vicpols-focus-today-marauding-african-gangs-not-so-much.html & http://www.michaelsmithnews.com/2018/04/victoria-police-are-out-of-control.html
01/05/2018: Maybe this is another reason Kim is now
pro peace: His nuclear test facility has collapsed: https://legalinsurrection.com/2018/04/chinese-geologists-report-that-north-korea-nuclear-test-site-collapsed//#more
30/04/2018: The greatness
of others can uplift us all. The astonishing story of Maximilian Kolbe is a
case in point: https://quadrant.org.au/magazine/2018/04/love-creative/
30/04/2018: I wrote this back in 2013. Alas, nothing has changed: ‘Immigration exceeds live births. Miscarriage and abortion taken together also exceed live births. Something is definitely wrong here. This is not a sensible population policy!’
30/04/2018: Is this the beginning of the next ice age: http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2018/04/26/delingpole-earth-in-greatest-two-year-cooling-event-in-a-century-shock/
29/04/2018: Things you didn’t know about the Darling, ‘from …(1885) until 1960, the Darling ran dry at Menindee 48 times…48 times in 75 years.’: https://quadrant.org.au/opinion/qed/2018/04/new-song-darling/
29/04/2018: Horrifying examples of how communists (and
worse!) have taken over the ‘education’ system. We should stop paying for this
rubbish: https://www.facebook.com/FilmYourMarxistProfessors/
29/04/2018: The Pension Crisis is Far Worse Elsewhere, not
that we should ignore it. Here the worst excesses are no doubt in local
government (local government salaries often exceed rates; sometimes pension
entitlements alone do): https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2018-04-26/pension-crisis-worse-you-think
28/04/2018: Ultralight Bathtub Floor: I have made an ultralight bathtub floor for my Siligloo tent in preparation for a trip we are soon taking. It replaces the piece of spinnaker fabric we have been using, adding less than 50 grams. You will remember that the Siligloo Tent weighed 385 grams when I made it. I have added some extra guys against really inclement weather which add less than 20 grams. This floor weighs less than 150 grams, so the total for the tent including stakes is less than 600 grams, but as you can see it is really huge! When I am bush camping I usually just use a couple of bush poles for tent poles.
This is how I sewed and arranged the eight corners. 1 1/4" in and 2" down. Once the gear is in it will work very well.
The sides sit up off the ground nicely without pulling the tent in at all.
You can see how much room there is with the two pads inside. The one on the right is the Thermarest Neoair Womens.The one on the left is my new Big Agnes Insulated AXL Air Pad (300 grams) and 3 3/4" thick! This is the most comfortable hiking pad i have ever owned. I could still cut it down by 6" to save 30 grams.
You can easily reduce the height of both poles if it comes in to rain. This will make sure you stay dry no matter how much rain thee is. I see no reason for doors - just something to go wrong. or insect netting. A head net and some insect repellent is all you need.
Just a couple of bush poles makes us happy anyway. Canoeing the Wonnangatta recently.
28/04/2018: Bizarre Haircuts I have known: https://www.facebook.com/InTheKnowPresentsAOL/videos/1816018058700693/UzpfSTEyMDcxODcxNzM6MTAyMTcwNjQyNTE4MTc1OTY/
28/04/2018:
28/04/2018: Interesting: Is nuclear the perfect partner
to renewable: https://wattsupwiththat.com/2018/04/25/balancing-nuclear-and-renewable-energy/
27/04/2018: Tax Cuts: Our two major parties seem to
be vying over which can deliver the ‘biggest tax cuts’, all of which is baloney
given our continuing ballooning debt and that both are driving the nation into
non-existence eg with their crazy energy and immigration policies. Meanwhile
neither has a policy to reform the Senate so that a government ‘we the people’
elect can actually do what they promised us they would. All this presents a
huge opportunity for a ‘new’ force’ to emerge in our politics which will sweep
them both away – as has happened already in the
27/04/2018: Lord Monkton is awesome: Goodbye
‘global warming’ . Hello the gaol cell for those who fraudulently advocated for
it: https://wattsupwiththat.com/2018/04/24/did-official-climatology-know-its-predictions-were-nonsense/
27/04/2018: Frankly I am sick of the ridiculously
Leftist path that Leunig has gone down. Once he used to be funny. Back in
the late 70’s and early 80s I used to look forward to the release of each of his
new collections. The adventures of Mr Curly and his duck had me laughing so my
sides woulds split, but no longer, alas.
26/04/2018: Della’s New Camera: ‘Trying out my new camera today in the gloriously warm autumn light. Thank you Steve Jones for the great Mother's Day gift, and for allowing me to play with it ahead of time! The first pic was snapped on auto through the maple branches in our garden. No filter, only the warm glow of the autumn sun. Nice job, Panasonic TZ90! The second one does allow a little tweak with a Google filter to heighten the contrast and looks a little more special, I think. So, having tried auto mode, tomorrow I will play with the camera's 30x optical zoom...no privacy for the Jeeralang bird-life now!’ (Della) We can look forward to a veritable visual feast now!
26/04/2018: Fuyu: ‘Our Fuyu persimmon tree is loaded this year. The birds have started feasting on them so we picked the ripest and will finish them off inside. The tree is a young one so we haven't had enough of them to beat the birds before. They are firm but still edible at this stage, so hoping that they will ripen satisfactorily inside despite being picked earlier than optimal!’ (Della) We are going to try putting them in the fridge to keep them from spoiling, just taking out a couple each day to ripen on the window ledge.
26/04/2018: Honey Sticks:
Young Honey loves sticks. This one clearly
won't fit through the doggy door! Spot is trying to tell her as much!
26/04/2018: Why do I love my garden? Well, one of
the many reasons is that it is full of memories of wonderful fellow gardeners.
Today's pumpkin harvest is a perfect example! These are called "Greg's
pumpkins", a variety developed by Greg Roberts and given to me by Claire
Roberts 2 autumns ago to make a batch of pumpkin soup. They were so delicious
that I kept some seeds with the intention of planting my own. The seeds are
(typically) still in a jar but the excess seed waste must have survived in the compost bin and struck after I spread
compost on the asparagus bed last spring. So here they are today, ripe
pumpkins, a reminder of the late Greg's daily pleasure and industry in his own
beautiful garden! And whilst picking them and thinking of Greg, my thoughts
wandered amongst other keen gardeners who are also sadly missed but whose
memories are a constant presence in the garden plants they have given to me:
Mrs Sawyer who owned our farm from around 1900 to the late 1960s and planted
our treasured plum trees, our "helicopter tree" and our "naked
lady" and snowflake bulbs; Marg Davies from Tarwin Lower whose potato vine
has been a dominant feature of the garden for over 25 years; John Snell, whose flowering
dogwood, mock orange and violets are beautiful reminders of his joy in gardens.
A garden, you see, does not belong to just one person: It is a sum of all its
parts, and carries in its life force the memories and spirits of all who
contributed to its abundance and beauty.
Thanks, Greg Roberts, for the pumpkins and the
memories!
26/04/2018: Oh
Dear, those wonderful green light bulbs may be giving us all cancer, ‘Results obtained for both
cities show that participants exposed to higher levels of blue light had a 1.5
and 2-fold higher risk of developing breast and prostate cancer’: https://wattsupwiththat.com/2018/04/25/study-light-from-energy-saving-leds-may-be-giving-us-cancer/
26/04/2018:
26/04/2018: Maybe you were asking the wrong question,
maybe you were the wrong person asking the question: ‘At
Would you go out with me tonight?
Would you come over to my apartment tonight?
Would you go to bed with me tonight?’
https://pjmedia.com/lifestyle/12-crazy-sex-facts-didnt-know/
25/04/2018: Rayfish
Footwear: Another one for the ‘animal libbers’ to fret about: Growing your own
personalized leather sneakers: https://www.rayfish.com/store
& https://www.nextnature.net/projects/rayfish-footwear/
& https://www.nextnature.net/2012/12/the-rise-and-fall-or-rayfish-footwear/
25/04/2018:
25/04/2018: I
am clearly not alone in being a ‘racist’! 64% of Australians believe
the rate of immigration is too high. This is a surprising majority given the
large percentage of Australians who were themselves (or their parents) born
overseas. The present rate is undesirable and unaffordable. Normal families
have just the numbers of children they can reasonably afford themselves. The
Australian ‘family’ has been ‘choosing’ to add too many people too quickly. No
other country has (ever) done so. There is immense danger of a loss of national
cohesion, if not a loss of national identity altogether. We must cut back - to
well under 100,000 per year, probably closer to 50,000 for some years until the
large numbers who have come in recent years are properly settled in and their
effects on the country ‘normalized’:http://www.essentialvision.com.au/category/essentialreport Or maybe it’s 74%: http://tapri.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/TAPRI-survey-19-Oct-2017-final-3.pdf & http://www.news.com.au/finance/economy/australian-economy/sydneys-population-grows-by-100000-for-the-first-time-as-locals-leave-to-make-way-for-immigrants/news-story/8c8253a8159d8ddf66d190e7478fcbf9
24/04/2018: Project
Freedom. Now is the time to end welfare. Turnbull claims to have
created 400,000 jobs a year but there are still 740,000 on unemployment
benefits – apparently all the jobs went to immigrants! https://www.city-journal.org/html/project-freedom-15831.html
24/04/2018: Save
The Earth: Chop Down Redwoods, Use Plastic Bags, And Eat GMOs: http://dailycaller.com/2018/04/22/earth-day-redwoods-plastic-bags-gmos/
24/04/2018: This
will have the animal libbers in a spin -Man 'killed heron to save duckling': http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-43555366
23/04/2018: Life lessons from reading Thucydides and hiking at night: https://www.city-journal.org/html/footsteps-brasidas-15824.html
23/04/2018: I usually don’t watch Youtubes, but I did watch this
one of Pauline’s. After doing so I am not ashamed to say, she has my support.
PS: She is also a very good shot! https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=410&v=55JsT1Dcw40
23/04/2018: Israel: Imagine a nation that takes up
less space than the state of New Jersey producing 22% of the world’s Noble Prize
winners, which is a whopping 11,250% above the statistical probability: https://unitedwithisrael.org/watch-how-can-such-a-tiny-country-break-so-many-records/ & https://mosaicmagazine.com/picks/2018/04/israels-success-has-surprised-everyone/
22/04/2018: Rube Goldberg: If you
haven’t encountered his machines you have lived a poorer life: https://www.timesofisrael.com/though-he-was-no-inventor-rube-goldbergs-machines-made-him-a-household-name/ & https://www.digitaltrends.com/cool-tech/best-rube-goldberg-machines/ & https://www.rubegoldberg.com/artwork/send-late-stayer-home/?c=45
22/04/2018: This is what the Greens
predicted in the 1970s for the 1980s and beyond – pretty much the end of the
world. Their predictions have been completely wrong and continue to be so.
Life on earth is getting better and better pretty much for everyone and
everything: https://wattsupwiththat.com/2018/04/21/18-examples-of-the-spectacularly-wrong-predictions-made-around-the-first-earth-day-in-1970/
22/04/2018: The latest green lie,
‘Somewhere far away a lonely seagull died. It is your fault and you must
suffer. Everything you want and do must be banned’: https://wattsupwiththat.com/2018/04/20/britain-to-ban-disposable-plastic-cotton-buds-drink-stirrers-drinking-straws/
22/04/2018: Trees and
Tree Guards: This is a genius idea of Rowan Reid’s for cheaply planting
trees in sheep paddocks. It will also protect them from wallabies. You can
plant cuttings of willow/poplar for example in situ and clearly you will have a
pretty decent sized tree in twelve months time particularly if you start with a
large cutting in autumn.
The idea is simply a plastic tube (which comes in a roll)
supported by a length of ¾” PVC electrical conduit and a couple of cable ties.
Apparently stapling the guard to a short stake on the opposite side (bottom) to
the conduit will improve air flow and prevent fungal damage from high humidity.
Because the guard is flexible sheep will not rub on it or stand
on their hind legs to eat the tree which quickly grows out the top. Per tree
this method initially costs only a couple of dollars – but the conduit can be
used numerous times. I am off tomorrow to get some evergreen willow cuttings to
plant my first 100 trees with using this method. This time next year I will
show you how well they went.
See Also:
http://www.agroforestry.net.au/main.asp?_=Tree%20Guards
http://www.nufg.org.au/nufg_visits_the_otway_ranges.htm
21/04/2018: Who Reads What Paper?
Great Spoof, but not far off the mark: http://pickeringpost.com/glance/who-reads-what-/8241
21/04/2018: The ban on climbing Ayers
Rock is absurd and its rationale invented like many other recently
discovered ‘aboriginal traditions’ (think ‘welcome to country’ and ‘smoking
ceremonies’). It should not occur: https://quadrant.org.au/magazine/2018/04/banon-climbing-ayers-rock-immoral-illegal/
21/04/2018: Defending the concept of
‘free speech’ means we have to tolerate sick f—ks like this one who gloated
over Barbara Bush’s death, but do they really have to be tenured
Professors? It is a sad reflection on the deplorable state of what passes for
‘education’ and ‘statism’ in general. If this person really had to earn a
living in the real world I misdoubt she would be so fat: https://www.dailywire.com/news/29598/situation-involving-fresno-state-professor-gets-ryan-saavedra & https://pjmedia.com/trending/mocking-dead-women-wrong-unless-theyre-republicans/
20/04/2018: More Bird Brained Things: I have been making Della a non-fouling pigeon waterer. Given the huge number of people who are pigeon fanciers you would think such a thing would be widely available from pigeon suppliers but we have never been able to find one. I have made up two here out of some PVC guttering, a float valve and some hinges. I have used the metal gutter supports to sit them on. The bottoms are easy enough (just glue and drill) , but the lid needs you to cut down the guttering slip the cut off piece inside and rejoin it with pop rivets. You also have to cut down the end caps. An angle grinder makes this easy. You can just lift it out for cleaning every now and then I have spaced the drinking holes 3" apart which seems to work well..
I made the perch up from a piece of 3" x 1" treated pine and a length of 1/2" dowel. Invisible here are the 2" strip of aluminium flat bar (Bunnings) and galvanised gutter hanger it is sitting on. The hangers are screwed through the aluminium flat bar to the perch so that they fit tightly against the wire. Then you go inside and snip out the wire where the drinking holes are with a pair of side cutters. The perch is sitting out 3" in the centre of the piece of wood. Next one I will place the perch nearer the bottom of the wood for greater comfort. The birds took to it right away - which is unusual for pigeons who are usually desperately wary of novel things.
I have used a Pressure Reducer to decrease the chance that the hose will burst:
Pope brand Poly Pressure Reducer available Bunnings A$10.24 (April 2018). They come in 100 and 300 kPa
See Also:
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/self-cleaning-pet-water-bowl/
20/04/2018: Self
Cleaning Pet Water Bowl: I posted this back in 2013 but somehow it did not make
it to theultralighthiker It is a self-cleaning pet water bowl. It is a
modification of a small animal watering 'trough' which you can buy at many
rural supplies stores in
I
have used a ¾” ‘
This has worked well for messy birds (such as Della’s Dusky Lorikeets) and would also be good as a dog waterer on the verandah. We have had it installed in Della's lorikeet cage for five years now. Obviously the timer is on the outside of the cage so the birds don't interfere with it, so there is a bit of pipework (both in and out) not shown in the photo.
It has worked flawlessly to keep these exceedingly messy birds' water pristine. I set it to flush 4-6 times a day for a couple of minutes each time. These 'cheap' timers have needed to be replaced a couple of times - mostly because lorikeets keep tossing all sorts of objects into their water bowls!
Key features:
The microjet outlets (without caps) swirl the rubbish out of the bowl - much like flushing a toilet.
What
you see here is a short section of rubber tube to join the
A$20 (2013) timer
A Pressure Reducer might prevent the hose from ever bursting:
Pope brand Poly Pressure Reducer available Bunnings A$10.24 (April 2018). They come in 100 and 300 kPa
See Also:
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/more-bird-brained-things/
20/04/2018:
Why has socialism always
failed: https://capx.co/you-cant-argue-against-socialisms-100-per-cent-record-of-failure/
20/04/2018: Move over Thelma and Louise; you are no match for the new worm-farm grannie: http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/ct-minnesota-grandmother-killer-20180417-story.html
20/04/2018: When even Treasury cannot find a single needle in the haystack of high immigration, it is long since time to throttle it back: https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/blogs/andrew-bolt/dud-report-treasury-fails-on-immigration/news-story/2e56a6177bff61bbd0c5b14123915bdf
19/04/2018:
Those Viking Women Really
Were Tough: https://nypost.com/2017/09/08/viking-skeletons-dna-test-proves-historians-wrong/ PS: This should turn feminist studies
and the ‘theory’ of ‘The Patriarchy’ on its head!
19/04/2018:
Can’t Do the Maths: You
probably realized long ago that folks became ‘environmental scientists’ because
they could not pass the High School Maths to qualify for a real science course.
So too the great majority of so-called ‘climate scientists’. And the greens –
well, they are very lucky of they can chew gum and walk at the same time let
alone do maths. Well, hang on, they would probably find ‘gum’ environmentally
unacceptable – and have troubles of all sorts with the wrappers including
getting them off! This guy can do the maths. How long would it take for us to
melt
19/04/2018:
What a great idea, I don’t
think. Soon we will all be able to make a living taking in each other’s dirty
laundry: ‘The $22 billion
taxpayer-funded National Disability Insurance Scheme was responsible for as
many as 52,000 of the new jobs created last year’ https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/blogs/andrew-bolt/rudd-says-he-did-have-big-idea/news-story/52a31fd6cc8b74a70e53b221ef74d5a5
17/04/2018:
16 April 1746: The
17/04/2018:
Running on empty: How
long before this national crisis bites us on the bum. Seriously, the main
reason we even have a Government is to protect us (even if that means sometimes
protecting us from ourselves), but clearly anyone wanting to conquer
17/04/2018:
The ultimate ‘feminist’
solution: they could put this stiff in the water: https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/6064585/man-dumps-girlfriend-is-now-gay-after-taking-pregablin-lyrica-broken-foot/ No. Wait.
No ‘real’ man drinks water anyway. They should put it in the beer!
17/04/2018: Another near miss: ‘With little warning, a relatively large asteroid flew through the Earth-Moon system on April 15th only 192,200 km (0.5 Lunar Distance) from our planet.’ https://wattsupwiththat.com/2018/04/15/nasa-previously-unknown-asteroid-nearly-misses-earth-today/
16/04/2018:
‘Hunting Desperadoes’: I have been a deer hunter for nearly 40 years.
Spotlighting deer was outlawed in 1975 yet there are still drongos endangering
the public and breaking the law in this fashion but these evil scum knocking a
man down on a country road and leaving him to die are too vile to contemplate.
There would likely have been at least two of them in the car. One of these evil
cowards should long ago have come forward to take his punishment. They should
lock these guys up and throw away the keys. Not only do they bring the hunting
community into disrepute, they shame the entire human race: http://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/real-life/news-life/cryptic-last-words-of-man-killed-in-hit-and-run-lead-police-to-illegal-deer-hunters/news-story/1035d4177cf39c15523d33bd39a12ce2
16/04/2018:
Doing ‘good’: ‘
16/04/2018:
Another hilarious Green death. These folk will keep the Darwin Awards going
yet-a-while: https://nypost.com/2018/04/14/activist-lawyer-burned-himself-to-death-to-protest-global-warming/
15/04/2018: The Deer Hunter’s Apprentice #1: I’ll probably never stop taking in stray kittens even though I tell myself I will, and know that all the love and care you lavish on them is only preparation for the day they meet their ultimate roadside, still…
Over the years I have taken dozens and dozens of aspiring youngsters deer-hunting, and practically every day I receive a message seeking advice, or asking me to recommend a spot or to take someone somewhere. Mostly I don’t, (‘No company is better than bad company’ – as I’ve said before) but sometimes I weaken. So, I have been up the bush for a week with a young fellow keen to learn a thing or two about hunting deer.
My thanks to another 'apprentice' who sent me this beautiful photo - just about the best sambar photo I have ever seen:
I frequently get messages like this, for example, ‘I've gotten into going after sambar. I found tons of fresh deer tracks, droppings and beds. Followed tracks for hours, searched east facing slopes in mornings and near creeks in the arvo but couldn't find any deer. I was just wondering if you could give me a tip or two about what you look for once you know a deer is in the area/you've found fresh sign? Also what do you think I should look for in terms of environment deer would be in?’
I own that I used to be a better teacher (before I gave it up - is it really nearly thirty years ago?). I no longer have/had so much patience or good humour I guess - and now I have become over-fond of my own company. Mine and a Jack Russell or two (or my wife, Della) at most I guess, and maybe one or two of the truly great story-tellers on the e-reader on my phone: Dickens or Conrad perhaps?
So, I let someone tag along with me, then forget to talk. Having been alone most of the last thirty years it's no surprise My eyes are used to taking in every clue, my ears every sound (well, nowadays they have to be much louder ones), and my nose drinks in every odour of the bush. Decades ago I developed the ability to track and locate a deer (stags particularly) just by smell, though I usually only do so out of curiosity. I am in an instant transfixed when I catch the pungent scent of stag upwind as has happened so many, many times. I cannot resist the urge to drift up that scent to where he lurks. You should always follow your nose.
So many tips I could have been passing on, but I found myself just silently sliding along through the bush with the young fellow tagging, failing to point out a thousand things he should know. Oh well, I hope he enjoyed the week anyway.
At the outset I just forgot to point out all the browse for example, something that I have long since just taken in ‘on automatic’ so to speak. You know the sort of ‘invisible’ things perhaps. No, not the blackberry browse. Sambar really only browse that when they are relatively short of feed. They have many more favourite things. They suck the fruit from coprosma for example, so it is their absence which stands out. You can see all the fruit missing from just their height.
They love fruit just like most of us, and they adore lush pasture plants such as clover as much as any jumbuk ever birthed. Coprosma branches they run through their mouths, rolling the ruby pea-sized fruits to the back of their tongue as they go. If you are following closely you will sometimes see how the foliage and the prickles even are still damp with their saliva, and how they have dribbled a trail of spilled berries out - like Hansel and Gretel. If you collect a small handful yourself sometime you will soon appreciate why they do so. There are not so many delicious treats in the Victorian bush! 'Prickly' are good. 'Sweet' even better. Coprosma I mean.
But, first things first. I honestly don’t know how to re-train someone to walk quietly. So many folks have spent good money at their local shyster outfitter and have a tonne of expensive gear and a huge hole in their bank balance. (Why I wrote this post recently: http://www.theultralighthiker.com/ultralight-hiking-on-a-budget/). The trouble with that tonne of gear is it makes you a clod-hopper even if you had learned to walk quietly.
You know, starting with those $500 ‘must-have’ ‘bulletproof’ 1 kg ea waterproof (unbelievably - how does anyone come to believe they are going to maintain dry feet deer hunting?) hunting boots for example - which almost certainly will not grip on wet rock, twigs or bark. It’s probably just about impossible to walk quietly in such boots. Please, try not to buy them. If you have a light pair of (non-waterproof) sneakers already, try them out first.
There are almost certainly better ones for the purpose than the ones you already own – but maybe not. At least you are used to them, and know they will not rub! Or fall apart or perhaps tip you on the back of your neck in a twinkling. Probably you also know that they will not weigh like lead when they are a bit wet. I know they will not protect your feet as well, but you should not be hurrying anyway, and you should be paying attention to where you put your feet in the first place.
I suppose you have all seen John Clease’s ‘Silly Walks’ skit from the Monty Python show. Nothing will prepare you better for the knowledge that there really are lots of ways to walk. I am an elderly man now, but unlike other old men I do not totter, shuffle or walk on my heels. You have to some significant spend time at squats, lunges, balancing etc if you are to preserve the strength and flexibility of your legs. Most do not, and it is incredibly apparent.
Do, before it is too late! A couple of hours at day at very least. The saying 'bend your knee to no man' is a falsehood. You should keep your knees bent. indeed never straighten your legs at all. That is what leads to all the problems with knees, hips, back. The infernal jarring of bone on bone because of such a silly habit. Maintain the spring in your step with a knee like a bow!
You should resist the temptation to ‘kick back’ and ‘take things easy’. Whether that leads to an earlier grave is moot, but it will certainly soon limit how interesting and varied your life is. If you want to stay home and bore yourself silly watching TV, go for it! I forsook asking my contemporaries to come hunting or go for long walks, canoe trips etc with me twenty years ago, when they could no longer do so anyway.
(I have to apologise to him for leading this young fellow on several days' walk of 25 km or more each with loaded packs through the trackless bush. I was just not thinking it would tire anyone!) Myself, I would rather my ancient bones glinted in the dappled sunlight under some tree fern in a distant gully than that I died blubbering and drooling back home in bed.
If you have soft light shoes and not too much weight on your back you really should not find it too hard to learn to walk quietly. Well, silently. The main two secrets are: eschew those macho giant strides. Mince. I know short steps might make you feel effeminate. Get over it. Surely you know already what your gender choice is, and do not care a hoot what others might think.
You could also (if you choose) let go that affected baritone voice that has given you a hoarse throat the last thirty years. If anyone thinks you are not ‘manly’ because you are a natural tenor (or higher), that is their problem. Your voice might even become less a monotone if you follow this advice.And you might sing somewhat prettily around the campfire at day's end - if that is your wont!
So, shorter steps lads. Second, and give up that stiff-legged ‘habit’ of walking on your heels. It is why you have sore knees, hips and back anyway – if you are old enough to have ruined them. You have been wearing out your joints by standing on your bones rather than on your muscles. You must learn to creep along on the balls of your feet. 'Dig' your toes in. After a time it will become ‘second nature’.
Spend a little more time paying attention to where you are placing your feet. So much easier if you lead with your toes. You really don’t want to be letting off rifle-shot sounds every other stride by breaking every single branch which lies on your route. If possible, break none! Thinner shoes will help with this. The Topos for example. If you do loudly snap a twig. Stop. Stand totally still for two minutes. Every eye (and ear) is turned in your direction.
Vary your pace. Pause a lot. There is nothing attracts attention to a sound (save its loudness or its juxtaposition, ie its ‘out-of-place-ness’) than its regularity. You must all have heard something crash off in the shrubbery. Didn’t you pay careful attention to that ‘Thump…thump…thump’ to ascertain whether that invisible fleeing creature was a macropod – ie a wallaby or a roo?
And make use of cover. If you haven't noticed the deer doing it yet, you haven't observed many - you know how hard it is to see the deer which just honked at you. Almost to the last whisker s/he is standing stock still behind a tree or bush. So, as you 'scan' a new field of view (emerge from a thicket, come around a corner or over a rise for example) do so slowly so that your eye can take it all in - which takes longer than you think, rather like the 'Where's Wally' children's books!
President Teddy Roosevelt (a truly great hunter – read some of his books) once said ‘speak softly, and carry a big stick.’ If he had been giving advice about hunting rather than foreign policy, he would have said ‘walk softly and carry a big gun’. He gave a speech for over an hour by the way after he was shot once in the chest himself - and survived. Quite a guy. I love the film 'about' him (amongst other things eg Barbary Pirates), 'The Wind and the Lion'. You will too. Watch it. Candice Bergman was delicious! Or Sean Connery too!
BTW: About that gun: It only really needs to be a single shot. One well-placed shot is enough. A single shot rifle will teach you care and patience. Certainly though, you should ‘walk softly’. I use a lever action so that my gun is never loaded, but I can get a shot off very quickly, albeit noisily at need. It will take practice.
Incidentally, the less weight you put on your feet as you set them down, (ie the more you 'glide') the less effort walking is. You will find that you can effortlessly walk twice as far! Emulate that cat. It is a matter of balance which so many folk ignore. The better your balance the fewer falls you will have too.
Hiking
poles play merry hell with one's balance. Walking sticks are a geriatric's tool
really though they certainly make walking easier and prevent falls. Give a pair
to your
Next, just as there are lots of ‘Silly Walks’, there are lots of ways of seeing. Most are just one kind of blindness or another. Some ways of seeing become semi-automatic after a time, so it is hard to explain. For example, in the beginning you will no doubt be paying lots of attention to deer tracks – and other tracks.
An
aside: You know how lots of creatures love the same water-hole. It has ever
been a predator’s strategy to lie in wait by the waterhole (by ‘the great, grey
green greasy
You must have sometime followed a game trail to a watering spot by a lake, creek or river. There you will have found many different sorts of tracks: deer, roos, wombat, birds, goannas, wild dogs etc. I’m sure you have looked carefully at all those wild dog tracks and ascertained that they all have claws. Not one large pad was ever made by a large ‘dog’ with retractable claws – yet folks who rarely venture into the bush are forever seeing ‘black panthers’ – and Yowies! Astonishing!
To continue: An almost irresistible early ‘habit’ is to pay attention to deer tracks, which is natural. Mind you, no-one ever saw a deer by following its tracks. It is just too hard to look in two places at once. It will not be standing in the tracks you are looking at. To see the deer you need to look up! However, you also need to pay attention to which way it went in order to be looking in the right direction. It is a bit of a conundrum!
You will develop the habit of seeing ‘the line’ the deer has taken. It too has its own ‘silly walk. Its stride has a metronomic regularity. You can better tell just how big it is by the length of its stride than the size of its feet. Just like people, the same sized deer have different sized feet, but a deer with a longer stride is obviously a bigger deer. I have followed a deer for several kilometers (because I could not believe it!) whose stride was longer than I could pace – so close to a metre! What a monster!
So, you don’t need to ‘see’ every footprint to perceive the line the deer has taken, and be able to ‘project it forward…so that it either angled this way or that. Oh, up ahead there is a scuff just in the right place there, so look out that way. After a time you will be able to follow the line of tracks without looking down. You have to train your eyes (and yourself) to do this.
A similar sight-training exercise: It should be no surprise that deer (usually) see you first. That’s why the first thing you often ‘notice’ is the deer honking at you (happily) or simply crashing off in the distance (alas). Of course they live in the bush (which you don’t) and have (lots of) predators which you also don’t – else you would have better manners! Deer have the ability to look right through the bush which is largely invisible to them.
You can develop this ability. For example, if you live in a town (poor thing) and have acquired the habit (you should) of every day taking an evening walk, then you are probably walking past a lot of picket fences. Discretely develop the habit of becoming a ‘Peeping Tom’. Yes, seriously. When you are standing still, focus through the cracks or gaps in the fence between the pickets into the people’s yards. Keep looking into the yard and slowly begin walking. You will notice that you can still see into the yard and that the fence has effectively disappeared.
You can do the same thing when you are driving (certainly when you are a passenger) by focusing through the fringe of trees and vegetation which makes up the roadside verge into the paddocks beyond (or through a hedge if you are in the city). After a while you will be able to see the entire contents of the paddock without paying any attention at all to the intervening vegetation. That is what a deer is doing all the time. It is ever looking through the bush.
Once
you have quite mastered this knack. It takes some conscious effort. And will
confound your friends who will think you have developed X-ray vision like Clark
So, two main skills for the deer hunter’s apprentice to practice: walking and seeing. There are many more, but they will have to wait another day…
Oh, and this particular 'deer hunter's apprentice' should understand that the remarks herein were not addressed to him. He is instead the origin of the idea for the article. And, he was good company, and will get to come again!
I will find photos to illustrate this later. So far as I have noticed none of Dickens' or Conrad's book have single pic, but millions have managed to read them. Not that I am comparing myself to them
- Written on a wet afternoon when I had a sore ankle - else I would be out doing. Still, it is clearly now the autumn break, so time to clean up that rifle, break out the kit and plan the next hunting expedition!
Some recent hunting related posts:
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/the-lure-of-the-moose/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/best-hunting-daypack/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/ultralight-cookpot/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/ultimate-blades-for-the-ultralight-hunter/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/crkt-pdk-replacement-blades/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/fire-umbrella/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/are-you-beautiful-in-the-buff/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/a-spot-of-solitude/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/nz-moose/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/follow-your-nose/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/hunting-thumbtack-reflectors/
15/04/2018: Logical errors of anthropomorphism: When a theologian asked famous biologist J.S.Haldane what you could infer about the mind of God from biology he replied, ‘an inordinate fondness for beetles’. There are 33 million species of beetles – more than any other creature (or ‘creation’)! Yet the most common ‘graven image’ of deity is manlike. The great ancient Greek scientist/thinker Heraclitus long ago observed that oxen would make such graven images bovine. Save for a few dozen fragments out of nearly a hundred volumes, his works were all-but destroyed by subsequent fundamentalists…
15/04/2018:
Yesterday’s Men, These Happy Little Elves: https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/blogs/tim-blair/greens-war-ii-the-battle-of-tofu-drift/news-story/0fca8c91d49f96576bbe550c5292895b
15/04/2018:
I am not a sporty person (nor did I vote for ‘marriage equality’) but allowing this obvious man to compete in
women’s events is disgusting: http://pickeringpost.com/story/if-that-s-a-bird-i-m-a-monkey-s-aunty-/8220
14/04/2018: A Blast of a Pack:
I borrowed my son-in-law Matts’s Zpacks Arc Zip just so I could try it out. I loaded it up with about 10kg of stuff I would usually carry for a trip of about a week I guess and went for a five mile (8 km) walk in a local pine forest. Just the other day on our walk there was a beautiful sambar deer and her youngster just standing at the other end of the dam behind me – and do you think I had a camera? Sure. They really are water deer. They love water plants, cumbungi and such. On this occasion I did have my camera.
I guess this is about the lightest frame pack you can get. 595 grams (and 55 litres) in this hybrid cuben fabric which seems plenty tough enough to me, and is a good colour for deer hunting as that orange really stands out to other hunters, but you might chose their larger (62 litre) model one in Dyneems which would weigh 680 grams if you were going on a very long trip or had a lot of meat to carry out for instance.
The 50 litre (539 gram) Arc Scout model would suit Della as it is especially designed for smaller folk. She is just on 5 foot, but their Nero pack at 38 litres and 309 grams might actually suit her better for most trips where she does not need to carry much gear. It would also suit me as an overnight or a day pack.
Have a look here: http://www.zpacks.com/backpacks.shtml
I’m not sure you can see how the mesh panel holds the pack away from your back, so there is some ventilation and you don’t get that dreadful wet hiker’s back. This suspension system also makes the pack very comfortable too. I found the pack tucked right into the small of my back perfectly. I really didn’t need to cinch the waist belt up at all (or the chest strap) to get that weight transfer downwards, which is a truly remarkable piece of design. Congratulations Joe!
I guess you have figured that this is the ‘Zip’ model. I’m sure Joe has chosen nothing but the very best zips, but I am terribly hard on equipment, and chary of zips. I have managed to destroy a number of packs over the years, so I don’t think I would go for a Zip model myself even though no doubt it would be more convenient to load/unload perhaps, especially if you were using it mostly for travel. I am pretty organized with where everything goes in my pack, so that I never need something from the bottom anytime during the day.
This particular version would be extremely waterproof (from rain) though, so that you might not need a pack liner bag – though I always use one anyway against those occasions when you have to swim. Such things happen to me anyway. There is a point of ingress for water where the hydration tube is meant to exit the body of the pack. I never use one, so I might order mine to not have this feature, if possible – or I would tape it over.
You can certainly see the mesh panel here. The panel can be tensioned more or less giving you just the ‘Arc’ your back needs (probably more than I have here). The length can also be adjusted up or down somewhat. Still, your lower back is pressing up against the waterproof back of the pack so that you are going to get damp just there. To prevent this if I was making the pack I would have included a pad pocket such as Gossamer Gear packs have so that I could use their new airflow sit pad to help with the dry back problem.
I think this Zpacks Arc Blast pack design would be just excellent for a deer hunting pack particularly the Dyneema model if you plan to carry a lot of gear – or deer! You can order the ‘Haul’ in orange or green for example – either one would be suitable.
I am personally sorry he has stopped making the original ‘Blast’ pack (which I still have in grey dyneema. With all the ‘bells and whistles’ on it weighs just under 400 grams and totes 54 litres. I have used it on 10 day+ trips where I carried all my own food and gear, finding it more than ample.
Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. Zpacks could have done something like what you see on the pack below (which is a Montane UltraTour 55) – just to ‘dehydrate’ the bits which touch your back.
Here it
is a little closer up.
As you can see the triangle of mesh is enclosed by some kind of super-wicking mesh and is both ridged and impregnated with holes so that the sweat has somewhere else to go. I don’t actually know how well it works. Della has ordered a Montane pack in her size from Backpacking Light which is taking a long time to come from England, so when it does, we shall see.
Nonetheless, I think my son-in-law Matt’s Arc Zip will give him many years of faithful service in the sambar deer forests of Gippsland – and elsewhere. It is certainly very difficult, if not impossible, to find such a well-designed and solidly made pack which weighs in at under 600 grams, will last for years putting up with substantial abuse, is comfortable to carry and capacious. Highly recommended. For myself, well, I don’t need a new pack. Joe’s old ‘Blast’ pack is still going strong after tens of thousands of trail miles. I do, however ‘need’ a new hunting day pack. My old one is looking pretty trashed. This Della, is a hint!
14/04/2018:
Wow! Hubble Finds An
‘Einstein Ring’: https://wattsupwiththat.com/2018/04/13/the-hubble-space-telescope-finds-an-einstein-ring/ How long before they find a Dyson
Sphere: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dyson_sphere
14/04/2018: Della: 'A lovely welcome at our front gate tonight after a counter meal at the local. Poor photo quality due to only having my phone to hand. Tawny Frogmouth? If so, I have heard it on the edge of my sleep for years too numerous to mention, but have never suffered from insomnia, so wandering abroad for the purpose of identification/location never seemed relevant. I love these brief insights into the lives of the creatures who also call our valley home!'
Another
snap sent (by phone) from friends Ian & Debbie Holmes who just dropped in
for a wonderful visit (from North East Vic). Taken on their way home on the
14/04/2018: What a poem (Remember the tune? So Moving)
Rudyard Kipling’s: ‘Recessional’
God
of our fathers, known of old—
Lord of our far-flung battle line—
Beneath whose awful hand we hold
Dominion over palm and pine—
Lord God of Hosts, be with us yet,
Lest we forget—lest we forget!
The
tumult and the shouting dies—
The Captains and the Kings depart—
Still stands Thine ancient sacrifice,
An humble and a contrite heart.
Lord God of Hosts, be with us yet,
Lest we forget—lest we forget!
Far-called
our navies melt away—
On dune and headland sinks the fire—
Lo, all our pomp of yesterday
Is one with
Judge of the Nations, spare us yet,
Lest we forget—lest we forget!
If,
drunk with sight of power, we loose
Wild tongues that have not Thee in awe—
Such boastings as the Gentiles use,
Or lesser breeds without the Law—
Lord God of Hosts, be with us yet,
Lest we forget—lest we forget!
For
heathen heart that puts her trust
In reeking tube and iron shard—
All valiant dust that builds on dust,
And guarding calls not Thee to guard.
For frantic boast and foolish word,
Thy Mercy on Thy People, Lord!
Amen.
12/04/2018: P.J.O’Rourke,
‘Freedom is not empowerment. Empowerment is what the Serbs have in
12/04/2018: 48,000
Britons Died from Cold This Winter. This is the consequence of the Green
energy madness and the closure coal-fired power stations: http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2018/04/09/delingpole-48000-britons-died-of-cold-this-winter-uk-government-praises-climate-policy-which-helped-kill-them/
12/04/2018: Sex Robots Have Rights Too – but should the people who (ab) use them: https://theconversation.com/samanthas-suffering-why-sex-machines-should-have-rights-too-93964
11/04/2018: The Polls: Essential Media has Turnbull losing 80 polls in a row. However if you pursue the polls’ methodology it is hard to see how conservatives could ever win. Now look at the numbers: Lib/Nat 38%. One Nation 8%, Other Independents 7%. I make that perhaps 53% conservative. It is all about how the distribution of preferences works. Mind you I don’t think Turnbull has much of a prayer. Conservatives like myself loathe the man but we loathe Shorten even more. Give us some other choice than Turnbull, and some sensible policies (eg fix the immigration, energy and senate messes) and not only will we swing behind whoever (Dutton/Abbott?) but so will lots of working Australians who are not rusted on conservative voters.All is not lost yet, but Turnbull must go: http://www.essentialvision.com.au/category/essentialreport & https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/blogs/andrew-bolt/dutton-moves-leadership-in-his-sights/news-story/3c569896832c9f8a49f42f62b720a165
11/04/2018: Urban evolution: ‘Two Czech scientists
counted the species of plants in the city of
11/04/2018:
The CO2 effect at current and future percentages is negligible. Not so the
sun’s: https://wattsupwiththat.com/2018/04/09/climate-change-it-was-the-sun-all-along-so-say-the-bulgarians/
10/04/2018: The
What
will best suit most is a jet boat ride down the Wairaurahiri River staying
either at the Wairaurahiri Hut or at the Waitutu Lodge ($30/night + hot
showers). From the Lodge you can spend a few days exploring the bush and the
sea, perhaps venturing on to the Waitutu or
It
is 6 ½ hours walk back to the Rarakau carpark just out of Tuatapere (you can
arrange with the jet boat people to be picked up from the car park). It is 5 ½
hours walk along the beach only if the tide is low with some scrambling over
rocks. You can break your walk with a camp on the grassy edge of
You
can (if you are very intrepid) push on along the beach or through the bush
after Westies Hut (in a sea cave after Big River) all the way to Puysegur Point
lighthouse on Preservation inlet. There is a hut there at Te Oneroa from which
you can explore the C19th ruins of the gold mining town of
After
the Waitutu River you can push on up the Waitutu River to the hut on the
Slaughter Burn and onwards to Lake Poteriteri, thence to Teal Bay on Lake
Hauroko and on to the
Port Craig Schoolhouse.
See also:
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/dusky-south-coast-tracks/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/fiordland-2014-2/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/a-walk-in-fiordland/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/bucket-list-westies-hut/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/fiordland-wairaurahiri-to-rarakau/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/fiordland-wairaurahiri-to-waitutu-part-4/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/westies-hut-topo-map-errors/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/waitutu-forest-fiordland-warm-air-pockets/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/westies-hut/
Other Fiordland Posts
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/insects-can-ruin-a-camping-trip/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/dusky-track-canoeing-the-seaforth/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/dusky-track-adventures-1/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/eddie-herrick-moose-hunting-at-dusky-sound/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/eddie-herrick-moose-hunting-at-dusky-sound/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/a-friend-i-met-on-the-dusky-track-fiordland-nz/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/dusky-south-coast-tracks/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/dreaming-of-the-dusky-track/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/the-dusky/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/moose-hunting/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/fiordland-moose/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/fiordland-moose-2/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/hunting-in-fiordland/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/off-to-fiordland/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/shadowland-fiordland-video/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/the-best-toilet-view-in-the-world/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/10-days-in-fiordland/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/fiordland-2009/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/fiordland-nz-with-bryn/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/fiordland-april-2007/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/weather-for-fiordland/
10/04/2018: Somewear a 3 Ounce Satellite Messenger: These clever folk have rethought the Epirb and Sat communicator with this lightweight device. It functions as a PLB with the touch of an SOS button but it can also send and receive SMS/email messages (up to 160 characters each). Each message also sends your precise geolocation.
It is available on Kickstarter for US299 so it is about $100 dearer say than the Spot PLB (and lighter) and at that price cheaper by about $100 than a Satellite Messenger (and about 100 grams lighter).
You can just wear it attached to your pack (as shown) because it is waterproof (IP7) and shockproof. It has a rechargeable battery which can handle up to 1,000 messages. How long that will last in practice I don't know. I do know that when my Inreach is searching for a signal (in the thick vegetation and mountains I usually inhabit), it really chews through the battery - so that I turn it off and on again when I stop for a spell if I want the battery to last for days. By the same token you can recharge in various ways. I do not know what the capacity of the battery si. For some details we may have to wait for the product release.
The cheapest plan is $12 per month for 10 messages, so cheaper than Inreach but I have my Iridium sat phone on a $10 per month plan, believe it or not! I pay more only when I use it - seldom. You pair Somewear to your phone with an App. There are a number of other interesting features including mapping and emergency information.
I already have the Inreach Messenger which I bought as a backup to my sat phone when I had it fail once – the Service provider had phased out the Sim card without telling me! On that occasion I had to ring the police to assure Della I was OK. Because this device is 100 grams lighter than the Inreach I would probably have chosen it as my fail-safe, if it had existed then. Other gram conscious folk will probably do the same.
One thing I like about the Inreach (in comparison) is that it is a stand alone communicator if you drop and break your phone, whereas this one has no keyboard – but then there is also less to learn! If you broke your phone you would just have the SOS button. Mind you, as it is called a 'Hotspot' I would assume that you could pair it with another phone, so if you were traveling in company you might even share one between two of you (at half the cost!) I think this would be fine if you are hiking popular trails, not so much if you are completely in the wilderness as i usually am.
Naturally you would not press that button if you weren’t in any danger but whoever you normally communicate with wouldn’t know that, so they would worry. That’s why I carry both a sat phone and a communicator, or when Della and I are traveling together each of us carries one of them so we both have a way of communicating with the outside world – or with each other if we become separated, which we do not, but anything can happen. I always venture where there are no trails, or at very least where there are no people so it pays to have secure communication.
I would like to trial this gadget, and would even consider the saving of the 100 grams weight, but as we are retirees and already have the Inreach, I think this is unlikely. As you can see from some of my recent posts, I am always working on cheap ways to save a few grams.
People on a strict budget might consider an emergency CB radio for less than $50. Of course there is no certainty you will get a message out, but some of these devices are multi-band, and there are in many countries repeaters and emergency channels people are listening on. Check before you go.
I definitely think there is a place in the market for this product (particularly for safety conscious couples and gram counters) at the Kickstarter price and that it should do well, but if it should be offered at the suggested price of $450 I am not so sure that folks would not prefer either the Spot or the Inreach. Of course its ruggedness will count.
https://gearjunkie.com/somewear-smallest-two-way-satellite-communications-device-global-hotpsot & https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/124657937/somewear-limitless-communication-built-for-adventu/description
See Also:
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/personal-locator-beacon/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/get-lost-get-found-plbepirb/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/the-poor-mans-satellite-phone/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/the-not-so-poor-mans-sat-phone/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/gotenna/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/emergency-cb-radios/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/backcountry-radio/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/emergency-dial-112/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/epirbs-are-not-taxi-hailers/
10/04/2018:
We need to end our
indiscriminate immigration system for one which discriminates in favour of
10/04/2018: It was clear to me nearly 20 years ago that the temperature record indicated a step change in 1998 (the ‘Super El Nino Year’ which could not be down to CO2 (if it was ‘real’ at all). Now some of that spurious warming has been found in the decaying orbit of one of the satellites: https://wattsupwiththat.com/2018/04/06/uah-finds-a-warming-error-in-satellite-data-lowers-global-temperature-trend-constradicts-ipcc-models/ Of course, emerging from the Little Ice Age (as we have been doing for nearly two centuries) you can expect that each year will be slightly warmer than the last (on average) – that is until we begin to plunge back in to a cooling trend for decades (as we might have already done).
09/04/2018:
Obviously there is water at Venus Bay No 1 Beach - the township is less than 1 km inland from the beach. There are various shops. There are also shops at Tarwin Lower about 5 km away. A walking track joins the two towns.
There is usually permanent water at the Ten Mile Creek before you get to the Arch Rocks. It is often possible to camp amongst the sand dunes inland from the beach. There is plenty of driftwood for a camp fire - though camping may not be 'permitted' so far from any authority.
As
I mentioned the very small stream at the Five Mile is likely
to be dry in the summer, though you might walk up it and dig for water where
there is a patch of cumbungi (rushes) about 100 meres upstream (if you are
desperate). There is likely to be water at
Bear
Gully is a beautiful but popular camping area. If you are walking you will find
somewhere to put up your tent at the west end before you get to the vehicle
camps. You may want to filter your
water along the
And this is the view onwards towards Walkerville South.
Looking
across
I
have walked back to
By the same token the Government used to poison thousands of them every year, probably still does. Astonishing that such can be deemed less cruel and more socially acceptable than harvesting one occasionally for the family table. They are delicious, much like lamb.
Going
around
You can walk along a quiet path inland at Bear Gully, through the tea trees.
Past a yellow robin sunning himself.
The
Banksias (named after Sir Joseph Banks, Captain Cook's botanist) are just about
always in bloom and alive with a myriad of different honey-eaters. 
Like this wattle bird.
You can continue along the coast from Bear Gully to Walkerville South. There are some pretty little isolated beaches and a little easy rock scrambling - and as you can see some interesting islands. There are oysters aplenty, rock lobsters and fish to be caught.
This is the view looking back towards Bear Gully from Walkerville South.
This is the sort of rock hopping I am talking about. The two dogs, Spot and Honey (if you came in late) are enjoying it. Tiny would have too, She had many similar adventures during her eighteen years.
View of the Bird Rock from the Bear Gully side.
Honey is taking the lead. Bitches often become better hunters - perhaps because of the need to feed puppies. We shall see in this case.
There is a set of steps and a path which takes you back to Walkerville South.
The Bird Rock from above.
And
with Wilsons Prom in the background.There is a path down to it.
Look at the colour of that seaweed!
We saw wrens and swallows as well as seabirds.
From the Bird rock looking towards Walkerville.
Walkeville South beach looking towards Bear Gully. The Bird Rock on the point.
Looking (800 metres) towards Walkerville North.
From Walkerville North looking towards Walkerville South.
And
towards Walkerville and
Across
the skerries towards the Prom. 
A shag on a rock.
And Honey practicing her leaping.
At
And
onwards to the Prom. You can walk right along this beach to the
This gull is 'puddling' up some tucker.
Honey is getting really good at stairs.
This
is the boat launching spot on Shallow Inlet looking West. You can drive along
the shore here. At low tide it is only a paddle of about 100 metres across to
Hourigans camp on the other side. From there you walk all the way to
Looking across to Hourigans Camp. If you can't paddle across, you can walk around the road.
Some pelicans enjoying the afternoon sun.
Looking
across the Shallow Inlet towards the
See Also:
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/the-great-gippsland-circuit/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/rail-trails/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/george-bass-coastal-walk-2/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/a-walk-on-the-wild-side/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/venus-bay-no-4-beach-gippsland-victoria/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/andersons-inlet/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/the-five-mile/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/liptrap/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/waratah-bay/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/killer-bees/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/the-isthmus/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/on-the-tip-of-the-tongue-2/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/to-the-lighthouse/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/glamping-wilsons-prom/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/nooramunga/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/there-is-simply-nothing-like-an-old-port-walking-trail/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/sale-common/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/blond-bay-lake-tyers/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/blond-bay-roseneath-reserve-hollands-landing/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/beautiful-east-gippsland/
09/04/2018: Something to celebrate: ‘This August is the 250th anniversary of the sailing of HM Bark Endeavour, captained by Lieutenant James Cook, from Plymouth on August 25, 1768.’ https://quadrant.org.au/magazine/2018/04/banksia-men-transit-venus/
09/04/2018:
Oh Woe! Yet another thing to
be depressed about. The end worlds is nigh: https://wattsupwiththat.com/2018/04/08/astronomer-tens-of-thousands-of-black-holes-exist-in-our-galaxys-center/
09/04/2018:
08/04/2018:
Great News: Japanese drug
kills flu in one day: http://fortune.com/2018/02/23/japan-shionogi-flu-drug-kills-virus-one-day/
08/04/2018:
The terrible history of
08/04/2018:
Freedom and its enemies.
Cutlery to be banned in the
07/04/2018:
‘Why on earth now would
anyone consider investing in a new coal-fired power station after the
government, allegedly a friend of the coal industry, has just spent the day
trashing the very idea of new coal-fired power stations? It is of course
standard free-market practice for a government to step in where there is market
failure. The politics of
07/04/2018:
Just can’t make a silk purse
out of a sow’s ear, but you can pay people to vote for it: http://www.rationaloptimist.com/blog/selective-schools-meritocracy-and-genes/
07/04/2018: Lower back pain – time to reach for the gym, not the knife: https://www.keele.ac.uk/pressreleases/2018/keeleleadsnewglobalresearchintolowbackpain.php?utm_source=Facebook&utm_medium=Social&utm_campaign=21-03-18-BackPain
06/04/2018: Eradicate European Wasps: It is possible to
bait European wasps (with readily available products eg Permethrin,
Finitrol) in such a way that it does not harm anything else (bees, birds). The
wasps take the poison (from converted milk bottle traps) back to their nests
and kill the nests. Every wasp for 200 metres will be eliminated. My view is
that this should have been done by Government 30 years ago. Astonishingly in
06/04/2018:
Fifty years ago Martin Luther King said. ‘We Can’t Keep On Blaming the White
Man’. The ‘identity politicians’ of today have completely ignored him.
Look, everyone just needs to get on with their own life, pull themselves up by
their own bootstraps, stand on their own two feet, and fend for themselves.
There is no (other) miracle cure for ‘what ails society’: https://quadrant.org.au/magazine/2018/04/82689/
06/04/2018:
Fighting Sarcopenia one day at a time; it ain’t all fun but it’s the only game
in town, or your life is down the plug hole: http://maggiesfarm.anotherdotcom.com/archives/31446-Fighting-Sarcopenia-age-related-muscle-deterioration.html
06/04/2018:
Sunspots, cloudiness and temperature – interesting: ‘In
05/04/2018: Powerfilm Lightsaver: I am looking to upgrade my solar charging ability. I have the Powerfilm USB + AA Charger at 1.5 watts which I have found adequate for myself. But we now have more rechargeable devices some having larg(er) wattage capacities so that I find it struggling. Ideally I think I would prefer a rollable panel which does not have its own battery backup (as I would prefer to configure this myself).
It also makes it harder to compare the performance of the various units as the 'rate of charge' you get on your device (eg 1% per minute on your smart phone say) is likely to be more a factor of the size and performance of the solar charger's own internal battery than the output of the panels themselves.
For
example, 5 watts should give you 1 amp (1,000 ma/h) at 5 volts (standard USB
current -
Powerfilm Lightsaver 3 watts:
Clearly you need a flexible solar panel (such as this one) as you will want to 'wear' the panel on your back pack, or store it safely in your pack without fear of its breaking. You also need one which can be pegged out or tied out so it does not flap in the wind - something which will surely break small electrical wires. The voice of experience here!
https://www.amazon.com/LightSaver-USB-Roll-up-Solar-Charger/dp/B016N2NMBC & https://www.powerfilmlightsaver.com 3200mah battery 1 amp 5 volts 3 watts panel 4.9 oz (139 grams - you can probably save 10 grams by cutting off the 'tail'). 7.8" x 18.5" US98.97 (April 2018) Certainly good enough for one person.
Its
‘Big Brother’ https://www.powerfilmlightsaver.com/lightsaver-max Unrolled:
34.5” x 13.5” Weight: 1.5 lbs
There do exist other stand alone rollable panels such as this one at 269 grams. It is 7 watts but is 368 x 584 (14" x 23") so would be a bit big to fit over your pack. Still 7 whole watts would get your devices charged pronto in the middle of the day. Unfortunately as you would not get any use out of it while walking you would have to make do with the last couple of hours of the day which would probably mean in a hiking situation you would not get much more out of it than the one pictured. I will be conducting a bit of a survey of them before I commit to buy.
I may even have to do some modification to them to get just what I want. For example cut this one down to just the panel/charger and make it charge my own 18650 batteries. It has 4.5 watts and the panel alone appears to weigh only 50 grams. 200 x 550 (8" x 22") would fit your pack better than many options. And 4.5 watts - much closer to what we might need as a couple.
You can buy a 5 volt output circuit with USB for less than $5. If you are up to a bit of soldering you could discard most of the mass and have a pretty handy solar panel to attach one of your 18650 chargers to eg this one or this.
NB:A word about high altitude: I took the USB + AA on my Everest Base Camp Trek. At that altitude (above 3,000 metres it failed to keep up with my phone batteries' charging needs even though it was bright sunshine all the time! By the same token the spare charged batteries themselves were rapidly going flat even when just stored in my pack. This applied to both Eneloops and Lithiums. It was not a temperature thing as it was nowhere near as cold as it normally is camping out in the Gippsland mountains in the winter. It was clearly an altitude/pressure effect. It may be possible to store the batteries in an inflated/pressurised bag to prevent this. Worth a try.
BTW:
It is very difficult to keep your phone batteries charged on this trek even
though all the accommodation places offer phone charging (at around $5 a charge
- compared to $1-2 for the night's accommodation itself!) If you have a large
battery (my friend had some around 10 mah) the solar systems they have in
See Also:
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/ultralight-power-bank-nitecore-chargers/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/universal-magnetic-usb-charger/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/powerfilm-usb-aa-solar-charger/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/power-from-heat/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/power-from-heat/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/11-gram-rechargeable-head-torch/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/charging/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/mobile-phone-battery-life/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/nitecore-continues-to-push-the-boundaries/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/clear-pvc-backpack-lid-for-solar-charger/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/gotenna/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/the-poor-mans-satellite-phone/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/never-get-lost-just-20/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/ultralight-camera/
05/04/2018:
I have always considered artworks as things in themselves (‘sach und sich’
– as Kant phrased it). When ‘appreciating’ for example a work of literature
(ever my favourite artistic medium) I never consider such things as the mileu
in which the work was created or how it ‘informs’ us about feminism, racism,
etc etc. I loved Kenneth Clark’s great TV series. There has been nothing like
it since. It is a sign surely of the decline of the West that all such courses
as University Lit and Art are taught through a politico-religious Leftist
filter. To me this spoils and lessens the appreciation of the Great Works
themselves – Oh, do they actually study Great Works any more anyway? http://neveryetmelted.com/2018/03/28/44512/
05/04/2018:
Sir John would have been outraged: https://quadrant.org.au/opinion/qed/2018/04/mad-rad-dangerous-knowledge/
05/04/2018:
I suspect he would not have
been so outraged by the ‘Monash’ Group’s plan to build Hazelwood 2. Bring it
on: https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/blogs/andrew-bolt/warmist-turnbull-faces-revolt/news-story/7d568c8ee9fba9da371bac4019011236
04/04/2018:
So Many Things You Just Can’t Say Anymore…For example, on balance
colonialism was a good: https://www.chronicle.com/article/Last-Fall-This-Scholar/242880?cid=wcontentlist_hp_latest
04/04/2018: The problem is there never was a ‘stolen generation’ yet today many chidren need to be rescued from simply awful situations but are not because of this myth: https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/blogs/andrew-bolt/no-its-mamamia-that-is-outrageous/news-story/aa85132635d92f6aa4c2d1d71eff3bfa
04/04/2018:
The Greens have just got madder
still: https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/blogs/andrew-bolt/greens-are-the-slackers-party/news-story/df625f1304e9f67a9b8fe8f78d94fb63 Is there nothing about the Greens to like
(apart from the colour) - and that is ignoring their murder of 100+
million people with malaria and their
intention to murder a further ¼-1/3 of
humanity with their reckless policies: http://pickeringpost.com/story/tomorrow-s-grim-global-green-dictatorship/8090 Oh, and they plan to ban the automobile
too, let’s see how well that works.
03/04/2018:
The Mandelas: what a vicious
lot! Remember Winnie saying this, ‘Together, hand in hand, with our
boxes of matches and our necklaces we shall liberate this country.’ After nearly 100,000 were
murdered in this way her husband was given the Nobel Peace Prize! Now in SA
they are murdering (white) farmers and stealing their land. This will not end
until after the country can no longer feed itself (as in
03/04/2018:
A statistician examines the
surface station record (for the last century) and finds no warming (or
cooling): https://wattsupwiththat.com/2018/04/01/uh-oh-analysis-of-ghcn-climate-stations-shows-there-is-no-statistically-significant-warming-or-cooling/ Of course we have known this for a long
time. Here is my post from this day in 2012 for example: The opening 1996
graphic says it all really, but it is nice to see Prof Roy Spencer ( a real
climate scientist) hammering the point home: nearly all the observed C20th
warming was down to the Urban Heat Island effect: the thermometers at Cape
Otway, Wilson's Prom & etc HAVE been telling the truth: there has been NO
WARMING, so why put up with a carbon tax: http://wattsupwiththat.com/2012/03/30/spencer-shows-compelling-evidence-of-uhi-in-crutem3-data/
01/04/2018:
If only the kids would tidy their rooms as well as this: https://twitter.com/RobertMaguire_/status/978649661408993284
01/04/2018:
Worksafe, eat your heart out: https://imgur.com/BZrkRpl
31/03/2018: Amazing rock Balancing: https://www.facebook.com/pjrockbalance/?fref=mentions
31/03/2018: ‘Governments are bad at picking winners, while losers are good at picking governments.’ Nuclear fusion can’t happen too soon: http://www.rationaloptimist.com/blog/nuclear-fusion/
30/03/2018: Ultralight Cups: It's surprising how much weight you can save in small ways. For example, my improved Fancy Feast Stove created a simmer stove which weighs under 15 grams. This shaved 30 grams off my stove weight. Using small aluminum containers to store the various ointments etc you carry has cut nearly 100 grams from my pack weight. A lighter cup such as the one shown cut 21 grams. Somewhere during this process, I culled through my pack and discarded a total of around a quarter of a kilogram (1/2 a pound) of quite unnecessary weight. I am currently modifying my Pocket Poncho Tent so it will take two people (and weigh less than 300 grams including pegs and guys). And so it goes on...
Here are a few 'cups' for comparison. The blue $2 shop cup (top centre) weighs 29 grams. I have carried it for over 20 years, and weighed many cups before I settled on it as the lightest. I still think it is probably the solidest. However, here are some other options. The yellow 250 ml cup weighs 16 grams. The 240 ml jar weighs 16 grams (lid 7). The empty Simmenthal 214 gram 220 ml can weighs 12 grams. The red cups weigh 3-4 grams each bare. With the blue plastic handle (bottom cut out) from Aliexpress (pack of 5 for $1.95) it weighed 13 grams. The one with the (unwieldy) felt handle was 8 grams, which I cut down to 7 grams with the sewn felt ring on the scales. This is just polyester felt from Spotlight left over from this propagation project.
The strip of felt quite adequately insulates the hot cup from your hand. You have to wrap an approx 2" (50 mm) strip around the cup, mark it on both sides with a felt pen, sew (twice) then trim to get a neat conical 'grip'. It occurs to me I could have made it the full length of the cup if I wanted my coffee to stay warm longer. Usually though on the trail I am impatient to get it inside me!
BTW: Aliexpress have a pretty neat stackable aluminium 390 ml cup which weighs 38 grams for US$4.72 (April 2018).
Close up of that 7 gram coffee cup.
Have fun performing such experiments of your own.
See Also:
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/new-fancy-feast-stove/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/small-is-beautiful/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/single-use-antibiotic-packs/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/the-pocket-poncho-tent/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/capillary-mat-plant-starters/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/60-diy-ultralight-hiker-ideas/
30/03/2018: You would have to
hope that something similar on the immigration front will happen here at the
next election: https://www.spectator.com.au/2018/03/browned-off-at-the-ballot-box/
30/03/2018: A Very
Interesting ‘Dear Dorothy’ – or, on the virtues of monogamy: http://stuartschneiderman.blogspot.com.au/2018/03/the-case-of-cheating-girlfriend.html
30/03/2018: Free speech is one thing, but destroying someone’s business quite another. The ‘right to protest’ should be accompanied by having to wear the cost of your protest. In this case for example protest organisers (organisations) should be liable for the loss of business. I don’t blame the chef for taunting these people by butchering and eating a deer in front of them. After all he had no customers because of them: http://nationalpost.com/news/toronto/toronto-chef-butchers-eats-deer-leg-in-front-of-animal-rights-protesters-outside-his-restaurant
29/03/2018: Broken: At least two of my old sites have been broken or seriously glitched for ages. I have been working on fixing them over the last few days. There is still quite a lot of work to do on some of other these old pages. It will get done. In the meantime, if you would prefer a format where the page just loads and you are able to just scroll down through all its content (as I do), why not check out (for example) http://www.finnsheep.com/Ultralight%20Hiking.htm I think it and all its sub-pages work again now.
Cheers, Steve.
29/03/2018:
Robotic Parking: How Cool is This? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qMWki9Ssdh4 & https://www.roboticparking.com/robotic_parking_how_it_works.htm
29/03/2018:
Standing Up in
29/03/2018:
Survived the Holocaust; murdered in
28/03/2018: Liptrap: Cape Liptrap at the Western end of Venus Bay beach in South Gippsland is a scenic extravaganza as you walk the Victorian coastline perhaps beginning at Phillip Island and ending in Eden NSW, a journey which will no doubt take you several delightful weeks. Where else in the world could you have such an adventure?
This is the lighthouse near the point of Cape Liptrap which has warned off ships from dangerous rocks for many years.
You can see some of those (dangerous and ) beautiful rocks below:
This
is the view East across
We happened to see a rare 'water sprite' one of very few I have seen and the first I have ever managed to snap. They are such an evanescent emergent phenomenon they are well nigh impossible to photograph. Strong Westerly winds whipping around the point here can create such vortices. Be on the lookout for them on windy days.
I particularly admired this enigmatic DSE sign. ('Walk/Don't Walk?)
Looking down to the West you can just make out a beautiful little beach beneath the heath.
Where the mighty waves of the Southern Ocean beat against the rugged rocky coast.
There is a path down: Less than 100 metres back towards Walkerville you will see a locked gate on the Western side. Follow this path down a ridge.
You will then have to cross this gully. Watch out for the path as there is only one. You have to be particularly careful on the way back up, as so many people have obviously missed it and wandered for hours searching for a way back out onto the road.
The view down onto the beach (facing West here) just keeps getting better.
A panorama from Della's phone.
Close up of the web of the spume on the skerries.
Further down still.
Looking East.
Breaking through the Banyalla onto the beach. Banyalla has edible fruit in season (as does pigface - there is plenty of that here too).
Spot leading the way.
This
is the view back up (if you are walking along from
The dogs love the beach.
The bay to the East.
Look at that chop.
Immediately to the West there is this interesting sea-cave being created in the syncline by the waves.
The westering sun echoing off the skerries.
And again.
Except
at high tide the Government reckons you can walk all the way along here (from
the Arch Rocks (nearer the Ten Mile) to Walkerville. I think they should say it
is 'possible' at low tide myself. A couple of the points (
A long Southern wave rolling in to this seagull-bobbing cove.
Above could almost be a moonscape - a desert scape anyway.
There are so many interesting rock formations. You can imagine the wonders laid down in the layers of this ancient stone.
Some of the rocks have been painted by nature rather more spectacularly than by any human artist.
The
tide has been coming in quite quickly. You need to watch out for that. Check
the tide heights here:
See Also:
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/the-great-gippsland-circuit/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/rail-trails/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/george-bass-coastal-walk-2/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/a-walk-on-the-wild-side/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/venus-bay-no-4-beach-gippsland-victoria/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/andersons-inlet/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/the-five-mile/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/liptrap/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/killer-bees/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/the-isthmus/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/on-the-tip-of-the-tongue-2/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/to-the-lighthouse/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/glamping-wilsons-prom/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/nooramunga/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/there-is-simply-nothing-like-an-old-port-walking-trail/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/sale-common/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/blond-bay-lake-tyers/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/blond-bay-roseneath-reserve-hollands-landing/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/beautiful-east-gippsland/
28/03/2018: Once it was clear to all that our freedom was only preserved by the blood of patriots; below the heirs of Patrick Henry, ‘Give me liberty or give me death’:
http://neveryetmelted.com/2018/03/26/scary-stuff/
28/03/2018: ‘In times of profound change, the learners inherit the earth, while the learned find themselves beautifully equipped to deal with a world that no longer exists.’ Eric Hoffer
28/03/2018: Water from thin air (economically). This is a game changer: https://www.newsmax.com/newsfront/israeli-technology-water-air/2018/03/25/id/850711/
28/03/2018: Can the grid
survive electric vehicles: https://www.iothub.com.au/news/how-are-we-all-going-to-charge-our-electric-cars-487119
27/03/2018: Shorten announces a ‘vicious infinite
regress’ on franked dividends this morning. Tomorrow he will announce he
has has stopped beating his wife! Here’s how it will now work. If you qualify
for the (part) pension you will be exempt from this 42% tax on your earnings,
but if your earnings of say $15,000 are counted as income (because you
qualified) you will not qualify for the pension as you will have too much
income. What a wonderful contradiction! There is no taper. That is the problem
with a flat tax of 42.14% on your total income. These people are both thieves,
vandals and economic illiterates. I notice also that these changes would take force
from tomorrow (28/03/2018) giving folks very little time to rearrange their
affairs for something that is only a twinkle in a legislator's eye. This is
disgusting! Future pensioners will just lose their income perforce. What will
people do? They will transfer/spend their money so that they qualify for the
full pension - instead of being independent of government handouts. We could,
for example build/buy a mansion with the money so that it was not lost to our
kids later on. (The family home is exempt from the Assets Test, no matter its
worth). So will everyone else. So, Bill's measure will collect nothing. Instead
it will cost countless billions!
27/03/2018: Can’t figure out why there was a need to
offer such folks ‘refuge’ but we may not do the same for very assimilable white
South African farmers: https://www.sbs.com.au/yourlanguage/arabic/en/article/2017/12/07/returning-home-syria-after-12-years-away-what-i-found-was-not-what-i-expected Friends
27/03/2018: So, the NOAA ‘cooked up’ the whole ‘global warming’ scam. This has to be the greatest fraud in history. Many thousands of these crooks should be gaoled and castigated: http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2018/03/21/delingpole-noaa-2-5-degrees-f-data-tampering-science-doesnt-get-any-worse-than-this/ There was an elementary error of physics at its heart anyway. Hopefully soon the courts will decide: https://wattsupwiththat.com/2018/03/19/global-warming-on-trial-and-the-elementary-error-of-physics-that-caused-the-global-warming-scare/
25/03/2018: Budget Pack Mods: Recently I bought a couple of cheap approx 40 litre packs from Amazon for less than US20 each. I thought these would be a good recommendation to someone who wanted to begin hiking on a small budget. The first thing you need after all is something to comfortably and reliably carry your stuff in. I bought this one for US$ 17.99 and this one for US$19.99. Straight out of the bag the packs weighed 335 grams and 382 grams on my scales.
Vidong Polo:
The Vidong Polo was lighter than the G4Free and claimed to be 2 litres bigger; otherwise they are pretty well identical. Both of them look to me to be made of a quite robust material which should take quite a lot of use, and are generally well made (as well as $250 back packs anyway!) I could fit all my gear for a trip of 4-5 days in either. For a trip of more than a week, there is plenty of room to stow an extra compression sack underneath the lid. Notice the 'spare' length in the compression straps.
G4 Free:
First I stripped the Polo down to 315 grams. After my modifications the Polo weighed pretty much 350 grams. I could cut away another possibly 50 grams if I wanted eg to sacrifice a couple of pockets, lid, tie-out loops etc. This is a pretty great weight!
I think it is a good idea to start on your DIY backpack 'career' by doing some 'mods' to a cheap existing pack like this as you learn so much. For example, I learned that the hip/waist belt on every pack I own is in the wrong place! I first sewed it on pretty much in the manner that such things are 'always' attached (ie on the 'flap' where the bottom 'anchors' of the back straps are), and it just didn't work especially for Della, which surprised me as these are quite 'short' backpacks which ought to be eminently suitable for her. She is a very neat 5 foot and around 40 kilos.
This led me to the other major thing I learned which is that practically every back pack I own is too long for me, (I am am approx 5'7") which is why I have often found them uncomfortable - and Della has found them well-nigh impossible.With the belt sewn on at the bottom of the pack there is 16" from the point of attachment of the shoulder straps to the top of the belt. This is so much better than the usual 'minimum' of 18" that you probably need to buy one of these packs just to try that out, if nothing else.
Also, because the belts are 'normally' sewn in the wrong place (and all the way to the sides) they are also much wider than they need to be which nonetheless does not make them work better. The converse is the case. I have sewn the belt on (just in the middle six inches) so that when you cinch it up it tightens around your entire torso instead of 'jutting out' at the sides. This provides so much better grip at a lower tension that the pack has no inclination to slip down and take your trous with it! But it also transfers the load so much better that these unpadded straps are not a problem at all. They are just holding the pack from falling off your shoulders, which is as it should be.
I have already noted that back packs are normally constructed too straight. They need to curve so they naturally swing into the 'small' of your back and stick there, just as this one does, and these are reputed to do (You will note that the 'Exodus' weighs 454 grams). This would involve cutting a curve into the side panels if you were making your own. This pack is short enough that it does that naturally.
I first of all got rid off the elastic straps at the top. There is nothing I want to attach here, but if there is later on I will construct lighter ones out of 1mm dyneema and a micro cord lock (approx 1 gram each). I also similarly replaced the cinch cord at the top of the pack. 20 grams was saved here.
I wanted to attach a sit pad to the back and try to do something to reduce the wet back phenomenon. I sewed four gross grain ribbon loops, then used the above arrangement of dyneema and a micro cord lock. I have found this works very well and weighs very little. i don't like elastic. it is heavy, absorbent, perishes and breaks too easily. Dyneema is bullet proof!
I
also reinforced the back pack straps with a piece of 1" webbing and sewed
them through a couple of times.You can see this stitching at the top of the
previous photo. You will also notice that I have constructed two cloth
'tubes' by hemming the internal pocket, then sewing on a piece of tape above to
extend the tube the full length of the pack. Those two carbon fibre tubes are
only 3mmm but are enough to create some solidity and load transfer. They weigh
less than 3 grams together.
I sewed a couple of side straps (with buckles above the pockets which I thought a but short. i sewed them 100 mm (4") above the pockets which was a bit much. 65mm would have been better. You see you can just use a 'normal drink bottle to carry your water. One will last for thousands of miles.
Other
side containing my Pocket
Poncho Tent attached with a 2 gram Niteize
S-Biner as a safety measure. You don't want to lose your tent. There is still
room in this pocket for a folding umbrella. Ther is also room on the back zip
pocket for a raincoat. Phones, sunscreen, snacks for the trail (all sorts of
things) will fit in the lid pocket. I would probably keep my passport, hunting
licence, wallet or other such documents in the hidden inside pocket of
the lid. I have no immediate use for the hydration pocket.
This is a microfibre towel from a $2 shop. I have sewn buttons and button holes to it so it can enclose the Gossamer Gear Sitlight pad I have punched additional holes in for ventilation. (They now have a new one which might work even better).
For the budget conscious Aliexpress have foam sit pads for less than US$2. You could punch a lot more holes in them with a wad punch than I have. I figure the microfibre towel will add some wicking/drying - and I carry one anyway. Something with more holes, more channeling would work better (eg a section of a Z-lite pad. Again a better wicking material such as this one from Ripstobytheroll would no doubt work even better. Nothing I have tried works better than this. I may try to make one out of carbon fibre rods which is a bit better shape (and weight).
Here's how it fits on the pack.
Della thinks this pack will be just about perfect for her. It suits me fine too, and I am out of pocket less than $30!
See Also:
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/ultralight-hiking-on-a-budget/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/ultralight-ultracheap-backpack/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/poly-tent-by-the-ultralight-hiker-on-the-cheap/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/new-fancy-feast-stove/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/60-diy-ultralight-hiker-ideas/
25/03/2018: And whose life was worth a million of the scum who slew him: http://www.michaelsmithnews.com/2018/03/valorous-french-policeman-who-offered-himself-for-a-woman-hostage-shot-and-killed-by-islamist-terror.html
24/03/2018: Hiking Tarka Dal: This continues a series of recipes on simple Dals which you can make quickly from dried ingredients for hiking. Each of these dals has its own unique taste so that you will not tire of them (at least so long as you intersperse them with some of my other recipes).
To a litre of water, add:
Ingredients:
250 grams (1 cup) of red lentils
1 1/2 Teaspoons of Turmeric powder
2 Teaspoons of garlic powder
3 Teaspoons of onion powder
1 Teaspoon of cumin powder (or cumin seeds)
1 Teaspoon of garam masala
10 Teaspoons of coconut milk powder
1 teaspoon hot paprika
1 Teaspoon ginger powder
1 1/2 Teaspoons of sweet paprika
1 pinch - 1/4 Teaspoon of salt (to taste)
1 teaspoon of coarse ground black pepper (to taste)
1 50 gram sachet of Tomato Paste
Bring to the boil and simmer approx 20 minutes.
Optional
1 teaspoon of coriander (if you like it. I don't)
A quantity of chopped salami or Hormel Bacon Pieces (eg -2 Tablespoon) if you 'need' some meat.
NB: All the dry ingredients and the sachet of tomato paste can be stored in a ziplock bag for a short time until needed.
See Also:
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/a-simple-backpacking-dahl/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/hiking-makhani-dal/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/a-hiking-food-compendium/
24/03/2018: ‘Since 2008, the average salary of ABC’s staff has risen 25% from $86,908 to $108,408. Total staff numbers have risen from 4499 to 4769. Therefore salaries as a percentage of the ABC revenues have risen from 37.1% of the budget to 50%’… I suspect you could substitute any public sector employees for these ABC ones. Frankly this whole scam is obscene and ridiculous. We should not have to pay for Fifth Columnists to tear or society down around our ears. Let’s send a new broom through the whole public sector. Get rid of at least 50% of them and halve the salaries/conditions of the rest. Should they strike it will only emphasize that we don’t need them at all. Government has become a huge weight around our necks. We need to throw off these shackles and reap the benefits of a truly privatised economy: https://contrarian.live/2018/03/18/the-unbiased-abc-happily-calls-and-treats-us-as-cnts/
24/03/2018: Mental Asylums – this is a difficult one isn’t it, easily as hard as the abortion issue. Everyday though we see all these people dying on the streets, suffering ‘needlessly’…and wonder: is there a better way? http://www.coyoteblog.com/coyote_blog/2018/03/things-i-may-have-been-wrong-about.html
24/03/2018: ‘A recurring theme in Peterson's work is the need to fix yourself before you reform the world. The world is made up of complex systems. It requires a competence to change a complex system for the better. It is much easier to destroy a complex system than it is to improve it. One step on the road to competence is to fix yourself. Peterson says to develop some competence. Clean your room before you try to reform the whole world.’ https://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2018/03/jordan_peterson_is_driving_his_critics_to_desperate_attacks.html
23/03/2018: Brer Fox: I have such a love/hate relationship with this guy. We have farmed sheep here and on other farms nearby for nigh on thirty years now, (and far longer elsewhere). When we first moved here Col Francis, a (now late) friend I used to go deer hunting with came around and managed to spotlight 34 foxes on our (home farm of) 25 acres in a single night!
We used to shoot a lot of foxes in the 1980s when the furs were still worth something (sometimes A$30+ per skin!. My friend paid for a brand new Toyota Land-Cruiser out of fox skins in a single year! They certainly paid for all our family Xmas presents back then - though it was a smelly unpleasant business getting them off, pegged out etc.
For years every Sunday I used to go hound hunting for foxes with my friend (the late) Dick Davies of Tarwin Lower. There were usually about half a dozen of us including Ray Quinney, Ken Fisher, John Harris, Brian Holcombe, Max Butterworth...half of us gone today.
We would normally surround a 'fox patch' (any small remnant piece of scrub) on local farmland, then let a couple of hounds in to flush them out. It was quick, exciting and simple work. Every year we shot over a thousand foxes! And sold their skins to people who wanted (wickedly) to wear them.
Dick also had a couple of Jack Russells ('den dogs' as he called them) which could be put down a fox's burrow to harry it out. You should always have a couple of these about the place - as we do. These little guys are incredibly plucky. Though smaller and lighter than a fox they have more courage than any other dog known. They would not hesitate a second to fight a fox. After a few minutes they would be bleeding profusely from the nose - and you could bet Brer Fox was too.
It was then that you would catch the dog and put it back in the truck, and wait patiently and quietly. In almost exactly a timed five minutes that fox (or foxes) would come out of the earth like a shot fired from a cannon. You had to be right on the ball to 'nail' him or he would be gone. As much skill required as shooting a snipe - if you are old enough to have done this (legally) since the Government donated all our snipe to the Japanese years ago.
We once had lots of farms, some owned, some rented, some we used for free. But we are old now so have shrunk the acres down to this small patch which we will only leave for the grave.
There
have always been so many foxes here, as we live in a small valley. Behind us is
forest comprising numerous 'Land for Wildlife' small holdings where they breed
up. Each night they flow down the valley like a small flood to raid the vast
I used to bait them starting back in the early 90s. I would put out two fox baits morning and night on opposite sides of the property (on 'game' trails - as you would). I scent marked the buried baits with a little (sild) sardine oil, which works very well to lure them in. Every day four baits were taken - equaling four dead foxes.
I did this for over two hundred days before there was a break - which lasted for only about a week, then another one hundred days of four dead foxes a night...The bush behind us was littered with dead foxes - yet I made no real impact on them. I did this for years.
This 'Land for Wildlife' is just protecting foxes, large macropods (kangaroos and wallabies) and innumerable wombats, all of which come down of a a night to freeload on our land - and the neighbours'. Well they don't get to feast on our place much as we have had it ring-lock fenced with electric outriggers since around 1990, but they sure pass by in large crowds.
It is as nothing to see sixty kangaroos late afternoon in the paddocks on the opposite side of the valley. No-one else does anything to control all these pests. People's stocking ratio is terribly limited by them. Between the wombats and the roos there is no vegetation at all under the bush in back of our place - just bare dirt. A veritable native plague. There is nothing for anything smaller to eat and nowhere to hide - and the innumerable foxes would lap them all up anyway! Land for wildlife...
We also have a plague of kookaburras in our valley. Since everyone else's land was subdivided all the townies who have moved in feed these blighters. They are veritable foxes of the air. There is a roaming flock of over a dozen of them here. They snap up every smaller bird they see if it is found out in the open. We hardly ever have a pair of wagtails any more. They actually even ate out all the Indian Minahs in our valley!
They need to be relocated, or an open season declared on them. They monopolise every tree hollow so there is nowhere for parrots and other birds to nest. Anything which becomes too numerous becomes a pest.
As I have mentioned here, we are slowly working our way to building a 'vermin-proof fence' around our entire perimeter. Another year or so and it will be complete. There will then be no repetition of the tragedy I found when hanging out the washing this morning.
Some time ago a ring-tailed possum had moved in. He often used to greet us by walking across the front gate of a night as it opened for us (you can see he is a male). Recently he built a large nest in the shrubs we planted along the slope at the back of the house. Here it is:
He had put quite a lot of work into that mansion no doubt in the hope that Mrs Possum would soon be moving in to join him. Over the years we have planted many hundreds of useful edible type trees for them to dine off. We will continue until the whole 25 acres is so covered. There will still be lots of feed for the sheep under. More actually, counting the nutritious leaves and fruits which tumble down and our sheep just love to vacuum up!
Not the rubbishy native weeds other folks plant: gums and wattles, which are just the rubbish that comes up as a result of aboriginal burning and denutrification as nothing else will grow in phosphorus poor soil - appalling land management practices. They knew no better. It is why there were only a few hundred thousand of them in 1788 in a country which feeds nearer fifty million today, on a fraction of the land!
They had practically starved themselves out. It has been a lot of work to restore the productivity of farmed Australian soils. Our aim has been to have dozens of species of food trees producing at all times of the year. We have done the same on previous farms. About ten years after we first began, it came to be called 'Permaculture'. Lots of native critters appreciate our efforts. They come from miles around to our 'diner'.
So unfortunately does Brer Fox. Last night he dined (as you can see) on Mr Possum. I am deeply shattered by this. I will be (borrowing money if necessary to) complete our vermin proof fence this autumn. That way we will never lose another possum, nor another lamb either. These red menaces have been gnawing their way through between a third and a half of every lamb born, lambs which are actually worth a lot of money to us. In future they can go elsewhere for their free-loading.
Most of the time we have lived here we raised only rams on our home paddocks, so there was not the pressing need to protect lambs here. Baiting nowadays would kill many wandering pet dogs. Shooting would draw complaints. We will just fence them all out, and mop up the rest with one or two carefully controlled Maremmas which will likewise be contained when the fences are complete.
I think it will be surprising what (native) critters return after the foxes can no longer prey on them. Obviously first, lots of birds. We do love birds.The ducks will once again be able to raise their large waddling clutches on the farm dams. Quail will once again boom at dusk.
Before the Myxomatosis epidemic in 1956 everywhere you went there were endless bandicoots, pademelon wallabies, antechinus, infinite native jumping rats and mice, native and tiger cats (quolls they call them now - they have even forgotten there used to be a larger striped one!) - and, of course innumerable rabbits.
When
'The Myxo' killed the rabbits there was a huge stench of dead and rotten meat
that lasted nearly a month. The odour was overpowering. We sincerely wished we
could take a 'holiday' from it. Something like Bergen Belsen it was. The foxes,
starved for anything else, ate them all out. To this day I have not seen a
bandicoot, a quoll or a pademelon in the wild - though sometimes I see sign of
them (bandicoots especially). They used to make these strange conical holes
(with their noses) when feeding. Unmistakable. My hope is that they will come
back when the predation ceases. They are back on my cousin's property at
Poor little guy:
PS:
You know it was a fox as they always eat from the head down. With such a
predilection for devouring brains you would think they might have evolved some
horrid disease such as Kuru which inflicted the people of Highland New
Foxes are however a beautiful life form which I admire very much much - as I also loathe their abominable habits. What great survivors they are - and how clever. I once watched one 'de-flea' itself by holding a stick in its mouth and walking slowly into a dam until only the tip of its nose was out of the water but all the fleas had climbed out onto the stick!
We once hunted foxes out of a dead whale on Andersons Inlet with bloodhounds! What a din and a stench that was. If you have never heard a bloodhound belling from the stomach of a dead whale you have not lived! You can imagine 'Trusty' from 'Lady and the Tramp' pursuing the evil Reynard therein. Perhaps that is how he lost his sense of smell! Dick Davies' 'Tracker' certainly did not. What a mighty voice he had. 'Thunder' is also a popular name for bloodhounds!
Another day we put the hounds into a large dryish dam - nothing but a patch of an acre or so of cumbungi. There were an even dozen foxes in there, so many the foxhounds could not sort them out at all. Only 'Tracker,' Dick's favourite old bloodhound was up to the task.
Punctiliously
he followed the trail of each one out to its corpse in succession - we shot
them as they came out, you see. On this occasion I shot a pair of foxes
together, one with the right barrel of my father's old double barrel
It must have taken him well-nigh ten minutes to untangle and chase its trail right back to its corpse which had all along been lying not ten feet from the first one he was on. He had an amazing nose, that dog. he could scent trail across running water. I have sometimes seen him cross the Tarwin on a scent (a fox or betimes a tiny delicate hog deer) that I would have thought would have been carried far downstream by the current. He was the sire of my great old Bloodhound, Belle.
Oh,
to be young again! Back then I got up on a Saturday morning in winter around
2:00am and drove over 200 kilometres to be eg on the
Some days Harpoon, my best foxhound would have his pads worn down to the flesh by running all day. There were days he must have traveled nearly a hundred kilometres on them. On a Sunday morning he would be so footsore he could hardly drag himself out of his den. One morning I remember I felt sorry for him and purposed to leave him home. He would have none of it. he rushed over our electrified dog fence like a mountain torrent, exclaiming a couple of o loud doggie 'Ouches' as he came!
He was such a great blackberry dog. The bloodhounds were really too big and slow for blackberry patches. Harpoon had no thought for personal safety. He went through blackberry bushes like grease through a goose. in the winter time all the fur on his muzzle was always quite worn away and bald.
For many years I killed several hundred foxes. Like all deaths even theirs touched me with some regret. One day years ago I walked up the creek on our property into the 'Land for Wildlife' zone beyond. You can do this with impunity as the owners never venture into their 'back paddocks'. The valley of over a thousand acres behind us was subdivided years ago so that people could build houses on the very top of the rim, then neglect the other 99% of their properties (save for putting the compulsory 'virtue signalling' signs at their front gates).
In the bottoms of the valley it is just a wilderness of weeds and vermin: tussock, 'Purple Top', blackberries, ragwort - you get the picture... Still, it was quite beautiful to come upon a vixen's earth inhabited this spring morning by her litter of kits playing together in the dappled sunlight. Such a beautiful sight as they tumbled together in their joy and innocence. Much the way atomic bombs are awesomely beautiful but wholly destructive, I guess.
Despite my continuing war on foxes and my ongoing efforts to build a vermin-proof fence around our entire property so that wildlife may flourish undisturbed by their 'ministrations,' you should understand that I am not a 'conservationist'. No farmer is. Ask any of the virtue signalers. We are all to a 'man' (even though better than half of us are of the fairer sex) rapacious despoilers of the land. If you actually do anything to improve the lot of wildlife by your own efforts and using your own money, you are (by definition) not a conservationist.
To
be a real conservationist you need first to 'have your heart in the right
place'. Ergo, no hunter could possibly be. Despite the fact that most of the
'duck swamps' in
Therefore those who advocate for vast, unmanaged 'National Parks' where weeds and vermin may proliferate and wildfires episodically destroy everything, (yet everyone is excluded from) are 'true conservationists. If you would rather see no national parks, as I would, but a more sensible 'conservation' strategy (on public and private land - but without property confiscation) which might have really positive outcomes for real creatures (and plants), and maybe see people getting a livelihood too - and making a profit, (say from grazing, logging, mining, tourism etc) then naturally you are just base, and beneath contempt. Cheers, Steve.
See Also:
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/vermin-proof-fence/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/water-babies/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/the-wildlife-seems-to-get-wilder-everyday/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/white-headed-pigeon/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/three-stags/
23/03/2018: This Israeli self-defence technique could
save your life: https://unitedwithisrael.org/watch-this-israeli-self-defense-technique-could-save-your-life/
23/03/2018: If
23/03/2018: Yes, they have dumbed down the curriculum: http://www.intellectualtakeout.org/blog/middle-school-reading-lists-100-years-ago-vs-today
22/03/2018: MH370: Still looking in the wrong place. Why? https://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/inquirer/disappearing-path-of-mh370/news-story/f6a18f3331c53fa3d537f473ea14bbd4
22/03/2018: These guys are crooks and should be
straightaway sacked by the Governor. Fresh elections ought immediately be
held in the 21 seats; that is if the entire Andrews Government ought not be
sacked!
22/03/2018: This is what you get if you allow teachers
to be armed: https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2018-03-20/armed-resource-officer-stops-maryland-high-school-gunman
22/03/2018: You can kid yourself it is not happening
in
21/03/2018: Go, Shorten. Go! (PS: And Mal):
21/03/2018: This graph is an astonishing revelation of how markets beat Government, ‘Monthly passenger rides, which were stuck in the 12-13 million a month range for years, have almost overnight doubled to about 25 million’ rides’: http://www.coyoteblog.com/coyote_blog/2018/03/the-best-new-technologies-dont-just-unseat-incumbents-they-grow-the-market.html
21/03/2018: Good Lord: ‘Biology has a ‘new’ problem: Speciation Reversal. We argue that extinction by speciation reversal may be more widespread than currently appreciated.’ https://wattsupwiththat.com/2018/03/18/darwin-weve-got-a-problem/
20/03/2018: Cheap Insulated Inflatable Pad:
Klymit’s Ultralight V Sleeping Pad is on Massdrop this
morning for US63.74 delivered to
20/03/2018: Surely this is your problem: https://www.thecollegefix.com/post/42825/
20/03/2018: What has happened to ‘free speech’: https://quadrant.org.au/opinion/qed/2018/03/allah-englishman/
20/03/2018: John Horgan ‘These days, despair is a bigger problem than optimism.’ The bad news is that the good news is even better: http://www.rationaloptimist.com/blog/good-news-is-no-news/
19/03/2018: K-Mono Cut: I am looking for new lightweight raincoats for each of us. I came across this wonderful innovative cut on Montbell’s Versalite rain jacket (Womens Medium 142 grams, Mens 168 grams A$190). This is a really genius idea.
‘Cut from a single piece of fabric, K-MONO CUT drastically reduces the amount of seam lines eliminating areas where water can penetrate, promoting the jacket to be lighter and durable. This innovative pattern is based on Montbell's philosophy of "Ki-no-bi" which is a Japanese term for "Function is Beauty".
<
WATERPROOF > Reducing the amount of seam lines eliminates areas
where water can penetrate the jacket.
< LIGHTWEIGHT > Minimizing the amount of seam lines and
tapes reduce the jacket's final weight.
< DURABILITY > Limiting the amount of seam lines around the
stressing shoulders and hips improve the jacket's durability.'
PS: The raincoat looks pretty hard to beat too:
19/03/2018: Batman is not an endorsement of Shorten.
If anything it is a slap in the face for Tunrbull’s failure to run a candidate.
The Tally room results show the Liberal vote down by 19% (no candidate). That
balance was picked up by minor (conservative) candidates (11%) and the Labor
Party (7%). So Batman is a vote against the Greens, as it should be. Hopefully
they are a spent force. Just as South
19/03/2018: The Language Wars…George Orwell: “‘Political language is designed to make lies sound truthful and murder respectable, and to give an appearance of solidity to pure wind.’ Orwell’s essay was an attempt to turn this around. He said the English language was becoming ugly and inaccurate because the thinking of the times was muddled and foolish. Moreover, the process was cumulative since the increasing slovenliness of the language itself made it more likely that people would have foolish thoughts. Orwell argued that if the bad habits of modern English could be eradicated, people would begin to think more clearly and thus take the first steps to political regeneration. “The fight against bad English,” he wrote, “is not frivolous and not the exclusive concern of professional writers.”” An important essay: https://quadrant.org.au/opinion/qed/2018/03/ongoing-language-wars/
19/03/2018: How can people ever have done such things!
Descartes has a lot to answer for: http://www.amusingplanet.com/2016/09/the-brown-dog-affair.html
18/03/2018: Thank you
18/03/2018: What a bizarre conjecture. Surely most people would think their spouse improved themselves: https://nypost.com/2018/03/15/most-people-think-they-have-improved-their-significant-other/
17/03/2018: Nitecore Continues to Push the Boundaries: They have a variety of ultralight rechargeable torches, as well as this excellent charger/powerbank which is all you need to charge them (and anything else!) I already wrote about their remarkable Tube torch here and here. Now they have much brighter models available such as the:
Thumb (85 lumens + 25 grams with rotatable head - so easy to slip under a head band)
Tip (360 lumens 23.5 grams):
Tini (380 lumens
13.5 grams!):
and this remarkable head torch the:
NU25 rechargeable headlamp - 360 lumens, 28 grams):
- Nitecore
- LED: CREE XP-G2 S3 LED
- Max output: 360 lumens
- Peak beam distance: 265 ft (81 m)
- Peak beam intensity: 1650cd
- Max runtime: 160 hrs
- Turbo mode: 360 lumens, 30 min
- High mode: 190 lumens, 5 hrs
- Mid mode: 38 lumens, 8 hrs
- Low mode: 1 lumen, 160 hrs
- Aux high CRI mode: 20 lumens, 6 hrs 15 min
- Aux red high mode: 13 lumens, 7 hrs 25 min
- Aux red low mode: 0.9 lumens, 68 hrs
- Red caution light mode: 13 lumens, 13 hrs
- SOS mode: 360 lumens
- Beacon mode: 360 lumens
- 1.5 m impact resistant
- Dimensions: 2.2 x 1.4 x 0.9 in (5.6 x 3.5 x 2.3 cm)
- Weight (with battery): 1 oz (28 g)
How good is that?
See Also:
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/ultralight-power-bank-nitecore-chargers/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/smallest-rechargeable-flashlight/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/11-gram-rechargeable-head-torch/
17/03/2018: ‘The Truth Will Set You Free’ they said. But no more. Indeed truth is no defence at all against ‘crimes’ such as libel, defamation, racial vilification, hate speech etc, etc. Britain First has been banned from Facebook yet organizations which openly advocate murdering others such as Hisb Ut Tahrir proliferate. I would like to see such ‘crimes’ abolished so that we can have a greater degree of ‘Free Speech’ in this supposedly ‘free country’. Willis has a welcome ‘take’ on the issue here: https://rosebyanyothernameblog.wordpress.com/2018/02/24/can-the-truth-be-racist/ as does Michael Smith here: http://www.michaelsmithnews.com/2018/03/facebook-bans-britain-first-compare-and-contrast-multiple-hizb-ut-tahrir-kill-the-jews-facebook-page.html
17/03/2018: Anthony
Dillon is an outstanding (aboriginal) Australian: ‘Very few are brave enough to
challenge the view that Aborigines are the only experts and authorities on
Aboriginal affairs. This pablum allows
purported leaders, academics and "spokespeople" to build empires
while those whose interests they profess to represent endure lives unworthy of
dogs’. He is right. We all need to ‘get over’ whatever the past is and move
on to a better future. There is no better life than the one where you pull
yourself up by your own boot straps: https://quadrant.org.au/opinion/bennelong-papers/2018/03/death-myth-patronising-excuses/
17/03/2018: ‘Climate is controlled by the Sun’s magnetic flux – no need to
worry about much else’: https://wattsupwiththat.com/2018/03/10/the-modern-warm-period-delimited/
16/03/2018: Morrison (or Abbott - Hastie is also excellent) could destroy Shorten over his tax grab from around a million retirees Not to mention those soon to be - savers whose dreams of financial independence are soon to be dashed. Turnbull is just a nothing man. Are we to have 42% of our income stolen because no-one will stand up to bat for us? https://quadrant.org.au/opinion/qed/2018/03/thieves-door-betrayers-residence/ & https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/blogs/andrew-bolt/can-turnbull-do-a-keating/news-story/f72bb409beeb43900a78e3d7ae164bbc
16/03/2018: Just how dangerous is it to be a white farmer in SA? 133 per 100,000 – the most dangerous occupation in the world. Yet their enemies actually expect to be fed! Of course we need to take them in – ahead of so many awful folk we ought not to have a bar of: https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/blogs/tim-blair/out-of-africa-great-idea/news-story/22d644d689b4a5505667d7a204a62a27 & http://www.news.com.au/finance/economy/world-economy/south-africa-peter-duttons-white-farmer-comments-anger-pretoria/news-story/a6a48505f72dabf517e961efa58242be
16/03/2018: Free Speech and
Jihad: http://www.breitbart.com/london/2018/03/12/delingpole-britain-yes-jihadists-no-free-speech/ & http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2018/03/14/delingpole-uk-minister-for-security-responds-to-concerns-about-southern-pettibone-total-bollocks/
Meanwhile in Melbourne there will be no parking in the MCG’s car park
during matches because of ‘cultural diversity’: http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2018/03/14/delingpole-uk-minister-for-security-responds-to-concerns-about-southern-pettibone-total-bollocks/
15/03/2018: There is a
serious problem – one would be naïve in the extreme to think it does not also
exist here. Yet the ‘free press’ ignore it. Should this little girl be dead or
the other 1,000 have been raped: https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/blogs/tim-blair/another-politicallycorrect-silence-another-rotherham/news-story/8a6c7c8b1dfd43dbe4792559c84529da & https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/blogs/andrew-bolt/telford-scandal-1000-girls-abused-and-raped/news-story/a4c083850a30ac86bf2c6b065ffbf8c4 & http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2018/03/13/delingpole-the-bbc-and-britains-mps-confront-the-grooming-gang-issue-ooh-look-a-squirrel/
15/03/2018: Arse for Art’s sake… Your taxes at work (This is no doubt the sort of thing Mr Shorten wants to spend his stolen 42% of our income on): http://quadrant.org.au/opinion/qed/2018/03/arse-arts-sake/
15/03/2018: How few of us know how to set up our own
TVs: http://www.coyoteblog.com/coyote_blog/2018/03/setting-up-your-tv-correctly.html
14/03/2018: 42% of Our Income: That’s what Bill Shorten intends to steal from us! We honestly don’t know how we will manage with just over half our income. Probably we will have to go back to work or launch into a new business enterprise at 70 – or just have to spend the remainder of our lives in undeserved poverty! After a lifetime of saving our money is to be stolen from us and given to others. And yes, it is our money. We own shares in dozens of Australian companies who paid that tax on our behalf. It is our tax which we are entitled to a tax return of, just like any excess tax you have paid. This obscene ‘cash-grab’ must be stopped! We had saved all our lives so we could be self-sufficient in retirement and not take the Old Age Pension – or other people’s money, which because we have been farmers for years we would probably not be eligible for anyway (our farm is not exempt from the Assets Test like your house is). It rankles so much given that previous Labor Govenments stole hundreds of thousand of dollars from us with their unconstitutional ‘Native Vegetation’ laws which made our farms unworkable and unsaleable. And you wonder why I hate socialism so much? ‘More than half of those who receive a credit refund have a taxable income below the tax-free threshold of $18,200’: https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/blogs/andrew-bolt/labor-too-hungry-for-your-cash/news-story/1b10a5bc6efb082ce3f84e0ea8259e3d
13/03/2018: DIY Simple Hearing Aid Safety Clip: This is the simplest and cheapest way to make sure you don't lose your hearing aids on a hiking or canoeing trip (such as this). Works with any BTE (Behind the ear) type hearing aid. Bulldog clip, (dyneema) string, two simple slip knots. Attach clip to back of shirt collar. Cost: cents. Cheers.
3 grams is not a bad (weight) spend to save yourself a few thousand dollars!
See Also:
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/waterproof-hearing-aids/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/never-lose-your-hearing-aids-again/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/securing-hearing-aids/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/zenni-the-hearing-company/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/eyeque-personal-vision-tracker/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/ultralight-glasses-case/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/dyneema-braid/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/the-ultralight-fisherman/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/60-diy-ultralight-hiker-ideas/
13/03/2018: I have long
thought that SETI may be listening 'wrong' and that's why there always seems to be no-one home (an
improbability considering the vastness of the universe; ie if 'intelligent'
life arose here, it is unlikely that it is not quite common elsewhere). Now we
can see that 'quantum entanglement' has speeds of at least 10,000c which makes
a return message from Alpha Centauri about 7 hours by my calculations. In the
windjammer days a return message from ‘Blighty’ took 3+ months. At the higher
measured value (140,000c) a return message would take just 30 minutes, so we
could have meaningful dialogue with folks a very long way off indeed! ET folks
out there are unlikely to be crawling along with communication using radio
waves at 1c when they can use something that zips along at 140,000c. I suspect
the same fate awaits the NBN! http://www.gizmag.com/quantum-entanglement-speed-10000-faster-light/26587/
13/03/2018: Who’d Have Thought: ‘Young Karl Marx’ Loses Tons Of Money: http://missliberty.com/metaphor-alert-young-karl-marx-loses-tons-money/
13/03/2018: The Big
Freeze of 1963: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pMXxRcqmrkQhe
12/03/2018: Things we don’t
know about water. Move over Kurt Vonnegutt. Here comes Ice VII – Wow! https://wattsupwiththat.com/2018/03/10/weird-stuff-type-vii-water-ice-found-inside-diamonds/
12/03/2018: Conservatism
seems in terminal disarray in
12/03/2018: Jacinta Price
– some common sense in the racist mess that is ‘aboriginality’: “I am half Warlpiri and a mixture of Irish, Scottish and
Welsh. My sons are of Warlpiri, Irish, Scottish, Welsh, Malay, Indian, French,
African, Chinese, Scandinavian and German ancestry. My stepson is half
Scottish and a quarter Mauritian. They are all 100 per cent Australian…Most of
the self-identifying indigenous members of our community who claim to feel hurt
by Australia Day being held on January 26 would also have white ancestors in
their family trees and may not even have been born if the First Fleet hadn’t
come.”
11/03/2018: Only the
Moon and Me: Packrafting the
11/03/2018: How Green Was My River: Packrafting the Thomson River Gippsland #2: After a delightful night’s sleep on My Neoair (Womens) mat on the soft warm sand snuggled in my little poncho tent, I awoke to a morning you only dream of. Look at the quality of the light behind me! A camera can only capture a faint taste of it really. You just have to be there. And if you never have, or never will you are the poorer for it… http://www.theultralighthiker.com/how-green-was-my-river/
10/03/2018: Consider Phlebas: T.S. Eliot, 'The Wasteland': ‘IV. Death by Water’
‘Phlebas
the Phoenician, a fortnight dead,
Forgot the cry of gulls, and the deep seas swell
And the profit and loss.
A current under sea
Picked his bones in whispers. As he rose and fell
He passed the stages of his age and youth
Entering the whirlpool.
Gentile or Jew
O you who turn the wheel and look to windward,
Consider Phlebas, who was once handsome and tall as
you.’
10/03/2018: Nuclear Fusion is just around the corner,
again: https://wattsupwiththat.com/2018/03/09/mit-tries-to-reboot-stalled-nuclear-fusion-power-development/
10/03/2018: Boring: ‘In 1993, according to Pew
Research analysis, there were seven homicides by firearm for every 100,000
Americans. By 2013 that figure had fallen by nearly half. It remains
historically low, at least by US standards. Last year the firearm homicide rate
was around 3.5 per 100,000 people. In
08/03/2018: When did the warming begin? The Central England Temperature record (from 1538) reveals it was much earlier than supposed (long before CO2 - and that there were other peaks as high as the present’s. PS: Judith Curry is an eminent climate expert: https://judithcurry.com/2011/12/01/the-long-slow-thaw/
08/03/2018: Good Grief: Feminists Want to Ban Fairy
Tales Because They Promote 'Rape Culture': https://pjmedia.com/lifestyle/feminists-want-ban-fairy-tales-promote-rape-culture/
08/03/2018: They allow all those awful ‘funny’ videos about people hurting themselves by falling off things & etc, but a single bare breast is out: http://reason.com/blog/2018/03/02/venus-willendorf-too-racy-for-facebook
07/03/2018: Fifty Faggots: I love this poem (much
as I hate the war that stole the poet from us!) I so agree with the sentiment.
It is the small acts of conservation count most. We have an archway I
constructed 20+ years ago harbours many fine birds who are maybe our friends.
The wrens and antechinus love the blackberries I labour to destroy. The
pardalotes find a home in a raw bulldozer cut on the hillside. The sea eagles
nest in the open cut, finding the cliffs to their liking. The peregrine sees
the Station stacks as merely an eyrie. The
whistling kites hunt the ‘pest’ tilapia in the Pondage. Marsh warblers sing
from the cumbungi in the roadside drains. The thornbills love spiders in our
old sheds. Many birds collect our sheep’s cast wool for their nests…life WILL
find a way: we do not need vast National Parks to destroy with vicious
wildfire. SUCH ‘conservation’ is folly:
2015 0166 Birds
Fifty Faggots: Edward Thomas 1878-1917
There they stand, on their ends, the fifty faggots
That once were underwood of hazel and ash
In Jenny Pink's copse. Now, by the hedge
Close packed, they make a thicket fancy alone
Can creep through with the mouse and wren. Next spring
A blackbird or robin will nest there,
Accustomed to them, thinking they will remain
Whatever is for ever to a bird:
This Spring it is too late; the swift has come.
'Twas a hot day for carrying them up:
Better they will never warm me, though they must
Light several Winters' fires. Before they are done
The war will have ended, many other things
Have ended, maybe, that I can no more
Foresee or more control than robin and wren.
One thing (at least) I miss about the Hazelwood flats farm were the skylarks, or pipits as they are known here; also the whistling kites which I observed still hunting there yesterday, as I passed:
To a Skylark: Percy Bysshe Shelley:
Hail
to thee, blithe Spirit!
Bird thou never wert,
That from Heaven, or near it,
Pourest thy full heart
In profuse strains of unpremeditated art.
Higher
still and higher
From the earth thou springest
Like a cloud of fire;
The blue deep thou wingest,
And singing still dost soar, and soaring ever singest.
In
the golden lightning
Of the sunken sun,
O'er which clouds are bright'ning,
Thou dost float and run;
Like an unbodied joy whose race is just begun.
The
pale purple even
Melts around thy flight;
Like a star of Heaven,
In the broad day-light
Thou art unseen, but yet I hear thy shrill delight,
Keen
as are the arrows
Of that silver sphere,
Whose intense lamp narrows
In the white dawn clear
Until we hardly see, we feel that it is there.
All
the earth and air
With thy voice is loud,
As, when night is bare,
From one lonely cloud
The moon rains out her beams, and Heaven is overflow'd.
What
thou art we know not;
What is most like thee?
From rainbow clouds there flow not
Drops so bright to see
As from thy presence showers a rain of melody.
Like
a Poet hidden
In the light of thought,
Singing hymns unbidden,
Till the world is wrought
To sympathy with hopes and fears it heeded not:
Like
a high-born maiden
In a palace-tower,
Soothing her love-laden
Soul in secret hour
With music sweet as love, which overflows her bower:
Like
a glow-worm golden
In a dell of dew,
Scattering unbeholden
Its aereal hue
Among the flowers and grass, which screen it from the view:
Like
a rose embower'd
In its own green leaves,
By warm winds deflower'd,
Till the scent it gives
Makes faint with too much sweet those heavy-winged thieves:
Sound
of vernal showers
On the twinkling grass,
Rain-awaken'd flowers,
All that ever was
Joyous, and clear, and fresh, thy music doth surpass.
Teach
us, Sprite or Bird,
What sweet thoughts are thine:
I have never heard
Praise of love or wine
That panted forth a flood of rapture so divine.
Chorus
Hymeneal,
Or triumphal chant,
Match'd with thine would be all
But an empty vaunt,
A thing wherein we feel there is some hidden want.
What
objects are the fountains
Of thy happy strain?
What fields, or waves, or mountains?
What shapes of sky or plain?
What love of thine own kind? what ignorance of pain?
With
thy clear keen joyance
Languor cannot be:
Shadow of annoyance
Never came near thee:
Thou lovest: but ne'er knew love's sad satiety.
Waking
or asleep,
Thou of death must deem
Things more true and deep
Than we mortals dream,
Or how could thy notes flow in such a crystal stream?
We
look before and after,
And pine for what is not:
Our sincerest laughter
With some pain is fraught;
Our sweetest songs are those that tell of saddest thought.
Yet
if we could scorn
Hate, and pride, and fear;
If we were things born
Not to shed a tear,
I know not how thy joy we ever should come near.
Better
than all measures
Of delightful sound,
Better than all treasures
That in books are found,
Thy skill to poet were, thou scorner of the ground!
Teach
me half the gladness
That thy brain must know,
Such harmonious madness
From my lips would flow
The world should listen then, as I am listening now.
07/03/2018: Cleo the Drone: https://newatlas.com/cleo-drone/53395/
07/03/2018: We are economically dooming ourselves with
the absurd ban on gas drilling and fracking. We are depriving ourselves of
cheap energy (and electricity) as well as missing the opportunity to reduce
carbon emissions. Cheap energy would also increase our competitiveness, create
jobs and prosperity: http://www.rationaloptimist.com/blog/shales-impact/
07/03/2018: Surely Turnbull will be gone in just days: http://pickeringpost.com/story/turnbull-now-terminal/8084
06/03/2018: New Fancy Feast Stove: 'Zelph' is clearly a genius (like Jim Woods who made the original of the Super Cat Stove - if you have not made one yet, do so today!). He has taken the 'Super Cat' to a whole new level - and I'm definitely impressed. I hit upon his website yesterday, saw that he doesn't ship to Australia (You would have to use Shipito - recommended!) and decided I could not wait, so made one myself with what was available to me.
I only had some fibreglass matting for the wick (material would be better - and carbon felt, available from Aussie Outdoor Gear) even better. Otherwise you only need three empty cans of the right diameter. You can see what I used. These were already in the cupboard, but if you hunt around in your local supermarket and particularly delicatessen) you will find three of the right size - then you are away!
You can buy one (and some other interesting stuff) from Zelph (with a simmer ring) for US$25: http://www.woodgaz-stove.com/fancee-feest-stove-and-simmer-ring.php
Two things I like so much about this stove. You can light it from the outside with the pot already on, so there is no fuel/heat wasted (or fingers burned!) Second, it burns in a really neat ring around the outside, giving a beautiful even heat. Add a windscreen and you are good to go.
PS: The sizes of can I found are probably better than the (original dimensions of the Super cat as they are substantially wider, so providing a more secure support for your cooking pot.
The original cat food can = 2 5/8" - 65mm
Inner Can = 2 15/16" - 74 mm
Outer Can = 3" - 76 mm
Simmer Can = 3 3/8" - 86mm
My DIY stove (burner only) weighed 32 grams. It is a little heavier than the original, but it is also substantially better. Still the whole set-up is lighter than almost all canister stoves (and you don't need the weight of the canister. I usually carry my meths in a Platypus bottle - a half litre is usually enough for me for a week's trip!
'Zelph' also recommends you check out this stove making page - and he's right: http://www.bplite.com/
You put an approx 1 1/4" (30 mm) strip of wicking material in the space between the two cans. Obviously the inside can needs to have (four x 1/8" in this case) holes drilled in it (or the bottom removed - it will be stronger and flatter for supporting your pot as is though).
This can will make a simmer ring. You will need to cut it down until it is just the same height as the stove, then start putting holes around the top (start with four, add as required until you get a good simmer)
Only 32 Grams! Not bad!
See Also:
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/the-ultralight-trail-baker/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/the-egg-ring-ultralight-wood-burner-stove/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/cookset-woes/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/soda-can-stove/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/diy-side-burner-metho-stove/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/the-best-alcohol-stoves/
06/03/2018: ‘Much of the social history of the Western
World over the last three decades has been a history of replacing what worked
with what sounded good’, Thomas Sowell.
06/03/2018: Socialism in Action: Watch 200 Caring
Democrats Walk Past – Ignore Homeless Man in Wheelchair on Way to Convention
(but their hearts are in the right place): http://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2018/02/watch-200-caring-democrats-walk-pass-ignore-homeless-man-wheelchair-way-convention-video/
06/03/2018: The real problem is the
millions of people around the world who are too stupid to realize how stupid
they are: http://althouse.blogspot.com.au/2018/02/the-imposter-syndrome.html
05/03/2018: Three Stags: I just love living at Jeeralang. Every day there is something new or wonderful to see, sometimes several. On our evening walks we often see some deer. Usually I only have my phone, so I have lots of lousy shots of them. This evening I had my new camera. I had thought until recently that they were all does, but they have now all grown fine sets of antlers, particularly the dark coloured one. Could he be a sambar cross, do you suppose? One of them left us an antler some time back. I couldn't get any closer than this because of the Jack Russells who would have chased them away.
One Stag...
Two Stags...
Three Stags:
I even managed to get some video of them, but I needed a tripod such as this: http://www.theultralighthiker.com/4-gram-string-reverse-tripod/
Still, here it is: https://youtu.be/bAJaGd7LuFM
PS: I have found over the years that the two most common groups of deer (sambar or otherwise) I encounter in the bush are family groups comprising a mature stag, a few does and their young - some of them as old as spikers, or groups of stags like this which have been driven away from the hinds and flock together for company. I have seen as many as seven in one group, usually at the heads of gullies.
See Also:
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/ultralight-camera/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/must-take-a-gun-with-us/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/how-green-is-my-valley/
05/03/2018: Quote of the Day: ‘Don't be so humble, you
aren't that great’ - Golda Meir.
05/03/2018: Good news stories you don’t hear about Donald Trump: https://townhall.com/columnists/lizcrokin/2016/07/10/trump-does-the-unthinkable-n2190160
05/03/2018: Millennial Woes: Here’s a chart
on income growth over the last century in the
04/03/2018: Ultralight Hiking on a Budget: The 'Big Five' for less than $100 and under 3 kg! I recently posted about this 362 grams cheap 40 litre pack which you can buy from Amazon for US$20. I bought one just to see and found it very good indeed - as good or better than many more expensive packs I own/have owned, (First though I added a belt to this pack which came without one. This made it ride a bit better. It is a short pack quite suitable for children/wives etc). It fits all my gear for a week's trip easily enough, so I got to thinking about the (hypothetical) problem of kitting out a beginning hiker/hunter who is on a pretty limited budget.
I had already posted about this DIY tent which you can make for A$10 and which will weigh around 800 grams including groundsheet. Of course I have many other DIY ideas which could also save you money.
Here are a couple of other shelter ideas, a cheap silnylon tarp 3 x 3 metres and 510 grams with 18 tie out points US$ 31.95 (Feb 2018) or this ultralight one person tent (750 grams) US$69.10 (Feb 2018)
The next four items our novice is going to need are raincoat, pad, sleeping bag, cookset.
Undoubtedly the cheapest raincoat is the disposable ubiquitous plastic poncho for around A$2 which weighs around 50 grams. As a raincoat they are quite adequate but they have a tendency to shred in any rough going. However, treated carefully they will last several days and can be repaired with some cheap tape. Besides not everyone wants to go hiking in the rain!
If you shop around you will find some pieces of kit which are reasonably priced. Perhaps you are better off spending 'big' money on a comfie air mat but I slept for years straight on the ground, so I'm sure you can too. Better than that would be the ubiquitous blue foam hiking mat which can be bought lots of places for <$10 (and which weigh around 225 grams usually). They have an R' rating of about 1.5 from memory, fine for summer(ish) weather, but not good enough for the cold! Still you can always add a brush bed for free.
I used to buy lots of cheap gear from stores such as 'Aussie Disposals' and 'Mitchells' whom I would still recommend highly - or 'Ray's Outdoors'. Just looking at the current Aussie's catalogue which was given to me by another 'Steve', the manager of the Traralgon store. (Say 'G'day' from me!)
They have a Hi Country Basic Self -Inflating Mat (down from A$34.95) to A$19.95 (Mar 2018) - probably over a kg though.
They also have a 0C Hi Country Compact Mark II Sleeping Bag 1200 grams for A$49.95.
They have a 360 Degrees Stove and Pot Set for A$59.95 - though I would probably go for their cheap aluminium billy (<A$10) and a Super Cat Stove and a plastic plate from a pack of Sirena Tuna and beans (Spoon from Chinese takeaway or similar).
The Super Cat Stove:
And, Oh, talking of raincoats, they have a Blizzard Storm Jacket for A$29.95. All these items will give many years of good service and can be replaced with lighter substitutes for hiking later on whilst still being useful for car camping - or to lend to a friend.
So, you can buy the big five pack $20, + tent $10, + raincoat $2, + pad $10, + sleeping bag $50, + billy and plate <$10 Stove $0 (though $1 to purchase hole punch from $2 store or similar).
Total cost to begin your 'ultralight' hiking career = $100!
Weights:
Pack: 362 grams + 30 grams webbing belt & buckle
Shelter 800 grams
Pad: 225 grams
Sleeping Bag 1200 grams
Raincoat 50 grams
Billy and cup approx 200 gram
Total: 2837 grams.
04/03/2018: Well Done Will Hodgman – There is Hope
Yet!
04/03/2018: Choking Death: Always a horrible tragedy when your toddler does this. I know my infant son began choking once, colour changing rapidly, extreme distress. We lived miles form any help. All I could think to do was upend him, slap him on the back, then a big quick hug around chest. The offending object popped right out (raspberry jelly lolly found dropped on floor by an older sibling perhaps). He is now 33 years old. Hope this helps someone: https://www.9news.com.au/national/2018/03/03/15/05/alby-fox-davis-mum-reveals-bouncy-ball-that-caused-son-s-death
04/03/2018: The End of the West: 54% of Americans aged 18–35 think everyone should be paid with other people’s money just for breathing: http://moonbattery.com/?p=93166
03/03/2018: 11 weeks and ears UP! What a champion she is going to be:
03/03/2018: Tyvek: Over the years I have made many projects out of this wonderful material, particularly tents but other things besides (see below). I use the 3 metre wide 'Homewrap' version which I source by the 30 metre roll from Bensons (Home) Hardware in Morwell nearby at about A$200 per roll. Each roll is enough to make many, many tents!
The Whelen Forester Tent in Tyvek:
I like that it is waterproof (2500mm), breathable, comes in a wide roll so little sewing is needed, cheap, reasonably light (1.85 ounces per square yard = 63 grams per metre 2), stands up (or drapes) really well, has a great sound in the rain, reflects heat really well whilst blocking wind, is mildly insulative, and has an ignition temperature of 400C which is pretty much a naked flame (which will really just melt it).
It is quite immune (in my experience) to burns and pin holes from wind blown sparks (when you throw another log on the fire). There is a special Tyvek sticky tape which can be used for joining it, and if you can't sew, tarp clips work very well with it. It also makes an excellent ground sheet.
There is a new Fire Retardant Tyvek: 68 grams per square metre = 2 ounces per square yard It seems to come only in 1.5 metre wide rolls though. http://www.dupont.co.uk/products-and-services/construction-materials/tyvek-building-envelope/brands/tyvek-breather-membrane/products/tyvek-firecurb-housewrap-fire-retardant-membrane.html
‘DuPont Tyvek is combustible and should be protected from an open flame and other high heat sources. If the temperature of DuPontTyvek reaches 750°F (400°C), it will burn and the fire may spread and fall away from the point of ignition’ http://www.dupont.ca/content/dam/assets/products-and-services/construction-materials/tyvek-building-envelope-CA/K-16743_TyvekHomeWrapPhysicalProperties_CanadaEN.pdf
Just a few of my Tyvek designs. You can find lots more by doing a 'Search' (top right) with the word, 'Tyvek'.
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/new-tyvek-forestertent-design/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/the-deer-hunters-tent/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/fire-umbrella/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/tyvek-solo-fire-shelter/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/bathtub-groundsheet-chair/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/ultralight-poncho-tent/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/an-open-shelter/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/tyvek-jack-russell-rain-coat-13-grams/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/honey-i-shrank-the-tent/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/tyvek-twin-fire-shelter/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/new-decagon-octagon-tyvek-igloo-tent-design/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/tyvek-bivi/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/tyvek-solo-fire-shelter/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/ultralight-chairgroundsheet/
03/03/2018: Nuclear War: I have always believed
that the most important issue facing the world is the danger of war,
particularly nuclear war. It has always
bothered me that everyone gets diverted to these other trivial issues: (you
know: climate change, marriage equality, which end to open your boiled egg,
etc).
03/03/2018: Making
03/03/2018: Meanwhile in
02/03/2018: Honey: As you have probably noticed we have a new puppy (for Spot) whom we have called 'Honey'. We had a very unhappy 'Spot' following Tiny's death in early February. We decided to do something about it quickly (this was also the vet's recommendation) so a quick trip to Digger's Rest and we became the new owners of a beautiful little female Jack Russell. I will be 86 if she lives as long as Tiny, so I wonder whether she will be my last dog.
Like many things you only get a finite number of dogs, though I have been most fortunate and have owned and loved a great many. My first puppy when I was perhaps 3-4 years old was white too, very similar to Honey. Sadly that puppy died from distemper when she was only a bit older than this little tyke. (This one won't). I still remember where I buried her, though that entire forest (a thousand miles away) is a field now, and our large isolated farm a series of hobby farms today. Some things live on only in memory or the mind's eye. Eventually the mind too falters and cools. Nothing remains.
Unless a Homer comes along and writes a lovely immortal paean such as this, to Odysseus' faithful old hound, 'Argos' (clearly the template for Rip van Winkle's):
'As
they were speaking, a dog that had been lying asleep raised his head and
pricked up his ears. This was
'Eumaios, what a noble hound is that over yonder on the manure heap: his build is splendid; is he as fine a fellow as he looks, or is he only one of those dogs that come begging about a table, and are kept merely for show?'
'This dog,' answered Eumaios, 'belonged to him
who has died in a far country. If he were what he was when Odysseus left for
So saying he entered the well-built mansion, and
made straight for the riotous pretenders in the hall. But
Surely that story shakes a tear from even the hardest heart, even after nearly 3000 years!
You already saw her first trip:
Full version here: http://www.theultralighthiker.com/honey/
02/03/2018: ‘The Perfectability of
02/03/2018: ‘Exports
of energy to
01/03/2018: Hidden Worlds: Nocturnal Ants: We have lived in this house for 27 years yet still there are things which surprise. Tonight I was taking the puppy (Honey) out the front door for her 'Goodnight' toilet stop. (She is making progress) when I noticed for the first time that there is a nest of these 1 cm+ golden beauties right at our front door, yet we never see them - as they only come out in the dark! They do not seem to bite or sting, so they can stay there as far as I am concerned. I am not so keen on 'jumping jacks' which get short shrift around here!
We have lived alongside many other such creatures here in our little valley for nearly thirty years, as I have explained in previous posts, some of them rare to unique. We built our own mud-brick house here (with our own hands) and planted an orchard and garden (our third such). Our first, way back in 1976 (on our first farm) was what would later be called 'permaculture'. So that together with our sheep flock we have always been largely self-sufficient - at least for the last 40 years!
Our own humble aim was to have as many different types of food/fruit growing all year round as we could. Winter is the most difficult time for fresh food, but even so there is a bewildering variety of things will flourish here in South-Eastern Australia with just a little help. Our children grew up just 'grazing ' from the garden, and all still love fresh fruit and vegetables - and particularly asparagus and broccoli, surprisingly enough! Now it is our grandson's turn!
Some other posts about Farming and Gardening (See Menu above under 'About')
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/its-that-time-of-year-again/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/progress-it-always-seems-more-than-it-really-is/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/political_correctness/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/paw-paw/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/winter-fruit-surprises/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/invisible-worlds/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/how-green-is-my-valley/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/the-last-rebels/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/vegie-gardening/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/bronzewings/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/things-that-keep-you-from-hiking-hunting/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/a-thrush-passes/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/a-merry-shear-mas-to-all/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/welcome-swallows/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/capillary-mat-plant-starters/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/jurassic-update-the-culprit-caught-in-the-act/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/instant-archways/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/perennial-vegetables/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/birds-in-our-garden/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/water-babies/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/root-vegie-pots-no-dig-no-weed-growing/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/instant-trellisfence/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/vermin-proof-fence/
01/03/2018: Ban Fatherlessness: Of the 27 Deadliest Mass Shooters, 26 of Them Had One Thing in Common: http://www.patheos.com/blogs/markmeckler/2018/02/27-deadliest-mass-shooters-26-one-thing-common/
01/03/2018: Art (like much else) is bullshit: ‘Utilising ideas related to Modernism and its relationship to Colonial concepts of empire, my current practice explores the intersection of historical and current social issues and how they relate to contemporary image making.’ https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/blogs/tim-blair/the-great-humanitarian-issue-of-our-time-in-pictures/news-story/964bfdb065c4e2a0c3d458f13f783d19
Kev’s comment: ‘It is a bit over the top in the way it depicts our tax imputation scheme and probably a bit weak in the way it satirises our attitude toward local government zoning regulations but you have to admit it is clever how the artist managed to sneak in all those references to the estuarine navigation bylaw amendments.’
01/03/2018: Sea Ice (for example) is bullshit: ‘That’s “the largest magnitude decline in sea ice, and the greatest sustained rate in sea ice decline in that 1,500-year record,” said Emily Osborne’ or ‘Earlier this year, Stein et al., 2017 published a reconstruction of Arctic sea ice variations throughout the Holocene that appeared to establish that there is more Arctic sea ice now than for nearly all of the last 10,000 years.’ https://wattsupwiththat.com/2018/02/22/science-debunks-the-arctic-sea-ice-extent-at-its-lowest-for-at-least-1500-years-meme/ Delingpole: http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2018/02/24/delingpole-noaa-caught-lying-arctic-sea-ice/
28/02/2018:
Mountainsmith Slingback Chair: I have become aware of this ‘new’ hiking
chair this morning, the Mountainsmith Slingback Chair. It is normally US$24.95
but vailable on Massdrop for US$17.99 (Feb 2018) You have to say this chair looks very like
the ‘Jerry Chair’ I posted about here: Don’t know whether it is a ‘chicken and the
egg’ thing or an ‘Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery’ one. Still you
might like to add it to your ‘wish list’ For a little extra weight penalty I
would personally prefer Big Agnes ‘Cyclone Chair’ though this one is
exceptionally cheap way to keep your tail dry and comfy on the trail.
‘Awarded the 2017 “Editor’s Choice” by Backpacker Magazine, the Mountainsmith Slingback chair is a light and simple solution to backcountry lounging. Made of 610d Cordura fabric, it’s built to withstand water, abrasions, tears, and whatever else you throw its way. At less than 5 ounces, it can be set up using two trekking poles and packs down to the size of a water bottle when not in use. To sit in the chair, simply hold your poles steady and lean back in one smooth motion, using your body weight to balance yourself.
Specs
· Fabric: 610d Cordura
· Sets up with 2 telescoping trekking poles (not included)
· Rolls up into its own storage pouch
· Minimum height: 24–30 in (61–76 cm)
· Dimensions: 40 x 14.75 in (101 x 37.4 cm)
· Weight: 4.75 oz (134 g)’
See Also:
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/ultralight-chair-the-litesmith-qwikback-2/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/the-ultralight-bush-chair/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/ultralight-chairgrounsheet/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/cyclone-chair/
28/02/2018: Universal Magnetic USB Charger: Another interesting idea for charging those 18650 (or etc) lithium batteries (and the like) Only 20.5 grams.
Weltool version, Folomov version
from approx US$12.69 (Feb 2018)
Presumably you would use it in association eg with a usb/micro usb adaptor (Avail approx A$5.99 Feb 2018) to charge something else, say your phone. NB the 18650 batteries are usually 3600 mAh (eg Panasonic version) and may be as much as 4000 mAh (claimed). This is a reasonably sized Powerbank which will charge most electronic devices.
The batteries could be charged by a solar device such as this one, or this.
Here is another one which only charges: Olight Universal Magnetic USB Charger US$9.99/ A$13.95 (Feb 2018) This one will also charge Nicads.
Review here: http://lygte-info.dk/review/Review%20Charger%20Olight%20UC%20UK.html
You will have to decide whether it has greater utility than the Nitecore I reviewed here. It is certainly lighter, The single cell Nightcore is 30 grams without cable. Mind you, you are likely to have a cable anyway. As an additional point the dual battery Nitecore (at 46.5 grams) has a capacity of 7200 mAh making it able to charge much larger batteries.
See also:
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/ultralight-usb-cables/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/powerfilm-usb-aa-solar-charger/
26/02/2018:
The Word for World is ‘Forest’:
26/02/2018: Climate Change Groupthink: I’m sure you have all often encountered folk who have an angry absorption with this preposterous idea. Here’s how it works: ‘Janis’s first rule is that a group of people come to share a particular way of looking at the world which may seem hugely important to them but which turns out not to have been based on looking properly at all the evidence. It is therefore just a shared, untested belief.
Rule two is that, because they have shut their minds to any evidence which might contradict their belief, they like to insist that it is supported by a “consensus”. The one thing those caught up in groupthink cannot tolerate is that anyone should question it.
This leads on to the third rule, which is that
they cannot properly debate the matter with those who disagree with their
belief. Anyone holding a contrary view must simply be ignored, ridiculed and
dismissed as not worth listening to’ https://capx.co/groupthink-on-climate-change-ignores-hard-facts/
25/02/2018: Worth knowing: T-rex would need to consume @ one ten year old child per day in order to survive. I'm sure we have all known at least one of the latter who would best be utilised in this way (Think: little brother/sister!) Alternatively each T-rex would need about 80 Big Macs, so even a small town could support a few: http://what-if.xkcd.com/78/
25/02/2018: Who knew Elon Musk was so evil. The Patriarchy has a lot to answer for, but raping Mars? And surely this is same sex too –which not so long ago the majority approved? http://davidthompson.typepad.com/davidthompson/2018/02/space-travel-is-patriarchy-and-therefore-bad.html
25/02/2018: I think I like Bertrand Russell's new Tenth Commandment best, ie "Do not feel envious of the happiness of those who live in a fool's paradise, for only a fool will think that it is happiness." The other nine are just as fresh today as they were in 1951. What a great mind he was! http://www.panarchy.org/russell/decalogue.1951.html
24/02/2018: Knee Pillow: I sleep on my side too (and have suffered from sciatica) but I must have enough padding of my own, so I have never needed one – but evidently lots of folks do. John Abela has helped out all such people who enjoy hiking with this DIY instructional on how to make your own inflatable knee pillow.
He has some other great tips on his website. One of the things which impresses me most is his long-term use reviews of various products. He seems to be able to make a pair of light trousers or a wool t-shirt last practically forever.
I am much tougher on my gear, alas! Still it is good to know which products have proven the most durable especially if you are tired of those review sites which pretty much praise everything to the skies (because they are indebted to the manufacturers), so that there is little to be gained from their recommendations.
I am often beset by such people wanting to give me ‘free stuff’ to praise, but which I can see at a glance is unfit for my purpose though it might suit someone else who is into car camping, for example. Where I typically use gear is off-trail (I hardly ever walk a trail) in a hunting, fishing exploratory mode so that I beat gear up pretty badly.
Over the years also I have found that most of the gear available does not suit as well as a piece you made yourself would which is why I have so many DIY things (even if they are not particularly elegant).
I am quite impressed by John’s knee pillow therefore: https://hikelighter.com/2017/11/04/knee-pillow-the-making-of/
He cuts his down from a Klymit Cush which cost about US12.
These pilows/seats weigh 82 grams and come in 29″ x 9″ x 1.5″ / 74 cm x 23 cm x 3.81 cm. I have been wondering about using one instead of their Air Beam Pad which seems to be discontinued as a pack frame.(We are both very impressed by their Ultralight Pillow by the way – and by their Pack Raft.)
Here is his interesting step-by-step Youtube about how it is done: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MVPUQD0SB-0
The finished pillow weighs .86 ounce or 24.4 grams. Well done, John!
I think this project would be very good practice for someone who needs to repair a leaky seam or shorten an inflatable hiking mat, (ie one which use heat sealable matrial as most do) as I intend to do with my new Big Agnes AXL Air Mummy when I get around to buying it. Being vertically challenged it is 6” (150mm) longer than I need it to be; naturally I want to shed that ounce! (30 grams) I will have to cut a whole foot off Della’s – if we like them, as I’m sure we will! It might be good practice if you are thinking about a DIY Pack Raft – incidentally the materials to make the knee pillow from scratch could be purchased from the same folks.
PS: I have John’s kind permission to re-post his idea here.
Here is a review about knee pillows which you can purchase; many would not be suitable for hiking: https://completehomespa.com/best-knee-pillow-for-side-sleepers/
I am wondering how an empty wine bladder would go. Once upon a time when I drank like a proverbial fish I had a large output of such things; nowadays I would have to waste a gallon of wine to get one for myself! Della is more of a wine connoisseur – an empty bottle would not make much of a knee pillow! We usually decant our chosen tipple into a Platypus bottle – they now even make a special bottle for that purpose! Here is another idea: http://www.theultralighthiker.com/diy-super-ultralight-pillow/
Incidentally,
have you seen the (new) 250 ml cans of wine at Woolworths for A$3. A couple of
these might be a good idea for a weekend hike. I always used to drink Bacardi
151 (as it was half the weight) which does not seem to exist any longer (in
23/02/2018: How to have Fun When Hiking in the Rain: Having spent I more than fifty years working outside in the rain I was delighted to see this take on the subject. It reminds me a bit of the old adage, ‘When it don’t rain the roof don’t leak; when it do (you) can’t fix it nohow!’
Most times I love being outdoors in the rain. Having been a farmer most of my life, rain generally means good things to me: it means for example the grass will grow and so will the lambs. Having survived a number of quite distressing droughts I know what I would prefer. The sight of ewes and lambs up to their bellies in lush green clover never fails to warm my heart.
It also means the rivers will fill with cool clear water. I also love canoeing, eg: http://www.theultralighthiker.com/pack-rafting-the-remote-wonnangatta/
I love the sound of the rain on a corrugated iron roof such as we have in our owner built house – ie we made every brick, sawed every piece of timber, drove every nail…just as I love hearing it spattering (or thundering down) on my raincoat or poncho hood. I love to gaze out my window at our valley drenched in the morning's light.
I love tramping through the sodden bush peering out at the rain as it slopes down, delighting in the small encapsulated space beneath the peak of my cap.
How many thousands of days’ off I spent hunting deer in the mountain forests of Gippsland in cold winter rain I cannot enumerate. The squelch of the wet road on the tyres and the steady beat of the wipers barely able to keep up. Valleys below drowned in cloud. As the sun breaks above the heavy cloud screen, the mist rises and swirls up the valleys chasing around the mountain tops. A quick cuppa and a biscuit in the shelter of the canopy as the rain drums down on the car's roof, and then off. The hunt begins.
Here
is the mist rising up the Seaforth
Valley upstream of Lock Maree,
Fiordland New
I have often pushed all day through sodden bush which no rainwear will protect you from, drenched to the skin trying to keep up with the hounds or get in at the final ‘bail-up’, the omnipresence of damp making the forest preternaturally quiet save for the sounds of water running everywhere, lending an advantage to the hunter compared with the constant crunch and crackle of footfall on a sunny day.
I love the sound of rain drumming on the roof of the forest, the rills and runnels pouring down the trunks and washing a foam of saponins as it roils, the swollen drops shaking from branches overhead, as you look up the dimmed light glistening through a million suspended raindrops on the canopy overhead. Heavy wading up a swollen stream hearkening to the faint roar of a hound further up the gully its sound all but drowned by the morning deluge.
I can recall such a scene as this in my mind's eye. A great stag brought to bay up to his chest against a rocky drop in the gully, the mist swirling about his antlers, my ancient bloodhound, Belle raising her head to the sky and booming at him as if her heart would break, the stag scything a swirl of water off his antlers, his back arched, tail up, a sodden splash as his mighty foot strikes the ground in warning...
I often used to hunt by myself with a couple of hounds back in the 80s and 90s...why, there are Poono and her mother, Belle (and a much younger me) with just such a stag still. This one was I stopped, jumping down from the bank (right) injudicious enough to be crossing a woodland track I was hurrying along - a sunny day though by the look of it!
During a wet day I sometimes had a hot cuppa to warm the cockles of my heart (and my hands) while listening to the dogs voices waking the distant gullies. An egg-ring or esbit stove and a metal cup are all you need. After you have had a hot soup or chocolate for example, you will feel much better.
If you look there is always a fallen log to shelter under, a hollow tree or just the lee of a large tree or rock face. The much rubbed wild cherry makes for a dry space for a pause on a misty morn. Sometimes you have to chase a sheltering deer out from under it.
Of course it is peaceful too at the end of the day to get back to a dry tarp propped against a tree, a cheery fire, a dry change of clothes and a warm (or cold) drink! A long yarn around the fire as the daylight dims and the embers hiss and glow. Maybe the sizzle of a fragrant sausage with onions in the pan.
Something like this perhaps taken many years ago (with Brett Irving). He still has a smile on his face as you can see - after a wet day in the bush, and even though it is still raining. I remember him saying he wished he could stay the night under the tarp - he used often to have to go home ('work' is such a nasty word on such occasions) while I waited in solitary splendor for late hounds to straggle in.
The 10’ x10 ‘ (3 x 3 metres) poly tarp kept us dry and comfy yarning round the fire on many a night waiting for late hounds to return from the hunt. And many's the night I slept under it. It kept me dry in all sorts of weather, cost less than $10, was used innumerable times and still has a place in my garage against future need. I also made a number of poly tipis over the years which will form the basis of a future post - great for camping in the snow as well if you know how to have a fire inside!
Of course it is important you don’t get cold. As I have pointed out before, water can strip heat from your body 20 times faster than air. You need to know that and to take action if necessary - as hypothermia is no joke. I have encountered and treated folks who were suffering from it a number of times. Wear clothes which will keep you warm when wet. Stay warm. Dry is not so important.
Our solution as deer hunters was always to wear wool (as you can see Brett doing). We used to wear the old ex-army khaki woolen trousers with a multiple layers of wool on our upper body usually topped off with a Swandri bush shirt (as seen), and of course wool socks and beanie. This is anything but ‘ultralight’ but it is ‘ultrasafe’ and ‘ultracomfy’ which is more important in the scheme of things.
Here is that woolen clothing in action back in 1990:
There are too many folks who become obsessed with 'gram counting' to the extent of jeopardizing both of the latter – which is just silly, and dangerous. There are other materials than wool on the market these days and I have tried them all. In my opinion though none is better than wool. Certainly none which will keep you both warm and sweet smelling! Of course I have spent many years sheep farming, so I may have some bias in this.
It is one thing if you are a track hiker with (maybe) the ‘certainty' of a dry shelter at trail’s end – how many times does that go awry though, with dire consequences? You should never be out in the bush without (the ability to make or find) some dry shelter. Or the ability to light a fire (and keep it going) in the wet. I have encountered people suffering, even dead in the bush who failed of just such basic skills. Don't let it be you.
A shelter may just be an umbrella, or even sheltering under your raincoat, but really it should include a poncho/tarp (so you can lie down) which can be as light as approx 150 grams (eg for an 8’ x 8’ cuben square) or at very least the knowledge and ability to find and construct a shelter with natural materials – and the tools to do so (See Hatchet). The minimum to take with you even on a day hike is a mylar space blanket which you can pitch like this if you have a few bits of string, and maybe some of these from your fishing kit, or eg one of these fancy emergency shelters.
There is nothing at all wrong with a cheap 5' x 7' (150 x 210 mm) nylon poncho - though a bit longer (8' or more) is even better. I used one as a raincoat for many years, and I have slept under it in the rain numerous times. It might be minimal, but it is enough, if you are careful - and it is infinitely better than being wet and cold. Mine cost me under A$20 over thirty years ago but it has done good service. I see they are now more like A$80 but worth every penny. A poncho will keep you drier on those extremely humid days than any raincoat, as they admit more air flow.
You never know when you will lose the trail (or your way), or the trip cannot be completed due to flooded rivers, a twisted ankle, a companion suddenly staggering with hypothermia, etc. The old Boy Scout’s motto of ‘Be Prepared’ is ever a good one, though I was never a scout myself, as I grew up in the trackless bush far from any town. Baden Powell though, the hero of Mafeking was not a sissy!
Just
as an example, here are Della and I out in the very wet bush of the South Coast
Track Fiordland New
The burns were in flood
And it was wet enough even to ‘drown’ a waterproof camera.
All of the above is a ‘by-the-bye’ really. I hope you take a look at these folks' excellent website though. It certainly reminded me (if I needed it) that walking is for fun, and was replete with excellent advice, which I admit I have not had time to properly absorb - having spent nearly two weeks working on Tiny’s eulogy (below):
PS: I have Jenn's kind permission to re-post her ideas here.
See also these posts mentioned in main article:
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/the-importance-of-a-roof/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/from-dawn-to-dusky-4/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/the-egg-ring-ultralight-wood-burner-stove/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/ultralight-esbit-stove/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/ultralight-cookpot/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/how-to-light-a-fire-in-the-wet/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/fire-on-the-snow/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/hiking-in-the-rain/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/raincoat-shelter/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/the-pocket-poncho-tent/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/pitching-the-poncho-warning-this-may-save-your-life/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/worlds-lightest-tarp-clip/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/the-ultralight-fisherman/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/new-ultralight-survival-shelter/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/a-walk-in-fiordland/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/pack-rafting-the-remote-wonnangatta/
Tiny’s eulogy (below): https://myopencountry.com/
23/02/2018: A Tiny Life: Our beloved Tiny died last week, aged almost 18. We will all miss her, Spot in particular! For the dog lovers amongst my friends, I will give you a link to Steve's blog which gives a lovely photo record of Tiny's special life! PS: This is a very long post with pages and pages of doggie pics, so I have just posted the link here: https://www.theultralighthiker.com/a-tiny-life/
23/02/2018:
Extinction is Forever? Isn't this just great: a beautiful plant
not seen for 30,000 years! Wonder what they will find in
23/02/2018:
The
23/02/2018:
The Universe is even weirder than you
could believe: ‘a UC Berkeley mathematician has found some types of black
holes in which this law breaks down. If someone were to venture into one of
these relatively benign black holes, they could survive, but their past would
be obliterated and they could have an infinite number of possible futures.’ https://wattsupwiththat.com/2018/02/22/weird-some-black-holes-erase-your-past/
22/02/2018:
The Greatest Tragedy in
22/02/2018: Nasrudin – one of my favourite characters: http://www.amusingplanet.com/2017/05/nasreddin-hodja-of-turkey.html
22/02/2018:
The Barbara Syllogism: The truth of
premises is actually more important than the validity of argument (though they
are both important). Here is an example from a primer of traditional formal (Aristotlean)
logic. Here is the form of a valid argument: ‘All swans are white, This is a
swan, Therefore it is white.’ It is a valid argument. Before the discovery of
22/02/2018:
The Federal Court in 2000 could not find
a single person who belonged to the ‘stolen generation’. Nonetheless we are
to pay $75,000 each to tens of thousands of ‘such’. At the same time, children
are at left at huge risk and made to suffer horrendously because they are not
removed from terrible circumstances and dysfunctional parents: https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/blogs/andrew-bolt/raped-toddler-who-should-have-been-stolen/news-story/b9ef90a9100275b70f0d8a38dec8c299
21/02/2018: It's that time of year again. Della: ‘There are not enough hours in the day to pick and preserve nature's bounty from our garden. What we don't use, the birds will certainty appreciate. And because I am a total fruit loop, we are about to take some containers with us on our afternoon walk with the dogs to grab some of the luscious wild blackberries we discovered yesterday. Cream and ice-cream are waiting!
There was no room on the little table for the nashis and pears and damsons that are also falling in bucketloads. It does seem like the Garden of Eden at times, but then I only have to neglect the gardening for a short while and it turns into Sleeping Beauty's overgrown forest!
Damsons are tiny, deep purple plums, sour if eaten fresh,
but if cooked with sugar make an intensely plummy jam or paste. They certainly
grow enthusiastically here in
Mini tomatoes for semi-dried tomatoes later in the year.
We also find ourselves constantly trying to outsmart the
birds in the eternal battle for a share of the crop. My only suggestion where
birds are concerned is to plant enough trees to feed both birds and
man...although we haven't managed to accomplish this yet...
And yes, we planted it all when we moved here in 1990. The sheep used to graze up to the front door and the only food growing here were some golden plum trees planted in the early years of the 20th century and which are still going strong today- and lots of wild plums which have spread across our valley courtesy of the birds (no doubt originating from the golden plums) over decades. We have moderately good soil, good rainfall and our own creek so the place had all the ingredients we needed. 11 years of drought from the late 90s resulted in slow growth, but now we are really seeing the results of our youthful labour and, with more time now available, we are increasing our forest each year.’
21/02/2018:
Electricity prices declined for forty
years. Obviously that had to stop (The Industry Regulator seems to have a
lot to answer for): http://joannenova.com.au/2018/02/electricity-prices-fell-for-forty-years-in-australia-then-renewables-came/
21/02/2018:
Abbott has really hit the nail on the
head here. If he takes this to the next election as Coalition leader he will
win: https://au.news.yahoo.com/a/39225805/abbott-calls-for-lower-immigration-rates/
21/02/2018: Tired of Google’s intrusiveness? Some alternative search engines: https://hackernoon.com/untraceable-search-engines-alternatives-to-google-811b09d5a873
20/02/2018:
Photoshop is just wonderful:
20/02/2018: Strange Things: Killer Whale Imitates Outboard Engine: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=05EdMzIxZvE
20/02/2018: Steyn: ‘When I was in
high school, we kept our firearms in our school's shooting range lockers…in
1939 the average American had an Eighth Grade education. Eighth Grade
20/02/2018: Women should not be forbidden to do this job: https://twitter.com/MartinDaubney/status/962263994252840960
19/02/2018: Cheap Packrafting Daypack: Isn't Amazon wonderful? Jeff Bezos deserves to be the richest person who has ever lived (which he is!) When I was doing the post below I found this excellent cheap packrafting day pack for US$16.99 (Feb 2018) which just about has to be a 'must have' to add to the G4 free below. It even comes with a free waterproof phone case.
Here is another, larger 35 litre one for US$59.96 (Feb 2018)
For more packrafting posts, see:
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/pack-rafting-the-remote-wonnangatta/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/remote-wonnangatta-day-two/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/new-diy-pack-raft/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/you-take-the-high-road-and-ill-take-the-low/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/moose-hunting-pack/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/more-about-diy-pfds/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/gippsland-pack-rafting-routes/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/ultralight-pack-rafting-life-vest/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/pack-rafting-the-wonnangatta-mitchell/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/klymit-packraft/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/dusky-track-canoeing-the-seaforth/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/a-gorilla-in-the-bush/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/home-made-pack-raft/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/the-ultralight-fisherman/
19/02/2018: 90 Degree Takeoff: The new 737. Boeing has a winner here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hZqGxWv1OKs
19/02/2018: What's really needed: better gun laws or better policing? https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/blogs/andrew-bolt/shooter-did-everything-he-could-to-scream-im-gonna-kill/news-story/92f093937daa4dcf796e2f905f0e85ff
19/02/2018:
Quote of the century: Ayn Rand 1981: 'There
is only so far I can go choosing the lesser of two evils'. But socialism is
not the lesser of two evils. Something you should really know more about:
Here's how the incredibly brave folks of Xiaogang village defied Chairman Mao
and won, proving (for all time, surely) that socialism is a lie. Hopefully they
can sometime soon bring down his successors: http://marginalrevolution.com/marginalrevolution/2012/02/the-secret-agreement-that-revolutionized-china.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+marginalrevolution%2Ffeed+%28Marginal+Revolution%29
18/02/2018: Ultralight Ultracheap Backpack: You really don't need a heap of expensive gear to get into hiking (or a ten ton load). You can start eg with a lightweight pack. You could consider the simple dual compartment 362 grams, 40 litre G4Free available at Amazon for US$19.99 (Feb 2018), and you could shave a bit off that weight if you wanted to, but I would add a simple waist belt though which might weigh about 30 grams. It comes in lots of swanky colours too - I like the light green myself. The pack has additional tie out points top and bottom to which more gear can be secured, if needed early on in a long trip.
Another option is the Coreal 35 litre backpack (also US$19.99 at Amazon).
Anaconda have this one for US$55 (Feb 2018):
or
(if you are in
I'm sure if you hunt around $2 stores, Aussies, Ray's, KMart etc you will find number of other options though they may not compare favorably as to weight with the G4Free!
Another option is to troll the 'free shipping - to Australia' online stores such as Aliexpress, Dino Direct etc where you will find things like this for US$18.18 (Feb 2018)
The next thing you might need is a cheap tent, say like this: http://www.theultralighthiker.com/poly-tent-by-the-ultralight-hiker-on-the-cheap/ which will set you back about $10! Then you only need a cheap mat (Big Agnes are hard to beat - unless you choose to compromise on comfort) a sleeping bag/quilt (more about that in a later post), a cookset and a rain jacket, maybe a pair of lightweight poles - and you are good to go.
PS: A sub 500 gram frameless pack is all you need when you keep your total weight for a week's trip (including food) down to under 10 kg starting out weight as I have done for many years. After all this guy has traveled the world for over a year with a 20 lb backpack!
See Also:
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/the-ultralight-deer-hunter/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/best-hunting-daypack/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/ultralight-pack/
18/02/2018: Basic human needs – Art is at least 250,000 years old: http://www.amusingplanet.com/2016/10/venus-of-berekhat-ram-worlds-oldest.html
18/02/2018: How the cost of light has fallen by a factor of 500,000 – life has just got better and better: http://humanprogress.org/blog/how-the-cost-of-light-has-fallen-by-a-factor-of-500-000
18/02/2018: Drowning, as you fall through ice may be accompanied by a beautiful sound: http://www.neatorama.com/2018/02/13/The-Sound-of-Thin-Ice-Singing/
17/02/2018:
The Cultural Revolution: ‘I am sure I am not alone in finding the cultural revolution
that we are going through difficult to understand. Like a free-living Regency
rationalist who has survived to see Victorian prudery, like a moderate critic
of Charles I trying to make sense of the Cromwellian dogma, like a once
revolutionary Chinese democrat hoping not to be denounced and sent for
re-education under Chairman Mao (or John McDonnell), I am an easygoing
Seventies libertarian baffled by the aggressive puritanism and intolerance that
seems to be everywhere on the march.’ http://www.rationaloptimist.com/blog/the-censorious-age/
17/02/2018:
Another World: 2,000 Days on Mars; Perhaps
you can understand why Elon wants to go there: https://www.theatlantic.com/photo/2018/01/2000-days-on-mars-with-the-curiosity-rover/551984/
17/02/2018:
If you want to live forever, you may
have to hang upside down more: http://www.newsweek.com/bat-dna-holds-doesnt-degrade-shows-secrets-long-life-801266
16/02/2018: Great Again: Disabled Rejoin Workforce In Droves As Economy Gains Steam: Instead of the NDIS, let’s have this: https://www.investors.com/politics/editorials/disability-rolls-tumble-as-economy-gains-steam/
16/02/2018:
The Mysterious Rat King: http://www.amusingplanet.com/2018/02/rat-kings-mysterious-conjoined-creature.html
16/02/2018:
Human behaviour is so often very strange: https://www.livescience.com/61736-ancient-heads-on-stakes.html
15/02/2018:
Inflatable crowds – I suspect they use these
in ABC’s reporting of left wing demonstrations: http://www.amusingplanet.com/2011/04/inflatable-plastic-crowd-in-movies.html
15/02/2018:
Arrow Storms: Remember the arrows
blotting out the sun at
15/02/2018:
I wonder how many people will believe this: http://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/real-life/wtf/time-traveller-man-from-2028-makes-specific-predictions-for-the-future/news-story/c410773ecf14d3b34df9deeeb5153b7a
15/02/2018:
This guy has ‘his head in the clouds’ and he has come up with a
definite solution to ‘the cloud problem’ which is omitted from all the AGW
models. Fascinating: https://wattsupwiththat.com/2018/02/12/glimpsed-through-the-clouds/
14/02/2018: Eleventy-One: If she had been a hobbit my aunt Emmeline Valentine Jones would have reached that august age today (had she not departed from us forty years ago). Nonetheless I remember her today as my very favourite aunt, a tiny cheery woman who worked hard all her life (literally until the day she died) every day of which she greeted with a merry laugh. Vale Auntie Em.
14/02/2018:
A must read new book: Jordan Peterson: Rules for Life: an Antidote to Chaos
https://www.amazon.com.au/12-Rules-Life-Antidote-Chaos-ebook/dp/B078C6C7QS
Peterson’s 12 rules
Rule 1 Stand up straight with your shoulders back
Rule 2 Treat yourself like you would someone you are responsible for helping
Rule 3 Make friends with people who want the best for you
Rule 4 Compare yourself with who you were yesterday, not with who someone else is today
Rule 5 Do not let your children do anything that makes you dislike them
Rule 6 Set your house in perfect order before you criticize the world
Rule 7 Pursue what is meaningful (not what is expedient)
Rule 8 Tell the truth – or, at least, don’t lie
Rule 9 Assume that the person you are listening to might know something you don’t
Rule 10 Be precise in your speech
Rule 11 Do not bother children when they are skateboarding.
Rule 12 Pet a cat when you encounter one on the street
14/02/2018:
Can B52s really fly until they are 100 years old? Airframes are amazing
things (and clearly we were better at building things when I was born! Very
clearly! But you should read
Michael Crichton’s novel of the same name) however scrapping more
modern aircraft (this may include our so far non-existent F35s) is astonishing:
http://www.news.com.au/technology/innovation/b21-raider-stealth-bomber-usaf-budget-calls-for-early-retirement-of-b1-b2-bombers/news-story/a57e54c4d18ee3398484c2e2494c70d9
14/02/2018:
What a life saver this will be: https://www.wsj.com/articles/experimental-drug-promises-to-kill-the-flu-virus-in-a-day-1518264004
13/02/2018: Admits She Was Wrong – you don’t often get this from the Left: https://www.thenewamerican.com/world-news/europe/item/28244-pro-refugee-activist-admits-she-was-wrong
13/02/2018: LL Bean has dropped its ‘lifetime guarantee’. I think this is sad. It is not because their products will no longer ‘last a lifetime’, it is idiots wanting to scam them by wearing them out (over years of service) then wanting new ones: http://neveryetmelted.com/2018/02/10/l-l-bean-drops-life-time-guarantee/
13/02/2018:
13/02/2018: Some Days are Sapphires: Yesterday was. Our 45th wedding anniversary - so naturally we went for a walk! Mt St Gwinear to Mt St Phillack return makes an enjoyable 12 km on a very hot day down here in the valley (34C). Up there (in the clouds) it would have been at most 21C but with a cool wind blowing (40 kph) and light drizzle it was at least (delightfully) cool.
I
have mentioned before that a walk over from St Gwinear car park to Mt Baw Baw
(luxury accommodation overnight plus excellent restaurant - book both) makes an
excellent 'glamping'
trip over the Baw Baws. An opportunity too to
experience a little of the wonderful Upper Yarra
Track. Or you can walk back to Mt Erica or onwards to
Mt Whitelaw, camp the night in a wonderful setting then walk back the next day.
Just
the drive up the
A well-made and beauteous trail begins right at the Mt St Gwinear car park. Spot is keen to be off.
He is proud of his ascent of Mt St Gwinear.
1509 metres, as you can see.
The new JR ('Honey' - seven weeks) has a rest in my day pack from time to time.
It is a gentle climb up St Gwinear, then a small descent to a little valley.
Spot keeps an eye on Honey.
A
delightful little valley, a pup's playground really.
With some splendid velvety campsites amid the heath.
Replete with wildflowers.
Of many kinds.
At
the Divide where this trail meets the Upper Yarra track, there is a camp site (
Here would be a good place to spend a 'two dog night' - that is the correct number to keep you warm up here!
Honey
at
The old signs and the new. The old signs were erected before metriification (1972) and were reflective and easy to follow - even in the dark (I have). The new signs mandated by some twisted green madness quickly disappear into the undergrowth and are good only for barking your shins on!
Autumn is coming.
Here is the well-marked intersection and the rock bivy.
There is a small stream only fifty yards back along the trail towards St Gwinear from the bivy big enough already to form pools inhabited by yabbies.
Beautiful fresh, clear running mountain water.
A good spot for a photo opp. You can see why I married her 45 years ago.
You can walk along this valley and pop out at Mt St Phillack. there is a lovely green lawn you can camp on over there.
Wherever and whenever you go in the Australian bush there is a myriad of wildflowers. they may not all be showy, but they are amazingly diverse and ubiquitous.
A couple of native bees are loving this large wild daisy.
A
fox had eaten a rabbit right at the rock bivy. Further back towards Gwinear he
had eaten a lyre bird. there were at least a pair of them as I spotted scats
from a kit on the path back. Yet, even though I hunted these hills with hounds
for years long before folks dreamed of its becoming a National Park, small dogs
such as ours are not welcome. As if a small companion dog such as Honey would
do any harm in wildernesses where you are most unlikely to ever meet another
person. We have over a million public servants in
These tracks were never made by any such. They (the tracks) were made way back in the C19th century (never by public servants who are loath to even maintain them) so you have been able to legally walk your dog on them for 90% of their existence. It will be so again. Meantime such fines as I might garner for going everywhere with my pets, if ever I met a public servant (out of his office or car - unlikely) and if he dared to fine me...would be merely the price of my admission to such places - just as you must pay to go the zoo or museum (nowadays).
The snow gums make a beautiful sight.
And the manifold granite tors. I am glad I was not on the mountain when it was spitting out these beauties (just a handful of millennia ago too!)
Much of the ground is a beautiful carpet of native violets.
And there are clouds of golden butterflies dancing on the wildflowers.
And everywhere shocking displays of these wonderful native berries.
See also:
http://www.finnsheep.com/THE%20UPPER%20YARRA%20WALKING%20TRACK.htm
http://www.finnsheep.com/Track%20Instructions.htm
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/upper-yarra-track-update-section-one-moe-yallourn-rail-trail/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/upper-yarra-track-update-section-three-wirilda-to-moondarra/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/upper-yarra-track-section-four-moondarra-to-erica/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/upper-yarra-track-ada-tree-to-big-pats-creek/
See also Upper Yarra Track Winter Route:
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/western-tyers-river-great-for-crays/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/the-western-tyers/
http://www.finnsheep.com/THE%20UPPER%20YARRA%20WALKING%20TRACK.htm
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/upper-yarra-track-update-section-one-moe-yallourn-rail-trail/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/upper-yarra-track-update-section-three-wirilda-to-moondarra/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/upper-yarra-track-section-four-moondarra-to-erica/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/upper-yarra-track-section-five-erica-to-walhalla/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/upper-yarra-track-st-gwinear-track-junction-to-whitelaws-hut/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/upper-yarra-track-summary-cumulative-distancestimes/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/upper-yarra-track-osheas-mill/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/a-beautiful-world/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/upper-yarra-track-winter-route-caringal-scout-camp-tyers-junction/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/upper-yarra-track-winter-route-western-tyers-to-tanjil-bren/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/kirchubel-if-you-go-nowhere-else-in-the-world-at-least-go-here/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/upper-yarra-track-winter-route-downey-to-newlands/
12/02/2018: A Conservative’s Tactics Handbook – this
guy is so right; what we lack inAustralia is a strong Conservative voice: https://townhall.com/columnists/kurtschlichter/2017/02/13/shoving-alinskys-rules-for-radicals-right-back-in-the-lefts-ugly-face-n2284892
12/02/2018: First #metoo, now #120db; I think I support this one even more: http://www.breitbart.com/london/2018/02/01/german-women-campaign-violence-mass-migration/
12/02/2018: So Greenland has been getting colder
and adding ice mass (as has
11/02/2018: White Headed Pigeon: Della: 'My pigeon
coop had an unusual visitor today! A little research has identified it as a
White Headed Pigeon, a common rain forest and woodland bird of the east coast
of
I thought he had flown off, but he was back sitting on the top of the coop and allowed me to get quite close so I have given him some lunch!
Just back from a shopping trip to Traralgon and s/he is hanging out in the garden now. I wonder what s/he will do when I let the pigeons out for their evening fly? Thanks to Steve for taking this pic with his excellent zoom!
Update: No sign of our visitor when the pigeons flew this afternoon. Perhaps it had retired to a safe roosting spot for the night. Will look for him again tomorrow and put some seed out. It would be nice if s/he chose to hang around in the garden.
Steve rescued an injured turtledove fledgling the spring before last in the main street of Yinnar and we reared it to maturity before it managed to escape one day. We were pleased to sight it frequently near our dam and then this spring Steve discovered a pair of them with a nestling in the garden behind our house. How nice to think that the turtle dove has chosen to make its home here! It would be pretty unlikely that this new pigeon would find a mate nearby, but perhaps it has arrived as one of a pair or small group, all of which are possibilities according to Wikipedia. Hmmm...the garden always has something new to divert me!
Update #2 'Falconio' was back this morning, sitting atop the coop and waiting for a feed. Here s/he is, enjoying elevenses. What a beautiful creature! I do hope s/he makes this a daily habit!'
Unfortunately,
as mysteriously as s/he appeared s/he has moved on to other climes. Such
'volunteer' species are interesting. I suspect there will sometime be a colony
of them in the Jeeralangs behind us - just as there are brachychitons
(Kurrajongs) near Dargo - hundreds of miles from where they are 'normally'
found! Or this red wallaroo come all
the way from the
11/02/2018: Green Slime: Bandt’s attack on Aussie hero Jim Molan is disgusting. These emerald folk are the lowest form of animal life: http://www.michaelsmithnews.com/2018/02/greg-sheridans-treatise-on-courage-jim-molan-compared-to-the-greens-and-their-divisive-spiteful-cowa.html
11/02/2018: Electricity costs have risen 6 times
faster than wages – and this is not an election issue: http://joannenova.com.au/2018/01/mystery-australian-electricity-costs-rise-six-times-faster-than-wages-up-12-now/
11/02/2018: The New Modesty is anti feminist; it plays
into the hands of goons like Halali who infamously claimed that women were
inviting rape for having so much ‘meat’ on display. Next thing we know the hijab
will be compulsory. I confess I do not watch the Grand Prix so I am one of
those folks who are the poorer for never having been able to watch women as
beautiful as Jennifer Hawkins parading scantily in front of powerful racing
cars. I suspect I have (permanently now) missed out on something wonderful: https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/blogs/tim-blair/fun-police-impose-sjwendorsed-lycra-prohibition/news-story/348c498d23df8e8eeed807ecb16ff8eb I am equally utterly disgusted that
DFAT have been promoting the idea that the ‘meat’ should not be on display: https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/blogs/tim-blair/a-land-of-shrouded-dames/news-story/cc7095e3e3c5437af560a4346993ef49 Though I am not advocating men or
women walking down the street naked, they ought to be able to do so without
anyone thinking (or acting) that it is an invitation to rape.
10/02/2018: Sapphires: 45 years ago today I was 23 and Della 19. I have no idea whether I would have supported then, as I do now the metaphor of one’s beloved as a precious stone… Rare, beautiful, imperishable…Yes. She has been my ruby for five years and is now my sapphire. (She has a pretty new bracelet to underline this). All along I have felt she is a diamond though that particular milestone (for us) is five years in the future – a future which I have no doubt will be as joyous and as blessed as the last 45 years!
09/02/2018: This is the most amazing thing I have ever
seen: Falcon Heavy’s two boosters landing simultaneously: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0hjKpcKtPs4
09/02/2018: Bastiat: ‘If the natural tendencies of
mankind are so bad that it is not safe to permit people to be free, how is
it that the tendencies of these organizers are always good? Do not the
legislators and their appointed agents also belong to the human race? Or do
they believe that they themselves are made of a finer clay than the rest of
mankind?’
08/02/2018: First Car in Space: Watch that beautiful
bird fly; the Falcon Heavy Take off. Wonderful. Well Done Elon. Next step:
Mars (go to about 29:59 for the lift off): https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=1852&v=wbSwFU6tY1c
08/02/2018: The Green ‘take’ on not having enough
electricity. Who could doubt these people are loonie: http://www.smh.com.au/comment/next-time-theres-a-power-outage-try-relaxing-20180131-h0r2dp.html
08/02/2018: Where to next with ‘marriage equality’ This (http://www.news.com.au/world/north-america/american-dad-and-daughter-have-baby-plan-to-marry-face-incest-charges/news-story/9aa467e6ac6761f7f6d97c2a28398659) or this (http://www.catholicherald.co.uk/news/2017/12/11/bermuda-abolishes-same-sex-marriage/) ?
06/02/2018: Woodcraft: George Washington Sears :‘Go light; the lighter the better, so that you have the simplest material for health, comfort and enjoyment.’ So he said way back in 1884. There are so many treasures you can download for free from Project Gutenberg or the Internet Archive for example. I mentioned some others here. So much of what Sears recommends is still relevant today. Here is a little more to whet your appetite:
‘Of course, if you intend to have a permanent camp and can reach it by boat or wagon, lightness is not so important, though even in that case it is well to guard against taking a lot of stuff that is likely to prove of more weight than worth—only to leave it behind when you come out.
As to clothing for the woods, a good deal of nonsense has been written about "strong, coarse woolen clothes." You do not want coarse woolen clothes. Fine woolen cassimere of medium thickness for coat, vest and pantaloons, with no cotton lining. Color, slate gray or dead-leaf (either is good). Two soft, thick woolen shirts; two pairs of fine, but substantial, woolen drawers; two pairs of strong woolen socks or stockings; these are what you need and all you need in the way of clothing for the woods, excepting hat and boots, or gaiters. Boots are best—providing you do not let yourself be inveigled into wearing a pair of long-legged heavy boots with thick soles, as has been often advised by writers who knew no better. Heavy, long legged boots are a weary, tiresome incumbrance on a hard tramp through rough woods. Even moccasins are better. Gaiters, all sorts of high shoes, in fact, are too bothersome about fastening and unfastening. Light boots are best. Not thin, unserviceable affairs, but light as to actual weight. The following hints will give an idea for the best footgear for the woods; let them be single soled, single backs and single fronts, except light, short foot-linings. Back of solid "country kip"; fronts of substantial French calf; heel one inch high, with steel nails; countered outside; straps narrow, of fine French calf put on "astraddle," and set down to the top of the back. The out-sole stout, Spanish oak and pegged rather than sewed, although either is good. They will weigh considerably less than half as much as the clumsy, costly boots usually recommended for the woods; and the added comfort must be tested to be understood.
The hat should be fine, soft felt with moderately low crown and wide brim; color to match the clothing.
The proper covering for head and feet is no slight affair and will be found worth some attention. Be careful that the boots are not too tight, or the hat too loose. The above rig will give the tourist one shirt, one pair of drawers and a pair of socks to carry as extra clothing. A soft, warm blanket-bag, open at the ends and just long enough to cover the sleeper, with an oblong square of waterproofed cotton cloth 6x8 feet, will give warmth and shelter by night and will weigh together five or six pounds. This, with the extra clothing, will make about eight pounds of dry goods to pack over carries, which is enough. Probably, also, it will be found little enough for comfort.
During a canoe cruise across the Northern Wilderness in the late summer, I met many parties at different points in the woods and the amount of unnecessary duffle with which they encumbered themselves was simply appalling. Why a shrewd business man, who goes through with a guide and makes a forest hotel his camping ground nearly every night, should handicap himself with a five-peck pack basket full of gray woolen and gum blankets, extra clothing, pots, pans and kettles, with a 9 pound 10-bore and two rods—yes, and an extra pair of heavy boots hanging astride of the gun-well, it is one of the things I shall never understand. My own load, including canoe, extra clothing, blanket-bag, two days' rations, pocket-axe, rod and knapsack, never exceeded 26 pounds; and I went prepared to camp out any and every night’.
Ebook here (to read online) http://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/24579/pg24579-images.html or here (to download for free): http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/24579
06/02/2018: Della: ‘I got Steve the new lightweight zoom camera that he fancied for Christmas (A Sony Cyber-shot DSC-WX500) and I think I need one too! Both these pics were taken in our garden on around 30X zoom. Steve took the Gang Gang cockatoo eating our apples and I snapped the kookie surveying our garden yesterday morning. Pretty easy zooms and very nice results! Not long to Mothers' Day, methinks’.
04/02/2018: Ultralight Power Bank - Nitecore Chargers: The Nitecore F2 Charger: 46.5 grams plus battery weight, eg two X 18650s at 48 grams each = 6800 Mah of charging for a weight penalty of 142.5 grams (not bad), but if you add a second pair of batteries (96 grams) you have 13600 Mah for 238.5 grams which is just about unbeatable. The best bit is you can even use smaller, lighter lithium batteries for a shorter trip: http://charger.nitecore.com/CHARGER/F/F2/ The batteries can be recharged with a USB cable even from a solar charger on the trail.
The Nitecore F1 charger is even better weighing only 30 grams. Add one 18650battery for 3400Mah at 47.6 grams (Total 77.6 grams) or as many more as you need, so this little guy plus four batteries equals 220.4 grams for 13600 Mah!. You can’t beat that. Or you can add an even lighter battery if your needs are small: http://charger.nitecore.com/CHARGER/F/F1/ I bought one of these for under A$10 on eBay!
PS:
You will notice that the device will charge other battery sizes. The 14500 battery for example is identical in size to a AA and the 10440 is identical in size to the AAA. Some/many torches made for this size battery will take a lithium 3 volt battery though they will heat up a lot on full beam - and may burn out the LED. You will need to check this against the torch you own.
When storing (lithium) or any batteries in your pack you should keep them together with a rubber band and place them in a ziplock bag to prevent their touching/discharging – there is very little if any risk of fire from 18650 batteries as they have internal circuit protection against such risks.
See Also:
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/charging/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/ultralight-usb-cables/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/powerfilm-usb-aa-solar-charger/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/smallest-rechargeable-flashlight/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/11-gram-rechargeable-head-torch/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/recharge-needs/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/clear-pvc-backpack-lid-for-solar-charger/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/mobile-phone-battery-life/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/power-from-heat/
04/02/2018: Hiking Makhani Dal: You can make a delicious Makhani Dal for the trail very simply and inexpensively. The recipe below will make over a litre of dal which is more than Della and I can eat for a meal between us. If you want to halve the cooking time you can put the lentils in a zip lock bag in the morning with some water to soften for the evening meal. Otherwise just carry the ingredients in a single ziplock bag and put them together in your pot, bring to the boil, stirring occasionally and simmer uncovered for approx 20 minutes (that would be about 40 mls of alcohol fuel). This meal would be about 800 calories. Obviously if you prefer a bit more 'bite' to your meal you could add a touch more of any of the ingredients (eg the chilli/paprika). More protein could be added (as with the other Dal recipe below) by adding some of this: http://www.theultralighthiker.com/hormel-real-bacon-pieces/ Freeze dried peas (such as Surprise) may also make a welcome addition.
Ingredients:
- 1 litre water (four cups)
- 3⁄4 cup black (French) lentils
- 1⁄4 cup red lentils
- 1 teaspoons cumin powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon ginger powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garam masala powder
- 1/2 teaspoon hot paprika or red chili powder
- 2 tablespoons powdered milk
- 1 50 gram sachet tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- approx 1/2 teaspoon - salt to taste
- 2-4 teaspoons corn flour to thicken - at the end - or slightly less water.
See Also:
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/a-simple-backpacking-dahl/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/a-hiking-food-compendium/
04/02/2018: The International Space Station transits
the face of the moon (zoom): https://www.flickr.com/photos/nasahqphoto/25126863227/in/album-72157692848342575/
04/02/2018: Serpentine feathers: Della may begin
collecting all her pigeons’ feathers once she sees this :
http://www.thisiscolossal.com/2018/01/seething-sculptures-kate-mccgwire/
04/02/2018: Well said Warren Meyer: Here is how the world works: ‘Profits attract investment. Profits are the fresh blood in the water that attracts sharks. If I am making a good profit employing low-skill workers, then I am likely to reinvest those profits to grow and get more of those profits next year. But even if I don't, at the same time other people will start to notice my profits and want to copy what I am doing. Through all of this, we will all be hiring more and more unskilled workers. None of this growth, none of this investment, none of this job creation happens without the profits.
This is why
I have said for years that the greatest thing that could ever happen to
low-skill workers in
02/02/2018: The Ridd case is a microcosm of how careers cannot progress unless you kowow to the AGW ‘hypothesis’. In this case the University clearly intends to ruin this academic’s career. If it was serious about academic freedom it might instead of its ad hominem attack, tried to show how his criticism of various ‘marine science’ research about the Barrier Reef was wrong. It appears they were unable to do this (thus proving his criticism valid?): https://wattsupwiththat.com/2018/02/01/james-cook-university-censures-a-climate-skeptic-help-him-fight-back/ & http://joannenova.com.au/2018/02/jcu-bans-prof-peter-ridd-from-criticizing-scientific-institutions-defiant-he-refuses-fights-on/ If the Barrier Reef is essentially in no danger from the alleged warming, that is big news – and millions of (taxpayer) dollars can be saved – and spent on something more worthwhile, like saving little kids from dying from horrendous diseases for example. See the post below:
02/02/2018: The Planet
Continues to Cool: The satellite records show us at +.26C above the average
temperature 1979-2018. Note the ‘step-change’ at the huge El Nino event in 1998
when the average ‘jumped’ approx .5C. This has always looked suspicious to me.
The temperature varied up and down by about .2C around an average about -.2C
below the average until that point, then sudden;ly ‘jumped’ to varying by about
the same .2C around an average about +.2C above the average. One thing is
certain: there was not any sudden infusion of CO2 into the atmosphere in 1998
which could explain this ‘step change’. It is either a mensuration
artifact/error or a hitherto unexplained natural phenomenon, but clearly
related to the El Nino – so presumably some natural warm upwelling from the
deep oceans caused by what? http://www.drroyspencer.com/2018/02/uah-global-temperature-update-for-january-2018-0-26-deg-c/ 
02/02/2018: Meanwhile, I need
to get my hands on a bunch of these (Midas) bacteria: https://wattsupwiththat.com/2018/02/01/weird-science-bacteria-that-poop-gold-nuggets/
31/01/2018: The West needs to decide whether it
should align with
31/01/2018: Just how Left are Julie and Malcolm: http://www.michaelsmithnews.com/2018/01/julie-bishops-44m-pa-australia-seeks-to-align-its-support-with-the-palestinian-authoritys-pa-objecti.html & http://www.michaelsmithnews.com/2018/01/australian-aid-to-palestinian-authority-pays-for-86-of-mahmoud-abbass-brand-new-private-jet.html
31/01/2018: Academic Freedom: Don Aitkin’s article
is rather dry and hard going (perhaps he has been tooo long in the academia he
critiques here?) however he does give a valuable insider’s view of the process
of obfuscation and emasculation which has well-nigh ruined the purpose of
intellectual freedom which universities once prided themselves for. The cases
of Carter and Ridd at James Cook Uni (and the blatant rubbish coming out about
the Barrier Reef – an object nearly the size of
30/01/2018: Five years ago
today: reflections on my back op: After
just 4 days in hospital spent mostly fighting for my freedom, I can definitely
say that the worst thing anyone can do to you is take that freedom away;
unfortunately that is just what sundry busybodies, do-gooders and major and
minor tyrants see as their vocation in life. The only appropriate punishment
for such folks is death; instant and without either hesitation or remorse. In
the context where they had me imprisoned, they understood that I was at the
bottom of their hierarchy - instead of being at its top where I was, in fact
their employer (having even paid in advance) and they were my servants, having
been paid to provide me with a designated service. Instead of eagerly conceding
to my every wish (such as a whole two Cascade Premium Lights with my tea once
per day) they fought to a standstill with what they saw as the benevolent
concession of one (and very old stock at that!). Fortunately I had an ample
supply of Dimensions Cab Sav cleverly disguised by the masterful Della as
Cranberry Juice. It was more than somewhat amusing to be delicately sipping on
this before their very eyes whilst energetically arguing for my second stubby
of Cascade...
The experience did however sharpen my focus on the
relativity between punishments other than Death, and itself. Some time ago a
Roman writer named Sallust wrote a book named 'The Catiline Conspiracy, (You
can download it here: http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/7990 ). In this book there is a lengthy discussion about the
virtues of various punishments which might be awarded to the nabbed
conspirators in the case (who had in fact done nothing - conspiracy not then
being agin the law). Some argued for a thorough whipping (howled down as fit
only for slaves); others for imprisonment (completely ruled out as un-Roman and
too, too cruel), so the obvious conclusion was the fairest and most sensible:
Death - and so it was done. When I first read this book, I too was still a
captive and victim of demonic and dispirited leftist orthodoxy and thought 'how
different - indeed how wrong - the ancients were to ourselves'; Now I realise
it is us who are very wrong. Death is certainly the lesser penalty to
imprisonment and should always be the first choice. It makes no sense to
cruelly (not to mention expensively) imprison an offender and continue to
punish him, (then later let him out to offend again) when it can mercifully be
over in a trice and the offenders' spare parts used to save a multitude of lives!
So mote it be!
30/01/2018: ‘The causes of wealth are two: work, and thrift. The causes of poverty are two: idleness, and waste.’ https://www.davidwarrenonline.com/2018/01/27/the-four-word-chronicles/
30/01/2018: Environmentalism is evil: Fifty
Years on from Paul Ehrlich’s ‘The Population Bomb’: So How Come We’re Not All
Dead, Yet? http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2018/01/17/fifty-years-on-from-paul-ehrlichs-the-population-bomb-so-how-come-were-not-all-dead-yet/
30/01/2018:
Here is the croc basking on the bank
of Lake Placid
Kim Henry Stony Creek Weir Track
Lots of
tree-root ladder work...in fact most of the track has been constantly vertical.
Hanging out
with some bracket fungi this morning. 
Bartle Frere
- the final ascent.
View, such as
it was, from the top.
Last night's
camp: Tent in the mist! 
I really
liked the Millstream Falls too, and its association with WW2 history.
Chillagoe Creek
- quite a respite from the heat of the day.
Inside one of
the limestone caves at Chillagoe-Mungana National Park.
And this
interesting paper wasp's nest.
Snapped this
guy inside a very dry cave! 
View from old
Chillagoe copper smelter across the savannah. 
Remnants of
the old Chillagoe copper smelter.
The kapok
tree is quite a stunner.
An Agile
Wallaby. What a beautiful little guy this one was.
Don't you
wish you loved a bath as much as this?
The light in
this Mungana cave was delicious. Steve inside the Archways, Mungana National
Park.
Love these
dry riverbeds - they look like great spots to camp, particularly if you love
birdlife.
Many grand
spider's webs around Chillago 
A prosaic farm dam can be a thing of great beauty.
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/mount-bartle-frere/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/you-can-do-it/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/lake-placid/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/cloud-forests-of-north-queensland/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/cairns/
Then he used it to round up the sheep from the paddock. This could be handy.
I think we will have a lot of fun with it anyway before they ban them.
DJI Mavic, the pro-grade camera drone that fits in your pocket:
http://www.dji.com/mavic?site=brandsite&from=nav
https://newatlas.com/dji-mavic-pro-review/48204/
https://newatlas.com/dji-mavic-pro-review/48204/
My Gorilla. See holes in pad. Note lightweight belt. Gossamer gear now sell a similar one.
Weight - Varies slightly; all weights are approximate averages
- 10.75" x 17" / 27 x 43 x 2 cm - Small
- 10.75" x 20" / 27 x 50 x 2 cm - Medium
- 10.75" x 23" / 27 x 58 x 2 cm - Large
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/hip-belts/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/pimping-a-gorilla/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/the-silverback/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/attaching-tie-downs-to-your-pack/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/a-gorilla-in-the-hand/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/a-gorilla-in-the-bush/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/a-tardis-folding-space/
And some wad
eat that want it,
But we hae meat and we can eat,
And sae the Lord be thankit.’
Read his poetry here: https://www.poemhunter.com/robert-burns/
You probably know this old favourite:
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/hatchet/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/ultralight-saws/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/the-worlds-greatest-machete/
Some ultralight pegs/pins can still come in handy:
Plastic bread bag clips: Interesting idea.
When you get to the second tree, go around it, pull snug, and tie a half hitch or two.
Takes longer to explain it than to do it’. Good idea.
Modified Hair Pin clothes peg: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k2PrpkpbA8w Doubtful.
23/01/2018: Robert Frost: An Old Man's Winter Night
Many of his books are free to download. For Example:
Man Eaters of Kumaon: https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.215066
Tree Tops: https://archive.org/details/TreeTops1955
My India: https://archive.org/details/MyIndia1952
About Jim Corbett: https://archive.org/details/00000CorbertBookFULLVersionWithPhotos
Col John Patterson: The Man_Eaters of Tsavo: https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.37068
22/01/2018: Bernini: Who knew stone could be
transparent:
22/01/2018: The future of retail: Dead Malls: http://deadmalls.com/stories.html
‘The everyday clothing I packed included:
2 pairs of socks (one by SmartWool, one by Icebreaker)
3 underwear (2 by Icebreaker, one by Exofficio)
The cold weather gear I took included:
long-sleeve Merino wool shirt (Icebreaker)
down jacket (Montbell EX Light)
rain jacket (Patagonia Super Cell) http://www.theultralighthiker.com/ultralight-rain-jackets/
mittens http://www.theultralighthiker.com/ultralight-mitts-and-gaiters/
beanie http://www.theultralighthiker.com/best-deer-hunters-cap-best-ultralight-cap/
scarf/face-mask http://www.theultralighthiker.com/are-you-beautiful-in-the-buff/
laptop with charger (Sony Vaio Z-Series)
camera with charger (Sony NEX-5) http://www.theultralighthiker.com/ultralight-camera/
waterproof sport camera (Kodak Play Sport)
Amazon Kindle (I would read books on my phone)
pocket flashlight http://www.theultralighthiker.com/lighter-brighter-better/
Apple iPhone Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini
The miscellaneous gear continues to follow this theme:
insulated water bottle (Platypus)
tripod (Gorillapod) (http://www.theultralighthiker.com/4-gram-string-reverse-tripod/)
sunglasses (Ray-Ban Foldable Wayfarers)
towel (PackTowl Ultralight XL)
My extra pouches/bags within the backpack:
padded pouch for external hard drive
packing cube for cold weather gear
bag for clean clothing (http://www.theultralighthiker.com/a-tardis-folding-space/)
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/hillwalking-across-scotland/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Coast_500
http://www.scotlandsgreattrails.com/
http://www.scotlandsgreattrails.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/A2351963.pdf
- Establish wide ranging racism offences and hate speech laws.
- Generate continual change to cause confusion.
- Introduce sexual propaganda in schools and expose children to pornography to encourage acceptance and desire for homosexualisation.
- Undermine and remove parental and teachers’ authority.
- Use immigration to destroy national identity and provoke racial tension.
- Enable excessive use of alcoholic drink and recreational drugs.
- Establish sexual deviance as a norm in society.
- Create an unreliable legal system with bias against the victims of crime (trauma through injustice).
- Induce dependency on state benefits.
- Control and dumb down all media. (Six companies now control 96 percent of the world’s media).
- Breakdown the family unit.
- Overall dimensions: 2.75''x1.5''x0.5''
- Accuracy of 12 feet in normal GPS mode
- 3 waypoints to find your way back to 3 different locations
- Arrival notification within 30 feet of destination
- Rechargeable battery with up to 13 hours of continuous use
- Signal Strength indicator
- Brunton SyncTech enabled, recharge internal battery from Brunton power packs or solar panels
- Self Calibrating Digital Compass
- Blue Back light
- Battery Life Indicator
- Metric/Standard
- Recharges with included USB cable
- Small and light weight, only 1.3 ounces.
Curiously this is almost the identical product I tried to patent 25 years ago!
Available on Massdrop ( US 19.99 Jan 2018) This is 80% off!
Supplied with easy to carry shoulder bag
Lightweight and easily transportable
Designed to securely support 130Kgs
Manufactured from tough and durable aluminium & high quality plastic moulded seat
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BhCEEbNhfF0[/
As you can
see, Spot thinks there will be room for a couple of dogs too!
Detail of the poly pipe and sticks - the sticks only need to be about 16" (40 cm).
I just used some pieces of poly pipe like this. They worked fine.
If you are sitting out a prolonged wet spell this idea will work well - you could even play cards!
Review here: https://gearjunkie.com/eno-fuse-spreader-bars-tandem-hammock-system-review
PS: I also use one of these fittings to protect my groundsheet
See Also: http://www.theultralighthiker.com/hammock-camping-double-bunking/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/60-diy-ultralight-hiker-ideas/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/a-hummingbird-in-the-hand/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/simple-hammock-double-up/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/adjustable-hammock-ridgeline/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/continuous-loop-another-great-hammock-idea/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/whoopie-slings-what-a-great-idea/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/side-insulation/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/hammock-pad-extender/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/diy-netless-hammock/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/klymit-hammock-pad/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/make-your-own-tarp-or-hammock/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/hammock-camping-double-bunking/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/hammock-hunting-till-dark/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/all-in-one-hammock-tent-poncho-backpack-at-1-2-kg/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/laybag/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/all-you-ever-need-to-know-about-tarps/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/tier-gear-catenary-cut-hex-tarp/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/900th-post/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/sleeping-pad-reinvented-big-agnes-q-core-slx/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/modifyingshortening-hiking-mats/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/catenary-cut-tarp/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/thermarest-speedvalve/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/hole-less-ponchoshelter/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/hammocks/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/hammock-camping/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/the-ultralight-deer-hunter/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/hunting-in-fiordland/
16/01/2018: Thank you Matt Ridley: http://www.rationaloptimist.com/blog/explaining-ice-ages/
See Also: http://www.theultralighthiker.com/crepuscular-birdsong/
Some other interesting survival stories:
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/the-wreck-of-the-commerce/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/thrilling-tales-the-diy-motorcycle/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/jeremiah-johnson-1972/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/thrilling-tales-lewis-clark/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/jim-bridger-the-greatest-plainsman/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/man-in-the-wilderness-1971/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/john-colter/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/thrilling-tales-37-days-of-peril/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/tim-severin/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/kon-tiki-thor-heyerdahl/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/water-hiking-desalinator/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/sawyer-water-filter/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/dehydrated-water/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/rivers-in-the-sky-never-die-of-thirst/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/survival-still/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/water-filter/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/collecting-water/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/the-egg-ring-ultralight-wood-burner-stove/
Available US$74 (Jan 2018): https://suluk46.com/product/uki-buck-saw/
I would partner this saw with these other recommended Suluk products:
Titanium Windscreen: https://suluk46.com/product/titanium-windscreen/
Here we are setting out just above the Kingwill Bridge. If you are confused, I am facing upstream.
Entropy hits the Hawkhurst swing bridge
Strange things appear in river wrack.
A rare bird: a Nankeen Night Heron.
Some other recent travelers had erected a monument at Hut Creek.
Lunch spot on the second day (looking upstream).
Some lunchtime visitors: an interesting tadpole:
And some truly enormous carp - they must have been 2' (60 cm) long!
Again there was a full moon. I had another go, not so clear this time. Oh well...
We challenge 'The Dragon's Teeth'.
This bouldery section of the river (at the beginning of Guy's property) is really beautiful.
Spur-winged plovers - they really do have a spur which can deliver a nasty cut!
Of course there are small drops here and there.
When we were at Primary School we were tasked to learn this lovely poem by heart; time not wasted:
'By channels of coolness the echoes are calling,
And down the dim gorges I hear the creek falling:
It lives in the mountain where moss and the sedges
Touch with their beauty the banks and the ledges.
Through breaks of the cedar and sycamore bowers
Struggles the light that is love to the flowers;
And, softer than slumber, and sweeter than singing,
The notes of the bell-birds are running and ringing.
The silver-voiced bell birds, the darlings of daytime!
They sing in September their songs of the May-time;
When shadows wax strong, and the thunder bolts hurtle,
They hide with their fear in the leaves of the myrtle;
When rain and the sunbeams shine mingled together,
They start up like fairies that follow fair weather;
And straightway the hues of their feathers unfolden
Are the green and the purple, the blue and the golden.
October, the maiden of bright yellow tresses,
Loiters for love in these cool wildernesses;
Loiters, knee-deep, in the grasses, to listen,
Where dripping rocks gleam and the leafy pools glisten:
Then is the time when the water-moons splendid
Break with their gold, and are scattered or blended
Over the creeks, till the woodlands have warning
Of songs of the bell-bird and wings of the Morning.
Welcome as waters unkissed by the summers
Are the voices of bell-birds to the thirsty far-comers.
When fiery December sets foot in the forest,
And the need of the wayfarer presses the sorest,
Pent in the ridges for ever and ever
The bell-birds direct him to spring and to river,
With ring and with ripple, like runnels who torrents
Are toned by the pebbles and the leaves in the currents.
Often I sit, looking back to a childhood,
Mixt with the sights and the sounds of the wildwood,
Longing for power and the sweetness to fashion,
Lyrics with beats like the heart-beats of Passion; -
Songs interwoven of lights and of laughters
Borrowed from bell-birds in far forest-rafters;
So I might keep in the city and alleys
The beauty and strength of the deep mountain valleys:
Charming to slumber the pain of my losses
With glimpses of creeks and a vision of mosses.'
05/01/2018: ‘The Zookeeper’s Wife’ interviewed: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7F2OMavFSo0
Of course we have many other food ideas. You might try a look at some of them here:
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/a-hiking-food-compendium/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/stick-pic/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/4-gram-string-reverse-tripod/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/rubber-band-selfie-stick/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/aloksak/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/camera-glassing/
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/camera-clearviewers/
01/01/2018: My 47th New Year with this lovely lady – and they just keep on getting better!
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Here: