Just remember: if you convert him, you have to consider him "us" instead of "them" (the Pottery Barn doctrine of UL: You break it, you bought it.) Or, as the toast I wanted to give (but wifely intervention prevented) at my daughter's wedding: "Jeff, she's your problem now."
I don't see it that way at all. I have been trekking for about 40 years give or take a few "off" years of not doing it at all. I don't think that my traveling lighter has any thing to do with neccesity. I think that it has more to do with effeciency. The reason that I say that is that I get the same things done, with better gear, trekking that I did 40 years ago, I just do it with about half of the weight.....sabre11004...
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The first step that you take will be one of those that get you there 1!!!!!
I have a friend who I bet packs a lighter pack than all of you. When you get to the campsite you find out he plans on using your stove, tent, food, etc. And I mean etc. His pack has a sleeping bag and water.
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When you truly understand nature, there is no such thing as a bad day.
2. He never camps with someone twice - unless the arrangement beforehand is that the someone knows they're going to be mooched from, and is OK with that.
It also sounds like he's the perfect person to carry the rock collection you just decided to start.
Your assumptions are correct. He is still a friend that I would take a day hike with but I will not go backpacking with him. He'll go anywhere with anyone if it means being outdoors (good) but he is a tight-wad (bad).
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When you truly understand nature, there is no such thing as a bad day.
One of the reasons backpacking is irrestible to so many people is because it really allows for individual expression of concepts and experience. We don't need to mess with that. If you have some really good ideas, just go about your business and people will take notice.
It's funny but I went out and bought a Sierra Club type cup last week because it is so nostalgic. My friend has always used one and the sight of it really hit me.
While I am not a UL guy, I have become a LW (lighter weight) guy out of necessity first, and common sense second.
Gone are the days of a 55lb pack with multiple back-ups of most of my gear. That style of packing (for me) is better left back in my military days.
I lurked on this forum for many many months, reading and absorbing information. I have a backpacking buddy who is teetering on the edge of UL, and another buddy that we are converting to the LW style.
My thanks to all of you for sharing experiences and experiences with all of your gear.
In December we went to Richland Creek in Arkanas. I told the 4 guys it's only about 5 miles but it's rough go light..yet it's going to be cold. 20 degrees.
Sunday morning at about 6:00 am I could hear them around the fire talking about how they were freezing all night. I slept like a baby... the difference was gear and experience.
3 in tents one in Hammock. I told the young man in the hammock he was going to freeze..he did. GRIN! He had his underquilt and pad from Hennesy.
I got out of my bag and put on my down snowmobile suit and went out and laid on the ground next to the fire...that extra 2 pounds paid off for a wonderful weekend. The rest of the guys are going for better lighter gear...
Bought some Crocs to replace my heavy choco's for river crossings. It's a work in progress. Lighter is always better unless of course it's not better. GRIN!
I have a Swedish Army Cook Kit. Weighs in at 2 lbs 5 ounces. Bomb proof... doesn't fall over. Works in the wind and cold and doesn't burn the food. My other 2 light weight stoves stay home.... because lighter isn't better in this case.
Ever heard of a Luxuary lite cot? Weighs 2 lbs and keeps you 1" off the ground.. in a over night all night rain..that extra 1 pound keeping you off the river flowing below your tent... prices.. I dont' bring it all the time.. Sometimes I do.
If I was going to go 4 weeks at a time.. I would hire a shirpa. GRIN! 8 backpacks a year with Royal Rangers (church boyscouts) over the past 22 years has given me some insight on how to enjoy going on the next trip. At 53 I no longer wonder what will work... I know. GRIN! Unless it's new..then I gotta try it. I enjoy Backpacking my way. Other's ways not so much!
Registered: 02/07/07
Posts: 3917
Loc: Ozark Mountains in SW Missouri
Hey Mark, some of the coldest nights I've ever spent around here were at Richland Creek. That's a great wilderness area, lot's of cool stuff to explore there.
Where did you go? Last year I explored the Big Devil's creek hollow and the limestone bluff above it. That was a lot of fun. There are some really nice shelters in that bluff, and some very cool old hand cut millstones sitting on the bank of Big Devil's Creek right below it.
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