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Thread: Intro and Craziness

  1. #1
    Welcome to Wanderlust
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    Default Intro and Craziness

    Well my name is Jeff and I'm 16. For the past few months I've been restless and unable to concentrate in college,(early I know) sleep at all, and do anything really. I couldn't stop thinking all the time about what I wanted to do with my life and after a lot of thinking I still wasn't clear. So I got to thinking what I wanted to do right now. Then this idea popped into my head. To walk. For however far I want or for however long. Basically backpack across the country. Now please don't just shoot me down or call me a stupid teenager because I know that's what this sounds like. I just want to know what I need to do to prepare for this. Like what physical stuff I need to do to get in good enough shape, what stuff I actually need to carry with me, and all the necessary skills. So please don't bash me, just some advice would be great.

    Thanks.


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    Administrator Rick's Avatar
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    Welcome home, first. I don't think you're stupid at all. Through hiking any of America's trails is an incredible challenge and personal accomplishment. You don't have to be in perfect physical condition but being in sound condition certainly helps. However, you'll encounter folks from all age groups and in all sorts of shape (round is a shape, too). If I were you, I would focus on the major trails as a goal.

    The first thing you can do on the forum is post an introduction. The more we know about your knowledge and experience the more we can help you. You can use this sticky as a template for your intro.

    http://www.wilderness-survival.net/f...ead.php?t=7813

    You'll need both knowledge and experience if you really want to do this and you can take a year or two and gain that experience. You certainly don't want to start out on such an ambitious task ill prepared.

    Then you can target some really great trails. Places like the Appalachian Trail, the Pacific Coast Trail, the Coast to Coast Trail or thousands of trails that cover hundreds of miles if you'd rather do that. There is a LOT of fun and adventure just waiting for those that know how to do it safely.
    Tracks Across the High Plains...Death on the Bombay Line...A Touch of Death and Mayhem...Dead Rock...The Griswald Mine Boys...All On Amazon Books.

  3. #3

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    We don't "Bash" people that are being sensible,asking good solid questions. Now if you had come in asking "what is the best knife I just saw one that has 104 blades and I think I could survive 104 years with just that knife and oh gosh can you guys tell me everything I need to know to help me survive in the wilderness" Then we probably wouldn't have taken you very seriously. LOL We would've talked to you but not took you too seriously.
    Were you ever in Boy Scouts? What have you done in the woods? These are the kinds of questions you need to ponder when you make your introduction. You will get some good advice here--- Opinionated at times ---But good advice nonetheless.

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    Welcome to the forum........"Just Do IT"

  5. #5

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    That's a tough question to answer. are you planning on working along the way? Do you have a lot of money to take along? Are you considering "roughing it" the whole way with little or no interaction with society? Have you considered the amount of time it will take or are willing to invest in this pursuit?

  6. #6
    walk lightly on the earth wildWoman's Avatar
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    Sounds like a good plan to me! You'll get into shape as you do it. If you haven't done much backpacking before and are unsure about what gear you need, why don't you start right now with some weekend hikes in your area. Some camping stores also rent out equipment - if you have no clue about what to bring, start with borrowing or renting different makes of tents, backpacks and sleeping bags to learn first-hand what the pros and cons of the different types are and especially what you personally like.
    Start out with some fair-weather day and weekend hikes and after you become comfortable with that and your gear, do an overnighter when it's miserable: rain or snow.
    These are things you can get started on today and really should if you're serious. Keep doing it until spring or so and also use that time to figure out your route for your big hike (Rick's ideas above are excellent!). You need to practice, that's the only way to really learn. The forum and talking with people can only give you a few ideas but is in no way preparation.

    Money can be earned easily as you go if you're willing to work. Also check out www.wwoof.org for getting food and shelter all over the place; this is a reputable organization.
    You don't need much money for something like this, just the drive to go do it, and some half-decent gear (stuff isn't necessarily good because it's expensive - many people who really get around and do stuff do it with old, worn out equipment. You can generally recognize the weekend warrior by their glitzy expensive gear.)

    And always, always let somebody responsible know where you go and when you expect to be back, bring along your cell phone (if it works where you're doing this). That's being smart and well-prepared.
    Last edited by wildWoman; 10-17-2009 at 12:41 PM.
    Actions speak louder than words

  7. #7
    Welcome to Wanderlust
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    Default Hello again

    I'm a 16 year old male.

    Albuquerque, New Mexico

    Student

    By the end of this semester I will have completed the EMS First Responder class. (for whatever it's worth)
    The Nature of Your Prior Experience....shoot I dunno. I've camped a few times with my parents when I was younger. I don't really think that counts though.

    Your Level of Experience - novice definitely

    Your Preparedness Planning - Not sure what type and level mean.

    Your Interests and Hobbies - not really anything to do with survival, but here goes anyway. Anything with an engine really. I'm currently rebuilding the engine in my car. I can't think of much else actually...

    Your Membership and Learning Objectives - Any good names for all the basic survival stuff, skills that are necessary, and anything in between.

  8. #8
    Senior Member Ole WV Coot's Avatar
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    Guess I would first consider an adult, relative or someone you really trust to go with you. I go alone but for safety I prefer company even on short trips.
    Don't pick a fight with an old man. If he's too old
    to fight... he'll just kill you.

  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by rwc1969 View Post
    That's a tough question to answer. are you planning on working along the way? Do you have a lot of money to take along? Are you considering "roughing it" the whole way with little or no interaction with society? Have you considered the amount of time it will take or are willing to invest in this pursuit?
    Yes I would plan on working along the way. When this semester is over I'll start working with whatever I can get, and that should be enough. (relatively) And I'm thinking that this will take around a year or more.

    Quote Originally Posted by wildWoman View Post
    Sounds like a good plan to me! You'll get into shape as you do it. If you haven't done much backpacking before and are unsure about what gear you need, why don't you start right now with some weekend hikes in your area. Some camping stores also rent out equipment - if you have no clue about what to bring, start with borrowing or renting different makes of tents, backpacks and sleeping bags to learn first-hand what the pros and cons of the different types are and especially what you personally like.
    Start out with some fair-weather day and weekend hikes and after you become comfortable with that and your gear, do an overnighter when it's miserable: rain or snow.
    These are things you can get started on today and really should if you're serious. Keep doing it until spring or so and also use that time to figure out your route for your big hike (Rick's ideas above are excellent!). You need to practice, that's the only way to really learn. The forum and talking with people can only give you a few ideas but is in no way preparation.

    Money can be earned easily as you go if you're willing to work. Also check out www.wwoof.org for getting food and shelter all over the place; this is a reputable organization.
    You don't need much money for something like this, just the drive to go do it, and some half-decent gear (stuff isn't necessarily good because it's expensive - many people who really get around and do stuff do it with old, worn out equipment. You can generally recognize the weekend warrior by their glitzy expensive gear.)

    And always, always let somebody responsible know where you go and when you expect to be back, bring along your cell phone (if it works where you're doing this). That's being smart and well-prepared.
    Does anyone know if REI rents out equipment? Or another store similar to that that would? Cuz I know what stuff I would need. But I'm not sure what brands are well known for making good but not over priced equipment. I currently have nothing in the way of equipment so I figure I need that before I can go out and do anything really. And thanks for all the quick replies guys. (:

    Quote Originally Posted by Ole WV Coot View Post
    Guess I would first consider an adult, relative or someone you really trust to go with you. I go alone but for safety I prefer company even on short trips.
    I would love to have someone come with me but my parents wouldn't (they just said so) and I don't have any relatives. So I'm not sure if I know anyone who could or would come with me.
    Last edited by Motormouth; 10-17-2009 at 03:20 PM.

  10. #10

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    Welcome MM! I now see why you chose the name "Motormouth". I was afraid it was because you just couldn't be quiet!! Just kidding, there's a lot of that that goes on here.
    EMS first Responder, huh? That's a pretty good start, in "preparedness" IMO. Preparedness means steps you have taken to "prepare" for a disaster.Tornado, hurricane, Earthquake, Ice Storm,etc. Trying to make sure you have enough "supplies of all types" to deal with an Emergency. Food, Water, First Aid, and "incidentals"... Stuff like that.

  11. #11
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    As far as preparedness goes I'd say that my family is pretty relaxed and not really ready for much of anything. (me included) Part of it is where we live I think. Nothing happens here in NM. And I do talk a lot but I try to make a habit of keeping most stuff short and to the point now.

  12. #12
    Super Moderator crashdive123's Avatar
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    Hello and welcome.
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  13. #13
    walk lightly on the earth wildWoman's Avatar
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    Just call up all of the camping stores in your area and ask if they rent out equipment. If none does, call again and explain what you're planning to do, that you'll be buying a whole set of gear but need to test it first, that might work. Then they see you as a potential big money spending customer.
    Do your parents have some camping gear you could borrow for now? Or friends? The other thing is, some people go on major treks wearing sneakers, using blankets and a tarp. You don't really need much for just a day or weekend. Not suggesting you should do it that way, I just want to give you some ideas so you don't feel dependent on a mountain of high-tech equipment just to get started.
    Also, if you come across something that looks okay in the classifieds or at a garage sale and that just sets you back a few dollars, you might want to buy it. Some outdoor clubs organize gear swaps where you can often pick up stuff at a reasonable price.
    Actions speak louder than words

  14. #14
    Administrator Rick's Avatar
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    Welcome home, again.

    You might want to start reading through this sticky. It's not exactly geared toward what you want to do but there is a lot of basic information in it and will help you understand the types of things you need to be concerned about.

    http://www.wilderness-survival.net/f...ead.php?t=6837

    You might also be interested in our book sticky. Another good source of information. There are a lot of really informative books that can help you and many are listed in this thread.

    http://www.wilderness-survival.net/f...ead.php?t=5483

    There are some sticky's in the General Survival category that you will be interested in:

    http://www.wilderness-survival.net/f...isplay.php?f=4
    Tracks Across the High Plains...Death on the Bombay Line...A Touch of Death and Mayhem...Dead Rock...The Griswald Mine Boys...All On Amazon Books.

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    Senior Member BENESSE's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Motormouth View Post
    Well my name is Jeff and I'm 16. For the past few months I've been restless and unable to concentrate in college,(early I know) sleep at all, and do anything really. I couldn't stop thinking all the time about what I wanted to do with my life and after a lot of thinking I still wasn't clear. So I got to thinking what I wanted to do right now. Then this idea popped into my head. To walk. For however far I want or for however long. Basically backpack across the country. Now please don't just shoot me down or call me a stupid teenager because I know that's what this sounds like. I just want to know what I need to do to prepare for this. Like what physical stuff I need to do to get in good enough shape, what stuff I actually need to carry with me, and all the necessary skills. So please don't bash me, just some advice would be great.

    Thanks.

    Before setting out on your own just yet why not consider joining the Sierra Club (or similar) and taking one of their outings/trips?

    check out the site: http://www.sierraclub.org/outings/national/

    With all the options they offer you're bound to find something that might appeal to you. You'll learn along the way, meet people on your wavelength and ultimately be better prepared to hoof it on your own.

  16. #16
    Super-duper Moderator Sarge47's Avatar
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    Cool Like Rick says!

    Learning anything requires listening to wise advice; now you need to follow Rick's & post at: http://www.wilderness-survival.net/f...ead.php?t=7813 thanks!
    SARGE
    "Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the the universe."
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  17. #17

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    Quote Originally Posted by Sarge47 View Post
    Learning anything requires listening to wise advice; now you need to follow Rick's & post at: http://www.wilderness-survival.net/f...ead.php?t=7813 thanks!
    Sarge he already has. Here>>>>
    http://www.wilderness-survival.net/f...026#post162026

  18. #18
    Super-duper Moderator Sarge47's Avatar
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    Cool oops.

    Sorry dude, my bad.
    SARGE
    "Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the the universe."
    Albert Einstein

    Proud father of a US Marine....SEMPER FI!

    They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.
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  19. #19
    Super-duper Moderator Sarge47's Avatar
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    Cool Weellll Naow Laddie....

    1st, let's take a look at what Survival means & is, & is not! 1st, it's NOT the latest extreme sport! It's "life or death!" It's not a game, forget the dudes on TV like Grylls & Stroud, but listen to local adults who know their stuff! At 16 I don't know if you can get into the Boy Scouts or not, but try to find an Explorer Post! Any type of camping, even that with your folks is better than none at all! Do you have any equipment? Books? Videos? If so, list them.

    Next, learn the medical stuff, that should be #1 on the list. Medical treatment is usually the 1st thing used in any true survival situation. You will use your medical kit far more than a big 'ole knife! Do you have a budget in mind? How much can you spend on books & outdoor items? Please note that I said "outdoor items" & not "survival items." Do you have a good quality backpack? Even an old one you used to use for textbooks a few years back is better than nothing. My advice is to 1st look into camping gear, you will find lists galore all over this site. Camping is what you do when everything goes good. Survival is what you do when it hits the fan! But it starts by learning to understand the outdoors! So 1st, find yourself a pack, then we'll help you decide what to put in it, deal? Remember, your available cash will help you decide which items you're going to get. Don't overlook Garage/Yard sales either; I've found some great stuff at really low prices there. Well, that should keep you busy for awhile, enjoy!
    SARGE
    "Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the the universe."
    Albert Einstein

    Proud father of a US Marine....SEMPER FI!

    They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.
    Benjamin Franklin

  20. #20
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    I've already got a pack. Good backpack my brother used when he backpacked across Europe.

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