In your element.

[Beo]

Ever go on a trek, camping, hiking, hunting, fishing real far from everyone and everything and think... this is it, this is where I belong, I'm in my element. Or ever been out in the wilderness on your own or with a group and think I'm in my element, this is where I thrive, where I come alive and I wanna be here, wanna stay here.
That is how I feel in the wilderness of the forests and mountains of North America.
What about you.

[Riverrat]

I feel that way alot, I go for a walk in the woods behind the house, I get up real early in the morning and the sun is just starting to rise, knowing today is a day for hard work around the place, hoing the garden, getting in the winters wood, whatever. I am one of the lucky ones, I am living my dream right now. I am not sure I could do as Wild Women has done and leave it all behind, but for now I am happy. I have tried to live in cities, but can not, I feel like I can not breathe in a city. Put me out in the woods and I am happy, I feel alive, feel at home.

[wildWoman]

That's why my partner and I wanted to quit being weekend warriors. Seemed kind of idiotic to spend the better part of the year working, even at jobs we liked, only to try and carve out the time to go camping. That's when/where we were always the most happy, in a really deep satisfied way.
It's not all smiles and happiness when you do make the move and go and live in the bush, but something inside you shifts and that sort of deep happiness/sense of belonging becomes your core or centre feeling. As opposed to mere contentment or longing when not being in the bush.
I believe we haven't really evolved that much in our feelings and instincts from the stone age. Sure, we got into tools in a crazy way, but for the vast time of our existence as humans, we lived just like any other animal. I don't think that atrophies just like that. Something plucks at places very deep inside you when you're at a campfire, standing on a mountain, watching wild animals.

[canid]

i feel that way when i'm ocean fishing, or just about any fishing for that matter. i get that feeling at night when i'm solo next to a fire and i look up and there's that nice effect with the contrast from the trees where it's hard to dicern which is tree and branches and which is the key showing beyond. i particularly feel that way in the temperate rainforest of the pacific northwest.

heck; i feel that way every chance i get.

[Sourdough]

This morning I took the new to me, old Mauser .375 H&H out to meet the creeks, the beavers, the Meadows, and the special ridge top I planted my Mother on in June. It is a true joy to just leave the cabin, with no route in mind, just go where the spirit calls, "come over here", "up this ridge", "come over to Beaver Meadows". To be free to go where the wilderness beckons. In my next life I want to be a Mauser .375 Holland & Holland. Classic perfection. Is this as good as it gets......? YEP......How you like them Apples.

[RobertRogers]

Outdoors is where a man, a REAL MAN, is at his best - and he knows it. Just because.

[Sourdough]

A day in HELL, as I have to go to the huge city of Anchorage for supplies, straw, grain, chick feed, me feed. Unto every life some rain must fall. Well buck-up big boy, after all it is just a city full of crazy people. Must remember they are more unpredictable than bears, and more deadly. And I have to take the little one ton dully flatbed, so I don't get the safety of the big tractor rig. Am I fearful, yep. How you like them apples.

[Beo]

From one man who has worked in the city for the last 16 years, be careful... the carzies and others suc. Be careful bro, and watch your back. Now you'll be testing yourself out of your element

[trax]

I paddled up four lakes with 3 really easy portages with my dog on Friday and stayed on this little lake camping and fishing. Should have seen my dog when I pulled a couple of perch into the canoe, lol. I saw one kayak between Friday evening and Sunday morning, except when they're two seaters they call them something else right? Anyway, one older couple paddled up as far as I did, stayed a little farther down the lake and I saw them on their way back Sunday morning. They waved on their way past both times, all the human contact I had. Had a couple of marvelous conversations with the loons and called a cow moose out of the bush just to get a look at her. Yeah, I'd say that's my element.

[Beo]

Sounds like great time bro, glad for ya and a little jealous.

[nell67]

Sounds like you had a great time !!!!

[trax]

the place is about a 3 hour drive northwest of me, I had a friend who was going that way drop me off and pick me up (why I had to come back Sunday ) One of these days I'll grab one of those digital camera thingies so I can share some pix like the rest do. I have no way to post pix right now. I'll see if I can locate a map online of where I went and post that.

[Riverrat]

Sounds like a great trip...glad ya had a good time.

[crashdive123]

Sounds like a great weekend.

[wildWoman]

the place is about a 3 hour drive northwest of me, I had a friend who was going that way drop me off and pick me up (why I had to come back Sunday ) One of these days I'll grab one of those digital camera thingies so I can share some pix like the rest do. I have no way to post pix right now. I'll see if I can locate a map online of where I went and post that.

Hey Trax,

at most places that develop pictures you can get normal paper prints from your film and they can additionally put them on a photo cd for you. That way you don't have to buy a new camera.
Sounds like a real nice trip you had! I have to go out again in a couple weeks, but then that's the last trip into civilization for about 8 months, still haven't been able to organize a ride. Looks like I might have to try hitchhiking with my kayak Wonder how that'll work...

[trax]

Shouldn't be a problem where you are WW, doesn't everyone have either a pickup or suv with 4 wheel drive? Just bring your own tie-down straps should be lots of vehicles with roof racks And you're right, I can just bring along one of those disposable thingies and get pictures, never thought of it, thanks!

[wildWoman]

Yes, I'll bring foam pads and straps for the kayak, will probably work out alright I hope, just a novel experience
I just found out about the photo cd thing myself last year when somebody told me...not exactly up to speed with all the newest options myself

[crashdive123]

WW - another ice cream trip?

[trax]

hey Crash apparently mentioning ice cream hurts some people's feelings around here...or was that just the cold hands? Oh well, never mind.

[dilligaf2u2]

Beo, I feel that way every time I set down infront of a plate of Bacon.

It is much better if it is next to a campfire on a cold crisp morning.

Don