So, Everyone Here Loves The Outdoors On One Lever Or Another. But What Was That One Moment That You Knew This Was Going To Be Something You Were Going To Do And Enjoy For As Llong As You Live?
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So, Everyone Here Loves The Outdoors On One Lever Or Another. But What Was That One Moment That You Knew This Was Going To Be Something You Were Going To Do And Enjoy For As Llong As You Live?
The day I retired from the United States Navy Submarine Service following about twelve years of my life underwater.:innocent:
good ? I will have to think about that
Probably when I was three and they had to drag me inside when dark came.
There was a generation before x-box, TV and computers when people were expected to go outside and play! It was considered a normal part of life and sometimes it included staying outside overnight.
My first car was liberation! I could go camping when and where I wished. The gear stayed in the trunk, along with a .22 rifle. Yes, a 16 year old could buy a .22 rifle back then. Of course in rural TN this was normal so I was not aware I was doing anything unusual.
No epiphany, just the realization one night shopping for a sleeping bag that I needed to by a good one because I was wearing out a cheap one every year and since I was going to continue camping/hunting/fishing/packing for the forseeable future I needed to be more cost effective, and warmer.
Back yard in my Red Ryder tent....under the sky, looking out thru the door......thinking, this has gotta be the biggest adventure ever, then waking up in the morning, a little cold, and damp...but still ALIVE.
Yeah - truth be told - it probably started in the back yard spending most of the summer sleeping in Dad's old Army pup tent.
Either camping in the Black Hills with my family or the years I was in Boy Scouts doing outdoorsmanship with my friends. Moving to Colorado revived those spirits.
Growing up with about 200 acres of woods behind my house, I am sure I fell in love with the outdoors before I can remember. Living in El Paso, I miss the wilderness most of anything else.
Has a kid, I enjoyed it and why would anyone stop doing what they enjoy? I never looked at it as a future deal, just continuing what was in the past.
Epiphany..... Now there's a good word. I don't believe I ever had one when it came to the great outdoors. I do have a couple old kodak momments though that my mom took of me and my dad on the river. One of me on his lap fishing at about 18 months and another which I do remember at probably 5 or 6 thinking I'm helping him lift a very large trapped beaver into his old pickup. Judging by the look on my face in both photos I would say that I already knew this was the life for me.:>)
Oldtrap
I've always preferred being outdoors in nature. There was never a time when I didn't, even in bad weather.
I just grew up outside. It was not unusual for me to go out after school on Friday, and not returning home until Sunday night (as chores allowed). I don't camp out as much as I used to (unless you count my work trailer), but I do head out for a walk almost daily (I am lucky to work where I can easily do that at lunch). I really enjoy summers at work, as it stays daylight long enough to get at least one short hike in a week. (Which is a good portion of the reason I work where I do)
http://alltrails.com/nearby/us/orego...lle-dam/hiking
I guess growing up on the farm we were always outside and I played in my cousins old boy scout tent in the summer every year. AHHH what a life that was and then my children wanted to camp so I started taking them camping as well. I have always enjoyed the outside much more than being indoors until my back gave out a few years ago and now camping is a little more challenging.
Sun rise over the ocean.
Nothing but the roar of the ocean waves crashing on the shore and that fire over the endless ocean horizon as the sun rises.
Lets expand this a bit....What was the moment that you realized your liking for the outdoor life.....By yourself.
I can't recall how many times we would camp out, or go on a long hike, as young people and by morning seems I was by myself...last man, (boy) standing/sleeping.
Then the next step is to just go by your self, much harder for a lot of people that depend on a group.
And when the group stops so do you.
I'm thinking there are a lot of leaders/loners here...the followers/side-kicks.......Right?
I was about 10 and got a tent for my birthday. During the summer I decided to pitch the tent in the back yard and watch the meteor shower. I saw some but was frustrated with all the ambient light. That created the itch. At 16 I went on a canoe trip to the Peshtigo River with a group from church. One week out camping on the river, running small rapids, cooking out doors no lights but the moon and stars. Ya that was it, that what I was looking for.
I never make enough time to get out. I get out now and then, mostly arriving early and leaving late for reenactments. Not quite the away from everything some members do because my car is never more then a 1/4 mile away.
That was part of the reason I dropped out of Scouts as a kid. They would not let me go for a walk alone. I understand why (and also understood then), but it drove me nuts. I tend to "wander" and "dawdle" when I am out. Best part of a Journey is most times the journey itself. The destination is just somewhere to eventually wind up. Many things can take me off course from my original destination. :)Quote:
Originally Posted by hunter63
Quote:
Originally Posted by hunter63
I had a situation at Treasure Valley similar to this.
Treasure Valley is a very large Boy Scout gathering here in Ma.
Those of us that wanted the survival badge needed to get our belongings together and meet for a trek to the area the test was to begin.
This was back in the early 70s so I'm thinking the award for passing was a bronze belt clip with a campfire on it.
All we were allowed to bring was a sleeping bag,knife or hatchet and a flashlight(for safety).
I never seen so much stashed food when everyone had to open their sleeping bags for inspection.lol
First they had an instuctor go over basic survival,signaling,shelters,fire,traping snares.
Then we were off to build our shelter.I was teamed up with 2 other scouts that I knew from school.They were fair weather friends to say the least and were kind of quiters.We started to build a shelter and that's basically when things fell apart.
Everybody had their own ideas how to build it.The area we picked was wide open with very little building material.
We built half the shelter aand then words started and soon after we all just quit and started to head back to camp.
The other guys walked faster than me and kind of left me walking alone when I eventually came to meet 2 older guys that were Eagle Scouts or close to it.Matt and Ducky,i'm still amazed that I can remember their names.They were like"you want the WS badge?".I was like"yes,but my partners split on me.".
They ended up inviting me to camp with them.They had an awesome shelter made under a fallen tree.We collected cans to cook in and they even dived in the lake to catch freshwater clams.
The probelm came when we needed fire.We all took turns and came very close to getting one with a bow drill.
The instructor that was walking the area was quite inpressed and gave us 1 match.We got fire and shared with all the others that decided to tough it out that night.
I was pretty much hooked after I got that badge on my belt.
Had a similar experience, didn't fit into the "do as your told, we are leaders, and you are no" mold.......No, didn't put up with the crap long enough to get many badges...Quote:
Originally Posted by aflineman
Got my mile swim badge, but skipped the 1/4, 1/2 mile....I guess you were supposed to 'work up to it", but I looked at it as a 1-3/4 mile swim just to get the mile badge....Why would I want to do that?...just do it all at once and be done with it.
Foraging....they didn't say anything about not hiking over to the Root Beer stand at the edge of the property.
2 match fire,.... goal.. burn thru a piece of twine.....2 matches stuck in a dry cattail, burned thru the twine in seconds...win right?...NOT.
My parents weren't campers nor were they "outdoorsy". Unless you consider playing sports outdoorsy. I learned to enjoy camping with my friend Eric and his family. They had a pop up camper and they'd take me along on some weekend trips. I enjoyed camping with my friends in high school. We would go back to my friend's home town, which was on a lake. We'd borrow a boat and camp on an island. Still have fond memories of that place.
I took a long hiatus from the outdoors. It wasn't until I was divorced with a 3 year old and had no money that I was able to get out for some cheap entertainment. We've been camping ever since. When I married my second wife, we registered at REI. We now have my son (11) and an almost 1 year old. We're looking forward to more time outdoors this spring.