Solo Overnight in the Woods

[Johnny]

Inspired by a Utube guy "Corporal's Corner", last Fall, I decided to give it a shot. I filled one backpack with everything I was gonna need to spend a night out in the woods. My only rule was that I had to carry EVERYTHING in my backpack with just one trip.

The food was excellent! For dinner, I had some heavily-seasoned pork steaks, fried onions and baked potatoes, all washed down with a couple glasses of cheap bourbon. For breakfast, I had scrambled eggs, toast and diet Mountain Dew.

I slept in a 1-person tent. Didn't sleep that well. Kept waking up every couple hours to stoke the fire to scare away bears. There probably wasn't a bear within 10 miles of my campsite but late at night in the quiet and darkness, it sure looked like they were all over the place!

Since I my friend "Jack Daniels" tagged along, I decided not to bring a firearm. Jack is a pretty good buddy and would never let me down.

This year, I'm thinking of trying something a little different. Instead of completely "roughing it" like I did last year, this year I'm planning on constructing a nice "base camp" in which many of the amenities will already be in place: grill, firewood, fire pit, etc... It's still gonna be primitive, but not too much.

[Sanders]

Sean Kelly was one of my primary instructors when my daughter and I went through the Pathfinder School Basic Survival course about a year and half ago.

He's a good instructor in person. Actually, all the staff were good instructors. Even though they will do everything they can to make sure the students succeed, our class still had a 40% drop rate.

Calling it Basic didn't mean it was easy, but it wasn't impossible, either. If you don't quit, the instructors won't quit on you. My daughter was 4 months pregnant. We were also the top land nav team in our class.

[Johnny]

Originally Posted by Sanders

Sean Kelly was one of my primary instructors when my daughter and I went through the Pathfinder School Basic Survival course about a year and half ago.

He's a good instructor in person. Actually, all the staff were good instructors. Even though they will do everything they can to make sure the students succeed, our class still had a 40% drop rate.

Calling it Basic didn't mean it was easy, but it wasn't impossible, either. If you don't quit, the instructors won't quit on you. My daughter was 4 months pregnant. We were also the top land nav team in our class.

I've never met the guy in person. Nice to know he's as genuine as he seems in his videos.

Kudos to you and your daughter for completing the Pathfinder School Basic Survival course.

[Driswalds]

I have done many multi day backpacking trips but always with others.
Going it alone sounds tempting. Its been years but my state of the art camping gear back then might be a bit dated now but still useful.

[Johnny]

Originally Posted by Driswalds

I have done many multi day backpacking trips but always with others.
Going it alone sounds tempting. Its been years but my state of the art camping gear back then might be a bit dated now but still useful.

There's something "magical" about being alone in the woods: camp fire, grilling steaks, the silence, the occasional weird noise, etc...

[JD Miller]

Originally Posted by Johnny

There's something "magical" about being alone in the woods: camp fire, grilling steaks, the silence, the occasional weird noise, etc...

Smiling Face Clouds , purple falling stars, and a full moon

[4thIDvet]

Originally Posted by Johnny

There's something "magical" about being alone in the woods: camp fire, grilling steaks, the silence, the occasional weird noise, etc...

I watch that Marine Sean Kelly all the time on YouTube. Anyone that can take a dozen garbage bags and make a survival hooch at -20F and lives gets my vote. The young feller knows his stuff.
Camping alone and 'The occasional weird noise?' I am so frigging gone whoever finds my gear can have it. No sir camping for me is the Motel 6 with a locked door and a gun.

[Johnny]

Originally Posted by 4thIDvet

I watch that Marine Sean Kelly all the time on YouTube. Anyone that can take a dozen garbage bags and make a survival hooch at -20F and lives gets my vote. The young feller knows his stuff.
Camping alone and 'The occasional weird noise?' I am so frigging gone whoever finds my gear can have it. No sir camping for me is the Motel 6 with a locked door and a gun.

I watch his videos every Sunday night, religiously. My wife and I call him the "Bacon Salad Guy". Reason: a while back he demonstrated his recipie for bacon salad. It was pretty much a pound of bacon with a few tiny shreds of carrot and lettuce. Funny guy!

As he's grown in popularity, he's had some frustrations. You can see it in his face and comments. Utube policies, trollish viewer comments and viewership numbers seem to be his main challenges right now. I sure hope he stays the course. Nobody else comes close to his level of skill, humor and entertainment.

So far, I've only camped on my own property, mostly for privacy and freedom to do as I please. I might consider some nearby Federal land but would have to research what sort of rules I have to follow: open fires, weapons, locations to camp, etc...