Hi Everbody, Gumbi here!

[Gumbi]

I've been a member of Hammock Forums for close to two years now? I can't remember... I do ALOT more lurking and reading than posting, though, but I never formally introduced myself.

I have always loved camping, backpacking, and canoeing; I even minored in camping at Calvary Bible College, but I really hated waking up on a trip feeling worse than when I went to sleep. I am rather skinny, and while sleeping on the hard ground, I couldn't sleep on my back, but if I slept on my side, I would wake up every hour because it would cut off the circulation in my leg and arm on that side. So I started looking for something different and I ran across Sgt. Rock's website, as well as JustJeff's website.

And then I found HF. What a great source of information for the hammock camper! Shug's videos on youtube were also extremely helpful.

I've made most of my own hammock gear, including a Speer-type hammock and a MacCat-style tarp (which I waterproofed myself!).

Now all I have to do is talk my wife into joining me! (she likes the feeling of an enclosed tent when she is sleeping, and isn't interested in anything more than car camping once a year.)

[Fronkey]

Set that hammock up in your backyard and tell her to lay in it. I had to make another hammock because my girlfriend wouldn't get out of mine. Welcome to HF veteran!

Fronkey

[Joey]

First off, WELCOME!

You can major in camping at Calvary Bible College? Sign me up!!!

[Gumbi]

First off, WELCOME!

You can major in camping at Calvary Bible College? Sign me up!!!

Oops, I meant minor in camping! It was part of the Biblical Counseling major, but to stay accredited, Calvary changed it to an emphasis under youth ministry. Actually, it would more or less prepare you to work at a camp, although I did take classes in backpacking, archery, and canoeing, as well as basic camp administration... I would love to be a camp director some day. In the meantime, I volunteer quite a bit at a Bible camp in Iowa.

[Joey]

Oops, I meant minor in camping! It was part of the Biblical Counseling major, but to stay accredited, Calvary changed it to an emphasis under youth ministry. Actually, it would more or less prepare you to work at a camp, although I did take classes in backpacking, archery, and canoeing, as well as basic camp administration... I would love to be a camp director some day. In the meantime, I volunteer quite a bit at a Bible camp in Iowa.

Sound awesome. What better way to use your talents and spend your day! Too bad it's not a major. At almost 44 yrs old, I was about to go back to school!!

[Syb]

Welcome Gumbi. You've got a great handle on the DIY stuff, way to go!

[Gumbi]

Welcome Gumbi. You've got a great handle on the DIY stuff, way to go!

Thanks! I learned how to sew from my mom! I'm not great at it, but I learned a few tricks from her that get me by 90% of the time.

I really like DIY because I have a lot of time, but not much money. Of course, sometimes I spend almost as much money on my DIY projects as I would have to buy it outright, but it's more fun when for me when I make it myself.

[gunner76]

I got my wife a hammock first and and after getting in it she asked if we could take it on our next camping trip, I knew she was hooked