Sounds just like me, OD. About the same years and same age. I spent my childhood hiking the woods and camping all over GA. Sometimes with my buddies families ( though not my family, raised by a single mom after my Dad died when I was 3 ), but often just me and my buddies gone to the woods around Columbus, Rome, Warner Robbins, Bainbridge or Blakely GA to hike, explore, hunt or camp. Boy, back in the day the parents just let us go and have at it! There was some Boy Scout adventures in 8th grade in Bainbridge GA, more great camping adventures in the south GA woods. My childhood was a great adventure.
Then by the time I was an adult, about age 20, the Air Force took me to Phoenix AZ, and I discovered sleeping out under a bazillion stars in the desert or in the cold woods up around Flagstaff or Payson or Prescott or Grand Canyon. And the wonders of waking up to the hollering quail outside Phoenix or Sedona, and shooting a couple of them and frying them up with my eggs over the campfire for breakfast. After a night going to sleep listening to howling coyotes and the sound of wild horses and braying wild burros through the night. More great adventures.
Then after getting out of the Air Force 4 years later and going back to college and such, I lost most contact with the woods except for occasional quail hunting. But it was eating at me for years. Finally, at about age 34 in June 83 I moved back to AZ- Flagstaff - and learned the wonders of both skiing ( cross country and down hill ) and backpacking. I finally got away from my car, although on my first cold spring over nighter at Hart Prairie outside of Flag, I kept my car in sight while I tried to cook a steak over my MSR and slept in my new 2 man ( but alone ) TNF tent and down bag. I was hooked!
In 85, I really went for it: I signed up for a 30 day mountaineering course with an outfit called NOLS in the Wind River Mountains of WY. Went into the mtns on June 3, came out 22 lbs lighter ( 75 lb pack ) on July 3 85. Got 1+ foot of snow with 24F on June 27! Went on to do some climbing and sleep in snow caves in Dec in the Cascades of WA state, river rafting trips, etc. Still have the occasional adventure, but they are not near as often these days. Hammocks entered and revitalized the picture in 2006 on yet another trip to the Wind River Mountains. So hiking and camping, in groups or solo, often or occasionally, from about age 8 or 10 in the 1950s to current age of 64 tomorrow!
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