Great pic's hobbit and another view. Hope you feel better soon jloden glad you had fun with us as we did with you
Great pic's hobbit and another view. Hope you feel better soon jloden glad you had fun with us as we did with you
Well I set out to learn and pick up tips of the trade, and boy did I ever.You can watch videos and read books, but the chance to hang out with a group that knows and loves what they are doing,well I am a lucky guy. Sorry If this sounds corny, but I had a great weekend. Thanks to you all. Hey Hobbit, we forgot to name that mouse Oh, and my wife told me I looked 10 years younger So any one up for two or three more weekends ?
Blisterboy
I just turned 50 on the 11th. A few more weekends to turn back the clock would be fine by me
Say, it got quiet enough to hear snoring Saturday night. Wasn't sure if it was you or Jim. Jay was too far away to blame anything on maybe it was that flying squirrel sitting on chillyHiker's head I just thought maybe that super shelter really had its grip on you. No waking until daylight for sure.
The mouse... yes that was one tormented individual with Fixbydoc's food laying near by, open and on the ground.
http://www.stc-hike.org/ Susquehannock Trail Club web site - PA STS trail info
Count me in if ya'll go again. I promise to stick around. I get hyper at times, and the cool weather had me with an urge to be on the move! There were some great spots back up the trail just a mile or so. I had a great place next to a running creek that was spectacular! Plenty of room for more hammocks too!
What say you, Jim? Put together another hang for May/June or something?
Day 1:
Worked a double not by volunteering, planned to meet medicjimr and some of his early arriving posse hangers at 10:00 am in Benezette Cafe, Pa.. Plan A- Out the window. Sorry Myteathor for not being able to meet you hopefully next time. Loaded up and headed out on about 3.5 hours of so called sleep. My fault for not asking for phone numbers to let the breakfast club know I was not able to make it. Although a cell phone signal for them was most likely questionable at best. With an approx 3.5 to 4 hour drive ahead I pushed on.
Running on mostly adrenaline to get my first look and experience my quest of “Hammock Gear,” I couldn’t get to the PA Hang fast enough. On the way nearing my destination with about 30-40 minutes left, I lost GPS single. I saw out of the corner of my eye a small heard of Elk in a deep mountainous valley, which I stopped and took a few pictures of and a quick shaky video of. Continued on to my quest to medicjimr Feb 2011 PA Hang.
Leaving my house in a hurry and without printing medicjimr hang route instructions, although plan A was to meet for breakfast and I would convoy from there to the hang site. The hang destination was located down a long up hill climbing road with everything looking the same to me and not much for me to grasp to find the hang site cut off. I had my laptop with me with the instructions with a dying battery. Which I powered up to scribbled down some notes for directions. I was a bit antsy trying to locate the site and missed the turn off to the trail head. Hindsight, directions were written properly.
After driving what seemed to be a half of an eternity, I spotted a lone Outback vehicle with a gentleman getting done with a hike and reading a topo map. Pulled in and asked for some directions. After introductions and finding out Don was a Catholic Priest! He said he thought he knew where my scribbled directions might be headed for and offered to help me find my destination. Don found medicjimr hang’s trail head. We arrived as sunset was approaching, I offered if he wasn’t doing anything he could hike back and meet the PA Hangers with me and check out some hammocks and he did!
Coming down the trail towards me was chilleyhiker and Screamer, our first meeting with me and my Priest in tote. Chilleyhiker and Screamer made me feel instantly comfortable and gave me directions to the hang site. The Priest and I walked into camp and were immediately met with warm welcomes by medicjimr and the rest of the hanging posse it was awesome. Everyone was relaxed and made their introductions it was a fantastic meeting. I on the other hand felt like I was doing 220 on a 120 line driving to get there, getting lost, lack of sleep, must had made a real madman first impression!
I was offered some venison jerky in a large plastic bag by medicjimr in which I took some pieces of and chewed on it slowly savoring each bite. Herber then introduced himself and talked with me briefly taking me over to show me his bridge hammock that IMO he had professionally set up and with his tarp impressively pitched. Circled back around and met up with SkyDog who offered his pulk to me for bring in my gear, Dutch Oven and cooking supplies. Hiking back to the trail head the Priest came with me and said he really enjoyed himself meeting everyone and thought the hammocks were amazing, crazy to winter camp in them but amazing. As we got to our vehicles, we said our goodbyes and I loaded up the pulk with my gear strapped on a head lamp and hiked backed in.
After getting back to camp, I noticed that medicjimr picked out a perfect spot. Trees had fallen in an L shape that made for natural seating with the camp fire placed in just the right place. Meeting and talking with the rest of the hangers, Hobbit, Blisterboy, FixedByDoc and jloden, I quickly learned how much they were enjoying themselves and myself as well and felt totally comfortable and in synch with my surroundings and my new found friends.
I had a tent with me thinking I might pitch and stay the night but after settling in for a while - darkness, fatigue and exhaustion was setting in. I apologized to the group about not being up for making the promised peach cobbler that night but vowed that I would make it the next day for them. They all were understanding and took me up on my new offer. I had milled around camp a bit a broke through some heavy snow/melting ice by a fallen tree root system and took on 2 boot drenching soakers. I dried my feet by the fire a bit. Being bear country, I decided to pack out my gear; Dutch Oven and cooking supplies back out with me. With the blessing of another SkyDog’s pulk loan I pulked back with SkyDog, Screamer and Herber who all accompanied me back to my vehicle. After loading my vehicle, SkyDog pulled his empty pulk back to camp for me as Screamer and Herber headed back with him. Heading for a Hotel in Benezette down a lonely mountain road destination about 13 miles I checked in. Took a hot shower and before going to sleep reflected on the kindred spirits I had met and the awesome day I had.
Will post some pics next, stay tuned for day 2....
Last edited by HWS; 02-24-2011 at 00:13. Reason: Add
I hike with SCISSORS cause it makes me feel dangerous ... LoL
Pictures of elk in a deep valley along on the way to the PA Hang.
Pics of young elk taken on the way home.
I hike with SCISSORS cause it makes me feel dangerous ... LoL
Great report HWS I am no way a writer of words lol I never get tired of checking out the elk
Hammock Rigs:
chillyhiker:
WBB 1.1 Black
Jacks R Better Poncho Weather Shield
Jacks R Better UQ
Yeti 3 Season
OES Standard Tarp
Griz Beak
Will be posting more soon...
Screamer
Blisterboy
FixByDoc
Hobbit
medicjimr
jloden
SkyDog
PS Sorry Herber didn't have my camera on the first day with me. You were already packed up.
Last edited by HWS; 02-26-2011 at 00:04.
I hike with SCISSORS cause it makes me feel dangerous ... LoL
Hammock Rigs:
Screamer
Eno Double
Refletics UQ
DYI Tarp
Blisterboy
Hammock- Hennessy Expedition (May Stand Corrected)
UQ- HH Super Shelter (May Stand Corrected)
Tarp Hennessy (May Stand Corrected)
FixByDoc
Single ENO
UQ- ENO
Tarp Kelty
Will be posting more soon...
Hobbit
medicjimr
jloden
SkyDog
PS Sorry Herber didn't have my camera on the first day with me. You were already packed up.
Last edited by HWS; 02-25-2011 at 23:52. Reason: S
I hike with SCISSORS cause it makes me feel dangerous ... LoL
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