Review: 2 Years of Hanging

I started hanging at the old age of 29. I was almost 30 and I felt the age wanting to start creeping in so I decided my life needed a few more Adventures... I made a decision as a man that I was spending to much time inside and needed to get out more and enjoy the many wonders of nature.

Let's take a step back for a moment... I grew up in the construction industry. My granddad owned a sitework construction company here in Alabama and I got sucked into the family business pretty much right after at a very young age. I learned what I could from it but it just wasn't what I had in store for my life. About 3 years ago I made the decision that I was not happy with my job and I was wasting my life by not following my passion. I love business, technology and always welcomed the challenge of computers. Long story short I created a marketing business that focused on building beautiful websites. Business went really well the first year... The second year seemed to be going even better. Money was good but I still had a long ways to go to get where I wanted to be. So it was in my 2nd year that I realized my life over the past 2 years had changed a lot and one big noticable factor was that i had been spending much more time inside.

Moving back forward now... I made a decision that I had a raw need within me to just be outside more. It is very important to listen to what your mind and body need, it is when you ignore these signals that you will start to slowly die inside. I started camping/hiking again solo... I bought a cheaper style hammock (byers eno style hammock) and immediately feel in love! I made the decision then and there that I was not sleeping on the ground while camping ever again if possible. After a few more trips I started to get more serious and that is when I decided to join HammockForums.net. The warmness of the online community was apparent immediately. Everyone was so friendly and nice... It was shortly after I joined which was Friday the 13th of May, 2011 that I decided to build my own hammock and I wanted to model my creation off of what I felt seemed like the best option for me which was the Clark jungle hammock. So later on HF I am having a conversation with a member, "bigbamaguy" (and I only advertise it now because it is public anyway) about my plans and he offers to let me borrow his hammock for measurements! a Clark NX-200! I have never on any forum in my life been instantly trusted by a completely stranger so quickly. (I will revisit this point later) How awesome was this guy to just be like hey man sure take my several hundred dollar hammock! Great guy...

So then moving forward at a rapid pace, right after his offer I received some amazing news that my in-laws were comping me, my wife and our new baby with an all expenses trip to New Zealand! I couldn't believe it. Only catch was we were to leave the next Tuesday! After all the initial excitement wore off I realized that I had plans to borrow this guys hammock.

I wrote bigbamaguy and said, "I know u couldn't ship it that fast but is there anyway I could possibly meet you next Monday? I hate to waste the gas but I would hate it even more to miss out on using such a nice hammock in one of the most beautiful places on earth." To my surprise he replied that he would not only allow me to take his hammock HALF WAY across the world but he would drive part of the way and MEET ME. I WAS SOOOOOO EXCITED!

The trip to New Zealand was better than I ever expected. The country is beautiful and so full of life. I have never seen the shades of Green that you will see there or smelled a place so fresh in my life. Fortunately while I was there I had the opportunity to go on a solo hiking/camping trip. There I was 29 years old, in a country I had dreamed of visiting my entire life planning a solo get back to nature man-rated trip. The trip was the best solo trip of my entire life and the only other trip that beats it was Qamea Island in Fiji with my wife on our Honeymoon just 3 years earlier. I faced some challenges on that trip physically that I was not prepared for and had to use about every bit of my mental power to complete the obstacles at the time but it was a life changing and extremely rewarding experience. Feel free to read more about trip here: http://www.hammockforums.net/forum/s...ad.php?t=34303

After the trip I returned home. I had another weekend hiking trip planned with my brother in law that bigbamaguy allowed me to use the clark once more. We went hiking in the Sipsey Wilderness, NW Alabama. To me the most beautiful place in Alabama which was left unknown by me for far to long. Trip report here: http://www.hammockforums.net/forum/s...ad.php?t=34902

Also around this time I made my first hammock... Nothing as fancy as the Clark just a standard Sil Nilon Hammock. It was awesome and I was surprised just how easy it was to do. Around that time I started to spend much more time outside especially after I built the greatest edition I have ever added to my backyard, "the hammock stand".

Now when I look back I laugh at something that is so simple and easy to make that has become so vital to the way I live my life. You need to understand that I am the type of person that has to be always be doing something. I very rarely take the time to relax... This is NOT intentional... Trust me... there is NOTHING I love more (well almost nothing) then a vacation but sometimes even on vacations I have a hard time just staying still. But it was when I began hanging on a regular basis that I was able to slow down life a little more and finally have some much needed time to Just Think! As a result ideas started to flow again and business started to really pick up. 30mins of thinking in a hammock is better brain power spent than what I probably was used to in 2 months. I arrived to the conclusion that when it comes to the brain as with most things in life... Quality Beats Quantity.

So to summarize... as Awesome as the Hammock itself is with all the different types, styles, addons and variations the benefits have been equally as rewarding as the experience. I have also come to the realization that nearly everyone that I know who has chosen this lifestyle carries many similar traits and they are all great people for it. Whether it is lending a complete stranger your Clark hammock and letting them take it halfway across the world, or paying it forward with a great item as so many people here have done to even just the overall attitude and welcomeness that you receive from fellow hangers, (especially hammockforums.net members) I know now that the mindset of being a hanger is a great mindset to have.

Here is what I have learned... It's hard to have a bad day in a good hammock.

Thanks to all the members of HF that have always been so helpful. All the benefits of the hammock have me so busy with work that I haven't been on in a while but I am going to try to stop in more often.

I hope the next 2 years will be just as awesome as the first!

Cool write up... It is always impressive to see what life changes do to people... Congrats on taking your life by the horns...

Well done. I too am turning 30 soon and have almost 2 years into our hobby. Nothing satisfies me more than to think of how much this little piece of manmade cloth has changed my perspective on a lot of things in life.

Hammocks are a symbol to all cultures around the world of relaxation. I think if everyone around the world had some dealings with our great hobby there would be less instances of depression and other mental issues. They sooth the soul in ways most other things can't come close to including pills.

We, as the hammock hangers we are, have the best medicine for our health than others do.

I almost had the opportunity to take a vacation to New Zealand this month, but due to my sons age, the wife and I decided it would be best to wait until he were old enough to remember. I will be reading your trip report on that when I get home from work. Thanks for sharing and checking in with us. Take care.

BTW I'm a born and raised Bama boy too.

Thanks for sharing.

Hammock is a joy in my life also. The mental image to get me in the zone is a hammock between the trees. I think there was an article about how the hammock is a wonderful way to balance our fast pace demands of our society.

Neat story. thanks for sharing it with us. Yes, there is something about a hammock, that slow, swaying motion, that calms the nerves and revives the soul. Yes, there is something about Hammock Forums where good people enjoy a great hobby.

Enjoyed the reflections, I vaguely remember 30.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Eliteoomph

Here is what I have learned... It's hard to have a bad day in a good hammock.

Thanks to all the members of HF that have always been so helpful. All the benefits of the hammock have me so busy with work that I haven't been on in a while but I am going to try to stop in more often.

I hope the next 2 years will be just as awesome as the first!

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Nice anecdote. Thanks for sharing!

So 30 huh?! :) Nice write-up. You are very correct in that there really are some trully special people here on HF.

Well done, sir.

Thanks for sharing. Just turning 40 this past September I too have been feeling a need for Change. I hope my next two years are as impressionable as your last two.

Thanks guys for all your replies!

@Brute1100 Thanks! It has certainly been the adventure that I was looking for!

@Fish<>< I completely agree with you! And I hope you get the chance to visit NZ, you will not be disappointed. I have seriously considered moving there...

@georgemaung Sounds like a great article... I would be interested in reading it if you come across it again.

@Les Rust I agree, it almost mimics a mother's womb... very peaceful, comforting and relaxing.

@canoebie Thanks! I am trying to write more because my memories and thoughts tend to fade quickly. It will be good when I am older to reflect back to my younger days...

@breyman Thank you sir!

@dragon360 lol are you doubting my age? ;o)

@Hototo Thank you! You have already taken the first step which is just listening to your innerself. It is just like exercising... The more you do it the better the results. If you spend more time focusing on those thoughts they will have no choice but to grow and develop into whatever you would like them to be. Then you simply follow the map you have drawn. ;o)

New Zealand is great, isn't it?!
Here's to another 2 (5,10,30) years of Hanging.
Carpe Diem!

Excellent....write up and life changes.

@te-wa YES NZ is a magical place!

@dkurfiss TY Sir, I appreciate that!

Healing for the body, mind and spirit can be found in a good hammock. My regret is that it took 70 years to figure this out. Thanks for sharing some of your life experiences.

@old4hats lol I heard that... But at least we found it out ;)

In 2006 I took an adventure vacation in NZ for 12 days. Caving, hiking, rapelling, rafting, kayaking and more. The first time I ever went caving. :thumbup: It was the best vacation ever, and the only way it could have been better is if I was hanging back then. We did camp on a ledge that we rapelled down to, no trees available.
Hammocking gets into your spirit and I find that just looking at a picture of a hammock hanging between two trees in the woods takes me there. I become calm and relaxed and can see myself hanging in peace. :closedeyes: :thumbup1:

@BajaHanger that sounds amazing. I hear there are a lot of caves up in the Sipsey but they are not talked about and thus very hard to find. I am going to try the focusing on being in my hammock technique... I have heard several people say that and it makes sense to me ;o)

Go to your happy place ;o)