First Time Off The Ground

**GaHammockGuy** · 01-23-2010, 21:23

......and am loving it up here!

a buddy and i have been looking forward to this weekend for some time. our wives say its still too cold to go camping so he and I packed up our hammocks and headed off to find a few trees that looked like they needed some company for the night.

We planned on a two-knighter but the weather turned foul and the trip had the makings of an epic from the start. we got there and the darkness was starting to fall.... all the wood was WET and would not play nicely with a flame...My glasses broke RIGHT AFTER I TOOK OUT MY CONTACTS AND THROUGH THEM AWAY... (long story)... I head-butted a sharp branch that was sticking out and I couldn't see it ( no blood-no foul)

...I sliced my thumb open with an ax trying to make kindling for the fire...THAT WOULD NOT GROW BAST A SLOW GLOW... fog settled in quick and thick.... we were up in the mountains of North GA...

It was windy...cold... and wet....

But we HAD AN AWESOME TIME.... even after all that, we had a blast because we were warm and off the ground. I couldn't have imagined how much more comfortable sleeping in a hammock would be. Once the Advil kicked in and the throbbing in my thumb diminished a bit, I fell asleep quickly. I woke up a few times in the night but not because of the hammock. I was warm... I mean toasty warm in my +25* bag and a few other ways to keep warm.

Both our hammocks were under a home-made tarp I made for this very reason. The tarp kept the rain off of us and it held in some extra heat as well. Look for my videos on YouTube soon (BaseKampChef) for the setup.

I welcome any suggestions on how a couple of newbies could improve the experience... other than keeping my fingers out of the way of a slinging ax blade I am just now finishing editing them and will upload them in tomorrow.

So after all that I mentioned that went wrong on the trip you ask why was it so awesome.....?

Let me explain it.

The worst day above ground is better than any day on the ground. I am starting to see why all you folks are so hooked on hanging.

**oldgringo** · 01-23-2010, 21:29

Nice post!

Some days just aren't made for fire, even with good fuel.

**babelfish5** · 01-23-2010, 21:37

Great post.

No matter how bad the hike in is, if your high, dry and warm at the end of the day, it's been a good hike.

Read some of the forum threads for suggestions. There are tons of good ideas in the forums. Ideas for Stoves, Hammocks ways to keep warm are everywhere here.

Your trail name implies your a good trail chef, maybe we could start a forum to suggest trail recipes for hammock hangers.

Welcome to the group. Your gonna love it here.

**JayS** · 01-24-2010, 02:18

Welcome. I remember a freezing windy night in the hut on top of Blood Mountain. We hiked up through clouds in the dark and were soaking wet inside our rain gear, which was not breathable. We were just poor college boys and didn't have good gear. Thank goodness it wasn't actually raining. I can also remember nice summer evenings on Blood Mountain with my girlfriend where I was cozy all night. Oh, to be back in those hills!

**miisterwright** · 01-24-2010, 02:45

Welcome BaseKampChef. Good report. I'm sorry for all the misfortune. It reminded me of a time my friend and I were out and it was like death was hunting him down, just like in that movie "Final Destination". He Slipped and fell crossing some wet rock, cut himself, a such. Then our trip got cut short when of top 18" or so of a dead tree fell in his lap. It busted a cheap hammock, but that may have saved him from fractured femurs. A few cold compresses, ibuprofen, and forcing him to hike out so he wouldn't swell left him without even a significant bruise. I told him not to touch anything more after he hurt himself by pinching his finger an my sunglasses on the ride home!! It was weird.

So my advice to you for the future is this: even if you look up and see green leaves, double check because if trees are growing next to each other one of them could be dead and not look like it at a glance.

Also, if you cut yourself splitting kindling, instead of swinging the ax at a small target of wood and while trying to move your big hand in time. Set the ax on the wood lift them both up a couple inches, then tap them both down which will start the blade into the wood enough that you can remove your hand and swing ax with attached wood together splitting the wood.

**gargoyle** · 01-24-2010, 09:23

Nice report thanks for sharing. Hows the thumb?? Put some superglue in your first aid kit, patches up those sliced thumbs good.

**salmonofdoubt** · 01-24-2010, 14:04

Originally Posted by miisterwright

Also, if you cut yourself splitting kindling, instead of swinging the ax at a small target of wood and while trying to move your big hand in time. Set the ax on the wood lift them both up a couple inches, then tap them both down which will start the blade into the wood enough that you can remove your hand and swing ax with attached wood together splitting the wood.

Or use a small stick in your off hand to hold the wood upright while you swing the axe/hatchet. It is no different than using a push-stick when operating a table-saw.

Welcome to Hammockforums!

**lonetracker** · 01-25-2010, 20:28

good post.adversity and the overcomeing of it brings out the best in some people.
this post reminds me,i have to sharpin my ax. i dulled it opening a can of food....

**clearskyblue** · 01-25-2010, 20:38

Sounds like a great intro for hammocking for you despite the couple of gremlins,which probably came about by your over excitment for your first hammock camp session.

Anyhow welcome and simply keep reading this great site.You will learn and share so much.