My first night out - a solo overnight on Crown land

**ofuros** · 05-05-2013, 23:08

Sounds like you ticked all the right boxes for your first solo hang, pinemartyn.
Nice spot close to home too....just in case.

**Bubba** · 05-06-2013, 01:14

Looks like a successful first hang. Great to hear it went well for you. It typically only gets better from here on in with the accompanying increase in gear spending.

**born2roam** · 05-06-2013, 13:54

Awesome to read about a first hang experience like this with matching pics too!

You just gotta love a top side down fire! I use them on a mini version in my woodstoves and when people see them it's the same light bulb that goes off when they learn more about hammocks....

Thanks for sharing buddy!

Grtz Johan

**georgecarr** · 05-06-2013, 17:10

Nice TR! I love seeing pics from places I've never been (but would love to visit). Glad your first night out went well.

**SteveE** · 05-11-2013, 07:08

Great trip report and love the pics! That fire you set up looks great too. Did it burn long for you? I have yet to try the upside down fire but plan on doing it the next time I head up...Thanks for sharing your experiences!

**PineMartyn** · 05-11-2013, 07:48

Originally Posted by SteveE

Great trip report and love the pics! That fire you set up looks great too. Did it burn long for you? I have yet to try the upside down fire but plan on doing it the next time I head up...Thanks for sharing your experiences!

Thanks SteveE.

The fire did burn for quite a while (a couple of hours, at the least), but the wood available to me was mostly white pine, spruce, and balsam firs. Hardwood was barely to be found, so the fire didn't last nearly as long as it would have with hardwood.

Still, the best thing was that it was a no-fuss fire. Once lit, it just fed itself burned. I didn't have to keep tending it or feeding it. I intend to make future campfire this way, even though it takes a few more minutes to prepare at the outset. I didn't bring my hatchet with me on that trip and didn't even bother batoning any of the wood with my knife, and it still burned beautifully. Had hardwoods been available, I would have needed to to split the larger pieces at the base of the pyramid.

And speaking of fires, I seem to recall you mentioning elsewhere that you have an interest in the bow drill. I have had luck with producing coals before, but on a follow-up tenting trip to this very same spot with my wife last weekend, I lit my first campfires by using the bow drill made from materials I harvested and carved on site.

Pics and videos are below for any who might be interested in seeing me fumbling around:

An old dog learns an old trick: http://youtu.be/eBizmcn_X6w

Hope this helps,
- Martin

**SteveE** · 05-11-2013, 08:08

That was a great video! In my last attempt (up in Algonquin) I never did have any success but I noticed a HUGE difference when I switched from using Pine materials to using Balsam instead. I also really struggled with the appropriate tension on the bow string. Good on you for being persistant! It's so tiring eh?

**WVScouter** · 05-11-2013, 08:14

Terrific trip report. Adding zippers to the bug net will help with the early morning calls of nature - 2QZQ does excellent work to add the zippers.

**NCfree** · 05-11-2013, 17:04

Great trip report!

**PineMartyn** · 05-13-2013, 09:11

Originally Posted by WVScouter

Terrific trip report. Adding zippers to the bug net will help with the early morning calls of nature - 2QZQ does excellent work to add the zippers.

Thanks WVScouter. I've read over and over again here about the quality of their work, and I may get that mod done at some point. My wife recently ordered and received her own Hennessy and she ordered the zippered version so I'll be able to see what the advantages of the zippered model are for myself and then decide if I want the 2QZQ zipper mod.

Regarding those night time calls of nature, I don't have a problem slipping out of the birth canal for that. However, both my wife and I have long used a pee bottle whenever we've camped (summer or winter) just so we don't have to leave our tent or snow shelter when it's cold or rainy. I've discovered that one can just as easily use a pee bottle while kneeling in one's hammock, though my wife's not tried that out yet in a hammock and I expect it will be a bit trickier. Guess we'll have to wait and see how feasible the pee bottle trick is for females in a hammock. I can always write up a report about it. Film at a 11!

Cheers,
- Martin