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Thread: My big fear

  1. #1
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    My big fear

    I am getting ready for a real hammocking trip. It is real because me and my friend will not bring a tent as back up. I have spent the night in my hammock in the woods, in the cold, in the rain. I feel confident that I have a set up that works. Here is my fear.... What if really severe winds happen and my tree gets blown over? What if a big branch falls on me? I know to look for widow makers, but I have seen straight line winds knock out big live branches. I am going to go to North Manitou Island which is in the middle of Lake Michigan. I have personally been to this island when there were gale force winds. I set up my tent in an open field with a tarp as a wind breaker. We were fine. The next morning met up with another hiker who had a tree branch fall on his tent. I was glad I stayed away from trees that night. Also what if my tree gets struck by lightning? When you are North Manitou Island you do not have a car close by. You only leave the island by the ferry or a really expensive coast guard rescue. I know that I am ready to leave the tent at home, but what if?

  2. #2
    Senior Member MightyMouse's Avatar
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    What if you get hit by a bus on the way to the ferry?
    Real Freedom lies in wildness, not in civilization. ~ Charles Lindbergh

  3. #3
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    Can't you take a pad in case you go to ground? Pitch with walking poles at foot and head to make a low ridge tent with hammock and tarp both attached.

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    Senior Member Moose's Avatar
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    What if the sky falls. Just my opinion but all you can do is try to be as safe you can. The place I spend most of my time backpacking is Red River gorge and you are not going to find a place with out trees. So I always just try to look up before I decide on a place to camp. I havent got my hammock yet but cant wait to leave the tent at home.

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    Member Trudge's Avatar
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    Tent is not a bomb shelter

    Falling tree or heavy branch will take you out in a tent as well. You can always carry 30 feet of high tensile snatch rope(no stretch) and run it between the trees above your tarp. This will catch anything(within reason) headed towards you and hopefully spare serious injury.

  6. #6
    Senior Member MightyMouse's Avatar
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    No, sorry, that sounded cold, I only meant it to be amusing...

    Do you check the weather before you go? Are gale force winds predicted?

    We hiked Pine Mountain Trail in Georgia last 'winter.' One night we had crashing thunder, lightning, gale force winds, ping pong ball sized hail, and plenty of drenching rain. Duffy's stakes for the tarps held beautifully (with a rock on top of each, that is), and we were toasty warm and dry when morning came. Had a bit of condensation in the hammock, but nothing major at all.

    FLRider's signature is something like "Prepare for what you can," cuz it's pretty much all you can do. Don't be afraid of the 'what-ifs' cuz they can keep you from the "wow" if you let them.

    I envy you, since our hammock hiking season won't be around again till October - so please post pictures when you get back!

    kc -- fulltime hammocker, thanks to Olddog, Samsara, and Duffy!
    Real Freedom lies in wildness, not in civilization. ~ Charles Lindbergh

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    Senior Member gargoyle's Avatar
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    Plenty of safer locations back from Lake Michigan. If the weather gets really bad, no one is safe. Choose your site with the predicted weather in mind. Most of the birch trees are rotted, so stay clear of them.
    Have fun!

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    Senior Member Redpath's Avatar
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    I was also thinking that a falling tree or large branch would take out a tent as well as a hammock. Just be cautious.
    You don't need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows~Bob Dylan
    http://carnegies-restaurant.com

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    Quote Originally Posted by Trudge View Post
    Falling tree or heavy branch will take you out in a tent as well. You can always carry 30 feet of high tensile snatch rope(no stretch) and run it between the trees above your tarp. This will catch anything(within reason) headed towards you and hopefully spare serious injury.
    u beat me to it. yes a tent will be imho about the same in safty factor . yes you have tent poles, but in my set up there is a tarp rl, as well as a hammock 1. I would think the 2 would at least partaly deflect any falling muck there is a saftey concern with alot of stuff ya do in life, dont let it make you sit in side

  10. #10
    Senior Member FBG's Avatar
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    What if you walk out your front door and get hit by a bus?

    What if?
    What if?
    what if?

    There are a million ways to talk yourself into a tizzy, but what purpose does it serve?

    If you're confident in your setup, you have packed your gear accordingly, and you're aware of your surroundings when choosing a campsite I'm sure everything will go swimmingly. And if something doesn't go as planned I'm sure you'll have a great camp story to tell us when you get back.

    Have fun!
    "If everyone is thinking alike, then somebody isn't thinking."
    George S. Patton

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