Hello from Texas

[SmilinJoe]

Just wanted to say hello. Just now getting started. Santa will bring a starter hammock for my son and I. Looking forward to learning and contributing.
Joe

[GoSmitty]

Welcome, Joe!
I'm in much the same boat. Just hung my Grand Trunk Ultra Light for the first time today - 20 minutes after UPS delivered it...I couldn't wait! It is definitely a "starter," but I'm learning already. There's a lot of great info here, but I'm guessing you already know that.

Looking forward to learning and hanging together!

[SmilinJoe]

Thanks Go. I can't wait to hang mine but I must. I am working on making my first silny tarp. Looking at patterns, sewing techniques, and the like. You have a nice playground there in Oregon.
Joe

[sargevining]

Howdy from Rosenberg. Keep your eye on the Southwest Section of the Outings Forum. We have a fairly active, if somewhat quirky, bunch of hangers round here and there's always something being planned.

[rhjanes]

Howdy from DFW....You have some nice places to hang real close. I hung over in McKinney Falls SP in Austin, when we did an Orienteering event in the park.

Check what Sarge said, the SW group does some nice events. Occasionally we even get passes and are allowed to venture into Arkansas, LA, OK....

[SmilinJoe]

Thanks Sarg, I will do that and quirky is preferred. RH, I do like McKinney falls, I would love to do an orienteering class does this come up yearly?
Joe

[rhjanes]

CLICK HERE for the Austin Orienteering Club. I'm not a member, but go down occasionally and Nancy, the leader of AOC, is usually at our North Texas Orienteering Association (NTOA) events.

CLICK HERE for AOC events

CLICK HERE for NTOA site. We do around 9 events a year, September thru May (school year). Some are two day events, which you can also just treat as a one day, but I think they often charge the full amount. Orienteering is a super cheap way to have fun out in some forest that you might not otherwise have access to (Boy Scout Ranches). At all the NTOA events, we have an Orienteering CLass. Almost always taught by one Ralph Courtney. He's a hoot. If you pick up the Boy Scout handbook on Orienteering.....yeah....Ralph wrote the book with some other NTOA members. Like Peter Snell (three time Olympic Gold Medalist in track and field). A few others that live around DFW.

I think Ralph is often at the AOC events. When I last went down to an AOC event, Ralph taught the AOC class. They happen about 1 hour to 30 minutes before the event. They set up courses from beginner to advanced, sexes are in different classes and also by age. So my old arse at 55, isn't competing against some 17 year old male. Most courses also have Recreational Hikes (REC course) set up. Either a separate course, or the same courses but you time yourself rather than being "on the clock". They also do some Rec-Teams at some events. So if you and another want to team up, Father-Son, Mother-Daughter, Two friends....It's all about going out, navigating and having fun. Single day events are usually $10 to $14....where else can you spend that for a few hours of fun in the woods? Golf? HA....

[tri-pod bob]

Welcome to HF, SmilinJoe & GoSmitty.......from the "Wilds of western Mass!"

[tri-pod bob]

Golf? HA....[/QUOTE]

What's golf??

[Bec]

Welcome to the forum from Oklahoma.