My first hang, and it was an absolute blast. Thank you to those that made it possible. What a wonderful community of diverse people with a similar interest. I learned much as so many were glad to share their learning experiences. Thank you to everyone who made this weekend possible. And the pot-luck dinner on Saturday...Jeez! I shall never be able to attend another covered-dish dinner at the church without thinking back to this one and smiling: It will be the yardstick by which all future pot-luck dinners will be measured. I'll bring some smoked Boutte's boudin next year to contribute.
I camped on the water and electricity loop. Saturday morning a man in the fifth-wheel across from me came over to introduce himself by saying, "I wanted to see how a man could stay off the ground and warm in a thing like that." He was a scout master, and was currently in the process of considering the equipment needed to outfit his troop for backpacking. He said that he had been looking at light tents which would be easily packable by the young.
He had not seen our world before, and he was instantly intrigued. First thing, I mentioned and spelled this forum for him. He told me later that he visited here that night. I showed him mine and I told him about the hang and directed him to the trail to get him there. He and his family took the opportunity that day to walk the hang loop, and he returned FULLY intrigued!
I am a Boy Scout. Not everyone in my troop was as gung-ho about camping as the rest of us were, nor as attentive at scout meetings. I would imagine that kids today are even less invested in the Scouting experience with all of the distractions that are available to them, and like a pastor who must ready a sermon to inspire every Sunday morning, a contemporary scout master really has his work cut out for him in inspiring continued interest and fighting apathy.
Sunday morning we visited further and we discussed where to from here for them. I do not envy his task of keeping his scouts interested over the long haul. As a suggestion I directed him to the DIY section here, implying that not every scouting family has the discretionary income to properly outfit their scout - tent, hammock or otherwise. I remember the differences in equipment in my troop causing some individuals to feel less excited than the rest of us in our group adventure. I implied that maybe a collective troop project where scouts made their own somewhat homogeneous hammock equipment might help remedy this and other scout master issues too...mainly, the problem every scout master faces: how does a scout master keep his kids excited about scouting week in and week out, and how to promote parity in the shared experience among his scouts.
A project like this could last for months if they made everything they needed and thereby solve his weekly "sermon" issue, would cost less if everything is bought in bulk, and had the potential to more fully invest each scout in the project, and in scouting. I know I would have jumped at the chance to go on a camping trip where I got to use the any camping equipment that I had made. I mean, I liked carving a bear, but given the choice of whittling...or making my own hammock setup? Yeah, I'd be there EVERY Tuesday night until we finish that thang!
If I remember right I think he said he was from Willis. We should lend him our support where possible, and in doing so spread this sweet addiction.
I wouldn’t be a bit surprised to see a troop of Boy Scouts attend next year...
I caught the DIY bug while there too. Tom, I hold you fully responsible my friend! I told you when we sat down that because of the limitations on my time that I had just been buying what I needed up to that point. You are a master of sales my man. You immediately and skillfully harnessed my natural curiosity and sucked me right in! THANKS! You don't need to be nursing, you need to be a hawker on a carnival midway somewhere...no, seriously, THANK YOU for the investment of your time that you made in me. I will make sure that it was not wasted. And because of your interest in me I met a kindred spirit while you taught me, another East Texas river rat who is happiest and most at home in the palmetto and water oak-filled, timber rattler-infested river bottoms and sloughs of our state. Jeremy, I thought about a way to hang a hammock in your new boat on the way home. I ordered what I needed to do it to my river boat yesterday. Judging by the picture of the boat you built and the obvious quality of your work you are probably already way ahead of me on that though. PM me some time!
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Originally Posted by Missy Lou
I had such a great time last year!! ...I will be missing Paul and all of you!!
As for the barking pup, your's was not the only one. 
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