"Survive!" book review

I just finished reading Les Stroud's recent book: "Survive!" I am impressed with it, and I'll tell you why:

First, it is humble. Les Stroud makes every effort to reveal that he was not magically born with this knowledge, and often refers to the teachers, experts and others who have contributed to his current level of expertise. Not only does he give ample credit where it's due, he occasionally hands over the reins entirely when a subject appears that can be better explained by a true expert. For example, he defers to a physician when it comes to hypothermia. This sort of self-deprecation isn't just appealingly modest during an age of "Look at me, I invented outdoor adventure" ego. It also gives the reader a confidence that multiple resources have been consulted, resulting in more reliable advice.

Second, it is organized. While it's not unusual for bushcraft and survival books to separate fire-making from shelter-building, but Les shows his priorities when he puts preparation and mindset literally before fires, food and water. Somewhere in the book-making process, it must be tempting to put the fun, active stuff first, but placing these later gives a clear signal of the importance he assigns them.

Finally, while it is complete, it is not a "kitchen sink" approach. There are several points in the book where to deliberately eschews elaborate bushcraft skills that are particularly time-consuming or complex, simply because their knowledge don't really lend themselves to survival, but more to woodsmanship, a long-term approach to outdoors pursuits. Good for him.

I recommend this book!

Sierra Re-creation

God help me, I think I'm going to resurrect "SierraRecreation.com," or at least its spirit.

It was months ago that I ceased thrashing about in the dark, struggling against a slowly-diminishing ignorance of Content Management Systems, an equally-slowly diminshing ignorance of the Sierra Nevada itself, and the fact that no one but me ever joined a site that I had hoped would engender at least some enthusiasm from, well, enthusiasts. I ceased thrashing, and I gave up.

After I stopped crying, (I take my perceived defeats entirely too seriously) I realized that I still have an interest in the Sierra Nevada. Although I also still don't get out in the rough enough, I still daydream about it, read about it and care about it. And I do occasionally actually get out and kick rocks, and it's fun to write about it or take photos for display. When you've got an interest in something and it just keeps nagging at you, you can either drink until it goes away, or you can stop resisting and do something about it. Me, I'm doin' both.

I also envision doing some sort of videography project about recreation in the Sierra Nevada; the details are always hazy and require that I chase them (which I am currently doing), but the personality of the thing is clear in my mind: something useful, somewhat intelligent, but also approachable, funny and down-to-earth. I'd like to do some sort of a series, even if it's a series of 10-minute webisodes (although I'd rather do more-standard, 30- or 60-minute productions), and an accompanying website just sounds like such a natural place to host such productions (or clips thereof), that I know I've got to do it someday.

Plus, there are so many good resources of different media and perspectives that I am driven by a natural instinct to collect them and display them, and redistribute some of them in more modern or useful ways than I originally found them.

One hang-up is money. "If it cost a nickel to shit, I'd have to go puke somewhere." Thanks to Jeff S. for that handy and unforgettably digusting saying. But it makes my point; I can't afford even one more hosting plan right now, so I'm currently planning on reviving my little monster as a subfolder of my current hosting account. Luckily, it will be full-featured in all other ways, allowing me to build and play and break things. Besides cost, another plus is that a relatively anonymous subfolder homestead will remove any pressure to make it "be" anything other than what it is: a personal work in progress.

Hopefully, it will end up being something worth "re-launching" someday, and showing to the cold, cruel webosphere for somebody to get some use out of it.

Until then, I'll keep the domain name under my thumb for later use. Until then, I'll tinker.

Stoopid coons

Last week was more "balance."

The first three-fourths of Sunday was just a mess. It was as if the Three Stooges were playing Fate, and all my orderly little plans were bumping into each other and going "nyuk nyuk nyuk."

The real pleasure of the day was at the end. My son was away for the evening, and I got to skin a raccoon we'd caught earlier. I don't take pleasure in killing them necessarily, but I felt less guilty about it when I recalled the one chicken that was beheaded outright, and the chickens and ducks that suffered shredded necks because of a renegade beastie who couldn't quite seal the deal. Most of the eventually died, and the one survivor won't be the same again.

The last time I skinned one, it was a hurried and mildly drunken affair. Last night, I took my time and ended up pretty swervy by the time I was done, too, but I think I did a good job. (One thing about "Natural Ice" beer - every swallow tastes like cheap regret, but that stuff packs a deceptive punch. I gotta be careful before I "come to" with a skinless cat in my hands. Hmmm...) My point is that I had the time to myself, worked with my hands and enjoyed giving myself over to a consuming task. I'm sure PETA members would prefer I took up model trains, but this is where we find ourselves.

Anyway, besides taking my time, I also did some other things differently: I hung the little weasel up in the air at a convenient height, rather than laying him in the dirt like I did last time, a silly mistake. I listened to my MP3 player and once I got going, the chore turned into a pleasant undertaking and time ceased to register. Before I knew it, I had a naked raccoon and it was dark.

Another thing I did differently: I took the skin all the way off his skull, and kept the cranium as a trophy. I've seen them boiled on TV to remove the meat and er, stuff. I tried it, and it doesn't smell real good, especially the next day.

This week, I've scraped and salted the skin, and I'm not real sure what to do with it now. Even better, we've trapped another raccoon. Anybody want a hat, or something? Sheesh!

Major score

A few weeks ago, a 1977 Terry travel trailer was bequeathed to me by someone who had moved on to bigger and better. The only catch: I had to arrange to remove it from its lot. My boss did me a big solid by getting his Jeep into a pretty hairy spot and dragged the thing to where my wife's "Brick Shithouse 250" could hook up and drag it away.

There were some other significant hitches along the way, but we finally got the thing home today. It's nearly as old as I am, and not nearly as broken down and worn.

I look forward to putting some miles and fun onto this thing next year. Just another reason I am a lucky guy.

Where the Hell have I been?

Has it really been this long since my last blog entry? Wow. That should indicate how hectic life has been lately. I've been doing lots of fun stuff that I should tell you about, but I haven't taken the time.

I went to Sourgrass in Stanislaus National Forest last weekend with my boy. It was a busy day for babysitting, but still a great time. He could have spent the entire day tossing leaves into the river and bidding them goodbye, and was actually mad when I tore him away.

I'm getting along famously with my wife, who is totally awesome and radical, according to the child of the 80's. We don't have a lot of time together, and when we do, we're pretty burned out, but we're still tight, and I wouldn't trade that for anything.

Eh, that's all I have (made) time for. Hope all is well with you. Peace on you.

I support Bear Grylls - link to other blog

See my new post on the brewing Bear Grylls/Man Vs. Wild brouhaha. It pricked open a pustule of thought that I have been nurturing for a while now. I'm happy with what I've written about it.

Camping quickie wrap-up

Camping up Highway 4 was a lot of fun. Among many things, I:

• Hiked the Emigrant Trail back to Lake Alpine
• Hiked the Gann's Meadow trail back to nowhere in particular, camped for the night
  
• Hiked a trail near Sourgrass and skinny-dipped in the North Fork of the Stanislaus River
• Crapped in a hole (out of necessity, it wasn't on my "To Do" list)
• Met a guy who introduced me to his brand of beer (Thanks, Dave!)
  

I took lots of pictures, but haven't sorted or cropped any of them yet. However, I have put the bite on my Dad for the use of his fancy camera for the next trip...!

Grizzly Adams ... out!

I'm going camping!

After months of waiting to scratch my itch - after months of dreaming of pine needles and rocks and masturbating to Man Vs. Wild, the time is right and I'm going to spend a night camping.

True, the entire family (and then some) spent several days at Lake Camanche recently. It was good fun, but didn't quite satisfy my need. Hopefully an overnighter alone on a non-weekend night will do the trick.

I haven't got much of a plan, but I intend to spend Thursday night at Board's Crossing (because it's free and far enough away), and check out some hiking trails above it during daylight hours. Beyond that, who knows?

Hiker dies on wilderness-survival adventure

Survival hike or death march?

New Jersey man Dave Buschow died of thirst in a Utah desert while on a survival hike run by Boulder Outdoor Survival School, or "BOSS." With emergency water supplies available, and a natural water source just yards from where he succumbed to thirst, it's a very sad tale all 'round.

The dead man's family blames the company, the company blames the man's preparation techniques. Total bummer.