Speaking Of Camping...........

Lizard Lips · Post by **Lizard Lips** » Wed Jul 26, 2006 9:45 pm

I go on a week long backpacking trip every summer. A friend & I will be heading into Wyoming's Big Horn range in the north-central part of the state starting on Monday the 31st. We will come out on Friday. Everything that we need to survive for 5 days will be packed in on our backs. This includes our food, clothes, tent, sleeping bags, stove & various items of survival gear. Last year, we did 6 days in Wyoming's Wind River Range. It's difficult to use words to describe the scenery, the solitude & the peace & quiet (can't get cell phone reception up there). Not to mention the various wildlife we will probably encounter. I'll take lots of pics. Anyone else here into backpacking?

valerie · Post by **valerie** » Thu Jul 27, 2006 1:39 pm

Used to be... many moons ago!

Used to hike the Desolation Wilderness in the Sierras in California.

Carried everything, too, but had the advantage of a couple pack

dogs, they could carry their own food and a few extras...

paperback book, bit of rope... stuff like that. I made the packs

myself out of old Levi's and was quite proud of them. Lined them

with plastic bags and one time one of the dogs swam a river with

her pack and not a bit got wet!!

Do you have a little Svea stove? Tell me what your gear is like...

:-6

Lizard Lips · Post by **Lizard Lips** » Thu Jul 27, 2006 10:17 pm

Hi Valerie!

I used to have 2 absolutely gorgeous & well behaved German Shepherds who carried their own packs on hiking & backpacking trips. Now I have a St Bernard/Australian Shepherd cross who carries a pack. She packs her own food & always the aluminum coffee pot, which I bunjee to the outside of her pack. On the way out, she gets to carry the trash. I have an MSR whisperlite stove. My original MSR stove caught on fire & literally melted before my eyes on a pack trip 3 years ago. I sent an email to the company & they sent me a brand new stove! Even though my old one was 10 years old. Now THAT'S customer service! I have an REI half dome tent that's about 15 years old & still keeps out the rain & bugs. I had to retire my Raichle hiking boots after 12 years. With worn soles & fallen insteps, it was time. I purchased a new pair of boots from Campmor.com last year. They are all leather Montrail brand. I knew the minute I tried them on, they would be perfect. I broke them in last year on a 6 day trip into Wyoming's Wind River Range (stupid thing to do, I know) & they were major keepers! I always bring an old pair of Tevas for around camp in the evening & for crossing water. I still use my original Open Country pots & pan set. They are older than dirt, but so lightweight & durable, why replace them. Same goes for my First Need water filter. I've only had to replace the filter one time in the past 15 years & I've never gotten sick. I've recently taken to using a telescoping type walking stick which is a godsend while crossing rivers & streams. I am responsible for the food, which is easy for me. I'm a foodie! I don't bother with the fancy backpacker stuff you find in the sporting goods stores. I find everything I need at the regular grocery store. Those foil tuna packs have been a nice addition!

Nomad · Post by **Nomad** » Fri Jul 28, 2006 5:20 pm

:-3

I dont think we were speaking about camping ???

*kidding* I am extermely jealous of you right now.

Watch out for bear poopy !

valerie · Post by **valerie** » Fri Jul 28, 2006 7:34 pm

You used to have sheppies!! :-4 :-4

Sounds like fun. I never tried a walking stick but I bet it would be

a help sometimes...

And I'm with ya on the food thing, too, way too expensive to buy

the stuff from REI!! (We used to every once in a while buy a

good thing to have for a treat!)

Have you ever tried taking in steaks? For the first night? We used to.

Of course it's quite a bit of weight but if you take them frozen to

start they're just about perfect that night. Had a little collapsible

grill that was pretty neat.

Nomad · Post by **Nomad** » Fri Jul 28, 2006 8:11 pm

valerie wrote: You used to have sheppies!! :-4 :-4

Sounds like fun. I never tried a walking stick but I bet it would be

a help sometimes...

And I'm with ya on the food thing, too, way too expensive to buy

the stuff from REI!! (We used to every once in a while buy a

good thing to have for a treat!)

Have you ever tried taking in steaks? For the first night? We used to.

Of course it's quite a bit of weight but if you take them frozen to

start they're just about perfect that night. Had a little collapsible

grill that was pretty neat.

You talkin to me ? You must be talkin to me ! I dont see anyone else around here, you must be talkin to me !

(Nomad doing DiNero)

Thank you, thank you very much

valerie · Post by **valerie** » Fri Jul 28, 2006 8:38 pm

Nomad wrote: You talkin to me ? You must be talkin to me ! I dont see anyone else around here, you must be talkin to me !

(Nomad doing DiNero)

Thank you, thank you very much

Alright, put up yer dukes!

Lizard Lips · Post by **Lizard Lips** » Sat Jul 29, 2006 9:15 pm

Yes, I used to have Sheppies! They were the love of my life & I miss those dogs SO much! I am not a meat eater, so the steaks are out. LOL! When you go in for 5 or 6 days, you have to bring quite a bit of food & I try to pack as light as is humanly possible. I shopped for the food today. We are going to eat oatmeal, cream of wheat or pancakes for breakfast, Bear Creek instant soups with quesadillas for lunch, noodles & sauce with tuna, pad thai with chicken, bean burritos & red beans & rice with cornbread for dinner. I've got my homemade gorp ready to go. I dehydrated fruit all week on my dehydrator. I'll add yogurt raisins, mixed nuts & M&Ms to the dried fruit. I also replenished my 100% DEET supply. That whimpy 25% won't last 10 minutes in the mountains around here. We got topo maps made for the area we are going into at the local sporting good's store. All we have left to do is get everything packed so we will be ready to hit the dusty trail on Monday morning!:-6

BabyRider · Post by **BabyRider** » Sat Jul 29, 2006 9:29 pm

Lizard, that sounds like sheer and total bliss. I have got to try that one day!

Lizard Lips · Post by **Lizard Lips** » Sat Aug 05, 2006 9:00 am

BabyRider wrote: Lizard, that sounds like sheer and total bliss.

Well, not exactly sheer & total bliss..........I made it home in one piece. One very sore & tired piece.

I'm not sure exactly how many miles we covered in 5 days, but I had aches in pains in places I didn't know I had! We were pounded with rain on Tuesday. Rain sucks when you are camping, but it's one hundred times worse when you are backpacking! Lucky for us, the rain only lasted one day & I spent most of Wednesday drying out & trying to warm up. We didn't see any signs of bears or mountain lions, but saw a lot of deer. Every evening, a young doe would visit our camp & just stand & stare at us. Very cool. Also encountered a group of cow & calf elk while on a hike. They watched us for about 10 seconds (long enough for me to get a photo) & then they bolted. Elk are very skittish. Anyhoo, it sure felt good to take a hot bath last evening & inspect all the new bruises & scratches!

The Big Horn range was way too busy with people for my liking. I'll stick closer to home & explore more areas of the Wind River Range in my back yard. Better scenery & no people!

Lulu2 · Post by **Lulu2** » Sat Aug 05, 2006 10:31 am

(I've been wondering how it went. Hope there weren't any of your USUAL mishaps? :wah: )

As always, Liz, I'm envious of your planning and your ability to get out there & DO it! Photos, please!

Finally, when we were in Patagonia, I discovered the WONDERFULNESS of walking sticks and now I use them all the time! If you walk regularly anywhere, I'd urge you to get some, even if you don't think you need them. It takes a lot of stress off your body and can save you from falls, etc.

Lizard Lips · Post by **Lizard Lips** » Sat Aug 05, 2006 4:35 pm

Lulu2 wrote: I discovered the WONDERFULNESS of walking sticks

Yeppers, LuLu. I picked up a very nice, expandable walking stick last year prior to that backpacking expedition. I wouldn't go without one now. Makes river crossings easier, unless of course, one steps on a moss covered rock while severely fatigued & one falls in the river. Of course I had to have at least ONE mishap!:-6

Lulu2 · Post by **Lulu2** » Sat Aug 05, 2006 6:43 pm

What was your favorite moment on this trip?

(Do lizard lips need lipstick?):wah:

Lizard Lips · Post by **Lizard Lips** » Sat Aug 05, 2006 9:45 pm

Lulu2 wrote: What was your favorite moment on this trip?

Probably when I realized that my hiking boots were finally dry & we could take a late afternoon dayhike. That was when we saw the elk! Seeing those elk in the wild like that was quite thrilling!:-6