Thursday, November 3, 2011

Maniitok and the new Jeep

I wanted to post a shot of my pup in my new Jeep.  He lives and breathes the two words "Jeep Ride", specially with the top down!  I got him a nice Ruff Wear 17liter pack which is great for him this new ride that is hungry for some mountains.  I have an exciting road/backpacking trip in the works and will look forward to sharing it with you!
4HQKWHYRV2WK

Tuesday, September 13, 2011

Rules for Backpacking: The Unwritten Laws of the Trail

As I have previously mentioned in my little bio profile there, I thru-hiked the Appalachian Trail in 2010 with one of my best friends.  Along the way, and having spent over four months living in the wilderness I adopted and embraced a new way of life; a much simpler existence.  It is the best way to live one's life and it is a shame that more people do not have the opportunity to experience what I did during that amazing adventure.  I learned many lessons about my love and passion for nature, life, friendship, mental toughness, testicular fortitude, fulfillment, victory, defeat, excitement, and fear.  These more personal matters may be slightly boring topics to discuss to the everyday listener so I will refrain.  I have compiled a separated set of unconventional lessons that are as equally important that some people may overlook or may just not know.  These unwritten rules will now be written down by myself so they can be forged as official backpacking rules so they may not be broken in the future.  I know you are thinking to yourself as I often do when I hear the word rules, "Rules are made to be broken!!"  As a sometimes mischievous and defiant adolescent I would rightfully agree, however, these rule MUST NOT be broken!!!!

It was funny to see how the relationship with my hiking partner changed throughout our adventure.  In the beginning, we were still young, fresh, and full of vigor which quickly changed after making the arduous trek through the Great Smoky Mountains which leeched the life out of us each and every step until we were nothing but hollow, cold, and lifeless bodies with no energy or enthusiasm.  We leaned on each other every step of the way whether physically pulling each other out of chest deep snow drifts (NO BS here!!) by the shoulder straps of our packs, or better yet, picture a dying person writhing in quicksand like in the old adventure movies as it so often happened with us as we would extend a trekking pole to one another in desperation to escape an icy tomb.  Emotionally this was also a very trying period in our trip as well and we were sometimes questioning our early departure time, purpose for going, and whether it could possibly be any fun if it were not to change.  We used each other as a mental, physical, and sometimes  an emotional crutch as it was necessary to get through the tough early period of our thru-hike.  We shared stories, food, taking turns making trips to the watering hole, and when the thought crept into our head as we would slightly start to warm up and doze of to sleep "Dammit! we forgot to hang our food"  We even took turns doing that.  At times when temperatures were dangerously low in the single digits and we were wet, we would sleep on the within arms reach or on the same side of the shelter in efforts to condense body heat as it so often was necessary in the brutal winter we were caught in - in our respective sleeping bags of course.  These stories are often rebutted from friends with jokes and references to the cinematic disaster "brokeback mountain."  We always laugh these comments off because we know that the ones saying them would have cried themselves to sleep out there or honestly wouldn't have made it at all - and most of them know that too.  The bottom line is it was "one team one fight" Boomerang and Reckless vs. The AT and we strived and went out of the way for each other to make the trip more bearable and comfortable.  We joke that the only reason we did it was because we didn't want the other person to get thoughts of quitting in their head.  That surely was not the case.  As most people know adversity brings people closer together and in the situation we were in it was necessary.


I'm not sure exactly where our attitudes changed but it was pointed out to us in Hot Springs, NC when my dad came to join us for a short section of the trip.  He still to this day tells the story, which makes him laugh harder than it should, of a situation where the great irresponsible and often mindless "Boomerang" (trailname of the guy who accompanied me on the thru hike) failed to resupply on toilet paper while we were in town.  This even happened after a couple friendly  reminders from a one "Reckless" (my trailname).  At camp the following evening Boomerang interrupted a very peaceful moment of relaxation with  "Hey man, let me get some TP".   Now the situation might have been a little different had he been a conservative wiper.  The only reason I know this was due to his previous trips in the woods or to privies in which entire rolls of toilet paper would seemingly vanish in a single setting!  I would have perhaps considered a loan for a couple oreos or something but it was time to teach Boomerang a lesson.  I proceeded to decline his request for my precious TP on Day 1 of a possible 5 day stint in the wilderness so this was certainly a reasonable decline on my part.  I think you would agree.  This was answered with several "come on mans!!!" and begging pleas.  My dad knew I was just giving him a hard time and I would eventually give in to my best friend's request who we had shared so many hardships already and had also been my right hand man for a few hundred grueling wintery miles.  I knew I would not.  Ten or fifteen minutes later Boomerang returned from his bathroom getaway clutching his trail guide and journal in his hand with a priceless look on his bearded face.  My dad was shocked that I heartlessly made my hiking companion wipe his ass with pages he ripped out from his journal and trail guide.  This proceeded for the next 5 days.  It should be noted that when he ran out of pages from the trail guide from sections we had already hiked passed and he had to start using pages from sections we had yet to hike, I kindly allowed him to look on with my trail guide. RULE #1 BRING YOUR OWN TOILET PAPER!!

-Reckless, north-

Wednesday, August 17, 2011

Snakes, Flies, and Bears.. OH MY!

Many people are often deterred from backpacking due to colorful and elaborate stories of rabid, blood thirsty, man-eating bears, dark swarming clouds of jaw-gnashing, flesh hungry mosquitoes and black flies, and plant leaves with acid like pores that can dissolve even the most calloused of skin.

The purpose of this post is to completely or at least partially alleviate the stress and the hesitation to embark on an adventure in the wilderness or natural setting of choice that could really be beneficial to your overall health, enjoyment of life, and relationship with the AWESOME natural world around you.  I use the word AWESOME often and freely as it is my favorite adjective to describe natural world for it serves as the only one I feel adequate to use. Awesome and nature go together like peanut butter and jelly. 

awe·some/ˈôsəm/Adjective1. Extremely impressive or daunting; inspiring great admiration, apprehension, or fear. 2. Extremely good; excellent

Note in the first part of the definition that this is a very positive word, however, the object that it describes may inspire apprehension or fear.  It is ok and perfectly normal to have these feelings about the natural world around us!!!!, especially when we consider the elements in this topic of discussion ex. bears, snakes, etc.  This is evolution and biology at its finest and how the human race has survived to be such a successful species.  Unfortunately we have lost touch with our natural world and it is our responsibility to become familiar with it and all that inhabits it so that we may hurdle the apprehension and fear and convert those emotions into admiration, knowledge, understanding, and most importantly respect.   

I want to focus on the U.S. east coast due to my extended background with the area and associated wildlife, but I will mention bit of information about some west coast backpacking safety as well and I can certainly find answers to any questions that may arise through the course of reading this.  Bears are probably the one animal that backpackers/hikers/campers fear the most and those that do brave the elements and enter their battlegrounds often find their mind occupied with the fear of a bear around the corner and lay awake in an uncomfortable tent with bloodshot eyes; lids stapled to their brow, squeezing the life out of a very cheap, over-priced, and mostly ineffective can of mace and struggle to enjoy the beauty around them.  (Note: A bear is not going to be trying to steal your car keys in some dark city alley-lose the mace if you want). The best protection to bears is respect and knowledge.  The only species of bear that is inhabits the east coast is the black bear Ursus americanus.  When compared to the grizzly/brown bear in the far western U.S., and the polar bear located in the arctic, the black bear is a very docile and an extremely nonconfrontational animal.  I will not say that a black bear is harmless and would never injure or attack a human because that would be a lie.  The truth is the black bear is a very powerful animal that can outrun and outmaneuver even the most athletic human being and is potentially dangerous and a confrontation could lead to injury or even death in the most limited of circumstances.  Statistics show that there were just over 20 casualties from 1900 - 1985 directly related to north american black bear attacks; more than half of which occured in the western U.S.   As you have heard all your life you are more likely to get struck by lightning than attacked by a bear.  This couldn't be more true.  You are actually several fold times more likely to be killed by lighting than even have an encounter with a bear that leaves even the smallest of injuries (not killed).   The prior statement still usually does not alleviate the fear that there is still even a minute chance your life may end in a blood curdling, painful, death, jam packed with primal rage.  Many of these attacks previously mentioned were from handlers or people that were directly antagonizing or harassing the bear. So out of the 20 attacks mentioned, cut this number in more than over half because our location on the east coast (as previously mentioned, many of the black bear attacks in these statistics were located out west), cut this number in half again and take into account that  you will choose to respect the animal and not feed, terrorize, or antagonize a bear and you are left with the a handful of severe bear attacks that have resulted in serious injury or death in the last 100 YEARS!  The main idea here is not to equip yourself with guns, bear spray, or goofy and embarrassing bells tied to your ankle, but to equip yourself with the knowledge and understanding of this animal's behavior and have to the tools to know how to handle any situation that may arise when and if an encounter occurs. 

The big question:  What do I do if I'm face to face with a black bear???
1. This will be an extremely rare occurrence first of all as black bear are extremely skiddish.
2.  If a bear does enter your camp or does not run away immediately it is because they are either hungry or
     a curious bear as they have personalities just like you and me (this is a characteristic that can be displayed on the rare occasion by a cub or young adolescent.)
3. Black bears do not prefer to eat meat and very rarely do unless they come across an already deceased small mammal (carrion).   The most important thing to remember is DO NOT EVER IN ANY CIRCUMSTANCE FEED A BEAR!!!!  Many people think it is great to see bear close up from their vehicle or comfort of some type of shelter, however they do not consider others who may encounter that animal in the wild with only a backpack on and miles from civilization.  Once a bear is fed by a human it will associate people with an easy meal in which they do not have to expend a large amount of energy which is the primary feeding goal of a bear so don't ever in any circumstance feed a bear even if you see the starving ribs poking out of the cutest of bear cubs.  Bears who associate people with food will quickly become well-known characters and will most soon meet an the inevitable demise of a sure death.   If you feed a bear you are killing it; as simple that. 
4. Even curious bears scare off easily:  As goofy as it seems it is important not to engage a bear in any way.  Yelling and banging pots or trekking poles together should ward off a curious bear. 
5. Never run from a bear as it can entice a chase to begin in which you WILL NOT get far.  Running can initiate the bears instinctual.  If a bear does not retreat then simply walk away slowly and avoid long periods of direct eye contact which may be perceived as aggressive behavior to the bear.  Loosen your hip belt while walking away in the rare case that a chase does ensue.
6.  Do not try to climb a tree as black bears are excellent climbers. (Ive attached some photos of these almost arboreal creatures that I saw on my thru-hike).
7.  In you ever do find yourself in a legitimate bear attack situation it is important to know what to do: If ever are in a physical encounter (attack) with a black bear DO NOT play dead.  Fight back with all your might. It could save your life.  Use rocks and target sensitive areas e.g. tip of the snout and eyes (these guys are tough and do not have many sensitive areas.)  Equip yourself with first aid knowledge and procedure if you ever enter the woods even for a day hike. 
8.  Now you have the knowledge and can be confident and relaxed when sharing and entering black bear habitat which is the most important aspect to appreciating and respecting black bears. 

Bears are awesome creatures and have amazing personalities and once you have seen one I can almost guarantee you will be in awe of this animal.  Seeing a bear in the wild is one of the most unforgettable experiences and leaves you anticipation for the next encounter.  I know it is a rare treat to see a bear in the wild and it is always a welcome experience for me on my backpacking trips.

I will end this post without delving into the other potential dangers of backpacking in another post due to the lengthiness of this one.  Please feel free to comment, discuss, or ask any questions related to this post or any other topic you are interested in.

-Reckless-

Thursday, August 11, 2011

Welcome to RecklessBackpacker

Hello everyone,

Welcome to the RecklessBackpacker page.  This page will be dedicated to the enjoyment, understanding and appreciation of backpacking and the great outdoors and some of the exciting adventures that I have shared with her.  I am a young but seasoned backpacker from the great state of Georgia and my trail miles are well into the thousands with many exciting, dangerous, and often comical adventures.  I have made many of the greatest memories of my life on these adventures and I would like to share them and the knowledge i have learned with anyone who is interested.  The most notable of my life accomplishments begins with a complete thru hike of the Appalachian Trail in 2010.  I have included a slideshow in this first episode to serve as an introduction to myself and one of my longer expeditions.  Foresight of this blog will include stories from the trail and a plethora of great backpacking/hiking/camping tips for hikers with and endless budget, hikers on the college budget, and ideas for constructing and fabricating your own gear for hikers with no budget!  I will include posts on hiking light and saving the knees and back yet maintaing all the essentail comforts for an enjoyable and warm trip.  Ideas for day/weekend/week+ hikes all over the entire east coast of the United States!  Gear reviews, natural navigation, awesome videos, + much more and most importantly I want to include ideas for pieces that yall want to hear about.  Please contact me immediately with any topics that you would like me to cover and i will gladly oblidge.

Thanks to everyone for reading and watching!