Thirst (Bobo's trekking -thread)

[Bobo]

I spent four days in the forest last week (alone). I usually do my trekking in the northern Finland, Sweden and Norway, and not so often here in central Finland. So I thought that's nothing and didn't plan it enough. Didn't even take a proper map with me (I'm pretty good with compass).

Well, what happened was, I couldn't find any water! Finland is full of lakes but the area where I went... just some swamps (where the water isn't drinkable even when boiled) and some dry forest. I ran out of water quite fast and wandered with a heavy backpack for ten hours without water in the second day. The weather was hot and I weight about 100kg (220lbs) + the backpack, so going through some swamps and dense forests really made me sweat. Because of the poor map I got lost and as I said, it took me ten hours (the second day) to find my route and set up a camp. Couldn't eat either because my pasta required water to prepare.

Left my backpack to the camp and climbed a high hill to observe the surroundings. Noticed some low ground about 1km away where there weren't any trees, took the direction with my compass and walked there. It was a small pond in the middle of a swamp, with all sorts of creatures swimming in it. Filled my bottles, walked back to the camp and boiled the water. It was some slimy stuff and tasted like shit, but I had to drink it to stay alive. I didn't have enough bottles with me so I had to make three more trips to the swamp to get enough water.

The next morning, with about 2 litres of slimy swamp water, I started my return trip the way I came. About 30km to the nearest town with some rough terrain between me and it so clearly I'd run out of water again. Well, I won't bore you guys with details but I had to spend one more night in the woods without food, and the next afternoon I was back in the town. Goddamit the pint tasted good (first thing I bought when I got there).

Thirst... that experience really teached me to appreciate the fact that we get some fresh water out of the tap at home! That's something I haven't realized what luxury it really is. Never been that thirsty, with my throat so dry it hurt... muscles cramping, feeling dizzy... weak as hell. Scary shit.

What I learned was this: Always take a proper map. Always take more water than needed. Always plan the trip and do some background research to find water and to know the terrain. Otherwise, even an ordinary forest might kill you. :shock:

[Bootyhound]

As miserable as it was I'm sure you still managed to enjoy it,

Glade to see you made it Bobo :D

[Bobo]

Yeah, it was a good experience, a real eye-opener. I never go out there to have it easy, roughness is a big part of it. I wouldn't change that experience with anything. Great stuff.

[Bootyhound]

pretty cool story, I look forward to an excursion one of these days.

[Bobo]

Get some experience first. Wilderness can be a scary place if one isn't used to it. Finding fresh bear tracks... wolves howling in the night... something big examining your tent in the darkness... I've learned to love it, but I've added the intensity gradually. Next year I'm planning on spending three weeks alone in the northern Norway, which is something that would make an ordinary man cry. I'm talking about an area with absolutely no paths or anything... it's pure wilderness where not many has ever been. Cellphones don't work, so I could aswell be on another planet. I will be totally alone there.

But... I don't mean to put your plans down. What I'm saying is, learn some survival skills first with friends before even planning on going out there alone. Just get out there and if you manage to fall in love with it, there's no going back. It's a beautiful but rough planet we're living in.

It's about safe to walk the streets... humans are the boss in the cities. But in the wilderness... completely different rules apply there. Suddenly, you're not on top of the foodchain anymore. And that's part of the adventure: gives some serious adrenaline rushes. And the silence of the forest... the clean air... that's home, my friend.

Welcome. :cool

[Fuzzy]

Wow, even though I can see how dangerous that was, I can also see how valuable the lesson was you learned. You've almost persuaded me to go out there with some friends and try it myself. How long have you been doing this Bobo?

[Bobo]

Well, I've been drawn to the silence of the forest since I was a kid, but I've only done solo-trekking for about three years now. But it doesn't (and shouldn't) have to be that extreme, first learn it on well marked paths with some friends. There aren't may solo trekkers out there because it can seriously kill you if you don't know what you're doing. It takes some guts to spend weeks somewhere with no cellphone or other human contacts, but more than guts it takes good planning, experience, physical health and skills to survive something like that. I've already started planning my extreme Norway hike now, more than one full year before the actual trek.

But it doesn't need to be solo trekking and it doesn't need to be above the arctic circle. You can have a nice trip to the local forest, just take some good friends, some whisky, sleeping bags and a tent with you (and food of course) and learn to listen to the silence. Once you get used to it and you get somewhere more deserted... the genetic instincts of your ancestors will be born inside you. That's when you will feel more alive than ever before.

[Bootyhound]

Intense:shock: , I will do some local hiking first and some basic camping. If I was to step it up I would follow the lead of someone that has experience.

Although, as a kid I lived near a river and spent lots of time in the wilderness and forest. Hours, on end. Some of my fondess memories are of that icy river in the sun, just listening to the water, fishing, smokin' a Joint, sipping some whiskey.

Yeah, it would be good to get back doing some stuff like that.

[Master Long]

I have only two words: Vision Quest.

[Fuzzy]

Wait, the movie that's a cult classic among high school wrestlers, or the native american rite of passage? I'm gonna go with the latter.

[Sunship]

this is incredible bobo

im very much interested in some solo hikes around the UK, is there anywhere on the web you'd recommend to bone up on hiking and survival? will have to give it a search

[Bobo]

Although, as a kid I lived near a river and spent lots of time in the wilderness and forest. Hours, on end. Some of my fondess memories are of that icy river in the sun, just listening to the water, fishing...
Yeah, that's something we easily forget in the city. But in my opinion we all need some peace and quiet. I know many people who always need someone close by, they simply can't stand being alone. But in my opinion that's just one symptom of the mental pressure this busy city life causes. At least based on my personal experience, it's difficult to imagine a person who wouldn't be able to enjoy the silence of the wilderness once he/she gets used to the rough surroundings.

It isn't nice and cozy there, it will be windy, hot, cold, exhausting... physical stress in general. But that's the thing we're missing in our modern city life: physical stress. We're often extremely challenged on the mental side, but physically... there are no challenges really. One may visit the gym regularly or do some cardio, but that's nothing compared to wilderness trekking. At the gym you can quit anytime you like... if it's a lazy day you can just simply quit. But when you're 50km away from the nearest road and you have only a set amount of food with you, you just must keep going no matter what. Even if you get sick and have some high fever, you must keep on going. That's when the mental toughness gets tested... and something like that never happens at the gym.

It will feel rough, there may even be some fear of death involved... but once you survive something like that, the usual stress and problems of the city life will feel like nothing.

As a kid... yes. That's when we usually still enjoy some outdoor life. In fact, my outdoor tendencies were born when I got interested in astronomy as a kid. I got this astronomical telescope as a gift and I got really excited about it. I can still remember the feeling when I first saw the rings of Saturn with my own eyes through the telescope... and after that the night sky was all I could think of. During the winter (when it's really dark up here) I often took my telescope and walked alone to the dark forests... climbed some hill far away from the city lights and stared at the stars for hours alone in the dark. That's where I learned to appreciate the calming silence of the forest. That's something I can't even try to describe if someone has never experienced it.

Well... as the subject is something I love, I seem to produce some text. So before it gets boring, I will now stop typing.

Get out there, experience the wild. But remember to respect it too meaning don't disturb the wildlife, don't litter the surroundings. Respect the nature, and it will repay you with experiences you can't buy with money.

[Bobo]

im very much interested in some solo hikes around the UK, is there anywhere on the web you'd recommend to bone up on hiking and survival?

I'm sure there are plenty. Just type "hiking" or "backpacking" in Google and I'm sure you'll find some local forums. I've learned my skills myself "the hard way" so I can't recommend any sites, but I'm sure there are plenty of good ones in every country. Log on into one and ask about good routes for beginners, and the adventure begins.

[Sunship]

i picked up the "SAS survival" handbook by john wiseman a while ago which was a hugely interesting read,

im taking a holiday this summer in austria, the tirol region. where we go is such a breathtaking area, staying in a tiny rural village in valleys and walking up to mountain shacks every day. very much looking forward to that :)

[Bobo]

Doesn't sound bad at all! :cool

[ownd]

i have developed this thirst you speak of bobo but rather for vagina

[SusurrusK]

Sounds amazing. Everything you've described Bobo, sounds like my paradise , well except pssibly getting eaten :P

[Master Long]

i have developed this thirst you speak of bobo but rather for vagina

Really, you experience this?

Thirst... that experience really taught me to appreciate the fact that we get some fresh water out of the tap at home! That's something I haven't realized what luxury it really is. Never been that thirsty, with my throat so dry it hurt... muscles cramping, feeling dizzy... weak as hell. Scary shit.

You must be really desperate for it, my friend. :P

Also, fixed for spelling. :lol:

[Spike]

Well, what happened was, I couldn't find any water!

Don't you have those powdered water tablets in Finland? They are about 1cm square, 3mm thick and come in light-tight packets, weigh about 4 grams - when you expose one to sunlight it reconstitutes itself into 1 litre of fresh water.

I tried to find a link to when a bulk tanker of the stuff crashed on the M1 motorway and flooded the local area to a depth of 2 metres. Was maybe 15 years ago - they have to travel at night now, sealed in smaller 50kg containers.

[Bobo]

The only tablets you should be taking now Spike is your medication! :lol:

"Nurse, nurse... Spike forgot to take his pills again and escaped through the window..." :lol:

[Spike]

I have never taken medication! :lol:

[MagnumXL]

nice story. sounds like a fun trip either way.

[Master Long]

I like you Bobo. Your stories are heartfelt, insightful, honest, and inspiring. Feel free to post about your adventures anytime. :D

[Steve Madden]

What a guy; from now on I'll just call you Sven.

[Bobo]

Me? Why? I'm not Swedish (well, I do have some Swedish roots)! :lol:

Well, my latest trip ended last friday. Spent one week in the wilderness including three days without any food with me, so I had to eat berries, mushrooms, ant eggs and believe it or not: lichen (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lichen). It's actually poisonous to humans but when prepared properly it's actually very rich on vitamin C. I was planning on a longer trip but after walking soaking wet in some heavy rain for two days I managed to get some fever and flu symptoms so it wasn't wise to go on this time.

It was a tough trip because one should eat tons of berries and mushrooms to get enough energy, so I only walked for ~10km for the last two days but during the first day of hunger I managed to walk for 20km, which is alot in that terrain even with proper food. My backpack was 25kg (loads of camera equipment) and the terrain was very rough with some floods and dense forests, not to mention some sick steep hills. The total distance last week was about 85km, and my legs are still killing me.

Found loads of bear tracks: destroyed beehives, destroyed ant nests, paw marks on mud and so on... a really big bear and the tracks were fresh. But no sightings... :x You know, bears and especially wolves aren't as dangerous as people seem to think. Well, in the U.S. and Canada it might be different because some of them are used to humans, but here in the finnish wilderness they're scared of us because they haven't seen much people, so they flee in panic. That's why one must actually sneak to see one, which may sound crazy. Well, of course they're dangerous, but so is traffic in the cities.

The trip was, again, an eye-opener. Now I know I can survive out there without food at least during summertime. Winter survival is a bit more tricky, and that's something I'll try next winter. This was actually easier than that thirst-trip... so water is the most essential thing out there. But if one wants to move and not just lay on his back, he'll need some food too. This of course is no news, I just wanted to test myself and how it affects me if things get rough.

It's amazing how much there is to eat in a forest... and it's also surprising how much poisonous stuff there is. So one must really know what he's doing before eating any plants or roots out there.

A good trip it was... and beer tastes now, if possible, even better than before! :mrgreen

[Master Long]

BOBO has gained a level!
BOBO has advanced to level 19.

BOBO gains:
+1 pathfinding
+1 foraging
+1 tracking
+1 Strength
+1 Endurance

:D




(I am an unrepentant nerd.)

[SusurrusK]

Nice one ML... if only life did work like RPGs... if only :cry:

[Master Long]

I'd especially like the "save" and "load" features.

[Spike]

after walking soaking wet in some heavy rain for two days

Persistance, Determination or Stupidity?. :lol:

At least you didn't mention GoreTex once! :lol:

[Bobo]

Nah, no GoreTex! :lol: I only use that shit when it's cold enough or extremely windy (and of course rainy), so I didn't even pack them with me this time. I've noticed it's easier just to get wet during summertime because those raingear-thingies make you sweat like hell. I couldn't afford to lose more salt than necessary so I prefered being wet from rain rather than sweat my ass (and body salt) off. Carrying a 25kg backpack in rough terrain will keep you warm, and the campfire dries the gear up pretty fast. And the rain was quite refreshing really in that environment.

Persistance, Determination or Stupidity?. :lol:
Well, you be the judge of that! :lol: In my opinion "us" western people are becoming more and more sensitive and lazy wimps because our modern life keeps us warm'n cozy all the time. I'd love to see the modern life sorry-ass excuses of a man (no offence meant) out there when things get rough! Even the "toughest" city-motherfuckers would cry alone in the dark forest like babies if they never bothered to toughen their skin and mind. Even at cities it's funny to see how big men flee in panic when it starts to rain, like they'd be made of sugar or something.

"There is something to be learned from a rainstorm. When meeting with a sudden shower, you try not to get wet and run quickly along the road. But doing such things as passing under the eaves of houses, you still get wet. When you are resolved from the beginning, you will not be perplexed, though you still get the same soaking. This understanding extends to everything."

- Hagakure, The Book of the Samurai

So, wilderness trekking puts things into perspective for me, and I've noticed I don't whine about little things anymore. Western life is way too easy for that. I've also noticed I appreciate things like clean water and healthy food more than ever before. Things like those are taken for granted these days. It just might not be like that forever...

[Rum_Runner]

Sounds about right Bobo, glad you have some sense of freedom.

[Bobo]

Yeah, I would suffocate if I never could flee from this crazy world. Compared to this busy city life it's like visiting another planet when spending a week or two out there alone with no human contacts. It's good for the nerves, if they can take it of course. Mine can. :cool

[Rum_Runner]

It is like my long runs on the weekends, without them I would pound my head into the wall

[Bobo]

Hell yeah, I know that feeling. Some time just for yourself.

[Spike]

Judging by the news, modern-man's response to a crisis is to go panic buying and strip the local supermarket shelves of bottled water and baked beans.
'
Then whinge to the TV news, that it's somebody else's fault they bought a house on a flood plain.

[Bobo]

The tough people of the past would die laughing if they saw all this modern-man shit like make-up, fashion and girly whining. As you all may see, I'm finally cured from my past metrosexual-tendencies, which actually were just symptoms of my failed marriage. It wasn't me, it was what my wife wanted me to be. Sad but true. Finally I'm free of all that crap... that's some personal evolution right there, and to the right direction in my opinion. :mrgreen

[SusurrusK]

A decision well made Bobo... evolution at its finest :D

[Rum_Runner]

well spoken Bobo, the downfall of mankind is womankind, never forget. We can be lovers without being sensitive.

[Master Long]

Nah, the downfall of mankind is its own willed ignorance. And you can be sensitive, just as long as you're man enough not to take any bullshit. Kind of like Jesus. :wink:

[SusurrusK]

The downfall of mankind is the invention of internet forums. Well, all except CC of course! :lol:

[Master Long]

To wit:
http://www.somethingawful.com/d/weekend-web/index.php