Posted: 8/11/2008 6:54:04 PM EDT
| Would any of you be interested in a short backpacking trip around the end of Sept./Beginning of Oct. I am looking at practicing patroling with friends and doing a little shooting so it will be somewhere that you can hunt so we an carry guns. Looking at the Berryman Trail or the Ridgerunner Trail or the Cedar Creek Trail (Devils Backbone) or something like that. My main purpose is to scout out a nice easy hike and camping trip for my wife and toddler while doing something I want at the same time. |
ummm....see my first post. I listed 3 areas of interest. I havn't set a date yet, Gotta talk to the boss and get a yard pass. Look at those three areas and get back to me if you have a preference. I'm open to suggestions. Potable water is a little more scarce at Berryman of you don't wanna deal with creek water. I found a good site that a guy I used to do scouting with that has deent reviews on it. www.motrails.com/trails.html |
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Water is usually not a problem at Cedar Creek. I've never seen Cedar Creek not have water in it, Smith Creek always has pools even if its not running. And there are ponds interspersed through out the place because most of it is old reclaimed farm land and homesteads. The ponds get pretty nasty, I'd defiantly filter+ chemically treat, the creek you can usually get by with just chemical treatment. I drank from one of the ponds at it's nastiest with only reverse osmosis filtration, I lived AFSOC drank some of it too. Also guys, AFSOC and myself are trying to plan on hosting a survival skills weekend later in the year, preferably towards fall when its a little more tolerable. More details will come later. |
Well we were trying out the "X-Packs" Very good filtration, Crystal Clear output. Sort of "Gatorade" tasting, the "Fuel" for the things is a "sports Drink Concentrate" Worked well. The "Water" was typical Stagnant pond/puddle water, lots of "Stuff" in there... Besides that Ed, we have never met, just wait until then to try to figure out what's wrong with me.  Then just think how I must have been when I was younger!!!!! I suppose I should mention that the last time I did a Survival Skills weekend it was 5 degrees out, Water was freezing in my canteens and another persons Camelback tube. Two Ankle Sprains, Roughly two hours of on foot evac to the nearest road, which was roughly a Klik in to the spot where I went down. Slippery Ice the whole way. Another made it a little farther in than I did on night land nav. |
What camping "Facilities" do you want? What you get there is a flat spot (semi Flat Spot) for your Tent, Bivy, What have you. and a spot to dig a cat hole.... "Primitive" Camping ONLY allowed. Sorry no RVs, Hookups, Soda machines, Ice makers etc... 
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I'm in as well. We want to steer clear of areas where "ordinary" campers will be, since we'll be in cammies and carrying long guns and doing patrolling and such. That stuff tends to gather the wrong type of attention. AFSOC and I could give classes on some things. I don't have combat experience but we are used to patrolling together for One Shepherd stuff and I've certainly learned quite a bit in the years of doing that. AFSOC has, of course, seen the elephant many times. Sounds like a good time, and it might be a good warm-up for the One Shepherd/Firefight stuff I'm trying to get back into shape for. AFSOC? Ideas/opinions? |
That was my whole idea, to get away from established places, go somewhere out of the way and do what I wanted to do. One thing I have been thinking of is not f'ing with my backpacking tent and using the camo tarp shelter I made. We will also want to for everyone who is carrying a gun to have their small game license in case we are stopped by a park ranger or something. I also appreciate the offer of helping everyone who wants to go with patroling techniques. Like you, I am not a combat vet but have done a little patroling. |
Not my Gig Duke, You don't need a Hunting license to do what you want to do. Just call the ranger station prior to entering the woods and let them know you are out there. We were doing a recon prior to an FTX out there at Cedar Creek, a few families of folks entered the woods and were hiking toward their camping area, we went to a knee and allowed them to pass for a while, we were in the middle of a creek and I was on point and they never saw us there. finally there were so many folks in the group we decided to approach armed with a FAL and an M1A, made contact and explained that we were there and they would likely hear gunfire. |
We usually explain that we are reenactors or making a movie and they buy the story easily enough. |
Actually, we usually tell them this thing, its called "the truth". |
We approached weapons slung, non threatening. Got looked at sideways and told them exactly what we were doing and what to possibly expect. Nothing quite as startling as sleeping in the woods at night with a BUNCH of kids and suddenly a LOUD firefight breaks out in the middle of the night! So yeah we tell them the truth but typically the first thing that they think is what Duke said. |