my spiritual journey..

One day, many years ago, I too vowed to escape. I took a duvet, four flasks of coffee, nine packets of chocolate biscuits and three nudey mags into the lounge and locked myself in. For three days and nights I watched TV, listened to music, ate and drink good, sweet coffee, and had a nice time with the girls from 'Hooterama'. I never moved an inch toward, or away from, my deepest spirit, my true nature. My power animal was happy to sit by the fire.

It isn't where you are, but who you are.


Melt

 

i have spent as much time in the woods as possable...my favorite place to be ...i go camping as offten as i can ..witch is not as offten as it used to be ...but i do prefer to go primitive style..meaning just what i can carry and off i go .....seen alot of animals but never met any power animal...alto i did meet a cupple powerful ones...when i was in alaska i came unsafly close to a rather large bear or two.....nothing like 1200 pounds of preditor staring you in the eyes....

 

My point is that you could do the same thing sitting on your bed. 'Nature' is reality, if we can't be here in the moment now and appreciate it in day to day events then we're hardly going to do much on a three day jaunt into the woods. Begin your trip here, now, this second. Get a head start on what you're hoping to do in the woods so that you wont spend the first couple of days trying to relax into it as an experience, it'll be far easier when you do actually go.

MelT

 

Absolutely. I wouldn't be able to live in this kind of world if I wasn't able to get away and connect with nature and my wild roots.

Just this year I found an excellent place for it..... Green Mountain National Forest in Vermont is awesome. Theres a nice campground called Woodford State Park..... which is located right smack in the middle of the forest. A good majority of the sites overlook a huge resevoir that sits in the middle of the forest. I always reserve site #22.....if I can't I don't go. It overlooks the lake and is a quick, scenic hike awat from the entrance to a several mile trail that circles the lake and can bring you right into the middle of nowhere.

http://www.vtstateparks.com/pdfs/Woodford.pdf

Now, I'm pretty sure the park frowns upon people hiking and camping where ever in the forest... but its so damn big I never came close to a human until I went back to the campground. The last 3 times I went, I reserved #22 (number doesn't really matter..... its just very secluded and considered a 'prime' site) for thursday through monday morning. I got there around noon thursdays (check in is at 10-11am) and hiked and smoked herb during the day, fished for dinner and spent that night in my tent on the campsite.

I have a pick-up truck so bringing a lot of shit isn't a problem. I bring 2 tents.... a large Coleman 6 person, 2-room tent that I set up at the site...... and a smaller Coleman 1-2 person pop tent that I use in the woods. The only reason for the two is in case someone goes by my site and sees everything is gone. So I just leave my tent set up next to my truck and dip into the woods for 2-3 days.


When I make my way into the woods for the weekend I try to pack light..... I have a hiking pack that holds 2-3 days clothes, my small tent, a camping chair, a small propane lantern, food, water purifier (a must have), a tarp, my telescoping fishing pole and a tiny tackle box, my hunting knife and a small 'survival' pack.... which has bandaids/bangages and other first-aid shit, matches, a knife, batteries, granola bar, and one emergency cig.

All that stuff kinda kills the whole 'livin off the land' deal.


If I wasn't able to be alone in the woods at least once a year I don't know if my brain could handle it. The peace I get from enjoying nature and not talking to anyone for 3 days is hard to describe. I absolutely love just walking and walking and hiking and hiking until I find a phat place to set up camp. The sense of accomplishment I get when I come across a river, catch a bunch of rainbow trout... maybe a catfish, start a fire and cook them son bitches up is quite calming. Maybe its just knowing that if I needed to, I could survive.

I would recommend this to anyone seeking peace, happiness, enlightenment, or just a chill weekend. I can definately understand why native Americans sent their boys into the woods alone. When I eventually, and grudgingly return to my campsite....and civilization I have a feeling that I know something that everyone else doesn't. I feel as if I have been given information that only a select few people get to know. That information is the fact that there is so much in what most people think is nothing.

I would also recommend Woodford State Park. Very nice employees and campgrounds, and very reasonaby priced. Its location makes it very easy to spot wildlife.... I don't even count deer anymore because it seems like they live behind every tree. But the black bears, coyotes, hawks/eagles, snakes and all types of birds make for some amazing photography. The only thing i don't like is there cancellation policy. Long story short.... I got fucked for $50.

But, on top of everything I bring/do/see/whatever..... I always make sure I have my Pink Floyd fanny pack with my Bambu papes, my pipe, my cigs, my lighter and my herb. I've yet to go camping with less than a slice. I usually try to bring a quarter..... I like to roll up 5-10 doobies and stay toasted all day. Weed isn't a 100% neccesity for me to go camping..... its like 99.99998767534%

 

LOL (how true)

Hey man, +rep, that was a great post, especially on the bit about returning with hidden knowledge others don't have.

 

Great post Chief Good stuff.

Can't +rep you again unfortunately.

MelT

 

Thanks guys...

Always good to see others who appreciate nature