Preparation Meetup?

[Murgatroy]

Is that the old Paintball place, where they had the Halloween Haunted Forest or such this year?

[bigbabysweets]

Yep

[Murgatroy]

Awesome, I know where I am going then.

I mean, my topographical map and compass will get me there.

Are we just gonna park at the top, where the building is?

[Guest bkelm18]

The frozen four. Me, OS, BBS, and Murg.

[Mike.357]

Glad to see you all are surviving. Wish I could have been there.

[jcj]

Looks fun...as long as that fire keeps goin'

[Murgatroy]

About that fire...

Was good meeting you guys.

Seems my wife has hijacked me for shopping tomorrow. I may be late getting back up there.

[buck1032]

Fellas,

Make a hot rock bed when you sleep tonight and it will much more comfortable. Enjoy, I hope the next time I can make it.

[Timestepper]

Easy chief, just joking. Maybe we need to practice our senses of humor this weekend! Lol Only said you were stealing it because you had said weren't. I wouldn't even had noticed otherwise. I'm glad to see someone wanting to get one going as well actually... I hadn't posted anything in SEVERAL days because there was nothing to post. When I seen people wanted me to confirm I did. Now if it had been canceled, then I would have posted. I can see why people would want to make sure though. I wasn't just being lazy I promise! Lol

This thing is a go. I need to pick up a few things like .22 rounds and I'll be heading to....

1999 Chapman HWY Sevierville.

My apologies. My sense of humor went missing about the same time the furnace went out at home and I realized I wasn't going to be able to make it. I was and still am quite bummed about not being there, especially after having given my word that I would be.

My earlier offer still stands, whether for a morning outing or a camp out. As I mentioned before, while we are in no way remote, we do have almost 5 acres of timbered property (even if most of it is up and down) and the means to practice everything from field expedient shelters to water survival if anyone is available to teach.

Again, my apologies for not doubling over in a paroxysm of mirth. If it's any consolation, the furnace is still out and I'm still not laughing...

...TS...

[Guest bkelm18]

The fire in that picture was about as roaring as it got, aside from OS's frequent dousing with Coleman Fuel. It was a good meetup. Cold. That's about how I would summarize it. OS slept in his van, BBSweets transferred from his tent to his truck at some point in the night, and I toughed it out til about 6am, shivering most of the night and barely sleeping (my sleeping bag was wholly inadequate for <30F), before I finally gave up, made myself some hot tea, and enjoyed the heat of my truck. Murg came back this morning along with z90HD and his wife. We did a small little show and tell with BBS's soda can stoves and OS's B.O.B (Bag of Blades). It was good meeting everyone and look forward to another get together. Thanks to BBS for putting this one together and to his friend, John (I think, I'm terrible with names), for lending us the land.

Edited December 3, 2011 by bkelm18

[Oh Shoot]

Yep, I slept toastily in the big pig wagon. But think would have been same in tent or even right on ground, I left windows open in van so was just as frosty after an hour or two -- all the credit to the mighty 4 Piece US GI Gore-Tex Modular Sleep System. First time I've tested it out, highly recommended. Once I figured out how to actually get in the thing, 37 buttons, zippers and what not, hadn't fooled with it since I got it and sort of checked it out and buttoned everything back up and put back in compression bag. Seriously, took me ten minutes to get situated in it -- a bag smarter than moi (which ain't saying a whole lot).

Let's do it again, more bigger better, folks!

- OS

Edited December 3, 2011 by OhShoot

[Timestepper]

Sounds like mucho macho fun - Sure wish I coulda' been there! I carry two wool blankets and a blanket poncho in my tumpline bedroll and generally sleep pretty comfortable down to the teens - after that, I burrow into a pile of leaves or make a "scout pit bed" and I'm good down to just below zero. Maybe y'all coulda' learned from the low-tech guy.

Oh well, maybe next time. (That is if my hissy fit over the furnace - which is still not working - didn't turn everyone off from ever wanting to be around me.)

Edited December 3, 2011 by Timestepper

[Mike.357]

really sorry I missed it, if for no other reason it is hard to top OS's bag 'o knives!

I have camped out in sub freezing temps before and it is doable. Rather camp in cold than hot. BK it sounds like you need a better bag. 30 degrees is not that cold. In Mac's bag he would have cooked like a pork roast without opening up the van some.

On the bright side the Pack 500 Pancake Breakfast was a resounding success. The pack made a fair amount of cash that will fund the boys for a decent amount of time, maybe until the school year is out.

lets do it again, ( the survival campout not the pancakes)

[Timestepper]

really sorry I missed it, if for no other reason it is hard to top OS's bag 'o knives!

I have camped out in sub freezing temps before and it is doable. Rather camp in cold than hot. BK it sounds like you need a better bag. 30 degrees is not that cold. In Mac's bag he would have cooked like a pork roast without opening up the van some.

On the bright side the Pack 500 Pancake Breakfast was a resounding success. The pack made a fair amount of cash that will fund the boys for a decent amount of time, maybe until the school year is out.

lets do it again, ( the survival campout not the pancakes)

Hey Mike, just a thought -

Any reason why we couldn't get together some Saturday (maybe in the Spring) and put on something like this for the scouts? Us "big boys" could camp out the night before and discuss what each will "teach." I'm guessing that shooting probably wouldn't be a great idea (too many potential liabilities), but there are several non-shooting "survival skills" that could be demonstrated in a fairly short amount of time by knowledgeable individuals.

I used to do mountain man demonstrations for literally hundreds of school kids (one class coming through every 15 minutes for 8 hours straight) at a historical site up home and it was always a big hit. Plus, I was a muzzle loading instructor for the 4-H Shooting Sports Club for a while. Seems like your scouts might enjoy it.

Anyway, just a thought. Whatcha' think? And for that matter, what do the rest of you guys think?

...TS...

[Guest bkelm18]

really sorry I missed it, if for no other reason it is hard to top OS's bag 'o knives!

I have camped out in sub freezing temps before and it is doable. Rather camp in cold than hot. BK it sounds like you need a better bag. 30 degrees is not that cold. In Mac's bag he would have cooked like a pork roast without opening up the van some.

On the bright side the Pack 500 Pancake Breakfast was a resounding success. The pack made a fair amount of cash that will fund the boys for a decent amount of time, maybe until the school year is out.

lets do it again, ( the survival campout not the pancakes)

Oh yeah I was impressed with Mac's bag. I mainly backpack in the warmer weather so I really was not setup for a cold night. I actually barely ever use the bag. I think it's only a 40F bag so I'm not surprised I got cold.

[Mike.357]

it is a nice thought Timestepper, but there are specific limitations on camping within cub scouting. Cubs can only camp with the pack. Not to say that Cubs can't camp, but it cannot be an offical Scouting event unless it is at Pack level.

At a typical Pack campout the boys fish, hike, play assorted sports ,put on skits etc...

Shooting and Archery can only be done at the district level. Tigers, Wolves and Bear Scouts can't even put a log on a fire.

Lots of rules they have.

[Mike.357]

Oh yeah I was impressed with Mac's bag. I mainly backpack in the warmer weather so I really was not setup for a cold night. I actually barely ever use the bag. I think it's only a 40F bag so I'm not surprised I got cold.

yeah I kind of figures your bags cold rating was not that cold. You need a warmer one. A pad of some sort is great too if you don't have one already, keeps you off the cold ass ground.

[Timestepper]

it is a nice thought Timestepper, but there are specific limitations on camping within cub scouting. Cubs can only camp with the pack. Not to say that Cubs can't camp, but it cannot be an offical Scouting event unless it is at Pack level.

At a typical Pack campout the boys fish, hike, play assorted sports ,put on skits etc...

Shooting and Archery can only be done at the district level. Tigers, Wolves and Bear Scouts can't even put a log on a fire.

Lots of rules they have.

Ok, I understand what you're saying, but I wasn't necessarily talking about the Scouts doing the camping, just us guys who would demonstrate. The Scouts could show up at a given time the next morning.

As to shooting - yeah, I realize that wouldn't be an option. But I have demonstrated (via blanks) the loading and shooting of muzzle loaders for groups of youngsters (including Scouts) up home. As a rule, the kids aren't allowed anywhere near the equipment we use, unless we are actually teaching something (like water purification) that requires hands on.

Oh well, it was just a thought...

[Mike.357]

I really appreciate the offer TS. Cubs can do a lot of things, but not under the BSA umbrella. We can't even take our den and go camping. We can do things that fall under father/son activites though. And skills that Cubs need to learn can be worked on outside of official activities.

We do get to whittle at some point this year. Last year one of the Wolf dens cheated and whittled too soon. One kid cut the crap out of himself.

[Murgatroy]

I had a good time today. I made it back up around noon as it was winding down. OS decided to head home, something about being a crabby old man if I remember correctly. BBS and I stayed and threw some lead down range and cursed our cheap scopes.

However I did discover something gratifying, it IS my scope. The reticles won't move, however once I realized they were high to the left (meaning I was grouping low to the right, I adjusted and made a bunch of tight little holes right in the bullseye.

So I need a new scope.

I also did my best to convert another person to the dark side, and preached the kool-aid that come from being a Glock owner.

I had a great time, and hope to do it again, and maybe the next time I will camp too, instead of going home to my nice warm bed.

[Oh Shoot]

I had a good time today. I made it back up around noon as it was winding down. OS decided to head home, something about being a crabby old man if I remember correctly. ...

Yeah, can only abide a bunch of whippersnappers so long.

- OS

[Guest bkelm18]

You need a warmer one.

I came to the same conclusion about 10 minutes after getting into it. It wasn't terrible, just colder than I would have preferred. I do sleep on a pad and it does help tremendously. My gear is more setup towards a hammock system which is what I normally use, but there just really wasn't a place to set that up so I opted for the tent. Though honestly with that bag I probably would have been colder being suspended in the air. If I plan on doing anymore cold camping, I'm seriously considering picking up a bivy like Mac's. They're really not much more expensive than a high quality sleeping bag.

[z90HD]

The wife and I too had a great time as well yesterday. It was nice to meet and BS with the Gents who showed up. I really am looking forward to another get together in the spring. I might even have place for us to meet,camp, shoot (its has an out door range) and if you wish to partake in the adult beverages there is also a bar. I'll have to do a little checking on the camping part but should be no problem.

[Mike.357]

not so much surival camping but rather just to stay warm in a tent i set up like this.

I put a tarp down, then set up the tent on top of that. Really I do that no matter the weather. The tarp is a little barrier to the ground. Inside the tent I put down a moving blanket I have. On top of that I put down my self inflating sleeping pad. I have a piece of foam for whoever is my tent mate and I put that down for them. On top of those I put an old sleeping bag. it is opened up like a big old blanket. Then each person has their own bag. I use mine like a blanket. I don't sleep inside of it. I am too big to fit comfortably inside the thing. If it is really cold I have another bag that can be used like a blanket. the tent is called a four man, but that is a joke. It is good for two. The moving blanket goes wall to wall almost.

pillows are great too. I bring like four of them if car camping.

When Cameron and I did Scout family camp last November it got down to well below freezing and it was raining as well. We stayed nice and warm inside the tent.

The one tent issue I have is that condensation builds up inside of it. I guess from two people breathing and not enough air circulating. Does it whether it is cold or warm out. i bought a battery operated fan that I can hang from the top of the tent. It totally solved the condensation issue and was a down right blessing when we camped in warm weather last time out.

Edited December 4, 2011 by Mike.357