Ditching the Car for Camping

Kitsune · 03-31-2006, 01:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by glatt

Not so much any more. That's one of the things my wife and I gave up after having kids. Their little legs are just too short for more than a short walk in the woods. Maybe in a few years.

Excuses, excuses.

I spoke with a family of five (+dog) that I met along the trail that ended up camping nearby. Mother, father, and three children aged 4 to 9! They were on day two of hiking through the entire Juniper Prairie Wilderness from north to south. I was amazed that they seemed so active, especially with the youngest girl not able to carry so much. The distributed gear worked quite well and, at one point in the night, I dropped by their site to find the mother reading stories to the whole group as they huddled around a fire. (No MP3 players, no Gameboys/PSPs! I was dumbstruck!)

I mentioned it was good to see a family with children so young out on the trail having a good time. "That's nothing", said the only son, "we hiked through Yellowstone two years ago! It was days and days!" I looked to the father for comfirmation and he noted that they had, indeed, hiked for days with the entire family, caring for their two year old daughter on the way.

glatt · 03-31-2006, 01:46 PM

Wow. My kids get tired, and they just sit down. Can't walk much more than a half mile.

I used to routinely do 12 miles of hiking in a day. Last hike I went on was when i was able to get away with a friend while my wife stayed home with the kids. That was really nice. It was 3 years ago. Here's a picture from that hike. It's Old Rag Mountain in Virginia.

Kitsune · 03-31-2006, 02:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by glatt

Here's a picture from that hike. It's Old Rag Mountain in Virginia.

Man, I long for hiking up in the Blueridge. Those rolling mountains have always called to me. I'm hoping, maybe, that I just might have a chance to go this summer. Site suggestions welcome!

As for Ocala National Forest, peace and quiet can sometimes be abruptly disturbed. I found this sign near Big Scrub just south of the Juniper Wilderness:

Government land is often used for very government activities, sadly.

glatt · 03-31-2006, 02:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kitsune

Government land is often used for very government activities, sadly.

Holy shit! And you hiked there?!

Kitsune · 03-31-2006, 02:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by glatt

Holy shit! And you hiked there?!

The bombing range is fenced off and is monitored to prevent anyone from being injured. The bombs they drop aren't "fully loaded", either -- they're just enough to make a visible impact. Why there is a bombing range in the middle of a national forest, I have no idea. You can see the range from the air, here. I don't know how much noise the range really creates, as I did catch the rumble of two jets and the orange glow of their engines one night while enjoying dinner at a Juniper Springs site, but have never heard the "thud" of targets being hit.

Serial killers and crazy bears make more of a camping issue than navy bombers. The bombing range has been hotly debated and many groups want it removed, but that is highly unlikely under the current administration. Hell, almost 1,000 acres of ONF have been earmarked for sale by our wonderful president.

Elspode · 03-31-2006, 02:47 PM

Like Mari, I fear my backpacking days are behind me, but my favorite hiking site in Missouri borders on Ft Leonard Wood. When hiking there, one can hear the roar of 155mm guns and helicopters whoosh overhead on attack runs from time to time. The more remote a place is in this country, the more likely that the government is doing something nasty there, it seems.

xoxoxoBruce · 04-01-2006, 02:32 AM

A lot of the bombing ranges use lasers and computers to simulate the trajectory, instead of actually dropping bombs.

Quote:

Water was pulled from a clean stream,

My god....you drank water that was un-fluoridated!

03-31-2006, 01:54 PM

Sounds like you had a wonderful time, Kit. Looking forward to the pics!

Your post also made me glad that I live out West. Last September I had a National Forest campground all to myself! The colors were changing and the scenery was spectacular. I stayed there because the campground was sited near the towns of Cortez and Mancos that I was scoping out for present move, at long last.

I'm a little old to back pack, but I have discovered the joys of 4 wheel drive roads and dry creek beds on BLM land. I generally follow a 4-wd drive road until it intersects with a creek bed, follow that for a while until I find an interesting looking spot to pull off. I carry about 10 to 20 gallons of water in the back of my car, have a little tent that I can put up in 10 minutes, a folding cot plus air matress and viola' - home, sweet, home!

I build myself roaring campfires of dead pinon and juniper branches - always in plentiful supply, and throw on a little sage just for the atmosphere. The stars are always spectacular and the distant cries of coyotes provide music to dine by. I usually bring along a few books and my journal and spend a couple of days reading and taking contemplative walks around my "estate." MY wildflowers! MY mountains! MY meadows! MY nighthawks and coyotes! I feel like the wealthiest, luckiest woman alive, and its always hard to go back to civilization.

03-31-2006, 01:46 PM	#2
glatt ™ Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Arlington, VA Posts: 27,717	Wow. My kids get tired, and they just sit down. Can't walk much more than a half mile. I used to routinely do 12 miles of hiking in a day. Last hike I went on was when i was able to get away with a friend while my wife stayed home with the kids. That was really nice. It was 3 years ago. Here's a picture from that hike. It's Old Rag Mountain in Virginia. Attached Images

03-31-2006, 02:47 PM	#6
Elspode When Do I Get Virtual Unreality? Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Raytown, Missouri Posts: 12,719	Like Mari, I fear my backpacking days are behind me, but my favorite hiking site in Missouri borders on Ft Leonard Wood. When hiking there, one can hear the roar of 155mm guns and helicopters whoosh overhead on attack runs from time to time. The more remote a place is in this country, the more likely that the government is doing something nasty there, it seems. __________________ "To those of you who are wearing ties, I think my dad would appreciate it if you took them off." - Robert Moog

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03-31-2006, 01:54 PM	#8
marichiko Guest Posts: n/a	Sounds like you had a wonderful time, Kit. Looking forward to the pics! Your post also made me glad that I live out West. Last September I had a National Forest campground all to myself! The colors were changing and the scenery was spectacular. I stayed there because the campground was sited near the towns of Cortez and Mancos that I was scoping out for present move, at long last. I'm a little old to back pack, but I have discovered the joys of 4 wheel drive roads and dry creek beds on BLM land. I generally follow a 4-wd drive road until it intersects with a creek bed, follow that for a while until I find an interesting looking spot to pull off. I carry about 10 to 20 gallons of water in the back of my car, have a little tent that I can put up in 10 minutes, a folding cot plus air matress and viola' - home, sweet, home! I build myself roaring campfires of dead pinon and juniper branches - always in plentiful supply, and throw on a little sage just for the atmosphere. The stars are always spectacular and the distant cries of coyotes provide music to dine by. I usually bring along a few books and my journal and spend a couple of days reading and taking contemplative walks around my "estate." MY wildflowers! MY mountains! MY meadows! MY nighthawks and coyotes! I feel like the wealthiest, luckiest woman alive, and its always hard to go back to civilization.

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