MY LOAD is a work in progress; varies with what I'll be doing, and for how long. Basically I've stopped carrying massive amounts of food: there are grocery stores in towns (!) along the way. If I'm going up onto Kaparowitz for three days, I'll stock up with Noodles & Sauce, Ramen, and the like. Plus lots of water. Don't carry a water filter yet; don't depend on found sources that much. Activity determines the hardware I take. Native plant study? Seed kit, Point&Shoot, Ice axe for walking, day pack (always) Snake kit. Wildlife Photography? FE-2 body and 100-300 lens. Or 120-600 Vivitar; nobody's safe when I'm around. If I'm staying near Escalante, no sense taking stove and fuel; never starved eating the occasional lunch at the gas&go, or snacking on day rides. I keep a spiral notebook in the tank bag at all times, to list what I intend to take and do; and fill out a "how it went" page after the dust has settled. Great resource, and it serves as a reminder: Fix stove key. Lube zipper on tent. Restock matches.
I have made up a "what if" kit, in a Nomex daypack that Wave Products built for me. It goes on day rides out of county. Two stuff bags, each the size of a loaf of bread. Bag one: Thermal bottoms, two exposure/survival bags, balaclava, wool sox. Bag two: Multi-tool, small pot, Esbit stove and fuel tabs, Instant oatmeal, ramen, instant cocoa, minute rice, small first aid kit, hand towel and wipes, etc. Foam backpacker pad, cut down and folded in thirds to fit against my back. A Platypus bottle which I fill right before I head out. Thus equipped, if I get too tired to press on, I can drop anchor pretty much anywhere, cook and eat a hot meal, sleep in relative comfort, (or shiver, instead of freezing) cook and eat a warm breakfast, and resume. It's not meant as a cushy campout load, rather for what-if situations. I tested this jewel in Bruce's front yard up in SLC, much to the delight of his neighbor's dogs.
Camping out reduces life's real needs down to: food, clothing, shelter. In survival training they taught us; the considerations in order of importance are, shelter, water, food, rescue. Stay with vehicle; more easily spotted from rescue aircraft than a walking man. No time to fish or plant corn. During my diving days, I developed a fondness for scallops eaten underwater. My roomie's study determined that, given an inexhaustible supply of air and scallops, starvation was inevitable; the search burns up more calories than it yields. Boo!
SITE SELECTION: in order of importance: shielded from wind, not in dry wash or gully, level, visible perimeter. Firewood is down around page 27, along with scenic value. I frequently sleep on range road turnouts if out in open countryside. Got all the privacy I need after dark; usually clean and level, and the meadow muffins are usually on the OTHER side of the fence gate. Greg Frazier likes to sleep in cemeteries: good grass, quiet, nobody/thing steps on your face during the night. I gleefully asked him if that was his one-man retaliation program for us whiteeyes' desecration of Native American burial sites and remains. No, he laughed. If you like caves, be my guest. If you're noisy enough and stinky enough, the occasional resident will usually leave you to it, unless her cubs share your den. Coyotes will not bite you; probably sing you to sleep, if you're lucky. Yawn and stretch carefully, and shake out your bag/boots/hat before use.
Two schools of thought re: visible or invisible. Schhol One figures to put the tent where EVERYBODY passing by can see it. Reason being the social safety of numbers. School 'B" puts their tent where NOBODY can see it, even from helicopters or surveillance sattelites. Reason being the social safety of concealment. I usually decide this issue based on the proximity to good-willed traffic. I think it's a minor concern anyway; opportunity feeders and other thieves usually stay in towns, where there are more potential victims per square foot. That's why I eschew townie KOA'S, unless I REALLY need a shower.
Occasionally I'll make a fire; usually to demonstrate the magic of Foil Meals, or as a catalyst for conversation. Please get a "Leave No Trace" card and a trowel, and use both early and often. Some of the most delightful guy-bonding in my life has taken place over small fires. Several things fascinate us on the cellular level: campfires, the surf, a brook, leaves in the breeze, rainstorms, flocks of birds, etc, etc. All are nonterminating, nonrepeating natural phenomena. I have a bed, and a cat, and a shop here in Milford, but my HOME is up Alvey wash, or over in the Burr Trail area, or up on Kaparowitz or Tavaputs, or at Blue spruce campground. When I lay my head down on the busom of Mother Earth, I sleep better than in towns. But God help me if I wake up in the middle of the night; I may not get back to sleep for gazing at the dome of the heavens, afraid I'll miss something.
Bibliography: From President Roosevelt (T, not F): "No one can understand the keen delight of lonely lands.
Shinto proverb: Processes of nature can not be evil.
If Mark Van Horn reads this through, and sees a need, I hope he posts a pretty nature scene to fill out the bottom of the page. Walk with "hurzhu" (balance, beauty).
You got it Jake. -Mark
