Who is into Hiking, & Outdoor Wilderness Survival?

[RD'S Alias - 1A]

What kinds of skills to you cultivate to enjoy the persuite, and how do you practice them? Do you incorporate these skills with your Kung Fu?

[RD'S Alias - 1A]

Steve Fossett? Evan Tanner?

Reply]
I thought Fossett was more into crashing Air Planes?

[uki]

i have walked from georgia to pennsylvania on the appachian trail... hemlock twigs light even when wet, eyeglasses can be used to start fires, daisy leaves contain 3 times the amount of vitamin A than carrots per serving, you can starve to death only eating rabbits, violets contain more vitamins than a GNC store, leeches draw out infection, wearing cotton increases your chance of hypothermia tenfold when wet... covering yourself in a pile of leaves will keep you warm when sleeping outside without shelter. i dabble a bit with survival skills...

[Yum Cha]

Ten,
I think that you are right, there is a 2nd generation link between martial and outdoor skills, in some areas. Some bridge one way, some the other. But, its about what the individual brings to the party, not the party itself though.

Off the top of my head,

The rhythmic cadence of hiking in the flat, breathing, movement, meditative focus.

One climbing technique uses a 'three fixed points, one searching for a target' meme. The alternation from right to left, foot to hand requires a focus and physical memory execution of different moves a lot like free form work.

Of course, the sense of being one spec of a man surrounded by such magnificance of nature, forest, mountain, glacier, waterfall, desert, sea coast...you catch my drift. One man's position in space, and how that space changes.

Throw in a touch of endurance, risk and group dynamics for interest.

But, it all comes to nothing without the focus. Mindfullness.

So, what is the take-away? Sharper wits, physical conditioning, experience with risk, testing of limitations and immersion in natural beauty.

That's your cue, Ronin ... immersion in natural beauty?

[SimonM]

What kinds of skills to you cultivate to enjoy the persuite, and how do you practice them? Do you incorporate these skills with your Kung Fu?

Walking, walking on rough trails, walking up steep hills, walking up steep hills on loose ground, mud, etc. Some relatively easy scrambles, swimming, canoing, fishing.

[Sifu Darkfist]

I do it for a living hehehe

[David Jamieson]

Dude, I live in Canada.

You guys are pussies.

lol

[RD'S Alias - 1A]

My current mission is learning to identify and use edible and medicinal plants.

I actually ate my first wild foraged plant last weekend. It was an Aster. The plant looks like a small violet colored daisy.

Next weekend, I plan to find a new plant to eat as well.

[Mr Punch]

That's pretty cool! Congrats! And take care. My granny taught me aaall those plants as far back as I can remember - tho we have a lot fewer than you!

[uki]

i have eaten a variety of wild edible mushrooms... and apparently i identified them correctly because i am still alive.

[RD'S Alias - 1A]

I just picked up a book called "Botany in a Day".

It is a book that teaches how to recognize entire families of edible plants. The idea is that a specific plant may be local to your region, but the family it belongs to is generally world wide. If you can learn to identify the entire family, then no matter where you are in the word, you can eat for free.

Which of course will be good for when I decide to go into the mountains and become a famous and widely sought after Kung Fu hermit.

[uki]

I just picked up a book called "Botany in a Day".

It is a book that teaches how to recognize entire families of edible plants. The idea is that a specific plant may be local to your region, but the family it belongs to is generally world wide. If you can learn to identify the entire family, then no matter where you are in the word, you can eat for free.

Which of course will be good for when I decide to go into the mountains and become a famous and widely sought after Kung Fu hermit.

you should watch the movie into the wild... it's right up your alley.

[RD'S Alias - 1A]

I have seen that movie. Can anyone tell me what was the kid's biggest mistake?

I will answer:

He was TOTALLY unprepared for his adventure. He starved to death because he was an unskilled hunter and scared away all the game. When he shot the Moose, he should have cooked some of it up first. He had a fires going to smoke the meat anyway. Then when he started seeing the maggots, he really should have cooked it up and stuffed himself....maggot are disgusting, but EDIBLE!! I have never seen meat go bad that fast anyway, the writers F'ed up on that one.

Then he waited until he was on the verge of starving to death before he even TRIED to learn how to forage for edible plants. In his panic and desperation, he tried to find something to eat with the book he bought months prior, rushed the process to verify the plant is actually edible, and accidentally ate a poisonous look alike. (Several of the books I have, including the US Army Survival manual have a simple technique to test if plants are edible or not)

Also, with no skill, experience, or education he decides to live in Alaskan wilderness? If he had even half a brain, he would have chosen a wilderness location were the weather would not kill him at least.

And another thing, how in the hell did that BUS end up in the middle of the Alaskan wilderness without a road to be found for as far as the eye can see? Yeah, like I am supposed to belive THAT woould happen!! I found it to be just a little too convenient!!

[SimonM]

Dude, I live in Canada.

You guys are pussies.

lol

I live in Canada too. Don't you live in Toronto?

[RD'S Alias - 1A]

I have seen that movie. Can anyone tell me what was the kid's biggest mistake?

I will answer:

He was TOTALLY unprepared for his adventure. He starved to death because he was an unskilled hunter and scared away all the game. In the part where he shot the Moose, he should have cooked some of it up first.

He had a fire going to smoke the meat anyway. Then when he started seeing the maggots, he really should have cooked it up and stuffed himself....maggot are disgusting, but EDIBLE!! Not to mention the fact that he just sat there and watched the wolf eat his Moose. I would have just shot one and ate that as well. In addition, fresh killed meat just does not go bad that fast, especially in a cool climate.

And how many frik'n bullets did he have for that gun anyway!! What was his plan for when he ran out?

Then he waited until he was on the verge of starving to death before he even TRIED to learn how to forage for edible plants. In his panic and desperation, he tried to find something to eat with the book he bought months prior, rushed the process to verify the plant is actually edible, and accidentally ate a poisonous look alike. (Several of the books I have, including the US Army Survival manual have a simple technique to test is plants are edible or not)

Also, with no skill, experience, or education he decides to live in Alaska? If he had even half a brain, he would have chosen a wilderness location were the weather would not kill him at least.

And another thing, how in the hell did that BUS end up in the middle of the Alaskan wilderness without a road to be found for as far as the eye can see? That was a little convenient!!