Geocaching

Caching Kit, Ready

Caching Kit, Ready

I'm a latecomer to the activity but I now have my caching kit down. Doesn't everyone have a custom rubber stamp? I'm now at 50 caches, not that epic compared to some, but I have ticked off 4 countries and it gives me a great excuse to head out, and it adds a further exploratory element to my adventures.

Memorial to William Crossing:William Crossing at Duck's Pool in central southern Dartmoor

Memorial to William Crossing:William Crossing at Duck's Pool in central southern Dartmoor

The origins of caching are fascinating too. The earliest form of this outdoor hobby is probably "letterboxing" which was said to have started in Devon, England in 1854. William Grossing wrote in his "Guide to Dartmoor" that James Perrott placed a bottle for visitors to leave their cards at Cranmere Pool on the northern moor. This evolved into a set of boxes placed around the moor where hikers left letters and postcards, the next people to come along would pick them up and put them in the post - hence "letterboxing".  The boxes were so remote that often weeks or months went by before the letters were collected and mailed, this gave an air of excitement, anticipation and mystery to the whole venture.

Caching Stamp

Caching Stamp

The idea behind "letterboxing" is taken to a new level with Geocaching, it leads adventurers all over the world in search of hidden goodies.  If you're not a cacher give it a try, it's fun, interesting and often takes you to places you wouldn't go. Get started here.

Posted on October 30, 2013 and filed under History.

The Tracker

The Tracker

The Tracker

I recently spent a couple of nights in Portland, Oregon. Upon arrival I instinctively headed straight for Powell's City of Books and did some serious damage to their outdoors section. During my spree I purchased a copy of "The Tracker" by Tom Brown Jr. To my shame I'd never heard of him before, but the cover looked awesome and there were three different re-prints of this one book so I figured it must be something special.

It turns out I was right - what a great read. It follows Brown and his friend Rick through their childhood as they learn to live with the woods and develop their skills in tracking and wilderness survival. They are guided by Rick's grandfather, a Native American called "Stalking Wolf,"  and as they unravel his cryptic challenges, each one created to hone their outdoor skills, they learn to become "one with the Spirit-That- Moves-Through- All-Things." 

This book is about learning to live in harmony with nature, Brown states that - "Stalking Wolf often told us that nature would never hurt us as long as we went with it and did not panic. As long as we were in tune with nature we were invulnerable." Following this seemingly simple rule Brown travels the country, living off the land and learning all he can as he grows into one of the countries most qualified trackers and outdoorsman.

"The Tracker" is vividly written and Browns stories are truly incredible and engrossing, I'm excited that he has an extensive list of publications for me to get stuck into. Brown has now helped track and find countless missing people, dangerous animals and fugitives of the law throughout the USA. He founded the Tracker School in 1978 from Pine Barrens in New Jersey where he teaches the skills he learned and developed.

Posted on October 20, 2013 and filed under Books.

Fish On

The stunning Phillips River

The stunning Phillips River

It finally happened, I caught my first real fish on a fly. All it took was a trip to British Columbia, a day on the magnificent Phillips river, an awesome guide, a honeymoon, and a very patient Mrs. VHD.

Pink Salmon

Pink Salmon

Not the striper I'd been hunting but a beautiful wild pink salmon. Known here in the States as the humpback salmon in Canada they are called pinks, allegedly for their attraction to pink lures. This beauty fell prey to a pink woolly bugger. I also pulled in a couple more pinks and a decent sized cut-throat trout, all on the fly. Amazing.

Bean School of Fly Fishing Button

Bean School of Fly Fishing Button

As tradition dictates I'm finally able to rotate my LL.Bean outdoor school pin the right way up and wear it with pride. Big thanks to our guide Kyle who put us on the fish.

Posted on September 9, 2013 and filed under VHD.

National Mountain Safety Council New Zealand 1968 - Bushcraft Manual - Gear List

National Mountain Safety Council New Zealand - Bushcraft Manual

National Mountain Safety Council New Zealand - Bushcraft Manual

This gem was sent to me my old man, he picked it up in New Zealand many years ago. The whole book is cracking, but I particularly love the gear list. The inclusion of puttees, a Swanndri jersey and the very manual that the list is in, all brought a smile to my face.

Whether a trip is to be of two or 20 days’ duration, whether in summer or in winter, and whether tramping or mountaineering is in view, there will be certain basic items of personal clothing and equipment essential to every person. Clothing must be either windproof, waterproof, or warm, as appropriate. Although the need will vary according to season and individual preference, the basic list is:

Pack Boots Parka Sleeping bag Sleeping-bag cover Shorts Trousers, woollen Singlet, woollen Shirts, woollen (2) Mitts, woollen Shirts, woollen (2) Jersey, woollen or Swandri Mitts, Woollen (4 pairs) Puttees Headgear Sandshoes or sandals Spare bootlaces Handkerchiefs First aid (personal) Knife Spoon Mug Towel Soap Toothbrush, toothpaste (in a plastic bag) Reliable compass Map Matches in plastic or waterproof container Torch with spare bulb and batteries Candle Toilet paper Plastic bags Basic Bushcraft Manual

Assuming that boots, puttees , shorts, headgear, one shirt and one pair of underpants and socks are being worn, the weight of gear in the pack should not be more than 25 lb. If tramping is the be enjoyed, weight must be kept to the essentials conforming to the requirements of safety. Gear should be of good quality as well as light.
— National Mountain Safety Council New Zealand 1 - Bushcraft Manual, 1968

Cheers for the book Par.

VHD Travel Yahtzee

VHD Travel Yahtzee

VHD Travel Yahtzee

One of my favorite portable games would have to be Yahtzee, often when camping or traveling I strip down the big box and stuff the dice, a small pencil and some score cards into a zip-lock bag, it is very light but I always thought I could do better. May I introduce to you, the  7g VHD Travel Yahtzee.

VHD Travel Yahtzee Scorecard

VHD Travel Yahtzee Scorecard

All the goodies are housed in a watertight metal pill container, measuring 45mm x 15mm. I tracked down a set 5mm dice and made a pencil from the thick lead of an architects pencil wrapped in electrical tape. I then set about re-designing and stripping back the score sheet to its absolute bare minimum. I'm very happy with the results and can't wait to give it a field test.

VHD Travel Yahtzee Closed

VHD Travel Yahtzee Closed

I'd love to hear of anyone else's travel games, what do you take with you and how have you stripped it back?

You can download the scorecard here.

Posted on August 12, 2013 and filed under VHD.

A Fragment

Nessmuk

Nessmuk

A little Nesmuk gold as summer kicks into full force. This is from his excellent poetry book, "Forest Runes."

Oh, leave this chase for place or gold, Through legal quips and tangles, Which makes young eyes grow hard and cold, With crowsfeet at the angles.

The miser’s hoard but pays his board, With meager clothes and bedding, While oft he finds a golden road, Exceedingly hard sledding.

Then come, ye dwellers of the town, From shop, and lane, and alley, To where a river sparkles down, A hemlock shaded valley.

Take from your life one week of strife, And add a week of leisure, That memory may some future day, Fall back upon with pleasure.
— Nessmuk - Forest Runes, 1887

If that doesn't make you want to escape the big smoke and get out into the woods I don't know what will.

Posted on July 8, 2013 and filed under Quote.

First fish of the season

First fish of the season

First fish of the season

Here we have it, I pulled in my first fish of the season, an 18" striped bass caught from Casco Bay. 2013 is going to be my "Year of the Fly" - I took a two day fly fishing course at L.L Bean a month ago and I'm now hooked (excuse the pun.) However, on this particular day fly conditions were tricky and this fish was eventually pulled in on my spinning rod with my favourite lure.

L.L Bean button, still upside down

L.L Bean button, still upside down

Saltwater fishing is geographically a lot more accessible for me but fly fishing in the sea certainly posses its own unique set of challenges. Rest assured when I pull in my first fish on a fly you will be the first to know and, as tradition dictates I will finally be allowed flip my "L.L.Bean Outdoor Discovery School" button the right way up.

Tea Chronicles Pt.12 – Charles Dudley Warner

Charles Dudley Warner - In the Wilderness, 1878

Charles Dudley Warner - In the Wilderness, 1878

A charming piece about food and tea in the outdoors, taken from "In the Wilderness" written by  Charles Dudley Warner in 1878. It is a collection of his essays about living in the mountains.

By the time, twilight falls, the cook has prepared supper. Everything has been cooked in a tin pail and a skillet,—potatoes, tea, pork, mutton, slapjacks. You wonder how everything could have been prepared in so few utensils. When you eat, the wonder ceases: everything might have been cooked in one pail. It is a noble meal; and nobly is it disposed of by these amateur savages, sitting about upon logs and roots of trees. Never were there such potatoes, never beans that seemed to have more of the bean in them, never such curly pork, never trout with more Indian-meal on them, never mutton more distinctly sheepy; and the tea, drunk out of a tin cup, with a lump of maple-sugar dissolved in it,—it is the sort of tea that takes hold, lifts the hair, and disposes the drinker to anecdote and hilariousness. There is no deception about it: it tastes of tannin and spruce and creosote. Everything, in short, has the flavor of the wilderness and a free life. It is idyllic.
— Charles Dudley Warner - In the Wilderness, 1878

This is one of those scenes that I wish I could jump into. Sitting down after a hard days slog and feasting on what, at the time, is the greatest meal you ever had. "In The Wilderness" is still in print and is also in the public domain for download.

Posted on June 14, 2013 and filed under Tea.

Campfire Curry

Campfire Curry

Campfire Curry

This is my second attempt at documenting my campfire cookery. The dish is a little ambitious but worth the effort as there is nothing better than curry made from scratch. This particular recipe is loosely based on Pat Chapman's pragmatically named, yet delicious – "Medium Curry, Restaurant Style"  from "The Indian Restaurant Cookbook," published in 1984. Chapman is, in my opinion, one of the leading authors of Indian cookbooks and a champion of the English restaurant style of curry.

Finished Curry

Finished Curry

Campfire Curry, Restaurant Style

The beauty of this dish is that all of the more complicated components can be made in advance; the spices can be mixed and a simple onion purée can be made at home before you head out to camp.

Onion Purée

Roughly chop 10 onions, 20 large garlic cloves and 100g of fresh ginger and lightly fry in 300ml of vegetable oil over a light heat. This should take about 15 minutes; they should turn translucent but not brown. Purée the fried mixture and let cool, then fry for another 15 minutes with another 300ml of vegetable oil. This will make 10 cups of purée, which can be frozen for future curries.

Ingredients

1.4 kg skinned chicken cut into 3cm cubes (not just breast, make sure to use some thighs for more flavor) 2 cups of onion purée, brought from home (see above) 2 tbsp. tomato purée

Spices 1, mix this at home 2 tsp. ground cumin 2 tsp. ground coriander 2 tsp. turmeric 2 tsp. chilli powder (or more depending on how hot you like it) 2 tsp. ground ginger 2 tsp. garlic powder

2 tsp. garam masala

Method

This is a baked curry so you will need a Dutch oven and a good bed of coals for a long slow cook. Build the fire big and hot and let it burn down to good cooking coals.

  1. Heat your Dutch oven to medium hot, add onion purée and fry until it is hot, add extra oil if you think it is sticking
  2. While the onion is frying mix a little water with spice mix 1 to make a paste
  3. Add this paste to the heated onions and give it a vigorous stir, making sure it doesn't stick, take it off the heat if it's getting too hot. Cook for a good five minutes - the goal is to remove all the water from the spices
  4. Add the chicken and the tomato and mix really well coating all the chicken
  5. Put on the Dutch oven lid and bake for 45 minutes at a medium heat (375°F, 190°C). I cannot help giving it a look every 15 minutes but if you feel you have the heat just right then leave it longer. This should be a dry-ish curry but if you feel it is going to burn add a little water.
  6. After 45 minutes add the garam masala and cook for another 10 minutes
  7. Serve with rice and flat breads.

The curry was spicy and rich, with tender chunks of chicken and enough sauce to mix with the rice. I've tried this dish at home with lamb, which was delicious, but the fire smoke and the outdoor surroundings certainly added new level of flavour to the curry.

The "The Indian Restaurant Cookbook" appears to be out of print now. It's not too hard to come by a second hand copy and is worth snapping up if you find it.

Posted on June 4, 2013 and filed under Recipe.