What a Weekend!

So my trip to Escanaba got kooshed for various reasons. My car died. I went for my first serious workout in weeks. It was a weekend of emotional highs and lows following a hard week where I saw some heavy traffic to and from my parents' lake house and dealt with my first heavy allergy attack.

Yesterday was the cream on the cake though as I spent six or seven hours outside with the kids.

We pitched the tarp, hung the hammock, brought some folding chairs and some snacks, and set out to relax.

I brought the golok and the Sperati and reduced some scrub to fuel wood, kindling, and tinder but didn't assemble a campfire as the temperature was just right and the bugs weren't bothering us at all. This is the ultimate combination for the woods and was hugely effective on big and small sticks and branches.

We hung a rope in a tree and the kids took turns swinging back and forth for the better part of the afternoon. I pitched and re-pitched the tarp to get it nice and taut and am finally satisfied with it. Instead of bringing my Hilleberg yesterday, I brought a cheap 6-foot X 8-foot blue poly tarp just to see if it would hangle the rigors of my particular pitching method which involves a great deal of strain on the grommets/tieouts. For the duration, it worked just fine. It's a bit noisier than the Hilleberg when the wind blows and doesn't pack down anywhere near as small but it'd work just fine in a pinch.

I'm working on a method for hanging a heavier ridgeline rope and then putting the tarp over the top and hanging the hammock below. The problem develops when climbing into the hammock. The rope, between the attachment points, sags because the load on the rope has changed. There may be a place for bungies in this setup but I just haven't figured it out quite yet. It sure would simplify the whole hanging procedure if it'd work though.

We're headed back out today since the car is still at the shop and won't be ready for another day or so. I think I may throw in the tent so Jake can take a little nap without having to head for home.

I can't wait...

Thanks for reading,

B