ThunderIdeal Posted February 20, 2014 (edited) i'd take him up on the koa windsong dvd offer! it might explode your mind with new ways of looking at this. Edited February 20, 2014 by ThunderIdeal 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Psychaesthetic Posted February 20, 2014 Yeah I figure it'll be pretty cold Flipside is less risk of bushfire, less snake activity, and less chance of dehydration. Though the Cox's river should provide plenty of water, and it's long enough to serve as a navigational base-line. I should have no issue with mobile rexeption either there, which I wanted, and 14k can get me back i to town for re-supplying. Since moving to Adelaide And copping 45oC days for weeks on end, I've come to prefer winter here, but rain for days straight would be equally annoying. It'll be much colder in the valleys too since the sun won't "rise" until it's over the 1km peaks, but it'll be cold anywhere. I figure if I follow the tracks down to Wilddog mountains thrn find somewhere high enough to get morning sun that'll make mornings warmer, faster. Still alot to research though. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Psychaesthetic Posted February 20, 2014 i'd take him up on the koa windsong dvd offer! it might explode your mind with new ways of looking at this. Yeah I should I should. i stopped posting for a few days so didn't get to replying to the last two posts. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Psychaesthetic Posted February 20, 2014 (edited) I could move it all back a bit to spring, but I really don't want to start out swimming in tourists and other walkers, and given the bushfire there just a few months ago, I'm paranoid about being stuck 25kms in the middle of a forest area with a raging fire coming my way. Fuck that shit. Gimme the cold of winter any day over that shit Edited February 20, 2014 by Riley Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Psychaesthetic Posted February 20, 2014 There magic mushrooms in the Mountains there? i'll certainly have to get my hands on some bushfood books, ebooks preferably since they take up zero room and weight naught. Though I won't be relying on local flora, and indeed would hesitate to eat shit I'm not 100% sure about, it'd still be interesting to look for em. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
altenate Posted February 20, 2014 Mate, if u want blue Mtns advice pm me. People have been living under rock shelters near me for years! Close to town etc etc Do not drink the cox's river water or the grose river water! They are both full of nasty shite!! Heavy metal poisons in both. I can't find the reference at the moment but don't do it! It all ends up in Warragamba where Sydney gets their water from. I guess it's more diluted there! ;) Now the wollangambe or bungleborri are mighty nice rivers! Also kanangra area. Big trout out kanangra way & I mean big. But limited mobile reception! 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Psychaesthetic Posted February 20, 2014 Good shit. So I'm better off veering east towards the wolly river to begin with, than west towards wilddog? Or have you just got a crop down there you don't want found? ;) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
altenate Posted February 20, 2014 The Dilly ain't too bad, no mob reception though & potentially a whiles from town. Also a bit of farm chem run off. Lottsa carp though! You'd need milk for those fuckers if your going to eat them! As far as those kinda crops they were def out there! Some guys from school I went to found a massive one on a school wilderness bushwalk! You might come across a bunch of tents & sleeping bags that were left behind at that spot ;) mind that was 20yrs ago.... 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
altenate Posted February 20, 2014 Kowmung river is a great spot if your planning in heading that way. Again good trout & clean water! Supposedly some of the best in NSW. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Psychaesthetic Posted February 20, 2014 I didn't know till the other day all that runs into the Hawksberry, I used to go on holidays there with family. Are their Bream in the Wollandilly? I'd assume they'd be bricked-in by Warragamba's er dam Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Psychaesthetic Posted February 20, 2014 (edited) So whilst shit slowly oozes forward, I figure I'll list the inventory I'm working towards, for anyone who feels like it to puruse and maybe suggest additional forgotten elements. I can't list *everything* because it'll take me all day, but I'm arranging everything into catagories, and there's not too many of those to type out, so I'll do that with a basic description. I got a website I've been doing nothing with for 3 years now, so when the time comes I'll start posting there, and once I get shit on the road, I'll certainly do a photo journal there. Anyway, here are the categories. Okay I can bundle alot of categories into each other, and not all of them have to be packed-out but here's what we have so far.. All the following should fit in or strap to the 90Ltr backpack I'm looking at and many individual items have been left out but they're all on the list stuck on the wall, and these are just the categories as mentioned above: * Water -- 4-5 litres shouldn't kill me, I'm no crippled invalid pensioner. * Cooking & Fire -- Sporks, pans, solod fuel portable stove, lighters, matches and firesteel+tinder * Hygeine & First-Aid -- Antibacterial soap, toothbrush+paste, first-aid kit etc,. * Navigation -- Compass, Maps (50K Topo's), phone GPS etc,,. [Waterproofed] * Tools -- Small foldable shovel, hatchet, knives, ropes, all that * Art & Drawing -- Paper and a few pencils etc,,. [Waterproofed] * Electronics -- Phone, IPad, 3400mA 3-panel solar USB charger etc,,. [Waterproofed] * Tent * Plastic sheeting/tarp(s) * Sleeping bag * Dry change of clothes [Waterproofed] The second bag I'll carry, will only have food in it, although I'll have to animal-proof it somehow whenever I stop somewhere or goannas will rip it open and eat it all: * Food. No really, powdered, light, dehydrated food that's high in protein, fat, carbs. i'm thinking powdered eggs and milk, soup packets, rice, oats, that kind've thing, As well as tea bags and perhaps some instant coffee. Artificial sweeteners will have to replace sugar, because sugar's just too heavy. * Vitamins: C, Iron and Multi * Salt, just an ounce or so for electrolyte replacement and meal flavor * Herbs: a small container stuffed with whatever dried herbs I might feel like taking They're the only two things I plan on carrying: Backpack and foodsack and the food sack obviously can't be stuffed so full it's an issue to carry, maybe compression bags would be better for this, since they're airtight and suck it all flat. Edited February 20, 2014 by Riley 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ThunderIdeal Posted February 20, 2014 mate... i mean this in the nicest and most constructive way: your list is missing some things. 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Psychaesthetic Posted February 20, 2014 LOL hang on I'll add the list in an edit .. Is there no "full editor" with/or bullet-list shortcode? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ThunderIdeal Posted February 20, 2014 why do you need bullets? do you have a permit to shoot roos? 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Psychaesthetic Posted February 20, 2014 There it is anyhow I haven't got it all by any means yet, let alone packed-n-ready, so there's plenty of time to add things or ditch things between now and then. Fishing gear too! Forgot to add that. A handline or *small* 2-peoce rod and small assortment of hooks, swivels, sinkers etc. Things might have to be axed because of weight far as the backpack goes, but I really want to stuff as much as i can manage in it, and I'll test it out walking around all day wearing the fully loaded pack beforehand. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Psychaesthetic Posted February 20, 2014 (edited) As for the itinerary, that's undecided but The Blue Mountains is looking like the best option for being within walking distance of civilization - even if it *is* a 20km uphill walk, being within walking distance of mobile reception - essential for the photo blogging, and near enough to water to not die of thirst. It'll be very cold, but that's just bad luck really I'd rather that than mid summer stinking hot with bushfires aye, and I'll have a good wuality tent, sleeping bag, thermal underwear and waterproof jacket so I'll live. Edited February 20, 2014 by Riley Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
etherealdrifter Posted February 20, 2014 mate... i mean this in the nicest and most constructive way: your list is missing some things. yeah good point trundles, your list riley could also include some..... .........like some prints of your favourite cactus porn..........em ....er......for those nights when the blood is kinda boiling ..... you know........our mind can only imprint so much for immediate recall 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ThunderIdeal Posted February 20, 2014 (edited) I'd rather that than mid summer stinking hot with bushfires aye, and I'll have a good wuality tent, sleeping bag, thermal underwear and waterproof jacket so I'll live. you already know its cold but i'm from queensland and thermal undies didn't do much when i visited the blue mountains, even the sydney guys were whinging because that weekend it was extraordinarily cold and windy. i'm just saying, thermals aren't a free ticket to warmth, maybe increase your sleeping bag budget by a couple hundred dollars. here is another point to consider, you can ignore it if you like but here it is: fuck carbs. fuck the carbs off out of your life, do it before you go bush and your body will have gone into low-carb mode after about three weeks of mild sluggishness. i don't want to rabbit on about it, feel free to PM me. the benefits are many, especially in your situation, although maybe you're too old and pre-occupied to commit to such a radical dietary change (but hey, what you're doing is more radical than any diet change). otherwise you'll always be lugging rice around, unless there is wild honey up every tree. Edited February 20, 2014 by ThunderIdeal 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
waterboy 2.0 Posted February 20, 2014 I've almost given up here...but good point above Thunder... but it all goes to shit if your wet as a shag.....and that includes sweating under wet weather gear. Also get a sleeping bag liner, and avoid the plush down bags as they won't keep you warm if they get wet. But hey, I know nothing about cold and wet weather living...lol 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ThunderIdeal Posted February 20, 2014 ^ i'm not sure why wb has 'almost given up in this thread' but his advice (and some others like teonanacatl) shouldn't be discarded lightly, whereas others including myself are just pretending to have any sort of clue. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
waterboy 2.0 Posted February 20, 2014 ^ I am tired whingy bitch today...lol...long day traveling and sexy tyvek suit and gasmask for the day will do it to you but in the spirit: -balaclava - you'll be thankful if you need to sleep in it - get an open face and its a top neckwarmer thingo -seen too many folk cut themselves with hatchets....go a 3/4 length axe or a heavy, full tang knife and use a wooden "mallet "to smack down on the blade back. You can cut up tree limbs pretty well , with minimal risk of accidentally cutting yourself. - If you envisage tackling bigger timber....bowsaw may be better. - waterproof pants as well....don't just go top...go full kit. Goretex the go especially your jacket....ex-miltary better made and sealed...keep it clean if you can. - The drier wood in wet winter will be standing dead trees. Don't fall trees If your not familiar with the mechanics, even professionals can get caught out. -make sure you have something under your sleeping bag or else the ground sucks the heat out of you ...no matter how good your bag. Tents floor doesn't cut it.... spaceblanket can do it, and provides a few other functions. Even hobo cardboard will do it. - consider your clothing textiles and how to layer them...can work to your advantage in the cold and heat. get it right and you'll need less kit. - trout go off the bite when they spawn during cooler months.... 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ThunderIdeal Posted February 20, 2014 yeah layers is the go. i've found a singlet works well for outer layer, then sometimes it helps to have a sunscreen layer under that and DNA takes care of the rest. good point about dangerous tools WB. i haven't worked with a hatchet but i love a machete and you MUST know what you're doing both in theory and have experience, they are FUCKING DANGEROUS even if you DO know what you're doing. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Psychaesthetic Posted February 20, 2014 I know all that. Cabinetmaking earnt me so many bleed-outs and gashing wounds I can't count em all, and I'm more than well versed in the dynamics of wood grain and direction. As for the waterproofing, you don't have to be a legend of the outdoors to know rain is wet. It might rain for days *gasp* and there'll be bugs out there *gasp* and snakes *gasp* maybe a plane will crash on my head *gasp* You failed to warn me about drop-bears and bunyips *gasp* Most the issues I'll run into are obvious with a bit of simple visualization, it's the unknowns I wanna know about. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Psychaesthetic Posted February 20, 2014 (edited) Sarcasm aside, the waterproof pants, boots, gaitors and top are certainly going to be required. Waterproofing the bags will be simple enough though, even a few heavy-duty garden garbage bags will suffice for that, but I cannot walk around a mountainous area with a garbage bag over my head. Edited February 20, 2014 by Riley Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
waterboy 2.0 Posted February 20, 2014 (edited) I am done here then, you obviously have it under control then good luck and be safe EDIT - really got me fucked why you are asking for advice and feedback then..... As for the waterproofing, you don't have to be a legend of the outdoors to know rain is wet. Looking at the rain here today though, I see I'll need a reliably waterproof cover for my backpack, lol...theres a difference between cabinetmaking and tree-felling Edited February 21, 2014 by waterboy 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
