Living in the woods ?

[Dirty Karlos]

Well done Ivan. I think that as much as a man can love the outdoors and outdoor life, and sometimes the solitude that it brings, at the end of the day, man is a social animal.
So, it's just not natural to be on your own for too long. Had you had a mate to join you or something, who knows. I've been ready for home after three nights when the weather is bad, so well done!

 

[Ivan...]

Thanks again guys , i thought i might have to hang my head in shame, i battled with my concience from midnight last night until three , and i knew by then it was enough.
No one to wake up and talk it over with , dark , wet windy , couldnt even go for a walk , i swore a bit too , talking to myself , i half wish i had said nothing and just tried it , then nobody would have been any the wiser .
The mad thing is i have been back up to the site this evening , got the fire going , tidied up , gathered some more firewood and thought i will be allright tonight !
Strange old thing the human psyche, anyway i wont go on about it anymore just to say i appreciate the comments , and those who sent me PMs , it meant a lot .

Just not as hard as i thought i was , and yes i have learned quite a lot ..

 

[lannyman8]

hey Ivan, i know how hard things can get and the one thing that will get to any person is not being in the correct mind set for a specific task, you have been through alot of "STUFF" in the last few weeks and months, i also know what thats like dude.

dont what ever you do beat your self up about ending your folley, its a heard life dude and things just happen, you have tried and learned allot, when you are more focused and have a better mind set you will enjoy it much more when you have another go, which im sure you will...

fond and kind regards to you old son.

chris.....

 

[ateallthepies]

Ivan, humans are in general sociable animals and don't do well in solitude. There are of course exceptions who do well on their own but most will go a bit cuckoo after a while.

At least you had a go and in doing so have gained valuable information of what to do next time to make it a more pleasurable experience. I suggest starting this adventure again next year maybe late spring?

What sort of camp did you have? I don't think I could last very long unless I had a descent shelter, a sort of cabin affair if you like with a wood burner in the corner and a lockable door!

Steve.

 

[AussieVic]

Well done Ivan.
There are no rules and no shame, we've all had experiences which haven't worked out quite as we expected, or hoped.
If and when you are read you can try again, or not, or do it differently and just take the bits you want and leave the rest.

Thanks for sharing your thoughts and feelings with everyone, I appreciated your candour

 

[BoonDoc]

i am cheating in some respects as i smoke rollies and like my beer .

Ivan,
There is no cheating in Bushcraft!
You get to wake up to the sounds of birds, the wind in the tree tops and (hopefully) the sun peaking through the tree limbs.
It is a great feeling to live in the woods. I did a six month bit in the Pacific Northwest. I cheated as well by bringing in food. Your 12 acres is not large enough to be able to wildcraft your own food.

More power to ya pal, and enjoy this experience.

 

[Ivan...]

Just in case , anybody is interested , this is the thread of my failed attempt at trying to live in the woods ....Having read it all back , i was very ill prepared and the events that lead up to giving it a go , i was not in a good space .

I had forgotten , some of the kind comments and support i recieved , a belated thanks...

 

[Urban X]

Good on ya for trying it in the first place Ivan. I'm one of those freaks of nature who much prefers solitude to socialising but we're few and far between which is probably a good thing, who can blame you for missing the company of others as a social person? Although I wouldn't have to battle loneliness I really don't do cold & wet very well at all so I very much doubt I'd have lasted as long as you did given the circumstances you had.

Now that you know what you know and are better prepared would you attempt it again or is the solitude the main issue you think?

Still can't see that you failed, you lived in the woods, how long isn't really that important is it?


Si

 

[Ivan...]

Thanks Urban X , to be fair i had a lot of stuff on my mind at the time , not all good , so i was not best prepared , my pals said to me you are just running away , and after much thought i was !

It was the solitude , that was great when the sun was shining and i was busy , but long dark wet nights alone with my thoughts , in the end was too much for me .

Anyway in answer to your question , i would love to have another go , with decent weather and , if there is such a thing as a person that you could get on with 24/7 ideal or even a small evened numbered group .

 

[lannyman8]

glad things are more clear now Ivan all the best mate...

so whens the next trip...

 

[Ivan...]

Hi mate , surprised you are awake !! enjoying it though i'll bet , got a little annual thing from Sun to Thurs of next week on the other side of the moor , then lots of small ones ,building up to a big summer meet at my place , then maybe have the rest of the summer in the woods !

Feel like it only had a week in town , and don't like it very much .

All the best dad !!

Ivan...

 

[Tengu]

Oh, can I join you when my Exams are over??

 

[Chiseller]

You need to figure out what to do about the loneliness bud, it will creep in worse and worse . If there is one thing that is going to end this chapter of your life, its going to be the inability to cope with the solitude.
You know we are all rooting for you mate.

+1
3 hours baht shelter, 3 days baht watta, 3 weeks baht snap an 3 months baht love. My writing but the late an best of em alls (imo) Eddie McGee

Sent from my HTC Explorer using Tapatalk 2

 

[Bucephalas]

Well I reckon you now have enough committed friends ( friends that should be committed maybe?), that if you rota them for one nights visit per year, you'll have company every night!
With the wife having free fuel, I'm planning on checking your where- abouts on a weekly basis and driving down for some sane company.

Enjoy next weeks gathering you old git!

 

[Ivan...]

This was my feeble attempt at some kind of living in the woods ish!

The orignal poster of this latest question, has not responded yet, but give him time, as he does say a 5 year plan, best of British sir.

Ivan...