The Edgemoor Rickshaw Parachute Moot ...

[Ivan...]

Well, my good friend Rick , contacted me some time ago , and asked if i could throw a little something together, as due to various reasons he had not been able to attend recent events , and he has the "op" next week !

So i set about contacting , all the mad people i know ! Low and behold some of them even replied ! A truly international affair too , with guests coming from all over the country .

For a change we chose a different wood from usual , on the other side of Dartmoor , and boy ! what a success. We all met at the local hotel , where we were serenaded by a duo in the glorious sunshine ! Then wend our way to the site , pretty little woods , with spring well and truly on it's way .

After setting up , getting a cracking fire going and some lovely grub on the go , chinese chicken curry (cheers Richie)And a brace of pheasants for the casserole (cheers Andy) and for Lucy for showing us fools how to undress them in seconds! We set about the serious business of fireside chatter , and what enlightening chatter it was , including the survey !

So on a serious note , lessons learned from this w/e were , do believe the forecast 40mm of rain ! Do have a big enough tarp , a parachute is a fantastic addition ,dont think the wind can't change direction 360 degrees in an hour and respect Jim Beam !

There are some interesting pics and also a boring Ivan vid to follow , but for now a massive thanks to Andy for the use of his woods and thanks everyone for making another impromtu meet a roaring success , embarrassing tales soon....

[mayobushcraft]

Ivan
Sorry I havent been I touch. Have been saving to get my son Jimmy Jr. over here. He has just arrived. Was wondering if its possible to come out for the three day weekend and sit around a nice fire? Talk later.

James

[The Big Lebowski]

Landlord and good pal's B-day friday bud... Otherwise I would have been there!

Me and mike went local Saturday night, T'was a fair bit breezy, you could say Glad you all enjoyed.

[redandshane]

A thoroughly enjoyable meet with a great variety of types
Laughter was abundant and food was fantastic weather was variable but the new stream and pond were a welcome addition to the wood
Highlights for me were Adams declaration of intent on Friday night! Thankfully it came to nothing
And Mors Kolcockneys rather seriously disturbing admission on saturday!!!! but he can say that kind of thing under his own parachute......I think

I do hope Mors has underwent his surgery and is back out on his paws soon as possible
That is one Werewolf you don't want to meet as he thinks Bromley is within earshot of Bow Bells
Thanks to Ivan for organizing
Rich for transport and company and a heart as big as his mouth
Robert the Bruce for hosting and putting us all to shame by actually using some skills...whittle me a Kelly Kettle mate;Oh you did Thanks

Next stop Chepstow I believe

Hope to see you all there
No pics from me as "battery's cost money you know" cue accent from Ivan

[Paul Webster]

Despite only being there for Saturday night, Talia and I had a great time and enjoyed lots of banter round the camp fire. The get along gangs "scary" camp fire stories were as scary as usual, some scarier than others!

I thought the weather might have put Talia off but she just asked me tonight when we're going camping again!

Great to see you all, looking forward to the next time.

[Bucephalas]

Another fine meet with a great collection of Bushcrafters who provided the mental health specialist with plenty of material for his memoirs!
Rick; good to have met you bud, my solo nights in the woods will never be the same. I've suddenly developed a fear of the dark!
Lucy; You're not scary at all but your knowledge of skinning things did worry me a little.
Adam; Good to see you again my friend. I'm still amazed how anyone with a pulse can sleep so long though.

It's taken me a day to dry my kit and another day to work out a list of missing kit which by now has Ivans name engraved on them . I was going to suggest he puts together a website and lists all the kit thats left behind, but one already exists: Ebay!
A big thanks to Andy for his hospitality. Your whittling skills were impressive as were your tree felling skills (just blame Ivan) and you have a lovely woodland there. Next time I will bring my canoe though or you can whittle me a little dug-out before breakfast.
The only plus point of the rain is that werewolves don't like water! (Bet you didn't think of that eh?) but I will bring silver bullets next time just in case.

Redandshane; please note that I do NOT have a heart ( that's a malicious rumor) but plead guilty to the big mouth. I refer you to point number three here.

Great to see Paul and Talia again, I think everyone else where wimps by comparison and couldn't stand the pace, but Paul and I managed to continue drinking until breakfast time when Ivan takes over.

Big Al; I received your Pm whilst sat around the fire and did text you back. Looking forward to catching up on 12th bud.

The highlight for me was the conference call to Arry and the green man up norf. You were dearly missed boys! and from the great man himself I give you;
- What do you get if you take the F out of COD?
- I thought I saw a loaf of bread with Ivans name on it, but then I realised it said "Thick CUT"


AB-1.jpg
Nosferatu

AB-2.jpg
Ivan pulls another bird!

AB-4.jpg
Andy whittling a storm kettle

AB-7.jpg
Mental health patient on day release

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Someone threw a dog end in the fire!

AB-6.jpg
Hot chicken curry for starters

AB-5.jpg
Pheasant cooking away

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Lucy the pheasant plucker

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Morning bacon sarnies!

Just remember guy's 'n galls, "What's said/done in the woods, stays in the woods"

[The Big Lebowski]

Big Al; I received your Pm whilst sat around the fire and did text you back. Looking forward to catching up on 12th bud.

Got the text pal, but was too cold/wet/windswept at the time to reply. Some daft ears suggested cheppy with a severe storm warning.

See you on the 12'th amigo

[Ivan...]

Oi! When i said embarrassing tales to follow , i mean't i would be telling them ! As it turns out you have all clubbed together and aquitted yourselves admirably , thankyou for saving a lot of typing.

Seriously , thankyou very much for ,once again prooving that in life "There are no such things as strangers , only friends you have never met " As you know i have been a little concerned recently that our club was becoming a victim of it's own sucess, where by numbers were increasing to a level difficult to manage . But thanks to your write ups 'photographic and video evidence , all fears ars quashed , as i can't see how any sane bushcrafter would want to come along and see what it is all about .

Great time as ever , despite the inclement weather ! I will of course study the various comments and attack a few of you individually in due course , as the memory returns .

In the mean time roll on the 13th May ....

Lots of love and p1ss taking .

Ivan...

[LRforestschool]

Finally got my act together to get on site and see what everyone has talked about....good thing I checked! Didn't remember that photo being taken of me having a late night second go at the ...um....road kill stew.

Thank you to everyone for the superb companionship, great chats, and superb cooking. You two cheeky foreign lads, the Morecombe and Wise of Bushcraft, sure can cook and tell a good tale, and have led full and interesting lives. Put us English bunch to shame. Lovely to meet you both and hope our paths will cross often in the future.

Hats off to Talia - tough lass and a real bushcrafter of the first order. That was a bitterly cold, windy, wet night and you where still smiling and happy in the morning and enjoying the mud !!!! Paul, thank you for your attention to detail, always appreciated.

And the cockney - well thanks for just being yourself, that is certainly emtertaining enough for all of us.

Thank you to our host for your hospitality, and the spoon, still waiting for the other piece I requested - think it may be a long wait!!!! Thanks to Ivan and Adam who always put a lot of work in before anyone turns up, and after we are gone - including the important job of finding the full beer cans we all forget about. The stew and dumplings hit the spot on that first night, trivet was top notch, bunting was cute.

My most interesting moment was wading through the mud at 5.30am or so on Sunday morning with rain whipping around me, to carry the embers of the fire to higher ground and save equipment from sinking beyond trace in the bog, as all around me tarps and parachute were flapping loose, and hammocks swaying, in the high wind - while tightly wrapped up men slept sioundly and snored in their bags oblivious to the chaos.

I got back home, washed with the devil, unpacked my kit, and immediately missed the lot of you. Then fell asleep for a few hours. Now that everything is finally clean and dry I may just pack ready for the next one - in fond anticipation of another crackingly good weekend again some time soon. xxxx

[Savagewolfrm]

well guys what can I say that hasnt already been said by everyone. Mr Bruce your a star for letting us use your lovely site for the weekend.
To the mighty man Ivan, thank you pal for organising a great get together you truly are the Paul Daniels of Bushcraft, we the Ali Bongo anyway.

Adam, again i am in your debt for helping me with the hammock set up and for not laughing too hard when it collapsed on me, i saw Ivan wet himself lol

Steve and Rich. you 2 guys are the best, thanks for being such entertaining the guys and full of great stories..Mors colcockney..? what de f@@k lol

loved te conversation with Paul and Harry had us in stitches lol, talking of which mine are pulling blood hard typing with left hand when your right handed.

Paul and Talia. a pleasure as always to see you guys again and as Lucy said, Talia is one hardened Bushcrafter.
hopefully not scared to many ppl off with strange stories and fanatasies about dark nights sharp claws and wierd howling lol

hope to see you all again in july when should all be healed up and ready to go again, in the mean time from now on please could you all call me Jessica, now the op is over lol
all the best guys nad girls and once again to the silver haired bushcraft Magician.......thank you

Jessica (Rick)

[Ivan...]

Hi everyone , i was going to rip the wotsit out of you all individually , but after all the lovely heartfelt comments , i feel it would be wrong, that coupled with the therapy , i have turned over a new leaf !

So i have been in contact with Rick , who has come through the other side of his out of shoulder experience (so he tells me ) and all is well on the mend , but if you look at his avatar he now wants to be known as nonads ! so work it out for yourselves .

Anyway must go , am looking up recipes for cohone casserole in the dutch oven ..

Oh forget the earlier comment , looked again it actaully says nomad ! sorry Rick , get well soon buddy .

Love ,the gang xxx

[Ichneumon]

Been to the vet has he? Somebody told me it makes a 'vas deferens' to your love-life?

[Bucephalas]

It wasn't Rick eating pheasant testicles!

[Ivan...]

Whoops! people in glass houses shouldn't throw stones , good point Richie , i had forgotten about that , thanks for putting me straight , nice though !!