what's up in the backback of the ultimate longtherm (life) nomad, into the wild, with a dog? I don't need to know just the basic but every fucking details, I'm getting my stuff done before I quit.
sorry, I'm french :& ok I'll try another time. I'm going nomad on a very long therm period. I'll start my adventure in BC (vancouvert) and make my way down to the equator following the coast (the west one of course!). I plan to buy a big dog too. I might have 2 other friends with me and we don't know where we will end up, we'll stop when we will find the perfect place. My question is, for that type of adventure, what should my backpack be loaded with? I need to think about every freakin details, I know about survival, but never did it nomad. can you help me out?
well - with no tongue in cheek - an open heart, willingness to Listen, and the ability to pay attention, and then implement what we we hear. As in Be Still.... One's perception of life, willingness to learn, and respect for all our relations are the most important things to have in the backpack you already carry through life. You can carry nothing at all and survive wondefully, enjoying your life and having wonderful adventures - on the other hand you can be the most prepared any person might be and not survive the first 5 minutes, let alone finding any enjoyment in the process.
duct tape, bailing twine, fishing line, shoe goo an bungie cords for starters.. youll no why when yer on the trail.. love n lite..
If you're going to take a dog, get a Siberian Husky, because huskies are the best trail dogs. The natives in Siberia have been raising Huskies for more than 3,000 years as trail dogs, they need adventrue, they are smarter than most which is a must for long distant treking, esp. in the West. Siberian Huskies are energy efficient, they eat only as much as they need according to daily activity requirements. The husky is extremely versitile, but I don't know about taking one to the tropics. I lived with a husky in southern California just fine, but I wasn't treking the dog either, so I'm unsure about how well a husky woiuld do, but I can't think of a more qualified trail canine outside of the Nordic Breeds (snow dogs) bred for such activity.
Well, think in terms of what one needs, there's a few major groupings: Food: maybe you'll want a stove or burner for cooking. Youll also need fuel then too. You'll also need some sort of cooking pans/pots, plus spoon, fork, and knife. No matter what have a good quality knife, it's your most useful tool. water: even if you plan on buying most of your water, there will be times when you need some and aren't near a town. If you don't have a stove for boiling water (to kill the germs), you'll need some iodine tablets, or a water filter pump. Shelter: You can use a tent, though in warmer areas you can easily get by with a tarp. Sometimes you won't need shelter (clear warm nights) but will want a sleeping bag or some warm blankets (NOT cotton fabric). clothes: preferably non-cotton, because cotton absorbs 25 times it's weight in water, won't insulate when wet, and takes very long to dry. Even in warm climates it can get cold at night (especially the desert or high altitudes) and your own daytime sweat can freeze you at night. Don't bring too many clothes, probably just an extra of everything and just wash them while wearing the other set. random: like i said, a knife is vital. duct tape, s ewing thread/needle, journal if you want camera etc I'm sure I've forgotten some things, but there's a start. I don't know crap about trekking with a dog, either.
bring plenty of socks...... especially while u are up north..... socks will keep you warm, but wet socks can make u sick, and definately give u athletes foot and other fun stuff. Get a good pair of hiking boots. perfume/aerosol, so that if u dont get to wash for a few days, people wont be afraid to go near you. And always have a bar of soap, so u can wash up regularily in public restrooms/bathrooms. Have mosquito repellant for when u are further down south. Plenty of warm clothes. including a scarf and a beanie hat. If you can play an instument bring it... so you can perform on the street, that means u will have some money. If you dont have an instrument, think with your friends if you can perform any kind of act, and bring the right equipment. Try have a cell phone, if possible. Also do research and have a list of communes or groups of people, that will provide you with a nights shelter, every so often along the way. www.melonheads.org are a group that focus on travelling. I would advise you to have a friend e-mail you the list to your account... so that if u lose the real list, you can go into a internet cafe and print a new one from your e-mail account, whenever necessary. Hope that thats some use. Peace and Love
I've done sections of the West Coast Trail and the Juan De Fuca Trail (West Coast of Vancover Island, just north west of Victoria) and used a tarp for both trips and was fine, but I was blessed with pretty good weather. Like TrippinBTM suggested, a good knife is essential. You never know when you'll need to cut something. Don't even waste your time with a piece of shit knife, it'll break before you cut anything hard. You can get by without a stove, but it'll make your life so much nicer if you've got one. It feels great after a long day to have a warm meal. If you want to be cheap, you could try making a alcohol burning Pepsi-Stove, which won't work as well as a store bought gas stove, but it packs up tiny and is better for the environment. I'm making mine this weekend (hopefully). Instead of getting a purebred Husky, you may want to consider getting a Husky-cross. Purebred dogs cost a lot more and often end up getting weird inbreding related health problems. As for clothing, try and leave as much cotton at home as possible. If you get wet, you stay wet in cotton. Wool or Polar Fleece I find are good options for sweaters. Polar fleece is lighter and packs up nicer than Wool. If you're going down the Pacific Coast, you'll want a sweater at night. As for things like mud guards, they're crap. If you really want to keep yourself from being muddy, either avoid the mud completely or make your own mud guards out of plastic bags and duct-tape. Like other people have recommended... Duct-tape (whatever you do, DO NOT buy the brand of duct tape called "Duck Tape", it is absolute garbage and it's stick-activity will last about 2 seconds). Thin Rope/Twine 2 Water bottles (I carry 2 large Nalgenes with me) A poncho (they pack up small, they're airy, they can cover your back pack when you're hiking and they're cheap.) Sandals! (Its nice to air out your feet after a long hike) Basic First aid kit Sewing stuff Hope you have a good trip
melonheads had a bit of a crazy founder/co-ordinator, who has had a break down and as a result has decided to shut down the site. Even though it was just a forum for like minded people to meet on, i was told he didnt feel he was getting enough credit. Anyway that site is no longer functional for good i have been told. So here is an alternative a freiend just gave me http://www.welcomehere.org/ hope its of any use. Peace and Love
man theres almost nothing you cant do with a solid pointy stick....solves food problems...makes a good tool....and you can use it to carry your jenks in burlap or canvas.
if you´re planning on hitching at all, a good peice of cardboard and some magic markers would help, and do yourself a favor and invest in a waterPROOF not waterRESISTANT raincoat. Its expensive, but not as expensive as getting treat for hypothermia at a hospital. A poncho is nice for covering your pack (garbage bags are good too) but a waterproof raincoat is essential if you´re planning to hike all day in the rain and then sleep outside that night. Oh, and use a garbage bag as a liner between your sleeping bag and stuff sack, opening up a bone-dry sleeping bag after hiking in the rain for hours is one of the most satisfying feelings in the world.
cripey . i nomad for years and my package keeps evolving . you won't know a damn thing til you do it . be safe . love . make your gift .
