Search for a hammock

I fantasize about stuff like hiking/biking with light gear, bow hunting from the trees, stealth camping, and doing all these things at the same time. So using a hammock instead of a tent makes sense to me. I can imagine riding my bike far into a remote area pulling a home made bike trailer to pack out deer or elk I might kill with my bow while I hide high in a tree.


Camping in the woods is not allowed by the timber companies in most cases so the idea of doing it anyways adds to the excitement and over all adventure of the hunt. Using a hammock can help achieve stealth and provide safety from predators. Now I imagine waking up early in the morning at the hunting stand. So why not wake up in the stand. Sleeping high in a tree sounds crazy, but I want to do it. That would be a night to remember.


I have spent a lot of time surfing through the internet looking for a camping hammock to buy. The first hammock company I ran across is Hennessy Hammocks. They look like very fine hammocks and will serve as my standard to compare other Hammocks by.


The hammock I choose will have features to keep me warm and dry in the forests of the Pacific Northwest. Features needed;
water and wind resistant,
warmth down to least10 degrees,
Insulation underneath,
camouflage,
light weight,
room for a change of clothes and some gear.

First Run Wearing Five Fingers

Five Fingers are funny looking shoes made by Vibram that are very minimal, almost like being barefoot. They conform to your feet very tightly and have individual toe boxes. They are like gloves for your feet.

I have been wearing them around for a couple weeks to get used to them and have tried them for short distance runs, 1/4 mile or less to break myself in to them. Today I ran a full mile in them.

Here is what I experienced, my feet faired well in them. No arch, heal, or ankle pains.I did not warm up before the run but did run easy. Catching my breath was the worst part of  my run, but that is natural when breaking-in.

Running in Five Fingers is a bit different than regular running shoes. There is no cushioning so if you land on your heals you really feel the impact so naturally you adjust by landing on the front or sides of your feet instead. I still felt a lot of impact but that in part is just getting used to running again. I found I run a lot more cautiously watching for rocks and landing gently. I am running slower then I remember. I feel like I got a fair workout but still have a lot of energy so this run was probably just right for me and my present physical condition.

I plan to maintain this distance for a while before increasing  mileage. For over a year I have had problems with planters fascitis and ankle joint pain. I have gained weight from lack of exercise and eating too many calories so running will be a bit more stressful on my body until I drop weight. Running in Five Fingers is like learning to run all over again. Eventually I hope to be able to run totally barefoot.

Pain in my right foot developed later in the day in my heal and ankle. I'll give it a rest for a couple days and try again.

Strange Todo List

After watching the movie "The Bucket List" I started thinking about making a list of my own. I learned something about myself while doing this exercise. While the things on the list aren't totally original some of these things aren't common, and I guess that is what intrigues me.

Here is my strange list;

Tree climbing with ropes,

Sleep high in a tree,

Hammock camping in the rain,

Build a hunting bike trailer,

Stealth camping with light weight gear,

Extreme weather survival fire starting,

Natural plant identification and foraging,

Running barefoot,

Smart phone for GPS, maps, cam, net, music, etc.

Back yard edible gardening,

Build a back yard star gazing bedroom, a covered fire-pit room, and a furnished tree house or loft.

Growing up in Cowlitz County Washington I have learned to live with the rain and enjoy the natural sports of hunting and fishing the region offers.

To be a hunter one needs to be prepared. It is a very physically challenging adventure. I have had so many priceless magical moments stalking deer and elk that hunting has become an addiction. The actual season is short but the sport is year round. In the off season there is scouting, hiking, running, exploring, practicing survival skills, all of which are sports in themselves. If I had a primary interest it would be hunting and most other interests are secondary in preparation for the hunting adventure.

This blog is about my list. I want to create several posts about each list item of which might be interesting to someone else besides me. I hope to learn about non-traditional things other people want to do in this lifetime and perhaps borrow from them and add to my list.