I got fed up, too. (pics of dogs added)

[JW_Halverson]

Much like Mr. Cash, I too had swallowed enough of civilization and headed out.

http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php?topic=47118.0

Two friends of mine came along and brought their dogs along with me and my dirty black dog, Lena.  Everyone brought something constructive to do, yet nobody really made any effort to make headway.  The dogs all disappeared, with the exception of 13 1/2 yr old Patrick, who is eminently more sensible than most dogs.  From time to time on Saturday, the dogs would filter back into camp for water, meals, a little belly scritching, what have you.  On Sunday the dogs all felt the urge to nap in the shade and snap at the usual buzzing flys.

The most work I did in order to maintain nutritional balance was to chop lotsa fruit to make a large batch of sangria.  Someone, and I shall not name names here, forgot to pack a corkscrew.  I, having great presence of mind was able to scrounge a torx head screw, but nothing to drive it, nor so much as a pliers to grip it.  By sheer dint of perserverence, the cork came out of the bottle saving all concerned from insipient scurvy and insidious sobriety. 

Food was simply fresh veggies and fruits, a few simple carbs like crackers, and protein was in the form of some shrimp and cod ceviche I had placed in the cooler deep in the ice.  Napping was the order of the day both Saturday and Sunday.  No moon to speak of on Saturday night and when nature called about 2 a.m. the Milky Way at near 6,000 ft of elevation was much like a low hanging ceiling that brushed the unkempt hair on my head. 

There is rumor of a photo of me asleep in my lawn chair, an autobiography of George Washington on my chest along with a bowl of cherry pits, a hatched stuck in the stump at my side.  As yet, I cannot confirm or deny, merely report the existence of a hush-hush campaign to embarrass me. 

I saw numerous deer, heard an owl, heard and saw numerous species of songbird, enjoyed the constant presence of butterflies, and disturbed one very loquacious chipmunk.  All this combined to salve the burns society inflicts on my soul, clear my head, and refresh my inner eye.  Thank you Mr Cash for inspiring me to do this.  Thank you sir.

[Pat B]

John, I wish I were with you. I promise I would not have disturbed you. Just to be there!   
 These days, I think mankind could use such a few days alone with nature and themself.

[chamookman]

Sounds like a GREAT trip JDub ! Good way to recharge the batteries ! Bob

[Zuma]

When in dire straights with a vintage bottle, use your pressure flaker to plunge the cork.
Zuma

[Eric Krewson]

While in Germany working for Uncle Sam(Army) in the 60s a landlady gave me two bottles of what she said was very special white wine a that friend of hers made in limited quantities. A short time later I had to send my wife and child back to the states after someone stole my car and family mobility was a problem, I moved out of the landladies apartment.

Sitting in the barracks one night I thought of those bottles of wine still in my footlocker. I didn't have a corkscrew so I poked the cork into one of the bottles with a pencil and proceeded to consume it, all the time holding the cork at bay with my tongue, it was very nice wine indeed.

I saved the other bottle to take back to the states with me when I was discharged a year later. I shared the wine with my family when I got home, all of which were very impressed by this single bottle of wine.

A while later I saw this very same wine advertised by a wine specialty shop in the states at $200 a bottle. It still seems a bit sacrilegious for me to have consumed the first bottle of wine in the manner that I did, sitting on a foot locker, drinking out of the bottle, but man,  I sure enjoyed it at the time.     

[mullet]

I'm doing the same thing this weekend, JW. Loading up the Mountain bike with gear, no ice or cooler, just fishing poles and what we can carry. We're going about five miles in the Green Swamp and camp and fish the Withlacoochee River. It will be hot and rainy and I'm sure a few mosquito's but definitely relaxing.

[JW_Halverson]

Eric, to a winemaker the worst thing that can be done is to set the bottle on the shelf and "save it" for something special that never comes, or worse yet comes long after the wine has aged itself to vinegar.  If you sat on a footlocker and enjoyed the bottle while playing tongue hockey with the cork, it was all good!

Here's some photos of the gang.

First is the dog that rescued me about a year ago, Lena.


Here's my friend, and co-founder of the Black Hills Raptor Center, Maggie and her "big love" Lincoln.  He weighs an honest 120 lbs right now, but two years ago he was drug out from under a porch on Pine Ridge weighing a bit over 30 lbs of skin and bones.


And finally, here is the boss dog herself, 28 lbs of rage in a cage, Candy Kisses!


Lincoln is 4x the weight of Lena and when they play it looks like two blacksmiths in a bar fight.  It is sheer brutality unleashed.  Neither knows when to quit but somehow neither gets injured or their feelings hurt.  Candy Kisses is the senior dog, diabetic and lazy as all get out...but she is in charge of keeping the others in line!  Smallest dog in camp often is!

[JacksonCash]

Looks great. My trip has caused me to begin looking for a nice pack I can use for some day trips, and get out at least once a month. I know the hammock will pack well...

[mullet]

That's one thing I'll miss tagging along, John is a dog. I don't think my Shop Cat can keep up.

[chamookman]

Dogs always brighten a camp ! At Our annual Selfbow Camp, there's My Setter, Franks Pointer and Matt & Miss Heathers two dogs. Between the Kids & Dogs - never a dull moment  . Bob

[JW_Halverson]

Today a friend came over to work on his new osage bow.  He brought his husky mix dog along because he and gets along great with my Lena.  Lena tought Troy the "Let's Steal Osage Curls From the Guys" game. 

The two of them would stalk in very slow and cautious, quietly bend down, pick up a shaving and RUN! They would then run laps thru the yard growling and barking with the trophy they had liberated from the shop floor. 

[chamookman]

I can see them now - "Two Lions on the Serengeti"  ! Fun game. Bob