Re: Dear Mohicanland Trekker

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: : : : : : : : Thanks for that info, Christie.  Sounds like something my Mark would like for Christmas.  I'll be checking it out.

: : : : : : : : MMMMarcia

: : : : : : : ~~~~~~~~~~~
: : : : : : : Christie,

: : : : : : : Sounds like something I would like for Christmas, too!

: : : : : : : Thanks, 
: : : : : : : Dana
: : : : : : ______________________

: : : : : : I don`t know about Champ, but Mohicanland Trekker yours truely has been reading S&F for years. They put out a darn good sutlers catalog also.

: : : : : : Clabert

: : : : : 
: : : : : ~~~~~~~~~~~~~
: : : : : Dear Clabert,

: : : : : I have a question about historical trekking.  I can't read a James Thom novel without wondering what it would be like to journey about the frontier like George Rogers Clark.  Historical trekking is obviously a way to experience such a lifestyle first hand.  The problem is there are no women personas that allow for women to take part in the "outdoors" aspect.  Or are there?  In other words, does a woman have to stick to " the women's stuff" (which I also find very interesting), or is backpacking as close as I'm going to get to the frontier experience?  Do any trekkers ever do "one time only" treks for the curious, but not dedicated, greenhorn?

: : : : : 
: : : : : BTW, your ears haven't been burning lately, have they?

: : : : : Dana S.
: : : : ________________________________

: : : : Dana,
: : : :  There are some personas of women going out and dressing and doing what the men did while on a trek. Research has come up with about 5 or 6 that did. BUT, never fear. Most any group will let a woman trek along with them as long as they are in costume and have no trouble walking and carrying your bedroll and food.(my gear weighs less then 20 lbs) My wife does not trek but my kids do and my 12 year old daughter wants to start dressing in leggings and breechclout. My 17 year old son has always dressed this way. Not all treks are of the war like nature. We have taken a whole family out and looked for edible and medicinal plants. Once we even had to bring a few girls and women from point A to point B after taking them back from the Natives. All they had were the cloths on their back. We had to pull all our food, extra cloths and blankets together to get them thru the weekend.
: : : :  I have turned down no woman who showed she truely could handle herself on a trek and I know a few who are better then any man I know. Most families have enough extra cloths for one more person. I even have a couple extra muskets. Where do you live? Do you have any 18th century cloths? Would you like to go on a trek? Maybe I can steer you in the right direction.

: : : :  Yes, my ears have been burning. And my muffin is a bit over done also. 

: : : : Clabert
: : : : __________
: : : : P.S.
: : : :  We were asked to talk to a backpacking club in Houston and it blew them away that we could be as comfortable with our 20 lbs of 18th century gear compared to their 70 lbs of "lite" gear.

: : : : Clabert

: : : Hi, Clabert.

: : : I am a backpacker and you caught my attention with your comments about talking to a BP club.  I started to think about the weight difference (I can be comfortable for 3 to 4 days with about 30 to 35 lbs).  You probably don't take a tent or sleeping pad.  How about water if you're in the backcountry and need to purify water? A filter sure adds some weight. And since we use fires less often due to environmental reasons there's the weight of a BP stove and fuel.  (I would guess you use fires to be authentic.)  I'd love to hear about what food you take.  I normally take only one change of clothes.  Do you get by with just the clothes "on your back"?  I'd love to hear more about what you include in your 20 lbs.  Maybe I could get some ideas for my next trip!  

: : : Thanks, Jayne
: : ________________________________________

: : Sure thing. Here goes. This is the most I would carry during the summer months. The length traveled or the number of days out would change this very little. I do not carry a tent or sleepingbag. I carry one hand woven wool blanket and it is my bedroll, ground cloth and backpack. In this blanket roll I carry one extra shirt, one extra pair of mocs, a very small tin lined copper pot and a small tin cup and a wooden spoon. My food usually is about one and a half handfulls of dried rice and the same of lentels mix together in a cloth sack. A half pound of some type of dried meat in another cloth sack. About 4 beef bouillon cubes which were called pocket soup. About three big handfulls of a trail mix I make of walnuts, raisins, dried cranberries and dried apples. For a hot drink I`ll carry either black tea or Mexican chocolate. All of these foods can be documented for around 1750 and after. Also there is a small fire making kit of steel and flint with some dry tender just incase. This is all carried in my blanket roll and is carried with a woven hemp tumpline. This is a wide strap that is tied to each end of you bedroll and carried across one shoulder. It can be adjusted and carried across both shoulders if I am getting tired. I carry a one quart canteen and so far have used the small hand pump filters carried by others. I plan to get one but everyone does and we arange to have atleast one on each trek.
: :  We cook on wood fires and only burn dead fall. We never cut any live plants and use the deadfalls to make tri-pods to hang our small copper pots from. We are some of the few people that the state will let build fires because they know all of us and most of the time, never know we`ve been there.
: :  During winter time, (down here it hardly ever freezes) I change to a wool shirt and add a wool coat, two pair of wool socks and if it looks like rain, a 8x8 piece of canvas. Food stays the same with maybe more tea and chocolate.
: :  I hope this helps. Of coarse my long gun, powderhorn and shooting bag go with me everywhere. That`s another 11-12 pounds.

: : Clabert

: 
: Thanks so much for the detailed description of what you carry.  Your minimalist ways are impressive!  (I must say, though, that I am very fond of my little tent and sleeping bag - just call me a wimp!)  Knowing what the challenges can be on a BPing trip helps me understand the additional hardships you must face at times with your way of travel!  I'm also impressed with the apparent "leave no trace" practices you all use.  Thanks again for your info.  

: Jayne 


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