Thirty Days in the Forest. in A small but passable life.

Thirty Days in the Forest

Day 1- March 6, 2015 Friday 6:10pm

Everything went as planned after we had changed the original plan. Instead of hiking out to the center of a Federal Wilderness Area we decided to do some stealth camping out at the river. It will be stealth because camping is only allowed at the two designated campgrounds. Jassy’s mother came and gave Jassy and I a ride out here. We are well off the main road that leads down to the valley where we usually camp. We followed an old logging road nearly to the edge of the bluff overlooking the river. We’ll hike down to the valley in the morning to fill up our water bottles at the spring. We had to make two trips to our campsite with all the groceries I needed for thirty days. We found a spot to pitch camp. Nice and open and dry. Jassy set her two man tent up for herself and Liam Dog. I set up my solo tent. After a dinner of noodles and chicken and hot chocolate we called it a night.

Day 2-

After a good nights sleep we were up at 8am. The sun didn’t rise above the ridge until then. I made us coffee in the French press. We then grabbed all the water bottles and water filter and headed down to the spring. We weren’t able to get to the spring without getting our feet wet. A few more days and it should be accessible. We just went up the little intermittent creek until we found a small clear pool to filter from. Fresh rainwater. When we got back to camp we decided to follow the old logging road (trail now) to where it ended at the bluff over the river, according to the map. We found a surprise waiting for us. A picnic table! Well hell, I’m set now! I’ll have a nice place to fix and eat my meals, drink my coffee, journal, read, and just sit and enjoy the view, looking out over the river valley two hundred feet below. Beautiful. Jassy and I and Liam Dog went on a three hour hike. The roads were a bit muddy, but the trails were fine. There were other hikers out here today. Two of them turned down our trail, walked past our camp and stayed at the picnic table for a bit and then walked back out. We took our lunch over there to eat. Animals seen today were an armadillo who came within ten feet of the picnic table until Liam Dog startled it by barking. Liam had watched it for a while.

Day 3-

Last night the coyotes serenaded us. We were in our tents soon after 6pm. It was too windy and dry up here for a campfire. This morning we were up at sunrise, which was 7am. After setting our watches forward for DST we started our breakfast. I saw a bald eagle heading downriver, far below where we were sitting at the picnic table. I tried out the new saw http://www.amazon.com/Chainmate-CM-24SSP-24-Inch-Survival-Pocket/dp/B0026OOS60/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1429158823&sr=8-4&keywords=trail+saw Jassy had bought me for Christmas to cut down a small oak tree for her a new hiking staff. The saw will be fine for emergency work, but I wouldn’t take on any woodcraft with it. After we returned to camp Jassy set about packing up and getting ready to leave. I loaded up my Nalgene bottles, water filter, French press, and the dirty dinner dishes from last night. We hoisted our packs and headed out to the road where her mom was to pick her up. When her mother arrived we all rode down the hill to the river valley. The main spring is still inaccessible so I went back to the secondary source I’ve been using. After we said our “Goodbyes” and much hug I sent them on their way. I returned to camp. I sorted out and moved all the groceries into the crate in the tent. We’ll see if I end up with a rodent hole chewed through the tent. I then stretched out in my hammock for a couple of hours. I’m sitting at the picnic table right now. The weather has been beautiful. Daytime highs around sixty. Nighttime lows in the mid-thirties. It just can’t get any better than that. I miss Jassy and Liam Dog already. Bring on the solitude. Twenty-seven days and a wake up until April 5th when my ride is scheduled to arrive. I believe I’m ready for it. We’ll see.

Day 4-

Last night was a pretty decent sleep night. I had taken the fleece blanket I’d brought and folded it in half twice. It is still big enough to cushion from my shoulders to my hips. Better. The Ridgerest 72” is fine for thermal barrier, but not very cushiony. This morning after breakfast and coffee I hiked down the hill for water. The spring is still inaccessible. I had to hike further up the small stream to find a pool of water. A few more days and that stream may be dry. By then though the spring may be accessible. I’ve spent most of the day in the hammock. I did dig a Dakota fire hole to burn trash. I tried it out on what trash I’ve accumulated since Jassy packed the trash out when she left. It works, somewhat. I remembered my binoculars when I came to the picnic table this time. I’d like to discover where the bald eagles are nesting. Are they nesting this time of year? Or just traveling North?

Day 5-

It started raining last night at 6:40pm. I had already called it a day and was in the tent so I had no preparations to make. I had fallen asleep with the radio on until I woke up at 11pm. It was still raining. I felt some moisture so I turned the d.light http://www.amazon.com/d-light-Solar-Rechargeable-S20-Lantern/dp/B00BJELHS0/ref=sr_1_1?s=outdoor-recreation&ie=UTF8&qid=1429160842&sr=1-1&keywords=d.light on. The back wall of the tent was wet. Not catastrophically, more of a seeping. Like tents of that high quality do when the waterproofing in the nylon wears out. I know the tent is more than fifteen years old and I’ve never had to treat it. I rolled up the pack towel and placed it where the back wall met the floor, after wiping down all the moisture I could see. I woke up when the rain stopped at 8am. Everything inside the tent was dry. The trees were still dripping so used the umbrella to make a vestibule outside the door to the tent. I knew the picnic table would be soaking wet so I just made my breakfast and coffee while sitting in the tent with the door open. It was nice. I got dressed, loaded my knapsack, grabbed my hiking staff, and umbrella and headed down the hill to the valley. There were car campers in the valley. One vehicle, two tents, and a kayak leaning against the tree. It didn’t look like anyone was there though. I went up the stream once again for water and to wash my cook pot and rinse out the French press. The pools in the streambed had been refilled by the nights rain. The water tasted so good. I dropped my knapsack at the campsite and went hiking around the top of the bluff. I’m about two hundred feet above the valley where I spent all those days, weeks, and months in the van. Herrick Ford is directly below me. http://www.mapquest.com/us/mo/herrick-ford The sun came out right at noon. After ashort nap I packed up everything I needed and headed to the picnic table. I’ve been sitting here in nothing but shorts for the last two-and-a-half hours. Beautiful weather! The breeze has a little nip to it as the temp is only sixty degrees, but the sun is hot. I’ll be doing Knorr Chicken & Broccoli rice and pasta with a 5oz can of chicken breast meat for supper tonight. Easy livin’!

Day 6-

“You need time by yourself to get in touch with who you are and to re-center your thoughts and feelings.” Dr. Laina Turner

Two weeks ago tomorrow I left Phoenix. After getting here for Winter storm Thor the weather is turning Spring-like. After my morning hike down the hill for water I spent the remainder of the day barefoot and in my shorts. Too nice! I imagine tomorrow will be a repeat of today. Why not? Haven’t seen another person in three days.

Day 7-

I finished reading “Chiczofrenia” by Laina Turner.

Day 8-

Nothing.

Day 9-

Nothing.

Day 10-

Three weeks and a wake up until my ride back to the city arrives. Friday night it rained pretty hard for about twelve hours. The inside of the tent remained dry. A little damp, but mostly dry. A good night. This afternoon I’d like to take everything out of the tent, clean the tent inside and out, and then move it aside to put down another layer of leaves underneath. It has been a fine second week of March, weather-wise. Today and tomorrow may be the first two above seventy degree days of this this year in the Ozark’s. Already at 11am I’m sitting in the sun in just my shorts. Very warm. I’ve been reading a sci-fi novel on the Kindle. It’s not too bad for being a free download. I spend most evenings listening to the radio.

All the trees along the river in the valley are bone white and dead. Some kind of insect infestation. The winters are no longer cold enough to kill off the larvae. From where I’m sitting up here on the bluff it looks bad, real bad.

Day 11-

It was a very warm night last night. Maybe fifty degrees. Compared to about thirty-five degrees the night before. I put down another layer of leaves under the tent yesterday. And it made for a wonderful nights sleep. And by 10am I had my shirt off and my shorts on. The radio said last night that it may reach eighty degrees today. It sure feels like it right now. the sun is hot and the breeze here on the ridge top is very warm. I’m just going to sit here until dinner.

Day 12-

I climbed up the bluff to the two small caves. Yep, they’re still there.

Day 13-

It started drizzling before sunrise. I didn’t bother getting up until 9am. It was still drizzling. After my hike down the hill to gather my daily water I decided to hike the trail up to the main campground. The trail comes out right at the privy at the campground. Might as well use it and shed some weight while I’m there. Nice. I walked the road back to the turnoff on the trail back to my camp. Total hiking time of three hours. I had worn my new poncho for the first time. It worked so much better than that rain suit. The one time I wore the rain suit on a hike on the Buffalo River Trail I was drenched in sweat. I haven’t wore it since. It’s history now. Colder, damp weather is predicted for the next couple of days. So I may be spending more hours in the sleeping bag. No problem.

Day 14-

Temp hovered in the forties. Spent most of the day in the sleeping bag.

Day 15-

According to the radio it is now Spring. The sun finally returned after a couple days absence. It is supposed to be in the seventies this coming weekend. I know I’ll be lying or sitting in the sun. I’m fifteen days and a wake up from my ride back to the city. Jassy said she may come out the Friday before the final Sunday to spend another weekend. That would be nice. we could spend another Saturday hiking. She also said she may come out this weekend or next weekend. I can’t remember if I gave the EBT card to jassy before we left. If I didn’t that means it has $200 on it right now. And it’ll have another $200 on it ten days after I return on the 5th of April.

I’ve been thinking about the Ozark Trail, 230 miles across Missouri. April would be a perfect month to hike it. Just thinking.

Day 16-

It looks like it is going to be a beautiful day. I’ve already made my trek down the hill and back up. That was trip number sixteen. Lying in bed last night in the silence of the forest I got to thinking. This past Winter my visit happened on the 10th anniversary of Dad’s dying. Almost exactly. He took a turn for the worse in November of 2004 and died in February of 2005. Ten years ago. Another thing I realized is that this month marks my 6th anniversary of being homeless. Which also means I’ve been unemployed for 6 ½ years. This month is also the 4th anniversary since I’ve been receiving food stamps. So yeah, I’ll sit here at the picnic table overlooking the river valley in my shorts soaking up some UV rays. The NOAA radio says the UV index is high for this weekend. Does that matter to an old sun dog? I don’t think so.

Same day, later on-

I heard them coming before I seen them. And then I seen Liam Dog in the lead followed by Jassy, Jassy’s mom and Daisy Dog. What a pleasant surprise! Jassy had brought me a half gallon of whole white milk, a half gallon of chocolate milk and a bag of Cool Ranch Doritos. Nice! We hiked out to the picnic table and had a nice visit. Back at my campsite I gathered up my two weeks of trash so Jassy could take it out with her. I walked them out to the road and after much hug they left. After they were gone I realized that I had completely forgotten about the thought I had of packing up and leaving with whoever showed up, whenever. I guess I wasn’t truly ready to go back to the city yet. Two weeks from tomorrow. Easter Sunday. Jassy’s mom will pick me up at the trailhead at noon. We’ll then head to the city and Jassy’s for an Easter dinner. It’ll be nice.

Day 17-

There is a gun range on the far south side of the forest. The shooting started at 8am sharp this morning. There were too many rounds fired during the next couple of hours for it to be anything other than a cop or a true gun nut. Sunday is a busy day out there so the gunfire has been sporadic but continual all day long so far. Hopefully tomorrow will be quieter. I saw three white tails bounding off up the ridge this morning as I was hiking down for my water. The low battery warning came on the kindle this afternoon. Seventeen days it has lasted so far. Maybe a few more days until it goes completely dead. I finished off the half gallon of white milk this morning. So today it has been just chocolate milk and Doritos to eat. That is one days worth of stove fuel not used.

Day 18-

Last night was a fairly warm night. I’m still in the goosedown bag, but last night I didn’t my socks or my hoodie. Very nice. And yesterday morning, it being so warm, I used a quart of my drinking water to wash my hair and take a sponge bath. Felt groovy! I finished off the gallon of milk. I still have a half bag of Doritos. It is somewhat overcast today. There is forecasted thunderstorms for tonight and tomorrow. Warm, but stormy. Should I move the tent out from under that tree limb? I wouldn’t call it a widow maker as I’d leave no widow, but it sure would be a rookie move to get whacked by a falling tree branch. Jassy said it looked fine. We’ll see.

Day 19-

It started raining sometime during the night. It wasn’t the forecast thunderstorm, just a bit of wind and rain. I was woken up at 7am by Tom the Turkey, gobbling his “I’m lonely. I’m horny” call. It continued until 9am when the rain stopped and I got up, got dressed and went out. Tom was standing less than a hundred yards away on the trail to the picnic table. Once he detected my movements he disappeared down off the ridge. I went for a two hour walk on the roads after my morning trek down the hill for water, and then back up. My daily dose.

Day 20-

The predicted thunderstorm arrived last night at 5:45pm. Lots of rain, thunder, lightning, and a wee bit of pea-sized hail. I sat in the doorway of the tent and watched the whole show. I had to turn the radio off because I couldn’t hear it over the din of the rain on the tent fly. everything outside was battened down and the inside stayed dry. Good times. I woke up to dense fog this morning. There was a good two inches of rain in my oatmeal cup I’d left out during the storm. After breakfast I realized that after mixing up a quart of powdered milk I’d have three empty water bottles. To my surprise I found that when I was walking back up the hill with three full water bottles, my now clean cook pot and cup, my French press, and my water filter, I was walking at near my normal flat-land walking speed. Maybe the past nineteen trips up that hill and the other hiking has paid off? The fog had burned off by the time I got back to camp. I set about doing my camp chores. The two washcloths were freshly laundered from hanging on the line during the storm. They were both still wet. I took advantage and did a quick sponge bath. White washcloth for above the waist and the brown washcloth for below the waist. I wiped down the tent form all the tree debris and the mud the rain had splashed up on it. I hung my poncho up to dry from spending the storm covering my boots and knapsack. I set the umbrella out to dry from serving as the tents vestibule all night. I was done by noon so I came out to the picnic table to sit and write in the sun. I believe that now it’s time for a nap.

Day 21-

2pm yesterday until 10am this morning, thunderstorms and rain kept me tent bound. Twenty hours. The two creeks I had to cross to get to my water source weren’t so easy to cross this morning. My boots haven’t been waterproof for a long time now. By the time I’d hiked back up the hill to camp the sun was out and somewhat warm. I pulled most everything out of the tent for a good airing out. Might as well take the opportunity while it exists.

Day 22-

A morning hike for water. Another cool day. Tent bound.

Day 23-

It was thirty-nine degrees in the tent this morning. I laid in the warmth of my sleeping bag and listened to the sound of little ice particles hitting the nylon. I finally got up about 11am and started my daily routine. I went through my larder to see how this last week will be for meals. I’m okay for coffee and oatmeal. I might have figured better on the dinners. I’ve got one tuna w/noodles for tomorrow. I’ve got chicken for tonight and four more cans of chicken. I’ll be left with six pouches of tuna. I’ll have two packets of Spanish rice, a beef flavored rice, and a packet of mashed potatoes that I’m thinking wouldn’t be very good with tuna mixed in. I guess I could just eat a pouch of tuna for lunch and have a meatless dinner a couple of times. It’ll work out. The cold front, the “clipper”, is supposed to be on its way out today. The sun is trying to break through the clouds, but the wind is still chilly. It might be another day lying in the tent.

Day 24-

Sunday morning and a gun nut over at the range. Moron. Anyway, that three regression into March weather may be over. The sun and the cumulous clouds are fighting for supremacy right now. Warmer weather is predicted for the whole coming week. Which is fine by me as I’ve only got six days and a wake up until I’m on my way back to the city. A week from this evening I’ll be watching the mad bustle of people and cars instead of hawks soaring and wild geese paddling the river. I do have all these grand plans of what I need to do, should do, when I get back to the city. But I know that I’ll probably fall right back into the routine I had before I left for Arizona almost four months ago. The same routine I’ve had for years. it is what I’m most comfortable with. A routine minus evenings at Hardee’s. I’ll just have to find somewhere else to sit. Now, with the d.light it will be possible to sit in the van and read after dark. That may be nice. At least until it gets too hot. Oh yeah, the Kindle is telling me it needs a power source. It lasted seventeen days.

Day 25-

It looks like the predicted high of seventy-something will happen today. I’ve already stripped down to my shorts here at the picnic table. The field down below in the oxbow of the river has finally turned mostly green. And the dogwoods are starting to bloom. The food situation for these last six days should be adequate. I’m just going to eat whatever, whenever, until the larder is empty. There shouldn’t be anything left except coffee, powdered milk, honey, and maybe some packets of tuna and oatmeal. I’ve got some mad cravings going on: fresh dairy products, snack crackers, and sandwiches. I forgot to give Jassy my EBT card before I left. So there should be just short of $200 on it. I return on the 5th, her EBT is credited on the 11th and mine again on the 15th. So we’re looking at nearly $600 in groceries in ten days. I see some pie baking in Jassy’s near future.

Day 26-

This morning was the warmest morning thus far since I’ve been out here. By 10am I was stripped down to my shorts, socks and boots. Tonight may be the first night sleeping in the hammock. Last night was almost too warm, even sleeping on top of the sleeping bag. Four more days and a wake up and I should be on my way back to the city. It’s about time too, as the flies have become more active and numerous. I HATE flies. I remember using those sticky fly strips when I lived in the van out here. I’ve only had ONE fly in the van the whole time boondocking in the city. And I think that one was a McDonalds native fly. I need a new cook pot. I’ve had this five piece Coleman Peak 1 stainless steel for over a quarter century. I like the smaller pot for boiling water, but simmering anything in the larger pot always ends with scrubbing. I’m thinking maybe a one quart titanium non-stick with a lid. And a small one quart whistling tea kettle would be a way handy item. It would tell me when the water is hot so I wouldn’t have to keep checking, which would probably save me some stove fuel. Just thinking. Tomorrow is supposed to be an even warmer day. Maybe the first eighty degree day here in the Ozarks this year. Not bad for the first day of April. April 5th my ride should be here and I can say goodbye to these pesky flies. I’m done with them!

Day 27-

According to NOAA “unsettled” weather is expected to move in tomorrow. Thunderstorms with strong winds and heavy rain. So, I plan on enjoying this last sunny and warm day of the final four days by sitting right here at the picnic table for as long as possible. I don’t know though, the wind is already gusting pretty good out of the south. It is keeping the flies at bay though.

Day 28-

The thunderstorm moved in at 1:50am yesterday. I was ready. I had everything stashed away. I had all my cookware ready to catch the rain. It rained and stormed hard until a little after 6pm. The rain had slowed down by then so I decided to fix some dinner. I strained the rainwater that had collected through my cleanest (?) bandana. There was more than enough for dinner. After dinner I set all the cookware back out for the nights rainfall. This morning it had finally stopped raining. There was enough rainwater collected for oatmeal and coffee. Iset off down the hill without the water bottles. First morning I didn’t need water. I had guessed right. This was the first of twenty-eight mornings that I wasn’t able to cross the first of two creeks. At least without getting my feet wet. The water in this first creek was mainly runoff from the culverts and ditches that drain the road down to the river. I wouldn’t filter and drink it unless I had to. But it is good enough to wash cook pots. The creek I usually use drains one huge ravine. It is only rain that has filtered through the forest. Good stuff. Back at camp I decided to undertake some personal grooming before it started storming and raining again and I have to retreat to the tent. A mustache trim, a shave, and a beard washing. Feelin’ groovy! I’ll wash my hair again in a couple of days. I don’t need to return to civilization looking like I need to return. Anyway, nap time.

Day 29-

This biggest thunderstorm thus far this outing started about 4:30am and lasted until about 6am. Big wind came with this one as a cold front won out and settled in. The tent held up fine. I was able to cross the creeks to fill up on water. The river was WAY up from all the rain the past few days.

Day 30- April 4, 2015 Saturday 10:45am

Last night I heard voices coming from the trail. I sat up and turned the radio volume down. I heard “Is anybody home?” I looked out and saw a long mauve colored dress in the light from a nearly full moon. I answered “Yes”. The Amish or Mennonite girl shrieked and ran back to her friends still on the trail. This morning was the coolest morning of the whole thirty days. It was thirty degrees in the tent at 7am. I’ve figured out that the moisture issue inside the tent is a ventilation issue. The inside of the tent walls were damp this morning. I don’t have anything that I need to do today. All the packing of the gear will take less than a half hour tomorrow morning. All the deep cleaning of the gear will be done before being stashed away for the season. I’m done with the solitude and the forest for a bit. I’m ready for the drone, din, and stink of the city. I just realized that I’ll have to not count either the first or last day out here to make it thirty days. I’ve already started counting so I won’t count tomorrow. Almost one complete lunar month: March 5th to April 4th. actually for me: March 6th to April 5th. Good enough. My ride should be here about this time tomorrow. Easter dinner in the city.

Concluding thoughts: None really, other than thinking that if this area were within reasonable walking distance of a store and a library I could stay out here indefinitely. I don’t have a problem with solitude or boredom. How could a person ever be bored when there is so much to think about? I’m pretty sure that after a few days of the cacophony of the city I’ll wish I were back there.

NEITHER HERE NOR THERE NOR ANYWHERE.

Last updated April 16, 2015