Having Some Fun At A New Camp

   There was nothing special about this particular Saturday, as I headed out for the usual 9AM meet-up at the local park. I decided to change things up a bit and strike out for a new camp location, just to be different.
   I was pleasantly surprised at all the bird activity, as the temperature was around 22°F and promised to get a little warmer. There were dozens of chickadees, nuthatches, woodpeckers and cardinals. The cacophony of sounds was a delight to hear.
   As there was a slight breeze bringing me a cold chill, I decided to find a spot that would provide a windbreak and a little shelter. I found it in a stand of three very large cottonwood trees standing side by side. It made for a great wall against the wind.
   After fashioning a place to sit, and erecting a couple poles to act as camera stands and later support for a tarp or two, I set to work to make a batoning station and to get the split-wood made to make a fire.
   I chose to use flint and steel with charred cloth and the fire came easy. Soon it was time to boil some water for tea and I sat and enjoyed the bird calls and the scenery.
   Another purpose I had in my outing was to play with using two video cameras instead of one. I had done this on a previous outing, with my friend Sticker. I am still polishing my technique, but I still have a ways to go in figuring the logic behind starting camera A first than a short time later, starting camera B and then reverse the process to turn off camera B first and then camera A.
   You see how that can get confusing? Especially when you are cold and clumsy and bundled with gloves and mittens and so many things to guard against the cold?
   I did manage to get the video I wanted and even played with a video effect towards the end of the video. I used a "clear circle" matte and reduced the alpha channel of the mask to increase its transparency to create a focus point to draw the viewers eye to the white tail deer in the distance. When you see it, you will know what I mean.
   So here is the video of the adventure and I hope you enjoy watching my "not so special" kind of day out.

   I am hoping to make a lot more of the two camera kind of videos and to just have fun with what I have on hand. So much to learn, so little time. Until next time, Happy Exploring.

A Cold Groundhog Day And A Try At Natural Tinder Again

   As this is my first post for the month of February, I thought it fitting to share some of the success I've had in learning how to deal with natural tinder, found on site, and their use in extreme cold temperatures.
   As posted in my blog of the last adventure we had, my friend Sticker and I wanted to get a fire going with natural tinder, found on site and getting it to ignite to flame using flint and steel. This is a very old method of lighting a fire and with it comes special considerations.
   For one, the ember or spark that you get in the charred cloth is very weak. Nothing like the 5500°F you get with a ferrocerium rod or fire steel. (e.g. the Gobspark). And when you are dealing with temperatures near 4°F, as was the case on that outing, it takes a lot of heat to raise the tinder to the ignition point, which is around 400°F or more.
   The suggestion was made by my friend Pine Martin, on the BushcraftUSA site, that we try pre-warming the tinder by wrapping it up and storing it in an inside pocket. This has the effect of not only warming the tinder by nearly 100°F, but it also helps to dry it out, as any moisture that is frozen and locked up in the tinder fiber, begins to thaw and evaporate and get absorbed by the layers of wrapping.
  So on this outing, with temperatures about -2°F, I decided to gather my tinder early and wrap it up in my bandana and put it in an inside pocket for safe keeping.
   When it came time to light the fire, I carefully prepared all of my kindling and when the time was right, I took out my tinder and worked quickly to get the ember from my charred cloth to ignite the fibers.
   With special care, and a little help by blowing some air continually into the bundle, I was able to get my fire going. The tinder caught the shavings and the shavings caught the split-wood kindling.
   Here is the video of that outing and my success with flint and steel and natural tinder found on-site and with very cold temperatures.

    I hope you enjoyed the video and that you get a chance to try for the cold challenge of using only flint and steel and charred cloth to get a fire going in the very cold temperatures of winter. It is something I will continue to practice.  Until then, Happy Exploring.