Thread: Road pics

Originally Posted by MickR

I remember being horrified when I was camping in the US, that our guide had built a great fire. I asked him what sort of wood it was as it had a really nice smell to the smoke. He told me Cedar wood, and I almost broke down in tears, thinking how could anyone burn such a beautiful wood as Cedar. And to think I had lent him my Bowie knife to cut up some kindling (No axe in camp. Do Americans have an adversity to axes, prefering Camp saws instead or something? I never saw an axe being used by anyone, in any of our camps.)


Mick

Loved your pic's btw.

As for the axe thing... that's weird. I'll take my axe before my knife any day when camping. Matter a fact, my axe is packed first - if there is room (and there always is ) after the axe, I pack my knife.

Originally Posted by Hirlau

My guess, it takes a bit of skill to swing an axe without losing a foot. A camp saw is a simple push /pull. Maybe a liability issue if the camp ground activities are strictly monitored. A lot of camp grounds in Florida don't allow you to fell wood, you have to pick up what is lying around. I was told this about a week ago from a Boy Scout troop leader. I don't know if it is good info. , but I have no reason to doubt him.

I have two nice axes, with nothing to chop.

At a campground, at Yellowstone I think it was, we were told we couldn't take any wood not laying on the ground (everywhere we went was the same). As you can imagine, Yellowstone is a popular place, and fallen wood is fairly scarce nearby. I was put on fire duties (being one of three in a party of 15 who could light a fire properly), and sent out to gather wood. I ranged further and further afield amongst close growing trees with nary a twig to be found on the ground. I finally came across a fallen pine tree about 25ft long and about 10in at the base.
Well I was damned if I was going to walk all the way back to camp just to get a camp saw, cut an armload, carry it back to camp, before repeating the process until I had enough to last. I just bent down and grabbed the base of that damn tree and started dragging it back to camp through all those close growing trees. About an hour later I broke out of the trees, sweating, swearing and cursing and putting down all the stupid American camp ground rules ever thought up, under my breath and dragging this monster bit of wood behind me. I had mis-judged my bearings a little though, and came out into our neigbours campsite.
I must say the look of shock, horror, surprise...The look on every member of that familys face will never be forgotten...Come to think of it, the look on all my camp mates faces were pretty similar too. Must be something about a bedraggled looking madman cursing with an australian accent that is a bit off putting.
There was even enough wood left over for the next campers to claim it, even after the best efforts of our guide to burn as much of it as possible, that was not appreciated by me though, as I had sawn it all as well.
The guide was quick to tell me (from his reclined position on his camp chair) that I sounded like a retarded beaver gnawing on a bit of twig. He was awful quick at jumping up, saying he's just getting a beer for me when I started towards him with that toothy old camp saw in my hand though.
I suppose that's another road I've traveled. I hope the word picture is enough though, as I don't have any other kind for that one.


Mick

Good story, Mick, that pine wood will burn good & hot.
I wanted to make it to Michigan, camping, this summer, didn't happen. It is high on my list of places to go; so is Yellowstone.
I've traveled to several far away places in the world, but most of my own country is foreign to me. It's like my damn priorities are all wrong. I will probably die and never have seen Alaska, New York or Yellowstone.

Originally Posted by MickR

I remember being horrified when I was camping in the US, that our guide had built a great fire. I asked him what sort of wood it was as it had a really nice smell to the smoke. He told me Cedar wood, and I almost broke down in tears, thinking how could anyone burn such a beautiful wood as Cedar. And to think I had lent him my Bowie knife to cut up some kindling (No axe in camp. Do Americans have an adversity to axes, prefering Camp saws instead or something? I never saw an axe being used by anyone, in any of our camps.)


Mick

This particular brand of cedar ain't the kind that makes the pretty wood. I guess it could but it doesn't get big enough for lumber around here.

Burns hot though.

Originally Posted by Hirlau

Good story, Mick, that pine wood will burn good & hot.
I wanted to make it to Michigan, camping, this summer, didn't happen. It is high on my list of places to go; so is Yellowstone.
I've traveled to several far away places in the world, but most of my own country is foreign to me. It's like my damn priorities are all wrong. I will probably die and never have seen Alaska, New York or Yellowstone.

I've seen all that you mentioned. Most all of it through a damn truck windshield going like a bat out of Hell to get someplace where they wanted their junk yesterday.

Done, done and done again Hirlau. Seen those places, walked the earth and smelt the air. I've done much of my own country as well, back in my Vagabond days. I just need to visit one State and one Territory to have done all of Australia. That's still quite a chunk of land though. Seen many a road in my life so far, and I hope to see many more before I fall off my perch too. Another trip to the US and one of Europe and the UK would be nice if I ever get the money. Time won't be an issue, but in todays economy money is tight, but I still have time...


Mick

Recent roadtrip through Arizona, Utah, Colorado. I love the Southwest. Some of you will recognize this place:

Your driving I the wrong side of the road man hahahahah jk

Originally Posted by MickR

At a campground, at Yellowstone I think it was, we were told we couldn't take any wood not laying on the ground (everywhere we went was the same). As you can imagine, Yellowstone is a popular place, and fallen wood is fairly scarce nearby.

I must say the look of shock, horror, surprise...The look on every member of that familys face will never be forgotten
Mick

Can you imagine if that they allowed cutting there would be no standing trees in the range that it took you to find the fallen one. Now around here they won't allow the transport of firewood of if {I remember right 50 miles} because of possible disease. I think it is mainly a feel good measure though as bugs and birds fly just maybe not as fast as humans. I had a similar experience a few weeks ago in a National Forest campground. My stick was only about 3 inches around though! Personally I prefer a chainsaw and a splitting maul for wood cutting. Big fires are not a waste in my mind if I cull and cut dead or dying junk trees.

Originally Posted by Hirlau

Good story, Mick, that pine wood will burn good & hot.
I wanted to make it to Michigan, camping, this summer, didn't happen. It is high on my list of places to go; so is Yellowstone.
I've traveled to several far away places in the world, but most of my own country is foreign to me. It's like my damn priorities are all wrong. I will probably die and never have seen Alaska, New York or Yellowstone.

Although Australia is on my list, the older I get the more I realize that I could spend every waking moment searching and not find all the wonderful and interesting things within 100 miles of my house.

Tim

Originally Posted by 32t

Can you imagine if that they allowed cutting there would be no standing trees in the range that it took you to find the fallen one. Now around here they won't allow the transport of firewood of if {I remember right 50 miles} because of possible disease. I think it is mainly a feel good measure though as bugs and birds fly just maybe not as fast as humans. I had a similar experience a few weeks ago in a National Forest campground. My stick was only about 3 inches around though! Personally I prefer a chainsaw and a splitting maul for wood cutting. Big fires are not a waste in my mind if I cull and cut dead or dying junk trees.


Although Australia is on my list, the older I get the more I realize that I could spend every waking moment searching and not find all the wonderful and interesting things within 100 miles of my house.

Tim

I would never condone the felling of a live tree in a National park without good reason. Not only that, but it takes a lot more than a jerry can of fuel to get them green buggers to burn properly .

Big fires in this same circumstance are a waste, as that leaves less wood for the next camper to use. Apart from that I agree with you.

And while I'm posting, I had my memory jogged by the photos of what looks to me like Monument valley in Nevada, another place I've been to and fallen in love with. The following pic I took on the road heading to Longreach in Outback Queensland...





Mick

Been a slow week for pics this week. Had a new crew from Sharpton's part of the world to shove around up here.

Those kids have seen stuff they NEVER knew existed in TX and I've only worked 'em two days this week as we got rained out yesterday. Those city boys are TOTALLY out of their element.
I was working them up in the North end of Jack County pretty much all day today. It's rough country and I love it.

One of 'em asked me today, "What kinds of snakes you gots aroun here?" I answered with "What kind do want? I'll see if I can find one for you."

His response was

I'll have 'em out West near the old ghost town of Thurber tomorrow. That'll be fun.

Saw a prickly pear cactus growing on a rock. All that stuff around that rock USUALLY isn't green, but they've had some good rains up there in the last week.


You can eat the red fruit on those cacti. Just have to REAL careful pickin 'em. They have little tufts in spots on 'em that look like velvet. IT AIN'T! It's about a thousand little teeny weeny thorns. They're the little white looking spots in this pic.



The big thorns on the leaves are tough too. I had a horse fall with me in clump of that stuff that was about three times bigger than me and the horse. You talk a bout a wreck! We had one that afternoon. I picked thorns out my hide and the horse for three days.

Watched a couple of white winged dove messing around beside the truck Monday morning.