Trip to Canada

[Machine 0]

Ok it has taken me a while.  I have been very busy since returning.  But here are some pics of my trip to Canada to train with Bow.  First let me say, it was a great experience.  CAnada is BEAUTIFUL!  Bow is a great guy with much knowledge.  It was a great time....I had a chance to meet the Mooseman.  Cool guy!  The training was incredilble.  I will try to add a few more pics, but this will give you a overview of things there. 

 

This is me when we first arrived......notice the ground....that wouldn't last long.

 

 

This is what started happening soon after we arrived....I think they called it snow...... 8|  :hugegrin:  We are not used to seeing that for a while back home.  But it was nice.

 

 

This is what we awoke to the next morning.  The sunrise with the snow was awesome.

 

 

This is Bow showing us fire making.

 

 

Even I was able to do it. 

 

 

This is my Christmas tree......ok....not really.....it just was a beautiful shot in the morning with all the snow.......AGAIN!  :hugegrin:

 

 

This was my thermometer at about 2:00 in the morning......it got lower than that, but at the time of the pic, it was 0 degree F.

 

 

This is the gang....Mooseman, Mr. Fudd, King of the Gypsies, Machine, and Big Man

 

 

This is the road we are supposed to be leaving on the next morning........looks like it should be fun!

 

 

As we were leaving and on the way home....here is a rainbow that appeared....seemed like a cool way to top off the time there.

 

 

 

I don't have alot of shots of training.......why.....because it is hard to take  pics while training....but I figured these would give you some ideas of what things were like. 

[Machine 0]

Big Man gets fire! 

 

 

Mr Fudd, Mooseman, and King of the Gypsies working fire

 

[Guest Lead Dog]

Looks like a lot of fun!  What did you guys learn about other than fire making?

 

[Machine 0]

That Canada is COLD and SNOWY!  We learned fire, shelter, water for the most part.  We worked some trapping also. 

[Bigblue 0]

Machine - That looks like an AWSOME time. I told you Ontario was gonna be chilly!!! It looks like you were ready for it though. In the picture of "Bow showing us fire making", what method and material is he using?

[Machine 0]

That was NOT chilly....that was down right COLD!!!  That was flint and steel.  I think at that time we were using punk.....

[LOST 0]

Machine, they are excellent photos of the Canandian Wilderness.  Sounds as though the experience was great for you.  Keep forever practicing and improving, and you will be saving other lives one day with your skills.  Thank you very much for sharng those.

[mooseman 0]

That was NOT chilly....that was down right COLD!!!  That was flint and steel.  I think at that time we were using punk.....

 

ohh sometimes it gets much worse than what was there and i'm sure it gets much worse up there in Jan/Feb 

[Frostie 0]

Mooseman's right it does get alot colder up there  :yes:.

 

Machine that's just alittle bit of snow. Be glad you were in Northern Ontario, it rained in the southern part. Looks like you guys had a great time. Glad you enjoy your time in Ontario. Hope you come back again.

[Swede 4]

Hell of a bunch of men. Im afraid my winter camping (or any camping) days are over. Great pictures Machine and thank you for representing our forum up there.Your out there doing it while the rest of us are just talkin about it. :pray: :thumbsup:

[BOW 0]

:grin:

Hello all............

 

:Reference to the recent training,, held up here in CANADA.

 

Machine and his band of merry men i have found to be a  are a great bunch of guys,,,, i had a great time with them,,, it was truly my pleasure to take them in the bush..

i have seen some men walk into the training and now, i  have seen some "children of the woods" leave,,,,,

they will be missed...

bow

[Bravo 0]

Awesome - wish I was there so I could join this trainings

[Machine 0]

Ok,

  I actually have a minute I will tell you a little about my thoughts on the trip.  First, it was AWESOME!  I had a great time and Bow is a great TEACHER.  That is something that is hard to find.  There are many instructors, but few teachers.  I was expecting to go up there and learn "survival" skills.  To really rough it....eating bugs, crawling around a swamp....you know...really cool movie type stuff.  It was NOTHING like that.  As Bow pointed out, it is not about survival....what are we trying to survive from?  It is about the bush and bush skills.  So once we got over some of our "hang ups" we could train.  Bow is not about teaching skills, he is about developing bush people.  Everything he does is about teaching....whether it is starting a fire or making a meal.  That is what makes him who he is.  Like he said on another post...what good would his skills (or any of ours) be if we kept them to ourselves?  He is willing to share.  His teaching style is VERY different.  Most instructors would have not taken a class out in what we were in.  It was cold, snowy, and wet.  But to learn the bush you need to be in the bush.  So do I have a BIG "survival" story?  No....all I have is the bush skills I learned.  To me, that is better than anything.  It was nothing like I expected (I am glad for that).....I miss being there and can't wait to go back.....(I know, Bow, if you are reading this, be careful what you wish for!)  But it was a great time, with great friends learning bush skills....in the bush! 

[Machine 0]

PS....more pics to come......

[Bigblue 0]

As Bow pointed out, it is not about survival....what are we trying to survive from?

 

Machine, Bow - Wow, and all along I thought I was the only one who held this perspective!! 

 

I believe there are two camps of thought in the world of Wilderness Living Skills/Bushcraft:

1) "Being one with nature" - a school of thought popularized by folks like Ray Mears and Tom Brown Jr. and obviously embraced by Mr. Beaucamp.

2) Being one against nature - a mentality/tactic displayed by folks like Bear whatever-his-last-name-is and by Les Stroud.

 

The first school works on the theory that man is an integral component of the natural world and that embracing its parts and processes is a necessity not only for survival as a species but, also for our species and planet to thrive.

 

The second school operates on the more homocentric assumption that man is king of the beasts and that all living things are subserviant to man.... that the way to survive in the wild is to conquer the wild.

 

If a person is able to first graduate from school #1, it then becomes much easier to be sucessful in school #2.

 

In short - conflict vs. negotiation - no real winners vs. no real losers.

 

Now, before I get burnt at the stake for disparaging good people like Les and Bear, please understand that I have great respect for what they have to offer professionally, and I'm sure that if I were to meet them, I'd probably like them personally. But, I happen to believe that the second school promotes a narrow-minded, short-term method for "surviving" as a species..... and as a planet. 

 

To paraphraze: "If you're gonna tinker with the process, remember to save all the parts".

 

BB

 

 

[Swede 4]

Thank you so much Bow to take the time to come here and post. Your getting quite the reputation in our SURVIVAL circles. I met with Wendy Brian and Radek earlier this fall and I was dissipointed not to have met you while I was there.

 

I understand what Blue is saying about Grillis and Stroud. While I totally respect their abilities in the bush I think their programs demonstrate the pressure from the entainment aspect they have to deal with. Les seems paranoid about offending any one and Bear seems to be trying to make his shows action packed. Making what he does as reckless and unnessary for a true SURVIVAL situation.

 

Thanks again. :thumbsup:

[Machine 0]

Here are a few more pics.  I will put more as time allows.

 

Mr Fudd and Machine working fire.

 

 

King of the Gypsies by the fire

 

 

Mooseman chillin out

 

 

Machine staying warm in Canada

 

[Swede 4]

Heres a picture of Mooseman and Machine. Did you guys stay in the same tent? 8|

[Machine 0]

BWAH, HA, ha, ha, ha.......That is funny........

 

 

[Adi 0]

Looks like you guys had a wonderfull trip, up there with Bow.

 

 

[mooseman 0]

:rofll: :rofll: HAHAHA Swede nice pic  :rofl:

 

Adi,  we had a GREAT time up there.  Bow is a great teacher and I would love to go back.

[Holly 0]

I can't even imagine how cold you guys were!  :hugegrin:  That is just awesome!  I'm so glad you were able to get together and learn some new skills from such an accomplished woodsman like Bow.  What a privilege!  Hopefully, there will be many more opportunities for folks to meet like this.

 

(Machine, how many days did it take for you to thaw out?) 

[Machine 0]

Not long.....Thumper gave me a BIG hug when I got home!

 

Edited:  OOPS!

[Holly 0]

8|  A big huge WHAT, Machine?  I think you left something out, my friend!  :woot:

[Machine 0]

:blushing:

 

:whistle: