I'm applying to conservation corps. I know the pay is going to shit but I'm retarded and I think it's cool to camp and work on trails all day.Anyone have experiences with /out/ jobs?
>>2856976I'm a seasonal canoe guide in the boundary waters! In the off-season I'm a university scuba instructor, the diving safety officer for a zoo, and filmmaker. Right now I'm training to become a hotshot (wildland firefighter) and usaf reserve sere specialist (survival instructor for pilots/aircrew). I highly recommend getting involved with your local volunteer rescue squad, a lot of them have great free/reduced training that helps land /out/ careers: ICS/FEMA courses, WFR/related credentials, emergency radio (ARES), cave rescue (NCRC), public safety diver (ERDI), referrals for red card and cheap EMT night classes, I'm even getting my rope and tower rescue technician (NFPA) certs for free - that's a 5-6000 dollar value out of pocket.
I'm gonna be picking fruit for my summer job on my cousin's farm (the family fruit farm), I'm actually running the numbers on making my own. I live in the city (small town really but they don't want to incorporate it to the town because then our taxes would drop and we'd have freedoms), land here is 1 dollar per square foot average so really I could spend a few thousand and make a small farm in the city and just sell to market. This would net me enough money a year in less than an acre of land to just work my land on summers and do nothing the rest of the year.>Why not just work the family farm broIt's not the same if it's not my land or my berries I'm growing.
>>2865149I guess that answers that.
>>2866669>>2865149Lol, yes and no. Actual pay rate isnt the full story. Fire assignments, subsidized housing, SAR overtime, multiple ways you can make more. And in a lot of places you just cant spend money because you are in the middle of nowhere. And theres lots of intangibles like getting to live in a remote place that most people will be lucky to see once in a lifetime. And the people that end up in this work just have more ascetic lifestyles, and most spend their leisure time doing free recreation on public lands. But no you are not getting a big house with big tvs and big cars unless you really work your way up the admin ladder. And getting in to a fulltime position can take some years of low paid seasons first
>>2865152Park ranger for the feds, and more of an old style generalist ranger. I manage land. I work on trails and roads and facilities, I talk to and help people, I respond for search and rescue or medicals, I learn the land by exploring it, I try to stop people doing bad shit, I work on restoration projects, I do controlled burns and go on fire assignments, I run programs for kids and work booths at local fairs, I collect all sorts of data, and perhaps most of all I collect trash. Lots of trash>>2866820To add, all federal employee salaries are public, you can look up the rates of any position. Most fulltime employees doing only or mostly field work are in the GS 5-9 range.
any tips for not being scared shitless while solo night hiking? i overnight camp a lot and have night hiked with friends which isnt scary at all but i recently acquired a pvs14 and have been going out alone at night and its been terrifying im worried about obvious shit like falling off cliffs or breaking an ankle and i have bear spray for hostile beasts but theres some unnamed thing i fear seeing through the tube that makes my hair stand up on end ive started wearing a silver cross and carrying a small bible to mitigate this but it doesnt help much, any pointers?
>>2865860believe you are the apex predator of the forest. which, personally, i am.
>>2865914>they survived the dark placesThat's because they stayed inside.
I usually get drunk
Mostly LARP responses here. "Just do x" is pointless advice in the moment. Yes, you need to "channel your ancestors" and "own the woods" and so on, but you also can't rationalize your way out of this fear. The thing you're feeling is primordial, it overrides and exceeds reason. You may be walking in well trod forests with clear understanding of predators - it won't matter because the feeling comes from the primordial forest, the primordial earth, from pre-modernity, pre-civilization. The only thing that you can do about it is:1. Exposure: You need to go out alone a lot. This doesn't completely resolve the thing you're feeling but it does blunt the flight response. 2. Acceptance: Over time recognize the feeling as innate and absolute. It's there because it needs to be and it makes more sense that it's there than not. You have to, again over time, "let it in". It isn't the same as being "prey".You feel comfortable with others because it is equally natural and provides natural and psychic defence. Being alone is extreme exposure to what's there and what isn't and there's no getting over it completely.
>>2866672Pre emptive defensive rape
Is it wrong to buy a knife just because you think it looks nice? >pic relatedI know it's not super steel, or the best value for money.I just like how it looks.
>>2866320When did you actually expect to use that? That looks like something a 13 year old thinks is "sick dude"
>>2866643Scoring oranges
>>2862359you can do whatever you want with your money. but brother that knife looks like shit
>>2866511pic related one of the best knife sharpening tools ever. cheap knifes wont hold an edge, but two strokes one from each side on the good ole hacksaw gives them a micro serration and that will hold up. its not good for everything but it slice bread, guts fish and any kind of work when sawing with the blade is normal, often better than a plain sharp edge. they cant carve for shit and do such precision work. idealy you should have a quality sharp knife as secondary and what i said as primary.
>>2862359Having a good knife is always cool.Having a knife you just like is the second kind of cool. That is entirely personal to you and up to you to decide if it's worth it. As long as you're not deluding yourself about why you own it, nobody has a right to criticize.There is nothing wrong with buying something just because you like it. Knives are aesthetic objects, in addition to being occasionally useful. I have several knives I own that just get used for opening packages or whatever because they're close at hand all over my place. You should always have knives around for little stuff like that. But if I'm going and doing something specific, I use the right tool for that job.It may not be the most efficient way to spend your money, but having a bunch of junk knives scattered about that you enjoy for reasons other than how good the steel is can still be useful and beneficial, and if it makes you happy then go for it, have fun.It's also fine to own knives purely for decoration. I got some legit war bayonets that I'll never use for anything but I just like owning a piece of history, and collecting things that aren't made anymore.
can anyone recommend a good pair of hiking boots? price doesn't really matter, i'm just trying to get a decent pair of boots that won't bust a hole straight through the bottom like my last pair (my walking posture is fine)
>>2863762socks and sandals before they were cool.
I've been /out/ for a few winters and don't see the point in boots. If it's raining and you're walking around in mud and you don't have any great way to dry your socks then a pair of sandals makes more sense to me. Worked for the Romans. Am I a total moron?
>>2857647>as I find limmer's too narrowThey have wide sizes and as of very recently EE (double wide)
>>2843610I'm a guide in the BWCAW, and I use the Astral TR1 Merge 2.0. These are made to get wet, so if you're doing anything water-based like canoe camping they're what I would get. Unfortunately they get a bit of wear on them, but I've only noticed that because I put an insane amount of miles on them when I'm out on the water for 3 months at a time. They're also a great caving shoe, I just did a cave rescue class in them and they held up great. The ankle support, drainage, and soles are great, I just beat the hell out of mine.
>>2863762>be Roman>make boots>then cut a dozen holes in them>wonder why your men are collapsing and their limbs are rotting off
The sky in Java, Thailand.
Beautiful
going to a natural reserve with my dog, dogs ae not allowed, gonna camp there and make a short film, how do i hide the dog in the car so the policemen in the gates don't see it
>>28663641. Park mIle from reserve road.2. Walk dog out to a spot and tie to a tree. If he's a noisy put muzzle on or give him sleeping pills.3. Go in gate and say ' yes, I have no dogs today.'4. Go park wherever set up camp.5. Forest policeman goes home or shift change, now is the time to go for a leisurely stroll.6. Circle through trails wilding your way back to where you left dog.7. If dog didn't run away or a bear didn't eat him, you can collect your dog and go back to camp.Pro tip: It's always good to set up your camp as a decoy site and make your real camp up hill aways camouflaged where you can observe any strangers trying to sneak up on your tent to murder you.
>>2866364Go somewhere that your dog is allowed instead of trying to get it seized and put down.
>>2866364Hat and sunglasses on the dog works every time
Get one of these and hide your dog in the can
>>2866364pair of these work for sure
I love sniffing wisteria
>>2864594Primula, Wisteria, Leylandii
>>2864594Be careful not to eat it unless you're looking for a painful end
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ef-wnIWOM-o
I'm sure many people have seen clips on their Ring cam of me sniffing the fragrant purple flowers in front of their house.
Dictamnus albus.https://youtu.be/OH7u4xFmpP0>The gas plant, scientifically known as Dictamnus albus, releases volatile oils that can catch fire in hot weather, making it notable for its combustible properties. This plant is also commonly referred to as burning bush.
Back in 2008 I was 13 years old when my dad decided to pack up the family and move from Alaska to the lower 48. It was a 5 day journey, being stuck in a minivan with 3 other siblings with nothing but junk food like chips and poptarts. Here are a couple of quick (but boring) incidents on the road.>outside Alaskan border in Yukon.>family stops around mid-day to eat at diner>It looked exactly like a fantasy gnome forest, enormous pine trees so dense I looked dark in the day>after we head across the road to a trail leading to a hotsprings.>bout 20 people there and my family is standing on the walk dipping our toes in the water and boiled their toes off>Canadians laughing at the American clowns that didnt know hotsprings had a temperature gradient.>leave embarrassed another>stopped in Canadian small town with a pig factory to sleep in a parking lot>stench so aweful it was difficult to sleep, kinda like smoke but mixed with dogfood and garbage>1am>wake up with insane cramps and knew I had to blow shit out of my keister>look outside>literal serial killer port-a-john in front of the dark woodsComment too long. Click here to view the full text.
>>2863411>>>his “pack” consisting of a shoulder slung lunch box with Welch’s gummies, 2 oranges and 4 bottles of waterThe first time I went /out/ with my now wife, she carried two school bags. One on her front and one on her back. The trip was an "easy" overnight loop, five miles in and three out. The rub was it was a very steep section hike of the Pinhoti Trail. She made it, amazingly, but the first thing she said when we got to the car was "get me a real goddamn pack like yours."
Dolph didn’t believe in maps. Dolph believed in roads.The highways of Erica stretched like veins across the land—cracked asphalt, flickering gas stations, humming through the night. Dolph moved through it all in a sun-faded sedan that smelled faintly of motor oil and something sharper.“Dolph keeps it moving,” he would say aloud, even when no one was there. Especially when no one was there.In the glove box: a ledger with no names. In the trunk: tightly wrapped packages Dolph never opened. Dolph didn’t ask questions. Dolph made deliveries.Each town blurred into the next. A diner at 2 a.m., neon buzzing. A woman with tired eyes sliding coffee across the counter.“You passing through?” she asked.“Dolph is always passing through,” he replied, staring at his reflection in the chrome napkin holder. “Staying still isn’t Dolph’s way.”She didn’t press further. People in Erica learned quickly—some travelers came with stories, others came with silence.The nights were the hardest. Long, empty stretches where headlights cut tunnels through darkness. That’s when Dolph talked the most.“Dolph is doing what Dolph has to do,” he’d mutter, fingers drumming the wheel.“Dolph isn’t stuck. Dolph is free.”But sometimes, the words didn’t land right.Somewhere between mile markers and state lines, Dolph started noticing things—the same car appearing too often in the rearview, the same song playing on different stations, the same feeling that the road wasn’t endless after all… just looping.One night, he pulled over.No town. No lights. Just wind moving through dead grass.Comment too long. Click here to view the full text.
>>2863414Jump off a cliff
>>2863416Sounds like a wholesome experience. One day you will be glad you took that walk with your brother. Inspiring him to go outdoors, leading the way, providing sustenance, pushing him to his limits and being there to save his bacon in the end.I hope you realise how much of a good brother you are.
>>2863414>hikong with a first timer>it dawns on me that the possibility of us not leaving before sundown is very realmany such cases
Hello. Newfag here. I work outside in railway maintenance and I need a new pair of sunglasses. Are eagle eyes worth buying or just a gimmick? Any other suggestions?
>>2864537>she only works 16 hours a daylol i bet those glasses match your purse>>2864519op you want a pair of pit vipers, we all wear them 32 hours straight every day on the rig
>>2864532>>2864929Are pit vipers that good?
>>2864532>>2864929>>2866468pit vipers make you look as if you have microcephaly
>>2864519One of my dad's friends left a pair of those in his truck and I wore and abused them for years before they eventually fell apart. Id say theyre on par with any other 30$ pair of sunglasses.
>>2864519All branded lenses are a gimmick, no-name gas station shades do the job just as well. The only thing in sunglasses that isn't just a marketing trick is a polarized lens.
My buddy wants to go on an overnight trip on the AT in April, but he has a herniated disc. Any advice on how to keep him from demolishing his back? I'll try to get him to pack gear that's less than 30lbs, and we'll be doing like maybe 5 miles per day. Just go at a slow pace and see what happens?
>>2864568I'm gonna be honest with you, it seems like a terrible idea. That being said, if you're going to do it anyways I'd plan for the worst. I imagine its going to be hard to get a good nights sleep, so a thick inflatable sleeping pad would be good. Lidocaine patches, oral steroids or oxys if you can get a doctor to write a scrip for them (they won't). Any weight you can save by sharing equipment will be important because I expect him not to be able to carry much, stuff like sharing a stove, a two person tent instead of each bringing your own.
>>2864568have him do a practice ruck of ~5miles with a 30 pound back.i'd suggest at a track or something so you can scoop his dumb ass off the ground when he fails. if he has trouble on a FLAT surface, you know with 100% certainty he's not going to get very far on a hike.
>>2864568can't wait for the thread about the news article on his retarded death
>>2864572We did that last night, walked for 2 hours on a trail and he texted me at 4am that his back was fucked. I'm glad we did that lol thank you
>>2866503Girdle, weight lifting belt, load bearing combat belt, comical cargo pants— get the weight low. Or that roll ball meat packer thing you can drag behind by a rope, lol.
Urbanex anons, where do you find abandoned locations on the map? I've been seriously considering getting into urbanex (purchasing equipment and doing preliminary safety training), but I'm stuck on the research side of things. Are there any good databases of locations that are known to be worth exploring?
juste use google earth, it's often enough. If you need fancy spots you can OSINT youtube videos from other urbexers.It's okay to get somewhere and not go inside once you see the place in person.
there are public databases and forums too but imo theyre often closed off or have heightened security by the time you see the pings. those places can still be fun to see in-person though, assuming it's not fucked on the security part. If you're serious, I recommend a mix of what the anon above said and maybe cross referencing local, lowkey news articles on closures/abandoned places. that helped me find a few places. The main thing, that the other anon also pointed out, is that you might not be going inside some places for a myriad of reasons. Just exploring my old hometown a bit was way funner than I'd expected though.For context, I'm obviously not seasoned, but as someone who tried this shit for a week because my brother and his friend wanted me to look into it when I visited, I quickly realized this shit was not for the faint of heart. We made it into an abandoned amusement park and the outer infrastructure of some other places. I'm just a massive pussy, but it was truly horrifying to me cuz you couldn't tell if a sound was a cop/crackhead/raccoon (crackhead was the biggest fear). I'd definitely never do it again personally and imo make sure your cardio is good
>>2865281urbexology has a nice map
My e-bike arrives today
>>2864786who bikes on trails?
>>2864788Ebike fags.
>>2864788If you're on the west coast, anyone with a bicycle. And then they get mad at you for hiking on the trail lel
>>2864786https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=njgxH1aEg7w
bikers in general will always be weak and pathetic.https://www.youtube.com/shorts/GlL1DJidDU8
when did realtree edge become streetwear ? this used to be a show of character -- that you'd wear this if you were a hunter with grit and interesting pasttime. now it's just for douchebag zoomers whose only hobby is being bad at managing their mcdonald's paychecks. how gay is that ! anyone else feel like putting their balls in these people's mouths ? read this sentence if you agree.
>>2866294Too bad, I didn't read anything you said besides the first sentence of the first post
It’s because “they” are trying to coop the last vestiges of white culture and diversify it so you have no where to run. It’s why beyonce has a country album and old navy has a line of camo clothing. Your culture will be appropriated, marketed, watered down, assimilated and eventually destroyed and there is nothing you can or will do about it.
>>2866235Silly sweaty, it’s 2026, if you want hunter street cred you realtree your guns
>>2866251>over 10 years nowWearing camo as daily wear has been the provenance of townies with no jobs, crust punks, hipsters, and the performatively country since the the Vietnam War. And before the 80s, hunters just wore brown and all the camo was milsurp.People in realtree when not actively hunting are only not in these categories when they’re too poor to have a second jacket, using your hunting clothes as daily wear is bad for scent control and also the longevity of what were reasonably expensive garments (compared to solid color clothes). This has been the case since before Jim Crumley started selling Treebark.
>>2866354I wear camo pants because I'm thrash metal \m/
Who here would be in favor of a new class of year round Hunting license, just for primitive spear and club hunting.Optionally For reasons of funny it comes with a requirement of only being allowed loinclothes, chestwraps and sandals for clothing during the hunt, and no motor vehicles within two miles of the hunting ground
>>2864967Would they prosecute you for hunting with a spear or club? After all you didn't use a gun or a bow.
>>2865114Stuck pig’ll run up a spear. Scary as fuck.
>>2865097Why would you post a pic of your mother's broomstick??
>>2864967Bullets are already like mini spears anyway. Not really any point.
That sounds like a good reason, call it a cultural tradition passed down by our neolithic ancestors.I watched a documentary ages ago about a woman who taught classes about this and they would live for 3 months out in the wild and hunt buffalo, it was cool in an autistic realism kind of way.
As a city boy who never left his outside of his comfort zone, how do I find the courage to explore the unknown?
>>2866256Stay in your containment zone instead
>>2866256Just start slowly. Find a foresty area that is so small there's no way you will get lost, then just walk through it. Drive to a place, take a trail or path from it, then eventually... just turn around.
