Prepping For A Big Hike....A Real Big Hike.

At the end of June, I will be going on the biggest adventure I could imagine doing physically.  My husband and I will be hiking the High Country Pathway (HCP) in Northern Michigans Lower peninsula.  It is 80 miles, and it is a loop so where we park the car and start is also where we end. 

                                                                   
Wild
           Yes, I did see the movie "Wild"..... Yes, It is an inspiration.  No, my life was not as reckless as Reese Witherspoons character......But yes, I've made mistakes, maybe acted a little wild and as a result I had to grow up very fast at an early age.  For years I have been finding myself.  I know who I am, I know where I belong, but this hike is going to be a huge challenge for me and I'm hoping I feel peace with myself, I hope I feel accomplishment, I hope I feel centered, and I hope I feel even more like I can do anything.

                                                   

 A Team Effort

            My husband will be joining me on this Hike.  I have been planning this intensely and methodically for the last month,  My husband is stronger then me and has not had to do quite as much physical training as me.  I have a weak back, in fact I throw it out if I have to huge of a sneeze.  We are a strong couple...Together for almost 19 years, and getting ready to celebrate 13 years of marriage.  We are a goofy, funny, light hearted couple.  Sometimes we do and say the silliest things and say "my gosh people would think we are crazy"  Or  "Do you think other couples act like this?"  I love it.  This is going to either be a huge triumph for him and I or we are going to kill each other every step of the way.  (probably a bit of both)

                                             

 My mental state

          I have been thinking more lately, How am I going to feel on this hike?  Am I going to get through this and be fist pumping at the end like a seriously tough bad ass, or am I going to cry most of the way through saying "why the heck did I feel like I needed to do this!! Lets call someone to rescue us!!!"  I'm a little nervous to be honest.  I'm not very physically strong.  I do however feel like I'm mentally strong.  One of the worst things a person can say to me is that I cant do something, because I will do whatever I have to do prove you wrong.

                                               

Prepping Gear

     Oh My Lord!  Ummmm, Heavy.  Shall I start a list?
1. Two Person Tent
2. sweat wicking clothing for a couple days to wear until they stink like hell
3. long johns to sleep in
4.  Sleeping bag
5.  Dehydrated food for 4 days, and a crap ton of peanuts and granola snacks
6.  First aid, cortisone cream, sunblock, bug spray, flushable wipes (yep)
7.  Water purification system so we dont get diarrhea for days, and puke to death.
8.  Water bottles
9.  weapons
10.  walking poles
11.  fire starting supplies
12.  Bathing supplies
13.  GPS, paper map, cell phones, camera, power pack

Dang, I could probably get really picky and name more stuff but this is about the most of what we are taking.  We have practice packed and we are both at about 23 pounds each including our hiking bags.
We both have 45 Liter bags.  We got multiple bags, and finally have decided on the most comfy.

                                   

Are We Going To Die?

      I kid, I kid.....no really.......Its bear and elk territory and a little cougar or bob cat.  I know, hang our food bags away from camp up in a tree,  Keep your scents as little as possible.  Honestly, I dont have too much of a fear of animal attacks.  Weapons can help with that.

                                               

Journaling This Trip

         
             I will be carrying a journal to hand write everything about this hike.  So add that to my list of gear to bring.... The journal and pen.

Beçk¥

The Anti Movement (womp womp)

   

One of my most proud moments of being an outdoorsman/woman.  My son sitting with his first buck and my Dad.
It could bring tears to my eyes.  To know I was raised in this lifestyle,
and to witness the transition to seeing my children follow in it and enjoy it is so fulfilling.  

Me sitting on my dads lap as a little girl,
ice fishing with him and my brother.

 It seems as of late there has been quite an anti hunting movement going on, especially aimed at women hunters.  I don't quite know why the direct aim at women, but I am a woman and as a hunter I do not understand what the difference between men and women is when it comes to hunting.  Do antis feel it is easier to aim at women because they think we are weaker or its going to hurt our feelings easier?  This entry will be based solely from my opinions and judgments.  First off let me tell you, that as a woman in general, coming at me in anger or in any way that I may feel I need to defend myself is only going to enrage me and cause me to maybe lash back at you.......And because I'm a woman, I will be as lady like I as I possibly can but will also be vicious because I will not be cornered, and I will not let someone ever talk down to me.
      My Story:  I was raised hunting and fishing with my father, uncle, brother, and grandfather.  I loved every second of being in the woods and on the water with them.  Just prepping the blinds and land, I loved exploring every bit of nature.  When I was very young I remember my dad bringing his 8 point buck home and hanging it in the garage.  I felt so excited for him.  I knew all the work he put into hunting and preparing for his hunts.  The same goes with fishing.  Him catching big fish, and him seeing his children catch big fish was very exciting, it's a very proud feeling a parent and a child have.  To have an anti try to knock down all that hard work, all that passion, love, and lifetime of quality time as a "murderous rampage" that we are on is so disrespectful.
     My parents divorced when I was about 9 years old, and I was not able to be in the woods with my dad the same that I was before, life happens sometimes and it took me becoming a wife and mother to find myself again.  And by "myself" I mean, back to nature, having the passion of the outdoors again.  Raising a family hunting and fishing and feeling proud.  I married the most fun outdoors man.  We have two children, we all hunt together and fish together. I feel like a kid again, but now I'm that proud parent that gets to see their child kill their first deer, and more deer after that.  I'm the proud parent who gets to watch their child reel in a big honking large mouth bass, or a tiny little sun fish, or maybe fight a log for ten minutes  but feel so proud and excited for them.  And here is the biggest part of being a hunter, fisherman/woman, we eat it all.  We do not waste our food.
      For the last 5 years we have legally shot all of the red meat that we eat.  I'm proud to say our family has not had to go to the grocery store and buy that antibiotic loaded crap.  We work really hard to maintain our property, endless hours planting plots, removing dead trees.  Antis think we just walk outside and "murder" the first thing we see.  That is far from the truth.  Personally we saw more deer on our property this last season then we have in 5 years, and we harvested the least amount of deer this year.  We pick and choose the ones we feel are right for taking.
    When it comes to fishing sure we fish for fun, it is fun.  If we don't take it home to clean and eat, then it gets thrown back into the water to keep living. If it's a fish like a carp, we can take it home and add it to our gardens and flower beds because its an amazing fertilizer.  It's called the circle of life.
    It really makes me mad to see all these women outdoorsmen attacked so hatefully for loving hunting and fishing.  It is absolutely legal to hunt and fish.  Antis are making death threats.......DEATH THREATS!!  Wishing death on another human being is disgusting, and its an anti hunter wishing death on a person?!  Bizarre.  As a hunter I am not protesting you and coming and mowing all your pretty flowers down.  I am not posting death threats to you, I could give a crap less what you are doing in your own life, so why the hell do you care so much about mine..... especially to wish death, torture, harm to hunters and their families.
     Here is my honest thought on why female hunters are being targeted.  You ANTI, are nothing more then a coward sitting behind a computer screen, thinking that you are going to hurt my feelings and scare me into a lifestyle that you want.  Sorry, not going to happen!  EVER!  Keep up with your garbage threats, one day they will back fire on you.  We women (and men) are going to keep hunting, keep fishing, keep having our passion, keep teaching our kids what we as humans have been doing to survive for thousands of years.  Your threats are useless, and just make you look like the mean ones.  I love my life and you are not going to scare me away from it.

My son Legally catching a pike, that I cleaned and we ate.  It was delicious.

This is me cleaning the fish my family caught, not being wasted, legally caught.

One of those proud moments I was talking about.  My sons first buck, legally shot, and fed our family.  

One of my personal proud moments.  My first doe, legally shot, and fed our family!

This is a motto I try to follow.  

My most recent deer I harvested.  You can see I'm legally tagging her, and she now feeds our family.

One of the nice walleye I caught, legally, we ate, and had it mounted and preserved because I appreciate this fish.  Its beautiful.

                                                                         

My daughter practicing with her first bow.  Enjoying being outdoors.

And to end with a little sarcasm, because Antis want to be so mean all the time.


Beçk¥