...Memory Lane...

[ManicManiac]

[Accompaniment]
Timecop1983 - Night Drive (LP - Instrumental version)

I was just about out of coffee again... and it would be morning soon.
I didn't have enough caffeine feel fully energized, and I didn't want to throw myself off by sleeping half the day away.
I decided to just spend the day getting ready for Hushed River Valley and then hike up to the Trailer on the Hill to bed down for the night.  It felt like a good plan...

I spent a fair amount of time sitting out on the porch that morning mending my clothing.  I'd also end up spending a good portion of the morning sorting and stowing the rest of my gear and supplies.

I went to get some water from the refrigerator... 
However, it seems that Molly had broken into Grey Mother's House while I was away.
It looks like she stole my 14 liters of water from the fridge.  Oh well, I'm sure she didn't know it was me she was stealing from... and she needs to survive too.  I wish her luck, wherever she is now. 🤭

I spent a couple hours cooking up a few more canned goods and boiling up another 8 liters of water.

On the way out, I took a look over the rock formation just in front of the house...

...Hmm...
There are no less than five wolves out there prowling out near the bridge.

One got fairly close... but I kept low and slip by undetected.

On the other side of the bridge, I goated up for a better overlook of the bridge and the falls (just to make sure I've searched around everywhere I could).

As I was making my way up the slope behind the woodlot... I nearly got ambushed!

Thankfully, I head the pitter-patter of paws just over that blind hill.  Right there ahead (uncomfortably close) was a wolf stopping to root around in the snow.  I'd unwisely left the Grey Mother's House without any stones in my pocket.  Luckily, I was able to get low in time to avoid detection. 

I slowly crawled over to the Trailer on the Hill... managed to pick up five stones along the way.  This was where I was going to hole-up for the rest of the day.  

I had a little company that evening.  A Deer and small flock of Ptarmigans.  I sat outside a while until I started getting sleepy, and eventually went inside for a full night's sleep.

Tomorrow, I'm off to Hushed River Valley.  The low-quality food I had on hand would be enough to maybe last me maybe five days or so... Hopefully that's enough for me to explore the region, otherwise I may actually have to resort to hunting to keep my strength up.  I don't want to have to do that... but if push comes to shove; I will. 

[ManicManiac]

I do look forward to visiting Hushed River Valley again.
After forcing myself to live there for extended stays in the past, I came to love the area.
I may not fear it anymore... but I do still very much respect it.

If I'm not vigilant, it's still a place that could very well be the death of me. 🤭😐

Edited July 19, 2023 by ManicManiac

[Leeanda]

5 minutes ago, ManicManiac said:

I do look forward to visiting Hushed River Valley again.
After forcing myself to live there for extended stays in the past, I came to love the area.
I may not fear it anymore... but I do still very much respect it.

If I'm not vigilant, it's still a place that could very well be the death of me. 🤭😐

It's certainly a very harsh place... But if anyone can survive in there with no weapons,it's you🙂.  

In my opinion it's even worse than bleak.

[ManicManiac]

...Of course, there's a blizzard the morning I'm ready to head to Hushed River Valley...

😒

[Leeanda]

Murphy's law.....   

But it does keep the Wolfies away.

[ManicManiac]

[Accompaniment]
Ghost - Dance Macabre

Sitting here, waiting for the storm to break, I thought I may as well take another look at my pack.
I do have 10 carboard matches... that should do for any fire I'd foreseeably need.  However, I also have the Mag-Lense and Striker (to be uses as the opportunity presents and for emergency - respectively).

I do have one piece of coal on hand... really only in case I got caught out in a blizzard, but I don't plan to actually need it.

I do have nice set of clothing... mostly well kept.
I tend to only make repairs when I get can get the most out of each scrap of leather or cloth.
So, for things like the socks and head headgear I usually have to wait until they hit 25% condition before repairing (anything else would be kind of a waste of cloth).  The Pants, Parkas, and boots... I can repair each time one of them hits 70%.  I do have a couple of spare items... just in case of thins getting too wet.  I'd rather never risk frostbite, so I do sometimes carry an extra set of wool mittens in case the gauntlets get soaked through from snowfall.

I don't mind admitting that the leather aviator hat looks really silly with the balaclava/ear wrap combo... but honestly, I have no one here on Great Bear Island to try and impress.  So warmth is supreme above all.   

...I wish this storm would break... but I have to accept the possibility that I'll have to waste a day's worth of food and water stuck right here and just head out tomorrow.

Edited July 21, 2023 by ManicManiac

[Leeanda]

Lol..  it's that balaclava that gets me....  Swamp monster 

[ManicManiac]

@Leeanda
😋

[Leeanda]

Nothing personal... Well not to you anyway but Astrid really needs to work on her tan... She's incredibly white 😁

[ManicManiac]

@Leeanda
Well as I said... warmth is supreme above all else. If Astrid needs to look silly to be able to make long treks, then so be it.  The animals don't care how funny she looks.  🤭

Edited July 21, 2023 by ManicManiac

[ManicManiac]

Late afternoon... the sky looks a bit strange right now, but it looks like the storm broke.
Time to roll out.

[ManicManiac]

Hmm... I hope only 1.38 liters of lantern fuel is enough for all the caves.
Oh well, I'll just have to make do.  

 

[Leeanda]

14 minutes ago, ManicManiac said:

@Leeanda
Well as I said... warmth is supreme above all else. If Astrid needs to look silly to be able to make long treks, then so be it.  The animals don't care how funny she looks.  🤭

That's true on both counts.  

It would be good if she could scare them away though😊

[ManicManiac]

It was already rather late in the afternoon, and it's probably not the best idea to head into Hushed River Valley with so little time to sundown... but I decided I'd rather risk it than using up another day's ration of food and water to stay in Mountain Town for yet another night.  Good idea or not... I'm heading out.

The weather cleared fairly quickly after the storm broke... but sun was already starting to get low.

This cave was deadly dark... so there was no chance of me getting through without sacrificing some lantern fuel.

Now this is going to come in handy... I'm going to save this for if I by chance run into Scruffy in cave systems.

Hushed River Valley just ahead.

I decided to head to the left... I know a cave near the back end of the region that I can use as my first real foot hold, but I'm not going to have much time if I'm going to make it there by nightfall.

Just ahead is Cloudtop Falls, but I'll come back for that in little while... first I want to follow this ridge for an overlook of the way ahead.

Spotted and abandoned campsite... again, I'll come back for that in a little while.

This area (following the path further along) would lead to Stairsteps late and nearby cave there great for another primary encampment.  However, my aim is to follow that ridgeline on the left side beyond Offset Falls and a cave nestled in the far back corner of the region.  At that spot is a good anchor for a stop-over point, and from there the next ideal stop-over would be the cave at Monolith Lake.

 

I double backed to visit Cloudtop Falls.

I also stopped off at the abandoned camp.  A little bit of food is always welcome, and breaking down the snow shelter for more cloth and sticks is fortunate as well.  However, what genuinely surprised me, was finding a cooking pot.  My water situation is not going to be a problem at all now.  

I tried breaking down the snow shelter as quickly as I could... but already I could see the light was beginning to fail me.  What's worse, a fog was beginning to roll in as well.

I quickly became hyper-sensitive to every sound... as visibility worsened.  I wasn't going to let this set back stop me from pushing onwards to the cave I'd decided was my next stop.  I kept low a good deal of the time, but occasionally risked getting up to try and hurry on a little more quickly.  So far as I could hear... it seemed as though the wolves were a decent distance away.  Either that or any nearby weren't howling.  

If I get spotted by a wolf out here... there's really no where for me to go.  I'll ether have to get a good pitch on a stone... or I'm going to get mauled.  No turning back... have to press on.

Managed to stick close to the ridgeline and made it to Hushed River (proper) and Offset Falls.  Best I could figured I'm about half-way to where I need to go.  It looked as though the fog was beginning to lift.

Just as I was gaining good visibility... I spotted a bear ambling straight in my direction.  I had a moment of panic as I got low and tried to resist the urge to backpedal.  I observed it for just a few seconds and decided to heed Obi-Wan Kenobi's advice and sought the high-ground.

This way I had a much better chance of slipping by undetected.  The crawl was slow, but I was able to keep an eye on the bear as it continued wandering by.  A few minutes later when it was out of sight, I heard a wolf yowling in panic... now I had to hope not to cross its path now that the bear had pushed it out if it's territory.

I found another unfortunate soul who didn't fare so well.  I did pick up the hatchet... I don't think I'm likely to use it but will absolutely bring it along until I get to a spot to setup and encampment.

Oh... and they food in their pocket also.  93%... I mean, that's about as fresh and safe as I could ever hope to find Sardines.    I don't know that I will eat them tonight... as I have heavier and much lower quality food on hand to tend to first... but I will be eating these soon.  Believe that.  

Just as I had my cave in sight, I head a wolf snarl and give chase.  I thought, "That's it, I'm about to get mauled..." but fortune smiled... it was really after a deer.  I mean, it's not so fortunate for the deer... but the rabbits and I are grateful.

I was able to get inside the shallow cave and get settled in for the night.

Tomorrow... I want to get to Monolith Lake.
That will be a hard push.  I'll have to see what tomorrow holds.

[conanjaguar]

6 minutes ago, ManicManiac said:

93%... I mean, that's about as fresh and safe as I could ever hope to find Sardines.

Impossible… I don’t think I’ve ever found sardines above 70% condition .

[ManicManiac]

@conanjaguar
I know this is what you really meant  

[Leeanda]

@conanjaguar and @ManicManiac You two obviously never played pilgrim...  😁. But even then I'll admit it's rare

[conanjaguar]

@ManicManiac

Pretty much 🤣.

[ManicManiac]

@Leeanda @conanjaguar
Watch... when it eat them tomorrow night... food poisoning. 
(This is why I'm glad I brought both bottles of Antibiotics I found in Milton)

[Leeanda]

Just now, ManicManiac said:

@Leeanda @conanjaguar
Watch... when it eat them tomorrow night... food poisoning. 
(This is why I'm glad I brought both bottles of Antibiotics I found in Milton)

I believe it's not supposed to be possible at that high a percentage (according to wiki). But yes it's more than likely in this game😁

[ManicManiac]

@Leeanda
That is true, above 75% the risk should be zero....

But sardines seem to be infamous for catastrophic bad luck.  

[Leeanda]

1 minute ago, ManicManiac said:

@Leeanda
That is true, above 75% the risk should be zero....

But sardines seem to be infamous for catastrophic bad luck.  

I know. I've fallen foul of them myself once ....85+%, I think mine were...  😁 

That's why I don't eat them any more.  

[conanjaguar]

4 minutes ago, ManicManiac said:

@Leeanda
That is true, above 75% the risk should be zero....

But sardines seem to be infamous for catastrophic bad luck.  

That 20-75% risk seems awfully low for the amount of poisonings sardines are infamous for causing…

[ManicManiac]

Another terrible nightmare... leave it to me to dream of the same sort of screwed up situation, but in a warmer climate.  😒

 

 

Edited July 22, 2023 by ManicManiac

[ManicManiac]

More dreams filled my night's sleep.
This time much more serene...

There looked to be a cabin to rebuild... I best get to work.