...Memory Lane...

[ManicManiac]

I spent most of the day bolstering my water supply over in the maintenance garage.

By the time I'd gathered up 10 liters of water and after sifting through my pack (looking over the various notes and scraps of paper I've collected along the way)... I realized that there may be a memento cache nearby.  However, in the same span of time... the weather was threatening another blizzard.

I took the weather more seriously after the wind picked up... I could no longer even see Blackrock Mountain in the distance.  I stayed hunkered down, waiting to see what the weather was going to do.

Thankfully, the weather eventually seemed to subside.

Spoiler

Had I been any other wayward soul stranded in Blackrock... I'd be ecstatic to find these.  
But for myself, don't find much use for them. 

After returning to the penitentiary (very much like I had done at Bleak Inlet) camped out by the door to the workshop.

Eventually I had to heading into the Boiler Room entrance to bed down for the night.

Edited January 2 by ManicManiac

[J.W.P]

hapy new year

[ManicManiac]

@J.W.P
Thank you, Happy New Year.

[ManicManiac]

The threat of the weather yesterday decided to land this morning.  This blizzard has been blustering hard for half the day.

[ManicManiac]

There wasn't much daylight left after the storm broke... I figured it was probably wiser to wait until morning before trying to get out to the Old Substation.

So of course, I decided instead to make the hard push to try to make it over to the Substation and back before nightfall... just in case the weather decided to clear and give me an aurora this evening.

And of course, as I get to the rope... the sky gets crystal clear.  There was indeed a decent chance for an aurora this evening.  Now I'm racing the clock and evading and avoiding Timberwolves.  

Timberwolves spotted...

Spoiler

The daylight was fading... had to move faster.

 

Now it's just a matter of waiting for an aurora...

Edited January 4 by ManicManiac

[ManicManiac]

Fog started rolling in... didn't look like there was going to be an aurora tonight after all.

Managed to keep just barely warm enough to sleep near the door (in short two-hour naps that is).

And another blizzard struck... I mean, that's fine... I was going to be spending another day waiting anyway.  

[ManicManiac]

After the storm broke... it started to look like another one was on the way.  In the meantime, I noticed we had wolves in the front yard again.   I spent the rest of the day observing the local wolf population.

As I slept through the night, the weather didn't look promising... though eventually the skies did clear.

And just a few hours before dawn... 

I was momentarily transfixed and stepped out to get a better look... but I quickly came to my senses and set about the task at hand.  

So much nicer than the workroom at the Last Resort Cannery. 🤭

Having unlocked this last corner of Blackrock, I'd finally completed my trip down Memory Lane.
All that had to be done know was to get out Blackrock... alive, unscathed, and undetected. 

The following morning promised to be the last route on my trek across the regions of Great Bear Island.  I just needed to make one more hard push.

I took one last long look back at Blackrock Mountain.

Spotted Timberwolves... opted to take the long way around.

I stopped off at Foreman's Clearcut to warm up a bit.

Had to dodge one last pack of Timberwolves on my way out.  

Made it back to Timberwolf Mountain... but I was getting cold and tired.  To make matters worse, I was already very hungry and thirsty.

The weather was already getting bad... but in the failing light, matters were worse.  I was now freezing, exhausted, starving, and dehydrated... and now visibility was trash as well.

So close to home... I just needed to keep moving.

It wasn't too much longer before I'd reached the Mountaineer's Hut.  I filled my stomach, sated my thirst with water & herbal tea, and collapsed into bed. 

 

About 10 hours later... I was feeling much better.  That morning I took a good long look out across Crystal Lake.  It felt good to be back here.  I think Crystal Lake is my favorite place to live on Great Bear Island.

Just like Mystery Lake... this place feels like home.

[Leeanda]

Congrats  on surviving great bear weaponless..   it's been a fun adventure to read.😊.   I shall miss reading her adventures but she deserves the rest😁

[ManicManiac]

@Leeanda

Thank you.  It's been a wonderful run, though it took much longer (in real time) that I was expecting when I started.  I was especially glad to be able to test and confirm that the conventional weapons on Great Bear Island were not as necessary as might have been assumed.  I was really happy with being able to confirm that stealthing the Last Resort Cannery's scripted Timberwolf incursions was possible. 

I did take two rabbits (one by stone and one by snare) in the first couple of days into the run... but that was before I had really figured out what I really wanted to do with the run yet.  I did also do a little bit of harvesting to try out acorns a bit.  Apart from those two exceptions... I was pleased that I never did have to do any hunting or harvesting plants for the duration while exploring across Great Bear Island.

It's been great over the years to make challenges that push the boundaries of what's absolutely necessary for survival.  Up until the recent update... I'd found that all the tools were entirely optional (and therefore not essential) for survival.

With the new harvesting mechanics requiring a sharp edge to get fresh carcass harvesting started... that changes the landscape quite a bit.  On the subject of hunting, I've not yet tried any of the new updates to fishing yet either.

Also, I've been very interested in scurvy, the affliction as well as both the means to prevent and treat it.

In that same sort of subject, I still haven't had actually been able to make any of the new recipes or try out the new food items yet.

For all those reasons, as well as having not yet stepped foot into the Far Territory... it seemed like a good time to start a new adventure with Astrid.  

Edited January 5 by ManicManiac

[Leeanda]

I'm sure your stats would've been as low at the end as they were at the beginning..   but you have plenty of time now to enjoy the new maps and everything else without all the restrictions..😊

[ManicManiac]

My Astrid's chronicle will continue in "The Ghosts of All That Was."