...Memory Lane...

[ManicManiac]

Checked on that just a little bit ago:
81% towards Straight to the Heart.
and of course, I have yet to start - Signal Void.

I suppose one day I can work on the remaining story mode achievements... but I'm not so worried about the story mode achievements. 

Edited April 30, 2023 by ManicManiac

[Leeanda]

That's good going.    The coffee will certainly help with the tales,....as would the ballistic vest and rifle.. 🙂.     There might be some coffee in a cache though .

[ManicManiac]

I'm not sure if the vest or rifle will be needed... unless there are Timberwolves to worry about.  I suppose I'll eventually scout it out once I finally get to Forsaken Airfield, but that's many regions from now.  🤭

I also have no idea where the tale might lead to.

Edited April 30, 2023 by ManicManiac

[Leeanda]

I don't know about wolves in forsaken ,I wasn't there for long enough .   Sadly.! 

But I highly doubt there isn't any.  M sure there's something lurking  around though. It wouldn't be tld without anything 😁

 

[ManicManiac]

Well I know from my usual runs that wolves are fine and fairly easy to evade and avoid.  Timberwolves are also fairly easy to avoid (presuming it's not a scripted incursion - like the Cannery).

So if it's just the usual Aurora Charged Wolves, then I don't think armor and weapons would be too necessary... but I suppose I won't know until I get my hands on the Shortwave Receiver.

Edited April 30, 2023 by ManicManiac

[Leeanda]

I don't know about scripted ones... I hope not..   

I'm sure your evade technique will work though.🙂.  

[ManicManiac]

As it turned out... yesterday was indeed just an especially cold and bitterly windy day.

I managed to make my way past the Bunk Houses and along the ridgeline to a Cave System that would lead to Bleak Inlet.  The goal would be to make it all the way around and back to the Poacher's Camp... However, I found more than I bargained for.

Down below, I spotted an abandoned campsite...  I didn't see it when I was down below, because it was on the other side of that pack of five wolves.  

And I found my first battery so far in this trip down Memory Lane.  It was in the large crate container at the base of the tower.

Wait... what?!  When did this happen?  Has it been so long since I've been up here?

By now I was running heavy (though admittedly due to all the sticks I've been collecting) and it was about time I either make for the Poacher's Camp or back to the Old Spence Place.

I took one more look down the cliffside... that pack of five wolves is a bit more than I'd like to deal with (especially while lugging a 40kg pack), so after a few minutes consideration I'd decided to go back.

That's yet another Moose sighting... 🤔

I'm out of coffee now... and completely exhausted.
I'm only going to sleep for a handful of hours, just until sunup.
This region is a fairly wide expanse; there's still along way to go... 💤💤

Edited May 2, 2023 by ManicManiac

[ManicManiac]

It felt like I'd only just barely slipped away to sleep that I jolted awake in abject terror...

I have to get ahold of myself; it was only a nightmare.
...it was only a nightmare.  😖

[ManicManiac]

I got up after only about 4 hours sleep... I was still feeling half-dead, so I knew I'd need to be careful today.  I started by just searching around the local area for more sticks.

Managed to run that wolf off... but decided to stick close to my main encampment until dawn.

After sunup, I went out to start exploring along the ridge line heading towards the Fallen Radio Tower.  Instead, I was greeted by two prowling wolves just over the blind slope.  I backpedaled fast and took cover in back at the Old Spence Place.

While I was waiting for the wolf to eventually lose interest and wander off... a blizzard hit.  Which I suppose is just as well.  I can use some Purification Tablets I've found and work on getting a healthier supply of water.  I also need at least another night's rest if I'm going to have any hope of getting myself back into any kind of healthy condition.

While I was searching around some more there at my main encampment.  I found a safe wherein I found an MRE and a bundle of cash.  The money not worth much more than tinder, but the MRE is as good as gold. 🤭

I made myself a campfire there next to the forge and started working on whiling away time waiting for the storm to pass.  If I can get enough water boiled... perhaps I can brew up more of the Birch Bark, and maybe even use the Heavy Hammer I found to work on the Acorns I'd picked up along the way.  

By noon it looked as though this blizzard would last all day... but that's fine, I have plenty of coal to keep the fire going at least 24 hours and another 10 hours' worth of sticks besides.  I figured it would also be a good time to try and figure out what I need to do to acorns in order to make them useful.  🤔

The storm eventually broke in the very late afternoon.

It wasn't going to be long before evening.  I decided to at least make a trip over to the Fallen Radio Tower.  I managed to slip past the two wolves prowling around the backtrail... but saw yet two more skulking between the nearby cave entrance and the tower.  This was not going to be the day to check out that shallow cave.  I'll have to just check the tower and see about another way down to get back to the Old Spence Place.  Going back the way I came would be too slow going to make it back by nightfall.
One wolf picked up my sent... so I had kind of do a run-by of the tower (nothing of interest to be found).

I managed to find my way back around, though it took much longer than I would have liked.  Also spotted a bear up on a rock formation.  

I made it back to my primary encampment.

I just need a good night's sleep and I'll be ready to head to the other side of the tracks tomorrow. 
It looked like it was going to have to be dogfood for me tonight... so I held my nose and chowed down.

A few moments later, I knew I had food poisoning... 
This was the last thing I needed.  I had already pressed my luck pretty hard.
Oh well, nothing to be done about it now but to take my Antibiotics and take a long solid rest (hoping I don't freeze to death in my sleep...)

 

Very early this morning... I did also find this:

Edited May 3, 2023 by ManicManiac

[Leeanda]

Not your luckiest day or two ...  

When do bears go up on rocks?? Except when they're trying to maul you.😁

[ManicManiac]

It was a little bit of an all or nothing situation...

I was already rather low on condition, contracted food poisoning before bed, popped antibiotics, and rolled the dice on a solid 10 hours' sleep.  I was either going to freeze to death in my sleep... or live to struggle through another day. 

Thankfully it wasn't a deep cold kind of night... When I woke, I was still rather near death (2/3rds of the way to grave).  I'd need to be very careful today.  I decided this was precisely the type of situation where birch bark tea was ideal remedy.  Like the coffee before it... I'd sip on it throughout the day to try and help slowly nurse my condition up, while still being able to do some light exploring to keep the day at least somewhat productive.

 

Hmm... no wolves out on the trail over to the Downed Radio Tower.  Then checking out the cave nearby would be the first route of the day.

Nothing really to be found in this cave... couldn't even manage to get that backpack open.
[ticket submitted]

On the way back over to my primary encampment, I found something I'd missed the last time I was prospecting the area...

I decided I wasn't entirely sure where the note was directing me... but I had a vague idea.  However, today was not the day to go wandering around trying to find it.  Instead, I wanted to visit the Abandoned Campsite that I'd spotted from the Radio Tower's cliffside overlook.

Hmm... I've been seeing moose far too frequently lately... either Great Bear Island is taunting me, or the moose population has exploded.    Also... I did notice that the pack of five wolves that were prowling around the Abandoned Campsite the other day, are still out in force today.

I decided to come at it from a different direction...

I decided after stripping down the Abandoned Campsite... it would probably be prudent to either head back to my main encampment back at the Old Spence Place... or try to get comfortable at the Poacher's Camp.  I eventually decided that I'd left the rest of the food and coal back at my main encampment... so considering my weakened condition, it was probably better to head back.  

I'm glad I started back when I did.  It wasn't long before a heavy fog started to roll in.

I spent much of the night boiling water... cooking a few acorns I had picked up on the way through Mystery Lake, and brew a few more cups of Birch Bark Tea.  I ate the Energy Bar that I'd found at the Abandoned Campsite and slept a solid eight hours.  When I woke, I was still a bit sleepy... so I drank some tea and napped again for two more hours.

A surprisingly good day, considering I was in a bit of a bad way.
Now I'll feeling tip top for the next route... not sure whether to go looking for that memento, or head over to the other side of the tracks.  🤔

[Leeanda]

There's definitely an increase in moose. . I've seen more of them than bears. 

 

[ManicManiac]

I may just take the screenshots of three I'd spotted in the span of 4 days in three separate regions...
For the longest there was only one that would migrate around at any one time (with one dedicated moose spawn in BL).  I know at least one more dedicated moose spawn seems to have been identified also (though I've not been able to verify in any of my runs)... but it feels like having moose around this much must be a bug.   So, I'll add it to the other five tickets I'm submitting today.   

 

[Leeanda]

Well there are only three regions I haven't seen one yet but they are places I haven't spent more than two days in..    in 70 days I've had two in mystery and twm  and three in bleak..   so there's definitely more around but whether it's intentional or not I don't know.

 

I have got the backpack in the cave that can't be opened too.  

[ManicManiac]

Had another nightmare...

 

 

 

...I blame the food poisoning.  🤭

Edited May 6, 2023 by ManicManiac

[ManicManiac]

I think I've decided to save hunting for that memento cache for after I've visited the points of interest need to consider the region "completed" and then I'll loop back around to survey from the vista (referenced by the polaroid) and the aforementioned memento cache.

To tomorrow, I'll want to set my sights on getting to the other side of the tracks.
I think maybe I'll focus on getting back to Poacher's Camp and work my way around from tunnel (that would lead back to Mystery Lake) all the way around and up Hat Creek.

I think that route will do, for starters.

Edited May 7, 2023 by ManicManiac

[ManicManiac]

I got up a little after sunrise, did a quick sort and stow, and headed out on the Muskeg.

Unfortunately... after got about halfway out on the Muskeg, the light fog of the morning... turned dense and heavy.  rather than trying to feel my way forward (risking both wolves and getting myself turned around) I decided I would hunker down and try to wait out the fog.  This took about 5 hours... 😒 ...but I suppose fog is better than being stranded in a blizzard.

As soon as the fog lifted, I was off and running...

I finally got back to the Poacher's Camp.  Looking around a bit more thoroughly reveled a lot more that I missed the last time I was here.  

Including a note that I somehow missed as well.  🤭

Since it was getting close to sundown, I decided I might as well hole-up at the Poacher's Camp... but since most the day was wasted waiting for the fog to lift... I decided I would at least finish search form the Mystery Lake Tunnel and along the ridgeline until I reach the area below the Radio Tower Overlook.  At least this way I could finish exploring that quadrant and give me a good opportunity to gather up sticks.

I managed to make the rounds and back to the Poacher's Camp before it got too dark.  I was still in good shape, rather than risk bad weather, I opted to sleep in shorter 3 hours naps until dawn.

Fortunately, the weather held, and my sleeping bag was enough... so I didn't need a fire for the night.

Tomorrow I'll have to continue the route, working my way up the other side of the tracks and then up Hat Creek.

Edited May 7, 2023 by ManicManiac

[Leeanda]

Forlorn does have beautiful skies sometimes.🙂

[ManicManiac]

I do love the "burning skies" of dusk and dawn (regardless of the colors).
But I think my favorite is the seemingly rare "violet sky."

I think the last time I saw one was back in Coastal Highway:

But perhaps it's just rare to me because I'm usually sleeping at that hour.  

Edited May 7, 2023 by ManicManiac

[Leeanda]

Lovely.    I don't think I've seen one on this run yet.  But when I'm in forlorn it's either snowing or an Aurora.🙂

[Leeanda]

Or fog!😁

[ManicManiac]

Today was a fairly mild day... not just for weather, but surpassingly few wolves out today too.  

I since yesterday was cut short, and I managed to get everything on the "right" finished...  Today, I wanted to get everything on the "left" finished.  Or at as much as daylight and weather would permit.

A light fog had rather quickly rolled in... but foggy also means little no wind, and lightly warmer temperatures.  As long as visibility didn't suffer too much, it would be advantageous.

I was rather surprised that this corner of the region didn't have any wolves at all today. 🤔

I'll have to remember the little shallow cave... If memory serves, there's likely a den over there.

This interesting backtrail lead up to another cave... a very uninteresting cave.  Nothing in it whatsoever, but it was a still a warm place to hole-up in if push comes to shove (so ultimately not complaining ).

Spotted the first two wolves of the day... but before I venture farther over towards Hat Creek.  I wanted to check out that shallow recess I'd spotted form the other side of the hill I was currently on.

Just as a better frame of reference... this was the spot I pointed out a little bit ago:

Now here it is up close:

Yep, those are bones.  On, and that lump that looks like a rock near those footprints... sleeping bear.
I didn't notice it at first until I'd gotten this close.  Then I started hearing some slightly softer toned bear noises and realized that rock was alive.

I looked at it a moment... then noped out.

A sort of alternate way up to the tower, I suppose... don't like how blind it is.  That's a good place to get ambushed while trying to be sneaky.  

The view from Hat Creek has always been pretty lovely.

Found the "Low Blind" ... and yes, those are more bones.  A bear dens here as well.

And apparently this bear ate a person... fairly recently perhaps. 🥺

It was about time to head back... "It'll be dark soon, better find shelter."  😋

Hmm... feels like a bad moon on the rise.  🤔

Also... there's that bear that ate a people.

I guess I was a bit spellbound... I sat out watching the Aurora for far longer than I should have.
The haunting beauty of this harsh and unforgiving place still captivates me as much as when I first arrived here; all those years ago...

[Leeanda]

Lovely pics 🙂. 

Isn't that second bear the one from the little island cave,  I'm sure I've seen that one going to the hide and back.?

[ManicManiac]

Possibly... but the last time I'd spotted the bear who den's out on the muskeg near the Old Spence Place it was sort of stuck up on top of the rock formation that its den was under.  But yes, it could have been that one rather than the one who dens at the Low Blind.   I'll have to see about that next time I'm back near Hat Creek.

 

Edited May 10, 2023 by ManicManiac

[Leeanda]

4 hours ago, ManicManiac said:

Possibly... but the last time I'd spotted the bear who den's out on the muskeg near the Old Spence Place it was sort of stuck up on top of the rock formation that its den was under.  But yes, it could have been that one rather than the one who dens at the Low Blind.   I'll have to see about that next time I'm back near Hat Creek.

 

I was curious about how many bears there are in each area so I checked on Google . There's supposedly only two in forlorn . The cutely sleeping one you came across and the island one near Spence's.    I'm glad he was asleep by the way ,that could have gone very badly for you otherwise.

I'm surprised there's only three in twm  as I thought I'd seen more than that .