Never say die. So this is a lesson in analyzing cryptid assertions, by example. Specifically this word expedition. What does it mean to use that term if you aren't lying?
I went out alone tonight, good moon, and thought those mushers wouldn't be on that section of trail. I heard they were way up river, it's a hundred mile race, but I did see one when I got near home. They're marking their trail and I'm only using about 4 miles of it.
When you are out miles from roads, and this is not exaggerating one iota, the first thing is lists. Lists of tools. Lists of survival equipment. Checklists on your machine's equipment, emergency gear, spare belts, plugs, baling wire & rope, etc. But you got to be light and sleek. So for example tools, this is mainly just the box wrenches which I always double-check:
This is one of the requirements if you are not lying about the word expedition. That word has the connotation you are out where you have to rely on yourself, not call AAA for a jump. No cell phones, lol we don't even get reception at home.
Another condition: the elements. It's five below zero, pretty pedestrian. That means fifteen below zero on the river where I worked tonight. Expedition means fighting the elements.
That means you need pro gear - these are beaver fur mitts and hat, you can't do better than that. I'm a hillbilly, but my survival gear is top flight. Apocalypse Design made our parkas and snowmachine suits. Google them. My wife's is newer, a thousand bucks, expedition weight - the term Apocalypse Design uses for... expeditions. Real ones.
I'm just zipping out for trail work for a couple more days - same rule on sleek, lightweight, but bring what you need to make trails. Expeditions are events where you have to cut trail, not stroll on manicured parkways a golf cart can navigate.
Axe, grain shovel, and chain saw. I used all of them making the ramp up the bank tonight and clearing a bit of trail beyond. I stepped through once. It was a little spooky listening to the water gurgling underneath but I built the ramp out to where there's really thick ice so the wife and kids can get up no problem.
Two more river crossings beyond to do and garden variety trail clearing in-between. That's just tedium, nothing challenging. Then we can drag sleds in with steaks. You bring in heavily insulated coolers stuffed with fresh vegetables (to keep from freezing), do this monster stir fry on top of the wood stove in a huge iron pan one night, steaks anther. A lot of hot peppers. Pancakes in the mornings, eggs bacon, cheese. Chop through the ice for water.
So expedition means there isn't like a 7-11 five minutes away by car, you know? But food is one thing I love to pack, and doing up a lot of food in that tiny little cabin is going to be a lot of fun.
The last bona fide gold miner at this cabin passed away, but I talked to him when he was in his 90's because I staked a prospecting site there and he was the last recorded miner. He took a little 'dozer in, skidded freight on the trail I am now working on. There's gold but it is a tiny little high creek and the logistics are murder.
That's the point of going here, though. I can see nobody's been in for years. At least five, probably more.
I'm getting old. It would not have worried me 30 years ago, just being 12 miles out, let lone 40. Moments of triumph, moments of terror. Mostly just enduring. Camera froze probably a mile from the cabin, but it was really beautiful out there. We'll have the cabin warmed up out there so we can take pictures.
I got these kids really weighing on my mind, God. The way I would have done this 30 years ago would have qualified as an expedition. What I am doing now is trying to remove every fail point in stages, get this whole operation down to a pedestrian stroll for the wife and two kids. A lot more work involved than me alone, but the trip itself is in theory a lot easier than having to hack your way in all at once.
I was on my way back, drove a couple miles, feeling like the cat that ate the canary and the engine died. So there it is: are you walking home? Now you are out on a limb and you better be able to make it. I can handle my end and the wife is doing six miles a day on the treadmill so she's going to be no problem. I'm lumberjacking mostly and if I am not doing that I like to just do three miles on maximum incline for aerobics. But the engine dies - so you check spark, then fuel. It's fuel. So what is it. Maybe ice in the line? Good guess. But I'd still be out there now walking if it turned out to be something I couldn't fix.
An expedition has this connotation see: that there is some physical conditioning standard, I mean you aren't walking from your car door to your fold-a-chair. Just driving one of these machines in this terrain long distances requires athletic conditioning. But there's always that risk of a marathon walk out, literal definition, under subarctic conditions.
Look at those mushers out there, a hundred miles on a dogsled. That's bona fide. They're dealing with open water, it had been so warm until last night. One day can change everything from open water to ice, or to overflow, hidden under the snow. I got into some overflow tonight but not bad.
Not knowing though - what you're up against. That's what it is like for an expedition. Being ready for any of it. This word expedition as used by a 'footer is a lie meaning Bigfoot Live Action Alternate Reality Gaming, not someone who is actually doing one.
