New season...New job...New air to my life....

I know its been a long time since i posted anything....Changed jobs during the summer and things generally in Greece are a bit....edgy... Hopefully next weekend i will take to the mountain paths again after a long while and have some interesting new posts with experiences gained during the summer....

Well...I'm back finally!

After a long period of time that involved working like a madman i return to the Blog Front with a post of a video i found exhilarating... These guys have no brain left....It 's been replaced by microchips...And the adrenaline is pumping only to watch this...But, to be honest i'd rather be walking those slopes...i'm too much of a coward to do this...Make sure you watch in full screen!

It's a Mora!....

Silly meetings week coming up and i've worked like crazy these past few weeks...
But there was an unexpected find in a remote village i visited recently...

I found this!

Yep! It's a Mora Clipper by the Swedish Bahco. As you can see it is exactly the same as the Morakniv but with orange colors and a slightly better sheath. Now there have been some posts on the internet regarding the originality of the Bahco Mora. Lets flip the sheath.....

Genuine Swedish product not only by name but also by Barcode!!! Yes! Even if you have any doubt regarding the origin of any product the first tw digits of the bar code show the country this product was made and hence exported...You can check some products from your home, any food, items, gear whatever using this table.... As you can see the 73 prefix is Sweden! So, a good genuine Swedish Mora, which i found in the most remote place i could think of in Greece. And i paid 12 euros thats 16$... I am seriously thinking of buying a couple more as it is an amazing knife and is the stainless steel version.....

So Busy...

I've been preoccupied with some business matters this week so i haven't posted...
Thankfully these matters end tomorrow so i will post the Making of Folding Camp Stool... Stay tuned!

The Fishing Kit...

Now, fishing is something that is very special for lots of people and it is also very boring for the rest. Fishing with a line is an option only for those that have fished in the past or still do regularly. The fishing kit i have and use is something that evolved during the summer when everyone does a bit of fishing here.

I live in a city near the sea, shadowed by a mountain(lucky me...Thessaloniki rules!) and there are many lakes in Northern Greece and they all have fish...So the fishing kit i show here is a kit that can be carried with you very easily and be ready to use anytime you like to throw a line and enjoy the sunset.

These are two kits that contain everything you need. the one on the left is a smaller one stored in a Kinder egg that can be used a floater and because of its bright color(they come in reds or yellows) you can easily see if the fish are biting the bait.

I am going to show the one i carry with me when i go fishing, that is the largest of the two even if it is still small in size...
Important : In some countries you may need a fishing permit to fish. Ask around and find out what you need. If you fish often it is worth it as the fines at times are rather steep. Here in Greece fishing permit is required only if you use any kind of boat out in the open sea and it costs about 40$ to get one.. And remember, you don't have to carry one of these kits with you, unless you know how to fish and want to fish when you go outdoors. Those "survival fishing kits" business is just a load of bull. Either you fish, or you don't, so get the right stuff.

The contents, laid out. From left to right we have, sterile surgical blades, fishing line 25 meters, some bit of cork, small light sticks for fishing, salt/fresh water lure (for small to medium sized fish), hooks on a bit of eraser(very useful that..), hooks pressed on sticky tape, those twirly metal thingys(i don't know what they are called in English...) and assorted weights (clamp style). The Japanese have the best lures and hooks and generally everything about fishing that is Japanese is perfect! Those guys really know how to do it...
My advice, if you want to really use this kit often is having it ready before you set out. Which means tying the line to a hook, tying off one of those twirly metal things, and practicing some fishing knots beforehand.

The line is ready and that's a closeup of the all-purpose lure.(it works fine on both water types and the tail can be replaced with spares...
They all fit inside here and that's a handy fishing kit for any situation.

As you can see i fitted some knot tying instructions around so i don't forget how to set up my line. The knots are somewhat specialized because nylon line is used and not rope... You can find excellent knots for fishing HERE. 

A little story of how i started fishing and liking it...When i was in the army i was stationed at the beautiful Island of Samos. Because my home was 22hours by ship away on my weekends off i went fishing with a friend whose father was a fisherman on an adjacent island. We started fishing squid from the docks down at the other side of the harbor (the waters around the island are among the clearest and cleanest of Greece) and there i learned of a little fishing trick. Colored line, especially blue/green or gray/blue are the best for fishing. Avoid the classic cheapo transparent/clear line because it shines in the water and startles the fish. So we fished and learned and at times called my friend's father and asked for help....We started getting results when we switched to colored line and good quality Japanese lures for squid...What we fished we took to the camp's cook and we organized ourselves small feasts. The cook was allowed to eat but only if he brought the wine...;) 

So after 6 months on an island i came to know and value fishing as a means of passing time but also getting enough food to fill you belly...And remember. a fishing kit is useful if you live near or around lakes or seas. If you live in areas where lakes and oceans are scarce then a fishing kit is useless but you might practise some game snares while you're out.

Update on the Blog-Front...

I decided, with good reason, to change the name of the Blog into something more easy to remember and quote...

Although it sounds like a medieval tavern, the name is chosen for a reason. First, the oak was the sacred tree of Zeus the leader of the Olympian Gods and up until the middle ages felling an oak was considered a crime... The Greeks, for hundreds of years,have used the cups of the oak seeds in tanning and the seeds as an emergency food... In ancient Greece, there was a large oak over the Oracle of Dodoni in Epirus which was said to rustle its leaves when a prophecy was given... The Mountain is chosen for its sheer size and rooted power and because most of my journeys take me to forests up in the mountains...

Cardboard Stove Modification - Test #1

 So after i made the mod, i decided to test its efficiency...I tried to do a somewhat controled boil test. I chose the pot...my trusty 1$ worth of chinese steel pot was perfect because it had quantity markings(in ml) hammered and i tested its contets first...

The pot itself weighs 112grams... it's a trifle....

Zeroed the scales...

And added 500ml of water...(the markings were true..what do you know?)

Then i lighted the stove at the hour shown on the kitchen clock...14:20....

I installed a small wick for better lighting...

I didn't wait long before i mounted the stove on the pot, because i didn't want to have a strong flame as it would make mounting a bit finicky...i did the test outside but i forgot the camera inside...Time from first lighting to rolling boil....11 minutes.. Yep! 11 minutes, looked at the clock and it read 14:31...

You can see from the above photo that the water has boiled really good...but there was one side effect i didnt expect...the stove started to burn very, very efficiently(yes double very...) after 3-4min since i lighted it but it produced some amount of smoke when it burned inside the Modded Can... The excellent flow of air was evident by the shape of the flame and the heat that was emmited...

Important : I was holding the pot with my hand the whole time!! This means that even when you are on some slope or there is snow everywhere and you must have a fire of sorts this setup works fine. If you have one of those pot handles you can attach this stove to an even larger pot and just hang it from a tree... the stove works great!

Now i have some theories about the smoke and there will be more tests as this project evolves...
1. the position of the stoveand the flame is too near the pot...its like a lighter or candle when you move an object at a certain position over the flame they produce this kind of smoke...i will try different positions of the can and stove...
2. the wax used to fill the stove makes the gunky smoke appear...I dunno...maybe i used cheap wax...
Anyways if you have any theories or ideas let me know as i am willing to try them to get a unified result on this...Post your comments and/or Follow if you like...

Cardboard Stove Modification

Well, Mark over at The Sharpened Axe has posted the instructions on how to make a cardboard stove here.
The stove is a very good one (i'd say excellent...) so when i saw the post of Mark's field trip I immediately thought of a modification using a tin can so you don't have to find tree stubs or level ground or dry ground or whatever....

So without delays here are some steps and items of importance while creating the stove first and then i'll move on to the mod...

It is importan to try and find a similar can because it has no seams at the bottom. This prevents wax leaks and wear and tear on the solder when it heats up......( I believe they are the same used originally by Mark, though i went for honey roasted...) These are a Californian brand and luckily i chose them in the supermarket for their can, not for the flavour. Later i saw that they are the same can as Mark's...I followed the instructions and after a while had this in my hands...

I filled the stove with wax after i finished beacuse it was lighter to handle during the mod

Note : I found that the tighter you fit the cardboard the more smooth and uniform  is the flame.

The stove is ready and i am also ready to attack the tin can that will be the mod...

The can i used is 3inches and 7/8 of an inch  in diameter..It contained peach halves in syrup...

The tools you will need are mostly these...

Pliers, cutter, steel wire (thickness is irrelevant but try not to get something that is too thin or too thick, about 1mm should do it...)felt tip pen, can opener, sharp pointy thing, or old knife, some form of padding to help manipulate the can and puncture holes easier and of course a ruler or triangle with measuring...

Now, i didn't document this but first you want to cut the bootom of the can off. I chose a can that has one of those pull-the-ring-thing opening tops so the top opening is perfect. Cut out the bottom of the can using either a can opener and/or power tools (i used a Dremel to smooth the bottom opening).

The bottom is cleared and the can is ready for the template....

I put the can on a piece of paper and traced the outline with a pencil. Then i designed the interior lines of midsections and the square that is formed...Now, i work as an Industrial Designer so i am a bit of a spaz on detail, you dont have to be as weird as me... Even if you do it approximately, with your eye as a guide, it wont matter much as everything will be tight and neat at the end.

I marked the 4 points on the can (remember...we work at the bottom side of the can)...

 Then, I made a mark 1/2 of an inch above the bottom lip...(x4 times)

And punctured the 4 holes around...I sanded the insides of the holes as the torn can would affect the handling of the wire...You don't need a large hole, just enough so that 2 wires can pass together.

Then i started looping 2 pieces of wire as seen in the photos...

Sloppy artwork...I am using the pc on my workbench so there are no fancy photo editing progs in this one...

Pulled them tight to the can initially with my hands... then i fitted the stove and twisted the ends with the pliers. After you install the stove it is important to tighten up real good with the wire as it will retain the shape of the stove and it won't come loose with use...Dont tighten too much because the wire will snap...

The stove now can fit inside the can and the wires snag at the lip of the stove holding it in place...
I repeated the fitting of the wires at 1 grove below the middle of the outside can, so there are two levels of spacers for the stove...

Marking and punching the holes...

...passing the wires...

...fitting the stove....

...tightening the wire....

...cutting excess wire...

...sanding the ends...

...and the stove is pushed down to the middle wire stop.

After all that i punched holes at three places on the top of the outside can and fitted wire hangings as seen on the above photo...along with some double hooks made from a wire clothes hanger, i had this...

I used my small pot as a template...The sweet thing with this setup is that the stove heats the water as you hold the pot...You dont even need a peg to hang the pot...just a stick to extend the handle....Note that i left some space between the pot and the can so that the air can circulate...

The stove gets ample of air circulation from below...

A picture of the neatness inside...

There are more photos of the uses and versatility of this setup...

If you flip the can over and insert the stove from the bottom you get a nice distance from any surface you place it on and can be used conventionally but with the benefit of insulation  against cold ground or snow...

Hang your pot from a stick and you're done...

Instead of wire hangings i will install key rings at the holes at the top and add small chain to help adjust the hanging size easily to fit all pots...

If you are doing this in the middle of the night(as i did and the stores where closed...) you can make a paperclip chain...you get the idea....

Well, this was a lot of work posting as it was making it...This setup works fine! and if i drill holes at the sides the can acts as a wind shield and helps light the stove... The completed Hobo Stove System(copywrited...) can be packed nice and small, it fits neatly into the pot and can be stored into your backpack...

The lid secures the stove...

...wire hangings or chain tucked away at the bottom...

...and everything goes inside the pot.

Flame test...It burned good and strong..No smoke whatsoever.(i did this in my workshop) I think the tight packing of the cardboard has these effects...

So, if you like it, build it, test it and generally let me know what you think of this...There will be more postings about this as it evolves..(and as the stores open Monday morning...)
If you like you can comment, and/or Follow this blog.

Alone In The Wilderness

This is a video i found Here...I would sure want to see the entire film...

On "Survival Kits"....

As Wood Trekker says, don't buy the hype...There are so many videos and tips and tutorials on how to build your own kit and what to put in there and "bug out bags"(or something like that...) and silly little kits that cost a lot of money and have things that you'll never need except on a school project or an award winning film...

There is no such thing as "survival kit" for a civilian or for a woodsman...

The so called "survival kits" that are so reasily advertised and built by so many are something that only two categories of people would need...
1. Ship travellers that are afraid of being marooned on a desert island in the Pacific. They usually end up showing off their superior technology to friends at a beach party made by the ocean cruiser they travelled on...
2. Army Personel at war conditions or in superior combat training...(they usually need more specialized kits)

Why, you wonder am i writing such a post...I just got tired of youngsters, that haven't learned how to shave, and dont know what an aspen or oak or yew looks like, brandishing survival kits that nobody that has ever walked in a forest for 2 days would ever agree on taking with him...

And i see in those "survival kits" the kind of weaponry that would be used in the Vietnam war, machetes, bayonnetes and other military knives that serve particular purposes. Now, forget about "survival kits" there is no survival when you walk the path of the hiker...Ther is only living with your surroundings and the "tools" you need to keep on living... And if you are a regular traveller in the woods you know what these tools are and what you carry with you...I, sure as hell, don't carry a "survival kit"...Only my tools....

A little Gift from the Forest...

Studying fungus may have it's advantages...Like this young Horse's Hoof  fungus that I harvested this weekend from the forest i visited... Here in Greece it is a well known fungus to older people and people who use the forest, like shepherds and hunters, and the Greek word is pronounced "Ishka"... It has to be processed of course...but a telltale sign is its shape, the colours (those grey lines are unique) and its texture(it feels like dry leather and it dries very well...Tinder at the ready....

Into the Forest : Day 2

Saturday night was a bit of a disappointment...It started raining in the afternoon an d kept at it half through the night...I went to bed restless...
The following morning, however, was bound to make up for my troubled sleep. There was a crystal clear sky, and the sun was barely over the mountain when i started my way up the second path, towards the ridge line....I woke up around 08:00 and started hiking at 08:15. The air was cool, but not sharp, and my main worry was if i would find much water in the brooks i intended to use as a path...The whole thing took me another 5 hours(including the return leg) and the distance covered was relatively small (about 14km). But before you judge me too hard, wait until you see where i was and what i found, and you'll know it was worth the effort...So without delay, some photos from the second day out...A completely different world alltogether, only one ravine away from day one...

What a find! And on the first few steps on the path...That is a fungus allright...A weird mushroom that depends on you stepping on it to spread its spores.

Lichen! Lichen everywhere!!!Though...pretty...

The good ol' spagnum moss(or Sphagnum moss)...That's my Opinel knife, No10...Did i say how much i love Opinel knives?No? Are you sure?Well...I juss love 'em!

 --A small note regarding the sphagnum moss. you can find about the almost magical, but mostly historical and practical uses of this "magic moss" in This Site... .It's a moss supplier company from New Zealand. Great info and never again look down on the green stuff you tread out there!--

On a dried brook...thankfully the rain was not enough to flood it...

On to the path leading up the mountain...

Foliage shot...Mostly beech on this side of the mountain....

Some white fungus growing on a dead stick...The mushroom formed some kind of layers...

 --Another note...Regarding Fungi and Mushrooms: I am just obsessed with mushrooms...Although i eat only the stuff i buy at the super market, I get crazy about taking pictures of them. I think they are absolutely alien and magical and beautifull... That said... most photos and specimen if i can collect any are for a friend of mine who studies them, identifies them, catalogues them and cross references to national databases for new type and species. So I get my kicks from shooting them, and he gets his samples! A Warning though...Coming across mushrooms that seem familiar and/or tasty has nothing to do with the danger they pose to your health and life...My advice is NEVER, EVER eat ANY wild mushroom...It may very well be the last thing you ever do...Even if your life depends on it, avoid eating wild mushroom.....Let's go on, now, shall we?--

A solitary path....

That thing was tiny!!!It held onto a small stick and i nearly squashed him...

Picked him up and gave him some publicity....

Some more mushroom please?(fungi is more correct...just stating it for the hardcore fans...)

Remember what i said about good boots? Like these...toasty foot and dry toes..Oh yeah!!

The brook that acts as a trail towards the top

In some shots as you have noticed I just couldn't get it right without using flash...I've got a Nikon CoolPix series with many capabilities but its a small automatic...

Three of a kind!!

 **At this point there is a point i want to make. These pictures for many may seem uninteresting or even boring. I urge you to see them at full zoom (sorry i couldn't upload them full size, they took up 2,5 Mb each...) and look at the textures that the forest and forest floor has to offer... That kind of intimacy with the enviroment is so hard to find these days...So please, share with me these beautiful moments and feel the wetness of the leaves, and the dampness of the moss and trees and imagine brushing aside a tuft of branches only to find an outcrop of rock covered in wonderful plants and fungus and other living things....Okay, emotional outburst is finished, i think i can go on now...(*sniff,sob*) **

The path to the top becomes more majestic by the minute!

Only when i reached a peak did i feel the warming rays of the sun on my face. So to celebrate i focused my attention to a puff of orange at the base of a tree trunk...(i took other pictures of me as well to remember being there but i am not award winning handsome, only very handsome so I feel embarassed to post them...)

Back down on the trail heading north i stumbled upon these and stood dumbfounded...This is a weird fungus clearly and I regarded it with the enthusiasm of a treasure finder! (Hey the little Nikon can take pretty good pictures even in these poor conditions..)

A little friend decided to take a walk on my leather gloves....

This is just magnificent...But strangely deeply disturbing...

I put my hand in there so there can be a measure of proportion....

These smelled good, but I wouldn't eat them even if you paid me a million bucks....

A fork up ahead...The path here doubles back on itself and leads you back here...Ready to get back down..(I noted the paths leading away and further up but i would be late and i wanted to manage one last stop on the way down)

Wow! I cant believe it! Another Fungus! Its so amaz....yeah-get-on-with-it!!!!

The path that leads up from the last checkpoint i made.

A picture of those berry plants...If you watch closely on the full size the flowers (right below my thumb) and the berries themselves grow on the leaf and not on the branch or the base od the leaf..(as in the top right corner) These plants were the only ones that pricked my pants on the way up(they have needle thin thorns on the point of the leaf). Even other really thorny bushes didn't manage to pierce through the fabric...

Be sure to check Into the Forest : Day One and/or comment if you like...
---Hurray! Managed to fuse the two posts together so everything's fine enjoy---


Now, as I describe in the post above on the way down i planned to make another stop and have some mint tea outside a closed hunters cabin. As you see from the pictures everything was either wet, or damp or soggy or moist at least...so i had to use my trusty ESBIT stove and a steel 550ml small pot I purchased for 1$ at an open market...(yeah 1$, thin steel perfect for gas cookers)

So after a warm tea, the road towards the village was quite uneventfull, except for this....

I was rewarded with this fella on the way down just before a sheepfold , outside the village...Just magnificent...

I was also rewarded with this when i came into the village and arrived at the house...mmm Pork Chops and Country Sausages!!!

So the exploration journey is over for this weekend and I am planning the next one...So if you like anything or have any questions feel free to comment and/or Follow...