farnorthdan wrote:Wow, those are really good, I like the last one the best, looks like you really put a lot of time into those. That copper ferrule is sweet, love me some Cu. Have you ever heard of Diamond willow, we have tons of it up here and lots of folks make walking sticks out it, pretty cool looking wood once you get the bark stripped.
Thanks for the compliment Dan. :)
I have heard of Diamond Willow but it isn't that common around here. Most of the sticks that I've collected, yes I have a collection of sticks, are big-leaf maple. I also have a couple cedar pieces, alder and some devils club that I'm drying. The devils club is super light but I know that it won't be as strong as the others.
GoldenSpydie wrote:High power rocketry (currently certified Jr. L1), alpinism / solo climbing
Are you one of those crazy free-solo climber? :eek:
Not really. The hardest that I have soloed is two 5.2 routes, one of which was almost vertical, albeit short and with huge holds. So I'm definitely not like Honnold, soloing up something crazy in Yosemite, but some of my climbs have pushed a little beyond scrambling IMO. Here's a picture with one of my routes drawn in red.
By solo climbing, I also meant climbing non-technical peaks (class 1 to 4) alone. I climbed this route (class 4) on Navajo Peak, a thirteener, this morning.
GoldenSpydie wrote:High power rocketry (currently certified Jr. L1), alpinism / solo climbing
Are you one of those crazy free-solo climber? :eek:
Not really. The hardest that I have soloed is two 5.2 routes, one of which was almost vertical, albeit short and with huge holds. So I'm definitely not like Honnold, soloing up something crazy in Yosemite, but some of my climbs have pushed a little beyond scrambling IMO. Here's a picture with one of my routes drawn in red.
Yikes! I like to hike alone but rock climbing isn't my thing. I little scrambling is nice but hanging from a cliff isn't my idea of fun. My hike/climb up Pinnacle Peak this summer is about as technical as I get.
Fall mushroom season should be here soon. How's it looking in your neck of the woods? I'm hoping to get some Matsutaki this year. :) :spyder:
Oh, it's been terrible. Various mushroom-related fatalities, too. Pretty bad place to look for mushrooms -- I would discourage everyone from even attempting it. :)
Fall mushroom season should be here soon. How's it looking in your neck of the woods? I'm hoping to get some Matsutaki this year. :) :spyder:
Oh, it's been terrible. Various mushroom-related fatalities, too. Pretty bad place to look for mushrooms -- I would discourage everyone from even attempting it. :)
Great points you make there Clovisc because unless you can positively indentify mushrooms you are much better off to leave that to the professionals and botanists that know them well and have professional training. My late dad once told me of the horror of a family which lived down the road from them in which 7 out of 8 members of the family were all found dead due to eating the wrong mushrooms. He said the one sole survivor was never the same even though he did survive it by some strange miracle. It was my late grandfather along with my dad and one of my uncles who found them all dead ( except the one survivor) and my dad said him and his brother had nightmares for months after that.
The only mushrooms I hunt here in Missouri are the "morel" variety which have an unmistakable, and easy to identify look to them. There are also some mushrooms here in Missouri that you can eat but only if they are cooked. But I stick mainly to the "morel" variety and they are about the only wild mushroom I will eat.
When foraging for foods in the wild you need to be very educated about what you eat. It is a real crap-shoot and a complete minefield eating foods in the wild>> especially mushrooms.
Fall mushroom season should be here soon. How's it looking in your neck of the woods? I'm hoping to get some Matsutaki this year. :) :spyder:
Oh, it's been terrible. Various mushroom-related fatalities, too. Pretty bad place to look for mushrooms -- I would discourage everyone from even attempting it. :)
We've had some rain and cooler temps so I went and checked some of my usual spots today. Chanterelles and lobsters are coming up. I can't let all those fatalities discourage me.
Richierich252000 wrote:Haha..Agreed, really thought I was the only one from Indiana on this forum. Out of northwest Indiana here (valparaiso). Professional candy man from Albanese. Making chocolate candy is my hobbie and career.
Rich
Hey Rich,
There are a few other Hoosiers here: Studey and WireEdge Roger, to name a few. :) That is cool that you live in Valpo! It's a really nice area.
Do you happen to have any affiliation with the South Bend Chocolate Co. by chance?
No affiliation, just another group of folks in the business. If you get a chance you should try out a few of our newer candies.....milk chocolate blueberries, milk chocolate peanut butter pretzel balls and my favorite (because I've spent so much time perfecting it) Milk Chocolate Banana Nutbread Pecans.
Not really an "odd" hobby but a hobby none the less. I play around with scrap materials and make pendants and such. Sold a few but mostly for fun and gifts.
If you're wielding the sharpest tool in the shed, who's going to say that you aren't...?
