Adventure! Fedora Lounge Folks in Action!

[Big Man]

Took a hike to Table Rock on the eastern rim of the Linville Gorge with my granddaughter yesterday.

 

[Heathfox]

Good afternoon!

As this my first post on this fine forum, let me quickly introduce myself: My name is Philipp, I live in London, UK, whenever I am not trying to get out of the big city. I am a historian at the University of London, in my private life I also enjoy some aspects of the past, such as vintage clothing styles, that is how I ended up here. In my spare time I enjoy most of all getting into nature, hiking, bird watching and the like. I never liked "modern outdoor clothing" very much, the feel and smell (!!!) of hightech artificial fibres always made me uncomfortable. Over the last year or so, I took to reading some classics of the camping and woodcraft genre, the works of Horace Kephart first and foremost. The expertise of these backwoodsmen of the late 19th to early 20th century was an eye-opener and I have changed a lot of my outdoor gear to natural fibres and "Kephart-approved" kit. I try not to "play dress-up" too much, and will still use some modern kit - but last spring I went all for it and hiked the woods in an outfit that was almost a 1:1 recreation of what Kephart recommends in "Camping and Woodcraft" (the edition I used was the one from 1921). In the light of that sort of reading material, I have enjoyed seeing Big Man's recent pictures!

I'd like to post some pitures of myself in various adventures (most very low key!), but I can't seem to find the "attachment" function mentioned in the FAQ. Maybe someone can point me in the right direction.
Respectfully,
Ph

 

[Blackthorn]

Welcome to the Lounge, Philipp!

 

[1mach1]

Welcome Philipp.

 

[Big Man]

... I have enjoyed seeing Big Man's recent pictures! ...

Thanks, and welcome to the Fedora Lounge.

 

[Heathfox]

Right, I'll try again. This is me last March, deep in the German forests -a passable substitute for Kephart's Appalachians! NO IDEA why the images do not display in the post, I apologise for the inconvenience!

http://s772.photobucket.com/user/Heathfox/media/P1040814_zpslewo6vg5.jpg.html

From head to toe: My favourite Jaxon fedora, vintage British CC41 wool undershirt, repro WPG wool shirt, US army sweater "civilianised" with leather buttons, suspenders, WPG cotton breeches, British army puttees and Doc Martens boots. A Swiss army backpack, a WPG Mills map case and a home made blackthorn walking stick complete the kit list. The binoculars are contemporary. Kephart was absolutely right in his high praise for wool clothing over cotton!

And... A break at a small hut in the forest, coffee brewed in a modern version of the hobo stove made by Esbit. And some suitable literature...

http://s772.photobucket.com/user/Heathfox/media/P1040797_zpsaw6zsj0k.jpg.html

 

[Big Man]

Right, I'll try again. This is me last March, deep in the German forests -a passable substitute for Kephart's Appalachians! NO IDEA why the images do not display in the post, I apologise for the inconvenience!

http://s772.photobucket.com/user/Heathfox/media/P1040814_zpslewo6vg5.jpg.html

From head to toe: My favourite Jaxon fedora, vintage British CC41 wool undershirt, repro WPG wool shirt, US army sweater "civilianised" with leather buttons, suspenders, WPG cotton breeches, British army puttees and Doc Martens boots. A Swiss army backpack, a WPG Mills map case and a home made blackthorn walking stick complete the kit list. The binoculars are contemporary. Kephart was absolutely right in his high praise for wool clothing over cotton!

And... A break at a small hut in the forest, coffee brewed in a modern version of the hobo stove made by Esbit. And some suitable literature...

http://s772.photobucket.com/user/Heathfox/media/P1040797_zpsaw6zsj0k.jpg.html

That's a good look.

 

[1mach1]

Agreed!

 

[Blackthorn]

Agreed!

 

[Big Man]

We went on a nice little hike yesterday across the eastern rim of the Linville Gorge in western NC.

 

[Renault]

Looking good this morning Mr. B!!!

When it cools off a bit more. I'm going to try to get back out! Newest project is right now 40' conex box shop/storage facility. Taking lots of my time.

Keep photos coming!!! Will post when I can!!

 

[Oldsarge]

Phillip, if you haven't already seen it get a copy of "On Your Own in the Wilderness" by Townsand Whelen. Now there was a man who knew how to adventure!

 

[Renault]

Phillip, if you haven't already seen it get a copy of "On Your Own in the Wilderness" by Townsand Whelen. Now there was a man who knew how to adventure!

Col. Whelen is a personal hero of mine!!!! Big influence on my hunting and woodcraft!

 

[Mr. Godfrey]

Phillip, if you haven't already seen it get a copy of "On Your Own in the Wilderness" by Townsand Whelen. Now there was a man who knew how to adventure!

What ho Oldsarge,

Sounds interesting, what is the format of the book? Is it a journal or instructional type of book, having seen the price, I would like to know what it is before I buy it (shelves are bursting with books and SWMBO had said no more).
Being an old and American book, I fear the local library will not stock it although they did have a quarter bound leather copy of 'Kommando' by Deneys Reitz.

 

[Renault]

Mr. Godfrey,

If I may, the last time I looked I believe that book was still in print paperback, and available on Amazon! Kind of an early "how-to" book and storied of his experiences.

Good luck.

 

[cm289]

This pic is from 2013. The hat's a Garrison Raiders, the gun's an FEG clone of a hi-power.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Heathfox]

Phillip, if you haven't already seen it get a copy of "On Your Own in the Wilderness" by Townsand Whelen. Now there was a man who knew how to adventure!

Thank you for pointing that book out, Oldsarge. I know about Whelen through references in Kephart, especially as inventor of things like the Whelen Lean-to and the Whelen Packsack, but I haven't read anything of his work. I'll try and get my hands on the book, although it looks hard to come by in Europe.
Regards,
Philipp

 

[Heathfox]

I can't compete with the great outdoors of the Americas or classic firearms like the Hi-Power (European laws being what they are...), but this is as close to hunting I get... Walked a field archery course with a mate the other day and scored a hit on this plastic turkey (the real-life version is not found in our woods). My gear and clothes again inspired by Horace Kephart. I realise that shot would probably not have killed a real turkey, but not too bad at around 20 metres through the trees...




I know that roving the woods "playing" at hunting might seem pointless to many of you who put real game into their larders, but hey, it gets you out of the house and into the woods.
Kind regards,
Philipp

 

[Big Man]

... it gets you out of the house and into the woods.

And that, my friend, is what's really important.

 

[Bamaboots]

+1