Are We So Afraid To Die

That we have lost our ability to live

I mean REALLY live

While I am not ready yet to accept the warm embrace of death and will fight to live, something I have proven many times in my life but this thread is not about me, I am also not ready to retire myself into a home somewhere never again feeling the rush of adrenalin…

The one really great thing about outdoor adverture is the unknown. Call it camping, hilking or survival training; when one puts themselves “out there”, into the care of Mother Nature, one can never fully predict what may happen. That my friends is the best part and what living is all about.

The weather here in North America is getting warmer, the animals, birds and bees are stirring and so should we.

While it is only prudent to control as much of our destiny as possible by putting together and carrying with us our survival kits, you can be assured that you can not prepare for every situation that you may be thrust into once entering a park, forest or other wilderness area.

THAT IS THE THRILL!!!!
THAT IS THE REASON!!!!
THAT IS LIVING!!!!

Some may call it simple risk, I call it living.
Some of what you may face can include but not be limited to:

1. Personal Injury
2. Wild Animal Attack
3. Snake Bite
4. Getting Lost
5. Exposure
AND MORE

Isn’t it exciting?

Get up and get out there

LIVE

Some exceptional advice and guidance on getting out there can be found .....

HERE

No Pack? No Problem


Survival Pack


Enjoy

Semper

a reply to: semperfortis

I give you a thumbs up for making camping seem like a near death experience...

lol

When we were younger, we made some major decisions based on survival. Now? Well .. I'm older and don't really care as much. We have some prepper supplies. We pay attention. We have exit/bug out plans and our bug out bags. But we aren't as concerned as we were. This life is temporary. The next life is the one that lasts forever. Everyone dies of something. Maybe it's an age thing .. maybe it's a spiritual thing ... we aren't as worried about it as we used to be.

a reply to: OpinionatedB

Ever have a bear walk through your camp just as you tucked in for a nights sleep?

Ever wake up with a venomous snake in your tent?

Ever get lost in the wilderness?

I have...

It can be an adventure but even if it is not, it is living!!!!

a reply to: FlyersFan

I agree but getting older does not mean we have to stop experiencing those things that excite us and keep us young..

originally posted by: semperfortis
a reply to: OpinionatedB

Ever have a bear walk through your camp just as you tucked in for a nights sleep?

Ever wake up with a venomous snake in your tent?

Ever get lost in the wilderness?

I have...

It can be an adventure but even if it is not, it is living!!!!

Bears don't like me that much, neither do snakes. Now I have crossed paths with both, but we were quite amicable about it, on both sides. Now wolfy on the other hand thought I was a bit nuts to just walk over the copperhead, but he wasn't so interested in us.

No, I don't think I have ever been lost in the wilderness perse, although in the wilderness I don't know if I ever cared so much about location, and I live my life slightly lost, so I probably shouldn't be talking to much about that. I HAVE lost my house before... so... there is that..

I agree with you the whole camping thing is fun... just never thought about it as a near death experience anymore than say... anywhere else is! Animals are very reasonable creatures, people... not so much!

a reply to: semperfortis

A very uplifting post. Camping is one of the most wonderful experiences we can have. Camped out in the parks and wilderness all my life.

My brother has a bear skin from a bear he killed at 13. He was walking down a trail hunting for deer and boy here he comes out of no where, standing up, getting ready to attack my brother, and shot and killed him with one shot.

Something always happen that you have to figure out without google. Always a learning experience.

a reply to: semperfortis

Now, I love camping and will do it whenever I can. I even like going on hikes and horseback riding on wooded trails and I love being outdoors in general.

However, I don't have a type A personality and do happen to like living quite a bit, so if I can actively avoid situations that may bring my life to an end, I will do so.

If you're truly happy in whatever it is you're doing, you're living just fine.

a reply to: CoherentlyConfused

The city is much more dangerous than the woods!

a reply to: CoherentlyConfused

“You’ve never lived until you’ve almost died, for those who fought for it, life has a flavor the protected will never know.” –Anon. from Vietnam 1968

Just sayin

originally posted by: semperfortis
a reply to: OpinionatedB

Ever have a bear walk through your camp just as you tucked in for a nights sleep?

Ever wake up with a venomous snake in your tent?

Ever get lost in the wilderness?

Nope. But I did get woken abruptly when the enemy (false alarm) was rolling up on us in the desert. A scorpion had taken up residence in my DCU trousers and stung me from crotch to ankle. LOL

My medivac ride was in the gunseat of a Cobra. I wish I could say I at least enjoyed that part of it. Honestly ... the most embarrassing moment of my military career. And, of course, the fellas in my unit got a lot of mileage out of it.

That has always been my life philosophy, live as full as you can, experience as much as you can, as tomorrow you might not being able to. Got under severe criticism for that life philosopy from family and friends, but guess what, turned out to be true. After travelling a lot, experiencing a lot, now I have developed an inoperable brain tumor, so those days of wild adventure are mostly over for me, but guess what, I have the memories... Still trying to plan some things to experience what I have not experienced, but even if I can't, I have the memories of those days and nights of experience nature like few people have experienced, from tropical jungles, deserts to to arctic.

a reply to: OpinionatedB

You know, I was almost going to add this to my post. Apparently, a momma rattlesnake laid some eggs in my neighborhood recently because my neighbor found a baby in her backyard behind their swing set and I found a small skin at the bus stop and other people have said they have found baby snake skins in their yards. Baby rattlers can be even more dangerous because they're much harder to see and can hide anywhere.


So, yes, even suburban living can be dangerous!

a reply to: semperfortis

Semper you should move to the projects in Detroit or Philly. That would be some LIVIN! : )
Wild humans are much more dangerous and unpredictable, as you may know. Some might consider the woods a relatively safe place. : )

Just saying it's all about your personal perspective. I agree wholeheartedly with your sentiment.

V

a reply to: semperfortis

I absolutely agree brother! I actually feel more at comfort, more alive when I am in the wilderness. To me it feels more like home than anything civilization has to offer.

Nature shows us who we really are, if someone is panic prone, they will panic, if someone has strong courage and resolve, the will prosper. I think people would be less miserable if they would just step outside of their comfort zones and luxuries more often. Either way we will eventually lose technology and be forced to do it anyways, so why not practice?

S&F great thread!

You can enjoy life and nature without having a lot of risk. We don't need to mountain climb to get to the top of a rock. We do not need to run to enjoy a walk. If you like the woods, learn to use a compass and carry a gun in case a bear or wild animal comes around. Most time just shooting the gun chases them away, you do not need to kill them.

I see crazy people trying to swim from florida to Cuba in waters full of jelly fish. Now why would someone need to do that. Swimming in the ocean is fun, so is swimming in a clean lake. Now, things do not need to be risky to be fun but some people think they do and they get hurt. You can sit around a campfire in a local park and take a shower in the morning. You do not need to go far from civilization to enjoy nature, god puts it all over the place for us.

a reply to: CoherentlyConfused

Apparently, a momma rattlesnake laid some eggs in my neighborhood recently - See more at: www.abovetopsecret.com...

Rattlesnakes don't lay eggs; they are live bearers.
Most rattlers reproduce in the fall, once every three years.
Bull snakes lay eggs, and are quite often mistaken for rattlers because of their similar markings. They lay 8-20 eggs, and can have two clutches a year.

I agree people are too afraid to die to really live, they're also too afraid to lose their economic position in life. People used to speak out more when things weren't right but lately they've become cowed in to silence out of fear. Our government spies on all us yet how many really speak up? C'mon! The creeps are in your phone, your email, every aspect of your life!

That's civilized reality but like you I prefer the wild variety. Funny thing is I find no "survival" aspect left to being in the woods. Everything is familiar and comfortable. I have no enemies, just species that require some vigilance to not disturb - momma bears, yellowjackets and rattlers. I can find food and shelter anywhere and at anytime. Aside from being dumped in the wild with nothing during bad weather there isn't much danger left just old familiar friends - my favorite being fire.

originally posted by: semperfortis
a reply to: CoherentlyConfused

“You’ve never lived until you’ve almost died, for those who fought for it, life has a flavor the protected will never know.” –Anon. from Vietnam 1968

Just sayin

As someone who has spent some time in CCU, and survived a serious heart attack, momentary death changes your thinking, your attitude towards life, and your level of excitement during a crisis. You come to learn the best things in life are not things. In my experience when you are having that feeling like you are about to fall over and you have 30 seconds to decide what you are going to do, it isn't the size of your wallet, whats in your bank account, the bills or anything to do with money. I wanted to see my kid first before I died, I was comfortable dieing, I had a great life, and always understood with motorcycle riding and racing the closer you are to death the more you appreciate life.

I know it kind of sounds like hyperbole but thats my experience. It all happened in a flash and awoke on the gurney being shoved into the ambulance. The funniest thing is at the hospital they asked on a scale of 1 to 10 how much pain I was having. I couldn't help laughing, every electrical connection, tubes, chemicals were flapping around when I said it hurts like hell I having a frigg'in heart attack.

What this leads up to is the heart specialist wants to install a defibrillator, I said no I am comfortable with my situation if I die I die, he looked like he was going to cry. It's 40K for this little hackable beauty thats connected to the internet, he hasn't learned that the best things in life aren't things.

I wish I could still camp, hike, and practice bugging out to the wilderness instead like FlyerFan I will tough it out in the city, fortunately it's a small city with great people. If the SHTF we are good to go. There are no do overs, now I ride a dualsport on the street, the doc says don't ride specially around his house. lol