LAST BLOG FOR A BIT - CHOPS-V-WILD

Greetings from Redding, California,

As of tomorrow August 5th, I will be removing myself from civilization for the next week.  I will be entering the Cascade Mountain Range in the shadows of Mount Shasta in Northern California, close to the Oregon border.  About 4 hours north of San Francisco.  A few months back, I tracked down a guy named Mark Weinert.  He used to serve as a consultant to Bear Grylls and his show Man V Wild.  We will be going into the Cascade Range up to about 6,500 feet.  It is here that Mark will teach me, hopefully, how to survive in the wild!

To give you some sort of idea, I will be working on:

• survival shelters – modern and primitive 
•  layering and natural insulation
• Water – locate, solar – treatment and filtering systems
• fire – modern and primitive friction fire
• wild food – plant, insect, and animal

• wild plant – medicinal and utilitarian
• survival knife skills
• primitive tools – throwing stick, cordage
• tracking and nature observation
• nature awareness 
• the hunt – stalking and camouflage
• trapping methods – snares, deadfalls
• survival attitude – panic control
• staying found – practical applications from search and rescue

 I have been looking forward to an opportunity like this for the majority of my adult life and it is finally here!  I hope that I am challenged to the point of mental and physical exhaustion.    I really want to see how I can respond when put to the test.  Careful what I wish for, huh?  I know that I have A LOT to learn.  I look forward to each and every lesson as I am sure anything I can pick up from Mark will serve me well in the future, both in the wild and in life.

Wish me luck!

Love,

Mark/Chops


PS
Happy Birthdays to Big Dave Peach, Pauly, and Sharkey!

The Future Is No Place To Place Your Better Days

NEVER DID A CABLE CAR IN SAN FRANCISCO.  I WAITED A FEW TIMES, BUT THE LINES WERE ALMOST 2 HOURS IN SOME CASES.  LOOKED COOL.  NOT THAT COOL THOUGH.

AS I WAS JUST WALKING PAST AT&T PARK, TRICIA CAME UP TO ME ASKING IF I WANTED TO GO TO THE GIANTS-METS GAME.  SURE!  SO THAT'S HOW THAT WENT DOWN.

GREAT PLACE TO CATCH A GAME AND SUNSET.  BOTH FREE!

BACK ON HIGHWAY 5 FOR THIS GUY!

WALKING INTO REDDING, CALIFORNIA AT 6AM.  THIS IS WHERE I HAVE BEEN THE LAST FEW DAYS.  THE PEACE AND QUIET MADE THE MOMENT.  

HAD I KNOWN WALKING TO WALMART WAS GOING TO TAKE 2 HOURS, I MAY HAVE GONE ELSEWHERE.  NOT TERRIBLY THRILLED AT THE MOMENT HAHA. I'M SUCH A SUCKER FOR THE PLACE.  ALL TO SAVE LIKE $5.  CONDITIONING EXERCISE FOR MY UPCOMING WEEK AT LEAST!  THE SHIRT ACTUALLY NEEDED TO BE OFF THIS TIME.  SEE BELOW.

4 pm

101^°

Partly Cloudy

A FEW PICTURES OF MOUNT SHASTA

I'D LOVE TO SEE THIS

FEELS LIKE:

97°