Sunday 31 May 2009

What`s this Brass Monkey thing you`re whittering on about?

So for some reason that I`m not quite sure about I have found myself having just decided to go and live back out in the woods for a year without a tent, which is all very well but it does get a bit chilly up there in the winter. Not to worry though as right now it`s quite hot and sunny so being in the woods will bring a bit of relief from the stuffy atmosphere in my apartment.

Currently I am in the UK packing up all my outdoor kit ahead of flying to Geneva on Wednesday, from there I travel to Verbier and then even higher into the mountains to a spot I scouted out a couple of weeks ago. Basically I`ll be using the same kit as I had whilst living out in the woods in the UK, with perhaps a warmer sleeping bag and I`m definitely going to have a coat this time. I`m allowing myself to the same waterproof sheet, bungee cords, tent pegs and bivvy bag that I used before, well maybe not the same bivvy bag as the only perceivable function of the one I had was to get in the way and occasionally attempt to suffocate me. I shall, for fear of frost bite, allow myself to build a shelter although based on previous attempts I hold out little hope that it will provide much in the way of shelter, Ray Mears I aint.

Whilst living in the woods I shall be working as a private chef and also using as much local produce as possible, so I`ll be picking, foraging and purchasing produce in season and preserving, smoking, bottling and drying as much as I can in expectation of the winter ahead.


More soon

ODM aka Brass Monkey