Three Days in the Woods

by Nicole | Nov 10, 2015 | Inspiration, Recreation

There seems to be a growing number of reality T.V. shows that are focusing on outdoor survival skills.  There is Man vs. Wild, Survivor Man, Alone, and Live Free or Die just to name a few.  It has always been fun to watch some of these shows and try to imagine what I might do trying to stay outside by myself.

First of all, I need to clarify that I personally am NOT the outdoorsy type.  I am a city girl to my core.  About ten years ago we moved from the suburbs out to the country on 45 acres.  My husband was raised in the country and had much experience with horses, trapping, fishing, and hunting. He can do anything outside.  Just being an hour out of the city life I was used to, was a real stretch for me.   My idea of camping includes hot and cold running water, a toilet, a real bed, heat and air conditioning.  In fact, we have such an area next to our pond that my grandson called “grandma’s wooden tent” when he was younger.

Watching some of these reality survivor shows stirred up a curiosity in me to ask myself if I could actually go out into the woods alone on our property for three days and two nights.(Only a very short period compared to any real survivalist).  We had originally thought about friends and family making sort of a contest with this, like trying to choose ten items and go out into the woods and see who does the best.  By the time the date we had set arrived, others had to back out due to scheduling, but there was something in me that really wanted to try this.  This was so far outside my comfort level and realm of expertise that it was laughable. I sleep with two pillows, very soft mattress pads, a fan running and room darkening curtains.  I have never started a fire without using a lighter and diesel fuel and I have never even considered trying to build a shelter for myself.

Knowing me very well, my own siblings and extended family were very skeptical of my safety. In fact, my brother asked me outright why I was doing this. There was obviously the personal challenge just to see if I could do it, but there were deeper motivations as well.  Not long ago, I wrote a blog about my washer and drying going out and reflecting on all the little blessings we take so for granted.  Then when I watched the news of the Syrian refugees fleeing and traveling long distances with just the clothes on their backs, as well as so many others around the world that are struggling, I wanted to go out to reflect more deeply on the abundance of blessings we take so for granted by not having them for a short while.

As well as being “unplugged” and having limited conveniences, I also noticed how we are often too busy or preoccupied to just sit and reflect on the beauty all around us.  I was filled with anticipation to be outside for an extended period and connect with nature in a way that would be very foreign to me.  I was excited to experience the woods on our property in a way I never had before.

Due to my total novice skill level and not wanting to “tap out” I was continually revising my supply list.  We originally set a ten item limit of your choosing.  The standards being that you had to build your own shelter, start your fire with a flint and steel, and find your own food.  We were going to get our water from the river and just boil it, but the decision was changed due to the chemicals from the surrounding farmland that boiling would not take out.  So water was to be hauled in and left next to the creeks and river, but still had to be boiled.

I ended up with a total of eleven items.  I took a roll of duct tape, a roll of painters plastic, a roll of twine, floral wire, a pair of loppers, flint fire starter, a pot, a sleeping bag, a camp knife,aluminum foil and a hand hoe digger. My decision was to be more of a homesteader instead of a survivalist.  I wanted the challenge of building my shelter and starting my fire and staying in the woods for three days, but I clearly understood my total lack of experience with being able to catch or snare any type of food.

I made my own type of survival powered brew that I brought in three small jewelry bags to put one in boiled water each day.  I will post the recipe I created. I brought two small Mighty Bars which are 28 grams each of grass fed beef jerky.  I split the jerky to last for three days.  I made three bullet proof coffee balls to drink one, each day, in my boiled water.  Again, I will post this recipe.  I burned a lot of calories and I tend to sort of grey out if I don’t take in a few nutrients.  Another confession is that my totally concerned and caring neighbor, who was worried about me, brought me a dozen hard boiled eggs out to the woods.  I took three eggs, one for each day.  He left a dozen out in his field across from my shelter in case I needed them, but I made it without them.  My husband wanted me to have the experience of cleaning a cooking a fish, so I had a small bluegill from our pond on my last night.

So what did a 54 year old mom of five children and grandma of seven, with no experience what so ever staying outside alone, accomplish?  I cleared a good sized area by hand of brush and debris to set up camp or my “homestead”.   I did put up a fairly large shelter made of painters plastic, twine and duct tape that kept me comfortable and safe (only because nothing large decided to challenge it).  I used leaves and plastic as chairs, pillows and bedding.  I made useable items such as a mug, spoon, a toothbrush, and fire grate out of sticks, duct tape and wire.  (I made other items as well that were a total failure, but that will be posted later on a video).  I learned a lot about starting a fire and keeping a fire going.  There will be a separate blog on just the lessons I learned from FIRE.  I foraged items from the creek or in the woods, like pieces of metal and tin.  I made ropes to help me get up and down the steep creek banks.  I cut “stairs” into the dirt of the banks.  I dug a latrine.  I stayed calm in the middle of the night when the coyotes decided to surround my camp and make the most hair raising and eerie call I have ever heard. (It got down to 39 degrees and my fire had gone out when they decided to visit me at 2 a.m.  My neighborsheard the noise and noticed even their two large Great Pyrenees dogs ran into the barn for the first time in six year).  I made it through the challenge of sleeping outside by myself without my special pillows and fan, with even a little rain.  I was immersed in the smells of dirt and leaves and smoke on a very close and personal level.  Dirty fingernails became just a part of living outside (without soap).

I learned that collecting fire wood is constant and never ending.  I understood from a very different and emotional perspective what it is like to be on the receiving end of the sincere caring and concern of my neighbor and my husband. Without being too evasive, they were making sure I was safe and fed.  I realized that refugees and others in need absolutely depend on the caring and generosity of others for provision. This experience brought tears to my eyes. I was blessed to experience so many areas of nature that can be used as analogiesin life and I will continue to write more about them.

I thought deeply as I was lying in a warm sleeping bag when it got cold about what it might have been like for soldiers throughout history that stayed outside in the elements with little or no provisions for weeks, or months.  I started with WW II and then went back to the Civil War and then to the Revolutionary War.  What it must have been like for the soldiers who fought at Valley Forge with no tent for shelter, little if any food, some with no shoes or socks in freezing, snowy conditions; with bleeding feet and maybe other battle wounds.  These soldiersweren’t in a survival reality T.V. show just looking out to take care of themselves alone. They were surviving for the soldiers by their side, for their families and for their nation.  They had to get up and fight weary and hungry in battle after battle for the dream of freedom.  There was no “tapping out” if you had enough.  They could be shot for desertion if they gave up. I was humbled and filled with renewed gratitude for soldiers.  Without them, I would not have the freedom or blessings I am privileged to experience.

I was just outside looking after myself, as many on the TV shows do.  What would it be like to have a baby with me; a two year old; several children not even my own to be responsible for their provision and safety?  Refugees and poor women and children in villages all over the world live that kind of reality every day, with a lack of sanitation that breeds sickness and disease.  I thought through what I have heard from others; that soap is medicine in these kinds of situations.

I reasoned how blessed I was that this was fall and the daytime temperatures were in the 60’s with mostly sunshine and no mosquitoes to deal with. I was filled with awe and wonder with the beauty of nature in the leaves, the sounds of the birds both at night and during the day.  I listened to all the night sounds of coyotes, owls, cows, and dogs that are blocked from inside my warm, cozy, dry, quiet home.  I focused more intently on the beauty and majesty of even our small river and all the animal tracks of creation.  The cycles of light and darkness; sunrise and sunset determined the activities of my day.  Rain, wind, and cooler temperatures needed more focus and attention.  The warmth, light and cooking properties of fire became a clearer reality.  Smoke was just a part of life that could not be avoided.

I was able to reflect quietly on the abundance of clean water, food, large safe structures to live in, cooking options, appliances, electricity, technology, media, relationships with people, sweet smells and tastes, soap and cleaning supplies, and medical availability, we take so for granted that we miss be thankful for them.  Over it all I was filled with the Presence of a Creator God who loves me and was allowing me to share deeply in things I miss out on every day.

I was happy to get back home, where my husband had a wonderful steak dinner with candles waiting for me.  I took a long soak in a hot tub with lots of soap and snuggled in my warm bathrobe and slippers.  I will continue to reflect and write more on my adventure, as well as plan to go back out setting goals to learn snaring, making my own knife, foraging all my own food, etc.… I was very blessed to have the encouragement and support of my husband or I probably would have given up.  Now that it is over, I realize I wouldn’t have missed it for anything.

Melanie Dearing