Hi folks, I've been reading a few weeks and decided to jump in by registering, and letting you know who's behind the 'Gene' posts, you'll be seeing. First, I spent the first 18yrs growing up dairy farming in New England, and all it entails. That would've been from 1968 when I could lift the dang milk pail <img src="images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" /> After all those years of hard work, i realized I could'nt afford to farm for a living. I sat down with my folks and had 'The Talk' . A year later the whole enchilda was sold; and my folks moved to MN to be nearer my 2 sisters and their families. I went off to college and became a biologist, specializing in Big cats (Mountain lions, Jaguars,etc). I chose this field in particular because i knew from speaking to people already in the field; that I'd be 'outside' at least 60% of my career <img src="images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> So far it's worked out that way, though the pay is'nt much better than farming,grin,LOL! Anyhoo, my work has taken me around the World on all the Continents; tracking down the cats in question. From this I have come to garner much useful 'survival' tactics, as I call them. Facts you find in books on a shelf; in REAL LIFE, the here and now are the facts, as we all know. Never mind what the book says, do what works! I've been in Jungles, on the Serengeti Plains of Africa, in Nepal; and what works in 1 place, might not in another. I digress, I'm 40 now, so give me 30years field tested experience for credit; believe me, I've actually been there and done that! LOL! I've backpacked across America twice (it takes 10 months, to the day!) ; ridden my bicycle across twice, motorcycle once; walked and rode the East Coast of the USA once; have travelled via backpack in all the climates of the World, including Antartica. I consider myself a survivor in all circumstances. That's the key here folks, MINDSET, and yes, your PSK, if you have it, or backpack for that matter. Both easily lost/separated from us as individuals in the Real World. So that's me in bite. I'm going to the other forum to relate what happened to ME the past 3 days, Thanks, gene