New to hammock backpacking

[TWCub]

You still got out there; that counts more than anything. Sounds like you were at ICSP. Backpacking there is on my list this summer too.

[Miquel Westano]

Welcome and that was a great story. The critters getting close is one of the big advantages to bringing the pooch along. They will just naturally avoid coming in close to a dog most of the time. We have only a few bears in this area, but lots of feral hogs, possums, coons, etc. My dog seems to be a natural mammal repellent and i am always glad to have him near me. In addition although he is not mean, he does bark at strangers. Now days in SW Mo, I am more afraid of two legged predators than four legged. Probably just me, but knowing my dog is a barker, helps me sleep. But, it does mean at a group hang, he would have to stay home.

Welcome again, and please keep the trip reports coming.

MW

[Vanhalo]

Next time you tell that story you need to change the "nudging my backside" to "licking my face" just for the entertainment value.

HOLY COW on the shelter critters.

[Laz89]

Not a bad little spot for us locals!

[dhkayaker]

Great trip report. I was almost afraid of what might happen next. Setting up in high wind isn't my specialty either, so I was amused knowing I gave up once after the 3rd tarp blowdown & went tarp less for the night. No rain, so I was fine, although I'd never swung in a hammock as much as I did that night.
Welcome to the forum of those seeking a better sleep while doing what I love, backpacking. I never woke up from a tent feeling as well as I do now in a hammock. I failed my couple of nights, hangle, pad, lay. It wasn't till my 1st wookie uq arrived and with my tq, I found much comfort sleeping outdoors. Sounds like you're hooked and through experimentation you'll find your happy place too

[Tucson Tom]

Welcome aboard! Great post. We all have plenty of stories -- adventures are when things don't quite go as planned. I am still wondering what the shelter critter was. The way to get experience is to do things, learn from your mistakes and keep doing things!

I got back into backpacking and decided that if I couldn't figure out how to do it without carrying the heavy packs I used to carry, I was done with it. But chance sent a great ultralight "guru" my way and now I combine hammock camping and ultralight backpacking and am enjoying being outdoors more than ever. One nice thing on a trip like you describe is that you can often rig a hammock almost anyplace -- or in a lot of places that are impossible for a ground camper, which can give you options in a situation like yours where the sun is going down and your original plan isn't working out. And I am not always officially ultralight -- but that isn't the point -- I am using ultralight methods and drastically lighter than I used to be.