FL>LWRSF>2014>3rd Annual Sherpa Hang

[hangNyak]

Well, another great hang with good friends! I arrived Friday afternoon around 4:30 pm. Immediately when I stepped out of the truck, I heard a rumbling in the woods. To my surprise, a pack of wild hogs came out of the brush and ran across the dirt road. I think I counted around 5 adult females with about 8 young ones following right behind. I thought some folks were coming at 5, but at about 5:15 I decided to just head on in. Got set up before dark and went to join the feast! It was a great weekend and Saturday we were pounded by rain for about a half hour or so. My new Superfly got a test on it's maiden voyage. She held up great and I love the tarp! Mosquitos were around, but not bad. Packed it up early today and had some awesome breakfast! Thanks to everyone who chipped in with supplies and cooking/cleanup!

Now, if you have any small children in the room, you might want to cover their eyes. This is a scary sight! There are two things you should never have to see at any hang. One is a tent and the other is this.......

[Grinder]

https://www.hammockforums.net/forum/...1&d=1393200062

A couple of pics I took are attached.

NO one mentioned it rained like crazy for an hour or two Saturday afternoon. The tarps and the cabana roof in Sherpa central gave enough space to wait out the storm in relative comfort.

Some one counted 25 in attendance. I counted 20 myself around the fire ring Friday night.

It is always great to hang with my hammock friends in Florida.

[barich942]

Great pictures!!! Looks like a nice place for a hang. Did anyone see the mystery gator?

[Refreshing]

That tinfoil oven is awesome. Warm food and sustainable!

[Timberrr]

Thank you Samsara and to all the organizers. It was a great weekend.
Thank you everyone who kept an eye on, played with or shared your water with my dogs. They appreciated it and Gumbo and I did too. They sure seemed glad to get home and get a nap.

It was the first time out for our ENO DNs in about two years. I was sure glad to have the Guardian Bugnet each night and the DryFly was up to the task during the downpour. But I'm not switching out of the Chrysalis.

It was a real blessing to spend time with such great folks. Thanks everyone for a great weekend!

[FLRider]

Had a wonderful time at this one, despite the short amount I actually spent there.

I got out of work at 5 PM on Saturday, headed home, showered, changed, and hit the road. Three hours (and innumerable attempts upon my life by various drivers on 27) later, I was pulling into the parking area at LWSF. A short headlamp hike in (the jeep trail is much easier to follow in the dark than the FT there; I speak from experience), and I began seeing headlamps ahead at the fire ring.

Some time spent chatting with everyone led to some food being cooked and eaten (hey, this is a Florida hang!) and then making camp. I set up maybe thirty yards from the main fire ring area, between two perfectly-spaced trees. This was to be my first night with an head net and ball cap set-up. It was...somewhat successful. It kept me from being bitten, for the most part, but it wasn't as restful as I'd like. I think a new bug net is in my near-future.

The morning came bright and early, and I woke with the dawn. I made "coffee from the hammock" and used the stimulant to wake up enough that I didn't feel as if I was biting anyone's head off when I opened my mouth to speak. First breakfast down, I hauled the chair and some food over towards the fire. I made second breakfast and started working on third...yep...Florida hang...

The morning was spent in more conversation, some gear viewing (olddog's set up is really nice; I'm definitely stealing the big straws and soft shackles ideas), and more eating. Soon enough, 11:00 rolled around and I needed to hit the road. I bid folks farewell and began the three-hour drive back to Gainesville.

I arrived alive, despite (again) several folks' best efforts and one huge mother of a thunderstorm as I hit town up here. I ran my Pathfinder game for several hours after coming back to town, then headed the half-hour home and finally collapsed into bed. I woke this morning feeling refreshed and ready to rock on my ride today.

Thanks, everyone, for putting together another wonderful hang!

[FLRider]

Home sweet home:




Misty dawn view from the hammock:




The group around the campfire:

[Life Scout]

I guess I should put in my $.02.

The powder sand was terrible, the mosquitos were trying to drain everyone of their blood, the rain and humidity sucked, the heat. I could go on complaining till your all sick of me.

This is Florida, if you expected anything less, then you can only be mad with yourself for not being prepared.

So why show up to a Florida Hang?

It's for our hanging family. Every one in our group (family). Brings something to the table. Old Dog with nothing but new tricks, FloridaHanger up early with a blazing fire, Emcee up early making coffee till everyone had was doing the pee pee dance, lilricky with a huge cooler full to the top with food, 4 Dutch ovens, going Sunday morning along with a two burner stove. Everyone brings something to the table. If it's getting water from the creek, maybe a perfectly timed joke, a new dessert, or help carrying something in/out, something, anything, someone is there to do it or to help.

I can say no sane person goes to a Florida Hang for the weather, bugs, humidity, we go for our hanging Family.

Love you all, Jason

[Timberrr]

Let this be a lesson to everyone. Trail mix and Gatorade don't mix. Don't let this happen to you.

[richtorfla]

Glad to see y'all had a great time. Do' s box ovens; and the most amazing to me is ricky hauled in the easy up! Dude; you are simply amazing! Pictures of the food looked great! Sure bummed I had to miss this. Maybe next time!