Goat Island Thank You Letter

I recently had the privilege to deliver the fire ring that was graciously donated by Hammock Forums and it's members to Greenwood Lake Management. The following is a letter of thanks for the donation.

Goat Island 2012

This year's Goat Island Hang was definitely a GREAT trip. By the time I finally made it out to the island, I was definitely in need of a RELAXED weekend. Let's just say work was :(

and Goat Island was definitely needed

It was really cool seeing how some people got to the island...I want to give a HUGE thanks to all the cottage vendors who stepped up and helped raise some $$$ for the island.

Vendors in semi-alphabetical order

• BIAS Hammocks
• Derek Hansen
• DIY Gear Supply
• Dutchware
• Lois Rhodes
• MountainGoat
• Warbonnet Outdoors
• Whoopie Slings
• Wilderness Logics

I would also like to give a shout out to the cooks of Saturday evening's communal meal and to those wonderful folks who shuttled ALL the GEAR needed to make this event possible.

check out the pictures below:

Hawk's Bill

After reading posts about and seeing videos about the Linville Gorge [http://www.linvillegorge.net/], I decided I had to see it for myself. I was originally supposed to go up with some friends and two of my girls, but the wife had other plans. Rather than driving up to the gorge on Friday, we spent the day at the Discovery Island water park in Simpsonville and then went to dinner at Papas and Beer (not a beer joint :) ). Then we drove over to REI to walk off dinner before climbing to the top of and then finally headed home. On Saturday we loaded up the family cruiser and drove up for the day.

This video is from the top of Hawk's Bill in the Linville Gorge. You really MUST see it for yourself. It is SPECTACULAR!!! I made the hike up the trail with a 21 pound baby strapped to my chest.

side story

REI in Greenville, SC had an ENO hammock hanging outside the store tonight - strung way too tight and using slapstraps of course. It was all I could do to keep from embarrassing the wife by going in and educating the entire store on the proper way to hang a hammock.

Muskrat and some of his friends were hammock camping across the road from the trail head to Hawk's Bill. We got to their site around 3:00pm and hiked Hawk's Bill trail. After coming back down from site seeing, we hung out around the site until 6:00pm. All told, we spent 7 1/2 hours on the road for a 3 hour visit.

Was it worth it??? YES!!!! Would I do it again??? Yes!!! But I would rather spend more time the next go 'round.

The 2012 Lake Greenwood, Goat Island Hang in Greenwood, SC. May 17-20, 2012 - planning phase

I can’t believe it is already 2012. Time to start learning to write the date all over again and also time to start planning the third annual Goat Island Hang. This year promises to be bigger and better than last year (and last year was AWESOME! if you don’t believe me check this out -http://www.hammockforums.net/forum/showthread.php?t=33462&highlight=goat+island)

Reservations for Goat Island this year are for the weekend of May 17th thru May 20th. This is the weekend prior to Memorial Day Weekend and also the weekend just before the Linville Gorge Hang so you don’t have to choose between the two. Attend them both. We have found in the past that a few like to have the option to come out a day early so we now make the reservations for Thursday thru Sunday. However, no pressure for Thursday. In fact, showing up on Saturday is fine too.

In order to get to the island, you will need a boat or chip in for gas if someone is able to provide a shuttle that weekend. Just make sure not to call whomever offers this service the Goat Island Fairy :) Typically we have a group dinner on Saturday evening with the last two years being “Low Country Beaufort Frogmore Boil Stew”. Dessert was also a big hit the last two years where we were treated to some fine talented Dutch Oven cooks. Peach cobbler, blackberry cobbler, and an upside down peach cake... all topped “a la mode”. Talk about being in heaven...)

This will be a kid-friendly event so please feel free to bring your family along (that being said... please temper your activities and conversations appropriately). In the past there has not been an agenda other than hang out have fun, and when do we eat? The kids and adults spend a lot of time in the water. Swimming, paddling, fishing, skiing, and tubing were a big hit last year(skiing, tubing, and shuttling thanks to Swampfox!). This year we hope to provide even more opportunities for fun by setting up a compass course on the island to teach or test orienteering skills. The possibilities for fun are not limited by the size of the island - there is even a geocache on the island.

Also, this year we plan on having a silent auction. I already have commitments to donate for this event from some of our much beloved cottage vendors (DIY Gear Supply, Dutchware, Wilderness Logics and others not wishing to be named). The funds raised by this will go to Greenwood Lake Management Department (GLMD) to help in the maintenance of the island campsites.

In order to comply with the reservations we have already made with the GLMD, please make sure to sign up on the roster located here: [https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AnRHBhAMyxn8dEJsNlpCb1NuZDJ2emFfdFlQUXJ3Ync&hl=en_US#gid=0] There is no fee for camping, just sign up and claim yourself a spot and try to adhere to the GLMD rules as outlined in the fine print at the very bottom of this post :D

Goat Island has no facilities therefor all water for consumption will be brought to the island. We will have access to additional water if needed but there is a small convenience store at Moon’s Landing where basic supplies can be purchased. With that said, also note that there are no restrooms so please be prepared to dispose of all waste properly (ie. catholes, baggies, personal porta-potties, etc.).

Please Enjoy pictures from the 2011 Goat Island Hang

[portfolio_slideshow id=462 size=medium slideheight=400]

Here is the address for the secure parking place at: Moon Landing RV Park & Marina‎ 4105 Watts Bridge Road Cross Hill, SC 29332-5049 (864) 998-4292 www.moonlandingrvpark.com‎

Per GMLD because it’s my name on the permit-

• No cutting of trees shall be permitted on the Island, or destruction of trees and other plant life.
• Absolutely no littering. All trash and litter brought to the Island must be removed by the expiration of this permit.
• Campfires must be built in such a way as to prevent spread of the fire and must be completely extinguished prior to the expiration of this permit. Fires can only be used to burn dead wood gathered on the Island or brought to the Island. Burning trash is prohibited.
• There will be no camping in the backside of the Island facing the Greenwood County shoreline. All campsites must face the lake body.
• The use of alcohol or illegal drugs is absolutely prohibited.
• Any violation of the above provisions of this permit will result in the immediate revocation of same, the forfeiture of the privilege to receive future permits, and/or prosecution for criminal and civil liabilities that might arise from these violations.
• Checkout time is 2 pm.

An Overnighter on the Palmetto Trail, 12/16/11

Back in December of 2011 I was invited on one last camping trip of the year. Even though I really wanted to test out some new DIY gear, I knew I wouldn't be able to make it with the company Christmas party/Annual Employee Appreciation Dinner the same day as the trip. Lucky for me, the friend who invited me said he would be more than happy to test out my gear for me.

The following trip report was done by 'Muskrat' from Hammock Forums

Last year, same time frame, I got a small group of friends together to spend a night out on the Palmetto Trail in Pomaria SC. Temps for that particular weekend were below freezing which was an experience more than anticipated for one of the guys in our group. He spent the night sleeping next to the bonfire, that he kept going all night long (with the wood that was cut and stacked by the USFS from recent blowdowns), in an effort to find some trace of warmth until the long awaited arrival of the sun made itself present. Yes, he had a hammock but had always used a CCF pad and liked to hang fairly high off the ground. What did he learn from this event? Its amazing how fast down UQs and down Exped mats can be in your possession after a hot shower!

Fast forward to this year... we had just about the same crew out with us this time with exception of one from last year not joining us and one new hammocker on board. Yes, our bonfire extraordinaire did make this outing with us as he was ready for anything Mother Nature wanted to throw at him. “Bring it on!” he declared. However, Mr. Murphy (Murphy’s Law) was more present than Mother Nature was as we had temps in the mid-50’s for this outing.

Rick, Kelly, and I parked at the Pomaria Trailhead around 1:00 that afternoon and made the 1.2 mile hike to the designated campsite. This trail is a former railroad bed so its very wide in comparison to most trails I have hiked but the most notable aspect is the granite rock that you can feel as you walk. In about 30 minutes, we made our arrival to the camping area and began the search for trees in which to hang our hammocks from. Rick and Kelly were both using their WBBB 1.0 and 1.7 respectively and I was using my older Hammock Bliss double as my WBBB dbl 1.7 was on loan to Dave who would be showing up later in the afternoon. Rick was anxious to try out his new WB Winter Yetti and his new WB Mamba top quilt... understandably so seeing that he thinks “fires are a good thing”. Kelly and I got to try out (2) DIY 3-season, ¾ length underquilts that were made by a friend of mine who was looking for a review on them. Dave was borrowing my 3-season Yetti. After hammocks were set, Kelly and I got to looking at our borrowed UQs and after making a few adjustments to get a good fit on our hammocks, we were hopeful that we were in for some good zzzzz’s. Around 5:00 pm, Dave made his way into camp toting about 50 lbs. After witnessing last year’s event, Dave decided he was not going to be the next to sleep by the fire so he came prepared for every situation. After our minor jesting, Dave got his hammock for the evening in place and was ready for battle.

That evening, we each prepared our own dinners, Kelly with a very nice ribeye, Rick with a salmon-pasta dish, Dave with a Mountain House dinner (can’t remember which one), and me with 4 chipotle rubbed pork sirloins... which I offered 1 to Dave since Kelly was stuffed from his ribeye and Rick opts not to eat meat. After dinner and a few adult beverages consumed, we had a great fire-side chat then head off for some hammock time slumber.

As typical, the need to visit the dehydrated trees occurred twice that night. However, this was good as it gave me the chance to really check out this DIY UQ that I was using with my Hammock Gear 20* down topquilt. It never slipped or shifted out of place, no cold spots that I was aware of, and actually it had really good coverage. Since it was a synthetic UQ, I did notice that it did not warm up quite as fast as my Yetti but it didn’t take it long to get there either. Kelly mentioned that morning that he never got cold and it seemed to do fine for him. However, this was his first time using an UQ so his expectations were to just stay warm and not wake up cold. Kelly combined this UQ with a synthetic 30* sleeping bag he borrowed and gave the UQ a thumbs up and was now seriously considering buying one. Even though we had what I would consider mild temps, I was warm enough that I think I would have been fine down to 32* with this UQ, but would need additional padding under my lower legs. Dave claimed he slept really well in the Blackbird, much better than he did in the Hennesey Expedition he borrowed from me last year. And for Rick? No campfire sleeping this time. He was more than warm this time and is still looking forward to another outing with colder temps. However, he did thank the forest service for once again supplying firewood for our use. . . just in case.

That morning, we did the breakfast routine, broke down camp, and made the 30 minute walk back to our vehicles, and said our good-byes. Overall it was a great a chance for all of us to get out and test some new gear and have a “dad evening” with some good friends. Looking forward to the next one. . .

- Muskrat

2011 SC Fall Hang

Hammock Camping in the Ellicott Rock Wilderness Area

The Ellicott Rock Wilderness Area is a US Forest service managed forest that spans nearly 8,300 acres and three states. Believe it or not, but the entire wilderness area is named after a rock that is located on the east bank of the of the Chattooga River. And shocker of shockers, the rock is named after the surveyor who chiseled his mark on said rock.

Now that the formalities of 'where' are out of the way let's talk about what. The SC Upstate Fall Hang was an organized hammock camping event that was put on by some of the fine folks over at hammockforums.net for the weekend of November 11 thru 13, 2011.

With plenty of advanced notice and a lot of luck, I was able to talk my wife into letting me take the two older girls on this little adventure. The following is a snippet of our weekend with pictures after that.

The girls, the dog, and I arrived at the parking area about 30 minutes ahead of schedule, unloaded our gear, donned our packs and embarked on the 45 minute hike to our campsite. About 15 minutes away from camp, we met 'Muskrat' and 'WFR' headed out for their second trip (making sure they had the essentials). Once we got into camp, the girls dropped their packs and went down to the river and played on the beach while I was left to set up camp. Luckily there were many trees to choose from. I was able to hang our three hammocks from four trees - the third hammock was just for show because the 5 year old didn't really spend much time in it.

After the hammocks,tarps and underquilts were situated,it was time to start thinking about supper and relax around the fire with two new camp mates - 'theriddler' and 'futbolfreak08' - before a quick night hike in search of some of the other hammock campers. To this point,for my girls, the night hike was the highlight of the trip and we talked about how much fun it was while getting them ready for BED TIME. We all get into our respective hammocks except for the dog because she hangs out in the foot-box of my top quilt to make sure my feet stay toasty warm.

Friday Night Done

Midnight comes and goes with out much fanfare. The temps are steadily dropping lower into the 30s as Saturday swings into action. My 5 year old, newly dubbed 'Donkey Kong', wakes up disoriented, scared, and crying loud enough to wake the deaf. +1 to my hammock. At 5:55am my 8 year old gets out of her hammock and invades mine giving us a combined weight of nearly 390 pounds in one DIY gathered end hammock.

The hammock was not the only gear that was put through its paces. The DIY underquilts on both my daughter's hammocks and my hammock performed better than I could ever have hoped in sub-freezing temperatures (The official hang temp for the night was 29* F). We made it through the night and we didn't wake up because we were cold. Once we did get up though it was time to get moving because it was really cold out. The following pictures, along with the links at the bottom of the page, should give you an idea of the activities of Saturday.

Pictures from Saturday and Sunday

This trip from other points of view!

Follow this link < http://www.hammockforums.net/forum/showthread.php?t=42211 > for the hammockforums.net official Trip Report-Upstate SC Fall Hang Nov 11-13, 2011 or check out the video report done by 'carolinasbackpacker' here < http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0jntA-dqUYM >

The Santee State Park (aka - Fall Sprawl)

An unbelievable event

You guys and gals won't believe the tale I am about to tell. It all started one evening while perusing the Hammock Forum looking for a family friendly event to take the kids. I happen upon a thread that seems to be taking a head count of South Carolina hammock campers that would be interested in a mid-state hammock hang (many thanks Rev). My interest is peaked but I do not post initially because I don't want to get my hopes up. I follow the thread closely and try to stay up-to-date on the planning of this event.

Once the place (Santee State Park) and the date (Sept. 30 - Oct. 2) are set, I mention the event to the wife (so she won't be surprised when I ask permission later). I even go so far as to show her the park's website and pictures of the area.

At this point the story gets really interesting. She - the wife - does something totally unexpected...

She says, "If they have cabins, I would like to go."

Once I pick myself off the floor, I go back to the park's website and see what I can find out about the cabin availability. Low and behold there is a cabin available for the same weekend of the hammock group hang. After some hemming and hawing on her part, reservations were made and the planning and preparations commenced.

Let's go Hammock Camping

Fast Forward a month or so. The day of the hang had finally arrives.

Once the kids are out of school and I get home from work, we pack up the last of the necessities (aka - everything but the kitchen sink) and head for Santee State Park.

From our house, the trip takes approximately 3 hours (... a three hour tour). We get to the park before dark and have no problem finding the group site. We do, on the other hand, have some trouble finding the cabin. By the time we finally find the cabin it is dark and we are hungry and tired so we load back into the truck and head into Santee for dinner and then it is back to the cabin to get to bed.

The baby wakes very early the Saturday morning. Did I mention that we have an eleven week old with us? Anyway, the wake up call comes at 4:30am and the day begins. Once the rest of the kids are awake and breakfast is served, we pack up - all except for the wife - and head over to the group site and meet the crew, or at least those of the crew who were already awake.

The day is spent listening to the sound of the wind blowing through the trees, the waves crashing on the sandy shore, the kids laughing and playing in the water and on the trees, and people talking about hammocks and camping. There really is no better way to spend a day than relaxing around the camp site.

My oldest daughter and I decide we do not want to sleep in the cabin when we can hang our hammocks over looking the lake. We pick out a few good trees and set-up our hammocks and return to the activities of the day - playing for her and talking about hammocks.

5:00pm Saturday, October 1, 2011. The moment arrives that we have been patiently awaiting since eyeing the prize table the evening before. The Raffle Drawing!!! Rev enlists the aid of my middle daughter to help him draw and read the tickets for the prizes and many really nice pieces of gear are given away - too many are given to Land. Prizes included gear from, but not limited to: Dutch Ware, CRKT, Wilderness Logics, WhoopieSlings.com, and several others. **this was my middle daughter's favorite part of the trip. she really like 'playing the ticket game' **

The rest of the evening is spent setting up newly won gear, learning to splice amsteel-blue, cooking/eating, and finally sitting around a campfire with old and new friends.

8:30pm finds my oldest daughter climbing into her hammock with her bug net, top quilt, and 2/3 length underquilt (supplemented with a CCF sit pad for her feet). After prayers are said, she promptly passes out.

After the last of the campfire flames die down, I climb into my hammock (very similarly equipped as my daughter's) and fall asleep.

The weather was perfect that evening so we are able to sleep under the stars without a tarp. The recorded nighttime temperature for that night is 42*F with moderate wind most of the night, but we never new that it was cold outside thanks to our DIY underquilts and top quilts.

About the Group Site

The group site is beautiful. It overlooks the lake and has plenty of trees to easily hang 50 hammocks or more and an open field for the kids to run and play. Multiple fire rings are located through out the area as well as picnic tables and a water spigot for cooking and drinking water. For those people requiring facilities with running water, a bath-house is located within close proximity to the parking area.

Santee State Park is a gem of a park. I am very glad to have had the opportunity to hang my hammock overlooking Lake Marion

Read about this event from another perspective.