2020 - Skill/Goal Recap and Looking Ahead

For all of the Talk that doesn't fit elsewhere.

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Greg
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2020 - Skill/Goal Recap and Looking Ahead

Post by Greg »

As discussed in January of 2018 and 19, as seen in this thread, let's hear what you've accomplished this year, and what your goals are for the next. I='ve found that having this set list helps keep me focused on a few things instead of overwhelmed by the "many" things I think I should be doing, and makes me vastly more productive. Historically, we've pared it down to 3-5 things we'd really like to see happen this year personally, etc., but I'm going to start off by recapping what my plans were last year.

1) Do a full kit writeup.
I FINALLY DID IT. Ta-da!

2) Meet at least one new forum member in person.
I DID IT!

3) Do a solo overnighter.
...didn't quite squeak this one out. Did a LOT of day trips, but time didn't allow. It's right around the corner, though!



So, for this year, my plans are similar but different, and perhaps pushing myself a bit more.

1) Meet at least one new forum member in person...again!

2) Complete new armguard (which is in process.)

3) Start-to-finish a new pair of boots. Mine are getting tired, and I want to update the design a little bit to reflect what I know about cordwaining fro0m experience, and what I know about what I want my boots to do from experience, and, of course, what I've gleaned in research about boots in Tolkien.

4) DO AT LEAST ONE SOLO CAMP.
These are the ones that test us. It's been too long.
Also, we've semi-retired Shadow from trekking, as he's twelve and can't do the kind of distances that the MERS guys and I are usually doing on a trek anymore...but a solo trip might give me an opportunity to get him out on the trail with me in a more "sit and watch" type capacity.


Alright, let's hear it!
Now the sword shall come from under the cloak.
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Re: 2020 - Skill/Goal Recap and Looking Ahead

Post by Will o’ the Wild »

This may be cheating a little, but I’ll just jump in here and say my 2020 goal is to finally stop lurking and register and post on this very forum. And look I did it!
(I don’t want to hijack this thread, so I’ll post a proper introduction later) ... and that leads into my next goal
-meeting up with some fellow ranger in my region and finding a locale to adventure in.
-then maybe finally figuring out my baggage situation, starting with crafting a small bag to attach to my quiver for strictly archery related things, like extra string, small knife, small cake of wax, etc. Then I’m convinced everything else will fall into place.
-I want to tweak up my kit enough to feel like I can post some pictures.

Anyway I can’t say enough about this forum. Great inspiration.
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Re: 2020 - Skill/Goal Recap and Looking Ahead

Post by Will o’ the Wild »

Almost forgot the best one...get a fire steel and start practicing real flint and steel fire skills. Ferrocerium rods are great but I think it’s time to go old school.
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Re: 2020 - Skill/Goal Recap and Looking Ahead

Post by Taylor Steiner »

Welcome Ranger!
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Re: 2020 - Skill/Goal Recap and Looking Ahead

Post by Iodo »

I forgot to do one of these last year, so here we go:


Soft-Kit:
My only soft-kit goal for this year is to make more stuff, at the moment what I have works but I always think that, with Erebor being a wealthy place, Iodo would have more than one set of stuff for different weathers, occasions, uses, etc... I don't intend to get close to everything she would have but there's a few more things I think I should have to make my kit feel a bit more authentic

Hard-Kit:
My first hard-kit goal is to finish the “tool-roll” project (https://www.ranger.budgetauthenticity.o ... =37&t=4298)

Then to make some alterations to my method for carrying stuff on the trail, the main problem I need to solve is how long it takes to get to my water bottle (and DSLR camera that I shouldn't have)

Activities/skills:
First on the list is to simply get out in kit more

To practice archery more regularly, up until the summer I was at the range at least twice a week, sometimes more and my instinctive archery had got good (in my opinion anyway), then I didn't get chance to go for a while so I've lost quite a bit of skill

To get better at lighting a camp fire using a flint and steel

And, finally, to go to at least one event in kit

Forum:
I could really do with creating a persona and kit right up post



...and that gives me a huge amount to be getting on with this year :mrgreen:
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Manveruon
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Re: 2020 - Skill/Goal Recap and Looking Ahead

Post by Manveruon »

Hmmmm... okay... I usually don’t participate in these threads - for one, because I’ve bee entirely absent from the forums for a good couple years now, and for another because I often find them daunting. I rarely ever actually accomplish the goals I set out for myself at the beginning of the year, and I hate looking back and feeling like a bit of a failure.

HOWEVER! This time around I’ll give it a shot, and I’ll try to keep things as simple and achievable as possible. So here we go:

- Firstly, this is sort of cheating, but I’d say one big goal for 2020 was to get back on the boards here and finally start participating again, to some degree at least. And just like Will o’ the Wild said... Hey-hey! Already done! Go me! Now I just need to maintain a steady presence on here and not worry about posts piling up without being able to read them all. Away with you, annoying compulsion towards completism! Away I say!

- Secondly, I am already working on a new leather jerkin, and I have plans for a new overcoat. My goal is to finish those by trekking season in, say, May or June, so that I will FINALLY have a set of garb that is entirely (or at the very least, ALMOST entirely) devoid of any replica cosplay items (since the jerkin and coat I have been using thus far are both borrowed directly from my Aragorn cosplay). There are a few other items I’d like to finish - notably a new tunic or two (this time in wool, since I STILL have no actual wool tunics), and maybe finally a pair of woolen trousers. Extra bonus points for new linen drawers!

- I hope to finally try to incorporate some light role-playing elements into one or more of the hikes I take with people here in the time between the spring and the fall. And for that matter, I hope to finally organize a proper gathering for the local renaissance festival. There are several beautiful hiking trails in some nice, easy, flat-ish terrain very nearby the fair grounds, so I think it would be a blast to do a “morning patrol,” and then reconvene at the festival immediately afterwards to celebrate a successful day of defending the hapless, unknowing residents of said shire from the terrors of the wilds!

- And then of course, there are some “stretch goals,” as they say in crowd funding, heh. Mainly, I really really REALLY REALLY would like to actually finish a version of my long-planed, never-finished “Ranger Handbook.” Taurinor did take what we had previously worked on and whip it up into a functional text for his own purposes, but I’d love to finally polish it up like I had originally intended.

- And last of all for those stretch goals, it would always be fun to run into another forum member at some point! And hey, Will o’ the Woods! My little group of rangers operates out of the Denver area, so it’s entirely possible that we could cross paths at some point if one or the other of us travels a bit along the ol’ King’s Highway (colloquially referred to as Interstate 70)! I’ve been meaning to take a weekend to go check out the Kansas City Renaissance Festival for a while now, so who knows!
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Re: 2020 - Skill/Goal Recap and Looking Ahead

Post by Ghostsoldier »

Manveruon wrote: I really really REALLY REALLY would like to actually finish a version of my long-planed, never-finished “Ranger Handbook.” Taurinor did take what we had previously worked on and whip it up into a functional text for his own purposes, but I’d love to finally polish it up like I had originally intended.
Although a bit off-topic from this thread, I just want to say that I used your draft of the Ranger Handbook to build my own Ranger kit, and I must say that I'm excited to know that it might be brought to completion soon....it was immensely helpful, infromative and well-written (even in it's draft stage).

Rob
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Re: 2020 - Skill/Goal Recap and Looking Ahead

Post by Will o’ the Wild »

Manveruon, it is a long and lonely journey indeed from your beautiful mountains to our humble hamlet. But I have a soft spot in my heart for the KCRF. It’s kind of where it all began for me, so many centuries ago. My brother ranger and I always show up for their archery tournament which is usually about the 3rd weekend in September. A very interesting ranger from Arkansas, a great archer who also makes some impressive warbows, usually makes an appearance as well. He has some connection with those fell and fair people I think. Please let me know if you decide to make the trek, it could be an worthwhile meeting for all I think.

And a ranger handbook? Yes, please!
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Re: 2020 - Skill/Goal Recap and Looking Ahead

Post by SierraStrider »

Last time I did one of these was 2017! Well, this year I can actually afford materials , so I'm a lot more optimistic about meeting goals.

As for what I accomplished from the last set of goals, I've gotten much better at starting a fire with flint and steel. I'm still more reliant on char cloth and carefully prepared tinder than I'd like, but with those materials find the process almost easy.

Still haven't attempted the run of the three hunters. I've been doing a bit of backcountry skiing, but it's hard to convince myself to get out and train on these cold mornings...gotta go run tomorrow.

Kit goals:

Cloak. I just found a piece of wool I like.

Cargo bag. Likely a snapsack. Maybe purchased, maybe hand-made.

Scabbards--several and various. I would like to make one full-length scabbard for my broken sword (including weight to simulate a non-broken blade), one short scabbard for the same, and a few for various knives.

Skills:

Learning to sleep in the woods without a down bag.

Maybe learn to get flint and steel working without char cloth? Gah, I have no idea what native tinders would work in the slightest...

Activities:

Do a bunch of trekking in kit. Film it and put it onna internet.
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