While Dave and I were out in the woods last week taking my sample photos for the photo contest, we got a few random shots (and one or two staged ones) that I thought I'd share with you all, showing how everything's come together kit-wise. My sample contest photos are being edited right now, but they'll be up shortly.
So there you have it. This is my all-wool kit, not counting the cloak; I have some other pieces I've made since then that replace these, which are linen, for summer, etc. David was wearing my wool cloak that day, since his clothing is lighter than mine, so he wouldn't have overheated in it like I would have. In about a week and a half or so, I'm gonna take a night on the rocks to give that cloak a thorough test as a shelter while the weather's still okay, before I have to test it in a more dire situation. Fall/Winter are coming, though...I'll be glad for the wool when the time comes!
Last edited by Greg on Sat Aug 07, 2010 6:22 pm, edited 2 times in total.
Great pics, great scenery, great gear!! I especially love the quiver and the chainmail. Kind of hard to see, but are those your buddy Shadow's prints in the bottom pic?
Thanks! I need to repair my maille...I noticed (thanks to one of these pictures) that I lost a few rings under my left armpit...RIGHT where a well-placed thrust could really ruin my day. I REALLY need to get some riveted stuff. Thankfully, there aren't many orcs in my neck of the woods, so this shirt that I made serves simply to keep me in shape and add to the realism while I'm trekking, but I'm definitely gonna either purchase or *gasp* try my hand at making my own riveted maille shirt (there goes ten years.) That being said, when I get some riveted maille, it'll just be a good way to up the ante exercise-wise. This shirt, which is made of larger-than-practical rings made of thinner-than-practical wire weighs 12 lbs. A flat riveted shirt with appropriate ring size could add half again to that number...or more.
As for the tracks, nope, those are Raccoon prints. Good guess, though! Just hind prints and some scraping...it's in the sludge on the creekbank...based on what I saw, he was sitting primarily on his haunches fishing around in the water. Most of their weight sits back, so it's not uncommon to only see back paws clearly...especially near the water. Tracking is one of the woodcraft skills inherent in our hobby that I can say, with complete honestly, that I'm good at. I still stink at lighting a fire with flint and steel, and I'm not the best cook, but I can navigate and tell time with the sky (day or night) and I can track, so I daresay I'm not a lost cause!
Hmm... I've only ever heard of two Ranger dogs in my life, and both of them are named Shadow. How interesting.
I like your signature, by the way, Greg. Isaiah is a good book.
And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.
I don't know which Ranger dog you have heard of, persay, but if you refer to the dog featured in two books of the Ranger's apprentice series, the name and breed similarities between that dog and this one are purely coincidental. My shadow earned his name after he moved in with me, and I'd completely forgotten about the book at the time.
That being said, it's certainly not a bad name, and it's certainly not a bad breed for the task either. The difference between mine and the books? Mine's ALL black, save a small white patch on his chest. So he's better...
Those are “Renaissance High Boots†by Armstreet. They have a Velcro closure that runs up the calf that I’m in the process of ripping out and replacing with eyelets. They’re wrapped in long linen strips that I carry as Bandages/injury wraps as well as whatever else I might need ‘em for.
Yes, I was referring to Shadow of Ranger's Apprentice.
I think Shadow is a great name for Ranger dogs.
I didn't actually realize there was a similarity in breed between the two. What is the breed of your Shadow and Will's?
And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.
Will's is referred to as a dog bred for cattle and sheep-herding by the sheperding folk out in the countryside of Araluen. His dog is described as being mid-sized, and all black, save for a white chest that comes up over the dog's muzzle, white feet, and a white-tipped tail.
My dog is a Border collie, which happens to be exactly what he was describing. My dog just doesn't have the "breed ideal" two-toned black and white scheme; his white chest is only a small patch that doesn't come near his face.
Very nice. The more black, the more stealth-potential, so your Shadow must indeed be better than Will's.
And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.
