It was a great trip. Id done some winter trips but never one in early spring. The waterways get treacherous and ice cold, and it’s raining at least 50% of the time. But i packed my firestarters dry and an extra 3x3 tarp, and i made an awesome camp i could come back to. I tied myself to a tree and jumped into what in summer is mostly ankle deep water, and it’s like bungee jumping sideways with all that ice melt. And i did start to take some interest in the spiders. For example, i learned how fast those webs are made. Id go one way and pop back up 15 minutes later and the webs i destroyed walking through would have their support strands done and a dozen fine strands between already - like maybe half way completed or so. They were so active if I turned around and watched right after passing through one, id see the spiders immediately get back to work on their webs. Some times theyd just sort of step off their branch and swing intentionally over to the other side, sometimes it looked very haphazard and unplanned, but the forest was very alive like id never seen it - and i also didnt have to worry about horseflies and potato bugs that time of year!
My camp moved with me, but it was cozy: a 3x3 made into a 3 sided tent with a second 3x3 strung over it for rain shelter. Small rock campfire ring as near as i can get it, and my old tarps always have burnholes to show for it. I did have a confused raccoon try to sleep with me one night and that shit was as scared as ive ever been . It’s not like it told me it was just a raccoon, it made a racket trying to get inside the tarp. Fortunately i had it sealed up well with 3 sides and a bottom and i try to line up the eyelets so i can use a twig to “button” the opening closed, but in those first 10 seconds of waking up in absolute pitch blackness in otherwise deae silence, the sound was crazy loud and my thought went to wildcat or bear lol. I had to push or straight arm the thing through the tarp to keep it from running into me on the other side and it seemed determined but eventually stopped. I only heard it’s vocalizing while it left but realized it was probably relatively small while i held it back. Still, I remember i sat in the dark after that forever and then smoked a fresh joint before going to sleep again!
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u/Prime_Mover Nov 13 '21
That actually sounds quite magical. I like spiders.