[at-l] The dirtbag Manifesto

["Kiefer, David" <dkiefer@JJG.com>]

I recently came across this article as it was given to me from a family
member who knew I liked the outdoors.  It was humorous and touched on a lot
of topics I read here on the list, so I thought I would share it with you.  

I don't know where the original article came from, so if it is copyrighted,
I apologize in advance.   Here it is.....

<snip>

The Dirtbag Manifesto

1.	Recognize that dirtbagging is a process. And it should be a pleasant
one.  SO to achieve the ends of true dirtbaggery, we will start slow.  For
out next camping trip, we will take only as much equipment as we feel
comfortable with, noting what we don't use.  We will then leave these items
behind on our next trip.

2.	Discard all false pride at home.  Once in the field, we wish to
become further resourceful, experimenting and opening our minds to the
multiple uses the earth has offered for each member of its vast plant,
animal and geologic aggregation.  We will remember, for instance that a pile
of leaves makes a warm and soft bed, fallen trees make top-drawer shelters
from inclement weather, ant that if cooked long enough, things considered
inedible in the "civilized" world can become mighty tasty.

3.	Acknowledge deserts as the premier location for improving
dirtbagging skills.  Also good are beaches without insects.  We pledge to
avoid tundras and northern temperate forests during summer: with their
clouds of black flies and ground fogs of mosquitoes, these are "experts
only" territory and demand bug screen for our remaining brethren.

4.	Remember the 10-80-10 rule.  We will pack only the basic 10 percent
of things truly necessary for a camping trip (extra change of clothes,
weather protection).  We will then happily sacrifice the middle 80 percent
of above said stuff ( tents, coolers, lanterns, flashlights, extra clothes,
and that 12-inch trail knife you think makes you look "outdoorsy"), while
respecting and universally abiding by the addition of the "fun" top 10
percent of supplies usually taken into the wilds (a small cache of good
food, a little hooch, some toys)

5.	Happily endure meals of rice and beans flavored with a little
jalapeno, not to mention evenings not completely blanketed with sleep.
Anyone not completely understanding this particular tenet should consider
golf.

6.	Buy the best equipment we can afford and torture-test it in the
backyard before transporting it into the wilderness.  Put another way, that
money-back guarantee from the outdoor store is worth squat in the
backcountry.

7.	If necessary, slather ourselves with mud, a time honored human and
animal insect repellent.  (anyone confused should refer to tenet 2.)

8.	Remember to invite along fun friends.  Dirtbagging is a social
experience, the more the merrier. So while we may happily leave most camping
gear at home, a game and gung ho companion or two may prove to be the
ultimate backcountry accessories.

9.	Always bring the ultimate universal Dirtbag implement: duct tape.
It can be employed for anything from bandages and rope to makeshift moleskin
for blisters to a belt, a fabric patch, a sling or even - when rolled into a
cone - a drinking cup.

10.	Transcend the artificial conventions of soaped society.  We pledge
to remember that fun and misery remain tow sides of the same coin.  The
enjoyment of being muddy, dirty, and soaked by rain has never been a
jailable offense.  Instead it's something our parents an teachers crushed
out of us during a decades-long "educational" process.  And while all
members of the aforementioned group may be helpful now, as they have in the
past, they haven't always been right.

<snip>


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