What odd things do you carry?

[ninjapuppet]

met a bunch of swedish chicks on the overland, and a one of them was carrying a full sized guitar!
They sat in their group and sang merry swedish songs every night.

[Son of a Beach]

I saw a bloke at Scott Kilvert Hut with a guitar once. He was not Swedish but there was a lot of singing that night.

[Liamy77]

I have a feelin there'll be a lot more fellas doin the OT in the future.....

[Walk_fat boy_walk]

yeh you see some rippers especially on the olt... have seen more than one group with a wok. on my first time through there (about 15 years ago) there were three hippy guys also carrying a guitar and (not kidding) a cast-iron cooking pot. They also had some, er... 'special' cookies which were offered around among some teachers accompanying a school group. Pelion hut was a happy place that night. Not as entertaining as swedish chicks tho.

[Liamy77]

yeah... I've seen a smallish plaster garden gnome on the olt.... (no "cookies" first though)

[Son of a Beach]

I often carry a large steel wok if cooking for a group of 4 or more (or 3 or more and doing more interesting food). It sits nicely on the large Trangia with the pot stands turned up to the frying position. Can cater for six this way.

[north-north-west]

Coming down from Erica one day I met a group starting out on the AAWT - with a 20L steel cooking pot, amongst other things.
I did goggle a bit at their footwear (all but one were wearing runners), given that it was September and there were still three foot snowdrifts over much of the plateau. For some reason they thought I was joking when I told them that. Still, as it took them two and a half days to get there from Walhalla, summer would have well and truly arrived before they hit the real alpine country . . .

[Erica]

one of the guides i've worked with on the OLT carries a gorilla mask and hides behind trees and jumps out at our group in the forest between ducane and the first water falls.
i carried a dish rack between pelion and kia ora once (on the back of my pack), was amazed that the only person that asked me about it was the ranger... seems that everyone else either found it commonplace or was too scared to ask me...
also carried a full sized pillow into the walls once for my boyfriends first ever overnight walk at 22.

[Macca81]

i carried a dish rack between pelion and kia ora once (on the back of my pack), was amazed that the only person that asked me about it was the ranger... seems that everyone else either found it commonplace or was too scared to ask me...

i have thought about doing something like this, with totaly randim things attached to the outside of my pack, just to see the reaction...


i once went grocery shopping with a book gaffa taped to my head, and not one person asked me about it... i was very disapointed by that...

[Lindsay]

Saw this on the West Highland Way in Scotland..... I understand it made his pack lighter

[Clownfish]

Remember those 'Penguin 60s' that came out in the early 90s? Little, pocket-sized editions of classic literature (or excerpts thereof). I've got a copy of Tacitus' 'Nero and the burning of Rome', and Thomas Paine's 'The Crisis' that I put in a side pocket years ago for some light reading, and they've lived there ever since.

One feels very cultured and superior, sitting on the Echo Point jetty, reading about the wickedness of the Emperor Nero.

[Liamy77]

Ah the hover-pack prototype huh..... Hmmmm

[22F]

one of the guides i've worked with on the OLT carries a gorilla mask and hides behind trees and jumps out at our group in the forest between ducane and the first water falls.

That tends to be a dangerous habit I've found over the years.

Some of my mates who are still "Sheep-dogs" for society tend to get more than a little bit upset and react "badly" when something unexpected jumps out at them in the middle of the scrub...

I've seen people think they're the height of champagne comedy with such shenanigans, until they get punched in the mouth or the throat.

This thread now has me thinking of a "??" item to hang off my pack like the above mentioned dishrack.
What about a g-string?? Bright red and fluffy or some such?? Or a pair of high heels??

edited by moderator: potentially offensive acronym removed.

[Tony]

I was doing some snow shoeing out of Kiandra yesterday, while coming back from Table Top Mountain we came across this 'through' XC skier (going to Guthega) with a large funnel sticking out of his mat.

Does any one on BA know what he uses it for (I did ask him).

Tony

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[geoskid]

Does any one on BA know what he uses it for (I did ask him).

Hmm.. Either going for a wee when his hands are too cold for touching, or something to do with collecting water? Not both

[Tony]

Hi geoskid,

Does any one on BA know what he uses it for (I did ask him).

Hmm.. Either going for a wee when his hands are too cold for touching, or something to do with collecting water? Not both

Good guess, something to do with water is what I first thought, but water or weeing is not what he uses it for.

Tony

[Nuts]

considering where that mat is, i wouldnt expect any innovative breakthroughs there...

[Liamy77]

considering where that mat is, i wouldnt expect any innovative breakthroughs there...

Any scrub near by?? = temporary possession

[Tony]

Apparently it is the bell part of a trumpet, the other parts, which I was told where made out of plastic are in his pack.

Tony

[Mulga]

Both times I have done the Thorsbourne trail on Hinchinbrook Island in North Qld I carried a machette in my rucsac. Easiest way to open coconuts I know. Ended up trading coconuts for chocolate and rum, good deal if you ask me .

[optdyl]

I don't think it's odd, but I always carry a spare pair of shoelaces. I've never had to use them in my shoes, but they've come in handy for lots of little things.

[ollster]

I don't think it's odd, but I always carry a spare pair of shoelaces. I've never had to use them in my shoes, but they've come in handy for lots of little things.

I've broken laces on numerous occastions, and found that they tie together very well. I guess if your laces a short this could be a problem though.

[lyndoor]

Post by Mulga » Tue 31 Aug, 2010 9:16 am
Both times I have done the Thorsbourne trail on Hinchinbrook Island in North Qld I carried a machette in my rucsac. Easiest way to open coconuts I know. Ended up trading coconuts for chocolate and rum, good deal if you ask me .

Oh, please, Mulga...we cracked ours easily enough the old fashion way!!

We found a broken log nearby that did the trick! Eat your heart out Bear Grylls!

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Oddest things we have seen is one fellow taking a laptop & another group taking a slab (of beer, that is!)on the OT. The Kiwis are just as bonkers.This Guy's group took one for every day to add to their drink bottles!

...who's the wild turkey...?!!

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[Charlievee]

+ 1 on the good stout knife. I use a Mora. Some folks look at you like you're a mass murderer or something, but when it comes to serious cutting or splitting open wet wood they're the "grouse". I've even used mine on the OT - to help start a fire in a hut. A lass was travelling with our group and tried for half an hour to get a fire going to start some coal. I think it was the old Windy ridge hut. I split open some wood and had a fire roaring in 5 mins. Feel naked without a good blade in the pack. Regards. CV.