barefootwalk

Just more DIY projects. Probably most interesting are a new insulated jacket and a wool hat. The merino wool fabric is white(ish). It is wonderful color but unfortunately it shows dirt easily, so I dyed it.

 It will take a while until I settle in the new environment. I am hoping this is more sustainable and stable, nevertheless there so many unknowns, as usual. I started working on new projects and it seems they can easily keep me busy for a long time. I already finished the truck bed extension over summer and recently I finished a new %100 wool pants. I also have new wood stove, all tested and work great. I should post more info as soon as I have their field test results but I am already feeling confident about their performance.

 Yes, I finally had a chance to replace the upper ball joint. I didn't have the specific ball joint press so I had to use some ideas and use the general purpose press I had. I took a little long but finally I managed to do it nice and clean. I can definitely add this to my resume!

 1- When I was an undergraduate student, I started taking electronic courses for my elective coursework. It was supposed to be a more science course and not much of engineering but they made a mistake and sent us an engineer instructor. So instead of learning about semi-conductors, he started teaching us about designing circuits, logical circuits and wi-fi transmitters! It appeared to I made a wrong judgment. 2- Couple years back, when the pandemic lockdown started, I decided to use a Raspberry Pi for remote access. One of best decisions of my life! The following decision however wasn't very smart; I purchased a UPS hat just to make sure a full time access while I can't go on campus. Well the hat was designed for version 3 and din't support my version 4 and it didn't worth returning, so it was laying around and reminding me of a wrong decision. 3- Last week I was frustrated by unstable solar panel charger and in a moment of enlightenment I found a perfect solution for i...

I have seen many ultralight hikers ignore skip the coffee for the sake of the weight or many people go with instant packages which are more expensive and not very healthy sometimes. There are easy and light options to enjoy coffee. Pour in coffee with the luxury of coconut oil 1- Instant coffee: this is not my favorite option but it is fast, light and clean. 2- Cowboy coffee or bush coffee: This is the one of my popular ways to make coffee.  Basically I use the method by Morse Kochanski and it is surprisingly delicious method. Put ground coffee in the pot, add water and start heating up, boil for a minute and move away from the heat and pour cold water on top so coffee could sink. This is the video, he is very sweet man but don't burn that much wood for your coffee. 3- Using a filter and pour in method: You can use specific mugs or filter holders and paper filters but I just sewed a pouch out of cloth filter fabric so I can reuse the filter. 4- For camping I use Snow Peak french pr...

One of the things I see a lot on the trail is that many people think of the hiking as a temporary activity and they pause many thing until they end the hike, but in my opinion you should live while hiking. I used to ignore many of those small details and I was always suffering while hiking and then I started adding these small details and everything has changed since then. One of those important things is taking shower and washing clothes. It will make a huge difference. - Carry biodegradable soap so you will have more freedom. I use Dr. Bronners all the time. - Plan for a shower around noon so it will be warm and you will have enough time to get dry. - Use polyester underwear so you can wash and dry them much faster. They are small and easy to wash. - Wash your hand and your face whenever you get a chance. - Carry a small bottle of hand sanitizer.

I enjoy wood carving while I'm hiking or I'm free at home. A simple short Mora wood carving knife is very lightweight and useful to keep in your backpack.

We deal with temperature challenges in every hike. Thanks to modern technology our body can't tolerate big changes in the temperature and we have a very narrow range of comfort. A basic knowledge of can help us to maintain a comfortable temperature throughout our hiking and backpacking trip. 1- How our body loses the heat? This video by Ron Hood describes 5 heat loss mechanisms. All weather tips: - Use layering. Moisture weakening base layer, warm mid-layer and water repellent out side. Wool or polyester are the best for base layer and mid-layer. Polyester dries faster. - Keep the normal walking pace. Not very slow, not very fast. - Keep hydrated. The water is the best regulator in your body. Hydration is not just drinking, it's drinking and peeing! You consume too much energy if you keep all the fluids inside your body. The water have one of the highest heat capacities. According to Anthropologists the main advantage of the human body is the ability to sweat and this is one ...