I have survived 90 days, another ten and I get a shiny achievement, showing that I am quite the Canadian wilderness baddass.
I almost died the day before, though. I began to get itchy feet in Pleasant Valley. I was living in my farmhouse, quite comfortable but all the time aware that my tools were slowly breaking down, and without a new whetstone, would soon be quite blunt and useless. Also, the two rabbit runs within easy striking distance of the farmhouse had been effectively ethnically cleansed of rabbit my constant depredations, and so I came to the conclusion that I would have to move on.
No easy task, making your way between zones. I had to decide whether to make one trip with a dangerously heavy rucksack or several lighter runs. In the end I opted for one,, as blizzards were too much of a threat in Pleasant Valley to risk exposure for too long. I began by experimenting with how much I could carry, figuring 40kg to be the furthest I dare push it. Any heavier and I would be reduced to a weary crawl, unable to jog in emergencies. As it was I was already drastically slowe'd by the weight. It came time to make an inventory of what I would take with me. Necessities were:
Knife, axe, rifle, bow, my eight arrows, storm lantern, crowbar, five flares, three brands, rifle cleaning kit, two sewing kits.
Ten scraps of cloth and ten sticks, one log for emergency snow shelter, clothing repairs and fire.
One litre of water. Four rabbit steaks, and four eaten before departure.
Medicine supplies; antibiotics, disinfectant, bandages and such.
Waiting for the right break in the weather, I said goodbye to my cosy farmhouse and began the long walk over Heartbreak Bridge and Contemplation Bridge to the Rural Crossroads. Finding luck with the weather and a lack of wolves, I investigated two abandoned houses there, unearthing a few tins of food. I decided to sleep the night in a comfy cabin, figuring I was two tired to strike on into the unknown. Little did I know that my little stay at the deceptively cosy Rural Crossroads would bring me closer to death than I had ever known. ..
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