Interstitial Wilderness

in·ter·stice

1 a: a space that intervenes between things; especially: one between closely spaced things.

b: a gap or break in something, generally continuous <the interstices of society>.

Today was a stunning day, bright & warm with a nice breeze.  Too nice to stay at home, but I hadn’t made any plans to go anywhere such as drive over to the National Forest, to have a place to hike.  Most areas I know of where I can go practice skills, are 30+ miles away.

But something has been nagging in the back of my mind for several weeks now, so I opened it up and examined it this morning.  Ah!  I knew just the place to go…

Running through most communities are seams of land where people rarely go.  Streams, aqueducts, underpasses, etc. which the common citizen might not even notice.  Those who live at the fringes of society know them, though.  The homeless in the cities, and the dirt bikers in semi rural areas, always seem to find them.  One such place was 10 minutes from my home.  

I mean, if a Hoodlum isn’t on the fringe, who the hell is?

A broad river runs between plots of ranch land and state property.  One of the back roads crosses this river, and that was my access point.  In three hours, I saw no footprints other than animals.  I kicked out half a dozen jackrabbits, and snuck up on a bobcat on the hunt.  There were lots of tracks of dirt bikes and horses, and I know that sometimes kids go down there to stalk each other with paintball guns, but apparently no one goes hiking as far down stream as I went.  What a great place to play…

I grabbed a minimum amount of gear: water, mini-kit, cell phone & some gloves in a fanny pack.  Also I took two knives. 

OK, two more than I normally carry…

One was my Laser Strike, by TOPS.  The other was the RSK (Ritter Survival Knife), a new folder designed by Doug Ritter as an option to large fixed blades for wilderness work.  It is produced by Benchmade Knives, and has a wide drop point blade of S30V.  Nicely designed handle, with the Axis Lock.  It is the slickest opening folder I have ever handled, probably due to the relatively heavy blade.

I wanted to cut some Mulefat to use as hand drills, so didn’t need a bunch of heavy gear.  In addition, it was 90 degrees on the porch when I left.

I walked for about 20 minutes down stream before I started looking for Mulefat.  I was completely out of sight from any road, home or field.  The river bottom is about 100 – 150 yds wide here, and is lined with pines, huge willows and cottonwoods along the banks.  There are several islands as well, which are also choked with growth.  The channel itself is pretty clear, as the river rages during the wet season.  Right now, it is bone dry.

Using both knives, I found that the folder would chop the slender stems as easily as the Laser Strike, and it was easier to use to clean off all of the little branches.  The handle has deep checkering, and the liners are deeply serrated.  All of which give a slip proof hold, but it would be irritating for long, hard use.

I have been carrying the folder now for a couple of weeks as my EDC.  It is light, at 3.8 oz, but is wide in the grip.  It carries well in the pocket, and I do not know it is there until I stick my hand in my pocket, or grab it to use.  I am always surprised at how thick the handle is.

I’ve used it to whittle some trap triggers and make some fuzz sticks, and find the blade to be much wider than my SAK or favorite whittler, the Mora #1.  However, considering the compromises, it’s a pretty damn good little folder.  I’ll be carrying it when I go back to the Sierra Nevada, I’m sure.

I poked around a little bit more, finding some trash some dickhead had dumped, but there was nothing of use.  After a few hours of doing nothing in particular except relaxing, I was low on water.  It was pushing the high 90’s in the dry wash, so I started back.

Along the way, I found a tiny patch of reeds growing alongside the dry wash.  Who woulda thunk it?

You know the best thing about this little slice of interstitial wilderness?  In 15 minutes I was at home, cooling off in the shower.

Time for a brew…

Bill