Imagine you are on an airplane flying over the Pacific Ocean, when all of a sudden your plane starts to do a nose dive right into the ocean, and you black out. When you wake up you are laying on a beach. You need to build a shelter but you don’t have any rope to tie the sticks together. While this scenario may be one you’ll never encounter, knowing how to make rope may be a nice skill to have.
The knowledge of making rope has been around for thousands of years. Once people got past vines and other natural materials for binding objects, they discovered that fibers could be combined and twisted into great lengths by taking advantage of the tendency of materials to remember their natural condition.
As inquiry.net states:
The materials from which rope is made are found in distant lands around the world. However, cotton, of which the United States produces 60% of the world supply, is used extensively in the manufacture of cords and lines. Cotton is perhaps the most flexible of the commercial materials and is sufficiently strong for the smaller cordage. Common hemp is superior, possessing the combination of strength, flexibility, and durability.
The principal rope materials are: common hemp, Manila hemp, sisal hemp, Phormium hemp, Sunn hemp, Jubbulpore hemp, jute, coir, flax, agave fiber, and cotton, all of which are vegetable.
Custom among sailors has decreed that the term "rope" indicates that the diameter is one inch or more. Other authorities agree that the diameter may be one-half inch or more. However, we hear cords of one-quarter inch diameter called "rope."
A rope is composed of a certain number of strands, the strand itself being made up of a number of single threads of yarn or fiber. A laid rope of three strands is a right hand lay which is the most often encountered form of laid rope. Laid ropes with the opposite twist pattern are said to be left hand laid. The lay of a rope is determined by examining the twist. If you look down the length of a rope and the primary strands spiral in a clockwise direction, it is right hand laid. Thus the twist in each operation is in a different direction from that of the preceding one. The yield of rope from a given length of yarn is about three-fourths of the length of the yarn composing it.
The material from which you make your rope is, for the purpose of learning, of less importance than the method employed. Almost any available fibrous material will serve your purpose. The young, inner bark of most shrubs and trees is very adaptable.
Making professional grade rope without any special tools requires hand dexterity that a few people possess. While the rope you make yourself may not be factory quality stuff, it is good to practice to better understand the principles involved.
By doing a search on the internet on “How To Make Rope” you can find some great sites and information along with videos. You can easily practice making rope at home but if you would like to do some hands on learning, Clint Goodwin will be offering a class on making rope using a variety of materials and tools on March 19, 2011. The location for this will be announced at a later date.
Tags: cotton, hemp, making rope, outdoor skills, rope
February 12 was a beautiful day for a snowshoe trip. We met at the community center in the middle of Northport and headed for Flagstaff Mountain. Temperatures were in the upper 20’s as we headed up the mountain. The snow conditions were excellent with 16 inches of crusty snow.
We weren’t very far into our trip when we began to see wildlife. We saw several groups of deer, both mule deer and whitetail as well as turkeys as we progressed up the trail. A little after noon, we crowned over the saddle to enjoy a great view up the Columbia River valley. We settled into the hillside for lunch and enjoyed the view of Northport in the distance nestled against Silver Crown Mountain. After eating lunch at this vantage point and taking advantage of the photo-op, we heading back down the mountain.
On our way out we spotted some moose tracks and followed them down a different course than we had ascended. We were hoping to find some deer antlers on our way, but were unsuccessful in this endeavor. The whole trip covered about 3 miles and took about three hours. The trip was deemed a success and fun was had by all.
Tags: adventure, columbia river, flagstaff mountain, northport, snowshoeing, wildlife
On Saturday, February 12 a group of 20 or so people will be ascending the base of Flagstaff Mountain to enjoy the fresh air great views and wildlife. With any luck, the day will be filled with sunshine, fun, nature’s beauty and picturesque views of the Columbia River Valley. We will start the day at 10:00am by meeting at the Community Center in Northport across from Tony’s Market. This will give you a chance to buy any last minute snacks or all-important water for the trip. We will then carpool to the base of the mountain and begin our ascent.
The climb will be a gradual one initially, suitable even for beginners. In a mile or so the old road we shall follow will steepen to a grade more suitable to challenge someone of moderate skill. We will crown out at a saddle which should offer a great view of the river valley below so bring your camera. At this point, we will take a break, eat some snacks, maybe heat some water for hot chocolate or tea, and just enjoy the scenery. I will bring a small stove for heating your water if you will bring a cup and a tea bag or hot cocoa mix. After this, the strong of heart can proceed another mile or so to crest a small knoll, or we could turn back, returning in the tracks we made on our trip in. The trip is expected to take from 2 to 4 hours and cover 3 or 4 miles depending on the options we choose after our snacks.
Remember, this activity is limited to the first 20 people who sign-up for it on the Registration Page. You will need to provide your own snowshoes. Also remember to dress appropriately in layers. Ski poles, snacks and camera are optional. If you happen to have an extra pair of snowshoes, please bring them also, if you are willing to share them with others.
Hope to see you on February 12!
Tags: adventure, columbia river, flagstaff, flagstaff lookout, northport, SMOS, snowshoe, winter activities
Hurry and register for our next FREE Adventure – Cross Country Skiing. Diane Wilson will guide you through a beautiful 5-mile trip over gentle terrain and smooth hills. The route is intended for moderately experienced skiers.
Tags: adventures, cross country, skiing
Do you remember those days from your childhood of rushing down a snowy slope on a runner sled? The air rushing past your face, the twinkle of the sun off the ice crystals on the surface of the snow, the thrill of passing someone just before you reach the bottom? Well, Jim Goodwin and his wife Karma remember it vividly, as if it was just last weekend.
In fact, it was just last weekend for them! I guess some people just never grow up, even when they are adults. But adulthood has its advantages. Today, Jim buys and rebuilds sleds so they can handle more speed and weight, and then he and Karma load the 15 sleds they own onto the back of the travelall, and fill several vehicles with local kids and head out to Johnson’s Grade, a back road south of Northport that the county no longer maintains during the winter. So Jim took over the maintenance of part of it for sledding. If you know the road, then you are aware of the two hairpin turns half way up the grade. All beginners are trained starting below these corners. They are taught how to steer the sled with their hands, but are not allowed to go above these turns until they learn how to use their whole body to turn and until they have learned the many safety rules which Jim teaches. Once these things are mastered, then they can experience the entire mile-long run.
A fire is often built at the bottom of the hill, and if the event is an all-day affair, hot dogs are brought to cook over the fire. Many a graduate from Northport High can attest to the fun times they had on Johnson’s Grade. A caution sign is placed at the bottom of the road to warn motorists who might venture up the road and the travelall always follows the sledders down. At the bottom, sleds are loaded onto a hitch-mounted hauler, snow is brushed off the sledders and they are loaded back into the travelall and hauled back to the top of the run.
Have we rekindled any childhood dreams? If so, you are welcome to join us. The sledding happens nearly every weekend in winter and is open to anyone whether you have a sled or not. If you get on the call list, Jim will let you know when he is heading out. Otherwise you could call him at 732-6175, or just look for the "Caution Sledding" sign set up near the bottom of the hill. We will be back down in a minute or so. HAPPY SLEDDING!!
[editors note: Sledding is not an official SMOS function]
Tags: recreation, runner sled, sledding, snow, snow sports, winter, winter activities
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