I am back from DirtTime09 but won’t be recording a show today.  After a long trip there is a lot to do to catch up around the homestead but I have some great stuff planned for the rest of the week.  I did want to post a quick review on what DirtTime was like (with more commentary coming tomorrow).  First let me say whether it is DirtTime or a TSP event or any event involving preppers or survival minded individuals if you can get to it then go.  I can not tell you how amazing the people were and how great the training was, much like the old Harley Davidson saying, “if I have to explain you won’t understand”.

Next I want to mention how approachable the instructors are at this event.  As an instructor myself with a very big TSP turn out by the way I can tell you it is a little overwhelming to have so many people say so many nice things to you.  It is humbling and I could tell many of the others felt the same way.  I also realized that some attendies were a bit intimidated and did not go speak to people they really wanted to talk to, please don’t do this, the instructors at such events are there to meet you and there to help you.  On that note if you were there to see me and did not get to talk to me as much as you may have liked to I apologize.  With over 150 in attendance I tried to devide my 3 days up among as many people as I could.

For me the event was shorter then I would have liked.  We attended Monday, Tuesday and about half of Wednesday.  I was under obligation to my son and wife to make this trip our vacation as well as attending DirtTIme.  If that had not been the case I assure you I would have been there from the fist tent up till the last one down.  You just don’t get the opportunity to be with people of this caliber in such a great environment very often.  The training was exceptional with something for everyone from bow making to trap making to plant indentification and some amazing tracking training by a few marines and one special forces solider (all on active duty).

Some of my personal highlights included

• Meeting Sisterwolf and TW and spending a day with them in Seal Beach after DirtTime was over
• Meeting Ron Hood and having him agree to do an interview on TSP
• Finally meeting Dude McClain and Alan Holcan in person, amazing people both will be on TSP in the future as well
• Presenting to such a large group, I would estimate well over 100 were in my audience, it really was awesome to have such an audience
• The several people that came up to me and said, “you’re the only reason I came” to those who said that I thank you immensely I hope though that now you realize I was a small part of something very special
• Watching Dave Canterbury present the “Pathfinder System” including his slingshot bows and Dave will be coming on TSP as well
• David Wendell and I made this great video on making cordage with yucca, Dave is a great guy and will be coming on TSP
• I met a gentleman (I so apologize for not remembering your name) who will be having me up to his permacultured acre in northern Arizona where they are growing peaches and almonds in Zone 4 and some other amazing things that are said to be impossible
• I have been invited to The Hoodlums event in Oct in Llano, Texas and I will be going
• Meeting “masterguns” (Scott Anderson) a man who has served our nation for more then 30 years as a United States Marine

All in all it was amazing and it has me very energized about getting serious about TSP events as soon as I get out of the corporate scene.