Hobo Camp: fun, games, and good practice too!

It’s a tough economy, and even while our belts are tight, we crave that outdoors time “roughing it.”  We also want to maximize our dollars, and that means practicing before we try new things.  With that said, it’s pretty boring to “pretend” to camp out in your own backyard.

Even so, that’s what we’re going to be doing with our MeetUp group this coming weekend.  We’ve planned a “hobo camp” in one of our members spacious and heavily wooded back yards.  So what IS this hobo camp affair?

It’s a chance to try out your ultra light gear.  Granted, you aren’t going to be packing it for miles first, but long before it’s packed anywhere, you need to know it’s going to work for you.  Just because that famous survivalist guy can get by for a week in the wilderness with just his trusty knife, bare feet, and some string doesn’t mean that you are going to be able to…or that you’d enjoy doing it that way.  (Besides, he has a camera crew, right?)   This hobo camp means you have a chance to set it up and actually use it, getting a better idea of how well it will work in practice.

If you are into survival, here’s a chance to try out your survival camping gear.  It’s one thing to have your backpack with your tarp and garbage bag, but…will it work in practice?  Do you know how to actually set it up in a random location in the woods?  How comfortable will you really be?

How about stealth camping?  Many people do this each and every day, setting up camp out of sight and out of mind, with the goal of leaving no trace of their overnight stay.  It’s kind of scary to think about doing this, but for many people, especially cyclists, this is a very real practice.  When it’s time to sleep, you may be far short of your goal of a campground.  In addition, more self-supported distance cyclists are being forced to cut corners, staying in fewer campgrounds and motels, and doing more stealth camping to allow them to continue enjoying their hobby.  If you’ve never done it, but have thought about it, this is a good chance to try it out in a safe environment.

Then, if you aren’t into any of these things, but just enjoy the outdoors and socializing with others, this is a fun activity.  You can pitch your tent…or simply drive home at the end of the evening.  Part of the whole experience is “pretending” and role playing, as though none of us had a home to return to.  We will even be cooking a pot of “hobo stew” with whatever we have to contribute to the pot, not unlike our “stone soup social” a few weeks ago.  (These communal pots of soup/stew are actually really tasty too!)

While play acting to be “hobos” may sound rather silly at first, it isn’t as silly as it could be.  Part of being prepared for anything is being able to adapt to nearly any situation.  During an emergency, it’s entirely possible that a group of people who didn’t know each other well would find themselves coming together for mutual support and safety.  By this play acting, we are actually practicing the same skills that would be required in that kind of situation: knowing how to take care of ourselves, get along with others, cooperate with others, and being able to stay comfortable doing it.

It’s a great activity for any loosely organized (or well organized) group as well.  Many emergency preparedness groups don’t have many overnight events, and yet, in an emergency such as a hurricane, earthquake, etc., our homes may be uninhabitable and our supplies minimal.  Emergency response teams are notorious for not arriving soon enough, often requiring survivors to make the best of the situation for days or weeks.  During this time period, everyone has to make the best of the situation.

Knowing how to set up an emergency shelter is one thing, but knowing what its like to actually sleep in one is another.  This is an important skill as well, especially for families with children, as the uncertainty and unknown is often terrifying to children.  By practicing when it’s just a game, it takes away the terror and turns it all into a grand adventure instead, preparing them to face situations like this in their own futures.

It’s just as important for adults.  In order to project a calm and prepared facade, we need to know what we are doing and what can be logically expected.  It doesn’t do any good to know how to make a shelter from palmetto fronds, saplings, a garbage bag, and some leaves if you need a full day to do it in, and both an oncoming storm and the setting sun aren’t going to give you enough time.

Backyard adventures such as this make the drill of practice into something fun and actually adventurous.  In addition, if mistakes are made, it isn’t a life or death situation.  There is always the safety net of knowing that you can get in your car and be home in a few minutes.  In terms of emergency preparedness, it may seem a baby step towards becoming the one who knows how to handle themselves in an emergency, but baby steps can be fitted together to cover many miles.  It doesn’t hurt when these small steps are turned into a fun and social event either!

There is also the option of practicing other skills such as fire starting, wild food foraging, geocache, snares, etc. while having your hobo adventure too, adding more skill sets to your list of accomplishments.  Unlike a Boy Scout, we don’t get badges for achieving our goals along the way, but we do have the satisfaction of knowing how to do something new and useful for survival.  For those of us with spouses who aren’t as thrilled with practicing survival skills as we like, we can often coax their participation with the more social aspects too.  After all, who can resist a cup of hot coffee and a chance to roast marshmallows with the others around a communal camp fire?

 

Being prepared…for whatever comes!

Being prepared isn’t just about buying a bunch of guns and ammunition and acting goofy.  It’s not about the “end of the world” either.  I sincerely hope we don’t have anything resembling any kind of an apocolypse for at least another dozen millenia!

So what IS being prepared?

It’s about being ready for a “rainy day.”  Whether its an epidemic and quarantine, a lay off from your job, sudden economic problems, riots in the urban centers, martial law, military invasion, severe storms, earthquakes, the arrival of your no-good brother-in-law with your sister and their six kids after being evicted from their home, or an invasion of Martians…being prepared can help you cope.

More than guns, that means being prepared to cope with extra mouths to feed, house and clothe unexpectedly, it means being capable of feeding yourself and your family, even if the grocery store is closed for weeks or months on end.  It means being able to get around in your own local area to collect, trade, barter, or sell items to your neighbors for other necessities.

That starts with food and water.  Clean water and food are a necessity.  For those who believe in being prepared, that often means not only a well stocked pantry, but also long term storage foods.  These are dried or freeze dried foods that have been specially packaged to keep them fresh and edible for years, usually over 5 years as a shelf life.  It also includes gardening, and even growing your own seed stock from heirloom varieties.   Of course, that means not only fresh vegetables, but vegetables to dry, can or freeze for later use.

“Preppies”, as they are often called, are not nutcases waiting for the next alien invasion or nuclear holocaust.  They aren’t plotting anarchy either.  Most of what they do was once considered standard practice for any country family–being self reliant.  It also means establishing a community of sorts with other “preppies” for exchange of information, bartering, sharing of skills, etc.

Also contrary to the popular myth of a “survivalist”, they are not uneducated country bumpkins who took one too many knocks to the head and are barricading themselves in their house/property.  These people come from all walks of life, all kinds of backgrounds, have a wide variety of political stances, and may even have once-upon-a-time been one of those “dirty liberal communist hippy” sorts.

Today, the preppie is apt to be fairly well educated, concerned about the environment, interested in self reliance, etc.  They may own a business, be the one pressing that stethoscope to your chest, be notarizing your legal documents, or processing your bank deposit.  It might be that beautifully landscaped yard next door too.  You might know them from PTA or church or the local civic organization.

I’m one of them.  Are you?

I strongly advocate people being self reliant and not waiting for some knight in shining armor to come sailing their way to save the day.  I live on the coast, in hurricane country.  I can’t swim, and I don’t like hanging out with snakes and alligators.  Each time a storm moves into the Gulf of Mexico, it’s my responsibility to assess the situation and ascertain whether I need to move inland for a while.  I need to be prepared to do this, each and every day of the year, regardless of the storm season being designated as June 1-November 30.  I don’t expect emergency services personnel to come save me when the water is twenty feet deep and I’m sitting on the roof.  I knew three days ago that a storm was on its way.  If I choose to stay, I need to be prepared to cope with whatever that storm delivers.  I have never stayed when there was a direct hit within 100 miles of me–I don’t know what it is like to endure the storm.  I don’t want to either.   I’m not prepared to deal with storm surges the likes of which have hit the coast in the past, and I’m within a mile of open water.

When I lived in the West, in high country down a dirt road that no snow plow was ever going to travel, I didn’t often have to deal with snow.  Occasionally, it would come though, and there were a few occasions where the neighbors all took their turns driving the dirt road to pack the snow down and keep it passable.  We also had the risk of a power outage in weather like that, along with the telephones.  Each time snow was predicted, extra supplies were brought home…just in case.  We also had a well stocked pantry and freezer.  There was even a horse in the back yard that could have floundered her way through belly deep snow, if it had been necessary.  We had candles, a wood stove, gas stove, extra food, firewood, gasoline, and we were prepared in case the storm turned out to be worse than they had expected.  It never was, but we got prepared each and every year, just in case.

One year, it was the measles that kept me locked up inside at home.  I was exposed, along with my kids, and despite getting a booster vaccination and having a lifetime of vaccinations for the measles, I was the one who got sick.  Even though it was considered a “mild” case, I was very sick for the full two weeks I was confined at home.  In addition, I was not to go anywhere, to avoid spreading the already rampant virus any further.  Being prepared for the unexpected meant that there were no frantic calls for groceries.  We could get by, quite comfortably, although cooking wasn’t something I was often up to doing, there was still plenty of easy-to-prepare food in the house for my pre-teen daughter to help me prepare.

That pantry has saved me when unemployed, when a major repair had to be done to our transportation vehicle, or when other economic disasters have struck.  It’s fed family and friends when I had unexpected guests, sometimes for longer than I expected too.  It’s filled food boxes for friends that have hit on hard times as well, all without requiring a trip to the store to help them over the hump of being broke.  It’s part of being prepared.

So the next time you are looking at your pantry and thinking about the future…remember these rules.

1. All families should have a minimum of 7 days food in the house.
2. All families should have a minimum goal of 90 days food in the house.
3. Families who have the financial ability to do so should have a full twelve month supply of long term storage food in the house.
4. A water filtration/purification system should be in the house, capable of supplying a minimum of 1 gallon per day per person for at least one full week.
5. Water storage containers should be in the house, capable of storing at least one gallon per person per day for at least seven days.  This allows you to fill them before disasters such as storms occur.
6. Flashlights (1 per person), lanterns (1 for the family) and an alternative cook stove should also be part of your emergency kit, along with fresh batteries for the flashlights, and fuel for the lantern and stove for at least a full week.
7. Your car should be kept well maintained, oil changed, and with at least half a tank of fuel at all times to allow for a quick exit in case of an emergency.  Gas stations are often shut down or swarmed with customers in those situations.
8. Have an emergency backpack with clothing, easy-to-eat food, a canteen/water bottle, blanket, shelter (tarp), rope, medicines, toys (for the kids) etc. ready to go.  Keep them in a regular location and make sure everyone knows where theirs is at.
9. Start practicing self reliance.  Garden, camp, hike, bike, hunt…whatever suits your lifestyle and skills best.
10. Create a community of other preppies in  your local area.  Share knowledge and skills.
11. Encourage everyone to be pro-active about their own preparations.
12. Most of all, think, plan, and have fun doing it!

Heads up! American Preppers Roll Call!

The American Preppers Network is conducting a Network-Wide Roll Call and giving away
Several Prizes! All Preppers, please respond to the following link and reply to the Roll Call.

http://americanpreppersnetwork.net/viewtopic.php?f=606&t=17742

 

They are also hosting some giveaways.  From their website, here’s what they have:

We have Several Prizes to Give Away!!
1) Flash Lantern. Valued at $49.95 This lantern will turn a flashlight into a bright lantern
http://www.bogdenoutdoorequipment.com/d/

2) Quick Stove from Quick Stovehttp://store.tomorrowsharvest.com/quick-stove.html super awesome, portable stove, they are the same size in diameter as a coffee can, but they are not as tall, only about a 1/3 the height.

3) Preparedness Principles from Barbara Salsbury http://store.preppersnetwork.com/preparedness-principles.html This is THE MOST NEEDED BOOK IN FAMILY PREPAREDNESS, rather than an entertaining novel or a book about how to eat rattlesnakes, this is a book about everything to live PRACTICAL PREPAREDNESS, it is a huge volume of how-to’s from building patio gardens with lumber from home depot, to canning, cooking with freeze dried ingredients

4) Freeze Dried Cinnamon Apples from Tomorrow’s Harvest http://store.preppersnetwork.com/sliced-apple-cinnamon.html These are THE MOST POPULAR freeze dried fruit in the industry. Taking real apples from the orchard, sprinkling real cinnamon with a touch of sugar enables families to cook home-made apple cinnamon pies or just eat them right out of the can as a delicious, healthy snack.

4) (2 copies available to giveaway) Handbook To Practical Disaster Preparedness – By Authur Bradly Ph.D. Autograhped by the Author, this 2nd edition book covers all 14 Basic Needs. Food, Water, Shelter, Light, Electrical Power, Heating/Cooling, Air, Sleep, Hygiene/Sanitation, Medical/First Aid, Communication, Financial Preparedness, Transportation, Protection

5) (5 Copies to giveaway) Bill and Janet’s book: It’s a Disaster and What are you gonna do about it.
http://www.1shoppingcart.com/app/?Clk=3555547
This is the official Disaster Preparedness Manual for the APN and a must have for every prepper. It covers all of the major types of disasters and many more and provides, tips and information on how to mitigate the disasters.

 

To find out how to get in on this little contest, head over to their website.

Good luck!

Hammock camping anyone?

A couple of years ago, a camping niche that uses hammocks as their primary bed/shelter came to my attention.  Previously, I had always regarded hammocks as something used for backyard lounging, not something to consider when ultra light camping.

Now, keep in mind, I’m NOT a hammock camping expert, but rather a car camping “expert” after years of doing it, with and without kids, in groups, and solitary as well.  I was curious about the whole concept though, and began doing more research.  It didn’t hurt that we had some new fans of the method within our own little camping club that were doing more than just reading and researching the idea–they were experimenting with it too.

First of all, not all hammocks are created equally.  For comfort, weight and volume, you’ll want a “parachute silk” hammock, which is actually made out of a type of non-waterproof (breathable) nylon.  You can make your own or buy one pre-manufactured.  ENO is probably the best known brand, although I was told they have a reputation for using rope and webbing that tends to stretch.  ENO has a lot of accessories too.  Hennessy, Grand Trunk, and Speer are other companies that are well known, and there are numerous others.

That’s the hammock, next comes the method of hanging it from the trees.  It’s a lot more complicated than just grabbing some rope from the dollar store too.  Some methods use webbing, some use a specific type of cord, some hammocks come with a method, and some don’t.  Some use carabiners, some use figure 9 carabiners, and some don’t.  There are commercially produced methods, and do it yourself methods, and they often overlap considerably.

Then, there’s the tarp or hammock tent.  Some hammocks have like an attached tent, creating a cocoon for the sleeping occupant.  Others are separate accessories, some are sold as “kits” with the hammock.  You can also make your own from waterproof sil-nylon or treated ripstop nylon.  The commercially available tarps are not created equally either.  One purchase by a friend was a complete surprise to him when he got it home and opened it up.  Instead of measuring the tarp in the normal manner (length x width) it was measured diagonally, with the normal measurements in the fine print.  (It was a Cabela’s purchase.)  So…the tarp he THOUGHT was a ten foot tarp turned out to measure ten feet diagonally, effectively making the tarp so small that it was not good for anything other than a ground cloth beneath a tent or a lightweight shade.  (It’s like 4×5 or something equally ridiculous.)  For the do-it-yourself crowd, there is a lot of options available in terms of directions and options when you sew your fabric into your new magical shelter for your tarp.

Then, above your hammock, there is a line that is used to hang things from, ranging from your mosquito netting to protect you from their attacks to a pouch to hold your glasses and cell phone.  This too has an amazing number of variations in what it is made from and its exact purpose.

Another surprise to me was how low a hammock is traditionally hung.  For some reason, I had always mentally pictured them about waist high.  In reality, the low sag point shouldn’t be more than about 18″ above the ground, effectively cradling you about as high as a cot would have you.  This is for safety (the higher you are, the harder you fall) and ease of getting in and out.  Too high and getting in and out requires a lot of agility and dexterity that older campers are not likely to be thrilled with.  Too low and your butt is dragging the ground.

The same is also true of your tarp over the hammock.  It shouldn’t be too high above the hammock or you won’t be protected from rain or wind.  Too low and you can’t get in or out, and it’s touching your arms or feet.  Don’t forget the drip line either, or you’ll soon be channeling water right down to your hammock.  (The drip line is a piece of cord allowed to dangle between the hammock/tarp and the tree, channeling the water down it, rather than allowing it to continue towards the hammock or tarp.)

For cold weather hammock camping, there is also specialized gear, such as the “under quilt” used beneath the hammock to insulate you from the cold air surrounding you.  Inside the hammock, a traditional sleeping pad is used for additional insulation.  Hammock campers are capable of sleeping comfortably, when well prepared, in sub-zero temperatures.

My impression is that hammock camping is a great idea, especially for kayakers, cyclists, and backpackers.  It’s ultra light, gets you off the ground, and takes little room in your pack.  If you are intending on doing any stealth camping, it’s also a great idea, as it has a small footprint and once packed up, there is no sign of anyone having slept there.  For campers who find sleeping on the ground unappealing, it’s got great appeal too.  But…no matter how large the hammock is, two adults can rarely actually sleep together in one, making it unappealing to honeymooners and for romantic getaways.

Cost wise, it compares well with the traditional ultra light gear.  Even as expensive as the hammocks and tarps seem initially, when compared to a traditional backpacker’s tent, it’s not that expensive.  It also allows the camper to stay in areas that are too rough, too rocky, and too steep for easy tent use.

The downside?  Some parks don’t allow attaching anything, even temporarily, to trees.  Some parks and regions are largely treeless as well, making hammock camping in those areas difficult if not impossible.  For families, it might be a bit more complex, as everyone is in their own hammock, attached to their own trees.

I think it’s something worth trying out, even though I’m primarily a die hard car camper.  My other half?  He’s a bit more suspicious of hammock sleeping.  We’ll see!

Reference books and shopping

Recently, after numerous experiences with prepared dehydrated food suitable for backpacking, I became somewhat disgruntled with the taste, texture, appearance, and sodium content of many meals.  In addition to being less-than-wonderful to dine on, many meals also were found to be very expensive per serving.  I wanted more for my money, and some variety in the meals.

That meant one thing.

When you are dissatisfied with commercial offerings, you have to do it yourself.

Now I’m far from a bad cook, and I’m a pretty good camp cook too, especially from the car camping/base camp outlook.  Most of our camping is done in that manner, we pitch a camp near where we can park the van/truck/car, and work our way out from that, taking short day hikes, sightseeing, and sometimes just hanging out right near camp.  At the same time, there are times when you want a lightweight, compact, palatable meal that requires nothing more complex than adding hot water.  For those with an interest in survival training, this becomes even more important.

I’m actually surprised at the narrow field of offerings from commercial producers of backpacker’s food, such as Mountain House.  So many things are nearly a natural in the field, and yet they aren’t even on the list of potential meals.  I’m not sure why, unless they are unpalatable after dehydrating and rehydrating, too fussy for dehydrating and packaging, or maybe…just plain never thought of.

Certain things are regional favorites.  Others are comfort foods that may have limited appeal.  Some things may have a narrower field of appeal because of their nature as catering to a specialized diet.  In addition, someone who is on a serious backpacking trip may need a large amount of calories, while someone who is in a more sedentary mode may prefer a much more modest calorie count in their meal.  In either case, the meals should not leave the diner feeling hungry or nauseous from the meal.

I obviously needed some inspiration on what would…and would not…work for creating do-it-yourself backpack meals.  I had the best equipment in the world for doing it–a vacuum sealer and a good quality dehydrator.  I know where to order those little silica packs to ensure that the moisture level stayed low, as well as the oxygen gobbling ones.  I can cook, and I can easily prepare some sample meals to know whether the new recipe is a keeper or a lets-feed-the-dog meal.

And…while I was at it, I could do some research on preparing some dehydrated meals for the dogs that were packed with calories and more compact than the traditional bulky kibble.

I was on a roll…and now it was time to go shopping for that known source of inspiration….cookbooks!

I needed recipes for human and canine dehydrated meals, as well as basic dehydration information for the ingredients.  I started off with a search on Ebay.  That’s when the first surprise struck me.

Most cookbooks and reference books on this topic are MORE expensive on Ebay than with Amazon, and yet I’m going to be buying often used copies on Ebay.  Obviously, double checking prices was a no brainer after repeated examples were found of this pricing issue.  I have consistently found, that if it is in stock, both Amazon.com and Overstock are going to beat the Ebay prices, while delivering a new copy of the book as well.

Each of the online stores has their advantages though.  On Ebay, I may often find out-of-print books at a fairly reasonable rate.  On Amazon, I often will get free shipping on books, if I meet the minimum order requirement of $25.   They also will offer a Kindle version, which I can have delivered free to my Android phone or pc, since I don’t own a Kindle.   On Overstock, they typically will match Amazon’s prices, and their shipping is always $2.95.

Did I find some likely candidates to start drooling over?  Of course!

Do you want to know which ones they were?  I’ll lay odds if you have read this article, you are just like me, searching for good reference material on the topic.  It isn’t cheap, and if you check with your local library, you can often read the book free, before you actually buy it.  Amazon often lets you read a portion of the book free too.

To make it easy for you, I have set up the books I regard as likely on our website.  It’s at the top of the page on the right hand side.

Enjoy!

New year and new gear? Fixing it when you can’t replace it.

Well, it’s that time again…and for most of the country, it’s full winter now, complete with snow.  In the Gulf Coast region, where snow rarely falls and hasn’t “stuck” in memory…it’s also full winter, although it has been a warmer one than the past several years have been (so far!)  With that said, cold weather is cold weather, and nothing is colder and more miserable than a leaking tent in a freezing cold rain with gusty winds.

For most of the country, “economic recovery” is a statement we hear on the television…but don’t see in our bank accounts.  New gear may not be on a lot of people’s shopping list right now, especially on the heels of the holidays.  That’s our case, we have tents prone to leaking, primarily from age, and repeated applications of waterproofing spray hasn’t seemed to solve their problems.  In addition, there is more wear and tear from age and use, despite our usual care with our gear.

The most expensive items in most people’s camping gear list will be their tents, sleeping bags, and backpacks (if they use one.)  Those are the places that cutting corners isn’t always wise, but we all balance our dollars against quality.  Unfortunately for us, the quality hasn’t lasted long enough for the dollars to build up in the “gear fund” though!

We have a number of tents, but we have a couple of “favorites”.  One favorite is a Coleman “Red Canyon” tent that is absolutely massive by our standards.  We don’t always use it–it’s a pain to have a site big enough to accomodate it and we just don’t need that kind of space on all trips.  It also takes 30-45 minutes to just get it set up.  Add in several holes in the floor which I have meant to patch…and forgotten, the fact that we’re having consistent problem with moisture migrating up through the floor even when it was undamaged, and a leaking rain fly…and it hasn’t been a favorite.  In summer, there is not enough ventilation, in winter there is too much.  There aren’t enough close-able windows, and not enough of an overhang over the door to allow easy exit/entry without bringing the rain with us either.  Even with those complaints, we basically like the tent.  It is also a massive thing before it is set up, and for family peace, we long ago gave up on the tent bag and bought a huge duffel bag to hold the tent and fly, keeping the tent poles and stakes in the original bag.  There is something about rolling up a tent that not everyone is into…and the duffel bag may be bulky, but not nearly as much of a problem as an argument resulting from trying to fit it back into the bag!

Measuring something like 17′x8′ with enough headroom for a 6′ tall man to comfortably stand in the center, we use this tent when we’re anticipating foul weather, despite its issues.  The leaks are planned for with some extra towels and a spare tarp, we’re extra careful with the ground cloth (we use two small tarps overlapped in the center) to ensure that the floor stays fairly dry.  We roll up our bedding during the day to prevent it from drawing moisture and to keep the tent floor as dry as possible.  It’s big enough that when we’re doing a semi-working weekend in a campground, we can set up a table inside and work on our computers easily, or we can actually cook right inside the tent in foul weather if we so choose.  (We ONLY do this in very “civilized” campgrounds where we are unlikely to attract a large predator.  The small ones are usually deterred by the fact that we have three dogs in the tent with us.)  It’s also great with a group–we can gather together inside of the tent in foul weather.  Sometimes we’ll actually use this tent as a gathering place and sleep in our other favorite tent.

The other favorite is a “First Up” tent that measures roughly 10×10, with a more octagon footprint.  It’s another car-camping type tent and I love it because it is incredibly fast to set up–it literally can be set up by one person without hurrying in about 10-15 minutes from ground cloth to rain fly, stakes and all.  I bought it on clearance somewhere for about $30, as a discontinued model, and I have regretted not purchasing two that day ever since.  It has been a fantastic tent, and it is now 4-5 yrs old.  I bought it while I was still single, and it was massive then, with only one person and two dogs!  We recently used it on our “honeymoon” camping trip, discovered that the rainfly waterproofing had not been successful (nothing like waking up with it raining inside the tent in very cold weather, is there?) and resorted to using a tarp over the top of the tent to quickly solve the leaking problem without much ado.  It was big enough for a queen sized bed, two dog crates, a table, and two chairs…just not at the same time.  The bed had to be folded back to spare it from wet feet and wet dogs, and the dog crates only fit under the table.  Thank goodness the big dog didn’t need a crate (although we wondered about that when she opened the tent zipper to go exploring one night–she’s 10 yrs old and that was a first time event with all of the camping trips she’s been on.)

Making do is what we all have to do sometimes.  Our gear and our budgets aren’t always on speaking terms with each other, and we’re forced to postpone replacing expensive gear.  So what do we do about tents that are past their prime?

Rain flies begin to leak, despite water proofing properly.  Ultra violet ray deterioration, wear and tear, age, and micro-holes caused by everything from pine needles to sparks from a campfire can cause the leaks.  Nothing short of replacing it is going to restore it, and while it is theoretically possible to replace just the rain fly, sometimes it’s harder than you thought to buy a replacement, or it costs more than the tent did originally.  A quick fix that’s budget wise?  A simple, inexpensive tarp.  Usually a 6×8′ tarp is all that is needed, or possibly a 9×10 or 9×12 tarp.  The infamous blue tarps from the dollar stores can work–just be aware, they are noisy in wind!  Tarps are also a pain to fasten down, but they are very versatile too.  In clear weather, that tarp can become a shade too.  Summers, we often camp beneath a tarp to catch the breezes and yet keep the dew off, if the mosquitoes aren’t on the prowl.

Patching tent walls and floors can help a lot too.  Minor rips and tears can simply have the adhesive rip-stop nylon patches applied.  I prefer to patch floors with a piece of tarp and silicone glue.  It’s waterproof, flexible, and durable.  The glue can also restore seams taht are thinking about giving up the ghost on floors too, allowing me an additional season or two out of a worn tent.  Torn no see um mesh can be re-woven with a careful hand and needle and thread.  Raveling seams can be stitched back.  The one place that nothing seems to fix is a seriously damaged zipper.  I have never tackled the job, and after getting a quote to have one replaced, I replaced the tent–it was cheaper.

Sleeping bags are another area that we all make do.  I had started off with a sleeping bag rated to 10 degrees F.  Over the years, the sleeping bag lost its warmth, until finally, about three years ago, I received a replacement as a much appreciated gift.  I happen to prefer spacious rectangular bags, as I am claustrophobic and can’t stand to feel confined while sleeping.  Mummy bags and me aren’t going to work together, and I often can’t even stand to zip the bag up, at least beyond the knee.  I like to feel as though I can be out in any direction quickly, and the closer confining bags definitely don’t give me that feeling.  So when our sleeping bags aren’t as warm as they used to be, what can we do?

First and foremost, add a pad underneath, and a second pad if you are already using one.  I happen to prefer closed cell foam pads because of their no-fail nature and durability.  High tech pads are great, until something goes wrong…like a mouse or chipmunk decides to taste it. For car camping, the increased bulk is negligible, and for the far lower cost, closed cell is pretty good.  Using it under a self inflating pad doubles your insulation and comfort, as well as gives you a definite no-fail layer to count on too.

Second, add a micro fleece lining to your sleeping  bag.  You don’t need to go buy anything fancy, just go to any fabric store and buy 4-5 yards of whichever color micro-fleece suits your fancy.  Buy the heavier fleece and one that feels good–it’s your next-to-the-skin layer.  (Buy 2-3 yards for a kid, and they have plenty of patterns to make one short camper very happy too, without spending extra money.)  Next stop in the baby section of any discount store, and buy yourself about six diaper pins.  This is your no-sew solution.  Fold the fleece by putting the cut ends together.  Along one selvage edge, use about 4 pins to secure the two sides together.  Use one more pin to secure the selvage edge together about 8-12 inches from the bottom.  That creates the “foot” area.  Your remaining pin can be placed anywhere it suits you to keep the fleece around your body inside of the bag.  To wash your improvised liner, just remove the diaper pins, toss it in the washer, and wash it with regular laundry soap–no mega industrial sized washer needed.  It helps keep your sleeping bag cleaner as well, reducing the wear and tear from laundering.  Your low budget liner adds little bulk or weight to your average camping kit too, and will certainly cost far less than buying an expensive liner.  If you sew, you may want to sew on velcro tabs to secure the sides together, or even stitch the off side seam entirely.

Another important thing to remember is to NOT store sleeping bags in a compressed state.  The best storage would actually be hanging them but that’s not practical for most people.  Storing them loosely rolled in a breathable container (not plastic) is a good alternative.  I have some mega-duffel bags to store ours in, saving them from dust and grime, and making them easy to load up on our next adventure.  (Coleman’s 42 inch duffel bag will hold 3 average sleeping bags.)

With backpacks, little seems to actually go wrong except serious rips involving stress points.  These require patching and that means someone who can sew–there are no no-sew solutions that I’m aware of.  Keeping the packs clean and dry helps, but it’s inevitable that sooner or later, you’ll get caught in a rainstorm with one or fall down a slippery and muddy slope.  Drying  and surface cleaning of your backpack as soon as practical is important, as is storing it in a clean, dry area rather than in the back of a leaky shed is very important to prolong its life.  It is also important to buy sturdy, well made equipment, regardless of the brand name attached to it.  Not overloading your backpack and stressing seams is also important.  Never seal gear inside of plastic containers for storage–the containers can’t breathe and the result is often mildew or rot.  Store them out of the sunlight as well, ultra violet rays wreak havoc on fabrics of all kinds.

Taking good care of our gear, learning out to eke out a few more trips when gear is showing its age, and shopping wisely can be excellent ways to start off the new year.  So where do you shop when you can’t spend a lot and gear needs replaced.

Ebay isn’t the bargain basement it once was, but that doesn’t mean that bargains can’t be found there.  I just haven’t been so lucky as to find them in the past year.  In past years, I’ve bought considerable amounts of camping gear for myself and others via that auction portal.  These days, I often find better prices elsewhere.  Don’t forget brick and mortar stores either–even when we’re pinching our pennies until they are blue, we can still find bargains there.  Sales and clearance racks are often a source, as are display models.  Know any store’s return policies though–if the item is defective, you need to recoup your money as quickly as possible..

My favorites?  There is the obvious with Amazon and Overstock, but surprisingly–www.beprepared.com has servicable backpacks at reasonable prices (They are primarily a long term storage food supply company out of Utah.)  These aren’t backpacks I’d recommend for someone on an expedition to South America or Mt. Everist, but for the average weekend warrior, scout, and car camper, they have an excellent balance of quality versus price.  We have two that we keep loaded (and bouncing around in) our van for emergencies, and wear on occasion for shorter hikes.  They are reasonably well made and the price is still reasonable despite inflation.  After three years, they are still just fine.  Their current prices have three models, ranging from $25.95 to $40.95 and are all internal frame packs.    Sportsman’s Guide is another reputable company that often has backpacks on sale.

With that, get ready, get your gear out, and start dreaming of fair weather adventures (if you live in snow country) or just get ready and GO if you don’t.  Winter can be a fantastic time to camp in the South, free of the insects and snakes that plague us often, as well as the summer’s heat.

Memories from the outdoors

My years of experiencing the Great Outdoors has filled my brain with memories, and some of them are treasured.  On this dreary Monday morning, it’s a good time to recall one, isn’t it?

One of my most fond memories is that of fishing for rainbow trout on a cold fall/spring/winter morning at some river or stream.  Since rainbow trout like cold water, you can bet the air is none too warm in the morning, no matter what the season.  Cold air and remote locations nearly beg for a campfire, and if you have camped nearby, it’s almost a given that one will be burning, if nothing else to make the coffee to kickstart your early morning fishing.

With hook and bait or a lure, the line is cast into the water, and the game begins.  If the conditions are right, it was a given that I’d get lucky pretty soon with a pan sized trout on the end of the line, fighting for its life.  The end result would usually be a nice fish in my hands.

On the skillet, a piece of bacon would usually be used to grease the pan…and it would be sizzling and scenting the air while the trout was gutted.  With a quick rinse in the same water it had lived in, the fish would soon join that slice of bacon, cooking for a couple of minutes on each side, just until it was done.  There was no fancy breading, no meuniere sauce, no sprinkling of seasonings.  It was pure rainbow trout, seasoned by appetite and fresh air, and nothing would ever taste as delicious as the trout cooked beside the stream it came from.

There is something about the scent of burning wood (usually juniper where I’d be) and then the sizzling bacon in the skillet.  The aroma of coffee would be dancing around too, as it would have already been percolated on the fire.  The air would be cold and crisp, perfect for carrying those scents, with the natural aromas of the trees and plants growing nearby giving strong woodsy overtones to the morning.

Air freshener companies can only wish that they could recreate that wonderful set of scents and bottle it.  I can only hope that its a memory that never gets lost in a cobweb filled brain, as it, like so many other memories, combines scents with activities.  I’m just glad that I don’t have some of the scent related memories some acquaintances do…such as over-doing it with cow-in-heat-urine during hunting season, and then having trouble convincing a bull elk in full rut that you aren’t that elk cow…

Talk about love potion #9?  No thanks!

I’ll stick to my burning wood and coffee and bacon and sizzling trout on a cold, crisp morning alongside a mountain stream set of scents.

tis the season

The holidays are coming and people are shopping for gifts.  It’s the biggest retail season of the entire year.

So where do you find the bargains and great gifts for the outdoorsy sort, the survivalist sort, or the camper?

You find them where they buy their gear year round, from the same brands and types of gear they buy themselves.

It boils down to your budget and how much you want to invest in pleasing the recipient.  Here’s some ideas that might make that shopping excursion a little bit easier.

Low end gifts:  These are often going to be the “consumables” of their activities.  Great ideas can be an assortment of freeze dried foods, energy bars, waterproof matches, flint & steel firestarters, fuel for the lantern/stove (need to know what kind they use here though!) socks (either liner or hiking), flashlights, batteries (size matters!) walking/hiking sticks, sling shots, and small gadgetry such as can openers or sporks.

Mid range gifts: lanterns, folding tables, chairs or stools, dry bags, waterproof containers, water proof cameras, gear bags, tent stakes, mess kits/dishes, utensil sets, camp shoes, map sets, fishing gear, nylon hammocks, rope/cord, tent stakes, ammunition, arrows, 2 way radios, emergency radio/lights,

Bigger gifts: that coveted new tent, sleeping bag, backpack, hiking boots, coat/jacket, high tech clothing, bicycles, bike trailers, stoves, solar chargers, gps units, plane tickets to that dream location, canoes/kayaks, nylon tarps, guns, bows, fish finders, generators, ATVs,

The list can be infinitely long.  Ask about whether or not they maintain a wishlist on Amazon–it’s one way to make sure the gift you choose is one they want, and if you order now, there’s plenty of time to get it ready to wrap…or have it shipped to them wherever they are.

It’s also the perfect time to give emergency kits, whether they are 72 hour versions or bigger and more expensive ones.  The bigger emergency kits can help smooth over many emergencies beyond “the end of the world” type–whether it’s an accident, illness, job loss, or some other financial catastrophe, the food in the pantry is a cushion against inflation and financial problems.  I haven’t shopped with a lot of companies in this category, but I have shopped with Emergency Essentials, and their service has always been impeccable.

Put a smile on someone’s face and give them some real insurance and peace of mind this year with a kit designed to protect them and show them how much you care.

Creating a sense of community

Community survival was a concept highly touted by Karl Hess.  It’s just a plain good idea, in terms of emergencies and survival situations, to have a community network to get through the problem.  We’ve seen it time and time again, when hurricanes and other natural disasters  strike.  It’s just as much a good idea in terms of man-made disasters too.

The more the merrier, and the more likely that supplies and skills can be shared among the group.  But preparation and development of the community starts long before a disaster strikes.  It’s also not a case of formal meetings and boring speeches either.  It’s about doing things and being social.

It also includes more than your immediate neighbors.

It also will hone your organizational skills and make you practice patience.  There is nothing that can make a person crazier than working with volunteers, without money or compensation, and trying to organize any kind of an event.  It doesn’t take very long to pick out those among your co-conspirators in the project to find out who does the talking, who does the walking, and who is sincerely committed to the project, whatever it is.  A lot of people are all mouth, no work.  Others promise you the moon, complete with green cheese, and then vanish into the sunset.  The majority are perfectly happy reaping the rewards of other people’s hard work…over and over again.

If you are lucky, you’ll find a core group that actually commits to the project and does what they say they will, and the event happens the way it is supposed to.  Even better yet is finding someone who can push the reluctant into becoming the worker bees and help put the event on.

The holiday seasons are a good time to embark on projects to improve your community and inspire everyone.  From helping the needy to reaching out to the lonely, it’s a tough season if you are sick, disabled, elderly, lonely, alone, or poor.  This is also the season that food banks work hard to collect enough food not only for the holidays for those they serve, but to help them through the leaner collection months ahead.  It’s also a good time to reach out not only to the less fortunate in terms of financial status, but those with issues of loneliness.

Our Get Ready Go social organization here on the Gulf Coast is trying to reach out to those who are alone over the holidays, and are putting on a traditional Thanksgiving dinner for those that otherwise would be forced to spend it alone or in a restaurant.  It’s not a huge thing, we’re not financially prepared to do a massive dinner, nor do we have enough volunteers to do such a thing.  Three volunteers are doing all of the work, from cutting the wood for the fire to buying the food to loading everything up  to getting to the park early enough to snag a pavilion (the reserved ones were all gone!)  It’s our usual core group, minus a few with commitments elsewhere for the holidays.

In our case, we have a very unhappy daughter that we’re not coming to her house for the occasion.  She’s accepted it, but she also doesn’t have to LIKE it.

For us, it’s a LOT of work.  It actually starts tomorrow, as camping gear is moved out of the van to make room for firewood, food, pots, pans, pies, and bread…and the turkey.  We’ve also decided that pre-cooking the turkey is the only way to do it safely and without any doubts–I’ve done turkeys on the grill, but having them ready at a specific time is more than tricky.  We’re going to cook it in a roaster oven, carve it up, and then put it into a foil tray for re-heating at the site.  Most of the other foods will be cooked on site, between a wood fire in the grill and camp stoves.

I’m probably crazy, since I’m the head cook.  I’ve done a lot of camp cooking, and park cooking is pretty much the same thing, only with a picnic table and a pavilion.  I have help, and I appreciate that.  We also don’t have a sink, which does mean things can be tough.  I have to plan ahead on everything from desserts to sweet potatoes too.

Most of all, we’re going to share the event with people that otherwise we might not meet or talk with.  We’ll have conversations and laughter too.

The main goal?

At the end of the day, we’ll have made the world a little better place.

Isn’t that what it’s really all about?  Creating a sense of community, where people feel obligated to work to make it a little better, not only over the holidays, but every day of the year.  It’s not about being nosy about your neighbors, but caring about them and their lives, watching out for them and being concerned.

One day, last week, we had just gotten home with 101 things on our minds.  We were busy, but…we heard a hissing at the neighbor’s house, then a fine mist appeared.  Of course, someone had to check it out–he was gone at the time.  We called his cell a few minutes later to tell him he had a serious water leak.  With the warning, a water leak he may not have known about (he is hard of hearing and the leak was at the back of his house) was soon shut off.  Granted, he had a major plumbing repair to have done, and one room had to have the floor ripped up to access the plumbing, but it could have been much worse.

Things like that are part of the whole community thing.  We didn’t venture into his back yard because we were being nosy, but because there was reason for concern.  The neighbor wasn’t at home, and neither hissing nor mists were normal in his yard.  If we weren’t friendly back and forth, we’d not have had his cell number to call him to tell him about the problem either.

We don’t and shouldn’t wait for hurricanes and “end of the world” scenarios to begin establishing our communities.  Zombie apocalypses might be fine for the CDC to wait for, but the reality is far more stark when those situations arise.  Everyone needs that community to fall back on, and it is too late to build it when the unthinkable happens.  If you don’t know what your neighbors look like normally, now on earth would you recognize them as zombies anyhow?

Clubs and organizations

Here on the Gulf Coast, we have a Meetup.com group for our outdoor activities and skills.  We set up everything from excursions to gardens to camping trips, samplings of freeze dried foods to making gear.  Meetup makes it easy to set up the events, but we still run into a problem that plagues many organizations and clubs.

We get a lot of members who never show up, never participate, and never contribute.  We also get a lot of members who SAY they will be there, but…don’t ever show up.

On the surface, this doesn’t seem like a big deal, right?

The reality is that it does become a big deal.  When an event is set up, “experts” are engaged, someone has to plan the event, and then these people show up to the event with the supplies for it.  When the people that have said they are interested and will be there (Meetup.com offers RSVPs so that organizers know how many will be there) don’t show up, organizers have wasted their time and effort.  They already KNOW how to do this, know how to set it up, and know where the location is.

After a while, it becomes very disheartening.  After all, the time wasted assembling the necessary gear, loading it, transporting it, setting it up, and then waiting for people who never show up is gone, lost forever…for nothing.  We don’t get paid for it, no one even bothers to say “gee, I’m sorry, I had XXX happen.”  They just go merrily along, leaving us sitting somewhere waiting.

I’ve thought and thought about how to put a stop to it.  At first, it would be one person would show up after RSVPing.  Granted, reaching one person is much better than reaching no one, but sometimes, you need more people than that to make it a worthwhile event.  I thought that if we required 2-3 people to rsvp that they would be there before we went ahead with an event, we’d have more people show up or we could easily cancel the event.  Instead, we have more no-shows.

Now, I’m wondering if we charge $1 for every RSVP yes, if that would make people think about it before they showed up, or would that just mean that people didn’t RSVP at all?  Should we charge for events to compensate people for showing up to put the event on?  Should we start charging for membership to make people put more value on it?  How can we get their attention?

I’m still not sure.  I know that there are issues with perceived value.  Since we offer so many of our activities for no charge, they also don’t put any value on these activities.  Maybe people think that we are subsidized by the parks or something (we’re not!)

There are no easy answers, but I’m still seeking potential solutions to try.  I absolutely hate to turn it into a case where everyone pays all the time, but I am also heartily sick of seeing us waste our time setting up things that no one shows up to.

Hopefully, the solution comes to us soon.