How airsoft and skirmishes can teach you about being prepared for survival 4 Mar 2017 7:46 AM (8 years ago)

Many airsoft BB gun users take part in organized skirmishes - aka fake battles and survival scenarios. A lot of people don’t believe in ‘playing’ with guns or allowing youngsters to play with guns or take part in skirmish activities as they believe it’s setting a bad example. However, using airsoft BB guns and taking part in skirmishes can teach you a lot about being prepared and surviving in any situation.

Honing your shooting skills

You may think that in real life you will never need to know how to shoot a target, but at one point or another, you may well need to be able to do so. Its one thing shooting targetsat a shooting range; it’s completely another shooting a moving target during a skirmish, which is why skirmishes are so useful when it comes to honing your shooting skills. When it comes to surviving in the wilderness, being able to shoot a moving target - ideally, at a distance away - is crucial. Proving that skirmishes are an ideal way to do this, many police forces and military forces use BB guns and skirmishes to help new recruits hone their shooting skills.

Learning to work as part of a team

Another important lesson that skirmishes can teach you is working successfully as part of a team. If you’re someone who watches survival films or war films even, then you will know that when it comes to survival, teamwork is often crucial. Skirmishes teach you how to not only look after yourself but also your team members, as well as how to obey orders and do as you’re told. If you are put in a leading position, skirmishes also teach you how to lead a team and determine who does what role within it. When it comes to survival (and preparation), being a good delegate is important - this is a skill that leading a skirmish team will allow you to develop.

How to stay hidden

Just like in real wars, the key to surviving when under attack is being able to stay hidden. Taking part in skirmishes teaches you how to stay hidden by camouflaging yourself. It also teaches you how to pick the opportune moment to reveal yourself and how to determine when that is. Talking about careful thinking, it’s also crucial to learn to use ammunition wisely, which is another key thing that skirmishes teach you. You only have a certain amount of ammunition and have to learn to make it last, if you’re going to survive, that is.

Adapting to different environments

Last but not least, skirmishes teach you how to successfully adapt to play in different environments. Sometimes matches will be held outdoors in woodland areas other times they will be held in indoor areas like old malls. If you’re going to survive whatever is thrown at you, you need to know how to adapt to different environments and use your airsoft skills successfully in each of them. They say that practice makes perfect, so the more skirmishes in different environments you compete in, the better.

Airsoft BB guns and skirmishes can teach you a lot about being prepared and surviving anything, from a Zombie apocalypse to a terrorist takeover.

Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker

6 Prepper Tips to Start Now 14 Jan 2017 5:37 AM (8 years ago)

We’ve all made mistakes before, but some of us are still making mistakes that we don’t even realize we’re making. Our bug out bag is sitting in the corner and we think we’re ready to go if anything were to happen, but there’s really so much more you could be doing to be completely prepared. Here are 6 things to start doing now.

1.) Gather your team

You might decide that turning your back on mankind and trying to survive completely alone is the best idea, but there’s no way you can do it all on your own. Find those closest to you who you trust and want to survive and create a team. In the end of the world, having others on your side will make your load lighter and chances of survival higher. When you’ve assembled your team, figure out who is strong in what areas and assign tasks. If you don’t have someone who is skilled in a certain area you believe is vital, either find someone who is to join or have someone learn how to do it.

2.) Learn new skills

Even the most prepared survivalist doesn’t know everything they need to survive. Being skilled in all kinds of different areas will help you be even more prepared for the worst. Skills like hunting, defense, building shelter, and lifesaving techniques are important for every advanced prepper. Taking online courses like ACLS recertification and canning classes make learning new skills easy.

3.) Practice, Practice, Practice

When a disaster comes, you don’t want to be running around like a chicken with it’s head cut off. You want to be prepared for the worst, but how do you do that? Practice. Get your team together and start running through drills so everyone knows exactly what they need to do when the dreaded day comes. Practicing won’t only help teach everyone what is expected of them, but will help you figure out what areas still need to be prepped. You’ll hit roadblocks in your practice run that you can fix before a disaster hits and you’ll be that much more prepared.

4.) Take a breather

Take a minute to just think and relax. You don’t want to always be uptight and worrying about what could go wrong. Being mentally stable is a key to being a successful prepper. Not focusing on being prepared will help you get back to the basics and figure out what is really important to you. Once you get back to work, this will help you be refocused and know what areas need work.

5.)Bug in

We all have our bug out plan, but what happens if we get trapped in or it isn’t safe to go outside? You need to be prepared to bug in, or stay in place and survive, and know when you should bug out or bug in. Certain emergencies will require you to bug out and certain ones will require you to bug in. Either way you should be prepared, but a lot of us only think about bugging out. We don’t have the necessary supplies or plans to stay in place. Create a plan for staying in place that includes security, shelter, communication, and how you will get food once your supply runs out. Keep a stash of food close by to be prepared to bug in. Here are some other tips for bugging in.

6.) Check your supplies

Things go bad and we don’t think about it. You don’t want to be stuck in a disaster zone when nothing works. Checking all your supplies periodically will avoid this disaster of it’s own. Make sure your car is still in good shape. Check your food storage occasionally to make sure everything hasn’t expired. The best tip I’ve heard when checking your supplies is check it all yourself. You can’t just assume they will work when you need them and someone else might not like some of your supplies. If you check everything, you’ll know it works and you’ll know if it works for you.

We all make mistakes when we’re prepping for a disaster, but there are some we can easily avoid. If you start implementing the above tips, the day the world ends will go a lot smoother for you and your family.

Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker

The 12 Essentials of Any Bug-out Bag 7 Nov 2016 3:39 AM (8 years ago)

There’s a new trend emerging, but it’s not one that’ll have you visiting clothing stores. Natural calamities are hitting places all over the world – occurring at a rate never seen before. The chances of you being next are at the highest they’ve ever been, and you best prepare. For this, you have the bug-out bag.

Bug-out bags should contain everything you need for at least 72 hours of evacuation from a disaster site. Keep that in mind when you go over the following list of essentials found in every bug-out bag.

1. Water

Ah, the stuff of life. Science says you can last weeks without food, but can die from dehydration in a matter of days. Bring at least a liter for every day you expect to remain in evacuation per person. In that case, have a minimum of three liters per person ready. Store your water in sturdy containers just to be safe, too. If in case it turns out you hadn’t brought enough water, having water purification tablets ready should do the trick.

2. Food

Canned goods and dehydrated meals in plastic containers and paper bags are ideal over fresh food for a lot of reasons. For one, they require little to no preparation – something you probably won’t have the resources for in an evacuation site. They also have a prolonged shelf life (or, in this case, bag life), which you’ll need when you can’t access refrigeration. To add, the cans could also be used for other purposes throughout your evacuation. Prepare some food preparation instruments like a knife, although that could easily be substituted by the more useful Swiss knife.

3. First Aid

Accidents can happen at any time, and even more so when disaster strikes. Your bug-out bag should contain basic first aid, including bandages, povidone iodine, adhesives, tweezers,vitamin tablets and your prescription medicines. Also consider putting in some antibiotics like cephalexin, ciprofloxacin and metronidazole. These handle all kinds of nasty infections you’ll be prone to in an evacuation.Your bug-out bag should also have some benadryl in case of allergies. Not everyone may have these ready, so be open to sharing your aid with strangers. Who knows? You may even find yourself on the receiving end.

4. Zip ties

Zip ties already have so many functions in regular, everyday life, yet they prove even more useful for evacuation purposes. These can be used to restrain objects in cases of strong winds, restrain people in times of danger or panic, hold together different materials to keep warm or expand your shelter, serve as a temporary tourniquet when a proper one can’t be made – the list goes on.

5. Personal hygiene materials

Getting struck by disaster is no excuse to let yourself go. Have the basics like tissue, soap, a toothbrush, and toothpaste. Bringing a razor serves both purposes of grooming and self-defense.

6. Self-defense

Should supplies become scarce or you encounter any danger (let’s hope not), you’ll be glad you packed something to protect you and your loved ones with. Rifles are good for hunting too in case food runs short.A .22 caliber rifle seems to be the rifle of choice in this case.

7. Alternative power supply

When you’re bugging out, chances are there won’t be a readily available power supply. It’s a good thing technology has alternative, renewable solutions for generating electricity. Get yourself a crank power charger or even one that runs on solar power. The latter would, obviously, not be ideal in a hurricane situation. More specifically, there are also emergency radios available that run on crank power.

8. Fire-starter items

At home, you cook, warm up, and need light. Evacuation is no different as these are essentials. There is, after all, a reason the discovery of fire propelled human evolution. Pack some waterproof matches, lighters, maybe even a can of butane. That last one will be especially helpful in the case of a zombie apocalypse as it makes a good makeshift fire bomb.

9. Light source

Again, no power means no light, and that becomes an especially pronounced problem come night time. A torch with a hand crank is ideal, but isn’t always available. Battery-powered should do just fine, but remember to pack extra batteries in that case. There are also some solar-powered lamps available in the market. Most of these things can be found in the camping section or appliance section of most department stores.

10. Clothes

Don’t bring your whole wardrobe. Remember that a bug out bag is ideally good for only three days. Go for smaller, lighter garments like your average t-shirts, shorts, and the like. Extra underwear and socks are good, too. Should these run out, you could rinse them out at a nearby water supply, but let’s not hope it gets to that. And, make sure the water used for laundry isn’t meant for drinking. Come on.

11. Shelter

Other than having shelter for the sake of shelter, this also provides safety for you, your loved ones and your belongings. You’ll also need to be well-rested to stay alert – of utter importance in times of calamity. There are several compact tent variants for you to choose from. Also make sure you have on you some tarp and ground pads.

12. Survival manual

There are some thing you just can’t be too prepared for, and being prepared entails covering every possible scenario. Survival manuals will provide the necessary know-how for sticky situations and should your evacuation level up to a survival scenario.

The rule of thumb in packing your bug-out bag is to expect for the best while preparing for the worst. You know your area and its people better than any website, and should use that knowledge in stocking up. Should disaster strike, you’ll find these items to be more than useful for your evacuation.

Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker

Carson National Forest in New Mexico: Adjusting to Altitude 1 Mar 2016 6:14 AM (9 years ago)

Venturing into the mountains must be accomplished with caution. Mountain altitudes pose health risks to the human body. Simple guidelines help diminish the effects of altitude. With the proper preparation, time in the mountains can be safe and enjoyable.

Guidelines for diminishing the effects of altitude.

1. Hydration

At altitude, drinking plenty of water is crucial. The body loses increased amounts of water during respiration, exertion, and more frequent urination. In addition to water, utilize sport drinks and juices to hydrate while replacing lost electrolytes. Avoid using drinks that sabotage hydration such as caffeine and alcohol.

2. Rest

With less oxygen available in the thinner air, the body will labor to perform normal activities. Give the body time to adjust by resting and reducing normal physical activities by 50 percent. Take the opportunity to get a good nights rest. If necessary, sleep on your side, use a nasal saline spray, or descend to a lower elevation when sleeping.

Many people associate the effects of altitude sickness to a hangover/flu with symptoms such as headache, dizziness, nausea, poor appetite, fatigue, and shortness of breath. Following these guidelines will help diminish the effects of altitude on the body. If hydration and rest fail, descend to a lower elevation, as time is the only way for the body to successfully adjust to altitude.

Staying high above the water line!

Riverwalker

On the Grid vs. Off the Grid - The Hybrid Solution 12 Feb 2016 7:13 AM (9 years ago)

The true costs of living off the grid are a lot more than you would imagine. While the dream of being energy independent is a worthy goal, the costs associated with off the grid living may not be a feasible solution. With limited resources and even a more limited budget, the majority of people may be better off using a hybrid solution.

While we often complain about the utility services we receive, it is easy to forget that the costs for maintaining that service comes at a higher price than we realize. When going totally off the grid, the majority of these costs for maintenance and upkeep will shift from a utility service to you. Having a backup system in place to in case your current services are interrupted may be a better option. It is also important to remember that sheltering in place will generally be your best option in all but the most extreme circumstances.

The Hybrid Solution

While I would prefer to be totally off the grid, it is not economically feasible in my case. Your income can severely limit monetary resources to accomplish off the grid goals but can be done if you use a combination of current resources with good backup options in place. The best place to start is with satisfying your basic needs.

1.) Shelter

Normally your home will be the first and best option for shelter. There is a chance that it may become temporarily uninhabitable due to storm damage or other problems. While repairs are being made, even a simple storage shed can solve your needs for temporary shelter. In my case, I have a 12 X 20 storage shed that has a simple solar setup (approximately $600) that provides light and electricity independent of the grid. It also has a couple of sleeping lofts and is well insulated. If necessary, in an emergency it could act as a secondary shelter.

2.) Water

Water will be an absolute necessity. Drilling your own water well may be impractical and extremely costly. It may also be prohibited by your local utility. Fortunately, the simple collection of rainwater can solve most of your water needs. A rainwater catchment system (approximately $500) combined with a good filtration system can solve most of your water needs. In my case, our monthly average of 3 inches of rainfall can completely fill all our water storage barrels and provide us in excess of 500 gallons each month.

3.) Auxiliary Power

There is still a need for temporary power in order to keep certain appliances properly functioning. Your refrigerator and freezer won’t keep your food adequately without a continued source of power. In my case, I keep a small portable gas generator (approximately $400 + fuel) to use for just such an occasion. If a major power outage of any lengthy duration occurs, I can keep my appliances functioning long enough to cook and eat the food items they contain.

4.) Cooking

There are several other priorities that also need to be addressed in order to have off the grid backup for your current utility services. The easiest and probably the most affordable sources for heating and cooking needs are propane and wood. Gas and charcoal grills or wood stoves are affordable, require minimal maintenance and work extremely well in an off the grid or emergency situation. Most people quite often have one or both already available for use (I have both...can’t have too many backups).

5.) Heating

Small propane heaters ($200) can also provide emergency heat if needed during colder weather and are usually extremely portable. Most can even be used indoors with proper ventilation. You may even have a fireplace in your home that can provide an auxiliary heat source.

You don’t have to live off grid but can use simple and low cost options to provide alternatives to help you maintain your lifestyle in the event of an emergency.

Got hybrid solution?

Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker

Gear Review: Camelbak Big Chill 18 Jul 2015 4:00 AM (9 years ago)

Summer temperatures in Texas can get a little warm. I love my Tervis in the office, but it was just not convenient for my mountain bike. I decided to put the Camelbak Big Chill to the test.

For fun, I rounded up some of my other water bottles to get them in on the action. They were not all the same size bottles, so I used a 16 oz cup to place the same amount of ice in each bottle. I only placed ice in the bottles and just measured how long it took for the ice to melt in each bottle.

At the end of 1.5 hours, ice was still visible in all the bottles. The single wall stainless steel dropped first. Then, my basic water bottle melted. An hour later, my non insulated Nagalene and Stanley were done. Not surprisingly, the two insulated bottles were the only ones still with ice.

The Camelbak Big Chill made 4.5 hours before the ice had all melted. It gave out while the Tervis still had several ice cube remnants visible.

The test started at 11:00 AM and outside temperatures reached into the mid 90's. The Camelbak Big Chill will not replace my Tervis around the BBQ pit, but it will definitely be my companion on my mountain bike excursions. It might even replace my day hike water bottle.

Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker

Gear Review: SOG Fasthawk Axe VS SOG Tomahawk Axe 17 Jul 2015 3:00 AM (9 years ago)

SOG Fasthawk Specs:

Blade Length: 2 inches Weight: 19 oz. Overall Length:12.5 inches

SOG Tomahawk Specs:

Blade Length: 2.75 inches Weight: 24 oz. Overall Length:15.75 inches

Performed a quick field test on some oak firewood in the backyard. Smaller oak limbs(4-6 inches in diameter) were cut in half easily with both SOG axes. The largest piece(10-12 inches in diameter) the SOG Tomahawk was definitely easier, but the SOG Fasthawk did the job as well. In addition, I pruned some small limbs(4-6 inches in diameter) off trees. Again, I could not find a significant difference in performance between them.

I found the compact size of the SOG Fasthawk to be worth the slight sacrifice in performance over the SOG Tomahawk. The Fasthawk will be allocated to my EDC(Every Day Carry) and the Tomahawk will find a home in my BOB(Bug Out Bag.)

Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker

Carson National Forest: A Visit With Mother Nature 13 Jul 2015 3:00 AM (9 years ago)

Mother Nature offers a full spectrum of challenges on nearly every outing. Outdoor enthusiasts must prepare for possible obstacles or suffer the consequences.

A favorite is always water crossings. Don water shoes and splash around, or use trekking poles to help balance across rocks and logs? Always judge water crossings carefully as these can spell disaster if not done with care.

Weather dominates preparation for most trips. Always research the climate and patterns in the area visiting. Mountains require sunscreen and sunglasses due to higher elevations and increased sun exposure. However, a rain jacket was also packed to cover the common summer rain showers. Mother Nature blessed me on this outing with some free marble size hail along with the rain.

The Forest Service and volunteers do tremendous work in trail maintenance. However, one must always be ready for recent obstacles left by Mother Nature. Exercise caution in choosing to simply step over or go around.

Mother Nature can provide changing conditions on nearly a daily basis. Heavy rains from a previous day converted an easy trail into a rock hopping mud festival. Surprisingly, I enjoyed both.

Even Mother Nature's spectacular scenery offers interesting challenges. The mosquitoes in this area were so numerous that I can't believe they aren't visible in the photo. I'm glad the bug repellent kept them at bay while I snapped the photo.

Mother Nature creates the wonders that make outings worth the trip. With proper preparation and research, you can make sure your outing is enjoyable no matter what nature throws at you.

Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker

Carson National Forest: Waterfall 12 Jul 2015 3:00 AM (9 years ago)

The outdoors are full of adventure and spectacular scenery. Waterfalls shine as the inspiration to many of these excursions. This little waterfall kept me company while taking a break on the trail.

Another waterfall was not as accessible. A short scramble using trekking poles opened up a photo opportunity for this waterfall.

Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker

Gorman Falls-Colorado Bend State Park:Hiking in the Texas Hill Country 26 Jun 2015 5:30 AM (9 years ago)

Abundant rainfall in the area has Gorman Falls flowing nicely. The area is protected by the Colorado Bend State Park, so visitors are limited in how close they can get to the falls. The Texas State Park does provide an area near the falls with great views.

Gorman Falls will make you think an underground cave has erupted to the surface. Water from Gorman Creek cascades 60 feet forming calcite deposits similar to caverns.

Colorado Bend State Park near Lampasas, Texas does offer several hiking trails including the 3 mile round trip Gorman Falls Trail. This trail does have many large limestone rocks which can make footing difficult at times.

As always, bring appropriate attire, footwear, and supplies. Leave the flip flops in the car.

Hiking to the water line!

Riverwalker

The Bug Out Bike-Nashbar Single Speed 29er Mountain Bike 24 Jun 2015 7:15 AM (9 years ago)

The solution for the bug out bike has been delivered. The unopened box sits waiting to be born into my gear. The Nashbar Single-Speed 29er Mountain Bike - MEDIUM is a perfect fit for survival situations due to its simplicity, adaptability, and affordability.

The single speed is all about simplicity. The bug out bike will take the headache out of bike gear maintenance. Don’t let the racket of a derailleur compromise your stealth. This single speed does not have shifters or any derailleur.

The mountain bike is also built for adaptability. The aluminum frame provides an efficient strength to weight ratio for additional durability. The oversized 29er tires provide exceptional mobility over obstacles on and off road.

Nashbar delivers affordability for the bug out bike. Finding a quality single speed mountain bike is like looking for supplies after a devastating event. Usually, all the inexpensive options are heavy and the quality options are overpriced or unavailable. Nashbar delivers a lightweight single speed at an affordable price tag usually around $400.

Go for the gear that will have you counting down the days to a survival situation like it was Christmas. Go for simplicity. Go for adaptability. Go for affordability. Go for the Nashbar Single-Speed 29er Mountain bike.

Riding above the water line.

Riverwalker

Survival Food Test - Valley Food Storage Product Review 6 Mar 2015 9:03 AM (10 years ago)

When deciding upon a long term food storage product, it helps to sample the product before purchasing a large quantity for your emergency pantry. This is a product review of one of the long term food storage products available from www.valleyfoodstorage.com.

After receiving a sample from Valley Food Storage, a test was conducted on the various aspects that are important in a long term food storage product. The sample food product tested was a package of “Enchilada Beans and Rice”.

Review Results:

1.) Cost - This product costs $11.95 for a 5 serving unit. This breaks down to about $2.39 a serving and is a reasonable price for a long term food storage product with an extended shelf life. They also offer a variety of discounts on their site.

2.) Packaging - The packaging is extremely sturdy and comes in a Mylar pouch that is resealable. The pouch was easy to re-seal and maintained a good seal afterwards. The left-over pouch can also be used as an emergency water container or to carry other snack items.

3.) Preparation - Prep time was roughly 20 minutes total and requires two cups of boiling water. Cooking was a fairly easy process if you follow the cooking directions on the package.

4.) Appearance - The contents looked and smelled very appetizing.

5.) Taste & Smell - When cooked, it had a pleasant aroma and the beans and rice were very soft. One noted exception is that there were no enchiladas in the package. “Enchilada flavored” would be a better description. Seasonings were well balanced. This is important for a person that doesn’t like a large amount of seasoning on their food.

All things considered, this is a very good food storage product. After sampling a wide variety of long term food storage products over the years, this item compares very favorably with other similar long term food storage products.

Got long term food storage?

Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker

Solar Garage Project 2 Mar 2015 1:04 PM (10 years ago)

Pole-mounted Solar Panels

The conversion of my garage to solar power is completed and hopefully it will lower my utility bill. It took a while to get everything set up and working. My panels were pole mounted in order to make it easier to service the solar panels.

A total of four 100 watt solar panels were used to charge a battery bank of four 100 amp hour batteries. Two inverters were used to furnish power. A 100 watt pure sine wave inverter was used for lights and to power a small air compressor. An 1800 watt pure sine wave inverter was set up to furnish power for my power saws. This covers the majority of my power usage in the garage. I’ll also being running a fairly low wattage heat lamp for the chickens in the winter.

A solar panel kit from Grape Solar was used for this project and came with most of the necessary wiring, a charge controller and an inverter. There is additional information posted in my product review. A separate grounding rod was installed on the panels and the solar disconnect that was installed.

My grid-powered outlets are still functional and can be used if my solar power system goes down for some reason but won’t be used unless absolutely necessary. With the completion of this project, my storage shed, greenhouse and garage are now on solar power.

Part Two will show my battery bank, solar disconnect and charge controller set-up.

Got solar-powered garage?

Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker

Threats to Survival - Part One - Darkness - Friend or Foe? 19 Feb 2015 6:03 AM (10 years ago)

Many times the greatest threat to our survival is influenced by irrational fears. While there is some basis to our fears, it is our understanding of those fears which will strongly affect the outcome of our survival. Learning to cope with these fears requires a basic knowledge of why we have developed an irrational response to threats to our survival.

Many of us have a basic fear of the darkness. This is due to a variety of factors from our own life experiences. Tales of the boogeyman when we were young made us fearful of the dark but had little or no foundation in the truth. It was simply a way parents controlled unruly children but their actions also instilled a healthy respect for the dangers that can be encountered in the dark. Many dangers of the dark are real but many of the dangers are ones of our own making.

Simply put, darkness is the absence of light. Thus the ability to conquer any fear begins with a thorough understanding of that fear. This is important in order to develop ways to conquer the darkness that will alleviate our fears. One of our most severe shortcomings is our inability to see in the darkness. Our night vision is extremely poor and pales in comparison to other creatures present in our world. This creates problems when it becomes necessary for us to move about or perform tasks in the darkness. Even the simple task of moving from one place to another can create a dangerous situation. We risk injury from falling or tripping over an object even in the safe confines of our home if we move about in the dark unaided.

The darkness comprises nearly half of our existence and it is necessary to deal with this fact. One of the means to conquer a fear of the dark is to combat it with its opposite. Light can banish the darkness and reduce our fears. A flashlight, a simple candle or a roaring campfire can and will help to reduce your fear of the dark. You have given yourself the means and ability to see things more clearly. Those dangers which lurk in the dark have now been brought into the light and your safety and well-being is increased.

The darkness can hide many things. This is the reason a majority of predators; including the two-legged variety, use the darkness to disguise their movements. The darkness can also be your friend because it can hide your presence or activities if necessary. The important thing is to use the qualities of darkness to your advantage to increase your chances of survival.

The darkness is both friend and foe. While we are basically creatures more accustomed to sunlight, it is your actions and a rational response to the darkness that will ultimately determine the outcome of your survival. Understanding our physical limitations caused by darkness and using relevant actions to overcome them will prevent the darkness from becoming your enemy.

Got dark?

Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker

DIY Survival Gear Tips - Keeping Things Simple 13 Jan 2015 8:49 AM (10 years ago)

If you find yourself in a survival situation, every person needs to be able to use what they have on hand and take full advantages of what may be limited resources to satisfy their needs. Each of your resources will have unique advantages and disadvantages. Your main task should be to figure out how to use these items to meet your needs and increase your chances of survival. Here are some simple tips to remember when making DIY survival gear.

DIY Survival Gear Tips

1. Use only the minimum resources necessary.

Making DIY gear is a great way to train yourself to find alternative uses for items to meet these needs. It is important to keep things simple because this often makes things easier to accomplish. It will also help to reduce the amount of your available resources that will have to be used to make your goal a reality. The less hardware that you need to accomplish your project will increase your ability to achieve a successful outcome with limited resources.

2. Use your survival needs as a guide.

Need is a great motivator. Combining a need with a little imagination can usually lead to a successful project. In a survival situation, failure is not an option and simple solutions often work best.

3. Limit your use of power tools and electricity.

Hand tools work even when there is no power available. Try to design your DIY projects to minimize the use of electricity and the need for power tools. If the grid goes down, hand tools may be your only option to complete your project. You don’t want your thinking to be dependent upon grid power that may not be available.

4. Keep your projects simple and uncomplicated.

Complexity can create more problems than it solves. If you make your projects simple and uncomplicated, other family members can assist in the creation and development of any survival gear you may need. If a project is designed with simplicity in mind, you can free up your time to work on other projects. Children and senior family members can also contribute to the process of making needed survival items if you keep things simple.

5. Remember the primary goal of your project.

Your goal should be to create DIY projects that require minimal tools, no electricity, and minimum amounts of hardware or resources. This will help you be better prepared.

Got DIY survival projects?

Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker

Merry Christmas 2014 23 Dec 2014 7:22 AM (10 years ago)

Wishing a Merry Christmas to everyone!

Hope you have a safe and happy holiday.

Mobility and Survival 17 Dec 2014 7:15 AM (10 years ago)

Survival can be an impossible goal if we place undue burdens on our physical abilities. This is often exemplified by our attempts to carry every possible item of survival gear we own. The result is that we have created a scenario that will make the goal of survival more difficult to achieve. The old saying “Know more. Carry less.” is a good reminder that will help you avoid this problem. Mobility is directly related to your survival.

Mobility is a key factor in many survival situations. It allows you to remove yourself from dangerous and life threatening situations. It allows you to search for needed shelter, food or water. The inability to move can be the start of a process that will ultimately eliminate any chances you may have had for survival.

Our bodies are remarkable things and we often push ourselves to extreme limits even before we become engaged in a survival situation. This is a dangerous approach that should be avoided and physical limitations must be dealt with prior to finding ourselves in a survival situation.

One of the most difficult things to deal with in a survival situation is an injury. It will slow you down or completely stop you in your tracks. Your chances of survival have almost been completely eliminated. There are numerous examples of things that can be avoided to safeguard against this problem.

A prime example of this is the bug out bag. Carrying a heavy pack can lead to knee or back problems that are a creation of our own making. Military personnel have had to deal with this situation throughout history and many a battlefield was littered with abandoned gear when their survival was at stake. Make sure you cut your body some slack and carry a pack that doesn’t push the limits of your physical abilities before its necessary. While a trained soldier may be able to carry 100 pounds of equipment, it could be a deadly burden for someone without the proper physical ability and training. Know more. Carry less.

Another example of dangers to your mobility is caused by the failure to treat simple injuries. A cut on your hand or foot can cause a host of additional problems you won’t need. Take the time to handle cuts, sprains, blisters and other minor injuries as quickly as possible.

You can also adversely affect your mobility by being improperly dressed. A good pair of shoes or boots is of utmost importance. Many people have a hard time walking even a short distance in their bare feet. Imagine what the effects on your mobility would be if you found yourself with bare feet. The same goes for items such as gloves to protect your hands and a good pair of pants to protect your legs. Don’t forget to include a decent shirt and some sort of jacket appropriate for your weather conditions.

Lee Mastroianni of the Office of Naval Research summed it up very appropriately:

“The ability to move is directly related to the ability to survive.”

Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker

Dreaming of a Green Holiday Season 12 Dec 2014 4:58 AM (10 years ago)

It pays to be prepared for Christmas. Most people have a certain set of rituals for the holidays. This usually includes buying and wrapping gifts, decorating and buying a Christmas tree. These are time honored traditions, and they’re fun, but they can also be hard on the environment. Fortunately, there are many fun ways to celebrate a “Green Christmas” — one that is both environmentally friendly and joyful. Let’s look at some of the best ways to prepare for a green holiday season.

Send Emails Rather Than Paper Cards

While Christmas cards are a tradition, they also waste quite a bit of paper between the card and envelope. Emails are not only more environmentally friendly, they save you postage. You can get creative in your emails and include nice holiday themed graphics or links to e-cards.

Gift Wrap Using Recycled Paper

You can either buy recycled gift wrapping paper or repurpose paper you already have. You can make your gift wrapping even greener by also using recycled bows, ribbons and other decorative items. Another option is to wrap gifts in decorative gift bags that can be reused.

Use a Live Christmas Tree

It may come as a surprise to some, but live Christmas trees are better for the environment than plastic ones. Plastic consumes many resources and creates quite a bit of waste and pollution. The most sustainable type of tree is a live one in a pot. You can either keep the tree in its pot or replant it after the Christmas season.

Use LED Lights on the Tree

When lighting up your Christmas tree, use LED lights, which are far more energy efficient than other kinds. LED lights can last as long as 100,000 hours, which will get you through many holiday seasons! You should also remember to turn the lights off while everyone is asleep. Christmas tree lights, even LEDs, can actually hike up your monthly energy bill in December, so this might also be a good time of year to look into whether or not you can reduce your monthly energy costs by changing service providers (see this website for more details).

Give Creative Gifts

There are many alternatives to buying gifts at the mall or ordering them online. You could make gifts for people. If you are artistic you could create paintings, sculptures or collages for people. If you are handy, you could make items out of wood, metal or other materials. If you are good at sewing or needlepoint, clothing, rugs or blankets all make great gifts. Another option is to give experiences rather than physical objects. This might include yoga classes, massages, spa treatments or gift certificates for a nice restaurant.

Buy “Green” Gifts

There are now many companies that make eco-friendly gifts, whether clothing, jewelry, toys or home decor. You can also find creative and green gifts at antique shops. Most of all, try to avoid toys and gadgets that require batteries, which are an environmental hazard when discarded.

Reduce Holiday Driving

It’s easy to get into the habit of driving everywhere during the holiday season. Between shopping, holiday parties and visits, people often consume extra fuel during this time of year. Try to minimize this by doing more carpooling. If you have friends, co-workers or family members attending the same events, arrange to go together.

Buy in Bulk

It’s typical for people to stock up on food for holiday parties and meals. When you go to the store, buy as many items in bulk as you can. This includes not only food but also paper items such as paper towels and napkins. This will save you money and cut down on the packaging used.

These are just a few of the ways that you can have a “Green Christmas” this year. When you start thinking this way, you will probably come up with more ideas of your own. It’s often more fun to have environmentally friendly holidays, as you have to think creatively rather than simply do everything the same old way.

Thanks to Beth for a great guest post.

Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker

Riverwalker's Pics - Treasure Falls 13 Oct 2014 11:47 PM (10 years ago)

Treasure Falls in Colorado

Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker

DIY RV Project - Exterior Utilities Hook-up Light 17 Sep 2014 8:22 AM (10 years ago)

Many times you will find yourself trying to hook up the utilities to your RV at dark thirty. Installing an exterior light on your RV will make the task a lot simpler. It doesn’t matter if you are boondocking or hooking up to a park space. You may find yourself in the dark and fumbling around with a flashlight. An exterior light will leave your hands free to make the process of getting things hooked up a lot easier.

Using a $10 light from the local tractor supply outlet and about 8 feet of two strand 12 volt wire is all you need to accomplish this RV mod. The cover for the power cord was removed and a wire was run from the 12 volt connections inside the RV. A small hole was then made in the side of the RV for the wire after a suitable location for the light was determined. A piece of coat hanger wire was then snaked behind the siding of the RV until it came out at the side of the electrical cord cover opening. The wire was then hooked to the 12 volt electrical wire and pulled through the hole. It was then a simple process of hooking the wires to the light and mounting the base plate to the side of the RV and installing the light cover.

The light included an on/off switch and the cover was mounted with the switch in the down position. Even though the switch was water resistant, mounting it where it was on the bottom helps avoid rain hitting it directly.

It’s a quick and simple RV mod that can be done in less than an hour.

Got RV mod?

Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker

Hiking to Piedra Falls 26 Aug 2014 7:14 AM (10 years ago)

Piedra Falls

Piedra Falls is located about 30 miles north of Pagasoa Springs, Colorado in the San Juan National Forest. It's a leisurely hike of about 3/4 mile to get to the falls and makes a very pleasant day hike through the forest and along the middle fork of the Piedra River.

Trailhead

Start of the trail in the San Juan National Forest.

Further along the trail it gets a little rocky.

Back into the woods again.

A little shade along the way.

Trail gets rocky again.

Trail runs along the side of the Piedra River as you get closer to the falls.

There's a narrow spot between the rocks as you approach the basin of the falls.

The basin of the falls at the end of the trail.

Got day hike?

Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker

Riverwalker's Wildlife Pics - Chipmunks and Ground Squirrel 26 Aug 2014 6:30 AM (10 years ago)

Chipmunks and Ground Squirrel

Here's a pic of a couple of chipmunks and a ground squirrel. It was brought to my attention that I had erroneously labeled a ground squirrel as a chipmunk in my previous post. As you can see in the above picture there is a noticeable difference in size and markings.

Got wildlife?

Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker

Riverwalker's Wildlife Pics - Ground Squirrel 26 Aug 2014 5:56 AM (10 years ago)

Golden Manteled Ground Squirrel

Got wildlife?

Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker

RW in Colorado - Close Encounters of the Bear Kind 15 Aug 2014 6:48 AM (10 years ago)

I happened to cross paths with a black bear quite by accident on a recent trip to Colorado. It was quite sudden and totally unexpected on my part as I had just left the trail head for one of the trails in Black Canyon. Apparently the bear noticed us first and had already started moving away from my area. He quickly moved into a brushy area and was gone from sight. I did manage to get a couple of quick pictures as the bear moved away.

Black bears aren't normally aggressive and will leave your area quickly unless they are provoked, feel cornered or are protecting young. Fortunately, this bear was probably intent on his next meal of berries and only gave me a cursory glance before moving quickly out of the area. The bear went into a brushy area and disappeared from sight.

It’s a well known fact that Colorado is bear country and you should always be aware of this fact. A safe distance from predators such as bears, wolves, and cougars is normally about 100 yards (think the length of a football field). Any closer and you may be putting yourself at risk of a serious situation. You can normally approach other wildlife to within about 25 yards without any real concern. Most animals usually won’t allow you to get even that close. The exception is snakes who can normally strike from a distance equal to their length.

There is an excellent brochure in PDF format available at Colorado.gov that contains a lot of useful tips to help take adequate precautions when in bear country.

Here is a link to the brochure:

Living with Bears.pdf

Got bears?

Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker

Riverwalker's Pics - More High Places 14 Aug 2014 5:01 AM (10 years ago)

More High Places

Got higher elevation?

Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker

Stealth Survival View RSS

How airsoft and skirmishes can teach you about being prepared for survival 4 Mar 2017 7:46 AM (8 years ago)

6 Prepper Tips to Start Now 14 Jan 2017 5:37 AM (8 years ago)

The 12 Essentials of Any Bug-out Bag 7 Nov 2016 3:39 AM (8 years ago)

Carson National Forest in New Mexico: Adjusting to Altitude 1 Mar 2016 6:14 AM (9 years ago)

On the Grid vs. Off the Grid - The Hybrid Solution 12 Feb 2016 7:13 AM (9 years ago)

Gear Review: Camelbak Big Chill 18 Jul 2015 4:00 AM (9 years ago)

Gear Review: SOG Fasthawk Axe VS SOG Tomahawk Axe 17 Jul 2015 3:00 AM (9 years ago)

Carson National Forest: A Visit With Mother Nature 13 Jul 2015 3:00 AM (9 years ago)

Carson National Forest: Waterfall 12 Jul 2015 3:00 AM (9 years ago)

Gorman Falls-Colorado Bend State Park:Hiking in the Texas Hill Country 26 Jun 2015 5:30 AM (9 years ago)

The Bug Out Bike-Nashbar Single Speed 29er Mountain Bike 24 Jun 2015 7:15 AM (9 years ago)

Survival Food Test - Valley Food Storage Product Review 6 Mar 2015 9:03 AM (10 years ago)

Solar Garage Project 2 Mar 2015 1:04 PM (10 years ago)

Threats to Survival - Part One - Darkness - Friend or Foe? 19 Feb 2015 6:03 AM (10 years ago)

DIY Survival Gear Tips - Keeping Things Simple 13 Jan 2015 8:49 AM (10 years ago)

Merry Christmas 2014 23 Dec 2014 7:22 AM (10 years ago)

Mobility and Survival 17 Dec 2014 7:15 AM (10 years ago)

Dreaming of a Green Holiday Season 12 Dec 2014 4:58 AM (10 years ago)

Riverwalker's Pics - Treasure Falls 13 Oct 2014 11:47 PM (10 years ago)

DIY RV Project - Exterior Utilities Hook-up Light 17 Sep 2014 8:22 AM (10 years ago)

Hiking to Piedra Falls 26 Aug 2014 7:14 AM (10 years ago)

Riverwalker's Wildlife Pics - Chipmunks and Ground Squirrel 26 Aug 2014 6:30 AM (10 years ago)

Riverwalker's Wildlife Pics - Ground Squirrel 26 Aug 2014 5:56 AM (10 years ago)

RW in Colorado - Close Encounters of the Bear Kind 15 Aug 2014 6:48 AM (10 years ago)

Riverwalker's Pics - More High Places 14 Aug 2014 5:01 AM (10 years ago)