Prepared Not Possessed

A simple search for "survival guides" on Google can be a revealing journey.  It is easy to find a few extreme alarmists who support all of their views with "scientific facts".  In most cases, this is intended to scare the reader into buying the website's exclusive survival products.  These sites have several negative effects on what I consider the need for common sense preparation.  Several sites hawking survival equipment and guides lay out the imminent demise of our society, environment, public health, or basic utilities.  Some people will become lethargic on the issue feeling as though they could do nothing to help themselves anyway.  Others, take the opposite approach.  They spend every free minute and spare penny on equipment and literature.  A few of them even allow their obsession to consume their lives.   I recommend some middle ground.  
Regardless of where we live, our environment offers unique obstacles we must face everyday.  Each of us have our own challenges; from tornado alley, to the coasts, to the deserts, to the icy north.  This is before we take into consideration our man-made dangers.  A car accident on the way to work, a week long power outage, or even just a media blackout can be devastating to some people.  The trick is to be aware of what is possible, take steps to be prepared, and then live your life.  Here is my guideline for common sense preparation.  

• Educate Yourself
• Especially if you have moved to a new area, it is important to know the potential of your local weather.  Those of us who need to be prepared for tornadoes, may not need to worry about drought.  The National Weather Service can provide you all the information you need on the weather conditions in your area (both past and present).
• Know your local geography.  In addition to knowing major roadways in your area, learn the little known side roads.  Locate schools, parks, churches, and government buildings.  These places are often used for public shelter during localized emergencies.  While Google Maps  is a good place to start, nothing beats getting out there and exploring your world with your own two eyes.
• Read up on what reliable sources have to say about what you need to be prepared.  Try to stick to sites like the Red Cross or Ready.gov.  Some people claiming to be common sense preppers are nothing but fearmongers.  
• Take Action
• Don't wait for an emergency in your life to prepare for one.  As recently as March 31, citizens of LA are seeing a rush on emergency supplies. By the time you need supplies, so will everyone else.  Avoid empty grocery, home, and hardware store shelves.  I keep a week's worth of supplies in my pantry.  I have shelf stable food, bottled water, and hygiene products for everyone in my household.   
• Keep emergency supplies in the car.  If your car broke down in the bitter cold, could you wait hours for a tow?  Keep an extra set of clothes, first aid kit, a couple snacks, maps, and a few basic tools in your car.
• Create emergency plans and evacuation routes for yourself and your loved ones.  Practice these plans together and include the whole family.  Don't forget to plan for an emergency when you are not together.  Where will you meet? Include fire escape plans, how to react to a crime, and local emergency contacts. 

Live Your Life

• Once preparations are in place, it isn't difficult to maintain them.  When expiration dates near, use the product and replace it.  
• Keep in touch with current events.  There is nothing worse in an emergency situation than not knowing what is going on around you.  Many disasters are predictable, and can be simply waited out.  
• Don't let fear of disaster dictate your life.  I'm not going to hide in my wilderness bomb shelter with my decade worth of supplies waiting for the apocalypse. Above all use your own common sense.  Only you know what you can afford, and what is right for you.  Find the right balance for yourself between prepared and fanatical.  

A Video from the Pictures on Adrian Outdoors

I created this video with the pictures I took for Adrian Outdoors.  In the video I use only the pictures I captured from a particular spot throughout the year.

A Wintery Walk to the Park

I took young Miss Ajay for a walk this cold winter morning.  She brought along the camera she got for Christmas and we caught a couple of good shots.... Including a few crazy ducks who apparently forgot to fly south last fall.  

This small stream still fights the cold and flows quickly through its snowy banks.  

We weren't dressed for off roading, so we stuck to the plowed path.  When I zoom in this picture, you can see Daffey's cousins.

The news reported we had blizzard conditions last night.  Thanks to a pretty harsh winter, everything looked about the same as it has for months.  We decided to go out and catch these shots before spring arrived.  We are excited to find out if these ducks stay for the summer or fly off come spring.

Winter Survival Tips

This time of year can produce unexpected survival situations at any time. Simply getting your car stuck in the snow can mean you are going to spend a couple of hours outdoors. A power outage from frozen lines can put your home in the cold for hours or even days. All of the cases of hypothermia I have witnessed were caused by being exposed to the cold for longer than anticipated.

Most of us would rather spend time home in front of the fireplace than hike through the forest during the winter. Attendance at our state and national parks proves this point. Most close through the winter, or at least cut their staff. However, if you are properly prepared, then winter camping can be a beautiful experience. Whether you are headed out for a crisp winter trek or just on your way to work, a couple of simple steps an save you some unnecessary misery.

1. Dress in Layers

   If you get too hot, you can always take a layer off. If you don't wear enough, then you're just out of luck. Also, if your inner layer gets wet from walking, then take it off. While you might be hot and sweating, you will freeze as soon as you stop moving. So strip that bottom layer off and let it dry. At night when you lay down to sleep strip off all of your clothes. That's right, take it all off no matter how cold it might be. Throughout the day your clothes have absorbed moisture from your body. If you sleep in these clothes you may fall asleep toasty, but wake up covered in a thin layer of ice. It would even be better to sleep naked if necessary. Keep an extra set of warm clothes in your car including shoes. You will appreciate it if you have to walk for help with a break-down.

2. Let Yourself Eat

   Winter camping is no time to be on a low calorie diet. Our bodies need calories to produce heat. Sometimes the simplest solution to the cold is a hot meal.
   
   
   

3. Get Off The Ground

   Pile leaves, hay, or even a piece of cardboard on the ground. Then, spread a piece plastic over it, and build your tent on top. This barrier will prevent your body from defrosting the ground below in your sleep and waking up in a puddle of ice cold water.

4. Master the Fire

   I always bring at least three sources of fire on winter camp-outs. If I'm in a situation where my lighter will not work, I still have matches and flint. I also carry dry tender and kindling for getting the fire started. Keep in mind, it may be easier to fetch firewood than to try to start a fire in the dark. That is why I just try to always keep a fire burning.

5. Have The Right Tools For The Job

   It is important to have what you need from the right tent to a good sleeping bag. In the summer, it won't make a difference if you use a ten person tent for just one. However, in the winter it can be a crucial mistake. The human body produces enough heat to warm a small one or two person tent. In a large dome tent, one person's heat would simply dissipate into open air. The extra few dollars spent for a below zero sleeping bag, polypropylene long underwear, and a warm pair of boots are a well spent investment. Don't forget the camera. The snow and ice can make the woods you know look like a whole new dimension.

6. Constantly be Aware of Your Body

   Honestly analyze your condition. No experience is worth the permanent damage caused by frostbite and hypothermia. Keep in mind it will take awhile to safely warm your body, so don't wait until it's too late. It's hard to work a lighter with frozen fingers.

Be safe, have fun, and share.

My pictures from over the summer!

Summer is Here!

Summer is here, and outdoor activities are on everyone's mind.  We all want to have fun, but it's also important to protect ourselves.  Heat advisories are being issued all over our country, and the dog days of summer aren't even here yet.  Most weekend campers will remember to bring bug spray, but most will neglect to bring sunscreen.  Adding a few items to your day pack can help keep you comfortable while you enjoy the wilderness our country has to offer.

• Water (at least 2 liters)
• Insect Repellent 
• Sunscreen
• Charged Cellphone Turned Off (For Emergencies Only)
• Map Of Area
• Matches and Fire Starters
• Small First-Aid Kit

Adjust your pack for any activities you have planned.  Keep drinking water and be aware of the signs of dehydration in yourself and other members of your group. They are:

1. Dry and Sticky Mouth
2. Drowsiness
3. Swollen Tongue
4. Incredible Thirst
5. Dark and Smelly Urine

Anyone showing theses symptoms should be moved indoors or to a shady area, drink water, and rest.  This person needs to be monitored and a decision made on whether or not they require hospitalization.  

Why Take Chances?

When I was a young scout, my troop went for a day hike that lasted for two.  It was no emergency, we were prepared as any good scout should... we were just lost.  An old map combined with our inexperience, was all it took to double the length of our stay.  Our handbooks had taught us what to pack, which turned out to be essential, but we forgot one crucial step.  Tell somebody.

A good friend or loved one ALWAYS has a map of my intended route with a rough timeline.  I also tell them that if they have not heard from me by a certain date and time, then I need them to take action.  The type of trip will dictate the action I ask them to take.  If I'm fishing at a local park I may ask them to drop by to make sure I haven't drown.  If I'm taking a month long hike down the Appalachian Trail, then I may ask them to contact authorities in the event I'm unreachable.  No one has ever had to take action for me, but I still make sure that safety net is in place.  

If I plan for a day hike, I pack for at least two days.  I keep in mind temperature changes from day to night.  I don't plan on being out after dark, but I'm still ready for it.  Depending on my destination, my pack might include;

1. At least two pairs of socks ("take care of your feet and they will take care of you")
2. One complete change of clothes
3. Two full 2 quart canteens
4. First Aid kit
5. Space blanket
6. Several protein bars (or Snickers depending on my mood)
7. Current maps (GPS doesn't always work / batteries die)
8. Charged cell phone turned off (for emergencies only)
9. Water purification tablets or water filter
10. Lighter and matches in a waterproof bag
11. Camera (not everything has to be for emergencies)
12. Notebook and pencil
13. Pocket knife
14. Two meals
15. Flashlight

I pack things as tightly as possible, buy dehydrated meals, and keep things as light as possible.  Typically, I can keep it all contained in a sturdy school backpack.  One important item I forgot to mention is to be sure to include plenty of any medications you might be taking and any treatments you may require for allergic reactions.

The outdoors can be an amazing place even to get lost, but being caught off-guard can make it a miserable experience.  Why take chances?  If you get lost, let it be a time you remember unexpectedly communing with nature.... not a time you recall being caught with your pants down and battling the elements.