The past few months, there has been one particular type of person that I've seen over and over and over and over...
Specifically, I'm referring to the person(s) that turn up in a (semi-) wilderness area, and then calmly proceed to act like they're just in a different kind of city park.
In Idaho, I met a small family that was out walking around well off the regular trail system and were about as unprepared and unequipped as they could be: the adults were in shorts and tank-tops, she was wearing freaking sandals, and they weren't paying a whole lot of attention to where their 4-year-old was (or what she was doing). Neither of them had any kind of pack or bag (she didn't even have her purse with her), no bear spray (despite warnings that there were plenty of bears around), a small bottle of water each, and not paying the slightest bit of attention to what was going on around them: I'd been standing propped up against a tree as I watched some critters, and the lot of them walked by within 3 feet of me without noticing I was there. My critter viewing was interrupted (ruined) when their little girl ran by, spotted an animal, and started screaming for mommy and daddy to come see. Scared the hell out of the animal, of course, and it was off like a shot - all mommy and daddy got to see was a distant look at its ass as it faded over the horizon.
Both adults nearly had heart failure when they turned around and saw me; after apologizing for scaring them (I wasn't sorry, really, but...), we got into a little bit of a conversation. Trying to clue them in, I casually mentioned the stuff that I carried in addition to the 2-qt canteen on my belt. They expressed wonder that I'd haul all that stuff around, since "it's just a park - it's not like we're out in the wilds, someplace!" (her words).
It was still early in my travels, and I felt a certain obligation to try and help them; I patiently and gently pointed out the lack of traffic, building, pavement, and other indications of city life - then emphasized that, yes, we were out in the wilds. The male half then tried to tell me that they had their cell phones with them, and could call 9-1-1. When I asked how many bars he had, he discovered that he didn't have ANY. Nor did she. I asked them how long they had to drive from the nearest town, and then suggested that even an emergency vehicle travelling TWICE as fast as they'd driven would still take a long time to get there - and that was only to the area, two hours away, that they'd PARKED. That's when I used the title for this blog post, telling him "This ain't Disneyland, partner. The critters here don't speak English, and they don't have ANY manners. All they know is how to survive, using whatever God gave them to do it with: teeth, claws, horns, hooves, or whatever. Any bears you see aren't related to Yogi, and the critters aren't out of some movie."
Both of them were offended and upset with me for pointing that out, and said something about having to get back. I asked if they could find their way, and after a fair amount of looking around (and discovering that trees have a lot of resemblance to each other), they admitted it might not be easy. I checked my map, and after giving them a cheap-ass keychain-type compass I'd bought on a whim, gave them directions on how to get back to where they'd parked - to their visible (but unspoken) relief. As a coup de grace, I told them that they should probably get someone to remove the ticks that had gotten attached to their legs.
The last I saw of them, they were in a tight group headed (generally, anyway) in the right direction.
Since then, I've seen other folks that weren't much (if any) better prepared for where they were and what they were doing; it didn't take me long to give up on trying to help them. Fact is, now I leave them be and move away from them - sooner or later, the problem will be solved, since Stupid is not a survival trait.
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Whyfor you doodat?
I got an email asking me how and why I chose the items I mentioned in my previous post ("Gear Locker"), and I figured other folks might be interested, so here goes:
Backpack - A: I've got to think the military has learned a thing or two about hauling stuff around in a field pack, so the design and durability are likely up to snuff. B: It had the features I needed and wanted. C:: It was free. D: As an added advantage, it lets me easily add storage capacity using the MOLLE system.
Tent & sleeping bag - I suppose I could have run out and bought a bunch of North Face or other high-end tree-hugger Yuppie gear, but as previously noted, I'm on a limited income (less than $1000 a month). Consequently, my choices in what I buy have to take into account price and performance (performance being functionality/durability/weight). I'm can't afford to spend $300 on a high-end tent when something only a quarter the price will do all I need and last nearly as long (with care) and at only slightly more weight. The Coleman tent and bag do what I need them to at a reasonable price and with minimum weight penalty.
Cook Set, Stove, Flatware - I'm hauling the cookware around, and want something as light and durable as I can manage; that 3-piece (quite sufficient for 1 person) titanium kit does the trick. The flatware is titanium, also - not so much because of weight, but durability. The stove is small, works well on an inexpensive fuel that is easily extinguished and (minimally) toxic. More than once, I've been able to prepare breakfast and a 16-oz cup of coffee using less than 2 tablespoons of fuel.
Navigation - the compass is is something I already knew how to use; it's MORE than capable of the kind of accuracy I need. I download the maps from the USGS website, crop to the area(s) I need, and print out; then I keep them in a clear watertight envelope/pouch. Easy to use in any weather. Like I said, the low-cost handheld GPS units don't have the capabilities (mostly number of channels to hook up to satellites, but also sensitivity) to be as reliable as I'd want under all conditions. They's also heavier and bulkier.
Power source - Again, a tradeoff of price vs. performance. I could get a folding solar array capable of twice the power output, but it's also twice the price and twice the weight. I went with the Kobo ebook reader for several reasons:
Water - If I'm going to have to fiddle with purifying water, I want it to be worth the time and to work. The system I've got not only does that, but can be field-stripped and -cleaned with little trouble (I have, and it is). The tablets are just a belt-and-braces approach to my own personal well-being.
E-tool - not only digs (those cat-holes, remember, but also firepits, etc), but can chop where I don't want to risk the cutting tool (i.e. suspect underbrush or where there might be rocks). Also makes a tolerably good prybar, when I need one.
Tent stakes - I carry around 2 kinds for a simple reason: each kind works better under different circumstances. I have some helical stakes that work well in gravel and other types of "soft" ground, and a set of (long - 12") titanium pegs as an alternative.
Walking stick - A walking stick is a real handy thing to have when hiking; mine does double duty, however. One of the small tarps (6'x8') I carry is used to make a kind-of porch by fastening one (6') end to my tent, then stretching it out and holding the other end up with the PVC pipe in the middle and the two short wooden pieces on the corners (think upside-down 'V'). That lets enough air in/through to keep the tent from overheating in warm weather (even provides a little shade), and gives me some extra outside area to sit or cook in while staying dry when it rains/snows.
Radio - chosen for the specific purpose of letting me listen to something besides my MP3 player - if I can't get an AM or FM station, there's always shortwave; the BBC, in particular, does a fine job reporting news, playing music, and providing other entertainment. Not as good as a "serious" shortwave receiver, but runs on batteries and is small and light enough to fit in a pocket.
Tent light - battery-powered, it puts out enough light that I can easily read the Kobo or get general camp illumination. Better for that function than an ordinary flashlight (which I have two of - one of which is a mini 9-LED job I keep in my pocket).
Batteries - other than my laptop, all my battery-operated gear runs on either AA or AAA size batteries, so I only need a small charger that only handles those two sizes; the charger connects to the solar panel, and I cycle through the batteries (kept in a solid plastic watertight case) so that the several spares I have are always charged. For the laptop, I have a separate car adapter that does a fine job. I don't use my laptop all THAT much when I'm (remote) camping, anyway. Believe it or not, some state parks offer wifi now, as do a lot of 'commercial' campgrounds like KOA..
Everything else I carry around meets the basic criteria of maximum performance/weight/durability for the price. For example, my bath towel is smaller than those found in most homes, but probably absorbes half again (or more) as much water, but dries quickly. My rain gear is a surplus military poncho - keeps rain off, and can be used to fashion a quick-and-easy temporary shelter. You get the idea, I think...
Backpack - A: I've got to think the military has learned a thing or two about hauling stuff around in a field pack, so the design and durability are likely up to snuff. B: It had the features I needed and wanted. C:: It was free. D: As an added advantage, it lets me easily add storage capacity using the MOLLE system.
Tent & sleeping bag - I suppose I could have run out and bought a bunch of North Face or other high-end tree-hugger Yuppie gear, but as previously noted, I'm on a limited income (less than $1000 a month). Consequently, my choices in what I buy have to take into account price and performance (performance being functionality/durability/weight). I'm can't afford to spend $300 on a high-end tent when something only a quarter the price will do all I need and last nearly as long (with care) and at only slightly more weight. The Coleman tent and bag do what I need them to at a reasonable price and with minimum weight penalty.
Cook Set, Stove, Flatware - I'm hauling the cookware around, and want something as light and durable as I can manage; that 3-piece (quite sufficient for 1 person) titanium kit does the trick. The flatware is titanium, also - not so much because of weight, but durability. The stove is small, works well on an inexpensive fuel that is easily extinguished and (minimally) toxic. More than once, I've been able to prepare breakfast and a 16-oz cup of coffee using less than 2 tablespoons of fuel.
Navigation - the compass is is something I already knew how to use; it's MORE than capable of the kind of accuracy I need. I download the maps from the USGS website, crop to the area(s) I need, and print out; then I keep them in a clear watertight envelope/pouch. Easy to use in any weather. Like I said, the low-cost handheld GPS units don't have the capabilities (mostly number of channels to hook up to satellites, but also sensitivity) to be as reliable as I'd want under all conditions. They's also heavier and bulkier.
Power source - Again, a tradeoff of price vs. performance. I could get a folding solar array capable of twice the power output, but it's also twice the price and twice the weight. I went with the Kobo ebook reader for several reasons:
- No censorship, no required binding to a manufacturer, no limit to what I can read on it, and it's mine to do with whatever I please.
- It has a larger & nicer (IMHO) display than the Sony line.
- Small and functional enough for my needs.
Water - If I'm going to have to fiddle with purifying water, I want it to be worth the time and to work. The system I've got not only does that, but can be field-stripped and -cleaned with little trouble (I have, and it is). The tablets are just a belt-and-braces approach to my own personal well-being.
E-tool - not only digs (those cat-holes, remember, but also firepits, etc), but can chop where I don't want to risk the cutting tool (i.e. suspect underbrush or where there might be rocks). Also makes a tolerably good prybar, when I need one.
Tent stakes - I carry around 2 kinds for a simple reason: each kind works better under different circumstances. I have some helical stakes that work well in gravel and other types of "soft" ground, and a set of (long - 12") titanium pegs as an alternative.
Walking stick - A walking stick is a real handy thing to have when hiking; mine does double duty, however. One of the small tarps (6'x8') I carry is used to make a kind-of porch by fastening one (6') end to my tent, then stretching it out and holding the other end up with the PVC pipe in the middle and the two short wooden pieces on the corners (think upside-down 'V'). That lets enough air in/through to keep the tent from overheating in warm weather (even provides a little shade), and gives me some extra outside area to sit or cook in while staying dry when it rains/snows.
Radio - chosen for the specific purpose of letting me listen to something besides my MP3 player - if I can't get an AM or FM station, there's always shortwave; the BBC, in particular, does a fine job reporting news, playing music, and providing other entertainment. Not as good as a "serious" shortwave receiver, but runs on batteries and is small and light enough to fit in a pocket.
Tent light - battery-powered, it puts out enough light that I can easily read the Kobo or get general camp illumination. Better for that function than an ordinary flashlight (which I have two of - one of which is a mini 9-LED job I keep in my pocket).
Batteries - other than my laptop, all my battery-operated gear runs on either AA or AAA size batteries, so I only need a small charger that only handles those two sizes; the charger connects to the solar panel, and I cycle through the batteries (kept in a solid plastic watertight case) so that the several spares I have are always charged. For the laptop, I have a separate car adapter that does a fine job. I don't use my laptop all THAT much when I'm (remote) camping, anyway. Believe it or not, some state parks offer wifi now, as do a lot of 'commercial' campgrounds like KOA..
Everything else I carry around meets the basic criteria of maximum performance/weight/durability for the price. For example, my bath towel is smaller than those found in most homes, but probably absorbes half again (or more) as much water, but dries quickly. My rain gear is a surplus military poncho - keeps rain off, and can be used to fashion a quick-and-easy temporary shelter. You get the idea, I think...
Monday, March 21, 2011
My Gear Locker
In case anybody's interested, I started all this the beginning of last summer (2010), in Washington state. I've been staying a week (or thereabouts) at a campground, then moving on to the next one -- a process that has taken anywhere from a single day to nearly a week -- using various combinations of Greyhound, hitching, and hiking.
In between, I've spent some nights in motels of widely varying "ambiance", others camping out a little way off the road. In the cases when I've camped, I make an honest and sincere effort to get permission from the landowner whenever possible; simply making that effort seems to do wonders. That I'm (mostly) clean-shaven, reasonably clean, polite, and generally presentable pretty much takes up the slack. I've been turned down a couple of times, but that's all.
If there isn't any easy way to tell who owns the land, I find a workable spot as short a distance across the propertly line as possible, and make only minimalist arrangements (using a poncho as combo ground cover and "tent", etc) - and always ready and willing to move if told to.
Most of the camping I do is in state parks - preferably away from the folks that think "camping" involves sleeping in some kind of wheeled vehicle (5th wheel, towed camper, motorhome [!!], converted bus, whatever). Um... folks... if you're sleeping in something with wheels on it, you're not camping, mmm-kay?
Anyway, with my preference to get the hell away from people, I have to carry everything I need. To give you an idea of how little one person can get by with, here's a list of my gear:
Food is a mix of freeze-dried (available in Wal*Mars, camping supply, etc) and canned. Roughly half the liquids I drink are mix-with-water sports drinks. I have a small thermo-humidograph I hang in my tent just for easy reference.
I'm passing on using a GPS unit for a couple of reasons: first, in my price range, they aren't reliable enough. Second, solar flares and other things outside my control can make them all but useless; the old Mk I Mod I compass and map work without batteries or satellites.
I was in the Boy Krauts when I was younger, so my camping is as low-impact as I can manage: cat-holes for "personal needs", easily biodegradable for single-use disposable whatevers, firewood from deadfall, and so on. My goal is for nobody to be able to tell I was there a week (or the first good rain) after I've left.
Anyway, that's what I've been getting along with, and how, the last several months. If you've got any questions about anything in particular, shoot me an email -- I'll either answer it directly, or respond here... eventually.
In between, I've spent some nights in motels of widely varying "ambiance", others camping out a little way off the road. In the cases when I've camped, I make an honest and sincere effort to get permission from the landowner whenever possible; simply making that effort seems to do wonders. That I'm (mostly) clean-shaven, reasonably clean, polite, and generally presentable pretty much takes up the slack. I've been turned down a couple of times, but that's all.
If there isn't any easy way to tell who owns the land, I find a workable spot as short a distance across the propertly line as possible, and make only minimalist arrangements (using a poncho as combo ground cover and "tent", etc) - and always ready and willing to move if told to.
Most of the camping I do is in state parks - preferably away from the folks that think "camping" involves sleeping in some kind of wheeled vehicle (5th wheel, towed camper, motorhome [!!], converted bus, whatever). Um... folks... if you're sleeping in something with wheels on it, you're not camping, mmm-kay?
Anyway, with my preference to get the hell away from people, I have to carry everything I need. To give you an idea of how little one person can get by with, here's a list of my gear:
- Everything has to fit in or on my backpack (the field pack), which I got during a Veteran's Standdown (yes, I'm a military vet).
- Other than the on-the-road nights mentioned above, I stay in my tent, in or on my sleeping bag. I also pack along a military surplus wool blanket, which can serve double duty as either or both of ground pad or blanket.
- I cook with, and eat out of, a cook set the stuff I've prepared over an alcohol stove. The advantage of the stove is that I can get the alcohol for it at about any home/camping supply, or even use Heet(tm) fuel additive from any auto parts store. No, I don't use my fingers; I have one of these.
- While in the parks, I keep from getting lost the old fashioned way: a compass and downloaded-and-printed map (courtesy of the USGS). Whether on the road or hiking in the camp, I wear cargo-type pants (long - I'd just as soon not get any closer to ticks and the like than necessary); in one pocket, I always have an emergency blanket, something I can start a fire with, a loud & annoying whistle, signal mirror, and a couple of energy bars.
- Once I've set up my tent, I set up a power source so I can keep the batteries for my flashlights, tent lantern, and other electrical stuff charged up.
- When it rains (several times) or snows (once!) or I'm not quite sleepy, I can use my laptop to watch movies. I've also got a 32G MP3 player, and an e-book reader (along with a couple of SD cards, holding nearly 1,000 assorted books).
- Around camp or walking around the park, I carry a cutting tool, and something to look around with. Sorry, it's only recently that I thought to be able to memorialize my travels and activities.
- Not all the places I camp at have "city" water, so I have to deal with being thirsty some other way. Even so, I hedge my bets.
- There's no benefit to being uncomfortable, so I've made other arrangements.
Food is a mix of freeze-dried (available in Wal*Mars, camping supply, etc) and canned. Roughly half the liquids I drink are mix-with-water sports drinks. I have a small thermo-humidograph I hang in my tent just for easy reference.
I'm passing on using a GPS unit for a couple of reasons: first, in my price range, they aren't reliable enough. Second, solar flares and other things outside my control can make them all but useless; the old Mk I Mod I compass and map work without batteries or satellites.
I was in the Boy Krauts when I was younger, so my camping is as low-impact as I can manage: cat-holes for "personal needs", easily biodegradable for single-use disposable whatevers, firewood from deadfall, and so on. My goal is for nobody to be able to tell I was there a week (or the first good rain) after I've left.
Anyway, that's what I've been getting along with, and how, the last several months. If you've got any questions about anything in particular, shoot me an email -- I'll either answer it directly, or respond here... eventually.
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Stand by to stand by
Currently in a holding pattern while some necessary funds become available. Will be heading to Northern New Mexico to partake of some of the state parks between Santa Fe and Colorado.
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