Had a bit of fun this weekend. My wife went out of town to spend the weekend with our niece at college and like always she felt she needed to keep me occupied. Her suggestion that the walls in the hallways could stand to be scrubbed just did not seem to me to my idea of a fun weekend, not while she was out and about in a college town going to a concert and hockey game.
I took off Saturday, wearing jeans, RedWings Jersey, tennis shoes, and leather jacket, with lined leather driving gloves. I pulled back into a nice deserted area I actually know pretty well and where I was unlikely to be disturbed. Then I made believe I was stuck out on a lonely road or the highway, the idea being to try out the equipment I carry in my truck, not to build shelter or live off the land. The first thing I did was to chop a downed tree into a manageable section (a tree fallen across the road?) with my Cold Steel Shovel, I wanted to give it a work out instead of the pocket chainsaw. Then since I was obviously stuck for the night, I have a good imagination, it was time to get ready to ride out a storm. So I pulled out my gear, carried in a Rubbermaid storage box in the back of the truck. I quickly (sitting barea** on the steel bed of a truck makes you quick) put on my woolies, boots (Dog Paws muklucks), hat (navy watchcap) and heavy coat. Then got out both wool blankets and spent the night in the back of my truck. Next morning I pulled out my MSR stove and made tea and oatmeal (I carry some of those instant packages) by melting snow (it always amazes me how much snow it takes to make a decent amount of water).
Most everything worked well, even excellently, the Cold Steel shovel and Dogs Paws were the new things and they did not disappoint, but one thing became clear. The back of a pickup in winter with wind blowing around and under makes a cold shelter, I could have done better making my own, but that was not the point, not on a deserted highway. So I am trying to think up something that might help there. And two wool blankets is nice, but for more than one person it would be marginal, so I am going to look into getting more or maybe a couple of warm bags.
Sorry for the length? Comments?
------------------
Lee
LIfe is too important to be taken seriously. Oscar Wilde
I took off Saturday, wearing jeans, RedWings Jersey, tennis shoes, and leather jacket, with lined leather driving gloves. I pulled back into a nice deserted area I actually know pretty well and where I was unlikely to be disturbed. Then I made believe I was stuck out on a lonely road or the highway, the idea being to try out the equipment I carry in my truck, not to build shelter or live off the land. The first thing I did was to chop a downed tree into a manageable section (a tree fallen across the road?) with my Cold Steel Shovel, I wanted to give it a work out instead of the pocket chainsaw. Then since I was obviously stuck for the night, I have a good imagination, it was time to get ready to ride out a storm. So I pulled out my gear, carried in a Rubbermaid storage box in the back of the truck. I quickly (sitting barea** on the steel bed of a truck makes you quick) put on my woolies, boots (Dog Paws muklucks), hat (navy watchcap) and heavy coat. Then got out both wool blankets and spent the night in the back of my truck. Next morning I pulled out my MSR stove and made tea and oatmeal (I carry some of those instant packages) by melting snow (it always amazes me how much snow it takes to make a decent amount of water).
Most everything worked well, even excellently, the Cold Steel shovel and Dogs Paws were the new things and they did not disappoint, but one thing became clear. The back of a pickup in winter with wind blowing around and under makes a cold shelter, I could have done better making my own, but that was not the point, not on a deserted highway. So I am trying to think up something that might help there. And two wool blankets is nice, but for more than one person it would be marginal, so I am going to look into getting more or maybe a couple of warm bags.
Sorry for the length? Comments?
------------------
Lee
LIfe is too important to be taken seriously. Oscar Wilde
