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#245900 - 05/15/12 03:48 AM Re: Mock Bug-out [Re: bacpacjac]
Snake_Doctor
Unregistered


smile That's great Jac. Glad he was happy and you both had fun. Welcome back. I'll watch for the pics.


Edited by Snake_Doctor (05/15/12 03:52 AM)

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#245908 - 05/15/12 12:04 PM Re: Mock Bug-out [Re: bacpacjac]
bacpacjac Offline
Carpal Tunnel

Registered: 05/05/07
Posts: 3601
Loc: Ontario, Canada
Here's a bit of a recap:

Step One - gather wood for a fire
My son was in charge. This is the pile he had when we lit the fire. By dark he had enough to get us through the wet and cool night, as long as we burned it so what sparingly.


Step Two - get a tinder bundle of birch bark ready
We were in provincial Parks to limited to using existing fire pits


Step Three - ignition
-on night one we use a vaseline soaked cotton ball, fat wood and ferro rod, along with a bag full of pine for the park woodlot (used my ax to process it into kindling)
-on night two, we used a couple of Coghlan's fire starters. Fire Sticks worked well once we had a flame and the Fire Lighters were awesome! As easy as a match to use and they burn hot and bright for a few minutes:
http://www.coghlanscampinggear.com/cofilifist.html

Step Four - boil water for dinner and hot chocolate


Step Five - pitch the tent
We brought our cheapie $20 2_man tent from Walmart and used it with the door wide open so sort of like a three sided shelter. We both had a sleeping bag, wool blanket and thermarest. Even during the cold windy rain, we were toasty warm.


Step Six - hang a tarp to protect the fire from the rain and use line to dry clothes.
FAIL!! Brought too small a tarp to cover both the entire tent and the fire. Of course, we had a windy rain, and the back of the tent got wet. frown


Step Seven - dinner!



There are more pics and details here:
http://zombiehunters.org/forum/viewtopic.php?p=2103346#p2103346


Edited by bacpacjac (05/16/12 04:05 PM)
_________________________
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#245930 - 05/15/12 11:40 PM Re: Mock Bug-out [Re: bacpacjac]
Aussie Offline
Enthusiast

Registered: 11/12/10
Posts: 205
Loc: Australia
That looks fantastic.

Thanks for sharing.

Interestingly that looks like a very similar camp area to the ones set up in many Australian Nat Parks, ie wooden table and benches, iron fire pits with some form of grate and/or billy hanger.

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#245948 - 05/16/12 03:12 PM Re: Mock Bug-out [Re: bacpacjac]
CANOEDOGS Offline
Pooh-Bah

Registered: 02/03/07
Posts: 1853
Loc: MINNESOTA
Bac Pac..great photos!

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#245971 - 05/17/12 02:14 AM Re: Mock Bug-out [Re: bacpacjac]
bacpacjac Offline
Carpal Tunnel

Registered: 05/05/07
Posts: 3601
Loc: Ontario, Canada
Thanks guys. It was a great trip. On the way home, my son asked if we could do it again this weekend. I'll take that as two thumbs up.

We did learn a few thing along the way:

- we had to use designated fire pits so were limited in where and how we could erect our shelter, while using the fire for warmth

-there are no trees close to fire pits in Provincial Parks. This is good forest fire prevention but makes it hard to tie a tarp close to the fire (this is where the tent and paracord are worth their weight)

-you are not allowed to bring your own firewood to Provincial Parks in the this area because of invasive bugs. That means you have to rely on your destination for this vital resource.

-park 1 had no downed wood but an open woodlot to buy firewood, which we processed with an ax to make kindling

-park 2's woodlot was closed so we had to rely on what we could forage. There was lots but it was all damp or wet

-neither park had trees suitable for hanging a bear bag. (This is where the Jeep was worth it's weight. Well, that and saving our feet.)

-a 6 foot long tent makes a good 1-man tent but isn't big enough for someone 5'7" to sleep in comfortably if they use blankets and/or are sleeping with someone else

-if you need one, bring a tarp at least twice as big as your shelter
_________________________
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You can find me on YouTube here:
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#245972 - 05/17/12 02:49 AM Re: Mock Bug-out [Re: bacpacjac]
Paul810 Offline
Veteran

Registered: 03/02/03
Posts: 1428
Loc: NJ, USA
Did your tent come with a rain fly? Usually that does a pretty good job of keeping the rain off, so you don't have to rig up a tarp over it. I also like to spray the outside of the rain fly and bottom edge of the tent with Scotchgard Outdoor water shield for added water repellant.

Also, I noticed you don't seem to have anything under your tent. That is where I normally put a tarp. The ground is where you loose most of your heat, so the more insulation you have between you and the ground, the better. It also serves double duty of keeping the bottom of the tent clean and protected from rips/holes/tears which can allow water (or critters) to get inside.

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#245979 - 05/17/12 02:33 PM Re: Mock Bug-out [Re: Paul810]
bacpacjac Offline
Carpal Tunnel

Registered: 05/05/07
Posts: 3601
Loc: Ontario, Canada
Originally Posted By: Paul810
Did your tent come with a rain fly? Usually that does a pretty good job of keeping the rain off, so you don't have to rig up a tarp over it. I also like to spray the outside of the rain fly and bottom edge of the tent with Scotchgard Outdoor water shield for added water repellant.


Paul, this tent is a super cheapie from Walmart. It's an Ozark Trail 6'5' Scout Junior Dome Tent . It packs small and it's light but the fly is a napkin. frown Scotchgarding it is a great idea. Our idea was to use it like we would a tarp shelter but this tent, as it comes it not waterproof on the sides. The tarp worked really well to keep us dry until the wind changed direction and the back of the tent, which I sacrificed to give the fire more cover, got wet.

The other advantage of the tarp, and one of the main reasons I carry one, is that it keeps the area between the shelter and fire dry, along with keeping the pile of firewood from getting wet. We moved the tent right up beside the fire to keep us warm and I stayed up all night to feed the it and jump on any embers that popped into the tent. Thanks to that tarp, I didn't get wet at all as I moved in a out to do that.

Originally Posted By: Paul810
Also, I noticed you don't seem to have anything under your tent. That is where I normally put a tarp. The ground is where you loose most of your heat, so the more insulation you have between you and the ground, the better. It also serves double duty of keeping the bottom of the tent clean and protected from rips/holes/tears which can allow water (or critters) to get inside.


We normally use a footprint but left it out on this trip because we're trying to go lightweight. We did have other space blankets that we could have used under the tent but decided that we would use the tent floor instead of a groundsheet. It did really well. It's bathtub style and kept the rain out well. We were set up on a bit of a rise, which definitely helped when the rain kicked up, and we also cleared the area for the tent really well so try to remove anything pokey.



Edited by bacpacjac (05/17/12 02:42 PM)
_________________________
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#245980 - 05/17/12 02:44 PM Re: Mock Bug-out [Re: bacpacjac]
bacpacjac Offline
Carpal Tunnel

Registered: 05/05/07
Posts: 3601
Loc: Ontario, Canada
duplicate post. sorry! I'll make it for it with more pics. wink






















Edited by bacpacjac (05/17/12 02:51 PM)
_________________________
Mom & Adventurer

You can find me on YouTube here:
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#246163 - 05/22/12 10:33 PM Re: Mock Bug-out [Re: bacpacjac]
bacpacjac Offline
Carpal Tunnel

Registered: 05/05/07
Posts: 3601
Loc: Ontario, Canada
Part Two

The Plan
My son and I did another leg on our Bug-Out route this weekend - the first part. We intended to do an overnighter at our family rally point a few miles from home. (This is where we'd all meet up if we were seperated when the SHTF and we couldn't meet at home.) We planned to take off on our bikes on Sunday morning, carrying just our dayhike packs, head to the trail, hike and camp on the beach.

Trip Report:
As many an 8 year old's bike has done, my son's bike turned out the be broken (Apparently a big jump went wrong) so we drove the Jeep instead. We parked in a secluded spot a little way away from the trailhead. We grabbed our gear and hiked to the trail:
http://i1105.photobucket.com/albums/h351/backpackjac/IMG_0162.jpg
http://i1105.photobucket.com/albums/h351/backpackjac/IMG_0160.jpg

...then we made some last minute gear adjustments before we started the hike:
http://i1105.photobucket.com/albums/h351/backpackjac/IMG_0163.jpg

Our Gear: (Plus an extra water bottle each, bug juice, sun screen and food)
http://i1105.photobucket.com/albums/h351/backpackjac/IMG_20120407_195309.jpg
http://i1105.photobucket.com/albums/h351/backpackjac/IMG_0165.jpg
http://www.zombiehunters.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=92838
http://forums.equipped.org/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=241098&page=1

It was hot, sunny and windy:
http://i1105.photobucket.com/albums/h351/backpackjac/IMG_0169.jpg
http://i1105.photobucket.com/albums/h351/backpackjac/IMG_0211.jpg

.... so we took LOTS of hydration breaks. We had between 2L and 3Ls each!
http://i1105.photobucket.com/albums/h351/backpackjac/IMG_0171.jpg

It was a gorgeous hike - only a few kms but beautiful. The carp and salmon were just begging to be caught so we decided we'd do that after we set up camp and had lunch on the beach:
http://i1105.photobucket.com/albums/h351/backpackjac/IMG_0173.jpg
http://i1105.photobucket.com/albums/h351/backpackjac/IMG_0167.jpg
http://i1105.photobucket.com/albums/h351/backpackjac/IMG_0204.jpg
http://i1105.photobucket.com/albums/h351/backpackjac/IMG_0210.jpg

We gathered tinder as we went along, from whatever standing deadwood we could find. There's usually lots of dry wood washed up on the beach but you just never know:
http://i1105.photobucket.com/albums/h351/backpackjac/IMG_0213.jpg
http://i1105.photobucket.com/albums/h351/backpackjac/IMG_0165-1.jpg

When we got to the beach, we weren't disappointed. There was LOTS of drift wood;
http://i1105.photobucket.com/albums/h351/backpackjac/IMG_0178.jpg
http://i1105.photobucket.com/albums/h351/backpackjac/IMG_0176.jpg

...so we gathered wood and built a windbreak, that we intended to turn into a shelter after lunch, using more logs and a tarp:
http://i1105.photobucket.com/albums/h351/backpackjac/IMG_0179.jpg
http://i1105.photobucket.com/albums/h351/backpackjac/IMG_0180.jpg

...and got ready for a lunch of MH Chili Mac for me, Coleman Mac n Cheese for him, and bannock for both of us:
http://i1105.photobucket.com/albums/h351/backpackjac/IMG_0188.jpg

Then my son gave his ferro rod a go, with a cotton ball and some fatwood we found along the way:
http://i1105.photobucket.com/albums/h351/backpackjac/IMG_0181.jpg
http://i1105.photobucket.com/albums/h351/backpackjac/IMG_0183.jpg
http://i1105.photobucket.com/albums/h351/backpackjac/IMG_0182.jpg

Fire!
http://i1105.photobucket.com/albums/h351/backpackjac/IMG_0184.jpg

The fire was too close to our windbreak so I showed him how to move it once it was sustainable and could handle the wind:
http://i1105.photobucket.com/albums/h351/backpackjac/IMG_0185.jpg

Then we added more fuel to the fire and got our hig-tech water boiling system going (water in spaghetti sauce can and covered with tin foil):
http://i1105.photobucket.com/albums/h351/backpackjac/IMG_0189.jpg

Then we were ready to make Bannock so we put the pan and oil on to get hot:
http://i1105.photobucket.com/albums/h351/backpackjac/IMG_0192.jpg

Then we got out our bag of Bannock mix:
http://i1105.photobucket.com/albums/h351/backpackjac/IMG_0190.jpg

...added some water and mixed:
http://i1105.photobucket.com/albums/h351/backpackjac/IMG_0191.jpg

...took the pan off the fire:
http://i1105.photobucket.com/albums/h351/backpackjac/IMG_0193.jpg

...loaded it up...
http://i1105.photobucket.com/albums/h351/backpackjac/IMG_0194-1.jpg

... and put it on the fire like this:
http://i1105.photobucket.com/albums/h351/backpackjac/IMG_0198.jpg

NOT like this:
http://i1105.photobucket.com/albums/h351/backpackjac/IMG_0197.jpg

It was soon time to take the water off the fire:
http://i1105.photobucket.com/albums/h351/backpackjac/IMG_0199.jpg

We opend his mac n cheese, put half my chili mac in a SS mug, added water to both and let them steam away:
http://i1105.photobucket.com/albums/h351/backpackjac/IMG_0200.jpg

The Bannock was ready just about the same time the rest of the meal was.
http://i1105.photobucket.com/albums/h351/backpackjac/IMG_0202.jpg

The Best Laid Plans
My son started having flu-like symptoms just before we were ready to eat. He was in rough shape so I decided to pack up after I quickly ate and head home so he could puke in private. The hour hike in took almost 2 on the way out because we had to stop to let him puke and drink more water.

That's when it happened - GEAR Failure! One of the shoulder straps on my backpack blew out. No biggie until I took the last step off the trail, lost my balance and wrenched my shoulder. Ouch!
http://i1105.photobucket.com/albums/h351/backpackjac/IMG_0201.jpg

Lessons Learned:
-check your gear thoroughly before you hit the trail
-bring OTC meds even on short trips - for your kids too if they're coming along!
-don't be afraid to change your plan if it doesn't work out
-maintain your vehicles well
-if you're going to depend on a child's vehicle as part of your transportation plan, give yourself a day or two for any needed repairs
_________________________
Mom & Adventurer

You can find me on YouTube here:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCT9fpZEy5XSWkYy7sgz-mSA

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#246180 - 05/23/12 01:34 AM Re: Mock Bug-out [Re: bacpacjac]
Aussie Offline
Enthusiast

Registered: 11/12/10
Posts: 205
Loc: Australia
Fantastic trip - except for the end bit.

Sounds like DS may have been suffering dehydration, ratherthan flu ?

In hot weather you need to carefully check how much people, esp kids drink. They get excited and forget to drink enough. We had a bad experiance with DD not drinking enough. If you think back, was he drinking and weeing enough ?

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