Friendly Reminder

Dont forget to change meds & bandages in First Aid kits, as well as batteries in flashlights & smoke detectors! New year, time to change things!!!

A new year for me!

So, after getting soft for the past 4 years as a civilian, I decided that I need to whip my fat ass back into shape. I was never ripped, mind you; I am short, & stout (like a teapot?!?!). However, I was solid, at my peak. My recent snowshoeing trek showed me how unfit I really am; 5 hours of snowshoeing shouldnt have resulted in soreness for a few days. When I was active in the Army, it seemed I could walk indefinitely (and a few time, it seemed like I actually did). Although I am older now, and know I will not get back the fitness level of my younger days, I can still do what I can to get back into shape. I have put on about 20 lbs or so as a result of working a desk for the past 5 years, and this will adversely affect my health. I am aware of this, and am making the concious decision to control it. So, I joined my local gym today, and will start on a "getting back into shape" program on Monday.
I have never been a fan of the gym; however, I realize that I cannot do this alone; I have tried (I usually run for about a month, then find something else to do). So, I am hoping that by making this part of my daily regimen, much like it was when I was active (when we werent deployed somewhere), and this should help me keep on track. Time will tell; my goal is 30 lbs by June, or 2 waist sizes (which is more realistic). Time will tell!

Winter hike 2009

So, today I decided to do a little snowshoeing. I havent done it in a couple of years and, frankly, since I have gotten back from a year in Cuba, the cold just isnt for me anymore. But, we got over a foot of fresh snow this weekend, I had today off, so I decided to take a little walk. My INTENTION was a short hike, maybe an hour or so, where I wanted to test out anew stove type (more on that below). Well, I packed a small daypack, with my essentials for "just in case", and off I went!
It was gorgeous out there today! Weather was about mid 20's or so, partially sunny. I started off with a med weight thermal base layer, goretex pants, my TNF fleece top, wool watch cap, and glove liners with ragg wool half mitten thingys (the kind that you can pull the top of the mitten off, flip it back & velcro it, so you can use your fingers).
My daypack consisted of the following:

Pack: Camelback MULE

Outside:
Military poncho
Mora knife/leather sheath, firesteel
Garmin GPS60CX
Bandana
small carabiner (non safety, key fob like)
about 6' of paracord type cordage

Main pocket:
1L british issue canteen, with metal cup (better suited to any situation, as opposed to the bladder the MULE came with)
3 1 gallon ziplock bags
2 leaf bags (large trash bags)

Top pocket (all in ziplock bags):
3 Clifbars, 1 granola bar (absent, instant coffee packets)
notepad & pencil
Spare AA batteries
Wooden nickels (I geocache, and this is what I leave in my finds)

Bottom pocket:
50' paracord (may be more, I cut this off a spool from my units armory)
Gerber hand saw
Heatsheet
Brunton orienteering compass
Princeton Tec LED headlamp (repaired with duct tape, incidentally, from my kit)
Tinder (cotton balls with petroleum jelly)
Adventure Medical Kit Ultralight (pretty standard, I only swap the medicines out, add Advil, and put an irrigation syringe in it)
PSK

PSK contents:
waterproof tin container
necklace with small compass, LED flashlight, and Fox40 whistle
15' of small cordage (the stuff that came in the RSK PSK)
handfull of strike anywhere matches in a small ziplock bag
tinder (again, the little things that came with the RSK kit)
small roll of duct tape
plastic see through disposable lighter
fishing/sewing kit (2 lures, 4 hooks, 6 sinkers, 2 needles, 4 safety pins, 20' of fishing line wound around the outside of the tube)
roll of thread
signal mirror
fresnal lens
snare wire
ferro rod w/striker
surgical blade, sealed
micropur water purification tablets
tin foil
survival pamphlet


That weighs in at about 11 lbs, almost non existent as far as weight goes. I left the poncho behind, and strapped on my goretex jacket. I also snapped the paint can stove to the small biner.

So, about 45 mins into the hike, I decided to bust brush to find a nice secluded spot to test this stove out. With a little over 2 feet of snow, find a LEVEL spot was a bit of a test. So, anyway, I found a nice place to test it out.
I stomped a flat area as best I could, then dug down with a snowshoe. Got it fairly level. Then, I went to find tinder. Easy task, as this is a mixed growth forest. Within 5 minutes I gathered what I thought was a good amount of fuel. So, on to the stove...
First, one thing I advocate wholeheartedly; ALWAYS carry cotton balls soaked in petroleum jelly! These are the BEST firestarters one can use! They catch a spark instantly, and burn for a good minute.
So, I get the stove started. Got a good base of wood burning. Then, decided to test how long it takes to get water to a boil. I filled my canteen cup about halfway, and put it on the stove. It worked, but with a fair amount of fidgeting. It took about 15 minutes to get it to start forming bubbles, at which point I stopped the test. It was hot enough for coffee. The reason it took so long is that you have to constantly feed the fire, and remove the cup in doing so. This method isnt the greatest, but, hey, its a wood stove, essentially! I have seen other designs with s smaller can attached horizontally...but, well, I like quick & easy! And this stove does exactly that, with no fire scar afterwards.
Ok, the design of the stove is stupid simple; get an unused 1 qt paint can from your local hardware store. Take a tailors tape measure and make marks along both the top and bottom of the can at 1" increments. Now, drill out those marks with a 1/4" bit. Thats it, you're done!
The idea behind it isnt so much a stove, as a controlled fireplace. Word of warning; paint cans have a lining on the inside, so, when firing this up for the first time, let it ALL burn off. Takes about 10 minutes, give or take. After that is done, it should be fine.
When you are cutting fuel, think SMALL. This is a small wood burning stove; nothing larger than your index finger will fit into it. Hence, the constant need to stoke it. But, again, as long as you have access to stuff to burn, you are fine. It just takes a little longer, thats all.
So, done with the stove testing, I pack up, and start my trek home. I decide to cut through the woods. Well, I got some fantastic pictures, but, a shortcut it was not. I wouldnt say I was lost; I could always backtrack. I COULD say I took the scenic route back to my jeep though :). It was a nice day for a walk anyway! 4 hours longer than planned, but, hey, that sometimes happens, you know?
More photos here