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alabaster

1st Member Of DPF
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Sooooooooo. It looks like ol' alabaster's going on an adventure this week. I may not be around here for a minute because of it. One of our fellow preppers said to me, "It's one thing to talk about it. It's a whole different ballgame to DO it." So I had been planning a couple or few trips to never-never land when Lee said that to me. It surely rang true in my ears so I set to planning.

I'm going first on a short journey with a few nights out exposed to the elements. I have been working on some of the skills we talk about here often. I am one of the more "Survivalist" type preppers than a "Prepare for anything" type. I try to prepare for as much as possible, but I know that living where I do that if something does pop off around here, we won't be able to stay. That being the case, we won't be able to take everything we need to live indefinitely. We won't even be able to take what we need for 1 year. So, I've been working on learning to harvest foods, both animal and plant. I've been working on building shelters and gathering water as well as treating it to be potable. I'm practicing making fires, and other skills so if things do go downhill in a hurry we aren't standing there ignorant as to how we should be handling things.

I'll be taking time to do this trip and reporting back once I'm done. Hopefully I'll learn something about survival and something about myself. I think it'll be a great time to reflect on what I've become and what I need to be to keep the clan afloat should we all be caught with pants down. Due to the nature of prepping, I can't really say when I'll be heading off on this trip and when I'll be back, but I will be sure to let you all know when it's over just how it went.
 
Sooooooooo. It looks like ol' alabaster's going on an adventure this week. I may not be around here for a minute because of it. One of our fellow preppers said to me, "It's one thing to talk about it. It's a whole different ballgame to DO it." So I had been planning a couple or few trips to never-never land when Lee said that to me. It surely rang true in my ears so I set to planning.

I'm going first on a short journey with a few nights out exposed to the elements. I have been working on some of the skills we talk about here often. I am one of the more "Survivalist" type preppers than a "Prepare for anything" type. I try to prepare for as much as possible, but I know that living where I do that if something does pop off around here, we won't be able to stay. That being the case, we won't be able to take everything we need to live indefinitely. We won't even be able to take what we need for 1 year. So, I've been working on learning to harvest foods, both animal and plant. I've been working on building shelters and gathering water as well as treating it to be potable. I'm practicing making fires, and other skills so if things do go downhill in a hurry we aren't standing there ignorant as to how we should be handling things.

I'll be taking time to do this trip and reporting back once I'm done. Hopefully I'll learn something about survival and something about myself. I think it'll be a great time to reflect on what I've become and what I need to be to keep the clan afloat should we all be caught with pants down. Due to the nature of prepping, I can't really say when I'll be heading off on this trip and when I'll be back, but I will be sure to let you all know when it's over just how it went.
Sounds cool! That is something I have been wanting to do. I would love to practice a real life "bug out," take the clan where ever it is we are going to go, and see what happens. I will not be taking them to a best western or holiday inn. I am curious to see how everyone reacts to being yanked from their normal life and thrust into a situation without warning. once I know how they will act I begin to implement a more strategic plan.

Alabaster, I may be following you in this endeavor!
 
I would follow in the same footsteps, however my private parts are something i enjoy having that my wife would try and take from me if i tried lol!
Good luck brother, i look forward to hearing about your experience!
 
I would follow in the same footsteps, however my private parts are something i enjoy having that my wife would try and take from me if i tried lol!
Good luck brother, i look forward to hearing about your experience!
I too want to here how it went. I'm not totally sure my wife would embrace my doing the same thing.
 
my friend wants to go up in the woods with nothing but our survival gear (b-o-b), although i desperatly want to, leaving my wife with 3 kids, one being a baby, is not an option if i expect her to be here when i get back.......... SIGH, im so whipped LOL!
 
my friend wants to go up in the woods with nothing but our survival gear (b-o-b), although i desperatly want to, leaving my wife with 3 kids, one being a baby, is not an option if i expect her to be here when i get back.......... SIGH, im so whipped LOL!
One day i will try the living off of the land system. I would like to go for about 3 days to start and then work my way to a week.
 
tbh i think it will be tough, but if you know what your doing a bit it'll make it way easier.
i seen this guy on tv, pbs i think, where he went up to Alaska and built a cabin from scratch and a high rise cachet (so bears n animals would leave his stash alone) and the guy mainly lived off the land for years upon years, documenting a lot of it.
 
i just found it (i wrote it down a while ago lol)
Alone In The Wilderness
Dick Proenneke
if you get a chance to watch it its very interesting.
 
tbh i think it will be tough, but if you know what your doing a bit it'll make it way easier.
i seen this guy on tv, pbs i think, where he went up to Alaska and built a cabin from scratch and a high rise cachet (so bears n animals would leave his stash alone) and the guy mainly lived off the land for years upon years, documenting a lot of it.
i just found it (i wrote it down a while ago lol)
Alone In The Wilderness
Dick Proenneke
if you get a chance to watch it its very interesting.

Thanks for the information. I will take a peek at it and get back to you.
 
Did he ever report back?? We are tent campers -three girls and one man- and despite what you think we all do we really well - We have done 4 or 5 tent camps in the past couple years and when its not freezing cold in the morning- we really enjoy it- I for one struggle with the night time- I don't like the dark- I am a light sleeper and hearing wildlife in the trashcans and hogs trotting around really creeps me out- The cooking out part is a blast- we prepare our foods and pack up coolers- lanterns, flashlights- we just a campstove this year and ended up using as a heat for our last camp out in March? 28 degrees that morning and frost on the tent- It is good practice- Setting up camp and packing is the hardest part once you are done- very relaxing and laid back- You do have to go find a restroom and hope they have a shower set up- You can buy porta potties and probably set up your own little system with some clothespins and sheets if you wanted- I am not good at building fires and tying knots- something I need to work on- I prefer the paper log you light with match ;) I have yet to experience camping in an actual camper and may pull a 180 if I ever do-
 
Did he ever report back?? We are tent campers -three girls and one man- and despite what you think we all do we really well - We have done 4 or 5 tent camps in the past couple years and when its not freezing cold in the morning- we really enjoy it- I for one struggle with the night time- I don't like the dark- I am a light sleeper and hearing wildlife in the trashcans and hogs trotting around really creeps me out- The cooking out part is a blast- we prepare our foods and pack up coolers- lanterns, flashlights- we just a campstove this year and ended up using as a heat for our last camp out in March? 28 degrees that morning and frost on the tent- It is good practice- Setting up camp and packing is the hardest part once you are done- very relaxing and laid back- You do have to go find a restroom and hope they have a shower set up- You can buy porta potties and probably set up your own little system with some clothespins and sheets if you wanted- I am not good at building fires and tying knots- something I need to work on- I prefer the paper log you light with match ;) I have yet to experience camping in an actual camper and may pull a 180 if I ever do-
I have not yet had a chance to check out the video mentioned above.
I too tent camp about 5 times a year... or more.... We go where there is not electricity or plumbing. It is a blast.
We go to were we can also shoot.
I know I have woken up and found all of our water frozen solid. But i do like being away from civilization for a time!
 
I try to take my son every spring break for 5 or 6 days out into the woods and we set up a tent and fish, fish, hike, and hunt for small game if its possible where we are. I love it and its great to bond with my son and teach him some of the things I know. It has become a yearly tradition for us and I hope we can do it for many years to come.
 
Man, I left this thread for dead!lol.....

I have done a few trips like I had planned. I took everything I thought I would need and tried to use as little as possible. I've only gone for 1 night trips, with the exception of a 2 nighter. We had a 3 night one planned, but it fell apart because of weather.

I think I have a reasonable comfort level with each of the skills I set out to learn. Shelter is the big one that I still have a bit of a hard time with. I can get a few different types built. I started by building them in small scale, like for a barbie doll. Just to get the hang of it all. Once I got that down, I went up in size to make them big enough for my dogs. I realized that there's not a whole lot of difference in size between what I would build for SURVIVAL between the dogs and 2 people. It's planning to stay longer that things need to get a good bit bigger.... I figured out how to pick a good location and how to make it better. From picking a flat spot that's out of the way of water to not having things hang overhead, and making sure there's a good fire spot nearby. I have tried a wickiup and think it is indeed one of the easiest to make. It may not be the best for harsh weather or for long term stays, but it cuts the mustard. A lean-to is also very easy to build, and it works for what it's supposed to though I like the wickiup a little better because it's I feel like more of a craftsman! Silly, but true. There's something fulfilling about building some of them. I also tried the debris hut(Which didn't really turn out very well at all) and a stacked debris wall-type structure which I swear looked like I'd get in trouble for building without a permit. It looks like it could stay for a LONG time. I have been told that if you build a structure like this with logs instead of just debris it could stand for years. I haven't tried it, but I have read about it. They make this almost like a log cabin and use mud mixed with debris to make a sort of cement. When put between the logs, it makes some seriously sturdy little buildings. I actually like these because they'll let me keep a fire inside if need be. This is the one I really am going to focus on.

Fire is a problem too, of done from nothing. I just can't seem to get the hang of it. If I have a match or a flint striker etc I'm good. Working from nothing leaves me with nothing. I know some people get fire rolling easily, but I'm not one of 'em.

Water is a biggie for me when picking a place to camp, too. I was trying to stay so far from it for fear of floods that I was having to go too far to get any! I realized we don't have a lot of flash floods here, so I relaxed about it a bit more. I like to boil water preferably. I know there are a few chemicals out there that will supposedly make it potable, but I am a little weary of it. I take some meds that can hurt my immune system too, so I worry a little more about sickness than most do. I feel like I am particularly sensitive to dehydration, but maybe that's just in my mind. I try to keep a LOT of water around if I have the option.

Food I try to take along too. I have hunted since I was a teenager, but unless it's a REAL situation, the authorities prefer we stay within season! I am planning to start trapping too. I don;t have a whole lot of skill with this, but I am confident I could feed myself if need be. Plants are a biggie though. I want to really try to learn what's edible around here and what's not. THat's not something that I'll leave room for error on... We are talking about starting a garden again so I will try a lot of different plants. I am going to put together a big ol bucket of seeds to take out if we bug out. Once we get to our final location I'll try and set up a good garden. A lot o soil around here is clay though. Virginia's not the best for growing veggies, I hear. We've always used potting soil but I know we won't have access to a lot of that if SHTF...
 
plant potatoes for the first season, it breaks the soil/clay up then the next season you can start your garden and if you have saved all of your compost over the year you will be off to a wonderful start, what a triumph to prove to yourself that your BOB and plan works.

How are you trying to light the fire by the way? If using the two sticks method or log and a stick rather don't spin the stick on the log, point it down on an angle, apply decent pressure and rub back and forth into the groove (You make a groove just wide enough for your stick with a rock if available) get some fibrous and fluffy bark from a tree and add it into the groove, continue rubbing, it will start to smoke, keep adding bark, when it starts smoking more, like its on the brink of igniting, transfer to your fire and blow gently, start to add small twigs and keep gently blowing.

Practice will make perfect, but to be honest it's like picking locks, movies make it look so easy but in reality it's a pure pain (no I can't pick locks by the way)
 
Man, I left this thread for dead!lol.....

I have done a few trips like I had planned. I took everything I thought I would need and tried to use as little as possible. I've only gone for 1 night trips, with the exception of a 2 nighter. We had a 3 night one planned, but it fell apart because of weather.

I think I have a reasonable comfort level with each of the skills I set out to learn. Shelter is the big one that I still have a bit of a hard time with. I can get a few different types built. I started by building them in small scale, like for a barbie doll. Just to get the hang of it all. Once I got that down, I went up in size to make them big enough for my dogs. I realized that there's not a whole lot of difference in size between what I would build for SURVIVAL between the dogs and 2 people. It's planning to stay longer that things need to get a good bit bigger.... I figured out how to pick a good location and how to make it better. From picking a flat spot that's out of the way of water to not having things hang overhead, and making sure there's a good fire spot nearby. I have tried a wickiup and think it is indeed one of the easiest to make. It may not be the best for harsh weather or for long term stays, but it cuts the mustard. A lean-to is also very easy to build, and it works for what it's supposed to though I like the wickiup a little better because it's I feel like more of a craftsman! Silly, but true. There's something fulfilling about building some of them. I also tried the debris hut(Which didn't really turn out very well at all) and a stacked debris wall-type structure which I swear looked like I'd get in trouble for building without a permit. It looks like it could stay for a LONG time. I have been told that if you build a structure like this with logs instead of just debris it could stand for years. I haven't tried it, but I have read about it. They make this almost like a log cabin and use mud mixed with debris to make a sort of cement. When put between the logs, it makes some seriously sturdy little buildings. I actually like these because they'll let me keep a fire inside if need be. This is the one I really am going to focus on.

Fire is a problem too, of done from nothing. I just can't seem to get the hang of it. If I have a match or a flint striker etc I'm good. Working from nothing leaves me with nothing. I know some people get fire rolling easily, but I'm not one of 'em.

Water is a biggie for me when picking a place to camp, too. I was trying to stay so far from it for fear of floods that I was having to go too far to get any! I realized we don't have a lot of flash floods here, so I relaxed about it a bit more. I like to boil water preferably. I know there are a few chemicals out there that will supposedly make it potable, but I am a little weary of it. I take some meds that can hurt my immune system too, so I worry a little more about sickness than most do. I feel like I am particularly sensitive to dehydration, but maybe that's just in my mind. I try to keep a LOT of water around if I have the option.

Food I try to take along too. I have hunted since I was a teenager, but unless it's a REAL situation, the authorities prefer we stay within season! I am planning to start trapping too. I don;t have a whole lot of skill with this, but I am confident I could feed myself if need be. Plants are a biggie though. I want to really try to learn what's edible around here and what's not. THat's not something that I'll leave room for error on... We are talking about starting a garden again so I will try a lot of different plants. I am going to put together a big ol bucket of seeds to take out if we bug out. Once we get to our final location I'll try and set up a good garden. A lot o soil around here is clay though. Virginia's not the best for growing veggies, I hear. We've always used potting soil but I know we won't have access to a lot of that if SHTF...


Really awesome alabaster !! Maybe just put together several fire kits and put them everywhere, car, pack, house, work. Just to make sure you have a source if need be. I too need some sort of spark so we are in the same boat.
 
Here is one of my fire kits

Mag bar, flint and striker, lighter, candle, cotton balls with vaseline, dryer lint, esbit cooking tablets

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1365609222.182314.jpg

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1365609241.281879.jpg
 
Well thanks, Bill. It's kind of easy for me, really. I have a good bit of woods nearby so I can get out to them regularly to play around. I have a decent back yard too, so it helps also.

DannyboyOS, I have been doing the spinning method mostly. I have tried a couple things I saw on Dual Survival too, like the "Pump drill" or whatever they called it. I really don't have a knack for it, but I won't give up either. I figure if I really needed to do it for life and death I could. Not for what I'm doing lately though.

colt1911, I like your kits man. I usually have some things like that on hand. I take a few lighters, matches, flint strikers, magnesium, vaseline cotton balls, fritos(And cheetos), etc to start fires with usually. I will try anything but I like to rely on fire for a lot of things, not least of which is a mental boost. I take many of those same tools so I can feel like I am conquering something even if I can't do it the hard way.
 
When I go elk hunting I'm usually going by horse with a mule up in Stevens County on the Washington Idaho Canadian border for 10 days, about 90% of the time I am by myself, I take no tent just bedroll and canvas tarp very little food 10gal of water and a fly fishing pole, if I ain't hunting I am fishing for food.
 
Hey, remember its all fun and games till the SHTF, so practice, learn and have fun with it! I go out all the time and practice and I'm still learning! But just do it. Keep up the positive attitudes! I started in the Boy Scouts and those skills came in handy often. Even in the Army.
 

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