hiking randomly

Yesterday was a friends birthday, the wife made him a very interesting cake
Beyond that we bullshitted around at his house, but I was bored, I wanted to go do something, not wanting to force the birthday guy into doing anything really we went out to the cars, talked more and agreed to go get another friend, from there we, or should I say I just started driving, to the point where even my wife wondered where we were going, I drove up to the mountains. we walked through a little town first, then jumped on the blue-ridge parkway stopped at a few overlooks, then thought about driving out to linville falls.
We did not make it to linville but along the way there was a parking area and a set of trails, and my friends wanted to go hiking. this was at 6:30 or so at night, it would get dark soon, I pulled out the three flashlights I had, grabbed my Go bag, and my wife had hers, we went off up this trail.
My friends including the birthday boy were barefoot going up this trail since they were wearing flipflops out. I guess I should have warned them, I ended up going barefoot down the trail letting my wife have my shoes since her flats weren't working for her. I was the only one wearing proper shoes.

I had my camera, but did not get many pictures and they are all dark since there was no lighting. From this random trip for me I figured out I need one more flashlight between us, 4 people with three flashlights wasn't quite cutting it, also I should just keep my waders in my car so I can loan out other shoes I am wearing, or keep a pair for my wife in the car.
If I hadn't had to work today I could have and would have stayed up there, My friends were in the same frame of mind, my wife was the only one that wanted to leave.

it took us at slow speed an hour both ways on this trail, I forget the name of the trail but we parked at rough ridge parking, and hiked the shortest trail, if we had had more gear, IE proper shoes we could have done a longer one.

To end this night, I drove back down the mountain and took us all drinking, I still couldn't bring myself to drink, but they had fun.

I threw in a picture since ya cant see anyone really. They liked climbing though.

Busy week

This week has been quite busy and stressful for me, I bought a new Vehicle, a Suzuki vitara. I am glad to have the suv styling I wanted, I wish the car looked better though, but it was cheapish I think. I am rather lost about buying cars, but I had to finance it, take out a loan to get it, which has me annoyed and in a bit of debt, which is something I have never had to deal with. Regardless, I have more space for while driving, its a better shtf vehicle.

In the news today, another large earthquake in japan, was a possible tsunami warning but it was canceled. and also a possible or certain US government shutdown. I don't really have too much information on either. I am also running dry on content so if someone wants to throw me a bone.

Your First Shelter. Clothes.

If you are ever outdoors you should realize that the only thing between you and the elements is your clothing, and your clothing counts, so what you wear is everything. In any climate hot or cold layering is always key, wearing light layers in the summer, and thicker layers in the winter. The types of fabric you layer with also factor greatly, such as light cotton in t-shirts versus heavyweight cotton as in flannel, in the winter the main fabric you want to focus on for warmth is wool, if you need to keep warm in any situation wool is the way to go. wool keeps its warming ability when it wet, which if you are outdoors, camping, hiking, at some point you will get wet.

Even if you plan on going camping or prepare for a shtf in the summer time, and you are updating your BOB for the summer, remember that it does still get cold and chilly at night. My main camping style is in a hammock going light weight, and in a hammock you always get a breeze running up the bottom.

my information here is expanded on in many books, from writers who had editors and threw much more into their work. I am having a hard time as of late staying focused on this blog. this tidbit of information was pulled from but not word for word or any lack of knowledge of my own, from Les Stroud in his survivor man shows and his book Survive.

Survival kits go mainstream

It amuses me greatly to walk around the stores I normally do in my mall walk, and see pseudo survival kits, Barnes and nobles can hold a great many treasures, mainly proper books on the subject, I have bought Les Stroud's Survive book, highly recommended, and I start at Cody Lundin's books debating whether to buy them or not, Though I am waiting to finish current books for it. These next few objects I do not recommend buying.

This is a handy gem is it not? Beyond the fact that someone opened the box and there were parts missing from it, a canteen, flashlight and a few pouches and an old book. since I can not find these on the website I am going to assume they are ashamed of selling it and do not want me to remember the price.






These two things would be good for a young cub scout yes, but don't young boys go into cub scouts for the cool toys, like pocket knives and fire starting implements, I know thats why I wanted to go in.
                                                                                    

Battery powered

An electrical battery is one or more electrochemical cells that convert stored chemical energy into electrical energy.^[1] Since the invention of the first battery (or "voltaic pile") in 1800 by Alessandro Volta, batteries have become a common power source for many household and industrial applications. According to a 2005 estimate, the worldwide battery industry generates US$48 billion in sales each year,^[2] with 6% annual growth.^[3]


quoted from Wikipedia 


think of how many things in your house are now battery powered, or can be, flashlights are the first thing I am sure you think of. flash lights were just some of the first things we had use for batteries, there are now cameras, cars, tvs, radios, clocks, portable fans. 
Batteries have made a lot of our life portable. and usable in any weather. Remember that next time you are driving around, talking on your cellphone, they are all powered by batteries.

Out of commission

My Car is anyway, for the old boy, a 94 saturn sc2. not the most family friendly car in the world, I honestly have hated the thing since moving out on my own, and a year or so before that. No room for friends, no room for stuff, and really no room for moving. Which I have done three times while owning this car. This would be the worse family car in the world, short of a smart car. Either way I have to find a way to sell a mostly non working car that is really good on gas when it runs. I hope I can get a nice suv for myself. This is only the second car I have owned, I am not very experienced in buying cars, or selling them. Okay, I have never sold a car, I drive them till they die. I avoid car payments like the plague. Also, sorry no news.

On the job

I know I threw the glued to the news post into the everyday dangers, but I thought it fit as a general disaster that could happen everyday.

This next everyday danger, your job. Now I cant cover every profession, I wont even go far into my own lowly demeaning job, but there is something all jobs deal with, people. Now your Office, your restaurant, store, construction site, farm, etc. Every single job deals with more than one person. People can panic in any crisis or disaster making it worse. These people in japan, them not panicking, not looting, not killing each other, that is part of their core values. other countries aren't like that, I know america isn't. If or when something happens, we arm up and wait for someone to break in or are the person breaking in. This everyday danger is about people, your neighbors, people down the street, your co-workers. Do you know where their loyalties lie? How much have you told them about yourselves, have they been in your house, do they know if you prep, own a gun, have valuables?

I know its wrong to think so ill of other people around me, that was just my upbringing, I have always seen the worst in people. I see what wrong they can do, and my thinking has rarely been wrong, and there are so many sayings from it. Perhaps you will say that its my lack of Christian character, I wasn't a church going child, nor am I as an adult, I do, do on to others how I would want others to do on to me, normally it just brings them to stab me when the area is open.

No good deed goes unpunished.

I am Cynical, uptight and slightly hostel toward others, but like so many others, I was made this way, by living in this time, in this country. I bare no ill will to anyone, and I can be your best most forgiving friend, however for my troubles, please do not just shit on me later.

QOTD
How many times can you be open and trusting, and be dealt a blow before you stop trusting the world?