Make your own mini-Grill

From LifeHacker comes this simple idea to make your own mini-grill

Use tin snips or heavy duty kitchen shears to cut strips into a can. Fold the strips back (carefully - don't cut yourself on the edges) and line with foil.  Add a few charcoal briquettes and you're cooking!

Smarter than the average bear

"I'm smarter than the average bear." - Yogi Bear

For you summertime travelers, here's a question I'm sure you've been worried about; if I travel to a National Park, what type of car is a bear most likely to break into? Well worry no more! The Journal of Mammalogy studied bear attacks in Yosemite Park published the following...

From 2001 to 2007, bears broke into 908 vehicles at the following rates: minivan (26.0%), sport–utility vehicle (22.5%), small car (17.1%), sedan (13.7%), truck (11.9%), van (4.2%), sports car (1.7%), coupe (1.7%), and station wagon (1.4%). Only use of minivans (29%) during 2004–2005 was significantly higher than expected (7%).

Bottom Line

Today it is rare to see a bear at a US National Park. My grandparents have photos of bears checking out cars when whey visited Yellowstone in the 40's. But I never saw one at Yellowstone in recent decades. Today any bear that gets near people is drugged by rangers and transported far away. Bears may be cute but they are dangerous; they can easily rip open cars and trailers to get to food inside. Do not encourage bears by feeding them.

Fire Starters

"Fire, I'll take you to learn
You're gonna burn, you're gonna burn"
-Fire, by Arthur Brown, #1 for one week in 1968

With warmer days and thoughts of camping, here's an idea for creating your own fire starter. See Instructables.com for more details, photos, and alternative ideas for fire starters.

1. Gather dryer lint, an empty paper egg carton, old candles or wax, dental floss, and scissors.

2. Cut or break the wax into small pieces for faster melting.

3. Melt the wax in a double boiler set-up using a disposable glass jar or can with an opening several inches across. The can or jar will get quite messy. Place the can or jar in boiling water (keep on eye on the water level - too much and the jar will float and perhaps tip over, too little and the pot goes dry) Once the wax is melted, turn down the heat to a simmer (or off) to avoid buring the wax.

4. Stuff the lint into the egg carton compartments. Pack as much as possible for longer burning.

5. Cut apart the egg carton compartments and fold the edges over to cover the top.

6. Tie the lint up inside the closed compartments with dental floss. Leave six or more inches at the end of the knot for you to hold in the next step.

7. Did each package into the wax. Cover completely and let the wax soak inside. Wait for no bubbles rise from the package. Set packages on paper towel to drain.

8. When done pour extra wax over the starters (for extra water proofing). Let the starters dry for an hour or two.

9. To use, light a corner with a match and enjoy for 15 minutes or so.

Bottom Line

The comments on the Instructables website include some variations like pouring the wax directly into the egg carton before cutting the compartments apart, using twine instead of dental floss so it acts as a wick, wrapping the lint in strips of newspaper instead, using a crock pot to melt wax, etc. This is a simple idea with many ways to be creative. Just don't melt the wax over direct heat - you could get a flash fire.

Roughing It

“If you're not in New York, you're camping out.”- Thomas E. Dewey

Today I recommend an article by a former Scout, who is now the father of a Scout, and offers many suggestions for hiking gear. He also has a long section on sleeping in your car without getting caught. Perspectives on Roughing It and Covert Car Camping, by Jolly

Hiking:
* Buy a backpack one size smaller than what you think you need. You can pack more in than you imagine and most people pack too much.
* His #1 recommended hiking gear: a hooded rain poncho. This is followed by good hiking boots (be sure to break them in first) and a waterproof, warm hat.
* Jolly recommends Craigslist for camp gear bargains and has some suggestions for getting a great deal
* Buy a metal mess kit so you can eat and cook with it, saving pack weight

Car Sleeping:
I’ve slept in the car during a few cross county trips. I also once took a nap in the car after midnight when I was just too tired to reach the motel I had reservations with.

Many Wal-Marts allow RV’s to park overnight but not cars. Also it is illegal to spend the night at most rest stops along the interstate.

Jolly recommends parking at an apartment complex and blending in with the other cars. Be sure to park in a visitor’s spot and not a resident’s spot.

Bottom Line

Hotels are expensive. Consider camping outdoors or in your car to save money.

My wife and I have enjoyed several trips while sleeping in a tent. For us the most important thing was a comfortable bed for a good night’s sleep (followed by showers and flush toilets). While air mattresses are nice, I recall from childhood the enormous time my family spent inflating and deflating them. We found a quicker solution – a “bed” with a foundation of egg foam, real sheets, and a quilt for warmth. We would roll up the entire bed, sheets and all, and place it on the back seat of the car. To camp we move the bundle to the tent and just unroll it again. Worked great!

Poison Ivy

"My girlfriend and I went on a picnic. I don't know how she did it, but she got poison oak on the brain. When it itched, the only way she could scratch it was to think about sandpaper." --Stephen Wright

Every year about this time I break out with poison ivy on my arms. It comes from our cats who wander about outdoors by day and then sleep with us at night. Each year we spray our backyard but the poison ivy keeps coming back. In our family I’m the most sensitive. For me the rash spreads into large patches covered with tiny blisters. My wife is more resistant but when she does catch it, she gets a few large blisters at the points of contact.

A poison ivy rash is the result of the plant oil reacting to surface skin. The skin becomes irritated, blisters up, and creates an intense itching and burning sensation. The top layers of skin will die off and peel away, and it takes time for healthy skin to replace the damaged layers of skin. The rash may remain for up to three weeks without treatment. Blister fluid from scratching doesn't spread the rash, but germs from your fingernails may cause a secondary infection.

There are many recommended treatments but few seem to work on me. Beware of Internet cures! For example, some sites recommend bleach but you should never use this product on your skin under any circumstances.

The ideal treatment for poison ivy is within the first 15 minutes of contact – before the skin is damaged. Wash with water, rubbing alcohol or some OTC medications. Do not use soap at first – soap will spread the oil.

Sadly most of us miss the 15-minute window and have to deal with the rash. Typical treatments for poison ivy rash are directed at controlling the itch, and can include non-steroidal creams, topical (skin) steroids, oral antihistamines (Benadryl), oral steroids (prednisone), or a steroid shot.

The traditional low-cost anti-itch medication is Calamine lotion. Wet dressings, compresses, or soaks with Domeboro Astringent solution (mixed with water) is said to be especially soothing for itchy rashes.

Other examples from About.com include:

•Atarax (hydroxyzine, a prescription oral antihistamine)
•Aveeno Anti-Itch Cream with Natural Colloidal Oatmeal
•Aveeno 1% Hydrocortizone Anti-Itch Cream (OTC topical steroid)
•Band-Aid Anti-Itch Gel
•Caladryl Clear Topical Analgesic Skin Lotion
•Cortizone 10 (OTC topical steroid)
•Cutivate cream 0.05% (prescription topical steroid)
•Domeboro Astringent Solution Powder Packets
•Gold Bond Maximum Strength Medicated Anti-Itch Cream
•Itch-X Anti-Itch Gel with Soothing Aloe Vera
•Locoid cream 0.1% (prescription topical steroid)
•Triamcinolone acetonide 0.1% (prescription topical steroid)

Newer medications that are supposed to target poison ivy symptoms include:

•Burts's Bees Poison Ivy Soap
•Cortaid Poison Ivy Care Treatment Kit
•Ivarest Medicated Cream
•IvyStat
•Tecnu Extreme Poison Ivy Scrub
•Zanfel Wash For Poison Ivy, Oak & Sumac

Bottom Line

Test your knowledge with the Poison Ivy quiz. My score was 16/20.

When killing poison ivy, be aware that the Urushiol oil can penetrate latex gloves. Use rubber gloves instead. Remember that the oil can remain on gloves, weeders, mowers, clippers, and other tools for a year (longer in dry climates). Wash equipment and shoes with soap and water while wearing protective gloves. Then wash the gloves and toss your clothes in a washing machine.

Never burn any poisonous plant. You might inhale the oils and irritate your lungs and throat.

See a doctor "if the rash is on the face, genitals, or covers more than 30 percent of the body.”

A Family Affair

“Motivation is the art of getting people to do what you want them to do because they want to do it.” - Dwight D. Eisenhower

Emergency Preparedness has to be a family affair. While one prepared individual can make a difference, there is just no way that one person can carry all the supplies needed for a spouse and kids. (Think two liters of water per person per day).

Do everything you can to make preparedness a family activity. I covered some ideas in Buy Yourself a Christmas Present. For example, each family member can buy a holiday gift for the family go-kit(s). Something they want to have on hand if forced to evacuate from home.

Turn fire safety into a family adventure. Have the kids check out the batteries on the fire alarms and assist in home fire inspections and fire drills. Turn it into a game. How fast can they get out of the house? If the front door is blocked, what other clever ways can they think of to get out?

Family campouts are a great way to practice outdoors skills, fire making, and wilderness cooking. Go out on a family hike. This provides exercise and you can teach map reading/compass skills. Teach your kids about poison ivy, snakes and other things to be wary of outdoors.

Bottom Line

The worst-case scenario is when you’re gung-ho for preparedness and your spouse thinks you’re crazy. Check out How your spouse feels about your preparedness efforts by Joseph Parish for ideas on changing your spouse’s mind.

P.S. Happy Proposal Day to my wife. It was 18 years ago on June 12 that I proposed marriage and she accepted.

Emergency Home Supplies

Overheard while camping…
1. I'm sure that's not poison ivy
2. Who brought the bug repellant?
3. I thought you packed the toilet paper!
4. The salesperson said this tent was super easy to set up.
5. I'm sure these mushrooms are edible...

As a follow-up to my earlier post on 72-hour kits, the following is based upon a list for emergency home supplies provided by J.R. Pullum on the Amazon Survival Community forum:

(1) Food: At least thirty days of canned food. Buy low salt soup/veggies so you don’t get overly thirsty. (If you use packaged foods instead, you’ll need extra water to prepare them)

(2) Stored Water: At least thirty days of bottled water

(3) Found Water: Water Purification tablets and chlorine, Buckets

(4) Light & Fire: Flashlights with extra Batteries, Candles, Kerosene lanterns, Matches, Bic lighters

(5) Medical: Complete First Aid Kit including Potassium Iodide tablets for radiation exposure, surgical masks & rubber gloves, anti-bacterial soaps, mouth wash (Listerine) as a disinfectant, personal medicines, aspirins, Tylenol, antibiotics, deodorants, blood Pressure / diabetes, etc. Don’t forget to buy a First aid manual with great how-to pictures.

(6) News: Radio and batteries

(7) Repairs & Misc: Duct tape, Rope or twine

(8) Eating: Disposable utensils (Paper plates, Plastic spoons, Knives and forks)

(9) Hygiene: Toilet paper, Pre-moist washcloths, Toothbrush and paste, Portable camp toilet

(10) Money or an alternate form of trade (Gold).

(11) Boredom: Games, playing Cards, scriptures or other books

(12) Basic tools: Pliers, Screwdrivers, Hammer, Pry bar, Saw, Shovels to bury waste

(13) Shelter: Blankets or Sleeping bags, tent for shelter (In the event of sudden home evacuation)

(14) Cooking: Sterno stove with canned fuels. Grill or Propane stove

(15) Information: Buy a survival guide and a survival cookbook

(16) Everyday Clothes: Socks, Underwear, Extra pants and shirts

(17) Extreme weather gear: Raincoats, winter coats, Boots or heavy footwear

(18) Hunting: Fishing poles and/or Harpoons, Bow and Arrows or Spears to gather extra food.

(19) Defense: Consider guns and ammunition, a club, hunting or survival knives, etc. for home or campsite defense weapons

(20) Nice to have: Geiger counter.

Bottom Line

If you buy these items on sale, individually, it need not cost much. Don’t just buy these items, put them in a bag or closet and forget about them. Keep the tools and equipment accessible and use them as appropriate. Practice camping and cooking indoors or out. [Warning: some camp stoves require LOTS of ventilation for your safety]

Just remember to put back or restock the items you use.

Camp Stoves - Sterno

The ultimate camping trip was the Lewis and Clark expedition.” -Dave Barry

The best know of alcohol cooking fuels is a jellied alcohol called Sterno. Two tablespoons of alcohol fuel will boil two cups (1 pint) of water in five minutes under ideal conditions (not windy). The flame is not hot and is best used to warm foods instead of boiling.

One 8 oz. can of Sterno fuel, about the diameter of a can of tuna fish and twice as
high, will allow you to cook six meals if used frugally. A can will last 2.5 hours but can be extinguished and relit for later use. Sterno is frequently used indoors to warm chafing dishes. But as this article notes, even Sterno can cause carbon monoxide poisoning if it is deprived of sufficient oxygen.

Sterno evaporates very easily, even when the lid is securely fastened! It is not a good fuel for long-term storage. If you use Sterno in your 72 hour kit, check it every six months for evaporation.

Sterno is more expensive than gas and liquid fuels but it is extremely convenient, safe (non-spill, not pressurized), and ultra-portable. It works in extreme cold and low pressure (like the top of Mt. Everest) when other stoves fail.

http://zenstoves.net/Sterno.htm

Bottom Line

"If you want the lightest, most compact, most reliable stove on the market, buy a can of Sterno. Yes, it takes 10 to 12 minutes to boil water ... My Sterno stove fits inside a 16-ounce cup. Throw a book of matches and a bandanna into the remaining space in the cup and the whole thing weighs 11 ounces and will serve you on a 6-day hiking trip. What's not to like?" - Kent Forrester

Camp Stoves - Pressurized Gas

"Camping is nature's way of promoting the motel business.” - Dave Barry

A pressurized gas stove looks like a liquid gas stove - it has a flame burner with an attached fuel canister. The difference is the contents of the canister if it leaks. Coleman fuel (discussed yesterday) will leak as a liquid but Propane and Butane will escape as a gas. And while you can refill your liquid stove with fuel, for gas stoves you must buy fuel canisters already filled and pressurized.

Propane & Butane are "safe" for indoor use as they produce carbon dioxide (not monoxide) while they burns. Still you should crack open a window because it does consume some oxygen in the room. The primary hazard of using propane indoors is that leaks will "pool" in low areas since it is heavier than air. Your hot water tank could ignite an explosion if leaked propane pools in the basement.

Propane stores indefinitely, having no known shelf life. Propane stoves and small portable heaters are very economical and simple to use but the storage of propane is governed by strict local laws. Check out your local ordinances.

Like Coleman stoves, gas stoves and grills allow a fine control over cooking temperatures - just like a home stove. My wife and I often see Butane stoves used in cooking demonstrations at fairs.
The most difficult aspect of gas canister stoves is finding the right canister. They are non-refillable and often custom made for each stove manufacturer. Old canisters must be safely disposed of (they remain potentially explosive). It is also very difficult to know how much fuel is left inside a canister.

Gas stoves do not operate below 0 degrees Fahrenheit.

Bottom Line

It will be interesting to see if Butane stoves replace the Coleman stoves in popularity. Less mess and easier to use but at a higher fuel cost.

Camp Stoves - Pressurized Liquid

"If you're not in New York, you're camping out.” - Thomas E. Dewey, NY Governor

Pressurized liquid stoves (like kerosene and white gas) are very popular with campers. When my parents camped, we used a Coleman two burner stove for cooking. Single burner stoves are great for hiking and survival. Some models are "multi-fuel", able to burn kerosene, unleaded gasoline, diesel, white gas, and even jet fuel.

Liquid "gas" operates well in very cold weather (sub-zero Fahrenheit) and is cheaper than pressurized gas like propane. It is readily available world-wide. Liquid gas stoves are the most difficult to get started. They must be pumped/primed/pressurized before starting. While white gas (Coleman fuel) is relatively clean, burning other fuels will create soot that will eventually clog
the fuel lines and require a cleaning.

Liquid gas is very flammable and so is anything it gets spilled upon. Do NOT use liquid fuel inside a tent and be very careful when pouring the fuel outside.

White gas stoves (Coleman) are fairly easy to use and produce a great amount of heat. However they produce vast amounts of carbon monoxide. NEVER use a Coleman Fuel stove indoors. Never store white gas fuels in the house or near a heater, it is highly volatile and can explode under the right conditions.

Coleman fuel has a tendency to evaporate even when the container is tightly sealed so it is not a good fuel for long-term storage. Because of its highly flammable nature great care should always be exercised when lighting stoves and lanterns that use Coleman fuel. Many serious burns
have been caused by carelessness with white gas.

Kerosene (Range Oil No. 1) is the cheapest of all the storage fuels and is also very forgiving if you make a mistake. Kerosene is not as explosive as gasoline and Coleman fuel. Kerosene stores well for long periods of time and by introducing some fuel additives it can be made to store even longer. Do not store kerosene in metal containers for extended periods - the moisture in it will cause rust. A 55 gallon drum stores in the back yard, or ten 5 gallon plastic containers will provide fuel enough to last an entire winter if used sparingly.

Bottom Line

I had no problem priming Coleman stoves and lanterns as a child. I continued to use Coleman in my college days as I traveled and camped and have fond memories of the meals I cooked.

http://www.endtimesreport.com/BF-2412.html. http://www.coleman.com/coleman/ColemanCom/category_main.asp?CategoryID=2000

Travel Notes

Always let the pressure out of the fuel canister when you finish cooking. Never travel with a pressurized canister.

Coleman has a web page about airplane regulations and trying to take your stove with you when you fly. http://www.coleman.com/coleman/msds/travel.pdf
The pressurized fuel canisters are forbidden and must be removed from the stove. Some carriers will not allow any previously used fuel-burning appliance to be transported. Coleman fuel-burning appliances should be declared to the airline prior to transporting, whether checked in or with carry-on luggage.

Camp Stoves - Esbit

"Some national parks have long waiting lists for camping reservations. When you have to wait a year to sleep next to a tree, something is wrong.” - George Carlin

As discussed in my blog two weeks ago, there are four kinds of portable stoves that can be used for camping, during power outages, or when you need an extra burner. Some are safe for indoor use (kerosene, propane, Sterno) while some are not (Coleman fuel/white gas, esbit).

Today's blog will look at solid fuel like Esbit, hexamine, and trioxane tablets. These tablets have a high fuel density and do not liquefy while burning. They are light, easy to carry and there is no danger from "spillage". They can be extinguished and saved for re-use. They make excellent fire
starters for camp fires.

They are smokeless and ashless but not odorless. Solid fuel can emit noxious fumes like cyanide. Food should be cooked in closed pots. Hexamine should not be used in enclosed spaces like a tent or indoors. Solid fuel will leave a sticky dark residue on the bottom of pots.

Esbit tabs weigh 1/2 oz each and will burn 12-15 minutes. Using an aluminum foil windscreen or mini stove, Esbit will bring a pint to boil in 8 minutes. One and a half tablets will boil a liter.

Bottom Line

Esbit is ideal for back country hiking and camping. It is super light and safe (when used in open air). The heat is intense but small in size. Boiling water can be slow but an egg will fry fast. The high heat is suited for boiling not simmering. It is excellent for making hot drinks, stews, pasta and other one pot meals. Given the high cost and short life of solid fuel it is not suited for baking, grilling or roasting.

www.rei.com/product/653343

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Esbit

FYI
Esbit was created in Germany and stands for "Erich Schumms Brennstoff in Tablettenform"; i.e. Erich Schumm's Fuel in Tablets.