> I have a tendency to carry too much stuff. Ask anyone I ride with! I
am
> also usually the guy that has the tool and or the spare part to fix
whatever
> broke or fell off the other guy's bike! I am not a paranoid but I have
> always firmly believed that true independence was the ability to handle
your
> own problems.
> The toilet paper thing is important, so is a small trowel to bury it.
> Respect for the trail and the environment are critical. "Man who shits on
> road will meet flies upon return" old Vietnamese proverb.
> I carry a very complete first aid kit. I would like to add suture
> capability to it but haven't . I carry a lot of water, usually 2 days
> worth. Tools , tubes, tire irons are a must. I pack a big hat, I've done
> the skin cancer thing once already. I also pack bug repellant and sun
> screen. Dry socks, a second pair of gloves, either lighter or warmer,
> depending. If I have my visor on the helmet I pack goggles and vice
versa.
> I have a compact "space blanket" and enough power and granola bars for a
> couple of days. A bandana is a must.
> The tool kit is very complete. I also pack a very small can of WD 40
> and chain lube. A 8" crescent wrench is a Godsend when you bend a shift
> lever. A small 4by6 tackle box has nuts, bolts, fuses and wire and
> electrical. A small roll of duct tape (couple of yards) can be handy
> (improvising a splint).
> I always carry a map, and compass, a whistle , and a survival type
> knife. I have recently acquired a GPS which I am still learning to use.
> Sometimes I carry a cell phone, I have a small "Cobra" handheld 40 channel
> CB with weather band that stays in the tank bag.
> I usually have a pint flask of rum somewhere.
> See I told you I pack too much.
> Morgan
>
>
> Right on, But here is what I'd add to your list:
Unstead of a small hand trowel, I'd use a military entrenching tool,
(E-tool). It digs better holes, and with the shovel blade folded 90
degrees, you can sort of perch your cheek on it when you do the dookie
business. (speaking from much experience here, makes squating much more
comfortable.) Also, I'd add a goodly length (say 20 feet minimum) of 550 or
parachute cord. The inner strands can be used for sewing, stitching and
fishing line. The outer sheath is pretty good cord on its own. You can use
it to rig shelter and rig snares to trap food, and it has a test strength of
550 lb. The basic minimum survival gear I carry is a length of cord, a good
knife, and a sure fire method of starting a fire, like waterproof matches or
a lighter or a striker. The rest is a compass, a poncho (space blankets are
good, but not a practical, where you can repeated use a poncho for many
things besides shelter.
And just how much water is enough for two days? In the desert, at a minimum
of one quart every other hour in the direct sun, that is a lot of water! I
go out with my Camelback Mule full, and two 2-quart canteens, for about a
gallon and a half total. If I get stuck out there in the open desert
though, I will immediately make a sun brake shelter and severly limit my day
time activity, because it just isn't enough water otherwise.
A signal mirror, a pocket survival strobe light, flares, these are all good
to have. Even a simple whistle would be great. Cell phone sure, but you
have to make sure you are in a covered area, like maybe your PCS phone won't
work in the "wilderness" where all they have is analog coverage.
Map and compass.....Put the GPS away and learn how to use these instead,
because they will never let you down, and I have yet to see a GPS that can
show you what the terrain looks like. Learn how to match the contour lines
on the map to the ground you are standing on. After you have mastered
these, then add the GPS to the repetoir.
I won't go into spare parts and tools....Truth be told many times I go out
without them. But I never go out without a rescue plan. I tell my wife
where I'll be (show here on the map even), how long I'll be gone and when to
expect me back. I have done a thourough map recon, have planned several
landmarks and refference points, and a general panic azimuth to a known
boundary like a major road for in case I do get broken down and lost and
have to walk out. (Actually, I never get lost, only temporarily
misoriented.) Real men don't get lost, they have a planned route and know
how to read a map. If you miss your next check point, turn around and head
back to the last known point and start over.
Also, a small hand book on survival skills and first aid to pack into your
first aid kit. I usually take my personal bible, the Ranger Handbook.
Jeff
I found myself doing that all the time on my
BMW, I would keep all my tools and oil and rope and extra clothing in my
saddlebags and then just strap whatever I needed to carry at that moment
to the luggage rack. Saved my ass countless times... And being that I
was often way layed by a poorly designed shift-linkage sponatanously
losing nuts (-damnit I just tightened them before I left!-) I found that
a handful of bolts and nuts came in more than I ever could have
imagined. Would anyone be willing to post a complete breakdown of their
survival kit? It would be of incredible use to many of us without your
years of experience offroad.
Zack
Robert Morgan wrote:
Oh yeah those little tiny road flares are excellent additions to your kit.
Those will start a fire with wet wood and can be used to signal.
LaterZ
Dash
At 09:36 AM 5/25/00 PDT, Jim Jackson wrote: