Update, Adjust, Make Ready
Oct. 6th, 2012 01:26 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
stickmakerThe seasons are changing. Have you updated your vehicle emergency kit for the cold weather?
Anyone who drives more than an hour's walking distance from home (and most would be surprised to learn how short a distance that is, especially in bad weather) needs to have at least a medical kit and simple tools. Keeping in mind that winter storms can come on suddenly, and can still surprise forecasters, some warm clothing (including socks) and good shoes should also be included.
Maybe it comes from reading _Robinson Crusoe_ and _Swiss Family Robinson_ at an impressionable age. Maybe it comes from both family and my youth church group enjoying camping and hiking. Maybe it's a holdover from the Great Depression, passed down from grandparents on both sides of my family. Whatever the reason, I've always felt more comfortable having things available to help with problems both common and unlikely.
A Get Home Bag is something intended to help you walk out of a place where you're stranded, or survive in that place until help can arrive. The problem can be as simple as getting lost and running out of gas in an isolated area with no cell phone coverage. It can be as complicated as a record snowfall which leaves cars buried on the Interstate.
The point is, having a source of warmth - even if only an old sleeping bag - and food - even if only some granola bars - and water - even if only a few supermarket water bottles - can save your life.
Anyone who drives more than an hour's walking distance from home (and most would be surprised to learn how short a distance that is, especially in bad weather) needs to have at least a medical kit and simple tools. Keeping in mind that winter storms can come on suddenly, and can still surprise forecasters, some warm clothing (including socks) and good shoes should also be included.
Maybe it comes from reading _Robinson Crusoe_ and _Swiss Family Robinson_ at an impressionable age. Maybe it comes from both family and my youth church group enjoying camping and hiking. Maybe it's a holdover from the Great Depression, passed down from grandparents on both sides of my family. Whatever the reason, I've always felt more comfortable having things available to help with problems both common and unlikely.
A Get Home Bag is something intended to help you walk out of a place where you're stranded, or survive in that place until help can arrive. The problem can be as simple as getting lost and running out of gas in an isolated area with no cell phone coverage. It can be as complicated as a record snowfall which leaves cars buried on the Interstate.
The point is, having a source of warmth - even if only an old sleeping bag - and food - even if only some granola bars - and water - even if only a few supermarket water bottles - can save your life.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2012-10-07 10:39 pm (UTC)One tip useful for both "in the wilderness" and at home is to flavor ramen with chicken or beef bouillon cubes, instead of the included flavor packets.
Save the packets. They can (at home, at least) be used to flavor rice or mashed potatoes.
no subject
Date: 2012-10-08 12:40 am (UTC)A local store used to have a bulk food section that had those as well as flake unflavored TVP, and both flake and chunk beef, chicken & ham flavored TVP.
Got thru a lot of lean times with rice, the soup base and matching chunk TVP as the starches & protein with the big bags of frozen mixed veggies for the rest.
Winco has the chicken & beef soup base. I have to buy the ham soup base in a different store that has a section that sells restaurant sized cans and packages of stuff.
Haven't found TVP since that one store went out of business.
Currently I use the ham soup base to make "lentil glop". Basicly, coook up a big batch of lentils with ham soup base added to the water and a bunch of chopped up bacon ends & pieces added as well.
When cool, it's got about the consistency of refried beans.
I use the chicken soup base with barley.
And I mostly use the beef soup base for my version of rice & beans. I cook the beans (dried pinto beans) in a big batch, then divide them into containers with enough for a batch of the rice and beans. I also chop up some Bar S hot sausages into the container and freeze it.
So when it's time to make a batch, I start pot of water, add soy sauce until it's the "right" color, dried chopped onions, dried gran garlic, and chili powder. Then I drop in the frozen chunk of beans and sausage chunks. Once the block has thawed to individual pieces, I bring things back to a boil and add the rice.
A batch will last for a day or two.
Oh yeah, the "small" cans of Nalley's chili? 32 of them *exactly* fit a plastic milk crate. So I have a lot of stuff I can eat straight from the can, and more I can eat with minimal cooking facilities.
I *could* last a month or more without buying anything. I wouldn't enjoy it, but...
no subject
Date: 2012-10-08 03:05 am (UTC)Many lightweight hikers cut beef jerky into small pieces and put it into a sealable bag. They put the jerky chips in the water before putting that on the heat, to let the jerky hydrate. Then they cook the rest of the meal, once the water is boiling.
no subject
Date: 2012-10-08 12:44 am (UTC)I'd cook up a batch in the canteen cup. Then use extra milk to dilute & cool it. Add sugar and then you have a hot filling *drink*, even if it's a bit thick.
Worst case, make it with powdered milk, and as long as you've got water and a heat source, one box will last a *long* time.
I mostly make oatmeal at home because if you buy quick oats, you can doi it in the microwave. Add some dried fruit. Raisin, cranberries, cherries... Mmmm.