Wisdom hints about hiking:
1- Take an extra stove & fuel to do nothing but boil water for dishwashing & sterilizing mess kits. You will need to be a good-sized pot. And pliers for mess kit dunking.
2- Windscreens help cook faster. And they keep the pots warmer longer. Choose the number & size/height of windscreens based on the size pots that you will be using. And you will use less fuel.
3- Make menus that everyone in your patrol likes. Remember family, religion, & allergy restrictions.
3b- Is Benadryl or Claratin in your first aid kit?
4- Broken-in hiking boots. Not worn out. Over the ankle style. Waterproofed. Teva / strap-on style sandals or water shoes for canoe/boating trips. (I use an old pair of sneakers) Dry shoes & wool socks for camp. Don’t forget the microfiber towel to clean & dry your feet (They may be cold).
P- What do you call a small canvas doghouse?
Q- A pup tent.
5- Read and follow the Guide to Safe Scouting in all Scouting activities. It is updated online quarterly.
R- If you only have one stick, how will you start a fire?
S- Make sure that it is a match.
6- If you put up your equipment properly, then it is ready to go for the next trip. Complete inventory for all parts. Include 1- tent peg puller for the troop.
6B- Dry out your tent completely. Get it clean. Wet means mold & mildew. Dirt grinds the tent fibers and compromises the fabric integrity and waterproofness.
- Clean all the tent stakes
- Repair or replace as needed.
- Add tent peg pull line to help pull the tent peg out when the trip is over.
- Lube the zippers.
- Replace guy lines as necessary.
- Repair mosquito netting.
- Seam seal the seams in the fabric for waterproofness.
- Waterproof the rain fly and floor.
If bad/windy weather is expected – add additional guy lines to all connection points.
6C- Correct tent peg placement: The guy line from the tent should come out to 45 deg. from the ground. The tent peg should go in 45 deg. from ground level. So that guy line to tent peg makes 90 deg.
6D- If using double guy lines: Spread the guy lines apart. Either about 15 deg. off-center – in line with the tent. Or first one at 30 deg. from the tent and the second at 60 deg. from tent. This spreads the load out between the 2 sets of guy lines. (I like the 15 deg. off center better.)
7- Sandbag tent pegs & guy lines in bad weather:
- Bury the tent peg completely.
- Add heavy rocks on top of guy lines, tent pegs,
- Tie off to big rocks or trees in addition to the tent pegs.
- Add logs on top of the pegs &/or guy lines.
- In cold weather; bury a wooden tent peg or stick attached to natural fiber rope, then fill in with water to create a frozen anchor.
- Then you can leave the tent peg and rope to biodegrade (rot). Natural fiber ropes are cotton, manila, hemp, or jute.
8- When setting up your tent and tarps; look UP and make sure that there are not any “widow makers” above. Dead limbs fall hard and unannounced. Esp: Pine/evergreen trees in this part of the world.
T- What is the best way to carve a neckerchief slide?
U- Whittle by Whittle.
Get Prepared then Be Prepared,
Gaither