Tip of the Week

Outdoor Tip of the Week- Water Reservoir Care:

Be it a Camelbak or other hydration system reservoir they will all require regular maintenance to keep the funk away. Camelbak has put together a cleaning kit that comes with two brushes, a drying hanger and two non-chlorine-cleansing tablets.

For Weekly Cleaning:
1. Use reservoir and tube brush with a mild soap to clean interior of components.
2. Rinse all components.
3. Either refill or store reservoir on drier to air out.

For a Deep Cleaning:
1. Fill reservoir with 1 liter of water and 1 cleaning tablet.
2. Shake until cleaning tablet dissolves and let stand for 5 minutes.
3. Empty reservoir, Use reservoir and tube brush with a mild soap to clean interior of components. And rinse with water.
4. Either refill or store reservoir on drier to air out.

Note: Camelbak reservoirs are BPA Free.

Outdoor Tip of the Week: 5-Minute Inspection:

Most cyclists, if they check their bikes at all do it just before the ride. I can't tell you how many times people have come into our store for air or brake adjustments. Why jeopardizes your next outing! Complete this 5- minute inspection after each of your treks and you're ready to go at the drop of a hat.

Quick Release:

Check for side to side play in the wheel: QR's or skewers that aren't tight or secure.

How: Make sure quick releases are closed all the way and that bolt- on skewers are securely fastened.

Wheel:

Check for Trueness:

How: While spinning the wheel, watch the distance between the rim and the brake pad. It should be uniform for the entire rotation. If the wheel wobbles it isn't true.

Brakes:

Check for grit on pads and caliper alignment:

How: If your brakes feel gritty, clean the pads with a rag and degreaser. Replace pads if thee groves are worn more than 50 percent of new pads. Calipers are aligned if pads are equidistance from the rim.

Tire:

Check for low tire pressure, embedded glass, slices in the tire or sidewall.

How: Inflate tires to proper pressure, and carefully remove embedded debris with tweezers. A cut tire or sidewall is prone for blowouts and shouldn't be ridden, replace it.

Seat Bag:

Check for Supplies you may have used during your ride. If you used something during your ride or found you were in need of an item but didn't have it make note and add or replace it before your next ride.

Outdoor Tip of the Week:

Heat Illnesses

The patient has been exercising and sweating out water and salt. The person feels very tired. Skin may appear pale and sweaty. The person complains of a headache, perhaps nausea and vomiting. Dizziness may strike the person stands quickly and have a elevated heart rate. Overall the person may feel like they've come down with the flu.

The cure is suggested by the name of the condition; Exhaustion calls for rest. Replace lost fluids with water and eat a salty snack. Do not use salt tablets, they are too concentrated. To increase the rate of cooling, wet down and fan the person. A drowsy person may be allowed to sleep. Only when the person feels OK should they be allowed to continue.

Heat Stroke:

Pushing past a minor heat illness can lead to the major problem of heat stroke. The person's inability to shed heat faster than gaining it produces a rise in temperature to 105 degrees or more. Disorientation and bizarre personality changes are common signs. Skin turns hot, red and sometimes dry. Look for a fast heart rate, fast breathing and complaints of a headache. Heat Stroke is a temperature problem and a true emergency.

Take off any heat-retaining clothing and drench the person in water. Concentrate cooling efforts on the head and neck. Cold packs can be used on the head, hands, neck, groin, armpits and sole with caution. Fan the person constantly to increase evaporation. Massage the limbs to encourage cooler blood to return to the core. When or if the person is able to accept cool water, give it. Do not give fever-reducing drugs. The person must see a doctor as soon as possible, even if she or he appears to have recovered. During evacuation, a careful watch on the person should be maintained.

Outdoor Tip of the Week:

Ducts Tape:

When I was taking my Canoe Instructors Course, our instructor related a tale from a class he taught in Germany . During the first aid portion of the course he was talking about what was needed in a good first aid kit, when several hands went up. One of the paddlers stated with agreement from several others that you don't need no stinking first aid kit; use ducts tape. If you have cut, ducts tape it and keep on paddling. A broken finger, ducts tape it to another finger and keep on paddling. How about cracked or broken ribs, ducts tape and keep on paddling. Shaking his head he had to agree that if you eliminated the pain factor from its removal, you could use ducts tape for a replacement first aid kit.

Although I don't recommend using duct tape for a first aid kit, there are several uses for it in the outdoors to always carry some. During hiking or backpacking treks I roll a length of it around a water bottle. During a paddling trip I have a small roll in my dry bag. If I get a tear in my rain gear, pack or tent it makes a good quick fix. During paddling trips I've fixed PFD tears, leaks in floatation bags and dry bags. Oh, I even once cut it into butterfly stitches to close a cut on my hand and yes I kept on paddling.

Outdoor Tip of the Week:

Enhancing your Trail Meals:

Like most people, I like flavor in my meals and over the years I've come up with some easy ways to enhance trail meals. Although fast food restaurants aren't the best place to eat on regular bases, they're a great source for obtaining free and packable condiments. Go to the right fast food joint and you can pick up salt, pepper, ketchup, mustard, hot sauce or Soy Sauce in handy packets. Store them in a zip lock bag and they're safe to go. I also carry refillable squeeze tubes, so I can take care of my peanut butter and honey addiction. On the trail or at home one of my favorite dishes is rice. I can make a whole meal from this versatile food. Here's my trail rice recipe for you to try. Bon Appetite

Don's Trail Rice

Ingredients:
2 cups of frozen Vegetable mix. (I like an Oriental Mix)
3 ounces chopped sun dried Tomatoes
1 cup of instant brown rice
1-2 cloves unpeeled garlic
3 condiment packets of soy sauce
1 ½ cups of water

At Home:
Dry frozen vegetables. Chop tomatoes. Add rice, unchopped garlic, vegetables and sun dried tomatoes. Store all ingredients with unopened soy-sauce packets together in resealable plastic bag.

On the Trail or River:
Bring water to a boil, chop garlic and place all ingredients in the water; stir well. Cover the pot and follow the cooking instruction for the rice. Let sit for 10 minutes and stir in soy sauce.

Outdoor Tip of the Week:

Cooking on an open fire:

Cooking on an open fire has been a tradition since people first discovered fire. One of the problems that happen with this method of cooking is black pans. To keep your cook-wear looking new, with a paper towel and some dish soap coat the outside of your cook-wear to about a ½ inch from the rim. After cooking, let your pot cool down. The black soot left by the fire will wash of with little or no elbow grease.

Outdoor Tip of the Week:

Dutch Oven Cooking Information:

Tools and Equipment Needed:

A few tools and pieces of equipment are essential for Dutch Oven cookin

• Charcoal Starter
• 16" or 18" charcoal Tongs
• Small-short handled shovel
• Oven Lid Hook
• Pair of heavy-duty oven mitts or leather gloves
• Fire extinguisher or bucket of water/sand

Preparing a New Dutch Oven or One needing Re-seasoning.

Today many retailers are selling pre-seasoned cast-iron wear but if you happen to need to season your cast-iron start by washing them in regular dishwater with out the soap and immediate dry. Completely coat the oven inside and out with a no-salt cooking oil and place in a kitchen oven at 250 to 300 degrees for about 2 hours. Note: Your house may get a little smoky.

Cleaning your Dutch Oven:

Clean your Dutch oven as soon as possible. Scoop out left over food and clean with warm water and a clean plastic scrubbing pad. Don't use dish soap or metal utensils to clean your oven. You don't want to take that hard-earned sheen off. Wipe dry, coat with light cover of no-salt cooking oil and store the oven upside down resting it on the lid or upright with a paper towel sticking out from the lid to absorb extra oil and vent oven. If rust should grow on the cast-iron wear take it off with sandpaper and re-season.

Outdoor Tip of the Week:

With spring around the corner I'm going to get you ready with one of my favorite outdoor activities, "Cooking". I've added a great Temperature Chart on Charcoal Briquette Counts when using a Dutch Oven.

 

Temperature	8" Oven		10" Oven		12" Oven		14" Oven
Degree F	Top	Bottom	Top	Bottom	Top	Bottom	Top	Bottom
300	10	4	12	6	14	8	16	10
325	11	5	13	7	15	9	17	11
350	12	6	14	8	16	10	18	12
375	13	7	15	9	17	11	19	13
400	15	8	16	10	18	12	20	14
450	16	9	17	11	19	13	21	15

Outdoor Tip of the Week- Wind Chill Table:

Last newsletter we wrote about figuring out wind speeds in nature. This week we are adding a wind chill table to help you play safe in the great outdoors.

Actual Temp.	Calm	5 MPH	10 MPH	15 MPH	20 MPH	25 MPH	30 MPH	35 MPH	40 MPH
+50	50	48	40	36	32	30	28	27	26
+40	40	37	28	22	18	16	13	11	10
+30	30	27	16	9	4	0	-2	-4	-6
+20	20	16	4	-5	-10	-15	-18	-20	-21
+10	10	6	-9	-18	-25	-29	-33	-35	-37
0	0	-5	-21	-36	-39	-44	-48	-49	-53
-10	-10	-15	-33	-45	-53	-59	-63	-67	-69
-20	-20	-26	-46	-58	-67	-74	-79	-82	-85
-30	-30	-36	-58	-72	-82	-88	-94	-98	-100
-40	-40	-47	-70	-88	-96	-104	-109	-113	-116
-50	-50	-57	-85	-99	-110	-118	-125	-129	-132

Outdoor Tip of the Week Wind Scale:

During my many years as a scout leader I've found that the Wind Scale they teach the scouts in their field book is one of the best to help you determine wind chill.

Description	Wind Speed MPH
Smoke or Steam Rising Up	0
Smoke or Steam Drifting	1-3
Leaves Rustle/Flag Stir	4-7
Leaves and Twigs Move	8-12
Branches move/ Flag Flaps	13-18
Small Trees Sway/ Flag Ripples	19-24
Large Branches Move/Flag Beats	25-31
Whole Tree Moves/ Flag Stands Fully Extended	32-38

Outdoor Tip of the Week Waterproof Fire Starter

A few years ago I had a friend show me this tip in making an emergence fire starter and I would like to pass it on to you. All you need is a plastic straw, a cotton ball, petroleum jelly and a Q-tip. Cut the straw in thirds Crimp and seal one end of a straw piece with a match. Then mix the cotton ball with the petroleum jelly into a paste. Using the Q-Tipp as plunger, stuff the straw with the mixture leaving about a half from the top. Crimp and seal the other end of a straw piece with a match and now you have your waterproof fire starter. This light weight starter can be stored in the tray of a tackle box, the pocket of your PFD or in your backpacking catch-all bag. To use, take your knife and split the straw lengthwise. Put some of the cotton mixture out, fluff it up and light.

Outdoor tip of the Week; Making a Snow Dome

Did you know that snow makes a great insulator; with a little work, snow and patience you to can be as comfortable as a bear in hibernation.

Find yourself a base camp area early into your trek and locate about 30 sticks 10" long. Now start piling up a mount of snow 10' wide at the base and 6' high. A little trick I use to cut down on the time and snow needed, is pile your gear in the middle of were you want to build your snow dome and cover it with a tarp. Start building your dome overtop of your gear. This will create a void when you dig your gear out. Once the snow is piled up, push all the sticks into the mound at about 18" intervals and grab your snowshoes or x-country skis and go for a trek.

Let the dome set for 2 to 4 hours, this allows the snow to settle and compact. Use your shovel to cut a 2' high entrance as close to the ground that you can get. Clear the snow out till you can remove your gear. Using the shovel and tarp, open up the cavity to the stick line you have created. You should now have a roomy, peaceful shelter. If snow allows, I like to dig a trench inside the dome floor near the entrance to allow cold air to settle and then create a higher sleeping platform in the back of the cavity. Also pull a few of the sticks out for ventilation and smooth the curved roof to remove sharp edges that may cause moisture to drip on you. If you plan to use this structure for more than one night; each day retract the sticks an inch or so and shave any ice build-up off your ceiling to allow the dome to breath.

Outdoor tip of the Week; Finding South:

Ever been out on the trail and reach into your pack and found out you’ve forgot to pack your compass? Well there is a way to figure out your headings with your watch.

Aim the hour hand of your watch at the sun and half way between the hour hand and 12 o’clock is do south in the northern hemisphere and do north in the southern hemisphere. Yes I know, some of you use a digital watch. Draw the watch in the dirt with the proper time and you can find your way home from that.

Outdoor Tip of the Week; Finding North:

Need to find north with out a compass? Take a stick and place it into the ground to form a shadow line. Put a stone at the end of the shadow and wait about 15 to 20 minutes. Now put a stone at the end of that shadow line.  Draw a line between the two stones and that’s your east/west line. Remember the sun rises in the east and sets in the west.

Outdoor tip of the Week; Sunlight Left:

Ever wonder when you’re out on the trail or river how much time you have before the sun sets. Well take you hand and place the bottom of your small finger on the horizon and count how many fingers you have to the bottom of the sun. Every finger is about 15 minutes. 

Sleep warm on winter camping trips by fortifying your sleeping bag. Don't get cold feet about winter camping. With the right insulation, food and clothing, even the cold sensitive sleeper can snooze soundly.

Size of Your Sleeping Bag:
You don't need a -30 degree sleeping bag for a toasty nights sleep, but you do need a snug fit. A roomy bag means more extra space for your body to heat, which saps your energy. Choose a winter bag with just enough toss and turn space. Pick a bags temperature rating for the lowest temperature in your camping area and subtract ten degrees.

Have a Snack:
Eat energy bars before bed to give your body the fuel to stay warm and keep a Snickers bar handle in case you wake up chilled before dawn.

Cover Your Head:
Always sleep with a hat on, you lose anywhere from 30 % to 60% of your body heat from the top of your head. I like to use a balaclava for this, I don't lose it while I toss and turn at night.

Dress for Space:
It's tempting to put on everything you brought with you on to bed, but to much clothing can make your bag tight and compress the insulation. Adjust your layers to suit the bags interior volume.

Put on Dry Socks:
Before bed you should change all damp clothing especially your socks. To help with cold feet also add your fleece shirt or jacket layer around your feet. Not only will this help in keeping your feet warm, You'll have a nice warm layer to put on in the morning.

Snuggle with your Water Bottle:
Fill your lexan water bottles with hot water and slide them into the socks you wear during the day. This will help dry the socks out, add warmth to your bag and keep your water from freezing during the night. I also take the liners out of my boots and place them at the bottom of my bag. It helps dry them out and keeps them from freezing. Take your boots and put them in a turned in stuff sack, leaving them near you in the tent. In the morning I pull them into my bag till I'm ready to get out of the tent, this helps with stiff frozen boots. If there really frozen put them in you bag for the night.

Use a Full Length Sleeping Pad:
Forget the ultra light summer shortie and go for a full length mat. Back up the self-inflating pad with a closed cell foam pad or the next days clothing from your pack.

Outdoor Tip of the Week; Lyme Disease:

Q: Can I still get Lyme disease once there is frost?

A: Most people think that bloodsuckers like mosquitoes and ticks disappear along with the risk for disease transmission once there is a frost and the weather turns cooler. That's true for mosquitoes; they either die, or some species go into a feeding diapauses. Some ticks also go into feeding diapauses in the autumn, but not deer ticks.  They are a different type of bug! The adult stage deer tick actually begins its feeding activity about the time of first frost (or early October throughout its range), and it will latch onto any larger host (cat to human) any day that the temperature is near or above freezing. Typically, the Lyme disease spirochete infection rate in adult female deer ticks is 40-60% in the eastern and mid-western portion of this tick's range. However, these ticks need to be attached for at least 48 hrs before they begin transmitting any infection through their saliva. So, even in the fall it is important to check yourself and your pets daily for any attached ticks, and continue to take precautions like using clothing repellents on you and topical products on your pets.

Outdoor Tip of the Week; Compass & Map:

Did you know our planet’s magnetic North Pole moves about 25 miles a year? That minor variation doesn’t dramatically affect navigation, but the 500-mile gap between magnetic north and true north does.

The difference between your magnetic and true north is called your declination. In our area the declination is anywhere between 14 ½ to 16 ½ degrees west of true or geographical north.  Take you compass and point it at an object in your yard that is due magnetic north. Now set you compass 15 degrees out and sight another object. Not to much of a difference close by is it? Well extend that difference out a mile or so and now you’re lost.

When I’m planning a trip into a new area I always pick up the newest topographical or trail map I can find and I start my map work at home.  Taking the map out, I find the declination and using a rolling ruler (You can find one at most dollar type stores) and lining it up with the magnet north arrow on the map I extend the line across the map with a pencil.  Now using this line I draw lines across the map about every inch or so. With this you can use your compass easily on any part of the map either to layout your trip at home or triangulate between three known objects in the field to figure out where you are.

Outdoor Tip of the Week; Dressing in Layers:

It’s starting to get a little colder here in the northeast and to avoid uncomfortable chill or sweating conditions, dress with expert layering.

Everyone knows that layering is good for you but did you know that the insulation and outerwear that keeps you comfortable on that above tree line ascent will also keep you alive? Here are the three sets of clothing you need for proper layering, all should be breathable.

1. A base layer to wick moisture off your body.
2. At last one insulating middle layer that can also work as an outer layer.
3. A windproof and or waterproof outer shell.

Layering is about anticipating the weather. You should act before you get sweaty or a cold wind cools your body down. Think of your body as a lit flame that is at 98.6 degrees and follow this advice to keep your flame from flaring up or going out.

Start Out Cool:

The right layers for starting your trek from the parking lot can feel like a oven after 10 minutes of travel. Start you trip dressed for exertion and you won’t need to stop too soon and shed a later.

Make the Call:

If you’re hiking in a group and feel the need to adjust your layers, don’t wait for a group rest break . Chances are others in your group also need to adjust their layers and will welcome the opportunity to change.

Plan Ahead:

Complete your layering changes in advance and you will avoid those the shiver/sweat transitions. Put on your shell before heading into an exposed area or pack your fleece away before a steep climb.

Think in the Zones:

Sweat-soaked clothing in freezing conditions can drop your body temperature from enjoyably cool to a deadly chilled.  Avoid overheating by checking key sweat zones. The neck and armpits are good indicators. As you warm up remove outside layers with out delay.  Remember you can regulate big temp changes with small clothing adjustments; removing a hat or pair of gloves can make all the difference.

Outdoor Tip of the Week Brazil Nuts:

We’ve been hearing a lot about Brazil nuts in the news lately; they seem to have amino acids that benefit the ageing process of the brain. Well in the outdoor world they have another benefit. Brazil nuts are both a hearty appetizer and an excellent fire starter. Their oily meat burns like candle wax. So when you find yourself in a damp situation and want to start a fire, crush a few nuts and light. They're also packed with enough calories (190 per ounce) to kick start your trail mix.