Get Home Bag, Practical Test and Challenge

[northernxposure]

Outstanding job. Loved the write up with the additional comments. I may have given in to the slurpee.

I looked at the possibility of doing your adventure from my work - it looked possible for the first 12 miles, but a large lake with minimal bridges (other than through town, the freeway, or cut 10 miles north to another bridge/city and then backtrack) would pose a significant problem.

I need a packraft or something....


Looking forward to the other half of the writeup!

NXP

[sigboy40]

If you can't stop try peeing while walking, I have done in many a time you just have to waddle a little bit, oh and watch the 30mph head wind, you might want to walk backwards while doing it! Glad to here that you made it home ok and you almost held up to EIB standards!

It's the 'almost' part that bothers me. Of course I have gained an extra rucksack worth of weight since the last time I even looked at an EIB. btw, I actually thought about using your pee plan, but I'm not that hard anymore.
However, I will get my time down, and I'm pretty sure I can do the 12 miler in 3 flat. With no wind of course.

[majorhavoc]

You have no idea what you can encounter on foot as opposed to just driving by in your car. It's a completely different world. There are unsavory people, difficult traffic situations (just try crossing a major road if the drivers happen to be in the mood to ignore traffic laws), messed up sidewalk and road surfaces, places where dogs are a danger, all kinds of things you'd never contemplate until they're in your face and unavoidable. You just don't experience this stuff from your car or by looking at a map... <snip>

I would say that this post is a perfect example of "the point".

In theory, there is no difference between theory and practice; but in practice, there is.

Sir, you are exactly correct. This quote is so on the money, I just might sig it. This is what I am going to tell people from now on when they ask about the 'crazy' things that I occasionally do.

It's one of my all-time favourite quotes. And one, I believe, you have earned, sigboy. You have inspired, informed, and entertained. Carry on, o intrepid explorer, with your "crazy" (like a fox) adventures.

Speaking of quotes, if sigboy40 was on top of his Tolkien, he could have told that well-meaning gentleman offering him a ride, "Not all who wander are lost."

Not that I would have done any better. I always think of the wittiest, most appropriate comebacks. Always about 20 minutes too late.

[Defeater]

Speaking of quotes, if sigboy40 was on top of his Tolkien, he could have told that well-meaning gentleman offering him a ride, "Not all who wander are lost."

I shouldn't have, but I chuckled at this.

This thread has inspired me to do a few ruck marches of my own, just going out from my house and walking around town in the wee hours. I'm slow; did 4.3mi in 1:27 with a 25 pound pack, 2.8mi in just under 1 hour with a 35 pounder.

[sigboy40]

Just some more thoughts, and pictures.

I need to add hard candy and some toilet paper to my GHB. Dry mouth is no fun at all. I have yet to decide about whether to add more water or not. I currently run 2l, I had taken the 3l out to make more room. I run a modular system, my GHB attaches to my BOB, and thats why I wanted to keep the weight down. Anybody have any thoughts?
I cant stress enough that the biggest surprise for me as the wind. It really took a lot out of me. The first half of my trip was very flat. After that I go through a draw off of Palo Duro Canyon, and than it's a bit hilly the rest of the way home. The wind made it feel like I was walking uphill the entire way.

The wind when I left, I dont think this is 15mph

More wind

Midwest alarm system

The straight away

Fine spot for a break, you can see the edge of Palo Duro Canyon in the background

Break time

I must be getting close

This is the town flag, very large, you can see that the wind is up higher than when I started

[JeffLrrp]

Deciding one night that I wanted to try something like this out, I drank a glass of water, put on my cross-trainers, threw a 32oz nalgene and a 16oz water bottle in my car's GHB, and proceeded to do a fast night hike.

It was a little over 7.5 miles, 3.2 on a cross country trail (some hills and uneven terrain) and 4.4 miles on the road around my neighborhood. My pack (w/ water included) probably wasnt more than 20lbs. I finished in 2 hours and 15 minutes, or around 17-18 minutes a mile. It was very good exercise. I feel that if it was an emergency scenario, i could have done twice as much, although I would have rested up doubleplusmuch the next day

Im in decent shape, so I was out running a 5k the next day , but it was good training nonetheless.

[xxxDarksidexxx]

thanks for posting up some pics!

2 liters huh.... well i guees you learned that you need more . thats the good thing about getting out with your gear. you will learn how you and your gear will hold up and work together. the wind may have had something to do with it. walking into a 30mph wind will play on you after a while.

about the pics. when i saw that 4th pic down my heart sank! what a moral breaker! thats a long road to stare down as your walking!!! i would walk that section of road looking at the pavement!

[Richter]

I wanna do something like this...

I live about 3 miles from work so that's no biggie but I'm downtown sometimes and that is about 15 miles of pure city pavement. I am terribly out of shape though.

I probably don't need all the food I have in the GHB (I have 4 MRE's!!!) and I think I need more water (I only have 2 liters). I am adding hard candy.

also, I have a 50ft climbing rope-----do you guys think I would need it?????

Thanks for the write up. You have inspired me lol


ps: I hate you for being that fit

[KnightoftheRoc]

also, I have a 50ft climbing rope-----do you guys think I would need it?????

Is this in there because of a D&D background? Does it come with a grappling hook?

OK, seriously, in a city environment, I can't see the need for actual rope, unless you plan on swinging from rooftops like Spiderman or Batman. On my backpack, I carry a roll of 100' of 1/4" rope, which has an incredible 500 test on it. I guard it jealously, as I'll never get this stuff again. But, it works for rappelling down a steep hill or a short cliff- nothing over 50'. I pass the rope around an anchor, and hold both halves as I descend, then pull one end till I have all my rope back. But in town, I can't see me needing to rappel down a building, realistically.

Then again, Boondock Saints taught us all the value of rope.

[elricfate]

Is this in there because of a D&D background? Does it come with a grappling hook?
On my backpack, I carry a roll of 100' of 1/4" rope, which has an incredible 500 test on it. I guard it jealously, as I'll never get this stuff again. But, it works for rappelling down a steep hill or a short cliff- nothing over 50'. I pass the rope around an anchor, and hold both halves as I descend, then pull one end till I have all my rope back.

Realistically you might need the rope to drag obstacles out of the way, such as a downed tree, or create a makeshift drag-sled ... or anything else.

As for the 1/4" rope, I'd never use that for anything that had to support my body. Not because I'd fear it breaking, but because it's 1/4" rope... you know how bad that's going to cut into your body once it's supporting your weight? No thank you. That's why they make thick nylon rope. I have a 50 foot shank of 1" rope that I picked up for like $8. Packs down nicely into a loop and doesn't weigh much of anything.

[sigboy40]

I pack 25ft of 5/16 rope in my BOB, It comes in handy for dragging stuff, moving things, or hanging stuff from trees. Think it's worth the weight to have a good section of rope, in addition to your 550 cord.

[Mister Dark]

+1 on having rope handy. It just has too many uses.


Regarding water, I guess your AO is fairly dry, but as long as you are in semi-urban areas, looks like there would be enough to refill your canteen as you go. That looked like a nice, inviting pool next to the wally world! (After triple filtering, chemically treating, and boiling, that is) But hey, its water!

Do you have a silcock key in your kit?

[DannusMaximus]

I must be getting close

Sig, posting a picture of your primary BOL like that is a really bad breach of opsec...

Great thread, good job on the hike. Everybody should dry run their gear like you did.

[sigboy40]

Do you have a silcock key in your kit?

Your new here, so I will remain civil in this matter. I could tell you to read more before posting, but I won't. My opinions on the silcock key can be found here, http://zombiehunters.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=29&t=61765&hilit=silcock.

[LyraJean]

My problem with practicing is 1. I don't have a GHB yet. 2. Sometimes I work until 11 o'clock at night. I'm a woman who is 4'10" tall. My husband would totally freak if he knew I was doing this at that time of night.

I reckon after I get my GHB I would just have to practice in the day time. There is a bike trail that I could take for part of my route but some of it is completely fenced off so unless you climb the fence you can't get off the trail. While it is safe in a SHTF scenario I don't know how safe it would be during that time. It's not exactly lighted and is next to water run off. Bonus is though it goes right by a college ROTC unit/offices. That might be good. I just don't know.

It takes me about 20-30 minutes by car to get to work. I work in a Walmart. No way would they let me leave early in a SHTF scenario. We had our electricity go out once at the store and we still had to finish our shift.

[CipherNameRaVeN]

Awesome.... I am glad you kept a journal!
That's it. I am doing it. 18 miles.

BTW, I missed it and too lazy to go back... did you do it from your workplace?
Did someone drive you to work first or you left your car at work?

[sigboy40]

Awesome.... I am glad you kept a journal!
That's it. I am doing it. 18 miles.

BTW, I missed it and too lazy to go back... did you do it from your workplace?
Did someone drive you to work first or you left your car at work?

I actually drove myself to work Wednesday morning, that way I had a escape plan should something cancel my plans. The next morning I had my lovely wife give me a ride in to work.

[LyraJean]

When doing a practice run would you really want to be listening to an ipod or another portable music device? Wouldn't you want to use your ears to get used to the normal sounds of your route or is this less important or not important at all?

Just wanted to mention the prairie dog town. It's good to know it's there now. Imagine having to walk through there at night not know it's there and then injure yourself by stepping into a hole.

[PistolPete]

Very cool you made it without significant hardship. I bet you've got a better understanding of how far you can go in a single day now in your immediate area. That's priceless.

[Woods Walker]

I cant stress enough that the biggest surprise for me as the wind. It really took a lot out of me.

Yup wind can suck. Great report!

[Glennbo]

You inspired my first "practice" practice attempt at my goal of hiking 6 mileswithout resting with my fifty pound BOB last night. I wimped out after 3+ miles. I was walking in a spiraling circle from my car and just cut back to it when it got too uncomfortable.

Fortunately it was the pack digging into my shoulders that broke me, not my knees, feet or any other crucial physical inpediment that would truly prevent an emergency trek. My daily walks with my BOB on to and from work (one mile each way) have gratefully conditioned me to that extent. I really need to just kick it up another level.

I will keep building up my stamina, and WILL reach the 6 mile mark by July! Also I intend a light, long distance 12 mile hike this month with only water on me.

I'm lacking in motivation since I live so close to work and my GHB is a BOB. A true bug-out would require me evacuating the whole city (probably a twenty mile hike north, or thirty mile hike east), something not possible in one day.

[Lonely Raven]

This thread seems to have been an inspiration to many. Good job Sigboy!

[Mister Dark]

Do you have a silcock key in your kit?

Your new here, so I will remain civil in this matter. I could tell you to read more before posting, but I won't.

But you just did.

My opinions on the silcock key can be found here. http://zombiehunters.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=29&t=61765&hilit=silcock.

Interesting thread.

But again, you had one picture of what appeared to be a public school, and there was open water in the Walmart pic. I know in that particular instance it is parking lot runoff, but my point remains, in an emergency, if you have access to more water. I would recommend that (especially in your environment) refilling at every opportunity is a good plan.