[Sportsandrec] camping

Wed Feb 6 16:11:13 UTC 2013

Excellent!  Thank you!  This will save me loads of guesswork.

Julie
On 2/6/2013 9:11 AM, Kelly Thornbury wrote:
> Check out www.TheBackpacker.com for a listing of outfitters in Nebraska. There are several, including Shields, Cabellas, and the Moose's Tooth near Lincoln/Omaha. The site lists numbers, so you could call ahead and describe what you are looking for and possibly save a wasted trip.
>
> Also, I recommend the book "The Ultimate Hiker's Gear Guide" available from iTunes as an iBook. This could give you some ideas (thought showers) on what to ask and what to look for.
>
> On Feb 6, 2013, at 7:15 AM, Julie J. wrote:
>
>> Thanks!  I'm not sure yet how rough the terrain will be.  If it is rocky or in the mountains, where would you suggest I shop for these poles?  I'd prefer to go to a brick and mortar store so I can physically check out the options.  I'm in rural Nebraska so this will probably involve a road trip. There is a Scheels sp? in Lincoln and Cabella's in Kearney, would they carry this stuff?
>>
>> Thanks!
>> Julie
>>
>>
>>
>> On 2/5/2013 7:59 PM, JUSTIN LOUCHART wrote:
>>> Hi,
>>>
>>> Just a quick note about Kelly's cane advice, you might also find that
>>> adapting a titanium ski pole into a telescoping cane could make a
>>> million things easier in hiking. I typically use a standard ski pole
>>> in my left hand and a long cane/adapted cane in my right hand. That
>>> provides me support, reach, and acuity. Everyone has their own
>>> techniques, but I think Kelly's advice is spot on. Whatever way you
>>> find, make sure to practice it until it's second nature.
>>>
>>> Justin Louchart
>>>
>>> On 2/5/13, Kelly Thornbury<kthornbury at bresnan.net>   wrote:
>>>> Julie,
>>>>
>>>> My first suggestion, and maybe most important in my eyes, is to know your
>>>> gear. Things like being able to set up camp in any weather conditions goes a
>>>> long way.
>>>>
>>>> As for edible plants as a blind individual, spend extra time on this and ask
>>>> lots of questions. Learn how to distinguish between edible plants and
>>>> similar feeling/smelling non edible varieties. Avoid plants that are too
>>>> close to call, and learn first aide techniques for the less palatable ones.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Navigation and orientation- the moss generally grows on the North side of
>>>> large rocks and trees. Learn at what compass coordinates the sun rises and
>>>> sets at the latitude you will be practicing your skills. Then, based on time
>>>> of day you can get a general direction of travel. As soon as you orientate
>>>> yourself based on whatever technique you use, take note of the general wind
>>>> direction and how it gusts and blows. A bar magnet hanging from a piece of
>>>> string packs easily and will give you magnetic north when properly marked
>>>> and practiced. Take note of landmarks as described already in other
>>>> responses, including the sounds of water, wind, animals (birds for example
>>>> often to stay in more wooded areas or areas of cover rather than wide open
>>>> spaces), and smells (the smell of a pond over a river, or a patch of wild
>>>> onions over a patch of mint).
>>>>
>>>> For travel over rougher terrain, I ditch the normal white canes (no one in
>>>> the wild cares what color your cane is) for collapsable hiking poles. I
>>>> remove the baskets and can use it as either a cane or a trekking pole. My
>>>> cane of choice, if I take one, is aluminum and foldable. Straight canes tend
>>>> to get in the way and collapsable canes collapse if you happen to lean on
>>>> them for support. Aluminum is durable, and practice repairing the shock
>>>> cords inside.
>>>>
>>>> Don't be afraid to ask lots of questions of the instructors; discuss
>>>> adaptive techniques because they may have some ideas, or at least you can
>>>> brainstorm new ideas; and practice practice practice. Soon, you'll be the
>>>> best in the group at tying knots in the dark, traveling by the stealth of
>>>> night, and leading the group back to basecamp.
>>>>
>>>> There's more but hopefully this is a descent start.
>>>>
>>>> Enjoy, and be sure to share how it works out.
>>>>
>>>> Kelly
>>>>
>>>> On Feb 5, 2013, at 4:55 PM, Julie J. wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> Heya!
>>>>>
>>>>> It's me with another adventure vacation question.  Last year it was sea
>>>>> kayaking, clam digging and fishing.  This year my teenage son and I are
>>>>> going camping.  Actually we are going to survival school where we will be
>>>>> learning how to build a fire without matches, tie knots, make rope from
>>>>> native plants, which plants are edible, how to make tools from natural
>>>>> materials at hand and all sorts of other stuff.  I'm affectionately
>>>>> referring to this adventure as my opportunity to learn independent living
>>>>> skills. *smile*
>>>>>
>>>>> I looked at loads of opportunities we could utilize to do this and settled
>>>>> on one of the less intense options.  We are going to be staying in a cabin
>>>>> and doing day hikes to learn and practice the survival skills we have been
>>>>> taught.  I'm not quite as adventurous as I once was. Sleeping under a
>>>>> hedge and being reliant on figuring out which mushrooms are edible won't
>>>>> be a part of this trip.
>>>>>
>>>>> Still it will be a lot of new things for me and a lot of skills I haven't
>>>>> used for around 15 years.  I don't anticipate having any particular
>>>>> difficulties because of my blindness, but I'm trying to figure out as much
>>>>> as I can ahead of time.
>>>>>
>>>>> I would love to hear from people who have been camping both the normal
>>>>> variety and the rougher sort of survival camping that is becoming popular.
>>>>>   Also ideas on keeping oriented where there are no paths would be helpful.
>>>>>     If anyone can think of specific non electronic blindness equipment I
>>>>> should take along that would also be helpful.
>>>>>
>>>>> I welcome all thoughts and ideas.  If you can think of something that I'm
>>>>> overlooking in preparing for this trip please let me know.
>>>>>
>>>>> Thanks in advance!  You guys always have awesome ideas and have been
>>>>> really helpful.
>>>>>
>>>>> Julie
>>>>>
>>>>>
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