Find Your Way off the Beaten Path

(NewsUSA) - Hiking can provide hours of entertainment, healthy exercise and a chance to enjoy natural vistas -- but trail blazing isn't without hazards. Wildlife, unsafe drinking water, accidents and unexpected obstacles can all create emergencies.

But with some common sense and preparation, hikers and their families can safely enjoy the great outdoors. Here are some tips to help you prepare for your next hike:

• Plan ahead. Choose a trail appropriate for your fitness level, and make sure that someone knows when you are leaving and when you plan to return. Don't hike alone. Check the weather before heading out.
• Dress appropriately. Wear boots with ankle support. If you're hiking in an area with different elevations, wear layers so that you can remove and add clothing as temperatures change. Don't wear cotton -- it takes too long to dry and can give you a chill. Pack waterproof, wind-resistant gear even if it's sunny.
• Make sure you won't get lost. GPS devices have become a safety mainstay for hikers; having one on-hand greatly reduces the chances of getting lost. The Magellan Triton 2000, which was designed specifically for outdoor enthusiasts, offers a wide range of useful features, including a touch screen, National Geographic's award-winning TOPO! maps, a compass, a barometer, a 2-megapixel camera, an embedded speaker and microphone, and a flashlight. The device is rugged and waterproof.
• Pack food and water correctly. Plan on carrying two quarts of water per person per day. Never assume that water is safe. If you plan to refill your water bottles on the trail, bring water-purification tablets. Pack foods that do not require refrigeration, like trail mix, crackers, peanut butter, and canned goods. If you're planning on staying out overnight, go to a camping supply store for foods designed for backpacking. You might also want to buy mesh food bags, which will help keep small animals out of your supplies.

For more information, visit www.magellangps.com.

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Camping? Make Sure to Travel a Well-Lit Path

(NewsUSA) - Whether your escape to nature involves a day of hiking, tenting overnight or RVing, a little planning will go a long way in making your experience enjoyable.

You know, of course, to bring graham crackers and marshmallows, but your light source can make or break your trip.

Most of us are used to seeing streetlights and headlights at night -- it's easy to forget how dark it gets in the woods. Every camper should carry a flashlight. You will also need a larger light that provides enough illumination to work by. Most people associate propane lanterns with the great outdoors, but these lanterns aren't necessarily the best option. Propane lanterns can be noisy and cannot be used in tents or campers, and you will need to pack and carry fuel.
Because propane lanterns produce heat, they are a burn hazard.

LED worklights provide a safer and easier option. One light, the Might-D-Light (www.might-d-light.com), proves especially useful, as its hinge can be moved to create either a large spray of light or directional lighting for close work.

The Might-D-Light, which can attach to most metal surfaces with its rare earth magnets, hang from a hook or stand upright, is hands-free, so you can use it while performing tasks that require both hands, such as setting up a tent after dark or striking matches. The Might-D-Light can be recharged with an AC/DC adapter, so as long as you drive to your campsite, you won't have to carry batteries or fuel.

How can the Might-D-Light make your trip more enjoyable? It lends itself to a variety of
situations, including:

• Any activity that takes place in your tent or camper. Need to grab a sweater from your pack? With the Might-D-Lite, you won't have to fumble with a flashlight or create a potential fire hazard by taking your propane lamp indoors.

• Playing games. Unless you plan on going to bed as soon as the sun sets, you'll want to bring games to play after dark. With a hands-free folding light, you'll have no trouble dealing cards or besting everyone at slapjack.

• Keeping cool. LED lights don't emit heat, so using the Might-D-Lite won't create a sweltering campsite.

• Hiking. The Might-D-Light folds for compact storage and is far more durable than a propane lantern, making it ideal for backcountry trips.

• Around pets and children. With an LED light, you don't have to worry about spilled fuel or burns.

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Outdoor gear that performs year-round

(BPT) - Rugged camping gear is no longer just for adventurers and niche outdoor sports. High-tech or activity-specific outdoor products are gaining popularity because they also come in handy every day and around the house.

"As it turns out, the durability and dependability of gear needed on remote hikes or climbs has many outdoor lovers reaching for those same items around the home," says gifts.com editor Dan Tower, who specializes in sharing gift ideas catered to specific occasions and recipients.

Tower identified the following durable gear, as camping season approaches, for its versatility across a variety of settings.

Water, water everywhere

It wasn't long ago that water bottles were strictly for camping. Now people enjoy having water within arm's reach at all times. Whether it's a need to stay hydrated or just the eco-sensible peace of mind gained by avoiding single use containers, a go-to water bottle has become a ubiquitous personal accessory.

Liberty Bottleworks make gorgeous, 100 percent BPA-free water bottles showcasing artwork sourced from emerging graphic artists. Arguably though, the best part is the bottles are the only American-made metal water bottles available, with production in Yakima, Wash. Plus, they're made from 100 percent recycled aluminum that's tough enough to pack for the jungle or urban jungle.

Let there be light

A headlamp may seem exclusive to adrenaline-pumping activities like rock climbing, caving and hiking at night, but this hands-free lighting source can be incredibly beneficial in a power outage, when changing a tire at night or more common activities like an evening bike ride.

The Energizer Micro Sport Headlight from Energizer is a new headlamp that offers a helpful, hands-free lighting source. While biking and running enthusiasts will especially appreciate its lightweight and slim profile, the headlight is similarly tailored for everyday activities like taking the dog for an evening walk. With a white spot light in the front and a red flashing light in the back, streets and sidewalks will be clearly illuminated, but more importantly, others will be able to see you.

Be my guest

The Pakmat Airbed is another great outdoor must-have that comes in handy all year. One of its most attractive attributes is that, when not in use, it is stored in a small canister. This benefit is obvious when backpacking and camping, but is also an advantage for apartment dwellers who don't have ample storage space or a guest room, and want to easily accommodate an overnight guest.

Part sleeping pad and part inflatable bed, the Pakmat is a self-contained air mattress that needs no electricity to inflate. Its container also doubles as the pump that inflates it and makes it sleep-ready. When the the slumber party is over, the Pakmat rolls back up into its canister, ready for the next adventure.

Just in case

There's a smartphone case that's tough enough to weather nature's nastiest elements, which will also assure parents their phones will be safer in the hands of young kids. The LifeProof Case takes gadget protection to an exciting new level. In addition to making your iPhone shockproof, the LifeProof case is also waterproof (and dirtproof and snowproof). Taking your iPhone up to 6 feet under water opens up a whole new world of picture- and video-taking possibilities - whether that's on your next kayaking adventure or at a backyard pool. Outdoor gear has numerous uses outside of campgrounds and state parks. As spring starts to do its thing, many outdoor enthusiasts on the lookout for the latest gear should also consider the year-round benefits of their purchases.

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Think rabies is a thing of the past? Think again

(BPT) - Most of us know what rabies is, but it's not something we think about often. Thanks to public health education, mandatory pet vaccinations and the wildlife oral rabies vaccination program, rabies cases in the U.S. have dropped dramatically in the past 15 years. But unfortunately this severe disease is still reported across the country, making rabies a continued public health threat. What do you need to know to keep your family, pets and community safe?

Controlling rabies cases

Although steps to control pet and wildlife rabies cases have reduced the risk to humans, rabies is still a threat because if it's not treated immediately, it has the highest case-fatality rate of any infectious disease. Transmitted by the saliva of an infected animal, rabies can be prevented by prompt medical care. If exposure is suspected, contact your health care professional immediately.

Continued diligence in vaccination programs for pets, livestock and wildlife is needed to lower the threat of rabies. Make sure to keep your pets up to date on their immunizations and get involved in your community's efforts in controlling the disease in the wildlife population.

Controlling and preventing rabies requires several proactive efforts. First, pet owners must understand the need for pets to get vaccinated on a regular basis. Second, seek immediate treatment if pets are bitten by an infected animal. Finally, efforts to decrease the disease among wild animals must be made.

Approximately 92 percent of all animal rabies cases in the United States occur in wildlife, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Animals that are most likely to be infected with rabies in the U.S. include raccoons, skunks, bats and foxes. Public health programs, such as those that vaccinate wildlife against rabies, help reduce rabies exposure and the spread of the disease to pets, livestock and people.

Wildlife treatment efforts

Managing rabies in the wildlife population is a complex task. Fifteen years ago the Federal government created a program that uses the first and only oral rabies vaccine for wildlife, RABORAL V-RG, to reduce this infectious disease.

"Oral rabies vaccines are provided to wild animals in the form of consumable baits," explains Dr. Joanne Maki, veterinary public health technical director for Merial, maker of RABORAL V-RG. "These baits are placed strategically throughout the country where wildlife at risk of exposure to rabies will eat them. This approach has prevented rabies transmission in wild animals, particularly raccoons, coyote and foxes.- Vaccinating wildlife is a comprehensive approach that helps keep pets, livestock and people safe from rabies as well."

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Bug out bag tips you won't find anywhere else

You may have a "bug out bag," but is it optimized for maximum efficiency and survival? There are several items that may help you make the most out of your survival bag.

The bug out bag is one of the most ubiquitous concepts amongst survivalists, but if you're unfamiliar with the term, here's the gist:

A bug out bag is a bag, usually a backpack, filled with basic items you need to survive 72 hours in a survival situation. Usually the bug out bag is only meant to help you survive until you arrive at a bug out location, which is usually stocked with more long-term survival supplies.

There's a plethora of information on bug out bags out there, including itineraries of basic supplies you should include. Your basic needs are water, shelter, food, and heat.

Here are a few tips and suggestions for items that I haven't seen listed elsewhere. They just might make the difference when you're forced to use your bug out bag.

Water

Water is going to take up a lot of room and add a lot of weight to your bag. Make sure you use a pack that has external water bottle holders on each side. You can use at least one to hold a water bottle, saving room inside. (You might want to save the other one to hold fuel for a camp stove). Keeping liquids outside the pack prevents them from ruining the contents of your bag if they leak.

A canteen will provide more water. You can use a clip to secure it to the outside of your pack so if you have to grab the bag and go, you have the canteen with you. But the canteen should also have a strap so you can carry it on your shoulder or around your neck. Make sure to use an aluminum or steel canteen so you can boil water in it. Check out these examples on Amazon:

Rothco 422 G.I. Style Aluminum Canteen and Cover, 1 Quart |  Canteen Stainless Steel

This water will only last you so long, and you may need to get more. When you acquire water, you run into two problems: you need to store water, and you need to purify water.

Storage isn't a huge problem, because you presumably already have a water bottle and a canteen. But what if water is scarce and you need to store more of it than just that in your canteen and water bottle?

Your best option is a foldable water bag, like this one by Coghlan's. It's made of urethane coated nylon and weighs just three ounces. You can fold it up small enough to fit in your pocket, yet it will hold 2.5 gallons of water.

Once you have sufficient means of storing water, you have to purify it. Water purification tablets and water filter straws are your two most portable options and thus the most useful for your bug out bag. Chlorine dioxide tablets are supposed to be effective against "Proven effective against bacteria, Giardia, Lamblia, Crystosporidium, and viruses," according to the product description for Portable Aqua's chlorine dioxide tablets on Amazon.

Potable Aqua Chlorine Dioxide Tablets

While water purification tablets are an effective solution, you'll run out of them eventually. Another option for water purification is a water filter straw, such as the LifeStraw, available at Amazon. The straw's filter should work for a long time. Between tablets and a straw filter, you should be able to get fresh water for a long time.

LifeStraw Personal Water Filter

Shelter

 Don't overdo it on shelter supplies. A tent can add a lot of weight and take up a lot of room in a bug out bag. As I see it, you have three optimal solutions: a small backpacking tent, a tube tent or a tarp.


A tent is the most complex option, having the most parts (stakes, poles, etc.) but also probably offers the most comfort and the most protection from the elements. Here are some tents for consideration that are available from Amazon:

Texsport Saguaro Bivy Shelter Tent |  Texsport Willowbend Trail Tent

Tube tents are basically a tube-shaped piece of material, often plastic, that is held up with cord or rope. Each end of the rope is tied to a tree or something else to keep it suspended. Tube tents are simple to use and cheap to buy, but I've found that if you don't have something handy to tie the rope to, they can be a little inconvenient. You may be able to improve poles with branches and other materials available to you. They also are not enclosed like a tent, so you may be somewhat more exposed. Here are links to some tube tents available from Amazon:

Tube Tent |  Coghlans Emergency Tube Tent

Your third option is simply a tarp and some rope or cord. As with the tube tent, it's not the most convenient and may leave you somewhat exposed, but it's an extremely lightweight and space-saving option.

Food

 There's not a lot on food that hasn't been written about elsewhere. I will just say that freeze dried food is always a convenient and space-saving, albeit very expensive, option. That being said, big-box stores tend to have some decent, if not cheap, prices on freeze dried hiking food.

Tips for the Budget-Minded

Compiling a bug out bag can be expensive business, but it doesn't have to be. Here are some tips for budget-conscious preppers who may not be able to afford all the bells and whistles.

• Optimally, you're going to want some kind of mess kit, including a small pot for cooking. But if you're really strapped for cash, include a can of vegetables, beans or soup in your bug out bag instead. When you're ready to eat, peel off any labeling on the can and cook the contents right in the can. Be sure to save it -- you can use it as a pot to cook food or boil water in.
• A camping stove makes cooking much easier than building a fire. Smoke from a fire will draw attention; cooking on a fuel stove instead will help you keep a low profile. Propane tanks can add a lot of bulk and while generally safe, having fuel under pressure is potentially a fire hazard. I prefer an alcohol stove, and you can make one cheaply and relatively easily with these instructions. Then again, if you want to put in that effort, you can buy one for less than $20 on Amazon: Trangia Spirit Alcohol Stove. You can use Heet as fuel: HEET 28201 Gas-Line Antifreeze and Water Remover - 12 Fl oz.

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Why going gluten-free doesn't mean going grain-free

(BPT) —  It's impossible to stroll the aisles in your local supermarket without seeing package after package labeled "gluten-free." But who really needs a gluten-free diet, and how can you still enjoy grains, even if you are eating gluten-free?

Gluten is a protein found in just four grains: wheat, barley, rye and triticale, a wheat-rye hybrid. For people with celiac disease (an estimated 1 percent of the population) eating foods containing gluten can cause an immune reaction in the small intestine that leads to a host of health problems, from abdominal pain to vitamin deficiencies that can affect the brain, bones, liver and other organs. Some people who don't have celiac disease still suffer from gluten-sensitivity or allergies to wheat, and can benefit from a gluten-free diet.

No matter the reason behind going gluten-free, for those making the switch it might seem like the end of eating grains. However, that shouldn't to be the case. While cutting out gluten-containing grains is important for those who are gluten-intolerant, there's an array of other whole grains —  naturally gluten-free —  that can make your diet as varied, delicious and nutritious as you like.

If you're building a gluten-free menu, it's important to include whole grains, which provide many essential nutrients. Try some of these options in your meals, from breakfast to dinner, to get a taste of the flavors and textures that whole, gluten-free grains have to offer:

• Amaranth - Popped like corn or added to soups or a pilaf, this heart-healthy grain adds great taste and texture.
• Buckwheat - Whether used whole or ground as flour, buckwheat provides a rich, nutty flavor.
• Corn - A classic American staple that is as versatile as it is easy to find.
• Millet - Let it stand alone as a side or bake it into crunchy crackers; millet's mild flavor ensures that it plays well with other ingredients.
• Oats - Oats themselves are gluten-free, but they're often processed in places where gluten products are also made. Make sure your oats are certified as free from cross-contamination.
• Quinoa - This nutrient-rich grain has been a staple in the Andes Mountains for centuries, and it's gaining in popularity for its versatility and subtle flavor.
• Brown and colored rice - Rice itself, or products made from it, like noodles, can be used to prepare delicious dishes from around the globe.
• Sorghum - Flour made from this nutrient-packed grain can be used to make everything from pie crust to pancakes. It can also be popped —  it's a fun treat that looks like mini-popcorn.
• Teff - Tiny teff grains (3,000 grains weigh just one ounce) make a flavorful flour that can be used for crepes, breads or injera, the spongy flatbread that is a dietary staple in the grain's native country of Ethiopia.
• Wild rice - Hearty, nutty and utterly delicious, wild rice is a welcome addition on any plate. Use it as stuffing, in a salad or simply on its own.

Because all of these whole grains have their own nutrient profiles, mixing them up is a great way to make your diet healthier —  the more different grains you eat, the more nutritional variety you'll get. Recipes for each kind of gluten-free grain can be found at www.wholegrainscouncil.org. To get started, try this delicious dish, Southwestern Quinoa Salad, which pairs both quinoa and corn with flavorful, fresh ingredients that everyone will love.

Southwestern Quinoa Salad

1 cup quinoa

2 cups vegetable broth

2 ears corn, roasted and cut off cob

1 red bell pepper, roasted and chopped

1 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained

3 scallions

1/2 cup chopped cilantro

3 limes, juiced

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 -teaspoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 -teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Put quinoa and broth in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, cover and simmer for 15 minutes or until tender.

In a large bowl, mix together quinoa, corn, pepper, beans, scallions and cilantro.

In a small bowl, whisk together lime juice, olive oil and seasonings. Pour over quinoa mixture.- Cover and chill for at least 30 minutes to let flavors set.

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Make string out of natural nettle fibers

My goal on this site is to help people achieve one hundred percent self-sufficiency. In that vein, I searched for ways to make natural string or rope.

I found the following video, which shows you how to make string out of stinging nettles. It's a lot easier to make cordage out of stinging nettle fibers than you may think, and you can use it for a variety of purposes.

For example, stinging nettle cordage is purportedly excellent for bowstrings. In a SHTF situation, you may have a supply of bowstrings stocked up, but if civilization truly fell apart, or if for whatever reason you needed to make a bow and bowstring in the wilderness, knowing how to make one out of the ubiquitious stinging nettle is a skill you may be eager to have.

The video is produced by the website www.ancient-arts.org. Go check them out for more useful ancient arts you may be forced to learn when society collapses!

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