More preppy stuf

Just a note for your Thurdsday,,,

Brudda B and I have an annoying ‘hobby’ : annoying to those without interest to put a fine point on the edge.  When we are out there campin’, we swap knots,,,   We’ll have a line on the table (and I carry a peice of 3/8″ line, 6′ long, with me purt much everyday, for practice.) and we’ll show each other some knot that we have found, or need practice on, or sumpin’.

I have no idea how many knots I know, but I have picked up a few more over the last couple years.   And let me tell you, KNOWING a knot is not the same as just slapping some loops into a line and calling it good.  There are reasons certain knots are well known: they WORK and they don’t destroy your rope and you can undo them easily.   

When I was on the road, riggers demanded that the ground guy KNOW the Bowline.   If you fubared the knot, they would drop the whole she-bang down on you and tell you “Try Again!”    100m of 12mm climbing rope isn’t exactly lightweight, and that shit cascading down on you,,,,,

It only takes a handful of knots to make life in the bush easier.  The bowline for one, though I am much prefering the double dragon these days (adjustable and easier to untie after loading up.) The Prussick hitch, taut line hitch, Trucker’s hitch (or some variation on it) for adjusting line tension, the ubiquitous square knot, surgeons knot, sheet bend for connecting two lines, etc etc etc

Here is a quick (and I do mean QUICK) vid of several knots and how they are used, and you can see how they could come in handy in other ways.

Prepping isn’t just ‘Stuff’,,,  Its knowledge, and how to use it.   If you aren’t acquiring knowledge, your preps are supplies for someone else down the line.  I try to put the knowledge I acquire into practical use in the day to day: obviously, there are not as many oppurtunities to do so as the knowledge I have accumulated, but I do try.   I also keep a running tab on ‘resources’ in my day to day: observing where things are, or aren’t, and what that may mean if things really went sideways.  I am always roleplaying scenarios in my head of ‘what if,,,,’

It all comes back to three sayings:

rather have it and looking at it, than looking for it. (and knowledge is on that list BIG TIME.)

OODA  Observe Orient Decide Act

Improvise or DIE (and not the diversity bullshit,,,,)   also known by Marines as Improvise, adapt and overcome.

And I carry a certain amount of ‘luxury’ items with me everyday: this is fashionably called my EDC stuff now (Every Day Carry)   The biggest part of that EDC is knife.  If you don’t have a knife, you can make one or something that will suffice, but HAVING ONE is far better.   (in all actuallity, I carry several: a swiss Army knife, a fixed blade Mora, and my Gerber Multi-tool (the 400 series)  Fact is, I feel naked without a knife of some sort on me; like a cat without claws, just a little paranoid,,,) 

There is a whole lot you can carry for ‘prep’ and not take up much space on your body, that will make things much easier on you if things were to go tits up on you while out and about.   A knife, some cordage, an emergency space blanket, small fire starter pack (cottonballs soaked in petroleum jelly and a fire-rod are my faves.  Work even when wet)   Everything else can be made. (EDITED: I also carry a Lifestraw now.   Too many chances to pick up a bug in ALL waters these days, and the life straw is small enough to keep in pocket.   Sawyer makes a good option as well.)

if you have the knowledge of how and what. 

The EDC I just described is just a cushion for bad times, not a landing pad.  The other stuff I have in my head is the insurance policy.

Movies and reads to inspire you.

Castaway with Tom Hanks

Tunnel in the Sky by Heinlein

Hunger Games by Suzan Collins

ALL of Tom Brown Jr books on surviving and thriving in the wilds.

but ya gotta learn some knots too,,,,  Be a knothead, or a knotty person; you’ll thank me later, trust me.

Live

LEARN

Laugh

Love

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