SuperCat Stove

There are many reasons why you might want a lightweight stove that's powerful enough to boil water.  I carry one on backpacking trips, but one would also be handy if the power goes out at your home (hurricane or other natural disaster).

Andrew Skurka has a page showing you how to make the awesomely simple and very efficient SuperCat stove, so called because you make it from a cat food can.  Seriously.  I can vouch for this design because it's the exact same stove I use when camping.

Check it out.

Shenandoah National Park Trip

If it seems that I've been a bit focused on camping, backpacking and hiking lately, it's because I've been preparing for our Springtime trip up into the mountains to do just those things. Some friends and I rented a primitive cabin in the park and used it as a basecamp while we did day hikes in the vicinity. A 'primitive' cabin in this case means there was no water or electricity. We had to hike in about a mile with all of our gear. There was a spring for water down the hill a short distance, but we had to treat the water to make it safe to drink. Cooking was done with our camp stoves. At night we heated the cabin with a wood stove. All in all, we had an excellent time. You can see my photos of the trip here.

Backpack Info

Courtesy of REI, a nice little infographic on selecting, packing and adjusting a backpack.

HYOH

HYOH stands for "Hike Your Own Hike," and is one of the major bits of etiquette on the hiking trails. What it means is that everyone does things their own way, and unless they ask for your advice or opinion, or they're obviously doing something unsafe, then you should respect their way of doing things.

If you've backpacked much, you'll have run across the guy or gal who's eager to tell you exactly what you're doing wrong. Usually in great detail.

I'm reminded of the story of the long-distance hiker (we'll call him LDH) who was halfway through his hike of the Continental Divide Trail when he came across a couple of well-equipped hikers (let's call them the Bean Brothers, you'll see why in a moment) out for a long weekend. These two looked like they stepped straight from the pages of the L.L. Bean catalog, while LDH (who had already put over 1200 miles in), looked rather ragged (understandably so, I reckon). They had all stopped for lunch, so the Bean Brothers, with all the good intentions in the world, proceeded to explain to LDH everything that he was doing wrong, why his gear sucked, and what they would do differently (basically everything). After a good hour break, LDH thanked them and got ready to head on up the trail. The Bean Brothers asked if he was almost to his car, because they were genuinely concerned about his outdoorsmanship. LDH chuckled and explained that he was still about 2 months from his end point and more than 2 months into his hike, but he appreciated their input. He left them speechless.

The lesson here is to not be a know-it-all. If someone asks you for your opinion, or why you do things a certain way or carry a specific bit of gear, talk about it. I tend to listen more than I talk, and I will ask questions about things that intrigue me. I learn a lot that way. Sometimes a new way to do things, sometimes a way that I don't want to try.

Hike Your Own Hike.

Cloud Appreciation

If you take the time to really look at them, clouds can be incredibly cool. You might see shapes in the fluffy ones. They can evoke emotion, such as dread in a darkened sky just before a big storm breaks. With experience you can read them to get clues about the coming weather, and scientists create man-made clouds with sounding rockets to study the upper-atmospheric winds.

Here's a website devoted to all the various types of clouds: The Cloud Appreciation Society. Click that link, look at their photo gallery and be prepared to be amazed.

Sky Maps

Each month, Skymaps.com publishes a free, printable map of the night sky to help you identify stars, constellations, planets and more. Seriously cool.

iNaturalist.org

Mostly, we believe that you should be outside as much as possible, playing and being active. It would be foolish though to act as if the internet didn't exist, especially when you find an interactive website as cool as iNaturalist.org.

Follow that link and you'll discover an ever-expanding library of plant and animal observations from around the world. Suppose you find an interesting fungus while hiking, you can take a picture (or sketch it and make notes like early naturalists did), go online and identify it. If you can't find it there, post it yourself and other folks can help you discover what it is. There are a staggering number of types of living things in our world, and it's a good feeling to be able to identify some of them for yourself.

Climbing the World's Tallest Tree

The tree is named Hyperion, and it's located somewhere in California. They keep the real location of the tallest trees a secret to keep people from damaging them. Ever see where someone carved their name or initials into a tree somewhere? Yeah, those people.

So how tall is Hyperion? It's twice as tall as the Statue of Liberty (minus the base). And scientists know exactly how tall because they measured it the old fashioned way, by climbing to the top and then dropping a tape measure to the ground. Check this out:



More info on Hyperion and other tallest trees can be found here. At the link is a composite photo showing the full height of one of these trees, including someone stationed at various points as they climbed.

The 10 Essentials

The "10 Essentials" is a list of items. It's been around for a long time, and has evolved into the one presented here. According to the editors of "Mountaineering: The Freedom of the Hills", "the purpose of this list has always been to answer two basic questions: First, can you respond positively to an accident or emergency? Second, can you safely spend a night - or more - out?" Having the items on this list, combined with some basic knowlege and calm thinking, will go a long way towards making sure that you can.

Ten Essential "Systems"
Navigation (map and compass)
Sun protection (sunglasses and sunscreen)
Insulation (extra clothing)
Illumination (headlamp/flashlight)
First-aid supplies
Fire (waterproof matches/lighter/candles)
Repair kit and tools
Nutrition (extra food)
Hydration (extra water)
Emergency shelter

Let's look at each of these separately. Keep in mind that the contents of this list will vary depending on the situation and time of the year. For example, extra clothing in the winter may mean balaclava, mittens, and down jacket, while in the summer a simple windbreaker may be enough.

Map and Compass - If you're hiking in a local forest park, then the simple map you can get at the visitor center is really all you need. In unfamiliar mountains you may find that a topographic map is necessary. If you know how to use it then a baseplate compass is well worth having (I carry a Silva Explorer Pro), otherwise, a simple keyring compass can be used. The key here is, of course, knowing how to use a map and compass. A GPS is useful, but a map and compass are lighter, cheaper, well proven over centuries of use, and don't rely on batteries to operate.

Sun Protection - self explanatory. Sunglasses for glare and sunscreen to prevent burning. A long-sleeved shirt and long pants are also options. I'll add insect repellent here too. Deet works better than anything else, and if you're concerned about rubbing chemicals on your skin, the ideal application is lightly spread over bare skin. Don't drench yourself in it. Also, stick to 30%-40% concentration, stronger than that doesn't afford any improved protection.

Insulation - Winter? Summer? Desert? Mountains? Water crossings? All of these considerations will determine what kind of extra insulation you might need during an unexpected overnight stay outdoors.

Illumination - A small keyring-sized flashlight will suffice. Some folks carry a headlamp instead, which is basically a flashlight attached to an elastic band that fits around your head, leaving your hands free.

First Aid Supplies - Don't think that you have to carry enough to do major surgery. A few bandaids, a couple of single use packets of antiseptic cream, and a small bottle of hand sanitizer is a good start. Add tweezers if ticks may be encountered, a needle to drain blisters, plus a piece of moleskin to cushion 'hot-spots' on your feet to keep them from becoming blisters in the first place. I've also found it useful to carry a card that has my blood type and any medicine allergies, plus emergency contact phone numbers. My entire first aid kit fits into a snack-sized ziplock baggie.

Fire Making Materials - Whether you carry matches, a lighter or firesteel, you must practice at home. The last place to learn how well your emergency gear works is, well, in an emergency! Making a spark or flame is only half the battle too. Carry some sort of tinder such as jute twine, dryer lint, or char cloth. Whatever helps you get a fire started when you really need it. Hint: remember that bottle of hand sanitizer in your first aid kit? A dab of that will burn like crazy. I carry a few cotton balls smeared with vaseline. Tease a bit out to a thin, gauzy sheet and when it lights you'll find that it'll burn for 10 minutes or more.

Repair Kit and Tools - I've carried a medium-sized Swiss Army Knife every day for years. Sharp blade, screwdriver, can opener, scissors, tweezers, etc, at one time or another I've been glad to have each and every one. A multitool can be handy to have, but between my knife and about six feet of duct tape, I've never missed not having my heavy Leatherman along on a hike. Besides the duct tape, consider carrying a couple of binder clips, rubber bands and zip ties. A length of dental floss is stronger than ordinary thread, and you already carry a needle in your first aid kit. The idea here is to repair enough to get by, not to make permanent repairs.

Nutrition - You won't starve to death during an unplanned night or two outdoors, but that's not to say that packing an extra meal or snack is without value. In chilly weather, eating something can stoke the body's inner furnace and keep you a bit warmer. Perhaps more importantly, it's hard to overestimate the ability of a simple candy bar to raise your spirits in a difficult situation. I like the traditional GORP (Good Ol' Raisins and Peanuts), which is simply a handful each of raisins, peanuts and M&M's. Infinitely customizable to your tastes, I often add Honey-Nut Cheerios to my mix.

Hydration – Water is critical to survival, much more so than food and this item can be broken down into two related parts: 1. What to carry your water in, and 2. How to make sure that your water is safe to drink.
Carrying options include Nalgene bottles, bladders, or recycled sports drink bottles (which are tough and lightweight, two good traits for gear you have to carry). For a day hike, having 1 or 2 one-liter bottles is enough. I subscribe to the belief that the best place to carry water is inside of me, so I “camel up,” i.e. drink my fill, at water stops and carry an extra liter in my pack.
Treating your water could be the subject of a long post all on its own, so my advice is to do some research on the subject (Google is your friend here) and talk to experienced hikers and campers to see what they do. I’ve known people who successfully used all kinds of different methods, from chemicals to ultraviolet exposure to mechanical filtering. Personally, I use drops called Aqua Mira, it works for me.

Emergency Shelter – for an emergency, I like the “space blanket”, those aluminized mylar sheets that are sold in every camping department. They’re lightweight and take up very little room, just don’t unfold it and expect to get it back to the same size! If you want to see what they’re like spread out, buy a second one. They’re flimsy, think of it as disposable.

So that’s everything on the list, but I’d recommend a couple more items.

Bandana – the Swiss Army Knife of textiles. Mop sweat, filter water, improvised first aid sling, sun protection for your neck, the list is limited only by your imagination.

Emergency whistle – These whistles are louder than your voice, and it's easier to blow than it is to yell at the top of your lungs.

Cell Phone - I always have mine for just-in-case. I always have it turned off.

And the last two essentials would be your brain and experience. The best gear in the world won’t help a bit if you don’t know how to use it. Staying calm in an unexpected situation is easier if you know how deal with it beforehand. Get some first aid training. Find a book on using a map and compass and do some practice work with it. Practice making a fire at home (with adult supervision, of course). Go on some hikes and use your water purification. Get outside and see what works for you and what needs to be improved upon or changed.

By careful and thoughtful selection, it would be possible to fit almost all of this essential gear into an Altoids tin. My “emergency” kit fits into a quart-sized freezer ziplock, and is always with me when I’m outdoors. Have some fun putting together your own essentials kit, and get in the habit of taking it along. I hope that you never need to use it, but it’s comforting to be prepared in case you do.

Matt Rutherford: Dreamer

Matt who?

Simply put, Matt decided to challenge himself, and he's well on the way to meeting his goal. That goal was to sail westward through the Northwest Passage, and if he made it, to continue his voyage down the coasts of North and South America, around the Cape Horn, then back up the east coasts until he again reaches his starting point in the Chesapeake Bay in Maryland.

23,000+ miles.

Solo.

Non-stop.

No layovers in port. No relief crew. Just himself in a donated 27' sailboat.

He's already three fourths of the way through his journey of over ten months, heading north in the Atlantic waters east of Brazil. He still has a long way to go, but, according to conventional wisdom, the toughest parts are behind him. Maybe.

Here's a link to the website SolotheAmericas.org, where you'll find Matt's blog, photos, maps and more.

It's not just a sense of adventure that drives Matt. He's collecting money for the Chesapeake Regional Accessible Boating (aka CRAB), to sponsor programs that help the disabled and handicapped sail and enjoy the ocean.

Dreamers can make a difference.

Hiking the Appalachian Trail (part 1)

There are several “long trails” located around the world, and America has one of the most famous, known as the Appalachian Trail. The AT, as it is also called, runs along the eastern spine of the United States, with one end located at Springer Mountain in Georgia and the other terminal at the summit of Mount Katahdin in Maine. The exact length of the trail changes from year to year as the trail gets relocated slightly for various reasons, but in 2011 the end-to-end mileage was 2,184 miles.


The AT passes through 14 states along the way: Georgia, North Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine. The trail is maintained by over 30 volunteer organizations, each taking responsibility for a stretch where they do work to control erosion, clear away trees that have fallen across the trail, cut back brush, and take care of the shelters along the way.

Every year, tens of thousands of people hike along parts of the AT, including a couple thousand would-be "Thru-Hikers", who attempt to walk the entire length in one year. Most start north from Georgia in February, March or April, and are called NOBO’s (NOrth BOunders). SOBO’s (SOuth BOunders) usually start from Maine in June or July. Either way, it can take from four to six months to complete the hike. Only about 10% of those who start out to be Thru-Hikers actually finish in any given year.

"Thru-Hiker" is an unofficial title, and the only official designation is a “2000 Miler,” which is earned by anyone who hikes the entire trail, no matter how long it takes. Many people are section hikers, doing the trail a piece at a time, sometimes planning their hikes to see a particular part of the trail during the nicest part of the year for that area.

The entire length of the Appalachian Trail is identified by white ‘blazes’, which are 2”x6” vertical stripes that are painted on trees along the way. The idea is that while standing by a tree that is blazed, you should be able to see the next blaze farther along the trail. Side trails that intersect the AT are blazed with a different color, but are collectively called ‘blue blaze’ trails. There are stretches on the AT where you are above the tree line, in which case stacks of rocks called ‘cairns’ are used to mark the way.


A "blaze" marking the way along the AT.

Check back for part 2.

C & O Canal

Construction on the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal began in 1828 in Washington, D.C., although the idea for a navigable waterway from the Potomac to the Ohio Valley was envisioned as early as George Washington's time. The 184.5 mile canal was completed in 1850, ending in Cumberland, Maryland, and for nearly 75 years it was a major route for moving coal (850,000 tons in 1871). Flooding was always an issue, however, and since the railroad had moved in by then, in 1924 the canal ceased operations following another flood.

In the 1930's, restoring the lower section of the canal was a Civilian Conservation Corps project, in anticipation of the canal becoming a national park. The canal itself only survived because of Supreme Court Justice William O. Douglas, however. In the 1950's the plan was to turn the canal into a parkway to allow motor access through the park, and Justice Douglas, an avid hiker, wrote a letter to the Washington Post
arguing for preserving the canal:

One who walked the canal its full length could plead that cause with the eloquence of a John Muir. He would get to know muskrats, badgers, and fox; he would hear the roar of wind in thickets; He would see strange islands and promontories through the fantasy of fog; he would discover the glory there is in the first flower of spring, the glory there is even in a blade of grass; the whistling wings of ducks would make silence have new values for him. Certain it is that he could never acquire that understanding going 60, or even 25, miles an hour.

He even organized a hike of editors and conservationists, sucessfully swaying public opinion away from the road and back to nature. Time reported on April 5, 1954:

By the time he was ten miles from the city, Douglas had 50 followers, and was being paralleled in the canal by canoeists bearing such signs as SAVE THE CANAL and LESS CARS-MORE CANOES !

The long walk ended at an old canal lock a quarter of a mile farther along. A National Park Service sightseeing barge, drawn by two mules, awaited the hikers. They climbed aboard to ride the last five miles to Georgetown. Their triumphal entry into the city, however, was just beginning. As the barge sloshed down the canal, hundreds of men, women & children hustled along the banks exchanging greetings with the expedition. Other well-wishers called greetings from overhead bridges. The escorting fleet of canoes grew. Automobiles jammed up along a parallel roadway.

The 12,000 acres, including the canal and towpath rather than a paved road, became a national park in 1971.

Here are a few pictures from the section of towpath closest to where I live:


This may be a reproduction, or perhaps a replacement, lockhouse. On the other side of the canal you can see the stone foundation of another building.


The canal at Lock 26.


The store at White's Ferry records the high water marks after the Potomac River floods. (This is the second story of the building.)


The Monocacy Aqueduct

The Sky is Falling! The Sky is Falling!

This weekend is a treat for skywatchers and amateur astronomers. The annual Perseid meteor shower should be beautiful because it arrives while a new moon is in the sky. As many as 60 meteors per hour may be visible, with larger ones leaving a streak across the night sky as they burn up in our atmosphere.

As a bonus, the planet Mars will be visible as a bright red dot in the sky to the northeast.

Unlike most astronomical events, meteor watching is done best without telescope or binoculars. Get comfortable, pick out a patch of black sky away from light pollution, and watch patiently. The closer towards dawn, the more meteors you might see. The peak number should be Sunday night into Monday morning, but they'll be visible for several nights afterwards too.

Every August at this time the Perseid shower occurs. Named for the constellation Perseus - because that's where the meteors appear to come from - their real origin is the comet Swift-Tuttle. When Earth crosses the path of the comet, debris from the comet's passing enters our atmosphere and gives us a light show.

Playing with Toads.

Greetings, readers of The Dangerous & Daring Blog for Boys and Girls. I am Mike. You may know me as The Maximum Leader from the blog Naked Villainy. If you happen to read my blog, you will know that I opine (with varying degrees of seriousness) on politics, history, philosophy, culture, and whatever else happens to strike my fancy. I was surprised and pleased that Ted invited me to be a contributor here on The Dangerous and Daring Blog for Boys and Girls. I was surprised because I don't often think of my blogging as being oriented towards young boys and girls. But I was pleased because this outlet will give me an opportunity to write about a whole host of subjects in a way that I would not ordinarially think to do so.

While I have not yet read the book "The Dangerous Book for Boys," I am a father of three children. I am a dad to two girls and a boy. I belive that I was raised in a "traditional American" fashion. Unfortunately, I don't see that many kids are getting the same type of upbringing I got. I hope that my contributions here can help someone out there learn something for themselves and possibly use that knowledge to teach their kids something they might not otherwise learn.

That said, my first post is not actually my own... Almost three years ago my good friend, and fellow blogger at Naked Villainy, Mark -- the Smallholder -- wrote two posts that got us lots of traffic. The subject of the two posts revolved around sexing toads. If you've never played with a toad you've never really been a kid. My friend Mark, through the post he wrote, taught me something I wouldn't have learned before.

Here is revised edition of those posts about Toads...

I once had a pair of toads as pets.

I was playing in the woods one day and I came upon a pair of toads and took them home. I kept them in an terrarium.

I named them Shake and Speare.

Shake and Speare were cool pets. I taught them to jump through hoops. They slurped worms up like spaghetti. If you fed them lightning bugs, the lightning bugs would light up inside their bodies. The bugs would appear as a red glow through the toad's skin. If you fed Shake and Speare several lightning bugs and then let them hop around, the blinking lights would make them look like moving Christmas trees.

I always wanted to have them lay eggs and hatch tadpoles, but over three years never had any luck, even though I had a male and female pair.

Shut up. It’s not that hard to sex toads, you perv.

You just pick up a toad and rub the belly. A female will squirm around. A male will squirm around and squeak.

You see, toad sex occurs when a male wraps his arms around a female and squeezes out her eggs. He then releases his sperm into the water and his sperm fertilize the floating eggs.
During mating season, things get really hectic. “Toad balls” develop as males struggle to be the one closest to a fertile female. As a defense mechanism, the squeak is the way one male toad lets another male toad know: “Get off! I’m not a girl!”

Try it with the next toad you find. Impress your friends.

For those of you who wish to sex toads at home, here is a step-by-step guide:

1) Make sure your toad is a toad. Many people seem to confuse frogs and toads. Frogs are moist, have smooth skin, and are generally found near water. Toads are dry, have bumpy skin, and are terrestrial except when they mate.

2) Pick up the toad gently, but with enough control so that it doesn’t squirm loose and splat itself on the ground. Hold the toad away from your body because they will attempt their standard defense mechanism: peeing on you. Toad pee is very acidic, and if you were a dog or predator, you’d drop the poor guy quickly. As it is, you’ll want to wash your hands after you are done sexing your toad.

3) Turn the toad over in the palm of your hand so it lays with its back down and its head between your thumb and pointer finger. Gently wrap your fingers around it’s body. Maintain enough pressure that it cannot squirm forward, but don’t squeeze it too hard either.

4) Turn your hand so the toad is right-side up in relation to the ground. Use your middle finger to stroke or tickle the toad’s belly. If the toad croaks, you have a male. If it does not, you’ve got a lady.

And there you have it... Now you can go and sex a toad...

Carry on.

Spider Houses

People have houses. Dogs have houses. Birds have houses. Even butterflies and bats have houses. Let's learn how to build a spider house.

Why in the world would you build a spider house? Firstly, spiders are fascinating creatures and it's neat to be able to go outside and watch one doing its spider-thing in a frame that you built. Secondly, spiders eat a lot of pesky insects, including some that might be eating the plants in your vegetable or flower garden.


Materials Needed:


Thin wood such as grapestake. What you're looking for is wood about the size of what yardsticks are made out of, something about one to two inches wide and one-quarter inch or less thick. Grapestakes are cheap, come in bundles and are about six feet long. Perfect.

Wood glue. Waterproof or exterior is better, but even hot-melt glue will work.

Saw

Ruler

String or twine. You'll only need this if you want to hang your spider house instead of sticking it into the ground.

Directions:

Before you begin, cut out four pieces of wood about 12 inches long. Next, cut out two pieces about 3 inches long. A hand saw works fine for this. Save the rest of the grapestake, you'll use it later.

1. Put two of the 12 inch pieces next to each other as shown below. Put a good spot of glue on each end, where the gray circles are on the diagram.


2. Take the other two 12 inch pieces and lay them across the glue spots as shown on the left, to make a square. Clamp the corners or place something heavy on them (make sure to clean up any glue that oozes out!) and let the glue dry.



3. Those two short pieces that you cut will be attached to the square frame so they make a little nook for the spider. This gives the spider protection from the rain and a place to hide when it feels threatened.

4. Time for more spots of glue. The spot shown is where you'll put the glue on each side (front and back) of the frame.

5. Glue the two short pieces to the frame as shown. The front one is sideways and the rear one is on the other side of the frame and runs in the same direction. This creates the little hidey-hole. Clamp or weight down and let dry.


Next, decide how you want to display your spider house. You can glue the remaining length of grapestake to the bottom corner and stick it in the ground in your garden, or you can tie some string or twine through one corner and hang it. Either way, there should be some protection from the wind and elements or spiders will find it unsuitable and look elsewhere to live. Like inside your house.

This makes a fairly large frame, and all of the measurements are flexible. Make smaller ones if you'd like, even popsicle sticks can be used (although you'd likely have smaller spiders take up residence there). If you build something bigger than about three feet square, I don't want to know what decides to live there.

After you place your spider houses, wait a couple of days and you'll see webs being built inside the frames.

Leave a comment and let us know how your spider houses are doing! Or email us at DangerousBlog@gmail.com and send pictures, because we looooove spiders!

/Counterpoint

I think a little alteration is useful...

A human being should be able to change a diaper, repel a home invasion, train a dog, drive a stickshift, design a treehouse, write a limerick, balance a checkbook, build a snowfort, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, change a tire, start a fire without matches or lighters, cook a nutritious and delicious meal, defend themselves, and help others.

...some of these are post-worthy.

Personally, I have a lot of fun reading through WikiHow, and they of course have an entry on starting a fire with sticks. I'll be camping in a couple weeks, so I will experiment and report back.

What are some other things a human should know how to do?