Adventure Tips

Forget the added fuel cost; here's why (photos)

2008-08-27T16:22:00Z

Fuel is not the largest cost of a long summer road trip.

As we plan our Autumn trip for 2008, we are considering several options. But, all of them include driving a loop from Chicago to the west coast and back. Why isn't fuel cost dampening our driving plans? A book by Phil and Carol White of Portland Oregon spells the answer out the best .

The following is an article from Phil and Carol's web site that promotes their book, Live Your Road Trip Dream.

5 Reasons Why Gas Prices Shouldn’t Cancel Your Summer Fun

Everyone seems to be complaining about the high cost of fuel causing them to cancel their summer vacation plans. Carol White, co-author of the book “Live Your Road Trip Dream”, says, “I don’t like the higher prices, but if you take a realistic look at it, it’s something that most of us can deal with.”

Did you cancel last year’s plans? According to AAA, gas prices have increased an average of $.56 a gallon since this time last year. Let’s go crazy and say it has been $.75 a gallon in your area. If your summer trip is 1000 miles long and your car gets an average of 23 MPG, your fuel will cost $32.60 more this year than last. One dinner at home instead of eating out before you go will save that much. Is $32 any reason to cancel your vacation?

What does it really cost? When you add up all the expenses of a vacation, fuel only counts as about the second or third highest expense. Typically food and lodging will cost more than fuel. If you need to cut back, consider RVing or eating more meals in, or renting a slightly less expensive lodging.

How can you afford to RV? According to a study done for the RV Association, RVing is still less expensive than piling a family of four into an airplane and hotels for vacation. Using a similar example to the one above and a typical mid-size RV fuel economy of 12 MPG, the additional fuel cost for RV fuel this year would be $62.50. This is easily off-set by the lower cost of campgrounds vs. motels, resorts or cabins at your favorite destination.

What about family bonding? One of the best parts of taking a road trip or an RV get-away is the extra time you get to spend with your traveling companions. In the close quarters of automobiles, RVs, campgrounds and motels, a family has the opportunity to enjoy old-fashioned fun like cards, board games, campfires and more. It really is fun talking to your kids. Ditch the electronics just for the week and see what might happen.
And the final reason you shouldn’t let fuel get in your way? You and your family deserve the time together and the time away. Have everyone work together to be able to afford the extra cost of gas. Go on a Starbucks-free week, check for the best fuel prices, just say “no” to an evening at the movies, or take a pass on that cute new pair of shoes and you will have the added money to cover fuel. Don’t let the “psychology of price,” rather than real price get the best of you.

Have fun and enjoy your summer vacation.
Carol

Carol White is the co-author of the award-winning book, "Live Your Road Trip Dream"

(www.roadtripdream.com) – the ultimate road trip planning guide for extended road trips. Carol and her husband Phil have traveled over 50,000 road miles in the past several years, visiting all fifty states and having visited all of the National Parks in the "lower forth-eight." As national spokespeople for the RV Industry, they now spend their days speaking, writing, and helping others to live their dreams.

RLI Press

P O Box 1115

Wilsonville, OR 97070

www.roadtripdream.com

888 522 TRIP (8747)

Author, Publisher, Speaker & Marketing Coach

National Spokesperson - Recreation Vehicle Industry Assn. (RVIA)

Finalist, 2004 ForeWord Magazine Book of the Year - Travel

Winner, 2006 Benjamin Franklin Book of the Year - Marketing Excellence

A member of PMA, SPAN, NSA, NWABP & Travel Publishers’ Assn.

See the Whites featured in

Money Magazine
Hear

Carol's interview with Beth Harpaz, Travel Editor, Associated Press
Read the story in

Publisher’s Weekly; Carol is quoted on travel publishing trends

How to identify pesky bugs; part 2

2008-08-14T03:29:00Z

You do not have to travel to an exotic location to encounter those tiny deadly creatures. There are plenty creepy crawlers in our back yards or on a hiking trail that you should be aware of. Some of the most dangerous insects are right under our feet and we have no clue about them. Some of the deadly bugs to watch out for are, mosquitoes, Velvet ants and Fire ants.

You would think that mosquitoes are just pesky little insects but they do hold the record for the most human deaths per year. There are over 2500 different species of mosquitoes throughout the world, of which 150 species are in the United States . Culex pipiens or northern house mosquito is the most common species of mosquito found in urban areas. It appears to be primarily responsible for transmission of West Nile Virus to humans and birds, as well as to other mammals. Culexmosquitoes are painful and persistent biters which prefer to attack at dusk and after dark, and readily enter dwellings for blood meals. Worldwide, mosquito-borne diseases kill more people than any other single factor. In the United States , mosquitoes spread several types of encephalitis, dog heartworm, and malaria.

The Mosquito

Credit: CDC/ James Gathany, Dr. Frank Collins, University of Notre Dame

West Nile virus is a potentially serious illness. Experts believe WNV is established as a seasonal epidemic in North America that flares up in the summer and continues into the fall. About one in 150 people infected with WNV will develop severe illness. The severe symptoms can include high fever, headache, neck stiffness, stupor, disorientation, coma, tremors, convulsions, muscle weakness, vision loss, numbness and paralysis. These symptoms may last several weeks, and neurological effects may be permanent. Milder Symptoms in those who become infected are fever, headache, and body aches, nausea, vomiting, and sometimes swollen lymph glands or a skin rash on the chest, stomach and back. Symptoms can last for as short as a few days, though even healthy people have become sick for several weeks. Approximately 80 percent of people who are infected with WNV will not show any symptoms at all.

There is no specific treatment for WNV infection. In cases with milder symptoms, people experience symptoms such as fever and aches that pass on their own, although even healthy people have become sick for several weeks. In more severe cases, people usually need to go to the hospital where they can receive supportive treatment including intravenous fluids, help with breathing and nursing care. Milder WNV illness improves on its own, and people do not necessarily need to seek medical attention for this infection though they may choose to do so. If you develop symptoms of severe WNV illness, such as unusually severe headaches or confusion, seek medical attention immediately. Severe WNV illness usually requires hospitalization. Pregnant women and nursing mothers are encouraged to talk to their doctor if they develop symptoms that could be WNV.

Here are a few interesting facts about mosquitoes you may have never known. Hopefully these facts will help you the next time you go camping or take a hike in the wilderness.

- You're more likely to be a target for mosquitoes if you consume bananas.

- Biting activity increase by 500 times when there is a full moon.

- Mosquitoes dislike citronella because it irritates their feet.

- Mosquitoes prefer children to adults, and blondes to brunettes.

- Only female mosquitoes bite—they need the protein for their eggs

- The welt that appears after a mosquito bites is an allergic reaction to the saliva that is injected into your skin to prevent your blood from clotting.

- Light colors are less attractive to mosquitoes than dark colors; thus, mosquitoes are more likely to choose a victim wearing darker colors.

You may ask yourself, how do mosquitoes choose who to bite? The answer is mosquitoes are attracted by Carbon dioxide in our breath. They can detect this from great distances. When the female mosquito gets close, she makes a final choice using skin temperature, odor and other chemical or visual factors. If two people are outside together, one will almost always get most of the mosquito bites.

Here are a few tips to help keep you from being the next victim of a mosquito bite. On warm, sunny days, only screened windows and doors should be opened. Keep screens in good repair. If mosquitoes do get inside your house, they may be found resting on walls, under sinks, in closets, or anywhere dark. Use a commercial insect spray and or swat them dead. A commercial flying insect spray may be used in the patio and garden area. Personal application of insect repellent can provide relief. To make sure you are not breeding mosquitoes, empty or change weekly containers holding water, clean drainage courses to ensure moving water, and stock impoundments with mosquito-eating fish.

One unusual insect that is occasionally seen running around open areas in the yard during July, August, and September is the velvet ant. Velvet ants look like large hairy ants, but they are actually wasps. They differ from ants in having only a slight constriction between the thorax and abdomen and having straight rather than elbowed antennae. They may be seen in lawns or pastures, or occasionally wandering into buildings. These solitary wasps, as the name implies, are densely covered with short hair. They get their name from the hairs that cover their body and because they resemble ants. Males have wings but do not sting. The females are flightless but sting, and are often encountered while wandering on the ground. They are known for their extremely painful sting, the venom of which was jokingly stated to be powerful enough to kill a cow. In some places a few species are also known as cow killers or cow ants. They can sting multiple times and if handled, they produce a squeaking, chirping sound to warn would-be predators. The family can be recognized best in the female; they are the only wingless female wasps that have hair-lined grooves on the sides.

Red Velvet Ant; Female

http://www.northfultontimes.com/bm~pix/red-velvet-ant~s600x600.jpg

Velvet ants range in size from 1/8 inch to one inch. Velvet ants look like miniature walking cotton balls. The red, orange, yellow, black or white bristle-like hairs, known as setae, cover the entire body. Biologists call this type of coloration "aposematic" and they use the term to refer to conspicuous warning colors of animals that predators should avoid. Over 150 species of velvet ants occur throughout the United States , southern Canada and Mexico . At least three dozen species inhabit Arizona . They live in all parts of the desert from hot and dry to semiarid areas to shrub lands.

Female velvet ants are equipped with a very efficient and powerful stinger. The sting is curved and sometimes nearly as long as the abdomen, and with it they can inject a very potent poison. Their sting is not deadly but known to be very painful as like a wasp sting. Local pain and swelling are typical. Sensitive individuals may have allergic reactions following a bite or a sting. Clean the site with soap and water. Apply a cool compress. A paste made out of baking soda and water or meat tenderizer and water may relieve some of the pain. Other whole-body reactions occurring in the first hour after being bitten or stung must be seen in an emergency room. In most cases, these insects are not generally considered as pests, but they can occasionally invade residences, daycare or schools in large numbers. If these pesky ants are left alone, no harm is done. But if an individual tries to play with this insect or accidentally steps on one, the resulting sting will remind the offending human how this insect got its name.

Ants have been digging through dirt for a very long time. They burrow out of jungles, forests and into back yards of humans on every continent except Antarctica . Ant fossils date back to the times of dinosaurs. They are one of the strongest animals on Earth, with the ability to lift a seed five times its weight. Fire ants are social insects. They live in communities and depend on one another to gather food, help build the nest, raise and care for their young, and protect themselves from enemies. Without the support of their colony, a single fire ant could not survive for very long. Fire ants are known for their lively and aggressive behavior, swarming over anyone or anything that disturbs their nest, often attacking wild animals, baby animals, pets or people, in some instances, even killing them. Their painful stings affect about 40 percent of people in infested areas each year. 20 million people a year are stung by fire ants.

Fire Ants

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/af/Fire_ants.jpg/439px-Fire_ants.jpg

When these pesky critters invade an area, they do it with a vengeance. There will be enormous numbers of them which can dramatically reduce populations of native ants, other insects, and even ground-nesting wildlife. Watch out. They invade homes, school yards, athletic fields, golf courses, and parks. They will damage crops and electrical equipment, costing humans huge amounts of money each year in repairs and eradication. Don't be fooled. Fire ants look like ordinary house or garden ants, but have some distinguishing characteristics.

Fire ants vary in size from 1/16 to 1/5 inch long. They are dark reddish brown in color on the head and body, with a darker abdomen. Fire ant mounds can be more than 15 inches high, 15 inches in diameter and up to 5 feet deep. When they are disturbed they become very aggressive and the biting begins; especially near the nest.

Fire ants bite the flesh of there prey, and this is done so quickly and sharply that there is little pain. What inflicts the burn is the venom injected by a stinger. The venom is water-insoluble and contains hemolytic factors that cause the release of histamine. These stings produce itching and redness immediately and a bacterial uninfected pustule at the sting site after several hours. The venom also contains several allergenic proteins that can cause anaphylaxis in patients who are allergic to the proteins. Antigenic similarity exists between these proteins as with bee and wasp venoms. The natural course is for the site to burn for several hours, then over 24 hours a boil develops with itching, and over several days if not scratched the lesion will slowly disappear. Scratching can introduce infection and should be cleaned with alcohol. Rarely, patients will have an allergic response immediately or over the first few hours. The symptoms of this are difficulty breathing, light headedness and weakness. If allergic reaction occurs immediate medical attention by calling 911 is indicated.

If you see a fire ant nest move rapidly away from the nest. Quickly remove or kill ants on skin and clothing, to prevent further stings. If you are stung wash the area gently with soap and water to rid the skin of any venom on it. Disinfect the bite with alcohol and place a cool cloth or ice cloth on sites for 15 minutes. Try dabbing the site with one of the following: diluted (1:1) bleach solution, Kleen ‘Em Away Naturally, calamine Lotion, Enzyme cleaner or meat tenderizer. Consider spraying a topical to the area to help relieve the itching or take some form of antihistamine like benadryl. Do not scratch the abscess because this can lead to infection. Be careful to avoid fire ants, when out scan the ground for mounds or other evidence of these vicious pests. The sting is painful and the pustule persists for about a week. These ants do more than ruin a picnic, so be prepared for the inevitable bite and sting.

How to identify pesky bugs; part 1

2008-08-14T02:34:00Z

When a black widow bites, there victim is injected with protein venom that attacks the nervous system. The bites are very large and can be very painful. A black widow spider bite is said to feel like a pinprick, although victims may not realize that they have been bitten. Sometimes double fang marks may be seen at the location of the bite. The most common localized symptoms of a black widow spider bite are immediate pain, burning, swelling, and redness. A black widow spider bite gives the appearance of a target, with a pale area surrounded by a red ring. Severe muscle pain and cramps may develop in the first two hours. Severe cramps are usually first felt in the back, shoulders, abdomen and thighs. Other symptoms include weakness, sweating, headache, anxiety, itching, nausea, vomiting, difficult breathing and increased blood pressure. Young children, the elderly and those with high blood pressure are at highest risk of developing symptoms from a black widow spider bite. Only the female spider is dangerous to humans.

The Black Widow Spider

http://www.emedicinehealth.com/black_widow_spider_bite/article_em.htm

Northern Black Widow Spider

Photo by Tom Murray; 2006

If you are bitten by a black widow, please do not panic. There have been no reports of deaths in the United States from a black widow in over 10 years. Very often the spider will not inject venom into its bite but has the capability to. Wash the wound very well with soap and water to help prevent infection. If muscle cramps develop, take the patient to the nearest hospital. Some victims, especially young children or seniors may be admitted overnight for observation and treatment if needed. There is a treatment for a black widow spider bite symptoms. Black widow spider antivenin is seldom necessary.

Although the spider is mostly found in the southern United States , it may be seen throughout the US . Five species are common to the US , with two of them being the most common. The southern black widow has the shiny, black, globular abdomen with the distinctive red hourglass on the underside. The northern black widow has a row of red spots down the middle of the upper surface of its abdomen and two crosswise bars on the undersurface. The markings can also be yellow or white, and the spider itself may be brown or have red legs. Black widow spiders are nocturnal and, thus, are active at night. They prefer dark corners or crevices. They are said to avoid human dwellings; these spiders generally live in trash, closets, attics, woodpiles, garages, unused structures and other dark places. Only the female black widow bites humans, and she bites only when disturbed, especially while protecting her eggs.

The brown recluse spiders are native to the United States . The brown recluse spider is found mainly in the central Midwestern states southward to the Gulf of Mexico . The brown recluse spider is not aggressive, and it normally bites only when crushed, handled or disturbed. Some people have been bitten in bed after inadvertently rolling over onto the spider. Others have been bitten after accidentally touching the spider when cleaning storage areas. Some bites occur when people put on seldom used clothing or shoes inhabited by a brown recluse.

Brown Recluse Spider

www.agrilawn.com/outdoor-general-pest-control

In the mature brown recluse spider as well as some other species of recluse spiders, the dark violin marking is well distinct, with the neck of the violin pointing toward the bulb like abdomen. The coloration can range from light tan to dark brown, and is covered with numerous fine hairs that provide a velvety appearance. The long, thin, brown legs also are covered with fine hairs, but not spines. Adult brown recluse spiders have a leg span about the size of a quarter. Males are slightly smaller in body length than females, but males have proportionally longer legs. Both sexes are venomous.

The physical reaction to a brown recluse spider bite depends on the amount of venom injected and an individual's sensitivity to it. Some people are unaffected by a bite, as others experience instant or delayed effects as the venom kills the tissues at the site of the bite. Many brown recluse bites cause just a little red mark that heals without event.

The bite may feel like a pinprick or may go unnoticed. Others feel a stinging sensation followed by intense pain. Infrequently, some victims experience reactions that may include restlessness, generalized itching, fever, chills, nausea, vomiting, or shock. A small white blister usually initially rises at the bite site surrounded by a swollen area. The affected area enlarges and becomes red, and the tissue is hard to the touch for some time. The lesion from a brown recluse spider bite is a dry, blue-gray or blue-white, irregular sinking patch with ragged edges and surrounding redness.

Some bites of the brown recluse spider can result in a painful, deep wound that takes some time to heal. Fatalities are extremely rare, but bites are most dangerous to young children, the elderly, and those in poor physical condition. When there is a severe reaction to the bite, the site can erupt into a hole in the flesh due to damaged, gangrenous tissue. The open wound may range from the size of an adult's thumbnail to the span of a hand. The dead tissue gradually sloughs away, exposing underlying tissues. The sunken, ulcerating sore may heal slowly up to 6 to 8 weeks. Full recovery may take several months and scarring may remain. It is difficult for a physician to accurately diagnose a "brown recluse bite" based simply on wound characteristics. It is necessary to have the spider for a positive identification.

If you are bitten, remain calm, and immediately seek medical attention. Apply an ice pack directly to the bite area to relieve swelling and pain. Collect the spider, if possible, for positive identification by a spider expert. A plastic bag, small jar, or pill vial is useful and no preservative is necessary, but rubbing alcohol helps to preserve the spider. An effective commercial antivenin is not available. Some physicians administer high doses of cortisone-type hormones to combat systemic complications. Treatment with oral antibiotics has been suggested to reduce the degree of tissue damage. However, an effective therapy has not yet been found in controlled studies.

Control of indoor infestations of spiders can take a long time and can be difficult. Because humans have little patience for this pest, it tends to be widely dispersed within infested buildings, and it seeks secluded sites. Control of spiders, including the brown recluse, is best achieved by following an integrated pest management approach.

Preventing spider bites is the best way to avoid a bad situation. Shake out all clothing and shoes before getting dressed. When going to bed at night, inspect your sheets and pillows; also check your bath towels before use. Always wear sturdy gloves when handling firewood, lumber, and rocks. Just for safety precautions, check the gloves you do wear before you begin your work. Once a week, it may be smart to remove your bedding for washing and move anything under your bed for weekly inspection to be on the safe side. When handling cardboard boxes, handle with care due to spiders hiding under the flaps of a box. Install tight-fitting screens on windows and doors; also install door sweeps. Seal or caulk cracks and crevices where spiders can enter the house. Install yellow or sodium vapor light bulbs outdoors since these attract fewer insects for spiders to feed upon. Use plastic bags to store loose items in the garage, basement, and attic. Use sticky traps or glue boards to capture spiders. Dust and vacuum thoroughly to remove spiders, webs, and egg sacs and dispose of the vacuum bag in a container outdoors. Use a rolled up newspaper or fly swatter to kill individual spiders.

Scorpions are members of the class “Arachnid a” and are closely related to spiders, mites, and ticks. They are commonly thought of as desert dwellers, but they also live in Brazilian forests, British Columbia , North Carolina , and even the Himalayas . These hardy, adaptable insects have been around for thousands of years, and they are nothing if not survivors. There are almost 2,000 scorpion species, but only 30 or 40 have strong enough poison to kill a person. The many types of venom are effectively tailored to their users' lifestyles, however, and are highly selected for effectiveness against that species' chosen prey. Scorpions have a difficult time living without soil, they are burrowing animals.

Scorpion

http://www.tapirback.com/tapirgal/gifts/friends/insects/scorpion-3d-interlocking-plastic-puzzle-f913a.jpg

Scorpion’s sting, they don't bite. Scorpions sting with a poisoned hook on their tail, which is typically raised prior to an attack. There are many types of scorpions in Arizona . Staying calm makes it easy to treat a scorpion sting. Even if you are stung by the Arizona bark scorpion, “the most dangerous of the Arizona scorpions” it is not likely to be fatal. Local medical centers are familiar with the treatment. The stings of North American scorpions are rarely serious and usually result in pain, minimal swelling, tenderness, and warmth at the sting site. However, the bark scorpion which is found in Arizona and New Mexico and on the California side of the Colorado River has a much more toxic sting. The sting is painful, sometimes causing numbness or tingling in the area around the sting. Serious symptoms are more common in children and include abnormal head, eye, and neck movements; increased saliva production; sweating; and restlessness. Some people develop severe involuntary twitching and jerking of muscles. Breathing difficulties may occur.

Scorpions are nocturnal animals and, therefore, typically only emerge at night. They often hide in dark cracks and vegetation. It is necessary to watch out for dark hiding places indoors such as inside cupboards, under a bed, or in shoes. The stings of most North American scorpions require no special treatment. Placing an ice cube on the wound reduces pain, as does an ointment containing a combination of an antihistamine, an analgesic, and a corticosteroid. The anti-venom is available only in Arizona .

Outdoor cooking with iron will have everyone at your camp! (photos)

2008-08-13T21:00:00Z

Turkey, Photo by Dave Webb

Outdoor cooking seems to make any cooking recipes taste and smell better. Have you ever wanted to use a wonderful cast iron dutch oven while camping, but were afraid you wouldn’t use it right and burn all the food, or burn the food on the bottom and the top be raw? Well, with a few tricks of the trade, you too could be cooking like the outdoor pros.

Did you know that iron pots were first used in the 7^th and 8^th century and became widespread in Europe by the 16^th century where it became an art? They have always been revered as a valuable commodity. In fact, when Lewis and Clark went on their famous expedition, they had to discard many items to lighten their loads, but managed to return with their guns and cast iron cookware. The equally famous Paul Revere is credited with developing the flanged lid of the camp dutch oven so it could be used as an actual baking oven.

One of the first and best cast iron pot companies in America was Lodge. Established in 1896 by Joseph Lodge, it soon became the preferred pans of U.S. citizens and Presidents. There are pans still around from the start of that company which is why the cast iron pot has been and still is a treasured commodity. The Lodge metal formula is exclusively used for cookware, unlike some other cast iron companies, and the process is environmentally friendly. Made correctly, cast iron cookware delivers the best uniform heat dispersion with no hot spots and resists scorching and burning. And the best part is they last forever (well, they seem to, they just haven’t been tested that far).

Photo Lodge Co.

Choosing a good quality cast iron skillet or dutch oven takes a little knowledge. Although I prefer tried and true Lodge cookware, you may want a different brand. The important things to look for in quality iron cookware are consistent metal thickness and finish. Everything should be relatively smooth with only an occasional pit in the metal. If you see swirl marks on the metal it may indicate poor casting that will eventually lead to warping or cracking. You also want snug fitting lids. A little play on the lid while on the pot is OK, but too much means a slowing of the cooking process and poor temperature control inside the pot.

A camp dutch oven will have the legs on the bottom and the flanged lid we already mentioned. The legs create a space under the oven for the coals and the flanged edge insures that the coals will not slide off of the lid. This supplies the heat to the inside and underneath creating the “oven”. The Lodge cast iron camp ovens come in a variety of sizes from 8 inch to 16 inches. Decide how many people you will be cooking for and this determines what size you will need. The 8 inch pot has a 2 quart capacity and the 16 inch has a 12 quart capacity. The shallow ovens are generally used for baking as, since heat rises, it is harder to get the heat from the lid to go “down”. The lid must be closer to the food source to get the biscuits brown on top as well as the bottom. The deeper ovens are for the stews, soups and meat recipes you will be cooking. The oven contents are close to the lid and foods produce steam from the moisture in them which helps maintain an even oven temperature.

Now for the fun part. You will need a few items to be able to cook with your dutch oven. A charcoal chimney starter is a great time saver and a more efficient way to cook with charcoal briquettes. That being said, you will need one of those, some charcoal briquettes (not the pretreated ones, but a good quality brand or your coals will burn too fast), lighter fluid, matches, vegetable oil spray, dutch oven gloves or welding gloves, paper towels, at least 16 inch tongs, a lid lifter, long handled spoon and fork, a chef’s and paring knife, a small whisk broom, and your favorite assorted spices.

Photo from Lodge Co., Lid Lifter

The briquettes will take 15 minutes to get hot so start those 15 minutes before you start cooking. Load the chimney starter with briquettes. Use just a touch of starter fluid. Crinkle a piece of newspaper and insert it into the large opening on the bottom of the starter. Light the newspaper and your coals will be ready in about 15 minutes. If you are cooking something that will take more than 45 minutes to cook, you will need to keep adding hot coals to your oven.

Photo Lodge Co., Charcoal Chimney Starter

Try and choose a site with as much wind break as you can. Now a days, the parks do not always allow you to move rocks around to form a wind break, so try and do it naturally or invest in a camp cooking table where your pots can be placed right on it and it has its own windbreak created by its sides. An advantage of a table is that the food is raised up and you do not have to bend over to tend the pot. Also, several pots can be used at the same time on this table.

Photo Lodge Co., Camp Table

Now prepare your ingredients and spray the inside of the pot and lid with the vegetable spray. Add your ingredients to the pot. Most camp oven cooking is done at 350 degrees F. All you have to do to determine how many coals you will need to attain that temperature is to double the diameter of your cast iron Dutch oven. For example, if you are using a 14 inch oven, you will need 28 coals. When using the deeper ovens, add 2-4 more coals. Each briquette increases the oven temperature about 10 degrees F.

Divide the coals into thirds and place one third under the oven in a random ring pattern. (Use the long tongs to remove the coals from the chimney starter.) Set the pot on top of these. Place the lid on the pot and add the remaining 2/3 of coals on the lid in a random ring pattern. When using the deep pot, the extra coals go on the lid. Because heat rises you need the more coals to be on top to produce the right amount of heat to actually bake. Since ash decreases the efficiency of the coals, you will want to brush it away with a whiskbroom from the top and bottom as it accumulates.

Photo by dutchovendude.com

Grab your favorite beverage and set out some chairs around the cook area for friends and family. The secret to having evenly cooked food is to stay close to the oven and rotate the pot and lid every 15 minutes. The oven is rotated ¼ turn one way and the lid is rotated ¼ turn in the opposite direction. Use the Dutch oven or welding gloves for this job as well as the lid lifter. Be very careful as you do this for the pot is heavy and after a while will be very hot. This is not a job for a small child. Also, be careful as you lift the lid because you do not want to get ashes in your food. (Another reason to have a strong, steady hand.) Lifting the lid too often can slow the cooking process. Rotating the lid is a good time to check your food to make sure it is not cooking too fast or too slow. When you need to stir the food, you will need a clean place to set the lid down on so it won’t get contaminated. A lid stand or a couple of clean rocks will work. Or if you wish, you could bring a cooling rack to set it on.

Photo Lodge Co., Lid Stand

For foods that take a long time to cook, like pot roast, you will have to add new coals every 45-60 minutes. Times may vary for a number of reasons so watch your food carefully. When you notice that the cooking process has slowed, it is time to add more coals and remove the spent ones with the ash. Make sure as you add them or subtract them you do so in the same proportions for top and bottom. When your food is ready, keep a few coals under the oven and on the lid to keep it warm until you are ready to eat.

If your recipe calls for sautéing some ingredients before you add the remainder, you will need to put all of the coals under the oven. After you are done sautéing, add the rest of the ingredients and place the lid on top. Move the necessary number of coals from under the pot to the lid, keeping your 1/3 to 2/3’s rule.

Photo from lifestyle.resourcesforattorneys.com

After a few times cooking with a cast iron dutch oven, you will become a pro at it and be able to impress your family and friends with your culinary expertise in outdoor cooking! You will be amazed how many different dishes can be made in a camp oven. The iron cookware can, of course, also be used in the house oven and work just as well. It is easier to use the dutch ovens without the legs for a home oven.

By Corie Marks

How to avoid a bear attack

2008-08-13T17:13:00Z

Due to recent bear attacks, especially the one in the Smoky Mountains, Adventure-Space is reposting a partial list of How To Avoid Bear Attacks.

The strongest key word here is AVOID. Once a bear begins an attack, one's ability to avoid it is dramtically diminished. Bears travel much faster than humans, weigh many times more than humans, and can be unrelenting in their detirmination to render you harmless. which often means dead.

Most experts admit that bears are very unpredictable in detirming when they will and won't attack. The wise bear observer who just wants a harmless photo will do so with a powerful wildlife telephoto lens that usually costs between $1,000 and $10,000. Most consumer cameras are insufficiently geared to properly photograph a bear from a guaranteed safe distance that an appropriate telephoto lens will afford. As a professional photographer since the 1970s I emplore the average photographic consumer to stay away from bear country all together without proper park ranger guidence.

Stu Marks
Editor-In-Chief, Adventure-Space.com
Outdoor Producer, Adventure-Crew Team Two

BE ALERT IN BEAR COUNTRY

• Always have Bear Deterrent Pepper Spray in its holster ready for immediate use. Don’t bury it in your pack.

• Be alert where recent bear activity has been documented by park officials, Fish and Game, Forest Service, and other public service people. Some common areas where bears like to frequent are: avalanche chutes, stream beds, dense edge cover and, in late summer, berry patches.

• Use extreme caution when traveling on trails at night or at either end of day.

• Be careful with food smells - never cook close to camp. Store all foods in plastic away from camp at night and when camp is unattended. We suggest at least 100 yards from camp and at least 14 feet up a tree hung 4 feet away from the trunk.

• Watch for fresh bear sign (scat or bear tracks) on the trail or near possible camp sites.

• If possible, make plenty of noise on the trail, especially on blind curves, in dense vegetation or areas with limited vision.

• Be conscious of the wind - bears have an excellent sense of smell. If the wind is at your back, chances are a bear will smell you and leave the area well before you reach it. If the wind is blowing in your face, your chances of an encounter greatly increase. Also, in high wind situations or along creeks and streams, a bear might not hear you coming or you might not hear it.

• Dead animal carcass - If you come upon a dead animal carcass, immediately leave the area. Bears will often feed on a carcass for days and also stay in the area to protect their food.

• Bear cubs - If you see a bear cub, chances are the sow is not far away. Female bears will fiercely defend their young, so it is best you leave the area and find an alternative route.

• Keep dogs under control - dogs can lead an angry bear back to you.

• We advise not to travel alone in bear country. Invite a friend. It is always safer to travel in groups if possible.

Information is largely from UDAP.com

For the rest of UDAP's bear safety post, click here.

Hiking Tips for Delicate Environments

2008-06-29T23:58:00Z

Hiking and backpacking are great forms of exercise and recreation. It’s exciting and relaxing for most people to get out in the beauty and wonder of nature. But what about when the environment you are visiting is delicate? Here are several tips to help you enjoy your surroundings without destroying the delicate balance.

Always practice the Leave-No-Trace principles. Plan ahead by knowing the regulations and concerns of the area. Honor all regulations regarding closed areas for wildlife breeding. Camp and travel in small groups rather than large, noisy ones. Avoid popular areas during heavy use times. Leave pets at home while camping in the wilderness.

Learn how to store your food so it is not available to bears and other animals. Several places offer bear-proof containers to use while you camp, often for no charge. Repackage your food into re-usable containers. Avoid tin, aluminum and glass. Reduce the amount of trash you will have to carry out by eliminating unnecessary packaging like cardboard and plastic overwrap. Pack something to put your garbage in.

Select gear and plan the trip to be light and easy on you and the land. Use gear in natural earth tones to reduce your visual impact on the environment. Avoid heavily scented items that can attract unwanted animals or that will leave behind a scent that scares away animals from a needed watering hole.

Make sure that you travel and camp on durable surfaces. Choose a place that has already been used if available. Do not build trenches around your camp. If you are worried about water problems, camp in a higher area. Good campsites are found, not made.

Stay on trails if they exist. Walk in single file in center of path. Use existing trails and do not create switchback or side trails to avoid muddy patches. If traveling off-trail hike on durable surfaces like rock whenever possible. When traveling in delicate wetlands walk on areas that are less wet or in forested areas when possible. Spread out if you are in a group to avoid making new trails. To minimize trail damage, wear as light a boot as possible and safe for conditions. Heavy boots with deep treads compact soils more and tear up trails. Wear camp shoes (sandals or sneakers) to minimize impact and maximize comfort in camp.

Dispose of all waste properly. If you pack it in; you must pack it out! If it was not there when you arrived then don't leave it when you leave! Do not bury trash - animals will just dig it up or it will float up when soils are saturated with water during the wet season. Tin foil and plastic bottles do not burn completely. Pack them out! Pack out the stuff you find that others have left behind. The cleaner a place is the less likely inconsiderate people will feel compelled to trash it. Inspect your campsite and lunch spot before you leave.

Bury human waste in catholes about 6-8" deep at least 200 feet from water sources, campsites or trails. Carry out used toilet paper or burn it in your campfire. Some areas may be very wet, but try to find a spot where you can dig a cathole. Some areas do not allow catholes, so follow the rules on human waste disposal. Wash yourself and your dishes at least 200 feet from water sources; filter your dishwater and carry the food scraps out with your garbage.

Leave nature as you find it. Resist the temptation to collect things, take only pictures and bring back memories. You can't improve the place nature made - don't "improve" campsites by clearing vegetation, adding woodcraft "furniture" or putting nails in trees. If you use a hammock, protect trees with a sock or bandana. Make sure you are allowed to use hammocks where you are hiking.

Consider using a backpacking stove instead of a campfire - your cookset will stay cleaner and so will the backcountry. Many places will not allow fires started in the wilderness. Those areas that do be sure to use established fire rings or place your fire a safe distance from trees and brush and make sure it is extinguished the next day before you leave the area. Scatter the ashes. Leave saw and axe at home (they just weigh a lot) and use only down, dead wood. Be sure you know the rules as to whether you are allowed to cut firewood. Don't peel bark or use rocks for fire rings. The scars left by those practices stay for years. Use small fuels (sticks wrist diameter or smaller) and break into pieces. Be aware of fire bans during dry seasons and honor them.

Most people come to the wilderness to relax and enjoy the solitude. Travel and camp quietly. Radios and other noise devices should be left at home. Camp as far away from other campers as possible. Select earth tone colors for your gear - camping gear and clothing in bright colors stand out in the natural vegetative cover and create a visual intrusion into the landscape. However, hunting season brings a special need to be seen, so wear blaze orange if hiking during hunting season.

Navigate with compass, map and/or GPS to avoid the use of ribbon, cairns and tree blazes. Share your backcountry knowledge and skills, including minimum impact camping and hiking by taking a child along. Teach your neighbor to love the place as much as you do.

By following some simple, common-sense rules, you can enjoy even the most delicate area without causing harm to the surroundings. That way you ensure that those who come behind you have found you faithful and the park as it should be.

New Travel Procedures for Leaving U.S. Soil

2008-06-20T01:27:00Z

Our congressman, Timothy V. Johnson of Northern Illinois Dist 15, posted an article to his web site today that warns Americans about new travel procedures regarding normal vacations that many of us used to take.

Just three years ago, we took a trip to the Bahamas with nothing more than our Illinois driver’s license as our photo I.D.. Soon, you’ll need a passport for most simple cruises like that.

Under new rules passed last year to help ensure the safety of our Nation, travel by air to Canada, Mexico, Bermuda or the Caribbean requires a U.S. Passport. Other forms of identification are no longer accepted.   On June 1, 2009, land and sea travel will be added
to the passport requirement.
      I want to ensure that your travel plans are not affected by a problem with documents. When traveling out of the country, the safest and best document in your possession is your U.S. Passport. Currently, there is a four-to-six week processing period for a passport., slightly less for a passport renewal. Expedited service of three weeks is available at a higher cost.
        If you are planning to travel later this summer, I urge you to plan ahead and obtain your Passport or passport card as soon as possible. The following contact information may be of assistance to you:

State Department Travel Website               www.travel.state.gov
National Passport Information Center          1-877-487-2779
Congressman Timothy V. Johnson Office    1-217-403-4690
Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative www.travel.state.gov/travel/cbpmc/cbpmc_2223

Sweet and Spicy Salmon

2008-04-04T19:36:00Z

This is a great recipe for fresh salmon made stream-side. I adapted this from Ellie Krieger’s recipe on Food Network. I think it would work well with any firm-fleshed fish, but was excellent with Wild Alaskan Salmon. Have the rub ingredients premixed and stored in a small container.

Olive oil

Rub:
2 T. packed brown sugar
1 T. chili powder (I like medium hot)
1 t. ground cumin1/8 t. salt
1/8 t. ground black pepper (fresh ground if you can)

6 (6oz.) salmon fillets, skin and any pin bones removed

If you have a grill, coat it with oil or use a cast iron grill pan and lightly coat. Preheat this over medium heat. Brush/rub each salmon fillet with a small amount of oil and then rub each fillet with about ½ T. of the spice mixture.

Grill the salmon, flesh side down until charred, 4-5 minutes. Flip the salmon (a pair of tongs and a spatula work well together to do this if you don’t have a fish spatula) and cook another 5-6 minutes. If you are using a grill, keep an eye on the fish so you don’t burn it. If using a grill pan, you have a little more leeway. Remove from grill and serve immediately.

Tip Corner; No Gear Left Behind

2008-03-19T19:33:00Z

By Stu Marks

Have you ever run to grab your camera for a quick, once-in-a-lifetime shot, only to find that your camera is fogged up, or the power light is flashing because of moisture or the “Dew” light comes on? There are a number of good reasons to never leave your photo or video gear in the car when you’re not in there with it, and this is one of them.

Digital cameras, whether video or photo, are a lot like people. They like a medium set of temperatures within which to operate. When you let your camera get heated up in a hot car, and then take it into an air conditioned room, you can expect the installed firmware to complain and even execute certain operating restrictions in order to protect the hardware and the memory medium; the card or tape.

Just like strong, contrasting temperature and humidity changes anywhere else, your camera’s interior surfaces can easily collect moisture that can seriously damage circuit boards and mechanical gears and switches.

Take a glass out of your cupboard and fill it with a refrigerated drink. Watch the outside walls of the glass begin to coat with drops of moisture. This is exactly what you don’t want happening to your lenses, circuit boards and servo switches inside your camera gear.

Treat your cameras like people and you’ll never have to worry about this, ever. Don’t leave children, pets, the elderly, groceries or your Cannon Digital Rebel inside a car over night, or in direct sunlight all day.

Simple enough.

Stu Marks was an Advertising Photographer at the age of 18, and has been shooting professionally for over thirty years.