Love and kindness are the very basis of society. If we lose these feelings, society will face tremendous difficulties; the survival of humanity will be endangered. - Dalai Lama
I get a kick out of being an outsider constantly. It allows me to be creative. - Bill Hicks
The status quo sucks. - George Carlin
“If the fool would persist in his folly, he would become wise.” – William Blake
Hey friends. I had to show you my Swiss Army multitool. This is a super rare traveler’s set. I couldn’t even find a picture of it on the internet. I bought this 10 years ago while traveling through Europe. I saved around 50% by purchasing it in Switzerland, compared to the states. The set cost me 127 Francs. Which today converts to $138.99 US. It’s one of the nicest knives Victorinox makes, and came with a compass, Maglite Solitare keychain flashlight, and leather carrying case. The best part is, I got the side of the knife engraved with my name for free. It’s mint, but I’m going to start using it as part of my EDC, or every day carry.
Unfortunately, I left the batteries in the flashlight, and now I can’t get the end cap off to fix it. So I’m sending it to Maglite for a free repair or replacement. I just have to pay for shipping. That’s the second flashlight I’ve found this week that had the batteries leak. Not cool. Lesson learned. Take the batteries out, or keep them fresh. You can find just the knife for sale online for about $75. It got a 5 star rating on Amazon. It’s no wonder, because they’ve been in business since 1884.
Yesterday I saw this amazing buck in Astoria OR. I grabbed the camera, and got right up to him. He walked my way. I thought it was about to go down! I would have won. Still, what a beautiful beast.
– Cameron McKirdy
A few years ago I gave up my Cadillac. It was a waste of money to operate, and I love being active anyways. This blog is about my use of alternative transportation, while surviving on the Oregon Coast.
Riding my mountain bike has been option #1. It’s way cheaper to use than a car. I’ve had to repair my Mongoose several times, but at least I can do some of the work. It’s not like a computerized vehicle, where I have no chance of fixing it. I’ve saved thousands of dollars by not driving, and haven’t had to get a real job. It’s allowed me to do things like run this blog, and avoid the rat race entirely.
I also love walking. I have rain gear and an umbrella, so I don’t have an excuse to not get outside. If course Oregonians don’t actually use umbrellas, but I know how to. The key for me is being comfortable moving around outdoors. I have a variety of shoes for the job, including boots for mud, sandals for the beach, and light running kicks too. Plus, I make sure to have rain gear on hand, or at least an emergency rain poncho just in case. I walk many miles each week. It keeps me loose, and strong.
This summer I also made a point to hitchhike. I walked along Highway 101 for a few hours before someone finally swooped me. The trick is to find a place where drivers can pull off the road, and staying in that open area. The gentleman that picked me up told me about his days thumbing on the road. He told me to bring toilet paper or I’d be sorry. Hitchhiking isn’t a viable option really. You can’t rely on others like that, especially if your in a hurry. But it was fun trying, and I will get around that way again for the hell if it.
I’ve been riding the bus at least once a week too. It’s great because in December you can donate a can of grub to the food bank for a free pass. Most riders have been taking advantage of that offer, unless they already have a monthly bus pass. You meet all sorts of people on the bus. Some want to borrow my phone, while others feel like talking the entire trip while I listen to music. Still, I like riding the bus. It’s a giant carpool, and less damaging to the environment than if everyone drove a car.
I have said cars are for lazy people. I think that’s true, especially if you never use your own power to get around town. We sit so much as it is anyways. I will own a vehicle again, but there’s no hurry. I’m more free without one. Less is more. Good luck getting to your destination over the holidays. Remember there’s more than one way to get there. I have Rollerblades too. Lol. Peace.
– Cameron McKirdy
Pets love trails. We run, jump, and play in the mud, and our puppy does the same. Here at Survival Bros, we care about our animals, so we take good care of them, and prepare for their survival needs. This is a short list of items to have in a pet first aid kit. Some of these things you may already have on hand. All items can fit in a large Ziploc bag, which we like so everything is easy to see. Any portable waterproof container would be wise. Or you can even make a tactical dog vest, so they can carry their own gear. The point is, make one that works for you and your furry friend too.
Blunt tipped scissors to cut away clumped hair, or tangled sticks without poking your pet.
Bottle of eye wash solution is a great sterile way to flush any debris from your pets eye.
Hydrogen Peroxide works well for cleaning small wounds.
Triple antibiotic ointment for dressing wounds after they have been properly cleaned.
Sterile nonstick pads are best as adhesive strips don’t really stick to puppy fur (Vet Wrap).
Nail trimmers, tweezers, and comb.
A leash in case it’s not your animal your treating, you still need to be able to control them if they are able to walk.
A big clean towel to dry them off, warm them up, or if needed, stop bleeding by applying pressure.
A muzzle that fits your animal is good to have in your kit in case they are scared, or hurt bad enough. You love them, they love you, but in a fear moment while you’re trying to help them, they might bite you. Also consider putting a plastic cone around their head to prevent further injury.
Rain coat or poncho with hood.
Harnesses are helpful.
Also, make sure to have your animal’s tags on them in case they get lost. You can also have a microchip implanted in your pet for security reasons, and tracking. It’s a little 1984, but it could come in handy if a collar breaks.
Instant Cold Pack for swelling.
Benadryl (diphenhydramine) for insect bites and bee stings.
Rectal thermometer.
Gloves.
Extra pet food and water.
Basic first aid is applicable to animals and humans. Knowing how to properly clean and dress a wound is survival basics. Being able to do it on yourself, someone else, or a pet means you can potentially safe the life of a loved one. In an emergency, remember to keep calm, think rationally, and address one issue at a time. Be extreme out there people, and take your pets outside with you! And please visit Survival Bros again soon. Peace.
This weekend my buddy Mac and I biked from Astoria to Fort Stevens State Park located along the Oregon Coast. It was dumping rain. Nearly two hours later, we checked into hiker biker camp, and begun another wild Survival Bros adventure.
Luckily, Mac’s wife Shauna was kind enough to drop our gear off at camp. Riding in with a 50 pound backpacking bag would have been brutal, and unsafe since we had to negotiate the narrow shoulder of the Astoria bridge. Semis were seeing how close they could get to clipping us. Setting up the massive 8 person tent was easy. The only break we got in the weather occurred when we made camp. After our gear was setup, lantern hanged, and sleeping bag unrolled, we tightened up our boots and peddled deeper into the state park.
Along the path we stopped to identify many mushrooms. The park was exploding with life. Fungi hunting season is far from over. There were huge patches of fresh Amanitas everywhere. One had a bite taken out of it, as we could see teeth marks. Must have been a deer, or a crazy person.
Over the last few weeks, my pals and I have scoured a good chunk of Fort Stevens. It’s incredible how many types of terrain there are. From Coffenbury Lake, to the dunes near the Pacific Ocean. I finally found King Boletes just south of the jetty, west of the road. I hunted down the biggest King growing under a tree branch, in pine needles. I got video of me cutting it, but the power is out in Astoria now, so I can’t edit the HD footage. Here’s a photo of the big boletes we found. The choice mushroom nuggets are going in an omelette immediately, and spaghetti tonight for dinner.
Due to my phone about to die, and the power being out, I’m uploading this blog now. I will complete the story, and add more pictures and video very soon. Stay safe out there. We are getting blasted with 98 MPH winds right now. Peace.
– Cameron McKirdy
This is a picture of Seaside, OR taken today!
Update: Back to the story. Mac and I spent one night in hiker biker camp. It’s $6 per evening. Fort Stevens actually moved the spot, because where they usually stash the gypsies floods this time of year. When we got into our tent we were soaked. I quickly changed my clothes, then we started making dinner. I busted out a Mountain House lasagna, and boiled the water for it in my Jetboil Zip. After sitting for a good ten minutes in the bag, it was ready to dish out. Mac prepared 8 beef hotdogs on his Coleman stove. The warm grub was much needed. We biked around 15 miles that day.
After mushroom hunting on day one, it poured back at the tent. Luckily the spot we pitched our tent didn’t flood. We didn’t realize how bad of a storm it was until we were in it. Thank God we had shelter. The stoves kept the tent warm for awhile, until we passed out. I was also glad I brought my small windup lantern. It was bright for maybe 25 minutes in between cranks. After that, it cast just enough light to not stumble over our gear and dirty dishes.
On day two in Fort Stevens we ate another Mountain House freeze dried meal for breakfast. I love their blueberry granola with milk. I added freeze dried apples too. We had two more hotdogs each, then set out on our bikes again. This time we went out toward the South Jetty. That’s where we found the King Boletes. I was so amped to find those monster mushrooms. We saw other mushroom pickers out there, and duck hunters too.
We smashed through the brush for a few hours, but the storm kept getting crazier. Mac and I were totally drenched. But the trip was well worth the suffering. We put food on the table, and learned a lot along the way. Foraging is so fun! Supermarkets are for suckers. Our ride swooped us, and we made a clean getaway, and broke camp. You know Survival Bros will be out there again soon. Cheers.
Cameron McKirdy Mushroom Hunting at Fort Stevens State Park
Video of our mushroom foray on the North Oregon Coast
OMG! We created a legendary sauce with bacon ends and bits, Hot Jimmy Dean sausage, ground beef, fire roasted tomatoes, tomato paste, Newman’s Own organic tomato sauce, and an egg. I added red pepper flakes, garlic and onion powder, and freshly ground black pepper. It doesn’t get any better. Unless you pick up a loaf of soft, buttery, garlic bread, which we did. There was no room for a salad on my plate. This was an EXTREME dinner. In fact, we made enough for a few extra meals. Thumb up the HD video montage, and please subscribe to Survival Bros on Youtube. Thanks for watching. You’re awesome!
Survival Bros had another full weekend. Friends and I journeyed to Cannon Beach, and took the snake-like road to Indian Beach to explore.
The park was nearly empty. I’m use to it being packed with surfers and hikers in the summer. We huffed the path down to the sand, and walked south. The rock formations at Indian Beach are incredible. The tide pools are bursting with life. We found creatures small and large such as barnacles, mussels, starfish, sea anemones, and a dungenous and hermit crab.
Plus, higher on the beach Mac and I identified a patch of medicinal Turkey Tail mushrooms growing on driftwood. He bagged them. Later the shrooms will be ground up, and put in vegetable capsules for preservation. Gotta love free meds. In Chinese medicine they are recognized as yun zhi (云芝). They are known to boost the immune system. We scored two sand dollars as well.
After wandering around Indian, we cruised to Haystack Rock. The tide pool there is famous. I remember visiting in grade school on field trips. We found more of the same sea life here. No sign of One-Eyed Willie, or the Goonies! Beach combing was a blast. The Oregon Coast is legendary.
Watch Survival Bros cook up and epic feast! We added only the finest ingredients, including: steak, bison, bacon, beans, corn, tomatoes, three types of peppers (jalapenos, serranos, habanero), onions, brown sugar, and more. Just check out the HD video montage, and try not to drool on my website. This is a survivalist meal all the way. We prepared enough for several suppers, and froze some for later. I hope you guys and gals are eating good. Best wishes.
It’s mushroom season!!! My friends and I recently went to Fort Stevens for a talk about wild mushrooms, followed by a hunt around Coffenbury Lake. It’s early yet, so we didn’t find much, but we learned a lot. I hope you enjoy the informational HD video, and get into fungi! I can’t wait to go shroom hunting again this weekend. At the park we found a mushroom called “Pine Spikes.” They are edible, but not very tasty. More soon from Survival Bros! Peace and love.
Survival Bros by Cameron McKirdy 