Archive for the ‘SB Tips’ Category

Trading with a Friend for Smaller Goods

Posted: February 25, 2013 in Frugality, SB Tips, Uncategorized
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Today I met up with an old friend interested in trading pocket knifes, for my antique wooden chest. I’ve been packing this cool, big box around for years, but felt like swapping it out for smaller items I can potentially trade or sell later.

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I got this ornate chest in Tigard, OR at a St. Vincent De Pauls for $40 or so. I was going to restore it, but liked the rough, vintage look, and couldn’t bring myself to refinish the wood. I never cleaned the tin exterior either. It made a great shoe box for awhile, but I had my eye on a stash of Swiss Army knives my buddy acquired from an estate sale. We are both hustlers, so I felt like meeting to get some deals going.

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I picked these 18 multitools out of my friend’s collection. I will end up putting a few in small emergency caches to be buried. Some will be gifts, and others I will use for odd jobs. A couple have lights built in too. It felt good to trade for items that won’t be a burden to move. I’m always traveling, so bulk is bad. I will do more deals with this contact, and the possibilities are endless with online networking. Don’t miss out. Be social.

Taking Care of Public Spaces

Posted: February 23, 2013 in Giving Back, Parks, SB Tips, Uncategorized
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Today I felt like exploring. So I biked to The Mill Ponds in Seaside Oregon. The ground was soggy, so I had to pedal lightly to avoid getting sprayed with mud from my tires. Hearing the blue birds chirp relaxed me instantly. Beats traffic noise.

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Right before I got to my favorite spot, I noticed a park bench upside down in the water. I wondered where it went. It’s been a few months since I sat on it from the lookout. Without hesitation I laid my bike down, and tromped through the sticker bushes to get to it. I had seen 2 homeless teens camping there before, and I’m pretty sure they trashed the place.

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I yanked that bench out of the pond, and brought it back to its home. Now everyone can rest and enjoy that epic view again. The seat wasn’t in bad shape, or soaked entirely, so I chilled there for a few. Just another reminder that you can either make the world a better place, or screw it up for the rest of us. There aren’t many public spaces left, so treat them with respect.

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Produced by Cameron McKirdy

Quick Natural Heartburn Cures

Posted: February 17, 2013 in Health & Nutrition, SB Tips
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I had too much coffee, and acidic foods today, so I was suffering from heartburn. I was out of calcium rich Tums, so I tried Pepto Bismol, but that didn’t help. Drinking extra spring water didn’t do much for relief either. So I reached for a natural remedy, Dr. Bragg’s organic apple cider vinegar mixed with water. I was able to burp big time, which helped. Next I drank more water with a couple spoonfuls of pure baking soda. That was the trick. I felt better almost instantly, and had to share this info. I hope that works for you.

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FULL BUDWEISER BREWERY TOUR IN ST. LOUIS

Posted: February 11, 2013 in Adventures, Frugality, SB Tips
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When in St. Louis, I made it out to Budweiser Headquarters, and home of the world-famous Clydesdale horses.  The giant Bud complex is a national historic landmark.  The state-of-the-art bottling plant makes about 6 six-packs per second.  And it takes a month to produce a beer.  Watch the HD video of my tour, and let me know what you think.  I had a blast on the 45 minute tour.  The best was scoring pretzels, and two free beers.  Urban foraging at it’s finest.  Take the tour if you have a chance.

– Cameron

Budweiser Beer Tour picture

Visiting The Pacific Northwest Sportsmen’s Show At The Portland Expo Center

Posted: February 7, 2013 in Adventures, Product Reviews, SB Tips
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gear

The Portland Expo Center is hosting the 38th annual Pacific Northwest Sportsman’s show from February 6 – 10, 2013.  I went on opening day.  It was $8 to park, and another $12 for admission.  I made the trip worthwhile, checking out every booth and demonstration.

This show has something for every adventurer.  There’s boating, rving, and fishing exhibits, to name a few.  So if you’re looking for gear, or ideas on where to travel, this is for you.  I was impressed with the high amount of outfitters around.  There’s a guide for everything under the sun.  Most were for hunting trips, but I saw whitewater rafting experts offering their services too.  I liked talking up the small, mom and pop vendors with interesting, lesser known products.  My favorite item I found is called Squat Strap (www.squatmonkey.com).  It’s a strap that wraps around a tree, or rock to help support you while you go poop.  Brilliant.  Now I can read a business book outside, while doing my business.  I had to get a strap to test.  More on that soon. 

I also talked to a local inventor named Andy Gorman.  He developed the Retractable Tool Tether, so you stop dropping things (www.retractabletooltether.com).  I picked up a few of these to review also.  I’ll put one on my jacket, and one on my EDC backpack.  Maybe I will stop losing things.  Doubtful.

There was lots to peruse, and stuff to sample.  I tasted storable foods, oils, jams, meats, and energy drinks.  Skoal was giving away cans of chew, put I passed.  The Expo was serving beer as well.  And at one booth you could try panning for gold, or buy a small nugget.  Fun, but I will be panning outside.  I shopped knives too, and picked up product catalogs to browse later.   If you like the outdoors better than the indoors, visit this show before it’s gone.   

truck

Top Superfoods List By Survival Bros

Posted: January 18, 2013 in Health & Nutrition, Product Reviews, SB Tips
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By Cameron McKirdy

I’m going to keep this simple. These are my favorite foods on the planet. I think they give me tremendous energy, and superior health.

Seeds – hemp, chia, sunflower, pumpkin, sesame
Nuts – almonds, peanuts, pecans, walnuts
Berries – gogi, blueberries, acai, raspberries
Kombucha Tea (raw and organic)
Yerba Mate
Fresh Spring Water from the source
Coconut water
Raw juice – organic fruits and vegetables (add spinach/kale)
Protein Powder – raw whey, hemp, rice
Eggs – farm fresh
Supplements – bee pollen, propolis, royal jelly, maca root, turmeric, dandelion, milk thistle, calcium/magnesium/zinc, fish oil, marine phytoplankton
Raw honey (lasts forever)
Barlean’s Greens (drink powder)
Cordyceps (and other mushrooms)
Organic soy milk (vanilla)
Aloe Vera juice (with wheat grass)
Avocado
Fresh salmon (try teriyaki salmon jerky)
Sea Vegetables – kelp, chlorella
Raw Chocolate (cacao)
Spirulina and Blue-Green Algae

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Saving Money One Bite At A Time

Posted: January 5, 2013 in Adventures, Comedy and Art, Frugality, Health & Nutrition, SB Tips
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The McKirdy Bros Professionally Eating Ribs

The McKirdy Bros Professionally Eating Ribs

Times are tough, for many people this isn’t the first time they’ve struggled to make ends meet. I’d like to humbly share a time in my life my frugality took a dark but interesting turn. It was 2008 and I was a student at the University of Oregon. My major was international studies and so, in a way I was honing my skills for a life of financial hardship. I was “in between jobs” as they say, and while I had saved enough money to still afford rent, my savings were diminishing fast. Food was expensive. I had contributed to society, paid my taxes for long enough for me to feel less guilty about what I was scheming. I looked to the homeless for inspiration and I found none. “They are doing it all wrong” I said to myself.
 
I had long been a fan of free food so I started brainstorming of all the past places food was a plenty. Buffets. Breakfast buffets. Continental breakfasts. The Holiday Inn Express was closest to my house, so that’s where I first walked in as confidently as possible, to a hotel I’ve never been in before. Oatmeal. Apples. Oranges. Muffins. It was a beautiful display of food not meant for me, which made it even more exciting. I had my backpack on me because my Spanish class was in a half an hour. I ate what I could, and opened my bag to shove a bundle of bananas in. I took an extra muffin for my friend because he was broke like me, and as it turns out I’m very generous with other people’s food. This went on for a while. So long that I started to rank the hotels. Phoenix Inn had apple juice and hot chocolate so I gave it a B+. But breakfast was only one meal out of the suggested 3 a day. I had started noticing official University of Oregon food golf carts zipping around campus. I was lucky enough to have experienced this before at catered public events and so I knew they had the goods. One day in between classes I saw a green cart zip right in front of me and if it were possible I would have jumped right on the back and followed it to wherever it was going, but I had to be more inconspicuous. So, I ran. Calmly. Like I was late for a class across campus. Finally the cart stopped in front of the law building. Taking from future lawyers was alright by me. I wasn’t stealing. I was taking something being offered just not to me. Oh was it delicious. The pasta was seasoned and covered in feta cheese and oil. I was in heaven. The breakfasts and occasional catered meal kept me for only so long. I did some grocery shopping rather often to buy my bulk items of hummus, rice, beans and oats. Cheap nutritious foods. I was at Whole Foods when I noticed a bread man checking the dates of each loaf and then collecting the ones that were about to expire. I striked up a  conversation and he told me that he could give me some just not in the store. He told me to meet him out back. A couple of minutes later he was noticeably more casual with me. He didn’t care about the bread. So I took all that I could. Six loaves of organic whole wheat bread. It only lasted me a few days. 
 
Turns out he gave the rest to the Eugene food pantry, but they always had plenty of bread from other donations besides his company. I looked into the pantry and I qualified. I rode my bike to the pantry, and again only had my backpack. They told me to go outside and they would bring me my food allowance. They rolled out a two level push cart full of canned foods, cold milk and other dairy products including a very cheap pint of chocolate ice cream. I could only carry about a quarter of what I was alloted. I wouldn’t have eaten most of the other stuff any way because it was full of MSG, salt and I knew it would taste awful. 

Eventually I was able to get a job and save up some money so I didn’t have to go to all the trouble, but I had a good run. Without all the ways I found to get free food I am sure I would have started charging groceries on a credit card. I hope I don’t have to do it again, but it is nice to know that sometimes beggars can be choosers if you’re smart enough. I am very thankful for each and every free bite to this day. 

Andrew McKirdy

Andrew Scoring Free Organic Bread

Andrew Scoring Free Organic Bread

Survival Bros Rafting The Nehalem River 2012 – An Unexpected Journey

Posted: December 31, 2012 in Adventures, Comedy and Art, Parks, SB Tips, Sports
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This was a wild trip.  My Dad and I had been scouting the river, and planning the ride down the Nehalem river for months.  He read all he could find on the dangers, and decided to try floating from a higher point at Spruce Run.  After pumping the 14 foot cataraft up, we got it loaded on the trailer, and headed south past Cannon Beach on Highway 101.  Our friend Steve tagged along.  He knows the Nehalem well, and has been fishing for Steelhead on it for years.  We used his rig to shuttle us back to the trailer, and drag the raft up a steep bank at Beaver Slide after traveling 13.3 miles.

This journey didn’t go exactly as planned.  We unhooked the raft too soon, and it fell off the trailer when we were backing it up to the water.  After that mishap, we picked it up by hand, and got her wet.  It was a smooth ride at first, but early into the excursion we lost an oar lock.  Thankfully, Pops was wise enough to have an extra on hand.  Without the oar lock, we would have lost an oar and been screwed.  I had a great time chatting with the boys, and relaxing.  We were also trying to locate a lost dog, that had a $2500 reward for information resulting in his rescue.  No luck on that.  We did however see a coyote, fish, and a bald eagle. 

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Hauling the massive raft on the custom trailer

The Nehalem got rougher, and more dangerous as we got lower on the river.  The water was freezing, and we were wet.  I had a wetsuit, booties, and gloves to stay warm.  On a quick stop I used the spring water I collected to make Mountain House spaghetti with my Jetboil Zip camping stove.  Steve and I warmed our hands on the hot bag as the food cooked.  Near the end of our unexpected journey we ran into more trouble.  We got hung up on a boulder, and spun around.  Then at Salmonberry Drop we got blasted by a 7 foot wave, and my camera went out.  You gotta watch the video in 720p HD.  It was a hell of an adventure.  We got out alive, but not without a little suffering.  We won’t be rafting the Nehalem again soon.

Here’s a fun video I made of the first time my Dad and I rafted the lower part of the Nehalem River. 

Save Money – Don’t Pay Full Retail Prices

Posted: December 28, 2012 in Frugality, Health & Nutrition, SB Tips
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By Cameron McKirdy

Survival Bros shows you all the stuff that is half off in the back of a Safeway grocery store.

Retail is for suckers. Don’t pay full price for anything, ever again. Store owners get everything wholesale, and you can too.

I often start my shopping trip by going to the back of the supermarket. That’s where you can always find items 50% off, because they are discontinued, damaged, or close to their expiration date. You’d think these products are no good, but I’ve found the sale goods are usually organic, and simply not well known, so they go unsold. Don’t be too good to save money. People pass on these deals because they are too proud, and must feel like the product is inferior to what’s on the regular shelves. It’s silly.

Think about getting a membership at a wholesaler like Costco. It will save you cash, and probably pay for the card on the first trip. Be on he lookout for an asterisk on the price sign at Costco. An * means the item is being discontinued, and it’s not coming back, so the price is usually reduced. Buy more then if needed. Not that I support big box stores, but it’s worth going just for the free food samples. I will have to produce a video on that. And my friends that work there seem to be happy.

You can also compare prices online. Additionally, I like to practice patience, and use eBay auctions to save money. Plus, check out smart phone apps like ShopSavvy that get you the best deal possible. The only time I pay jacked up full retail prices is when I’m buying local. Even then I will haggle. Prices are made up. Things are worth what you pay for them.

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The clearance rack at Safeway in the back

Tillamook Head Hiker’s Cabins – Backpacking From Cannon Beach To Seaside

Posted: December 27, 2012 in Adventures, Comedy and Art, Product Reviews, SB Tips, Sports, Survival Bros Challenges
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By Cameron McKirdy

Season’s greetings!  On Christmas Eve my Dad and I hiked from Indian Beach in Ecola State Park to the Hiker’s Camp on Tillamook Head.  We checked out the abandoned World War 2 bunkers, and the viewpoints too.  Pops split, leaving me to spend the night by myself.  In this HD video I show you the trail, my gear, and my fire.  I also cooked up some Goulash thanks to my new flameless cookwear system by Trekmates.  Enjoy the video.  After a two hour nap, I decided to back to Seaside in the dark night.  It was crazy.  I used a glow stick, and my Coast HP14 flashlight to luminate the path.  A recent storm kicked tons of massive trees down.  I had to climb over many, with my 40 pound pack on.  I booked it from the cabins, and got back to Seaside in just over 2 hours, covering 4 gnarly miles of ground.  It was an intense op.  I lost the trail briefly once, slightly rolled an ankle, and nearly slipped down a steep bank.  It was one of the most rewarding, and challenging adventures of my life.  Next, I plan to raft the Nehalem river this weekend.  Thanks for visiting Survival Bros.  I’d appreciate your comments, and likes.  %^).

Indian Beach photo P1000380

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