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
Survival Bros goes car camping, and cooks food with the new Pinnacle Base Camper Large from GSI Outdoors. The slick gear features their nFORM Destination System, offering a nesting design for compact storage. Watch in HD video as I show you how it works, and clean it with ease.
The camp cookware is top quality. Each item is designed for hard use, and extended durability. The Teflon coating on the two pots, and large skillet is abrasion resistant, so harmful chemicals won’t be scratched off into food. Plus, the metal is proven to distribute heat evenly, for quick cooking. You can see in the vlog how my food is boiling over the entire radius. Also, GSI Outdoors has developed every product they make to be BPA-free. That’s good, because I don’t want my hormones being disrupted. This Washington State based company has the excursion items you need. Carrying around swag from them makes my life much easier, because it does the job, and lasts.
The Base Camper Large is ideal for a group of four, so I intend on using it when I entertain while tenting with friends, or I’m just super hungry. You’ll be glad you got a set like this if you enjoy camping, an preparing meals outdoors. Retail price is $109.95. Visit GSI Outdoors for more info, and check out the Pinnacle Camper set for the ultimate, integrated cooking and eating solution.
Car camping is one of my favorite blog topics. I hope you find it interesting too. Here’s a checklist of my top foods to store in your vehicle. Many items instantly turn into grub by adding hot water. I got ideas for the perfect van dwelling foods by watching YouTube videos of Thru Hikers packing for their long distance trips. Search for Pacific Crest Trail aka PCT, or Appalachian Trail Backpackers online.
Ziplock bags are a trusted way to keep organized. You can even write on the outside with a permanent pen to label things. Plus, plastic sacks maintain some protection from water, rats, an other elements. Let me know if you have any questions about my setup. Add several gallons of distilled and spring water (not pictured), and I’m ready to go off the grid for weeks. I’m stocked up on:
Honey with ginseng, bee pollen, and royal jelly
Drinks: water, aloe water, coconut beverages, teas, fruit juices
Soups in cans to heat and serve, and powdered packets
Protein Powder, plus various green powders (wheat grass)
Pasta Sides, and Dishes like Top Ramen
Dehydrated Food such as Mountain House Freeze Dried Meals (Apple Crisp is my favorite)
Fruit: Fresh Produce like apples and bananas, also fruit strips, bottles, and cans
Nuts and Seeds like Almond and Hemp
Granola Bars, and Oatmeal
Instant Coffee, instant milk
Condiments: Packets of butter, salsa, pepper, salt, raw sugar, mayonnaise, ketchup, and everything else Free and Holy
Canned meats: Flavored tuna, Spam, Chicken Salad with crackers
An hour East of Eugene, the McKenzie River Recreational Trail waits to be conquered. A 26 mile path skirts the cold, rippling waterway. It’s one of America’s premier destinations for bikers, and hikers. Outdoor enthusiasts can also be spotted during the summer on the water in rafts of all shapes and sizes. Survival Bros floated it. However, here’s what’s its like to attack the upper part of the wilderness trail on my bicycle.
The 1986 Volkswagen Vanagon is locked. Bike is ready. God bless my vintage Univega Alpina Pro mountain bike. It’s a hardtail with tire liners for extra protection, so I shouldn’t have trouble pummeling porous lava rocks. This will be my first ride with it off of pavement, or graveled logging roads. Exciting. Water, check. Mechanix gloves, yes. 3M safety shades, on. Let’s crush this.
And I’m off. Going downhill mostly, to Clearwater Lake from the top of the trail. I will have to fill my stainless steel water bottle at the campground. Problem is, it’s hard to know what’s undrinkable, and what’s potable with all the well pumps around. I may have to take a chance, because I’m not buying water. I’m looking forward to adding 2 packets of Airborne Plus Energy into my drink for flavor, vitamins, and minerals.
The plan is to tackle the challenging section of course around the lake first, then take an easy trail back uphill to my vehicle. OK, get centered. Where are you? In the moment. Faster!!!
Root! Pop the front wheel over, and peddle. Good. Lean into this corner. Branch…We’re bushwacking today. Alright, NOW break. Shift weight back, coming off the seat. Who put this tree down here? Ever heard of a chainsaw? Pick up your bike. Thankfully, it’s lightweight, full chromoly frame. I’m so happy I invested in tuning this vintage ride up. The guys at Canyonview Cyclery took care of me. This is the video I produced at their shop after the Univega was restored to glory.
There’s the edge of the water at Clear Lake. I’ve never seen water so pristine. I bet I could drink straight from the lake. Ducks do it. I almost hit one fowl in my way. Move mallard. Already, I’ve narrowly avoided about 10 chipmunks, and a large rabbit too. I’ve seen squirrels try to take on bikes before. They ended up in the spokes without a head. That would ruin my day. I need a bell on this bike of mine to signal wildlife.
Now comes the hard part. Negotiating lava rock fields on two wheels. But I’ve been here before. Only I came from the opposite direction last time. I’m going to have to push it up this long hill. It feels great to get off my butt, and work other muscle groups. I like my new bicycle handle bar ends. Now I have more hand positions, and can really pull myself up steep inclines.
I’m flying. Let’s not forget our 5 D’s of mountain biking: dodge, duck, dip, dive and dodge! Corner! Hard left. Leaning into it, and looking where I want to go. Holy guacamole. I almost sailed into the lake. The canoers would have liked to see that. I’d rather not be fishing. This is what I came to do.
Bump. My nuts. Watch the nuts. You’re going to need those. Oh God, I have to split between a root, and a rock going fast. No room for error. Arrghhh. Made it. But that took all of my upper body strength. I haven’t screamed that loud since…oh, let’s keep it PG. I’m dumping sweat. This is my hell workout. Put it all on the line. Gasp. Exhale. Breath. Sigh. Focused. A few more miles of rocky road, and then a less technical section to savor. The McKenzie River Recreational Trail is damn tough. No wonder it’s one of the World’s most celebrated biking areas. I can do this. Finish strong. I’m the man. BEAST MODE!
I saw this amazing elk herd when I drove to Del Rey Beach in Gearhart, Oregon. I parked my Volkswagen Vanagon in the lot, grabbed my HD camera, and snuck up on them all. I came from the beach, and quietly walked through tall grass from behind to get the shot. I hope you enjoy my footage. This is raw news produced for our alternative news community – Survival Bros. It’s not everyday Mother Nature allows us to see beauty on Earth like this. Experience it. Peace and love.
Survival Bros hunts for urban treasure at local thrift stores around town in Eugene, Oregon. Cameron McKirdy must have been to eight shops that day. All of the searching paid off, wouldn’t you say? Thanks for watching another HD video production. Please subscribe today via email! Happy hunting Survival Bros. More on http://www.cameronmckirdy.com
By Cameron McKirdyI sling a day pack on my back nearly every day. I’ve mentioned the types of things I have in it before, like gear, food, and a warm change of clothes. So when I discovered the Ribz Front Pack, I was stoked. This innovative, steroid injected version of a fanny pack solves many of the challenges I face when backpacking. Here I am with it on the Hummocks Trailhead near Mount St. Helens in Washington State.One issue I have with a regular backpack is I’m constantly taking it off to grab water, my cell phone, or something else that isn’t handy. With Ribz Wear, it’s all right in front of me, so I can continue trail blazing. I also mention in the video how backpacks catch on trees when I have to duck under them. It usually happens a few times each hike, and I practically have to crawl under the obstacle. With my gear in front, navigating through heavy brush is considerably easier. The best part of this system is the pack is easy to adjust. My Dad’s chest and waist are smaller than mine, so after he used it, a quick tug on the straps in back and in front made it comfortable again for me. Plus, Ribz have long, padded shoulder straps, so it feels like a natural extension of your body. Check out the map of different Mount St. Helens Adventures. Back to the Ribz Front Pack review, I must mention the Large version I tested can hold absurd amounts, with an 11 liter capacity. Even with it packed full, I was able to swing my arms freely. My dad wore it, and noted that you could still use hiking poles with it on. Ribz makes smaller Front Packs with 8 liters of room too. Internally, there are separate pouches to keep smaller items organized. These elastic lined compartments will hold all your tools close to your ribs, and prevent them from rattling around. We both ran with it, and the pack remained snug, not bouncing around, or swaying side to side.In conclusion, the Ribz Front Pack is an excellent tool itself. The quality is unbelievable, and far superior to what I expected. It’s lightweight, at only 11 ounces, so it beats a backpack there too. However, I think it would be best suited for use with a rear pack, so the weight of your supplies can be evenly distributed forward and back, thus giving you better posture than wearing one or the other. But if you’re into ultralight backpacking, Ribz might be a dream come true. You can’t machine wash Ribz, but it cleans up nicely with a wet rag. I love the Cordura brand water resistant, ripstop material it’s fabricated with. I will be sporting my Ribz for a long time. I like it so much I want the smaller 8 liter pack too for shorter trips, and cross country running. I just don’t know which color to get next. Check out http://www.ribzwear.com to grab yours.
Cam makes instant coffee with an emergency water packet at Loowit Lookout near Mt. St. Helens in Washington State. Subscribe to Survival Bros on Youtube for more! Thanks for watching! Feel free to comment.
Let me start by saying Happy Holidays! I wish you the best, and hope you give more than you get. Having said that, my fam was in town for Thanksgiving, and Black Friday shopping/trampling. Before my Dad and I set out to hike near Mount St. Helens, they invited me into their hotel for a free deluxe continental breakfast. The feast was on.
The hotel had waffles to make, yogurt, fruit, hash browns, juice, coffee, cereal, eggs, sausage, everything! I can’t say I’ve ever sneaked into a hotel for a free breakfast (before this), but I would if I was hungry. However, when I am a legit guest I do take goodies for the road. Trust me, my pockets get filled with honey packets, peanut butter, whatever. My brother use to creep into fine hotels in Eugene about twice a month to get his fill before class. Andrew blogged about it here on Survival Bros. It’s funny. But I’m not advising you to steal, just sharing a survival tactic for if you’re about to die and need food energy.
You can see in the HD video above I loaded up on the complementary grub, and took it back to their room. I scarfed it, and sipped dank coffee. Then I scoured for other freebies like shampoo, soap, packaged coffee, plus sugars, creamers, straws, napkins, and a new roll of toilet paper. It’s not much, but it will help me get through another day. Being a scavenger is key to survival. Work on that skill just in case. Please visit here regularly. I will be blogging about my 10 mile Mt. St. Helens hike soon. Take care of yourself, and each other. And question authority!
In this HD video clip I relieve pressure on my foot. These big blisters were the result of an 18 mile hike on The Ramona Falls Loop and The Pacific Crest Trail. I should have busted out the Moleskin as soon as it started hurting, but I didn’t think they would develop so quickly, and puff up like this. If your blisters are huge, there’s nothing wrong with poking into them with a sterile knife or needle. You can sterilize your tools by cleaning them with alcohol, a lighter, or boiling them in hot water. It’s also a good idea to soak the wound in Epsom salts for up to 30 minutes. Plus, apply an antibacterial cream like Neosporin before covering with a bandage. Clean the area twice daily if possible too. Prevention is key. Wear thick socks, and break in your hiking boots long before you hit the trail.
Disclaimer: Information provided on the Survival Bros blog is for entertainment purposes. Do what’s right for you.
When you are in the field, your gear has to work. That’s why I pack the best in my bag. I’ve been testing both the Dukjug, and H2O Lite bottles from GSI Outdoors, featured in the HD video review above. I hiked out to Cape Falcon in Oswald West State Park. This Oregon State Park is wondrous, with vast ocean views, and wide waterfalls. The trail was muddy though, but I live to get dirty. It’s 2.10 miles to Cape Falcon from the parking lot on Highway 101. So it took about 45 minutes to get to where I filmed the product review.
The Dukjug is my favorite bottle. It’s stainless steel, and holds 1 liter. The design is fun, and colorful. It’s covered in peace signs, and funky tye dye, so this container fits my hippie personality. GSI Outdoors makes other designs of this jug too, and even a plastic version, all of which are BPA-free. Their Dukjug is unique, because it stores duct tape under the rubber band on the outside. Of course every prepper should have extra tape on hand just in case. I’d use this bottle for hot liquids, and mixing up drinks, like instant coffee or tea. It has a wide lid, so you can store anything inside, even food. The Dukjug tips the scales at 10.1 oz, and retails for $19.95. That’s a value, because unless you drop it off a cliff, it will last a lifetime.
The H2O Lite is super handy to have around. It’s collapsible, and weighs next to nothing, only 0.9 oz. I can just roll it up, and shove it in my backpack. It takes up virtually no space. I like that you can write on it, and date it. Plus, it has a cool cap so it doesn’t leak. When you want a cold drink, just pop the top, and squirt it in your pie hole. Graduations are marked on the back too, which could help with cooking when you need to use a precise amount of water. GSI Outdoors makes smaller versions as well. I would want to bring one of those on my shorter day trips when I’m going ultralight. If you need quality camping gear, look no further than this American company. They have a huge product line you have to check out. More reviews soon. Thanks for visiting Survival Bros. Don’t forget to subscribe to the blog. Peace and love.
My bro known as “Tactical Gypsy” sent me these delicious pictures to blog about. He loves his elk. You can see all the spices and flavorings used to produce the glorious nuggets. Half of the loaves are spicy, half mild. Both varieties went well with pepper jack cheese, sharp cheddar, and even brie on crackers. Most of these will be stored in the freezer tonight, the others gifts.
Here’s the recipe:
8 LBS Elk burger
1/2 cup Morton’s Tender Quick. Mix well & let sit overnight in fridge.
Survival Bros by Cameron McKirdy 