RT @AntonioSabatoJr: FYI: Rob Reiner is so obsessed with making sure Trump goes to jail that he forgot he made over 17 trips to Epstein Isl… 6 days ago
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
Cameron McKirdy of Survival Bros gets naked, and films the Terwilliger Hot Springs near Cougar Reservoir in Oregon by Blue River. Check out the four natural pools, and the wooden structures. The top pool is now under construction. The natural cave, which was a sauna, and the source of the hot springs is being remodeled by experts. They want it to remain as natural looking as possible. Word on the street is that the first pool will reopen as soon as it’s safe, and stable.
Ready or not, my chubby puggle Mocha was going hiking with me. I took the pug/beagle combo to the top. She made the summit by herself, but it was a struggle. It was a sweltering 80 plus degrees out. My poor dog hasn’t been training hard lately. Her exercise routine consists of going from the couch to food and back. But Mocha and I have hiked, so I knew the 5-year-old mutt still had it. I remember the first time I let her off the leash on a trail. She was running back and forth, up and down it. The puggle was so excited to be out of the apartment. I couldn’t contain her. Once she even fell off a cliff as the bank eroded and I had to quickly swing her up by the leash and collar to save her. Mocha is much fatter now, but we are working on it.
When we got to Saddle Mountain State Natural Area her nose was working overtime. There were lots of people hitting the trail, and camping. I brought water, and gave the puggle breaks. I made her sit, and she would lay in the shade when she could. The hike is 5 miles round trip, but the elevation change is brutal. It’s 1603 feet to be exact, with the top at 3283 feet. Mainly I was concerned about her paws bleeding. There is lots of metal fencing on the ground to contain the loose rocks, and I didn’t know if that would bother her. On the way up I kept Moc on the leash, 1 because there’s cliffs, and 2 because lots of people were coming down the trail with dogs. I wanted to protect her. However, on the way down I decided it would be better to let her follow me off leash. She didn’t want to walk on the trail because the gravel was hurting her. So she waddled along side the main path, and didn’t hurt anything. Plus, it was getting late, and we were basically the last down.
On the way we checked out a geocache hidden on a side trail. I’ve found it before, but I wanted to see all the new stuff inside, and sign the log book again. Not many people locate it each year. I traded in a emergency paracord bracelet for a CD with clues to another cache. I’m getting into geocaching because it’s something fun to do while hiking, or when you’re just out and about. There’s more than 2 million geocaches planted around the world. This hobby also forces me to analyze and use maps too. I filmed Mocha and I checking out what was inside the ammo box this time.
After a few solid hours of hiking, Mocha, my cameraman, and I reached the peak. We all sat down and took in the majestic views of the North Coast. You can see the whole coastline, from Seaside well into Washington State. Poor Mocha was beat. She was gasping for air, and I was a little worried about her. We had just enough water left to quench her thirst, but more would have been nice. Usually there is a spring about halfway up that I feel is safe to drink from. My dog did lap up the puddle there, but I wasn’t getting on all fours. In the end, Mocha killed it. I was so proud of her. I kept her motivated with words of encouragement, smacking her butt, and tossing turkey jerky in her mouth. On the way back I told Moc we were going back to the car and home for ice cubes (her fav). My legs were jello, and Mocha was walking funny, but we accomplished the mission. Next time we will be even stronger, and smarter about it.
Mocha knew we were going to the top. If you want to rock a paracord bracelet for emergency preparedness made by Survival Bros, send $8 to cameronmckirdy@hotmail.com via PayPal. Thanks and best wishes from us both.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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. %^).
They are everywhere! There’s billions of berries bursting from the vines right now. Survival Bros challenges YOU to harvest some in your area this summer! What are you waiting for? It’s free food.
I rolled to the Mill Ponds in Seaside, OR with a hommie this morning. We packed in breakfast sandwiches, and found tons of ready-to-eat fruit on the trail. Even more will be ready later this week. I will be back to collect pounds of wild blackberries. They are so sweet! I want to rub them all over my face. I’m going to freeze some for my power smoothies. We collected handfuls today. What a blessing. %^].
I could have sold my soul a long time ago. Instead, I’ve been expressing myself fully, and making all of Earth my home. Having a minimum wage job isn’t going to help humanity or myself. I belong outside, free with the rest of nature to expand.
So I’m living in a tent and couch surfing. There’s nothing wrong with that. I figure it toughens me up. In the outdoors I can test myself, and my gear. Indoors are for fluffy house cats, and domesticated divas watching TV to get their drama fix. The nature of reality isn’t broadcast on TV. The truth is, we are all connected. But it feels like instead of working together, people compete. Compete for girls, money, jobs, cars, and houses. None of that means anything to me. It’s just stuff that can tie you down. I’m endless. You can’t label me. I am as free as the wind. I’ve experienced the highs, the lows, and I’m balanced. I rarely worry. Earth takes good care of me. The authorities are the ones that want to take away your rights and freedoms. No overnight camping they say. I say, that’s what camping is.
Why pay $450 or more per month in rent? That’s crazy. Then you have to commit to an expensive place to sleep. I’d rather find a flat piece of land and make camp. I’m learning important skills like: navigating and reading maps, starting fires, cooking healthy inexpensive meals, and foraging for food. Being homeless gives me an opportunity to be a happy camper with less. I value the small things, like a warm blanket, and friends sharing their survival stories.
The BIG collapse is still coming, but many Americans are already living paycheck to paycheck with little savings. More young people are becoming homeless. They are sleeping in cars with no gas, or crashing on their buddy’s boat for shelter. We need to stop making a big deal out of homelessness, and just help people in need. It’s simple, if you have more, give. I will never be rich because I’d give all my possessions away. I need very little now. Food, water, shelter. To attain those things I hustle, or help people. I don’t think you should have to pay to live. God put me here to do what I want, and to appreciate nature. That’s what I’m going to do. Don’t tell me I can’t sleep on a park bench. Don’t tell me anything. Please just help the less fortunate if you can. The Universe will hook you up. Peace.
Survival Bros by Cameron McKirdy 