The $25 Survival Challenge
* Part 1: The Challenge
Recently at the
conclusion of a mens bible study in mid December my son-in-law (a fellow
prepper) and I approached another preparedness-minded individual. After a few
minutes of small talk the topic of conversation turned to a coming $25
challenge. Besides being a naturally curious person, I was feeling REALLY left
out and asked one of them to enlighten me!
The challenge goes like this: camp overnight in a Michigan winter taking
only 3 individual items from home and whatever $25 cash buys from Walmart!
Without giving it a second thought, I blurt out "I want to go!". Just that quick and with those for simple
words I was committed!
* Part 2: Preparations
The next week , a
notification pops up on my phone. The group text announces the date is set! We
were to embark on this adventure the morning of January 28th! Swiping away the
messaging app my next selection is the weather app. DRAT, the extended forecast
isn't shedding much in the way of info about the date! Michigan natives know
winters can be fickle, ranging on rare occasions from up to 40 degrees all the
way down to 10-15 BELOW ZERO! The current temperature 10 degrees sat there
daring me to back out before we even got started. One week passed still the
temperature refused to budge. Checking the weather became a daily ritual till a
fairly clear depiction of the weather could be coaxed out! What it tells me quite literally chilled me
to my core! The high would be a balmy 15 degrees and the LOW OF -6! At this
point rational thinking attempted to reach through my thick skull but the male
ego is a powerful thing, providing motivation where common sense and
conventional wisdom fall short!
Messages flew back and forth amongst our group of intrepid campers. Alot of these messages centered on the guidelines for the challenge. It was established early in the conversation that cold weather clothing and meds for chronic health conditions were exempt from the 3 individual items we could bring from home. However it was also clarified what exactly constituted as an individual item. For instance if a freeze dried hiking meal had more than 3 ingredients it had to stay behind! Equipped with this knowledge, overthinking immediately ensued ! Taking a deep calming breath, I began recalling everything ive studied in survival, prepping and Bushcraft books. First thing that needed to be done was a threat analysis. The biggest threat in this scenario was the temperature! After much deliberation I settled on the following three things from home
* Sleeping bag: The bag would provide an extra layer of insulation from the ground and if push came to shove I would be able to wrap up in it to stay warm
*Gerber 14" machete: Long enough to baton firewood and light enough to
carry with little to no effort . The serrated back side would be an additional
help cutting larger branches needed to make a bush craft shelter.
* An
old style campfire percolator: At first look , yes it does seem a bit odd but
there was a method to my madness here. I could use it to sterilize water
ANNNNND make warm beverages.
Next was the
Walmart shopping spree! We could not reveal our purchases with each other till
arriving at camp when we would pool resources. To ensure we would not be coordinating
purchases , our items had to be procured online. At this point I could :
1) Take the gamble that someone else was going to pack
common sense things like matches , freeing up the dollars I would spend on
those things for "bigger ticket" items.
or
2) Approach this as if I was going to be dropped in the
wilderness alone and shop accordingly
Option 2 seemed to be the more prudent course. With this in mind my first priority became 3 6x8 tarps and 50' of 550 paracord. Between these items and what could harvested from the forest I could build a suitable dwelling against the frigid night in the forecast. Under normal circumstances I carry a bic lighter as part of my EDC, but rules are rules and anything in my pockets (excluding my wallet and albuterol rescue inhaler) would have counted toward my 3 items, so my next priority would be fire making. Adding a box of wooden matches to my cart solved that dilemma. Lastly is water and food. Water wasn't as big a consideration as Michigan just received a healthy dumping of snow. I could pack the percolator with the fluffy white stuff and boil it down to drink. All that was left at this point was food. Fasting became a strong consideration but the necessity of the extra calories needed to fuel making camp and just keeping warm quickly dispelled this notion. Menu selection was a 3 way balancing act between cost , proteins and carbs. Addressing the carb part of the equation first I opted for 2 of the styrofoam cups of ramen noodles. First off when shopping on a budget you cant go wrong with $.30 a container. Secondly and probably more important was multiple uses. The styrofoam container would be rinsed out the best it could and be repurposed as a drinking cup. Proteins came in the form of the walmart brand "Slim-jim" like snack sticks. Rounding out the menu was a 12 count box of the quintessential comfort drink, swiss miss hot cocoa. Not only was it a warm beverage but it also gives a little bit of a sugar boost for the ole metabolism.
Leaning back in the office chair , mentally going over the things needed to make it though the night: Shelter (check), Water (check) and food (check). Looking at my cart and the realization hits me..."I STILL HAVE ABOUT $5.00 TO SPEND". I couldn't just leave money on the table like that! Taking a moment to think this through , I've addressed the big 3 but it still feels as though somethings missing. Then the light came on , Hygiene! More specifically what to do when nature places the call that will NOT be sent to voice mail. The moment to bare ones posterior to frigid temperatures will already seem like an eternity and should not be further complicated in any fashion ! Even after remediating the preceding revelation with a travel sized pack of wet wipes, my cart total displays around $22.00. It should NOT take an individual over 2 hours to spend a total of $25.00 yet there I was! Desperation leads to the sporting goods department where I then sort the entire department from least to most expensive. After 2 pages of browsing 2 things FINALLY stand out ! Fireplace fire starters and the disposable hand warmers. The former would be helpful to quickly get a fire started and the latter could be used in my gloves OR my boots. At last I can check out and hit the sack for the big day the next day.
Part 3: Camping
Sleep totally
evades me the night before the trip . Staring
at the ceiling second , third and fourth guessing my shopping list and
gear from home. 6:45 AM rolls around and I stumble into the kitchen to make a
cup of coffee and prepare for the adventure that lies ahead. As I dress Im
reminded of the line from Shrek "ogres are like onions they have
layers" First comes the Champion base layer pants and the Adidas
long sleeve compression fit shirt. The
next layer is comprised of a light weight 1/4 zip shirt and my favorite fleece
lined EddieBauer hiking pants. Laying on yet another layer with an Under Armor hoodie
and 2 pairs of socks , first a basic "run of the mill" athletic sock and
the second a pair of 100% wool ones . Topping this all off is a pair of Schmidt
insulated bibs , a winter coat , leather gloves , beanie hat, Lacrosse
insulated muck boots and a shemagh for my face. Im sure if I had stepped on any scale at
this point my body weight would have been at least 10-20% higher than normal
but surprisingly even with all these layers I didn't feel in the least bit
constricted in my movements. All this clothing could not quell the
"naked" feeling in the back of my mind. Had this been any other day
an inventory of EDC things on my person would look like this : A Gerber
Truss multitool on my right hip and a Bic lighter , albuterol rescue
inhaler , pocket knife of some sort and
my CoastHX5R rechargeable flashlight in my right pocket. As said earlier the inhaler was
exempted from my three things from home but I still felt like a part of me was
left behind.
Loading
up the items from home in the truck was a display in scale from the minimalist
three basic items to the creative attempt at making a "carry bag" out
of emergency blanket. I did see a common thread that was assurance that I
wouldn't have to turn in my "man card'!
Most of the guys brought sleeping bags. I had this fear that I would be
the one and only "wimp" showing up with a sleeping bag while the
others would go the "tough guy" manly route and make Bushcraft
bedding. With the truck loaded next stop
was walmart! Loading our provisions was
executed flawlessly with everyone getting exactly what they had purchased.
Finally we can leave civilization. A little while later were disembarking at a
state game area.
The clock in the truck reads 9:30AM . All 5 of us mark that
time, we wouldn't be returning to this spot for another 24 hours ! Before I
gather up my items and follow the rest of the team into the snow covered woods,
I discreetly use my Garmin Instinct watch to drop a pin for the trucks
location. Id never been with this group of guys in the woods and a little bit
of navigational insurance never hurt anyone!
The
woodlands are a picture of tranquility, fresh snow hung on the branches and
squeaked under our boots as we made our way to the pre-selected camp site. Off to my right is a river , mostly frozen
other than patches here and there of open water. These sites give me pause to
dwell on the beauty the Creator of all the universe blesses his people with if
we only take the time to stop and notice!
Finally
after a 20 minute walk we arrive in a small clearing on a bend in the river.
There are quite a few dead fall trees within easy walking distance for firewood
and building materials for our shelter.
It was at this point we christen the site with the first of 2 cheap
outside thermometers! Within a few minutes its registering a balmy 18 degrees
above zero!
Now Camp "Jackson-Lincoln" (named after the name sakes on the twenty and five dollar bills) had been officially established with could get down to the task of building our shelter. Spreading out all of our available resources both packed in and purchased :
7- tarps of varying size2-Balls of Jute Twine150'-550 paracord2-14' SOG bowie style knives1-Hand Buck Saw1-14' Gerber Machete
A rather lively discussion ensued given the materials on
hand what should we build. After a few moments we settled upon a plan for a
make shift lodge with sloped tarp sidewalls, pine needle floor and a
predominately pine bough roof to keep most of the heat in but allow for smoke
ventilation. Everyone selects a work
buddy and the area became a flurry of activity. Some are gathering sapling
poles =34while others are gathering pine boughs for the floor and roof . Hours
pass quickly as the shelter begins to take shape. At one point I paused and took a temperature
reading and the mercury is falling at a steady rate. Finishing up the task I was working on I went
inside the tent. The walls are up and the roof is starting to come together.
Finding spot somewhat center in the tent we scrape away the snow and make
makeshift fire pit and hang the second of the thermometers nearby.
Another hour or so passed and as it did the sun was starting to sink lower and lower. The roof was finally on and the temperature inside was a relatively comfortable mid to high 30's . It was decided at this point we needed to focus the rest of the time on gathering more than enough firewood to last all through the long cold night. Another couple hours of hacking , sawing and stacking ensued. When it was finally decided we had enough fuel sitting inside the tent we all crawled inside and settled in for the long night ahead of us . A 2 hour "fire watch" schedule was agreed upon and dinner preparation began in short order. I received yet another lesson in the dinner hour. While outside packing my percolator with snow to boil down for my ramen that a realization smacked me right between the eyes, "Hey dummy, in all the agonizing you forgot a VERY simple item... Plasticware!! " So while my water was heating by the fire I set about fashioning make shift chopsticks out of a pair of twigs!
The conversation meandered from one topic to another the remainder of the evening. Eventually most of the crew settled into their sleeping arrangements.
My boots and
overcoat are the only things I shuck before climbing into my bag . Slumber did
not instantaneously claim me as it does at home when sitting my in recliner at
home . Eventually I did fall asleep. It felt like I had just closed my eyes but
in reality several hours has passed when my toes started to complain about
being too far from the fire. This would
be, when looking back on the trip , a facepalm moment. I blame it on sleep
clouding any rational thinking from occurring.
Had I given it a little thought, all it would have taken was rolling
over and getting the disposable hand warmers out of my gear. The simple act of activating
them and sliding them into my socks would have blessed me with at least a few
more hours sleep! Alas this was not the case however and within a few minutes
im fully and out of my bag. But now im not alone 3 out of the 5 of us are awake
and huddled around the fire. The discussion is bantered around is whether we
cut enough wood to last till daylight.
I however have much more urgent things demanding immediate
attention. Routines can be so inconvenient , this one especially. Mother nature
is calling me outside the shelter! Reluctantly I trudge outside. The cold that
assaults my face and hands is unrelentingly bitter and the thought of baring my
nether regions to it is disconcerting. Back to the wind the seconds feel like
an eternity but I finish without getting frostbite. Pausing at the outside thermometer a quick
check reveals its 10 BELOW ZERO!
Clambering back in the shelter a quick temperature check for comparison
and the 35 degrees inside feels balmy !
The remaining few
hours pass relatively quiet as guys catch short naps and others engage in low
conversation. Finally what could be seen of the eastern sky transitions from
the black of early morning to grey of twilight. Slowly grey gives way to pink ,
then red as the sun peaks over the tree line. As woods come alive so does camp.
Breaking down camp takes a fraction of the time it took to set up. Watching the
fire being extinguished feels as though a very close friend had just passed
away. Once the last sweep of the camp site is done ensuring that we leave it as
close to nature as possible we trudge back the way we came back to the truck
triumphant!
The discussion on
the way back to civilization was sharing observations and lessons learned. A lot
revolved around the practical things, what should/shouldn't have been packed
etc . The biggest and most important is found in scripture :
1 Corinthians 12:12-27
[12]For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all
the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.
[13]For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body,
whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all
made to drink into one Spirit.
[14]For the body is not one member, but many.
[15]If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am
not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?
[16]And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am
not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?
[17]If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing?
If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling?
[18]But now hath God set the members every one of them in
the body, as it hath pleased him.
[19]And if they were all one member, where were the body?
[20]But now are they many members, yet but one body.
[21]And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of
thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you.
[22]Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to
be more feeble, are necessary:
[23]And those members of the body, which we think to be less
honourable, upon these we bestow more abundant honour; and our uncomely parts
have more abundant comeliness.
[24]For our comely parts have no need: but God hath tempered
the body together, having given more abundant honour to that part which lacked:
[25]That there should be no schism in the body; but that the
members should have the same care one for another.
[26]And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer
with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it.
[27]Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in
particular.
All of us approached
this with the mindset of having to "go it alone" . Could it have been
done solo, Maybe ? It would have been much more difficult and given the cold
temperatures, even dangerous. Adding my Christian brothers made it very
doable. Just as we as individuals
brought things that the group collectively benefited from, We all bring
strengths and talents to the body of Christ that others may lack in , and
conversely my brothers and sisters in the Church carry me in my weaker areas. In conclusion Id like to leave you with this
thought , Our world is in turmoil and is only going to get worse as the day of
the LORD approaches. We NEED our brothers and sisters .
Hebrews 10:23-25
[23]Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without
wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)
[24]And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and
to good works:
[25]Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves
together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the
more, as ye see the day approaching.
Have a good Day and the LORD bless
~Jayson
