Activity for roryalsop‭

Type	On...	Excerpt	Status	Date
Answer	—	A: Do I need to worry about feral dogs or even wolves if I camp in random areas while hitchhiking in Georgia (the country)? According to @mojzis' link, there is a chance of wolves: So perhaps the most useful recommendation would be to speak to locals in each area you travel to, to understand what areas are considered safe, and whether they have local guidelines on food storage, proximity to open areas, gun permits etc.... (more)	—	almost 12 years ago
Answer	—	A: Forecasting the weather in the wilderness As @slybloty says, there is no hard and fast rule, however: For your location, be aware of prevailing winds, the location of seas, coasts, mountains, deserts etc. as these will guide your guesses When rain associated with a front is coming through, gusts of wind will increase as the relative densit... (more)	—	almost 12 years ago
Answer	—	A: How do I identify dangerous, marshy land? You can get a lot of the way towards understanding which ground has a good likelihood of being marshy from full use of Ordnance Survey (or equivalent) maps, and looking at the type of rock in the area you will be hiking. Good quality maps give a lot of detail around topography, so you can look at sl... (more)	—	almost 12 years ago
Answer	—	A: What to look out for when buying used backpacks The key points to look for are wear at the joins between webbing and buckles, or between webbing and the fabric of the pack itself, as these will typically go first. Then look for rips, tears or areas worn thin in the fabric of the pack - on all sides and underneath. The top is probably less of an ... (more)	—	almost 12 years ago
Answer	—	A: Number of people in a boat? For commercial vessels, such as ferries, most countries do have regulations which boats are assessed against, and a maximum number of passengers are defined for each boat. There are also a number of countries where this doesn't apply, or where regulations are not enforced. Update - removed the res... (more)	—	almost 12 years ago
Answer	—	A: What can I do I to loosen up my outboard steering? Russell's comment is very valid, however the first things to look at in any case: If the outboard is moved by cable from a steering wheel, check every cable guide and the bearings in the steering wheel. All should be lubricated, without rust and freely moving. The bearings on the outboard pivot sho... (more)	—	almost 12 years ago
Answer	—	A: How to make two strand cord or string? You can easily make two strand cord out of a variety of materials - I have done it with long grasses, but any relatively long fibrous material can work, including the fibres from inside woody stemmed plants, strips torn from a t-shirt, even plastic bags. Where you have flattish grasses, you can roll ... (more)	—	almost 12 years ago
Answer	—	A: What is the best stroke for swimming in rapids aggressively? A version of crawl is your best bet - a bit like that used by triathlon swimmers when they come to close quarters swimming - but with breast stroke or sidestroke legs. Don't have the head in as you would for proper crawl stroke, but keep your face up. Use a low crawl arm stroke and a breast stroke o... (more)	—	almost 12 years ago
Answer	—	A: Avoiding compression when packing synthetic sleeping bag Guidance that came with my extreme sleeping bags was to randomly stuff, as @Russell commented, trying to use a different pattern each time, and to hang it over a line and give it a good beating when you return home. The small bags they came with seem fine - and they have lasted 10 years+ so far. (more)	—	almost 12 years ago
Answer	—	A: Under which conditions are weather forecasts reliable? The usual method, and actually the one meteorological offices use the world over is to run multiple models with slightly different parameters. When all the outputs show generally the same result they have confidence in the forecast, and when they come up with different results they have low confidenc... (more)	—	almost 12 years ago
Answer	—	A: What is Geocaching? Simply put, a cache is hidden at a particular location, and clues are provided (usually via a website, but any media can work) so that searchers can find it. The usual plan is then to open the cache, take an item from it and replace it with something you have brought, and then note your discovery ei... (more)	—	almost 12 years ago
Answer	—	A: What should I replace guylines with? One of my tents has fluorescent paracord - it doesn't glow in the dark, but is incredibly bright and can easily be seen. We also attach some of it as guidelines when pitched in wilder areas to help the kids find their way to the tents in the dark. It works well - typically the only people who trip ov... (more)	—	almost 12 years ago
Answer	—	A: What gear for sleeping in wild camping in western Scotland in May? Update on the sleeping side of things: I would use a relatively light sleeping bag, at most a two seasons one. It doesn't get that cold in Scotland, as the north Atlantic drift keeps our climate pretty mild all year. In terms of tents the key is to get one which can cope with winds as they can get... (more)	—	almost 12 years ago
Answer	—	A: What is the proper way to tarp tent to avoid condensation? The key differentiator between tarps and more modern tent material is the breathability and wicking you get from modern materials. Modern tents are very effective at passing moisture outside, but even then, you still see the recommendation that you don't let anything touch the inside of the tent dur... (more)	—	about 12 years ago
Answer	—	A: How can I tell if a wild bird is legally protected? You'll actually want to prepare before you go hiking: Understand what hunting regulations are in force (ie is there an allowed hunt?) Use a whitelist rather than blacklist (ie understand the common birds you can shoot) Understand where you are allowed to shoot Then, once hiking, if you see a bird... (more)	—	about 12 years ago
Answer	—	A: What should I as a beginning surfer consider when buying my first longboard? If you have never surfed before, avoid going for a really long one - they are very unweildy, can be difficult to get up to speed, and are a pain to carry back to the car when you are tired out :-) As far as width goes - can you sit up comfortably on it? And can you fit it under your arm? Islesurfbo... (more)	—	about 12 years ago
Answer	—	A: What is a good source of vitamin C in the wild? Scurvy Grass Sorrell has leaves rich in Vitamin C, and got its name from sailors travelling round Cape Horn who would eat the leaves to avoid scurvy. It tastes pretty good, despite what the Wikipedia page says, but I'm not sure how widespread it is outside South America. (more)	—	about 12 years ago
Answer	—	A: What are the key features to look for in mobile device apps for hiking/camping? In my opinion, the single best feature would be low battery consumption. You only really need a gps and map, so having a low consumption version of these would win for me, possibly with local maps rather than trying to download each section. (more)	—	about 12 years ago
Answer	—	A: Is it okay to trust your health to a mushroom hunters guide? Most of the mushrooms you will find in a guide are low risk because they don't have similarities to poisonous ones - if you have a good guide it should point out the ones where identification is more difficult. Avoid those ones and you will be much safer! (more)	—	about 12 years ago
Answer	—	A: What's a good, secure way to attach neodymium magnets to a geocache? What I have always used is to have the magnet epoxied to the inside of the container. Benefits: There is never a force pulling the magnet away from the container There is no weathering of epoxy No holes required (more)	—	about 12 years ago
Answer	—	A: How should I put out a campfire while away from civilization? A local source of water is obviously easiest - if you are near a stream - but if not, smothering can be really effective. In planning, having your fire made on stones above damp ground will help, as you can scatter the embers a little without risking the fire spreading, and scattered embers will die... (more)	—	about 12 years ago
Answer	—	A: Taking care of hiking backpack Buckles, straps and zippers are all relatively easy to replace, but it can be worth taking a spare strap with you in case one fails in the wild. I usually keep one spare 6 ft strap and a pair of 2 ft bungee cords in the bottom of my camping pack - they also have other uses, so aren't entirely dead w... (more)	—	about 12 years ago
Answer	—	A: How can I prevent my sun glasses from fogging up when skiing? Various anti-fog products will work. I actually use the Rain-X anti-fog fluid (I had it for the car anyway and tried it successfully) You just need to clean the inside thoroughly, then apply it and it should last an entire season. (more)	—	about 12 years ago
Answer	—	A: What's the advantage to a bent-shaft paddle? From your link, the manufacturer's claim is The blade of the paddle is offset from the shaft to allow the blade to remain vertical to the canoe's path throughout the stroke. This improves the efficiency of each stroke and allows shorter strokes at an increased stroke rate. I haven't used... (more)	—	about 12 years ago
Answer	—	A: Tent and sleeping bag: pack inside or strap outside a backpack? One of my tents goes in my rucksack, but I have another one which has two carry bags which strap nicely to the sides of my rucksack, keeping the weight well balanced and close to me. In dry conditions I'll strap the sleeping bag to the outside to make space, as it is light it doesn't affect the cent... (more)	—	about 12 years ago
Answer	—	A: Magnetic deviation at either pole The magnetic declination at the south pole works the same way to that at the north, and for exactly the same reason. The magnetic field, while generated by the spin of the Earth's core is not tied to the physical spin axis for the earth so the exact magnetic north and south move. Before you travel n... (more)	—	about 12 years ago
Answer	—	A: Falling into an ice cold body of water The guidance given to first responders from the Public Safety Training Academy is as follows: Talk - Can you talk them out? Reach - Are they close enough for you to reach, with a branch if necessary? Throw - Do you have a rope or anything you can throw? This can include flotation devices - even if ... (more)	—	about 12 years ago
Answer	—	A: What good options are there for wine transport? Just for @Russell: Buy boxed wines and remove the box. This leaves you with a flexible bladder containing wine with a drip-free tap. It might not be classy, but it works. Most of the white wine boxes have a foil lined bladder, which also helps keep the wine cool (well, cooler.) (more)	—	about 12 years ago
Answer	—	A: How often should I wax skis? If you are a powder skier, you will quite likely manage an entire two week ski holiday on one waxing (assuming the temperature stays pretty consistent) If you like something a bit more extreme, perhaps with some hard ice, rocks or other solid objects then you may want to wax them each morning. @JLu... (more)	—	about 12 years ago
Answer	—	A: How can you prevent kids getting lost at night while camping? The other two answers mention 'summer camp' type environments. My answer is more focused at family camping, but has some relevance to both: With younger children it can be very simple, although possibly not the most comfortable: You sleep across the doorway. For any child to get out at night they n... (more)	—	about 12 years ago
Answer	—	A: Left-Handed Helical Fletching It will not matter which way the fletching runs on arrows for left or right handed archers, however right handed fletching tools will be harder for a left hander to use, as you would need to change the angle of your hand. Any angling of the fletching will produce spin on the arrow, however this is n... (more)	—	about 12 years ago
Answer	—	A: Is it necessary to carry a knife sharpener? While it can be useful if you are really out in the wilds, say in the Amazon jungle, and using a machete to clear every step, I wouldn't expect to carry a knife sharpener for a trip under a week. For short, non-jungle expeditions, A swiss army knife with a couple of blades is often enough for most ... (more)	—	about 12 years ago
Answer	—	A: What happens to cams after climbing? In addition to Graham's answer, if you can't reach the top but have to descend again you have two options: Descend and unclip along the way (this will take time and can be very tiring, and you will always need to be prepared for a fall of twice the distance to the next cam) Descend all the way then... (more)	—	about 12 years ago
Answer	—	A: What everyday tasks can be adapted in a way that helps build muscles and technique for bouldering? As I noted in my answer to that question, plasticene or stress balls work. Also, you can use guitarist's finger exercisers I do like your idea of using less fingers for carrying bags etc. (more)	—	over 12 years ago
Answer	—	A: What are the advantages / disadvantages of a rock climbing hat made from hard plastic to one made out of carbon fiber? I don't have any specifics on carbon fibre, but from indoorclimbing.com: Fiberglass and polycarbonate composite (which would include carbon fibre) climbing helmets absorb the shock energy by breaking. The outer shell of the composite helmet absorbs the energy. Plastic and nylon helmets trans... (more)	—	over 12 years ago
Answer	—	A: Are Ice grips worth buying? I got the yaktracks a couple of years ago and they have performed really well - through two sub -15 degree winters. They have enough flexibility that I still managed to run in them for a couple of hours at a time, and very easy to remove when entering a building. This takes about 20 seconds for each... (more)	—	over 12 years ago
Answer	—	A: Can you eat pine needles in an emergency? All pines, spruces and firs have edible needles. All yews are poisonous, and can look like some of the above, so be careful you have identified the tree correctly! (more)	—	over 12 years ago
Answer	—	A: Sky map for tropics Have you thought about Google Sky Map for Android or Star Walk on iPhone? These may give you what you need. (I know, batteries run out, phones get wet etc., but these will show sky at a particular time) (more)	—	over 12 years ago
Answer	—	A: Is there a protective substance, like an epoxy, I can use on my feet so I can backpack barefoot? As an interim step, have you tried the Vibram Five Fingers running shoes - these still have protection under your feet, but give a lot of freedom as they are very thin. This could let you see how you get on. (more)	—	over 12 years ago
Answer	—	A: How to cheaply introduce someone to backpacking I tend to think backpacking is one of the cheapest activities to take up, as it takes very little cost to start. Sure, they need some good boots, a rucksack and some warm clothing - but that's all really cheap. They won't need a compass or a stove if they are with you on their first outing - they w... (more)	—	over 12 years ago
Answer	—	A: Should you pop a blister? If you are running long distances over multiple days with boots, packs etc., and you must complete the distance you should plan to pop a blister at the end of day, but then you need to be sure you add some sort of padding to replace the protection the blister is giving you. You also need it cleaned a... (more)	—	over 12 years ago
Answer	—	A: How should I check climbing equipment to tell whether it is still safe to use? What ages a rope most is use, so if you have stored it for a couple of years it should not have degraded measurably. Have a look at the UIAA's document on ageing of climbing ropes for some guidance from the experts (the UIAA is the International Mountaineering and Climbing Association) I wouldn't w... (more)	—	over 12 years ago
Answer	—	A: What are the rules for eating raw, wild meat? Caveat: My comments are relevant in the UK: I think if your use of 'fresh' means you killed it, so you can have some confidence in its health before death and could get a reasonable view of the surrounding environment (e.g. don't eat the deer that just came out of the nuclear waste dumping site...),... (more)	—	over 12 years ago
Answer	—	A: What hand and finger exercises help with climbing? In addition to using a Finger exerciser, I do the following: Squeezing plasticene or stress balls Dumb-bell curls Chin-ups, both on a bar, and finger chin-ups on a door frame or similar Press-ups on fingertips These give finger, hand, wrist and forearm strength - worthwhile using them together. ... (more)	—	over 12 years ago
Answer	—	A: How can I prevent batteries from losing charge in cold weather? Photographers in the Antarctic store camera batteries in their armpits to keep some decent heat in them. Amusingly, when the batteries in the camera die, that is also the best place to put them. My dad used to test cameras in the Antarctic (in addition to his day job) and said that was the worst bit ... (more)	—	over 12 years ago
Answer	—	A: How do I make a fin selection for various surfing conditions Let's start with the easy one first: No fins - this really only works with a long board, as the board's length gives it the stability a fin would normally give you. You aren't going to be able to tackle short, steep waves like this. 1 fin - gives lift when surfing, as the water in the face of the w... (more)	—	over 12 years ago
Answer	—	A: Is there a definitive list of the tallest mountains in the world that require little or no mountaineering experience? I haven't seen anything like the Scottish guide books we have for Munros - the tallest mountains in Scotland, but as Scottish mountains are relatively small compared to mountains in the Andes, Alps, Rockies, Snowy Mountains, Himalayas etc but still have a lot of dangerous climbs, I wouldn't want to g... (more)	—	over 12 years ago
Answer	—	A: Optimal conditions for windsurfing Some of this will depend on your ability, strength and experience. For beginners, you really want an offshore wind up to about a force 4 maximum with no waves. As beginners tend to use the uphaul method to get the sail up, any stronger wind will make it very difficult. For an expert, an onshore wi... (more)	—	over 12 years ago
Answer	—	A: Do I need any technical skills to climb Kilimanjaro? The friends I know who have done this have said that it is just a long uphill walk - but the altitude increase means the temperature drop is incredible - from +25 Celsius to -25 Celsius, the equivalent of moving from the equator to the Antarctic over a few days. So you want layers and layers of clot... (more)	—	over 12 years ago
Question	—	If I lose my compass, what is the easiest way to identify and follow a heading? Possible Duplicate: How can you navigate without a compass or GPS Obviously we all carry a compass and a map when we go trekking, but if I lose them but know I need to get back to my car two days walk away on a heading of 235 degrees. Are there techniques which are accurate enough to help... (more)	—	over 12 years ago

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