Start em while their young

To some the idea of prepping is a fad.  Spun off of the latest TV show Doomsday Preppers, or the calendar clicking to 2012, and fueled by "The Walking Dead" and World War Z or movies about the apocalypse.   To others its joke causing ridicule or suspicions of paranoia.  There are the lucky few for whom its a natural extension of their lifestyle.   Rural living, growing your own food, self reliance. Then there are people like me.  Urban (or suburban) lifestyle, trapped in the city by jobs or family, but have or want to integrate an outdoor and prepping lifestyle into their daily lives.    

The challenge becomes with the hustle and bustle of daily life, how to find time for it all.  One of my biggest solutions has been to make the Outdoor lifestyle and prepping a part of my quality time With my family, and not something I try to "fit in" around them.

My 11 year old son doesn't even think about it as prepping when he is at the gun range. Or setting up camp in the back yard, or going on a long hike or bike ride with our packs on  To him its adventure and fun hanging out with dad.

When I signed up and took our community CERT (Community Emergency Response Team) class, I signed up both myself and my daughter.  Every week for 6 weeks she looked forward to "Daddy Daughter" day when just the two of us would go out to dinner, eat, talk, share, and then go to CERT class together. And you can hear the pride when she talks about being CERT trained.

She is in collage studying to be a Veterinarian, but she also took the Med skills and first aid classes in high school.  She knows she is the designated medic for the family, so she keeps track and inventory of all the OTC and fish meds.

When we talk about sheltering in place, they know we are a team, and they know their responsibilities.  Its not foreign to them.  Its just what we do.  Start them while they are young and even city kids will be in a prepared self-reliant mindset from an early age. 

Another day, another test... or two

Its headed towards camping season, so the first nice day I figured would be a great time to test out my gear and get ready for the season.   If you haven't figured out by now, let me tell you out right, i'm a huge Coleman fan. I've been impressed with their quality, and the easy of use of all my Coleman gear and I continue to be a happy customer.  I use their products for recreation, and I'm comfortable that in a life threatening crisis they will function equally as well.  This is a Coleman instant tent I picked up end of last season.  Its the midsize 14 X 8.  I had a devil of a time finding a place on line with the rainfly in stock, but it was worth the trouble.  Its a much better family tent compared to the 4 person, which feels like a closet to me.  It also has a interior divider so you for two people you can set the back room up for sleeping and will hold two twin air mattresses with a walk way between. The front area with the lower windows is perfect as a evening bug free sitting area.  Its sturdy, and sets up in a flash.

Now THIS little baby is not a Coleman, but it is worth its weight in gold if you are a coffee fiend like me (if the Keurig isn't a clue).  Its a Nissan thermos french press.  Coffee is a necessity at home and in camp, but usually you have to compromise on taste in the field and drink some instant powdered mud water. Well not any more! This insulated gem is stainless steel in can take a beating, and will keep your gourmet coffee warm around camp for hours.  

So what does it have to do with preparedness?  Well, add a crank coffee grinder (like i have) and vacuum seal some whole coffee beans (whole has the best shelf life) and when that little Keurig is a powerless paperweight, I can still have a great cup of joe.  Best part is that in testing it for my camping trip next week I was so impressed with the flavor i've decided to use it every weekend, when I can sit and enjoy.

Practice may not make perfect...but it can make you prepared.

Thats the philosophy I apply to prepping, and how I integrate it into my life.  You can't wait until an emergency and hope your plan works.  You need to try it out. Both big things, and little things.  Now if you can integrate practice with daily life, then thats a bonus.

Here is a classic example.  Walking has been a part of my exercise regiment for years.  I do 3 to 5 miles for cardio 3 or 4 times a week. I knew I needed to upgrade my backpack, so over the winter I invested in a Kelty Redwing 50.  Well its now all fully packed to be my "get home" bag and ride in the kit in the back of my pick up.  But the LAST thing I want to do is be strapping it on for the first time when a crisis has occurred and i've got 22 miles to hoof to get home.

So, I have combined the two.  I'm breaking out my full pack and doing my walks in full gear.  Its adding a little bit more intensity to my training, and has made me sort through what I have packed and look for ways to lighten the load.  I also have a chance to break in my hiking boots by rotating them instead of running shoes.  A few of my neighbors kind of give me a stare, but its well worth it to know i'm ready to hump my way home.

Now I have said before, I don't have a bug out bag.  But a lot of people do.  So if you have one, don't be an "arm chair prepper", pull that back pack out, strap it on, and go for a nice long walk. You will be happy you did.