Wednesday, April 17, 2013
Go Gold Panning To Relax
Recover From Your Hectic Life With A Camping Trip
Camping is something that is fun for the entire family. Whether you are new to camping, or are a seasoned veteran, there are always things you must consider before venturing out on your next camping trip. The following article will help prepare you for your next trip so that you have a good and safe time.
Leave your camping spot as clean as, or cleaner than you found it. It is important to show respect to the land and to others by cleaning up your camping area. If it was a mess when you got there, you can do a good deed and make it cleaner.
If you are sleeping in a tent bring a rug or welcome mat. It is easy to track dirt and debris into your tent. This can be very unpleasant and uncomfortable to sleep on at night. To combat this, put a rug outside the entrance and wipe your feet before you enter.
When siting your tent at your campsite, be sure to place a waterproof tarp on the ground before erecting your tent. In this situation, size really does matter. Use a tarp that is about 2 inches smaller than the tent floor, or cut a larger one down if need be. It should never extend beyond the edge of your tent floor. A tarp that is too large can collect water that will be channeled right back into your tent.
Practice campfire safety. Make sure your fire pit is not built near any tree branches that hangover. Keep the pit enclosed with either a ring of rocks or a metal ring. Keep shovels and a bucket of water near the fire at all times. Never leave your campfire unattended and completely put it out prior to leaving.
Take a lot of water for everyone to drink for your trip. This will make sure that everyone is hydrated properly throughout the trip, and that you all have access to clean drinking water on your trip. This is always a good idea because you don't want to dehydrate while you're out camping.
When you plan a camping trip with your family, take along extra clothing and bedding in case the weather turns cold or rainy. Check the weather forecast of the area you intend to travel to before you plan your trip, and make sure you have a weather radio along so you know of any alerts.
An excellent camping trip that absolutely everyone should use is to bring along some cotton balls that are soaked with Vaseline. These little balls make wonderful tinder when starting a fire as they burn for quite some time. Make sure to pack them up in a waterproof container though.
Always ensure you have enough clean water. Water is the single most important thing our bodies need. Always carry enough bottled water with you, especially if you don't have access to a spring. You could also try bringing along iodine packets to sanitize the water that you collect from the backcountry.
Before you load up the gear and drive toward your next camping trip, be wise and research different camping locations for the one which best suits your needs. As an example, if you are a greenhorn camper, then you will probably want to choose a site that is near civilization. Nothing is worse than arriving at your dream location and finding out that they have no space available, so be sure to make a reservation.
As was stated in the beginning of this article, a great deal of preparation must be done before heading out on a camping trip. The tips provided in this article is a great way to make sure that you've taken care of all the essentials so that your camping trip will be as safe and enjoyable as possible.
Monday, January 28, 2013
Raccoons In My Attic
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| Raccoon and friend out for lunch |
I have this shack I have been renting out and found out today that the renter has been feeding a couple of 'Coons that have been hanging around.
He called today to let me know that the roof was leaking. I went over to have a look and in the living room he had a pail collecting the water. It did not smell like water to me so I too a closer sniff and it smelled like piss. He was beside me when I did this and I said something like I think it is piss, have you heard any noise or anything in the attic? He said he thought there was some raccoons up there because there was a hole in the overhang. I asked him how long did he think they had been up there and he said a couple of Years! He has lived there for 5 years.
I happen to know that Raccoons are not "clean" animals everyone thinks. When I was a teenager my Dad had a trap line, so I learned a bit about various critters. 'Coons are clean in the sense that they use the same area for a latrine, not just dumping all over the place, but they are not like cats, they do't bury their scat. And they have the runs (semi liquid shit) all the time.
I have not been in the attic and really don't plan on going up there. Two years worth of shit! He said he heard water running (probably one of them having a piss) and then his cat went over to where the "leak" appeared and was looking at it. He set up the pail but not much more came down. This is in the living room, The ceiling has cracked and now liquid comes through.
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| Poor little guy |
I am going to make a patch for the hole in the overhang and have it fitted and ready to put up.
I have told him to call me when he has the 2 raccoons out o the porch for dinner. They show up every couple of days he says.
I will hustle over and plug the hole, locking them out. After that I will tape and fill the crack in the ceiling and paint it.
End of repair If that is not suitable I will ask him to move out so I can pull the ceiling down and get the attic cleaned up.
Of course I will not be doing any clean up but have to say this to get him out. I have had the property re-zoned to commercial and plan to sell it for development. It is a 75 year old 2 bed + basement between two warehouse/office buildings. The last house on the block. No renovations needed!
I feel sorry for the Coons, the female (a little assumption here) is probably pregnant - they hatch around March. She will have to move to a new place now but better now than in a couple of months with 4 or 5 kittens. Right?
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