An AO Adventure...in REAL LIFE...in the planning!

[Windguaerd]

Well, in about 5 months...I will be leaving Florida with nothing but a bag full of clothes (with some basics), a few hundred bucks...with no destination, just the road (as long as it's out of Florida, I'm done with that state, and NY too).

A friend told me to buy pre-paid credit card, safer to carry so that is what I prob do. I want to keep in touch with friends, so I would like to hear any recommendations for a calling card, calling from anywhere to anywhere in the US.

UPDATED LIST!

What I got so far:

• 7100ci Internal Frame Hiking Backpack
• US Military Extreme Cold Weather Mummy Sleeping Bag
• Clothes, Toothbrush
• 1 water canteen
• Toilet Paper (of course!)
• 2 Travel/Camping/Backpacking Towels 20x27
• Maglite Pocket Flaslight
• 50ft Nylon Rope
• First Aid Kit (returned to store, will build my own as recommended)
• Leatherman tool.
• Gloves
• Roll-on anti-perspirant (Im used to Aerosols but someone mentione fiery death....so changing)
• Sponge
• Some sort of Wetpack.
• Ipod & an CD Player (plays MP3's too).
• Collapsable Water Bottle

Planning on buying:

Condoms
Coleman Tent Sundome Marlboro (seems like a decent tent, and cause it a Marlboro one its going to be cheaper)
Short Ankle Boots (not sure what brand, Im on a budget and I was going to just use my running sneakers).
Phone Cards, it seems they vary from state to state and the cheaper ones are at the 99cent stores (not getting a prepaid cell phone, calls are more expensive and its easier to lose or get stolen if someone sees me with it).
Waterproog Matches
Waterproof Blue Plastic Bags: One large, two medium.
Gaiters (go around ankles and attach to boots, good for mud, rain, marsh, snow, ice).
Termal Hat
Scarf
Baby Wipes

What am I missing? Im sure something is, maybe you guys can help =P

PS: No, I won't be quitting AO, just taking off a few months as I travel (no laptop), maybe 6 months.

[Stillian]

Hiking or driving?

Hiking, I can list practically everything you'll need, but my experience is with high mountains and 50 mile stints, done hundreds of those, few large, long hikes, so take it with a grain of salt.

If you're driving: petrol :p

[Snakebite]

28x13 Rount Top Load Duffel Bag (dump it, get a decent backpack...)
Sleeping Bag (go to a proper retailer and buy a lightweight bag, 4 season mummy bag, man made filling, it will cost about 5 times the price of a normal weight bag but weigh about 1/4...)
Towels (again, proper retailer, get some 'pertex' towels, very absorbent, folds down to nothing! drys quickly in the wind...)
Clothes (mey, jeans are not a good choice for when they get wet...)
Toothbrush (& other personal stuffzorz...)
2 water canteens (colapsable ones...)
1 Blanket (why do you need it if you have a good sleeping bag?...)

You also need:

1/ A multi-fuel stove, runs on just about anything, not much of a simmer function unfortunately...
2/ Stainless steel pan...
3/ A good solid handled knife (at a bare minimum of 6-8 inches long) don't buy the crap that has a handle you can store stuff in...

There are many other things I think you must take, but that's something to get on with...

[Stillian]

Get the tent, even just a light waterproof one.

Also get a decent backpack, as Snake said, and a sleeping mat. Sleeping mat's save lives, they go under your sleeping back and you lie on top of it, in your bag. They... save... lives, no joke. Get one. Can't remember the actual name, I dropped a Ski Boot on my head at work, bit giddy :p

[Stillian]

[img]http://home.graffiti.net/stillian/DSCN1020.JPG[/img]

Sorry for the huge photo, I'll resize it later. What you see there is my ready-kit. When I go on a hike, it get's larger and larger, but that's the stuff that I can get phoned 10 minutes before a 1-2 day hike and survive with. My sleeping mat and sleeping bag aren't in the picture.

So, I'll go through it.

Blue Plastic Bags: One large, two medium.
-The large bag is placed inside my rucksack and is waterproof. The medium bags normally hold food and spare clothes, and are placed inside the large bag, inside the rucksack. Waterproof again. Remember to seal them, sailor knots will do it, just remember you'll be in and out of the bag a lot.

Blue things:
-These are gaiters. Go around your ankles and attatch to your boots. Reasonably cheap, good for mud, rain, marsh, snow, ice, sometimes a little bit of water, protection. Mine are pretty small because I don't give half You can get some that go right up to the knees. Essential, Florida or not.

Roll-on anti-perspirant:
-No Aerosols, too many fiery deaths.

The moudly looking black thing:
-A nice (and neglected) thermal hat.

Red bag:
-Towel, self drying when in the bag. Not sure how it works, just know it works. Get something of the same sort.

Black, not so mouldy thing:
-Scarf. Used for heat, or for strangling PITA hiking mates

Checked blue thing:
-Cloth. Gotta wash 'em plates

Green thing:
-Mozzie net. I imagine this is doubly important where you are.

Matches, sponge and baby wipes:
Gotta light fires.
Gotta wash plates.
Gotta wipe arse.

Survivor 65:
-65 litre rucksack.


You also need (broken in) boots. High ankles are only for winter, short ankles for summer. I recommend Salomon if you're willing to open the cash register. Not all that expensive in USA, I hear. 100$ maybe. I use 50-60$ boots. Do me fine. Got new ones for Christmas, about the same price.

And, finally, you need (sexiness not included as manadatory )

[img]http://home.graffiti.net/stillian/DSCN1024.JPG[/img]
Sunglasses and hat. You must have these!


Good luck

[Brunte]

Question, how is this a AO adventure in real life?

[Stillian]

Need ubar equip and he'll probably get a nerf in personal hygeine :p

Same as AO.

[Windguaerd]

RESIZE THOSE PICS!

[Snakebite]

28x13 Rount Top Load Duffel Bag (dump it, get a decent backpack...)
Sleeping Bag (go to a proper retailer and buy a lightweight bag, 4 season mummy bag, man made filling, it will cost about 5 times the price of a normal weight bag but weigh about 1/4...)
Towels (again, proper retailer, get some 'pertex' towels, very absorbent, folds down to nothing! drys quickly in the wind...)
Clothes (mey, jeans are not a good choice for when they get wet...)
Toothbrush (& other personal stuffzorz...)
2 water canteens (colapsable ones...)
1 Blanket (why do you need it if you have a good sleeping bag?...)

You also need:

1/ A multi-fuel stove, runs on just about anything, not much of a simmer function unfortunately...
2/ Stainless steel pan...
3/ A good solid handled knife (at a bare minimum of 6-8 inches long) don't buy the crap that has a handle you can store stuff in...

There are many other things I think you must take, but that's something to get on with...

Continued...

1/ A wire saw... (too wierd to describe, just ask in shop...)
2/ Phosperous Matches... (you can either get phosperous (will light underwater) or you can make your own (get kitchen matches, dribble candlewax over each match till it's totaly encased))...
3/ The roll mat that Stillian is thinking about is called a 'Thermarest' (check it out on the net), it's basicaly a self inflating honeycombe jobby that holds air in it'sself... Damn confortable (air matteress basicaly) and a great insulator... only problem with them is their weight, not light!!!
4/ A good first-aid kit (don't buy one, build one) gotta include needles & sutures, I've only ever needed to do this once & it hurts, but better than bleeding everywhere lol...
5/ A bag of moss... (ok, sounds wierd but it makes just about the best kindling ever (ok, possibly cotton wool too), you can farm it from trees or buy it from hobby stores...
6/ A magnesium match (basicaly a chunk of magnesium that you drag a blade down & it creates lots of sparks, use with the moss or cotton wool to make a fire...
7/ Survival Blanket (sort of a tin foil blanket, DO NOT get it out of the bag to try it out, you'll never get it back in lol)...
8/ depending on how serious you are & where you're going, get some mini-flares or at least a radar beacon kite (little tinfoil kite)...


... Probably more later...

[Windguaerd]

List Updated! And Stillian RESIZE THOSE PICS!

[Snakebite]

List Updated! And Stillian RESIZE THOSE PICS!

& add a little red-eye reduction to them too!!! lol

[Stillian]

Sorry, been lazy and away, doing it now :p