Emprimir
Correo Electrónico
 |
Direcciones
For the wise, to fail is to learn (another tidbit of wisdom from yours truly…you’re welcome). In our many recent adventures, OH I HAVE LEARNED. I’ve learned a lot. Through failure. But you know, they never would have invented the fire extinguisher if it weren’t for one fateful small fire that got out of hand. Necessity is the mother of invention. Those who fail to prepare, prepare to fail. Insert other such quotes of inspiration here.
My point is, along the way, we learned that there are inevitably times when you slap yourself on the forehead and say, “Hot dang! I knew I should have had that.”
We’ve experienced this many times as we’ve been out and about in our car or truck on an adventure. Through my experience I’ve created…
View Full Recipe at Someday I'll Learn
.%20In%20our%20many%20recent%20adventures,%20OH%20I%20HAVE%20LEARNED.%20I%E2%80%99ve%20learned%20a%20lot.%20Through%20failure.%20But%20you%20know,%20they%20never%20would%20have%20invented%20the%20fire%20extinguisher%20if%20it%20weren%E2%80%99t%20for%20one%20fateful%20small%20fire%20that%20got%20out%20of%20hand.%20Necessity%20is%20the%20mother%20of%20invention.%20Those%20who%20fail%20to%20prepare,%20prepare%20to%20fail.%20Insert%20other%20such%20quotes%20of%20inspiration%20here.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EMy%20point%20is,%20along%20the%20way,%20we%20learned%20that%20there%20are%20inevitably%20times%20when%20you%20slap%20yourself%20on%20the%20forehead%20and%20say,%20%E2%80%9CHot%20dang!%20I%20knew%20I%20should%20have%20had%20that.%E2%80%9D%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EWe%E2%80%99ve%20experienced%20this%20many%20times%20as%20we%E2%80%99ve%20been%20out%20and%20about%20in%20our%20car%20or%20truck%20on%20an%20adventure.%20Through%20my%20experience%20I%E2%80%99ve%20created%20the%20ultimate%20preparation%20list:%20the%207%20things%20EVERY%20truck%20must%20have.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EFirst%20aid%20kit%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EIt%E2%80%99s%20not%20hard%20to%20pack%20this,%20really.%20As%20a%20matter%20of%20fact,%20it%20can%20actually%20be%20a%20bit%20fun.%20They%20sell%20ready-made%20packs%20at%20most%20car%20parts%20stores%20and%20drug%20stores.%20However,%20you%20can%20put%20together%20a%20really%20nice%20set%20up%20which%20would%20be%20more%20customized%20to%20your%20needs.%20I%20use%20a%205.11%20MOLLE%20(Modular%20Lightweight%20Load-carrying%20Equipment)%20zipper%20pouch.%20You%20can%20get%20all%20sorts%20of%20sizes%20and%20types,%20but%20I%20love%20that%20I%20can%20also%20throw%20it%20on%20the%20side%20of%20my%20hiking%20backpack%20when%20we%20travel.%20Plus,%20the%20cloth%20structure%20fits%20into%20vehicle%20nooks%20better%20and%20tends%20not%20to%20crack%20or%20break%20over%20time.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EJumper%20cables%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EIf%20you%20drive%20a%20truck,%20you%E2%80%99re%20probably%20driving%20something%20with%20some%20power%20and%20sturdiness.%20It%E2%80%99s%20important%20to%20remember%20that%20with%20great%20power%20comes%20great%20responsibility.%20Sort%20of.%20Our%20Ford%20F350%20comes%20standard%20with%20two%20batteries%20and%20an%20extra%20large%20alternator.%20It%20was%20a%20bit%20embarrassing,%20though,%20when%20we%20came%20across%20someone%20with%20a%20dead%20car%20and%20we%20had%20no%20jumper%20cables%20to%20help.%20We%20were%20nice%20enough%20to%20leave%20them%20with%20a%20%E2%80%9CGood%20Luck!%E2%80%9D%20before%20we%20were%20on%20our%20way,%20but%20I%20believe%20in%20a%20time%20when%20people%20used%20to%20stop%20and%20help%20others.%20Maybe%20not%20every%20time,%20but%20most%20times%20it%20is%20common%20sense.%20Like%20when%20you%20encounter%20a%20fellow%20unprepared%20family%20in%20a%20middle-of-nowhere%20desert.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EFlashlight%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EA%20lot%20of%20people%20have%20a%20little%20Maglite%20in%20their%20glove%20box.%20Some%20people%20have%20those%20cheap-o%20lights%20from%20the%20AM/PM%20register%20stand%20display.%20It%E2%80%99s%20important%20to%20have%20light%20on-hand%20to%20illuminate%20those%20areas%20where%20your%20headlights%20won%E2%80%99t%20help.%20One%20example%20is%20looking%20under%20the%20hood%20or%20under%20the%20truck%20to%20inspect%20what%20that%20loud%20God-I-hope-it-just-bounced-off%20BANG%20sound%20may%20have%20broken.%20On%20one%20occasion,%20I%20was%20driving%20home%20from%20work%20in%20the%20dark%20of%20morning%20and%20noticed%20a%20%E2%80%9Clarger%20than%20normal%E2%80%9D%20amount%20of%20broken%20glass%20in%20the%20middle%20of%20my%20country%20road.%20I%20stopped%20and%20located%20the%20dim%20tail%20tail%20lights%20of%20a%202011%20Corolla%20ten%20feet%20down%20an%20embankment%20in%20the%20brush.%20Long%20story%20short:%20they%20lived.%20But%20without%20a%20flashlight%20it%20was%20hard%20working%20around%20their%20car%20and%20signaling%20other%20speeding%20cars%20to%20either%20slow%20down%20or%20maybe%20even%20help%20(nowadays,%20people%20are%20more%20likely%20to%20stop%20and%20film%20with%20a%20cell%20phone%20than%20think%20to%20help).%20I%20like%20the%20Streamlight%20Strion%20LED%20or%20the%20Streamlight%20SL%2020x%20LED%20because%20both%20are%20rechargeable%20and%20come%20with%20car%20adapters.%20No%20extra%20batteries%20to%20worry%20about,%20and%20you%20can%20take%20it%20everywhere.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3ERope%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EVery%20simple%20and%20easy%20to%20store,%20rope%20is%20a%20no-brainer.%20You%20never%20know%20when%20you%E2%80%99ll%20need%20a%20backup%20dog%20leash%20or%20want%20to%20secure%20something%20picked%20up%20at%20a%20yard%20sale%20or%20hardware%20store.%20A%20good%2020-30%E2%80%B2%20roll%20of%20climbing%20rope%20is%20inexpensive%20and%20can%20always%20come%20in%20handy.%20Luckily,%20when%20we%20drove%20to%20Yellowstone,%20I%20had%20a%20spool%20of%20550%20Paracord%20(the%20strand%20is%20about%201/8%E2%80%B3%20and%20holds%20550%20pounds).%20When%20the%20unexpected%20snowstorm,%20billowing%20dust%20from%20other%20offroaders%20and%20sudden%20torrential%20Colorado%20rain%20all%20attempted%20to%20pummel%20our%20military%20trailer%20full%20of%20gear,%20having%20a%20rope%20and%20tarp%20handy%20saved%20the%20day.%20And%20Chelsea%E2%80%99s%20shoes.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EMultiTool%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EYou%20can%20never%20anticipate%20the%20job%20you%20might%20encounter.%20Which%20is%20why,%20if%20you%20need%20to%20have%20one%20item%20handy,%20you%20want%20a%20tool%20that%20can%20do%E2%80%A6well%E2%80%A6a%20lot.%20I%20knew%20that%20one%20immediate%20need%20for%20my%20truck%20was%20a%20Leatherman.%20A%20rope-cutting,%20wire-sheering,%20nut-turning,%20screw-driving,%20fingernail-trimming%20Leatherman.%20This%20handy%20dandy%20little%20tool%20will%20get%20you%20through%20most%20small%20jobs%20in%20and%20around%20your%20truck.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3ETow%20Strap%20and%20Hooks%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3ESo%E2%80%A6I%E2%80%99ve%20learned,%20as%20much%20as%20I%20love%20my%20truck,%20it%20too%20can%20get%20stuck.%20Turns%20out%20that%20driving%20downhill%20in%20sand%20is%20waaaaaaay%20easier%20than%20driving%20uphill%20in%20sand.%20Even%20if%20you%20have%20a%204%C3%974%20with%20a%20lockable%20rear%20differential%20and%2035%C3%9712.50%20BFG%20tires.%20On%20this%20occasion%20of%20experience,%20I%20was%20lucky%20enough%20to%20find%20a%20local%20with%20a%20John%20Deere%20tractor%20just%20big%20enough%20to%20pull%20me%20out.%20Now,%20all%20he%20had%20was%20an%20old%20horse%20rope.%20When%20it%20snapped,%20I%20was%20again%20lucky%20that%20it%20didn%E2%80%99t%20shatter%20my%20windshield.%20Which%20is%20why%20I%20now%20stock%20my%20truck%20with%20a%20good%20ol%E2%80%99%20tow%20strap.%20If%20not%20just%20for%20me,%20perhaps%20for%20another%20not-yet-so-learned%20driver%20or%20drivette.%20Also,%20now%20I%20don%E2%80%99t%20drive%20down%20a%20sand%20hill%20to%20the%20edge%20of%20a%20lake%20with%20no%20way%20out.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EAdvil%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EAs%20my%20father%20says,%20this%20is%20a%20no-brainer.%20Because%20if%20you%20don%E2%80%99t%20have%20it%20when%20you%20need%20the%20other%20six%20items%E2%80%A6you%20won%E2%80%99t%20have%20a%20brain.%20Yes%20sir,%20it%E2%80%99s%20a%20proven%20fact%20that%20from%20time%20to%20time,%20people%20with%20a%20truck%20will%20need%20to%20mitigate%20brain%20pain%20as%20well%20as%20other%20soreness%20developed%20through%20the%20wonderful%20experience%20of%20owning%20a%20truck.%20So%20throw%20a%20bottle%20or%20two%20in%20your%20glove%20box,%20because%20you%E2%80%99re%20going%20to%20need%20it.%20Which%20is%20why%20we%20also%20bring%20it%20along%20on%20our%20camping%20trips.%3C/p%3E){kind=link}