What's in Your Bug-Out Bag? Contest

[W.Lynn]

Joe, are they allergic to the meat itself, or something the meat eats? My daughter went a long time unable to eat beef, but she can eat the meats that aren't fed lots of questionable stuff, injected with more stuff. I have trouble with retail eggs that way, but I can eat eggs from birds that eat bugs, a bit of grain, and the occasional table scraps. I even thought I was having a milk problem, but that went the same way - isolated cows that eat grass and aren't shot up with who-knows-what, I can have.

[Joe Beck]

Well we don't know. They both did the shot tests (they poke the skin and if the skin rises or gets a rash they are having an allergic reaction). From what I understand it's really hard to isolate what exactly is in that substance that the person is having an allergic reaction to. Both of them are allergic to tomatoes, potatoes (so probably all nightshade plants-- eggplant, huckleberry, bell pepper), Beef, chicken, turkey, pork, and some other weird shit we don't eat anyways. The tests are really painful and we figure that the boys will either come around or they wont. The thing is both of them wouldn't eat that stuff anyways. They've always refused to eat those things. So we basically stopped feeding them those things long ago anyways. The reason we had them tested was because of that. We thought "well maybe the kids are allergic to this stuff and their dislike for them is their bodies telling us something is up. We went 7 years before testing our oldest son (kind of bad about that, but we didn't know we just thought he was a stubborn lil cuss). But when the baby refused to eat those same things, and as a added bonus threw up after eating them (constantly) we thought we'd test him.


The hardest thing to stay away from is potatoes because they potato starch in alot of things you wouldn't suspect. Some breads, some kid vitamins, some flowers, noodles, grated cheese. Then there is alot of things that have beef in them that you wouldn't think were there, Jello, cheese, all kinds of stuff.

Anyways, we eat alot of fish and eggs (which is why we have chickens now) But it's not that big of a deal. I think they will grow out of it, the symptoms are mild, it's not like they'd die if push came to shove.

[W.Lynn]

Try various wild game from non-farming areas if you get the chance, and oddball items like nori crisps, caviar types that are used in sushi, whatever. And good luck.

[Joe Beck]

My kids eat the heck out of Sushi (much to my wallet's chagrin). Except rookie rolls like "California Rolls"-- nope I taught them young that if you are going to do something do it right. Go for the Uni, the salmon, the yellow tail, stay way from things with that fake crab meat in them. Eat raw or have a Mc Filet-O-Fish (just kidding we don't eat at places that serve things that don't decompose). Thanks for the advice I'll try some new things.

[redman2006]

Joe, I assume you have read about ticks and the red meat allergy due to them? Not saying that is it, but it is an interesting concept regardless.

[Joe Beck]

What's a tick? :O One of the very few nice things about living in Southern California is we don't have tics or very many other bugs for that matter. There's no water for them
I live at 4000 feet, my back yard is a huge mountain (undeveloped). We have bear, deer, bob cats, ect, but I've never had a tic on me here. We have 35 acres in Wisconsin (White River area), when we go there in the summer I can't step outside into the woods without finding a tic on me, we use our mud room there are a decontamination room (mosquitoes, ticks). It's crazy for someone not used to them.

I didn't know what you were referring to until you mentioned it though. Thanks for the tip, I'm reading about it now. I just asked my wife and she looked at me as if I was a dim whit. She said she's known forever. LOL She said I am about a year behind. Better late then never though. http://www.webmd.com/allergies/news/...d-meat-allergy So if someone gets bit by one one of these Lone Star ticks, that one little bite changes your immune system forever? That's wild.

[redman2006]

It is a really weird deal, Joe. I have a friend going through it. He was a beef eater in a serious way and a big hunter. All red meat has become a problem for him. Venison, pork, beef, lamb, everything. He is miserable.

[Joe Beck]

One think I do carry in the truck is one of those fold up wagons that's suppose to hold 200 pounds, so if I really needed to I could put some of my stuff in there and pull it along. That might not make me look like a tactical prepper. As soon as I get my bag inventoried I will post it. Not very good at posting pictures.
Thanks

A hand cart would be nice if you were on a road or trail, a bike cart would be even better though (see the picture below). Let us know if you need help posting pictures. Photobucket makes it easy. Just create an account, hit "up-load", after it uploads it will list several ways to share the picture, right click on the one that says "IMG" and hit "COPY", then go back to your post and right click "Paste".

[Joe Beck]

You make me envious with the Blackbird. I have just made the switch to hammocks fairly recently. I would love to try one of these in a left lay.

To be honest they don't lay as flat as the Hennessy Explorer. For some reason I sleep in the Hennessy alot better then the Warbonnet. I like the zippers better on the Hennessy too, they are more robust.

Brandon makes a great hammock, I'm just nit picking. Or it could be that I'm bias. When I ordered my Hennessy they sent me the bottom entry by mistake. I called them and they told me they were sending me the correct side zip model and to keep the bottom entry. I sent the bottom entry to 2QZQ (http://www.2qzqhammockhanger.com/) and had them sew up the velcro entry on the bottom and install a zipper on both sides (Mod 4). So I got a kick ass custom hammock for like $75.

[redman2006]

Nice. I have never tried any of the more expensive hammocks. I make do with my Eno and a PO Cho liner underquilt. Dow to 45 I am ok, beyond that, it gets cold. One complaint I have with Eno double nest is the sides are up so high I can not see a thing without sitting up or pulling it down.

I keep watching for a nice setup on hammock forums, but they are never left lay or go so fast, I don't stand a chance.

I love the hammock, but need more time in them. There is a big learning curve. I still have to fiddle and fuss to get it right. I am always dry with one. I even made a small one for the dog to stay up in if it is raining. He lasts about half a night in it.

[Joe Beck]

The flat-est laying hammocks are the Bridge Hammocks. Brandon makes one that is one of the best.

http://www.warbonnetoutdoors.com/ridgerunner-hammock/

Look how flat that is!DSCN0738__24988.1385256464.800.800 (1).jpg
$190 isn't bad for a US hand made, hammock with a bug net and suspension.

[hsehntr98]

Joe I have a version of that bike cart. It is made to carry kids and hold a 100#. I did a test run one weekend with my bike and the cart. We lived on the backside of a state park campground and there was a back way into the campground from my house. On my bike I had put one of those old fashioned baskets that were big enough to carry newspapers, so with my basket packed, my trailer loaded, and my backpack on I proceeded to peddle to the campground. Unfortunately it was a windy day and I was terribly out of shape. I walked and rode the bike to the campground, set up my tent and prepared for the weekend. I did well with what I had and learned that those small stoves take a while to cook food. But it was good to see that I could do it, but also showed how I needed to get in better shape. I would not even try to ride my bike now because I would kill myself getting off the mountain. Where we sit is a good advantage point, we can see people coming from at least a 1/4 mile and my front porch makes a good sniper perch. Thanks for the instructions for posting pictures, hopefully I can make it work.