The Adventure Challenge - Page 7

Go Devil · 05-09-2008, 18:06

Quote:

when necessary keep it close to body heat to steady temp

Attn: X-Factor

When you begin wasting personal BTU's on objects that don't feed you, keep you warm, or protect your body, you may want to check yourself for dimentia.

You could save much more weight, effort, and fret and prepare your mind by educating the hard drive between your ears.

x-factor · 05-09-2008, 18:18

Maybe so, but the information on that computer is going to contribute directly and significantly to my safety and well-being, plus its going to allow to keep a far better record of the trip.

lksteve · 05-09-2008, 18:25

Quote:

Originally Posted by x-factor

Maybe so, but the information on that computer is going to contribute directly and significantly to my safety and well-being, plus its going to allow to keep a far better record of the trip.

News Flash...I have surveyed several thousand miles of roads in an area for a GIS and road design...kept the entire project on a data collector about the size of an HP49,,,that information included every waypoint, with both a local grid coordinate and lat/long, its elevation and ellipsoid height, a description of the waypoint, along with attribute values and command codes to link line work...included were GEOID and ellipsoid models, coordinate projection systems and the capability to take notes...I could keep it in the side pocket of a ruck or stow it deep in the ruck when I was doing something where my data might be at risk...a laptop is weight and volume you will not have...but once again, I've only been doing this sort of thing since I was 18...

Max_Tab · 05-09-2008, 18:36

I'd bring one, maybe not a full size laptop but something like this

http://www.oqo.com/store/shop.cgi/op...om&semspring08

put it in a small pelican case with an external harddrive and a you have a ruggedized watertight container. that only weighs a pound or two. Does it last the whole trip? Maybe. If it shit's the bed, you just chuck it, and lighten your load. The specific data you could put on there would be worth the risk too me.

Quote:

Originally Posted by lksteve

Damn, MT, that's mighty dry country,,,I've lived in CO, UT, and NV and work quite a bit in CA...

There's a hell of a lot more water there than taking the southern route. Using my PDA, I can plot where all the water hole's were back then also.

Max_Tab · 05-09-2008, 18:43

Quote:

Originally Posted by Team Sergeant

I do hope you're taking into account that you might be hitting the Rockies in the dead of winter...... What's your plan for crossing those mountains?

TS

I'd hole up for the winter, then continue on in the spring.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Team Sergeant

I would not need a map or compass to cross the United States.... You might want to think about that.

TS

I might not need a map, hell, just head west, but a map would be nice to find the best passes through the mountains were, so you are not having to reinvent the wheel.

SF_BHT · 05-09-2008, 18:48

Quote:

Originally Posted by Max_Tab

I'd bring one, maybe not a full size laptop but something like this

http://www.oqo.com/store/shop.cgi/op...om&semspring08

put it in a small pelican case with an external harddrive and a you have a ruggedized watertight container. that only weighs a pound or two. Does it last the whole trip? Maybe. If it shit's the bed, you just chuck it, and lighten your load. The specific data you could put on there would be worth the risk too me.

There's a hell of a lot more water there than taking the southern route. Using my PDA, I can plot where all the water hole's were back then also.

If your laptop or gear craps out you need to do the ultimate Cache. Use your Future knowledge and Cache it somewhere that when you return to 200? you can go and recover it. That would be a trick.

x-factor · 05-09-2008, 19:12

Quote:

Originally Posted by lksteve

News Flash...I have surveyed several thousand miles of roads in an area for a GIS and road design...kept the entire project on a data collector about the size of an HP49,,,that information included every waypoint, with both a local grid coordinate and lat/long, its elevation and ellipsoid height, a description of the waypoint, along with attribute values and command codes to link line work...included were GEOID and ellipsoid models, coordinate projection systems and the capability to take notes...I could keep it in the side pocket of a ruck or stow it deep in the ruck when I was doing something where my data might be at risk...a laptop is weight and volume you will not have...but once again, I've only been doing this sort of thing since I was 18...

If it sounded like I was being flip about your experience, I apologize, I wasn't. Your pocket system may very well fill the bill and if it does I would take that instead.

There's more data to carry on the laptop than just the basic GIS you describe though. Go back and look at all the stuff I listed. I'm talking about basically carrying a geospatially-enabled encyclopedia (both natural and cultural) of the American frontier around. I may be wrong, but think that requires something bigger and more powerful than a pocket surveying tool.

Plus, back on the recording thing, alot of the recording you're doing isn't going to be quantitative surveying data. Its going to be visual and anecdotal. How did this or that area look in 1700? You're going to be taking a lot of pictures (even video?) and writing a lot of descriptions. To me its more efficient to take a laptop for that type of detailed collection.

Also, I agree with MT. I don't see a reason to try to travel through the winter. That mitigates some of the danger to the equipment.

lksteve · 05-09-2008, 19:37

Quote:

Originally Posted by Max_Tab

There's a hell of a lot more water there than taking the southern route. Using my PDA, I can plot where all the water hole's were back then also.

There's also a hell of a lot of brackish and alkaline water beginning in Utah and continuing on across the Great Basin...once you hit the east slope of the Sierra, water quality improves...but this place has been desert a long time and for a pretty good reason...

But since you've decided to travel that way, my question is do you follow the route of I-70 or I-80...? Those roads are there for a reason...the I-70 corridor would be much more challenging for a man on foot than I-80...and I-80 was a jumping off point for the routes of the Oregon Trail, Pony Express and the Donner Party...

lksteve · 05-09-2008, 19:47

Quote:

Originally Posted by x-factor

There's more data to carry on the laptop than just the basic GIS you describe though. Go back and look at all the stuff I listed. I'm talking about basically carrying a geospatially-enabled encyclopedia (both natural and cultural) of the American frontier around.

The data collectors we have possess Clarke's reference ellipsoids from the 19th century...in the same data collector I have the roads in, I also have coordinate projections for Zimbabwe and Lapland...I can reduce a solar and stellar observations, make note of existing features, and compute, annotate and map stream velocity...hell, I can generate fairly decent maps as I go, but I'm not real sure where I would print one out at...and with a thumbdrive or flash memory card, I have memory storage enough for any add-ons one might need...there are a couple of models out there that will allow me to record and store weather information...I don't do basic GIS work...I do cadastral and topographic survey work, advanced GIS work, resource inventories...the stuff that the Corps of Discovery did during the Lewis and Clark expedition...you really have no idea of the capabilities of current survey equipment...and you seem uninterested in learning...

x-factor · 05-09-2008, 19:56

No, on the contrary, I'm very interested. If I were making such a trip, I'd definitely demo lots of different systems. Yours may indeed be better.

Can you store jpegs or video? geo-referenced media? html content?

Max_Tab · 05-09-2008, 20:08

Quote:

Originally Posted by lksteve

There's also a hell of a lot of brackish and alkaline water beginning in Utah and continuing on across the Great Basin...once you hit the east slope of the Sierra, water quality improves...but this place has been desert a long time and for a pretty good reason...

But since you've decided to travel that way, my question is do you follow the route of I-70 or I-80...? Those roads are there for a reason...the I-70 corridor would be much more challenging for a man on foot than I-80...and I-80 was a jumping off point for the routes of the Oregon Trail, Pony Express and the Donner Party...

Probable the I 80 corridor, once I left CO I would try and stay on the north sides of the states. Maybe even moving a little bit into Idaho. But I would finish up in northern CA or even southern OR.

lksteve · 05-09-2008, 20:24

Quote:

Originally Posted by x-factor

Can you store jpegs or video? geo-referenced media? html content?

RTFI...you are taking a digital camera...additional memory for the camera is lighter than a laptop...

Max_Tab · 05-09-2008, 21:40

I was just thinking. I might end my little trek in El Dorado County, California (after reaching the Pacific Ocean). Make myself a little cabin, do a little hunting, relax, collect some pretty rocks, and just wait for my ride.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coloma%2C_California

x-factor · 05-09-2008, 21:55

Quote:

Originally Posted by lksteve

RTFI...you are taking a digital camera...additional memory for the camera is lighter than a laptop...

Yes, I'm taking a camera, but thats not what my question was referring to.

I'm talking about for the interactive encyclopedia/field guide I'm going to take back with me. For example, I want to have a plant life database identifiying different types of plant life so I know what I can eat, what I can use for a salve, etc. I want every entry in the database to have multiple jpegs for ID purposes. Can I put that on your pocket device?

I was also thinking, when building my field guide I'd definitely visit as many Indian reservations and consult with as many tribal historians as possible. If you're lucky they might even have family trees going back far enough to tell you who important tribal figures were in 1700.

BryanK · 05-14-2008, 14:14

Though my field time is limited at best, I have been primitive camping for many years. This is without a doubt a very ominous assignment. To fathom a trek across America on foot alone is foolhardy, but I'll give 'er a shot.
Can this be accomplished successfully? God Willing
Do you accept the challenge? Yes
Where do you start? Port at Locust Point (Baltimore, MD)
What route do you take? What is now the central region of the United States, heading northwest after negotiating the Mississippi river.
Where do you plan to finish? What is now Cannon Beach, Oregon
How long do you think it will take you? 2 ½ years
What is in your field gear?
Fire starting materials, knife/sharpening stones, climbing rope, carabiners, burlap bag, waterproof bags, 550 cord, 100mph tape, ponchos 2ea, Warm clothes appropriate for the climates I will be traveling through, sun-hat, wool hat, Asolo boots 2pr, moccasins, gloves (both for work and warmth), Water purification tablets, salt, one 10x20 tarp to start with(cutting as I go to better suit my needs once acclimated), aluminum tent stakes, bug juice, land nav manual, survival manual, weapon cleaning kit, brass hammer, 3ea 1/8 in. punches, 5ea 1/16 in punches, pliers, E-tool, fishing line, hooks, flies, mirror, hygiene gear, antibiotics/first aid kit, canteen cup 2ea, camelback, 1ea 2qt, 2ea 1qt canteens, composition books x2, foot notes about the various cultures, and waterproof/temperature resistant pens.
What modern items are critical, and what items from the period will work for you?
Critical modern items: As stated in the parameters- Palm PDA, Canon Powershot camera with memory cards, Olympus VN4100 recorder, and a Solio charger or two with adapters. Items of the time: tobacco, salt, clothing of the time, and various Native American ornaments from each tribe I may encounter in my travels (kind of lightning jack, I know).
What are your priorities? Stay focused, stay calm, food, shelter, water procurement.
How will you carry it? Kifaru Pointman, with Gunbearer attached, and LBE.
What firearms will you take? Thompson Center Encore pistol in 45/70 govt, Henry US survival .22, Ruger 10/22 w/scope/integrated silencer, and a Flintlock pistol w/equipment (in case someone wants to know what made that “BANG” that he heard earlier from my direction).
How much ammo, accessories, etc.? 150 rounds of 45/70 govt, 1000 rounds of .22lr or more if it won’t weigh too much, and a few spare parts (i.e., trigger groups, extractors, ejectors, springs, spring pins)
What edged tools do you take? Gerber multi-tool, Benchmade 158 , Benchmade Axis.
What navigational aids do you take? Manual, custom made 1:24,000 scale maps of the route I’ve chosen in waterproof tube, Brunton Geo Pocket Transit 2ea
What do you think your odds are of successfully completing this journey? 100%
What do you do in the 30 days before you leave? Take various history lessons, and in depth wilderness survival courses (maybe one of those held by EDIT by the Team Sergeant I don't believe these individuals that run that "school" have the intelligence of a dust mite. And we're not going to promote idiots.