We Can All Live Active Lives

      What does it mean to live an active lifestyle?  How does one go about living a healthy and active life?  These are a couple of questions I've asked myself throughout the years.  My opinions have been all over the board.  At one point in time I thought weightlifting was the end all be all.  If you didn't lift, you couldn't possibly be healthy.  Looking back I think to myself, "boy what an idiot," I can't believe I actually bought that crap.  My philosophy has changed and become much more diverse.  I have realized it takes just a little bit of a whole lot to stay healthy but, a whole lot more to get there.
I started out skinny and very lean so, naturally I wanted more muscle mass.  I ate big, lifted big and ultimately got bigger.  By the time all was said and done I went from 145lbs. to 235lbs...in the course of 17 years.  I took the long road, stopping hear and there depending on my finances and job.  There was 5 years of college, then the unknown number of years working 14 hour days and then kids.  I was amazed to wake up at 235lbs. one day.  It was a goal I had set when I was 15.  Of course as I looked down at the scale I had to lean forward a bit, my stomach was in the way.  I had not gained all muscle mass as I had set out to do.  Yeah, I lifted regularly but, my diet was horrible and all I did was lift.  I had no way of burning off the excess calories I was consuming.
Discouraged and depressed I set out to change all this.  I had been studying nutrition and exercise since I was 13 and knew enough to get my ass back in shape.  I sat down worked out a schedule and dietary plan.  Made all the proper calculations, bought all the right foods and got to it.  Two weeks later I was craving a McDonald's cheeseburger like you wouldn't believe.  Not just, "I'm hungry for a cheeseburger," but, the kind of craving you would be willing to walk through fire for.  And, I don't like eating McDonald's.  I did what I normally do and fell off the wagon calling it a "cheat day."  That day became so frequent it lost all meaning and became my diet.  
Time to revise.  Went back through and reformatted my plans and tried again.  Same results.  I think I did this another 2 times before I finally threw my notebook in the burn barrel.  The only thing I was doing at the time consistently was cycling.  I was borrowing a bike from a friend and riding about three times a week.  It was then I decided to just concentrate on that.  Baby steps.  So, I cycled.  I started making gradual changes in my diet and going slow.  Nothing drastic and nothing too quick.  Within a month or so I had stopped drinking soda, stopped eating junk food and was eating quite regularly.  I had a bad habit of skipping breakfast and just eating a big lunch and bigger dinner.
My body responded.  I began losing body-fat.  I know this because my cloths began to fit looser.  By the end of the summer I had actually managed to fit into an old pair of jean I never thought possible.  I was ecstatic and disappointed when the weather changed and cycling became unbearable because of the cold.  I didn't have the money to afford winter gear and so the bike sat in the garage.  I took up barefoot running earlier in the year to cross train my legs and lessen the impact on my knees and so, became my go to exercise.
During the winter I incorporated body weight exercises about twice a week to assist my running.  But, either I just wasn't doing enough or I just eat a lot more in the winter I gained several pounds back on and was getting a little rounder again.  By the end of winter I had gained about 10 of the 30 pounds I had lost back and was sitting at a nice 210.  This time around though I knew what to do.  I got back into cycling.  I also continued to run.  My diet lightened up by eating more fruit and less heavy foods also.  
As I stand today I am 180 and carrying about 17% body-fat.  I don't count calories or weigh out my food.  I don't worry about certain meals.  I just listen to my body.  I eat desert, I eat pizza and I drink tequila.  What I don't do is do any of those things often.  I keep it simple.  Drink on the weekends, pizza every now and again and only eat certain deserts and in smaller portions.  I maintain the exercise philosophy to sweat once a day and not worry about distances or how fast I'm going but, concentrate on time out and enjoying being out.  The longer you exercise at a moderate pace and allow your body to burn fat instead of muscle the leaner you become and the more endurance you gain.
I don't go to a gym because of cost and I don't feel like driving to and from a gym to workout when I can perform body weight exercise at home.  I have also found some unconventional methods to work out my strength at home also.  I lift, carry and throw various logs and stones.  Put pull up bars outside as well as in and play with my kids more.  It's amazing what wrestling around with two 40 pound kids will do for the arms and back.  
Bottom line is that my life has force me to find more efficient ways to get and remain healthy.  I don't spend money on a gym, running is virtually free and yes, I spent a nice chunk of change on a bike, I did so by choice.  I could have very easily spent very little money on a used bike and gotten the same results.  Either way I'm want it to be know most people could get healthier if they just got up and did something and slowly changed their diets.  There are no fast ways to do it and to believe otherwise is just plain dumb.  Infomercials feed ya a line of bullshit.  They may want people to get healthy with their workouts but, bottom line is they do it to make money.  I don't know one single person selling their workouts on TV that isn't making money off it.
People just need to take the initiative and "suck it up" for the first few months.  Take it slow.  Real slow if need be but, do something.  Even if you just get up and walk to the end of your driveway everyday for a week.  Do something.  Then just gradually increase what you're doing as your body responds to it.  Start listening to yourself.  It's amazing how often we don't listen to our bodies.  When I was overweight I felt like crap most of the time.  I couldn't hear anything else.  Once I started actually doing something my body started talking to me.  At first it was in total revulsion that I would make it work but, as time went and I started adding more and more to its plate it would crave being used.  I actually wake up looking forward to running in the morning or cycling in the afternoon when the sun is the hottest.  I feel good afterwards.
I now understand what living an active lifestyle means.  It means just that being active throughout your life.  Not just once in a while but, all the time.  Don't misinterpret what I'm saying.  You don't want to push yourself to the point of exhaustion or cause yourself harm.  I've been know to do that a few times because humans have the ability to tell their brains to shut up.  Listen to your body.  Go slow.  Pace yourself but, do something everyday.  It doesn't have to be much.  Your body will let you know.  But you have to know how to listen to it.  You know there is a problem in America when our video games are being designed to get us off our asses to play the game.  My recommendation is to put the game down and go outside.  Just be active.  Half the battle is won there.  

Vibram FiveFinger Review - One Year in the Making

I've worn Vibram FiveFingers for over a year now and have put them through hell and back.  After a year I think it's time to tell the good, the bad and the ugly truth about these premier minimalist shoes.  I've been following a minimalist way of life, if you can call it a way of life, for a while now.  Since the economy tanked back in 2008 my wife and I have been living a more frugal life, spending less and getting rid of the non-essentials.  With this lifestyle I've become more active and gotten myself outdoors more often.  I had also read the book Born To Run by Christopher McDougall and took it to heart.Never one to go without shoes, I embraced the barefoot lifestyle and in doing so bought a pair of FiveFingers.
  Being a victim of a bad knee (went 10 years w/out an ACL and have completely torn up my meniscus) I was looking for a way to run w/out the constant pounding of pavement.  I would run and have to use a cane to walk the following day when I ran as I always had, heel to toe.  Then came the FiveFingers.  I took the transition slow, walking around the yard and gravel driveway at first then going on mile jogs and eventually increasing my distance and speed.
I've never been a distance runner, always running sprints in school.  I did notice that my distances continued to increase and I wasn't becoming fatigued as I had in the past.  Soon I was running 5k's without much effort.  Though I wouldn't consider myself a contender, I was running further than I ever had before.  And I was doing so without having to ice my knee and use a cane to walk afterwards.  Success, I thought to myself and went on a full out promotion of the shoes that held the key to my running happiness.  I would show pictures of them to friends and colleagues.  I was even able to convince a few to buy a pair for themselves.
Six months in my FiveFingers and I began to notice the sole pealing away from the stretch polymide fabric.  I was a bit annoyed to say the least and contacted Vibram FiveFingers customer support about the issue.  To say the least I wasn't satisfied with their response that I should just glue em back together.  "No kidding," I thought to myself.     I took the response in stride and simply "fixed" the problem and continued on.
I ran in my FiveFingers all summer & fall & even tried wearing them through the winter but, ended up with near frostbite one soggy morning.  They were put away till spring.  When the spring came I was in them almost always.  I was using them as my everyday shoe.  At  some point in time I decided that after nearly a year in them I was going to put them to the test, I was going to wear them in every for every activity I could.  I wore them hiking, climbing, running, in creeks, and my go to shoe.  They handled well in all situations save one, hiking.
I have written on wearing them hiking so I won't go into too much detail but, the mountainous trails of south central PA are not kind to these minimalist shoes.  I think my feet are pretty tough, I mean I can walk across gravel and trails without discomfort.  I'm no Cody Lundin but, I would say my feet can handle more punishment than most.  Anyways, the FiveFingers were no different than going barefoot on the Appalachian Trail.  I tried it, barefoot and FiveFinger'd.  The trail was just too much for either.  The rocky trails and uneven ground put my feet and knees to the test and I eventually had to go to my cross trainers to continue hiking.  I know my pace on a trail has some factor in my discomfort but, there is no denying that there is little protection against large jagged rocks growing up from the earth.
As of this week though I believe my FiveFingers have finally wore out.  I have used them to run twice now and experienced blisters each time.  I have notice they do not fit as snug and actually move a bit on my left foot.  Which happens to be the same shoe I've had to repair twice.  I have asked FiveFinges if the shoes, like most running shoes, have a lifespan.  I haven't received an answer as of this posting.  I am a bit sad by this but, will continue wearing them around the house and out.  Running in them is not going to happen though.
Overall, I am happy with Vibram FiveFingers.  Though I've had to repair them a few times and their customer service was a bit of a blow off, I still feel the product served their purpose.  I have no idea how many miles I put on them and I'm not sure if the particular shoe I have was intended to be used on mountainous terrain.  I would have like to have seen them last longer, of course, and perhaps if I had strictly used them for running they would have.  I do intend to buy another pair to be used strictly for running and eventually get a pair of their Classics for everyday wear.  I've never worn my running shoes as everyday shoes so why should I think FiveFingers different.  After a year of use I'd rate them 8.5 / 10 if I was asked.  I place them higher than any other running shoes I've worn and can't wait to get a new pair.

Appalachian Trail Experience - Part 2

The trail has definitely pushed my legs to their limits and beyond.  I walked off the trail limping and completely drained and sore.  My intent today was to push myself to it's limits and I painfully succeeded.  I hiked a total of 24.9 miles in a little over 7 hours.  Not a great pace but, somewhat respectable.  I hiked through Michaux State Forest, more like mountains really.  There was very little flat ground and was given a number of opportunities to rock climb.  I knew starting out in the morning that the day would punish me but, I wasn't expecting the punishment to be so grueling.
For this hike I wore a pair of New Balance cross trainers.  I am upset with myself for not wearing my Vibram's but, I knew that I'd never finish the day if I wore them.  My feet were still really tender from the previous days of trekking in them or bare foot.  It was awkward for a while hiking in them.  It was a bit odd not being able to "connect" with the ground but, I was so thankful within the first hour when I came to a quarter mile of medium sized rocky part of the trail.  In my Vibram's it would have been a slow and careful navigation to avoid any real pain but, with the cross-trainers on I jogged.
My pace for the first half of the day was quite fast, around 5 mph.  For most hikers the average pace is between 1.5 to 2.5 mph for the given terrain and pack weight I had with me.  I remember passing other hikers along the path and hearing comments like, "What the f#ck?" "is he serious?" and one older gentleman told me to slow down.  I was too "in my own world" to give any recognition to my fellow hikers and just would simply wave, say hi and pass them quickly by veering off the trail to pass.  I wasn't waiting for anyone and was focused on my mission.  I had a long hike ahead of me and didn't really want to be hiking in the dark.  Little did I know my pace also was a hinderance.
The thing about keeping a quick pace in the mountains there are a lot of rough terrain to watch for, steep climbs and tough descents to manage.  I am lucky that I have been able to maintain quick foot speed since playing soccer in my youth and am a strong hill climber with the help of a couple years of cycling under my belt, descents though, I got no game.  I don't have a problem going downhill technically but, even though I am descend onto my midfoot the impact is still tremendous.   My knee started feeling the impact by late morning. I ignored the pain and kept pressing onward.  Big mistake.
By mid afternoon my knee had swollen and I was having trouble fully extending my leg.  I had a noticable limp and I wasn't even thinking of a quick pace.  I just wanted to get to the end of the trail to my pick up location.  I was hiking through the woods audibly chastising myself for my foolishness.  But, in that time as things slowed down.  I began to see things I don't normally see.  The wooded mountains began to form into the beauty they are known for.  I finally for the first time, saw this beauty.  My quick sprint like pace through the mountains the days before and even this morning had hid this artwork from me.  Now, I was viewing its' spendor through new eyes.
Though I was in pain and pretty uncomfortable I was still able to enjoy the remarkable landscape passing before me.  The rock formations that for centuries have been touched by only a limited number of souls.  A deer eating in an open section of oaks and maples.  Even a rattlesnake sunning itself on a rock formation exposed to the afternoon sun.  Most of this would have gone unnoticed if I hadn't been hurt.  The pain sucked but, was also a blessing.   It forced me to see hiking in a different light.  Much of what I do, I do as quickly as I can.  By slowing down I was able to savor the experience to embed a memory I'd hope to never forget.
My respect to those who trek out into the wild is at an all time high.  To expose oneself to nature and allow oneself to be vulnerable demands respect.
To the hikers who traverse the Appalachian Trail from start to finish I salute your endevours.  I am impressed not only by your physical abilities to do so but, by your resolve to endure all 2,180 miles of some of the East coasts roughest terrain.  To the hikers I passed by in a blur, good luck and I hope your journey is rewarding.  To the Marine I met in Boiling Springs, I admire your overcoming adversity and limitations to endure and push through.  

Appalachian Trail Experience - Part 1

One of the most famous trails in the United States, the Appalachian Trail. Stretching from Georgia to Maine and travels through some of the more spectacular east coast wilderness. Countless hikers set off and traverse parts of the trail and fewer take on the entire trail from start to finish. The thru-hikers, as they are called, take an average of 5-7 months of their lives to complete the trail. I am hoping to place among them in the near future.

For the past summer I’ve been hiking more and more getting my body accustomed to the rigors of the trail. Gaining endurance on the steep climbs and increasing my strength and resolve to handle the rugged terrain. This past weekend I’ve pushed myself to traveling further and faster than I normally hike. I’ve also forgone my normal shoes and gone either bare foot or with my favored Vibram FiveFingers. They are my go to shoes, the ones I wear as much and as often as I can. They have replaced my running shoes and have improved my running ever since. But, I must admit I’m beginning to think that the minimalist shoes just aren’t enough for the sort of hiking I do.

I am not sure if I’m odd or if my way of hiking is outside the norm but, I like to hike to a pretty quick tempo. I don’t just meander through the woods and stop to smell the roses. I use my peripheral vision and don’t really focus on any one thing when I hike…I sort of scan everything in front of me as I hike. Stopping only when I pick up something the piques my interest. I also, hike at a fairly fast pace of 4 m/hr. I do this for cardio mainly. I am really in a mindset to get in shape and pushing the limits of my body…so hiking at a fast pace seemed logical. Call me weird, ok.

Anyway, I hiked over 25 miles in the course of two days. Not as much as I’d have liked but, time was limited. My honest opinion was some seriously sore feet during my hikes. I’m not going to down play anything just because I like Vibrams but, damn was I cursing myself for not brining other shoes. The terrain was so uneven and so rocky that the Vibrams just dulled the pain my feet felt with each step. Though I didn’t stop to rest at any point along the way I really don’t think I’ll wear them for anything more extreme than a trail run on a non-mountainous area. The terrain in the mountains was just too much for the 3.5mm Vibram TC-1 performance rubber soles to handle.

Vibram does make a model called the KSO Treks which have 4mm EVA midsole and TC-1 rubber. I’m not sure that .5mm is going to help my cause. I don’t know anyone else who has used the Vibram’s in mountainous conditions to compare experiences and most of the hikers I ran into had comments ranging from me being a little out there to being completely nuts. I’m sure if they could see me cringing while hiking down a trail with golf ball sized rocks they’d think I was a masochist.

Even though it is extremely painful in the Vibrams I am still apprehensive to wear my normal hiking shoes. I just don’t enjoy the hindrance of movement I get with the New Balance 801’s I have worn in the past. I also am extremely susceptible to blisters in them. Doubling my socks might help but, I really don’t like blisters. I ended up baling hay in my bare feet this year because of blisters. Though not bad, bare feet just limited my ability to bale hay and walk through the field quickly.

I’ll have to decide quickly what I’m going to wear. I plan on hitting the trail again tomorrow and want to go all out in the mountains to work on my leg strength.

My overall opinion of the short 25 miles I’ve hiked on the Appalachian Trail…well I’ll post that tomorrow. Till then, stay healthy.

My First 5K

After the Chocolate Miracle 5K race exhaused in Hershey, PA

 I ran my first 5K race one week ago today.  I was a bit nervous.  How will I finish?  Will I bonk? Will I be able to hang with guys my age even or will I get passed by somebody I perceive to be more out of shape than me?  Ok, I was more nervous than I let on but, I'm happy to say according to the result boards at the race I did better than I thought.  I came in 69th, with an unofficial time of 24 minutes 21seconds making that my fastest 5K ever!  It was definitely an experience I want to repeat and will make some adjustments too.  Experience is absolutely the best way for me to learn.

The race benefited the Children's Miracle Network and took place in good ol' Hershey, PA.  Home of, yes you betcha, Hershey Chocolate.  I was fortunate enough to have my wife and boys with me to keep me company during the pre-race shuffle.  Otherwise I would have probably put my headphones in my ears and fallen asleep.  I had woken up at 4 o'clock to eat and get ready.  Packed the suburban by 5:15.  On the road by 5:30, to get there by 7 o'clock.  Race began at 8 o'clock.  I had plenty of time to register, pin my number (165) on and make sure I was hydrated.  It also gave me time to scope out the other runners.

There were a ton of people there of all ages.  I was a bit disappointed that I could only find one other runner in Vibram FiveFingers.  She ended up 3rd overall for the women.  It was easy to spot the cross country runners.  A group of guys in their late teens / early twenties congregated by a tree.  You could just see it in them they ran and were good at it.  I found out later just how good when they passed me half a mile from the turn around, most of ‘em chit chatting as they ran effortlessly.  By that time, I was doing everything I could just to stay breathing.  

There was a short ceremony right before the race, which I'm sad to say most of us missed cause the sound was so poor.  We all knew when to go though.  I tried starting as close to the beginning as I could...I hate being stuck in a crowd.  

After the half a mile we had thinned out pretty good.  I almost cried when I passed the first mile marker and a guy yelled my time as 7:13, I was shocked.  I normally run a static 8:50 - 9:10 mile.  I was cruising.  

The second mile I had lapsed into a +8 minute mile.  I could feel the heat finally hitting me.  The air was thick and made breathing a challenge.  I've always had difficulty breathing well in distance running.  I just don't feel I'm taking in enough oxygen.  Went to my doctors a while back and after a battery of tests, my lungs are healthy and work perfect.  It didn't feel like they were perfect the day of the race though. Then there was the distinct sound of someone coming up from behind me.

There is something to be said about hearing someone running behind you.  When you hear their heavy breathing and shoes hit the asphalt just over your shoulder that just pushes you.  I remember passing a guy and scaring the crap out of him cause he couldn't hear me coming.  He caught up with me after the race to talk about it.  He said he normally hears the footsteps of someone approaching but, never heard mine.  I told him it was the way I ran because of my shoes. My heels barely strike the ground.  I am a minimalist runner and wear Vibram FiveFingers which enable me to run naturally thus, quietly.  I think I talked to a dozen or so runners about my shoes that day. Most had questions of comfort and if I had any pain when I ran. “Nope,” I told them, “and I’ll never go back to standard shoes again.”

The last stretch of the run was the worst, it was a slight incline back to the starting line. Slight in reality but, at that point it felt like a mountain.  My legs were aching and because I was wearing a knee brace my right calf muscle was beginning to cramp.  ACL replacement back in ‘05 left my knee with little to no meniscus and I didn’t want to take any chances of potential injury.

I took my bandanna off, wrung it out and stuffed it in my waistband.  I was hot and couldn't get cool enough.  I was was tired, sore and felt like i couldn’t take a breath but, by the time I reached the last 200m I hit a zone.  

My body felt the finish line.  I was being pulled to it.  It was within my grasp.  I could feel my stride lengthen. My pace began to quicken. I felt weightless.  I passed two runners as I continued to gain momentum.  Two more runners behind me and I was in a full sprint.  I had run track in school, the 200m and 400m so I was in familiar territory but, had never done it after just running 3 miles.  Even so I drove through the finish line in full stride on the balls of my feet as fast as I could.  

I remember passing the clock and it reading 00:24:20.  I added another second just in case I missed something.  I was out of breath completely as I gave one of the girls waiting at the end of a tunnel they had set up, the tag off my bib.  That is how they kept track of our placing.  I was overjoyed with my time but, wanting to collapse.  I just had to keep moving though.  Soon, my wife and kids came to my rescue with a bottle of water and support.

We hung out and encouraged the other runners as they finished.  The boys and I ate the free bananas, cookies and other snacks they had available for us.  When it was all said and done I was quite proud of myself.  I hadn't thought I'd have had it in me. Though I didn't place in my age group, I had finally gotten back into a competitive environment.  

It’s a place I’ve missed.  I'm not overly competitive, mind you. I mean I've played sports with people who’s only thought was to win, some intense personalities there.  I will admit I do have a pretty competitive side to me but, not until I know I'm ready to compete and I'm not ready right now.  Maybe not ever but, just being in the environment was enough to give me that sensation of life you cant find elsewhere.  

I am already planning my next race in August, I think, and training for my 2nd Livestrong event on August 21st.  Click the link if you'd like to support the fight against cancer!!  And for that I'm going to need stamina and mental endurance, it will be a 100 mile bike ride through Montgomery county near Philadelphia, PA.  According to Livestrong website it is the most difficult course on their schedule, such a nice way to challenge the body.  Rode 70 miles last year, of course I'm gonna push myself this year.  It's what i enjoy.  It's what this sight is really about.  My journey to discover my boundaries and my limits.

This race showed me my limits aren't static and with the right motivation can be pushed even if only a little at a time. Next time, though I'm looking to beat 24 minutes, we'll see cause August is hot but, that's just another obstacle to overcome.

Hiking As A Minimalist

Hiking has been a passion of mine for some time now.  It began when I was in my single digits and has grown with me through the years.  I remember being in the Boy Scouts and hiking all over the place.  I carried a completely filled pack with all the "essentials" I'd need, or so I thought.  Fast forward twenty years and as I look back on it all I must have had one durable back because I don't carry nearly the weight I used to.  Some of it has to do with technology and items weighing less but, for the most part I just don't feel the need to carry all that much gear.  Of course, my wife politely reminded me I also only go on day hikes.  This got me to thinking about what gear would I take if I went on an overnight hike and how well I'd be relying on minimal gear.
I came up with the following list of supplies:
Obviously a pack - I went with my 488 cu. in. MountainSmith Tour Lumbar Pack
Compass
2AA cell LED MagLight
Clif Bars
Shelled Peanuts
Swiss Army Knife
SOG SEAL Pup Elite Knife
Cotton Balls w/ petroleum jelly
Firestarter
2 Canteens
Canteen cup & pouch
H2O purification tablets
Insect Repellent
Cordage - 50' fashioned into an anklet
3 Bandanas
55 gal. drumliner
thin fleece blanket

That's my list...Keep in mind this would be for a warmer overnight...spring, summer, or early fall.  Outside of my normal hiking clothes, Vibram FiveFingers, shorts, coolmax shirt, flannel and bandanna...I'd be set.  I'm not a big fan of large packs and because I sweat...a lot, the idea of having a pack against my back all day just irritates me.  I'll keep it simple.  The bare essentials to make it there, through the night and back and be content.
Of course this isn't for everyone.  I enjoy pushing the envelope when I go out and have gone out with just a Swiss Army Knife and my canteen set-up, (canteen, tin cup that fits onto canteen and pouch).  Ended up spending the night under a rock with a fire directed into the  overhang.  It was quite comfy, though I ended up with more mosquito bites than I care to ever have again.
My passion for minimalism is freedom, doing more with less restraints & not worrying about whether I packed my sleeping pad.  I just want to enjoy nature, period.  And, if nature wants to have a little fun with me and get me lost and keep me for a few days I've done my homework and educated myself to be able to handle being out with little gear and be quite content.  My hat goes off the people like Cody Lundin who had the balls to live in a wikiup for years and was happy doing so.  Not only is it validation that we can do with much less than what we do and be happy but, there is hope that we can find a happy medium between those worlds.  Where we respect and become more attuned to nature and decrease the amount of "stuff" we think we need.
Hiking has been one of the first areas I've gone minimalist in, I've started minimalizing my life and possessions.  I don't want my children growing up with a need to just have things.  I want them to understand we only need so much and the few things we do have that are beyond those need are truly treasured possessions.  My intent is to hike for a day spend the night wherever I make it too and hike back the next with minimal gear this weekend.  I'll see how it goes.  The good, the bad and the ugly!

Fire: 10,000 B.C. Style

Fire, a necessity in any survival situation it provides warmth, the ability to cook food, purify water and aid in being noticed by rescuers.  Today we take fire for granted with our propane lighters and matches.  It is easy to start a fire, just a click of a button and voila...instantaneous flame.  Our prehistoric ancestors would think of us as supreme deities if they saw the tools we use to produce the magic fire.  Their only tools being archaic as they were; sticks, stones and cordage, they also were able to harness the energies of fire.  So, what happens when you are out on a three day hike and you loose your pack or lighter?  Or, here's a senerio.

While on a canoe ride you hit some rapids and turned over.  After surfacing and uprighting the canoe.  You realize your pack is nowhere to be found.  You travel several miles down river in hopes of finding it attached to a tree hanging over the water but, to no avail it can't be found.  The sun is beginning to set and you're still wet from the earlier swim.  You need to get dry or hypothermia is eminent.  What do you do?

I'm considered odd by my friends and family because these are the sort of things I think about.  I mentally play out scenarios in my head that could possibly happen one day while out in the wilderness, where I tend to spend as much time as possible.  So, what do you do?  You need a fire, first and foremost.  You have to get dry and the sun setting is going to do nothing to help the hypothermia.  But, how do you make fire with only what you have in your pockets?  Well, that's what I have spent the past couple of days learning to do.

I went through my gear and determined what I'd have on my person and came up with just a few items.  I always carry my SOG SEAL Pup knife on my calf.  It's a great fixed blade knife that has taken tons of abuse from whittling to splitting branches while making shelters.  I also carry a Swiss Victorinox Camper pocket knife, a canteen with cup, compass, lip balm, & notebook all in a belt case on an military belt.  I also have about 50' of 550 paracord that I've fashioned into an anklet I wear.  Backpacker.com has a great article on how to make your own.  These are my essentials, I don't go into the woods without them and I don't usually remove them from my person.  So, with that said how do I start a fire?

What I've come up with is a bow drill.  This tool is easy to make and with a little practice easy to use.  There are some "rules" to follow before going out and making this.

1. The material you use is important and will determine the difficulty in creating fire.
2. The time spent creating the tools will aide in the ease of their use.
3. There is a technique to using a bow drill so go slow at first before really going hard into generating heat.
4. Lubrication will make or break ya!!!

Before I begin, please make sure you have fire wood, kindling and a tinder bundle already gathered.  With that said I like to use a medium hard wood like cottonwood, sassafras, sycamore, poplar, willow, aspen cedar, or tamarack.  You can use a thumbnail test to help in choosing the wood by simply depressing your thumbnail into the wood.  If it's soft and easy to press, the wood is too soft.  If it is a struggle to make a mark, it's too hard.  If it you can make an impression on the wood without cutting into the wood, it's just right.  I make most everything all out of the same wood to make things easy, making them out of different woods could cause something to just burn out before actually making fire.

You'll need to make a spindle, fire board, hand plate and bow to make this all work.  The spindle can be carved from a branch and will resemble a dowel rod, the rounder the better.  This will go in between the fire board and the hand plate.  The fire board should be about a foot long and twice the width of your spindle.  The hand plate, I usually make a little bigger than the size of my palm to avoid contact with the spindle.  The bow can be any 2' long curved branch that is solid and won't break while using.  You will also need a bit of cordage for the bowstring, this can be a shoelace, paracord or you can create your own cordage from nature but that takes a bit of time to do.

I start with the fire board by taking a 2" thick branch and flattening down two sides like a board.  This way I have an even surface on the ground and for my spindle.  I cut a dimple into one side of the board about a 1/2" from an edge for my spindle to sit in.

The hand plate comes next and much like the fire board gets a dimple in the center of a 3/4" to 1 1/4" thick piece of wood that will fit comfortably in my hand and carve a flat side that the dimple will be carved in, this will be the socket.

The final piece is the spindle, this should be about 1/2" in diameter and 8" in length in the shape of a cylinder.  You will want to taper the ends.

Once everything is made you need to lubricate the socket.  This will allow the spindle to spin freely and reduce any friction between the two pieces of wood.  You can use natural body oils, such as the oil produced on the side of your nose, animal fat, pine pitch or slime molds.  Please do not use water or sweat, it will absorb into the wood and cause it to swell and make the task near impossible.

With everything created we need to drill the sockets which means will also allow you to become accustomed to the movements necessary to create fire.  You'll want to put everything together as such:

You wanna keep things loose at first till you get a pretty good socket burned into each piece of wood.  Burning the sockets is just what it means you burn the sockets through friction causing them to deepen.  After the socket are created you'll want to carve a notch from the outside of the fire board into the socket for the burnt wood to collect.  I place a piece of bark under the fire board to collect the ash and embers and make things easier to move from the fire board area to the kindling.  

Once again assume the position and get ready to rumble.  Start sawing the bow back and forth nice and smooth and get into a good rhythm slowly building speed and pressure on the spindle till you see smoke coming from the fire board.  Once this happens begin applying more pressure and speed but, stay in control of the bow.  You'll start getting a good amount of smoke, at which point 10 or so saw strokes later you should see smoke continue from the pile of burnt wood.  Quickly and carefully place the smoking burnt wood powder into the center of the tinder bundle and cup it in your hands gently.  Begin blowing a steady gentle stream of air into the bundle causing an ember to glow.  From here you need to coax the bundle to ignite through blowing into it, once it ignites place it into a kindling tipi (built before any construction of the bow drill) and coax the bundle to ignite your kindling...Voila...fire, 10,000 B.C. style.  

There are a number of YouTube videos showing the demonstration of this technique.  You can search for Cody Lundin or Bear Grylls and bow drills.  

The first time I did this I felt like I just conquered an enormous obstacle.  It was truly a great feeling.  It also will allow you to dry your clothes from the earlier swim and keep from suffering hypothermia overnight.  Fire is an major convenience we take for granted but, without it feel helpless.  Knowing how to create a fire using minimal tools and nature is a great confidence booster when going outdoors.