scout24
Flashaholic
Biggest storm in quite a while hit us here in the lower Hudson Valley, NY. this past Thursday and Friday. There are still probably 50,000 without power, we were lucky here at casa Scout. There were people stranded on a 40- mile stretch of I-84 from 6PM on Thursday well into Friday, which highlights yet again the need for a car based kit with food, water and warmth, as well as keeping your gas tank topped off. State troopers on snowmobiles eventually got out to check on people, but by all accounts, it was a cluster.... Self sufficiency is key.
Keeping four teenagers from going stir crazy was the single biggest surprise, they rallied without the internet and video games and actually spoke with each other and got along, three of them camping in the living room on Thursday night. Okay, on to the observations:
* Theory proved correct in that my pellet stove will run on an inverter and marine battery for 8 hours, saving the generator for daylight so as not to attract attention. Snowblowers and chainsaws during daylight keep folks from wondering where the noise is coming from.
*Honda Eu2000i will run forever on ecothrottle on one tank of gas, and run the coffee pot as needed.
*2-burner camp stove on low will melt enough snow so six people can flush as much as needed, without using a ton of propane.
*Quad with plow is great to a point, but when you run out of room to put the snow, nothing beats a snowblower. It just takes longer.
*Gerber infinity and Fenix EO-1 are kid proof, and don't mind being left on all night.
*Low flood rules indoors, and as long as the light is not too heavy, holding it in your mouth is not a hardship. Headlamps are great as long as you don't look at people and blind them. (My oldest is the most guilty...)
*A good thrower is great for identifying where the broken branches came from, as well as identifying "what was that?" noises for the youngest ones.
*There is no such thing as too prepared, too many batteries, too much stored food and water, and too many lights, as long as other aspects of preparation are not neglected.
*I spent most of my time with a SF Titan and my LS20, Mrs Scout used her Sundrop XR-U. Ceiling bounce with all was great.
*Nothing beats breakfast cooked outside on the camp stove.
*CPF on my cellphone really is no fun...
Keeping four teenagers from going stir crazy was the single biggest surprise, they rallied without the internet and video games and actually spoke with each other and got along, three of them camping in the living room on Thursday night. Okay, on to the observations:
* Theory proved correct in that my pellet stove will run on an inverter and marine battery for 8 hours, saving the generator for daylight so as not to attract attention. Snowblowers and chainsaws during daylight keep folks from wondering where the noise is coming from.
*Honda Eu2000i will run forever on ecothrottle on one tank of gas, and run the coffee pot as needed.
*2-burner camp stove on low will melt enough snow so six people can flush as much as needed, without using a ton of propane.
*Quad with plow is great to a point, but when you run out of room to put the snow, nothing beats a snowblower. It just takes longer.
*Gerber infinity and Fenix EO-1 are kid proof, and don't mind being left on all night.
*Low flood rules indoors, and as long as the light is not too heavy, holding it in your mouth is not a hardship. Headlamps are great as long as you don't look at people and blind them. (My oldest is the most guilty...)
*A good thrower is great for identifying where the broken branches came from, as well as identifying "what was that?" noises for the youngest ones.
*There is no such thing as too prepared, too many batteries, too much stored food and water, and too many lights, as long as other aspects of preparation are not neglected.
*I spent most of my time with a SF Titan and my LS20, Mrs Scout used her Sundrop XR-U. Ceiling bounce with all was great.
*Nothing beats breakfast cooked outside on the camp stove.
*CPF on my cellphone really is no fun...
robably this summer we will get screwed royally with a major hurricaine.
