300 replies to this topic

[Mt_Rider]

FIFTY POUNDS......






Oh Mother?....... we just *happen* to have some LIVE turkeys on the wagon trail....that SOMEone needs to explain how they get from "gobble" to being "gobbled up"


Any volunteers?


MtRider [..heading out for a date with dinner ]

[Leah]

Evening!
I noticed mention of magnesium blocks and starting fires.
If you have a multi-tool with a serrated blade, use that to scrape lengthwise grooves in the edge of the block. If you try to use a smooth blade it will take you forever to get a quarter sized pile of shavings. You can try a smaller pile, but it may not last long enough to catch anything else on fire.

[Mother]

What a super suggestion Leah. Thanks. I have had trouble getting enough shavings.

Hmmm maybe you should consider joining our wagon train. You could win the prize

Please, everyone, be sure to add any tips like this that you think of. It helps to round out the learning process.

[Mt_Rider]

I second that motion. Leah, if you want to "enter" the firestarting contest, go ahead and post as one of the Benefactor group. That's if you want a one-time character. You can join us as YOU even now. {oh lookie, here comes another wagon and why...it's....Leah and Dh..& .... }


Seriously non-W*Ho members.... *I* have been trying IRL my various means of alternative fire-starting and having no....NO....success. [as I mentioned, I'm great with a match..or two] So we need some tips if anyone has actually DONE these other methods. Go ahead a claim to be one of the benefactors or one of MrH's security people or Chef or MrS's niece.... It won't mess up our story one little bit.

Then just tell of how you set up your fire pit and used the method you know about IRL.


And don't worry that we're taking the storyline into the next thread: "Wagons Ho: JourneyIII - The Wilderness" tomorrow morning. This fire contest can have some more posts to it. (especially cuz everyone is getting holiday-busy and might not be here daily)




MtRider [....digging thru my Stage 1 (72 hr bob), Stage 2 (Super BOB), & Stage 3 (BOB-the Backpack) .......trying to figure out what I did with the magnesium blocks. They are my last hope. ]

[Mother]

As our readers can see, our wagon's have gotten separated and are stuck in a blizzard that will last all day today and through the night most likely. (shhhh don't tell)

I'd like to mention that even though these 'scenes' seem like chapters out of an interesting book, in reality they are meant to make those who are participating in this UNreality exercise think about what they would do in that situation. We have chosen not to let the 'wagoneers' know ahead of time what we are hitting them with so that they will also have to experience the surprise factor of any given scene just as in real life we can't always control what happens to us. That of course, makes for a few bloopers as each percieves the scene in their own way but that only adds to the fun.

Our wagoneers will be writing their experiences as we go along but I'd like to invite the readers to make some comments here on how 'they' might handle the situation. Do you have any suggestions for ways we could handle this better? Is there something we COULD have done ahead of time to be better prepared for this scene? We need all the help we can get.

We'd also like to hear how you think we are doing with this "journey". Are you enjoying it and are you learning anything from it? We hope so but would love to hear from you.

[Leah]

I noticed in the fire lighting scene, someone mentioned making a fuzz stick. I thought a picture might help some visualize one, if they had never seen one.
http://i282.photobuc...es/IMG_1626.jpg

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Before you move on, might want to rig up lanterns or something on the back of each wagon. Cars have taillights so others can see them, should work for wagons, too.

[Mt_Rider]

Ah......MT3B? That blooper about who's wagon is WHERE was mine. I forgot Mother's post had you just ahead of hers and my story needed our wagon right ahead of her. Sorry 'bout that. Also my part, "meanwhile at the front half of the wagon train', was posted late cuz I'm dealing with WINTER here IRL. {sigh}...we were at MINUS 23 degrees at 7am this morning. Sheeeeeeeeeeeesh! Makes for feeling quite realistic when I've *just* nearly frozen my hands while tying the ropes to secure the bedding straw I drove in to get from the feed store. I seriously had to get in car and warm them on the heat vent twice before I got them secured to the roof.


So anyway, your clan and DH and I are in front of the break in the wagon train. We're camped on the left of the trail where the ridges level out and it's like a high plains area. Lots of trees yet and we're in the meadow which was intended for the whole group to stop.

Here is where we search our brains for how to keep warm/safe in these primitive conditions in terribly dangerous weather. I've got some ideas but....anyone who any a thought or has experienced this, drop us a post here or wagoneers, post your efforts to keep warm.



....and like I absolutely HAVE TO have frigid weather outside my door In REAL LIFE just at this part of the storyline comes up.



MtRider ...who is seriously in dangerous cold while caring for real live goats, equines, and ducks. ....Big dog and cat are, of course, within the currently warm house with me! Pray we do not lose electric for any weird reason. Just cold...no storm or snow here.]


edit to add: Leah, that pic does give a better idea of how fuzzy you can carve a stick for tinder. thanks. Tail lights...or those light sticks that Mother brought out. Those things are good too. The more expensive ones have some fair visiblility....tho I'm not sure in the blizzard conditions? Never tried one then. Would be an interesting experiment tho. DH and I did signal each other with a barn light in one blizzard we were in. Big halogen lights.

Edited by Mt_Rider, 04 December 2009 - 11:36 AM.
Leah posting same time...lol

[mommato3boys]

That's okay Mt. Rider I think I covered it okay I just removed names and stuck with wagons. Ok so I think I am on the same page we have Quiltys group, Mother's Clan, You and DH, and Michael and Lori and we have lost everyone else right? Or are we the ones lost??? LOL that is what you get for not warning me I was lead wagon

[Mt_Rider]

Be careful...you might end up confusing me.....

[dead dog tired after dealing with our REAL animals for 2 hrs...incuding hand-hauling water to the horse tank... ]


I can't tell if you're kidding, MT3B.....so if you are not:

Front part of wagon train, camped in large clearing to the LEFT of the trail include:
---All Benefactors except those that were with the herds of livestock behind the very last wagon.
---the AT3B's clan of three wagons
---MtRider, Mr.MtR and their wagon/donkey cart/equines/goats(on cart)etc

Back part of wagon train, camped in a smaller clearing with trees to the RIGHT of the trail...having veered off in the zero visibility:
---Any benefactor herders
---All other ....ahem, REAL people.




We're trying to give the perspective of this crisis from two separate viewpoints. So it's you and me for the Front half of the wagon train.



MtRider [..... I'm off to see if we can start telling how our group survived the night]

[mommato3boys]

I was joking ok you, me and the benefactors. Ok so here we go...

[Amishway Homesteaders]

That's okay Mt. Rider I think I covered it okay I just removed names and stuck with wagons. Ok so I think I am on the same page we have Quiltys group, Mother's Clan, You and DH, and Michael and Lori and we have lost everyone else right? Or are we the ones lost??? LOL that is what you get for not warning me I was lead wagon

Close.............
we were following Mother who we thought knew where she was going?
But seeing we couldn't see, we couldn't know that she knew nothing about not seeing what she couldn't see - see?
(OK even I had to read that part 3 times after I typed it in because it makes sence until you look at it? too many words the same but that what my mind told the hands to type? LOL)
But for now we are save with the second group.

[Mt_Rider]

Oh dear! Mooooother? Hon, I think we've finally pushed them over the EDGE with this part of the wagon trip. [MtRider wrings hands anxiousl]






LOL and me posting about a half a day behind everone else..... I'm TRYING to catch up!!!

[Mother]

Close.............
we were following Mother who we thought knew where she was going?
But seeing we couldn't see, we couldn't know that she knew nothing about not seeing what she couldn't see - see?
(OK even I had to read that part 3 times after I typed it in because it makes sence until you look at it? too many words the same but that what my mind told the hands to type? LOL)
But for now we are save with the second group.

Okay,,,,I KNOW you are going to groan.....But I think you LOST me!!!!

Ahum...sorry, couldn't resist.

MtR, it's going to be okay, Snow does that to a person. Especially blizzards. Just think of it this way....we are all learning that STRESS can make your fingers do what your mind tells them to do....

[Annarchy]

Oh man.... I must apologize for not being here .... I had an IRS audit that put all my priorities IRL.

I came here and noticed the 'Comment' thread was updated and decided to read it first. It's only been 2 days, hasn't it?? What is going on?!?!

So now, I am heading over to the wagon, quite apprehensive, to find out......

[Mt_Rider]

MtR elbows Mother and points to Annarchy running over to get the last two days of updates on Journey III. "What's been happening, she asked" Heeeeeheeehee. Wait till she finds out.


Hey Annarchy...don't let MT3B's fool you. You're in Mother's group. Right side of the trail....yep, you've found it. Buried in snow.


Mtrider

[Mother]

Don't ask me Annarchy, I'm lost.

Oh wait, we're lost together. It's nasty out there, be prepared to get through two days in a hurry. LOL.

Can't wait to see what happened to you and Big D and entourage...

[quiltys41]

Okay, so evidently hubby and I were in the right group lol. I guess we were somewhere behind Mother and AH's wagons?

LOL Hubby is still wondering about having to shovel snow and since he has never done that before, he's laughing about having to do it in a story. Poor guy.

I do have to wonder how long yall are planning on us being stuck there?

Q

[Mother]

Okay, so evidently hubby and I were in the right group lol. I guess we were somewhere behind Mother and AH's wagons?

LOL Hubby is still wondering about having to shovel snow and since he has never done that before, he's laughing about having to do it in a story. Poor guy.

I do have to wonder how long yall are planning on us being stuck there?

Q

See, Q, you are NOT lost. You know where you are. With ME... Don't follow too close though cause I'M lost yet.

How LONG will I be lost? (pssst,,shhhh, I know I'm going to be lost tonight yet maybe tomorrow too, maybe even the NEXT day,,,maybe not ...we can't end the snow tooooo soooon or we wouldn't have any fun trying to survive it but you can tell MrQ that we really appreciate his help )

[Annarchy]

Ok, now that was an experience, with floods of memories trying to control my comments.

IRL, we snow backpacked for 20 some years. Even taking the Sunday School High School class on some of them, knee deep snow up the mountains. On one adventure we were caught in a blizzard, it snowed so much our tent was buried and they closed all the roads and we had to move barricades to get out. And yes, I've started and maintained a camp fire through it all.

Dry wood can usually be found under other dead wood and fallen trees and dry bark for kindling can be found on the south <I think> side of must large trees. Depends if it's been raining before the snow falls, then it takes a little more work to find enough wood to start it. Then, the logs can be set next to the fire to dry out enough to use.

(This UnReality trip has my DH wanting to go again.)

[Amishway Homesteaders]

LOL Hubby is still wondering about having to shovel snow and since he has never done that before, he's laughing about having to do it in a story. Poor guy.

Q

PLease tell 'Hubby' the next time he shovels you out to look WHERE he puts the snow. I had just cleared a path from our wagon out to the inner circle and when I came back out with the pots for collecting more snow so we had more water there was a nice path leading out from your wagon and my path was filled in? LOL