Author Archives: J.R.

Caching Acorns: How nature can teach us to prepare for the novel coronavirus

Each autumn squirrels scurry to and fro across the forest floor preparing for the coming season. In small burrows they create caches of acorns to be used as insurance against winter’s scarcity. A squirrel’s instincts drive it to prepare in advanced for coming adversity so when that time comes, the odds of survival are stackedContinue reading “Caching Acorns: How nature can teach us to prepare for the novel coronavirus”

Wall Street Mill: A gold mill rich in history.

Joshua Tree National Park is known for its many Gold Rush-era mines dispersed throughout the vast desert park. In the 1840’s Americans and immigrants alike headed west in search of fortunes to be found in the rocky desert landscape. Such things conjure up images of the Wild West at its peak. However, despite that peakContinue reading “Wall Street Mill: A gold mill rich in history.”

National Geographic’s Complete Survival Manual

There’s no shortage of survival guides available to the modern outdoorsman. From the old US Army Field Manual FM: 21-76 to the Zombie Survival Guide, there are resources to handle any type of situation you can imagine. A good survival guide will provide you with the knowledge needed to survive and thrive despite severe circumstances.Continue reading “National Geographic’s Complete Survival Manual”

Ontario Knife Company RAT 1: A lot of knife for a little money.

Ontario Knife Company (OKC for short) has been a major player in the American knife market for some time. Perhaps most widely known as supplier to the US military, popular designs such as the US Air Force Survival Knife have been in the hands of servicemen for several decades. As their knives proved able toContinue reading “Ontario Knife Company RAT 1: A lot of knife for a little money.”

Camping in style: my first impressions of “glamping”.

There was once a time that I thought anything short of sleeping in the dirt was a “soft” experience. Always eager to test myself, I sought out the the rawest of experiences nature had to offer. But these days I’ve come to realize that it’s not all about making miles and climbing the highest peaks.Continue reading “Camping in style: my first impressions of “glamping”.”

Woodcraft and Camping: The Great American Classic Of Camping

Principally speaking, camping should be a simple task. Unsurprisingly, we have found many ways to over-complicate the camp and overwhelm the camper. All types of gadgets and misconceptions abound, but all we really need to enjoy the outdoors is a few simple skills and the basic means to live comfortably. One of America’s earliest proponentContinue reading “Woodcraft and Camping: The Great American Classic Of Camping”

Hypothermia: What it is and how to prevent it.

It seems too obvious to say that extreme cold can be dangerous. Even with the slightest chill in the air, it’s not uncommon to hear someone say, “I’m freezing to death!”. Exaggerations aside, what exactly does it take to freeze to death? More importantly, how do we know when the exaggeration can become a reality?Continue reading “Hypothermia: What it is and how to prevent it.”

Mora Companion: The Swedish sweetheart

If you’re into bushcraft, chances are you’ve heard of Morakniv. Based in Mora, Sweden, Morakniv has been producing knives for the campsite to the kitchen since 1891. Though all of Morakniv’s offerings are superb (along with their prices), let’s focus on the knife that is looked at as the standard for affordable bushcrafting knives: theContinue reading “Mora Companion: The Swedish sweetheart”

Gerber Gator: Is a $35.00 American-made fixed blade knife too good to be true? Maybe.

Gerber is a company with a checkered past among knife enthusiasts. Alternating periods of exceptional designs with quality manufacturing and periods of questionable design choices with poor materials have shaken some customer’s trust in the nearly 80 year-old company. As of late it seems Gerber has been attempting to push into another new period ofContinue reading “Gerber Gator: Is a $35.00 American-made fixed blade knife too good to be true? Maybe.”

Nazi’s in L.A.: Hiking through California’s disturbing past at Murphy’s Ranch.

If I told you that only a short drive from Los Angeles is the ruins of a self-sufficient Nazi commune would you believe me? Obscured by both myth and hidden intentions lies just that. Enter: Murphy’s Ranch. In 1933 a plot of land was purchased in Rustic Canyon, Los Angeles by Jessie M. Murphy. TheContinue reading “Nazi’s in L.A.: Hiking through California’s disturbing past at Murphy’s Ranch.”