I was stranded for 8 hours in one spot BOB was opened - Page 2

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[ARCHIVED THREAD] - I was stranded for 8 hours in one spot BOB was opened (Page 2 of 2)

Posted: 1/28/2011 5:19:59 AM EDT

[#1]

Great post on good on you!

Posted: 1/28/2011 6:53:52 AM EDT

[#2]

Good for keeping your cool. I live off the 7100 in springfield and that was not a party at all!

The wife and I just got done going to the I-95 landfill complex, had to pick up our other car in Alexandria and get back to springfield. We intended to get back before the snow started falling (we both had been listening to the radio all day) which was forcast to start falling later in the afternoon into the evening.

Well snow started falling and all hell broke loose, people dont seem to grab the concept of how to drive in this stuff. Cars everywhere spun out and people going crazy slow or crazy fast and lots of distracted persons with phones to there ears not concentrating on driving.

Well we got home and I broke out my gear to check to see what I had (I keep a civilian back pack in the trunk filled with goodies), go bag good to go! Now onto the house; radio, batteries, flashlights, sleeping bags and blankets, BBQ and MSR stove, fuel, water, canned food, carbine and XD9

, loaded magazines

all check.

Power goes out around 6pm and we are in the dark till 6pm the next day UGH!

LED head lamps are your friend! My wife was allways making fun of me for mine until this happened, she now has here own.

Little transistor radio helped pass the time for us, I only have one but and looking to ge a few more. Maybe a few of the multiband ones. If you dont have a soft little earbud for the radio get one, it helps keep the noise down if you are in the same room as other people trying to sleep. Also could be handy if you are evading

Batteries, batteries, batteries! I went through this when deployed to hati, YOU CAN NEVER BRING ENOUGH! Try to get battery powered devices that take the same kind .
Also for cell phones a solar charger will work but be carefull which one you buy, the SOLIO i got has to be pointed directly at the sun. I have been looking at those roll up panels BRUNTON sells.

Now to add sleeping bags to the trunk!!!

Posted: 1/28/2011 7:05:07 AM EDT

[#3]

Quoted:
Matt, one of the small Slime compressor kits at Walmart, $9.99 supersmall works great. I doubt you could seat a bead with it but for inflating soft tires they work good. I usually carry a big bottle of slime too.

A can of starting fluid and a lighter works well for reseating a bead on a tire.

Posted: 1/28/2011 7:40:36 AM EDT

[#4]

Quoted:
Well last night I was stuck coming home from work in DC on the George Washington Parkway for 8 Hours in one spot.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/01/26/AR2011012608980.html?wprss=rss_metro/dc&sid=ST2011012603981

Here is my AAR, after sitting in one spot on the parkway for an hour without moving i knew something was up and it was going to be a long night. There was no place to pull off or turn around so i had to make the best of it. I have already been in my car for 3 hours at an extremely slow pace. Before i left for work that day I made sure i had a full tank of gas because I knew the weather was going to be bad and anything can happen in DC with the crappy drivers and roads.

Well done OP!

I was driving home that night from work around 7pm. Very nasty snow at the time - I had a ball! I was listening to WTOP and heard about the problems you all were having down on the GW.

My normal 15 minute commute took almost 40 to get home. The XJ, with it's new A/T tires did a remarkable job of going through the snow and slush (transversing hills and drifts that pickups and Subarus were having problems with). I took alot of back roads till they were blocked so I got onto the highway (and in that area it was clear). I was rather enjoying the trip while listening to the radio.

Biggest issue IMHO was the density of the snow comming down, with standard headlights I swear I had less than 30 yards of visibility so much light was getting reflected back. So while on the back roads I ran with parking lights only. Between the reflectivity of the snow and the ambient light my visibility jumped to several hundred yards. I ran that way till I got on the highway before I turned my lights on (at which time they were crusted over with snow so I wasn't getting blinded).

Second biggest issue IMHO was the "stupid people" on the highway - those that didn't know how to drive in snow (many in MD) and those that thought a FWD minivan was a fine vehicle to drive on snow covered lanes instead of going a bit slower and following the plows on the right side of the driveway.

Posted: 1/28/2011 6:17:06 PM EDT

[#5]

Quoted:

Quoted:

This brings up another good subject someone else also asked about.

What about a good, safe, small heat source for inside the car? I have heavy long johns, winter clothes, heavy jacket and sleeping bag in the Emergency Trunk, but besides hand warmers anyone has any good ideas for a heat source?

How about Coleman Catalytic Heater?

That thing looks huge and is a little on the pricey side for what it is. You would probably be better off with one or two Zippo Hand Warmers. They run on any lighter fluid, I keep a couple bottles of Ronsonol with mine. Keep them dry until you need it and then fill with fluid. They run close to 12 hours when full. Once they are lit, put them in an inside shirt or jacket pocket and bundle up.

I don't have actual experience with those things, but from earlier ARFCOM SF thread, people were saying they will burn holes in your clothes etc, plus the fumes smell.

Negative Ghostrider. They do get warm enough that you don't want to hold it in your bare hand for very long. You will want to keep them in the little cloth bag that is included. There is a slight fluid smell, but I find it to be so small that these are acceptable to take hunting without the fear of scaring a deer off.

Posted: 1/28/2011 8:08:08 PM EDT

[#6]

I just got back from a Field Training Exercise in N.M. and one of the things I brought along were the hand warmers and the foot warmers. My wife bought the hand warmers (at Stein Mart of all places) and they worked great. I've used other types before but these were rated for 20 hrs, they actually lasted over 27 hours each, well worth the money. I also picked up the insole foot warmers at Gander Mtn. They only last about 4 hrs each but worked well during that time. I had bad frostbite as a teen so I'm prone to cold wx injuries in my feet. The insole warmers and a good pair of insulated Matterhorn's carried the day for me. I've now added the hand and the foot warmers to my GHB.

Posted: 1/29/2011 1:16:57 AM EDT

[#7]

Quoted:

Quoted:
This brings up another good subject someone else also asked about.

What about a good, safe, small heat source for inside the car? I have heavy long johns, winter clothes, heavy jacket and sleeping bag in the Emergency Trunk, but besides hand warmers anyone has any good ideas for a heat source?

How about Coleman Catalytic Heater?

That thing looks huge and is a little on the pricey side for what it is. You would probably be better off with one or two Zippo Hand Warmers. They run on any lighter fluid, I keep a couple bottles of Ronsonol with mine. Keep them dry until you need it and then fill with fluid. They run close to 12 hours when full. Once they are lit, put them in an inside shirt or jacket pocket and bundle up.

I don't have actual experience with those things, but from earlier ARFCOM SF thread, people were saying they will burn holes in your clothes etc, plus the fumes smell.

Negative Ghostrider. They do get warm enough that you don't want to hold it in your bare hand for very long. You will want to keep them in the little cloth bag that is included. There is a slight fluid smell, but I find it to be so small that these are acceptable to take hunting without the fear of scaring a deer off.

Thanks for your insight. I don't hunt, and in Los Angeles, it just doesn't get that cold, The news media call +34ºF, "bone chilling cold."

I've seen these heaters at Gander Mtn, etc. If you live in parts of the US where it really gets cold, they would probably help weather the cold.

Posted: 1/29/2011 5:06:36 AM EDT

[#8]

i had a 12V immersion heater in the truck, but the first one seems to be missing, need to get another.

combine this with a cup that won't melt, or be very careful with using it in one that will. the stainless cups that have folding handles and will fit over the end of a waterbottle are a good idea.

then, either tea bags, coffee (instant or bag), hot chocolate or heating water for cup of soup would give you a hot beverage that could be nice on a cold night.

it's just faster and easier than setting up most stoves and doens't need o sit on a level surface which can be akward in some vehicles.

i got the last one at a truck stop. the only one i'm seeing on ebay is from the UK, so shipping is a bit steep.