The Disabled Hiker, eps 5, Lost in the Woods, pt-1, GETTING LOST

Each year hundreds of hikers and backpackers are reported missing. 
And although the reasons and circumstances leading to these reports greatly vary, they all seem to only end in one of three ways. That is, that the party was found alive ... found deceased ... or is still missing.
 
"Lost in the Woods" is intended to be my first sub-series created with the intent of instilling some of the basic survival skills needed to keep the adaptive day hiker or backpacker safe long enough for rescue by the search party or even an attempt at self rescue. Although this series is intended to be only a feature in the yearly episode, I wanted to kick off the series by dedicating an entire episode to this worthwhile and possibly life-saving topic.
 
To quote some unknown survival guru ... 
"Knowledge is in the equipment that you can never forget at home."
 
Whereas I do not consider myself to be a survival expert, I am considered by many to be a collector of life skills that are proven to be very useful in a survival situation. And adapting these skills to my "new normal" has been a foregone conclusion over the last 20 years.
 
 
Click on the video below to begin the journey.

 

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As anyone who knows anything about actually using survival skills will tell you, practicing these skills is key above all else. Without practicing these skills you are forced to learn how to work their magic within the madness, panic, and mayhem of the actual emergency situation they were intended to help you out of. Without repeated practice in different situations and weather conditions you may find out how truly unprepared you are for the real thing should the time come.
 
A good example of this is how most people seem totally unprepared for how hard even the simplest of fire making devices can be in a cold, wet, or windy environment. There's an element of panic that rushes over you as the rain is pouring down your back and the wind is howling in your ear, your hands shaking so bad you can hardly use your fingers... and that's when you start to realize it.
That some things are really hard even with practice.
 
As a matter of point, please keep in mind that there is no way that I could think of everything or hope to demonstrate it all in one episode. But I'll get around to it eventually. But in the meantime I urge you to continually learn and practice new survival skills on your own.
And who knows, maybe you'll be teaching me a few things.

Note: Sorry everyone. Due to my continuing health problems and further complicated by computer software issues that have slowed my usual process, Episode five will be coming out a bit later and released at a slower rate of speed than usual. I want to thank all of you for your patience, kindness, and understanding concerning this delay and will be doing my best to get things out as quickly as possible.

Thank you all so much for watching.

Please remember to
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Be well ... and Happy Hiking!

 

Produced by: Terry Craig,  
The Disabled Hiker

Assistant editor: Dave Deubler

Photos & video by: Larry Deitch,

& Terry Craig, 

Featuring music by: Mad Mme. Em
&
T.Craig  

Disclaimer: This blog, written articles, video presentations, and all content within are not intended to take the place of professional medical advice. Please consult your Doctor before making any changes to your treatment plan and/or changes to your exercise routine.

  

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The Disabled Hiker, Feeling Earth, Part-8

Episode 4, Feeling Earth

Part 8, Applying Nature to Nature

 

After developing an allergy to DEET, I found myself looking for alternative methods to deterring mosquitoes and ticks from turning me into a smorgasbord. Receiving my S.O.S., the good folks at Turtle Moon Health were quick to respond with an all-natural alternative that was child and pet friendly too. And without all the heavy chemicals that insect repellents often contain. 

After Turtle Moon Health saved the day, and having deterred the insect air and ground war for the moment, I turned my attention to a rather old and repeated request.

"How do you build a Rock Cairn Fireplace?" 

After featuring the Rock Cairn Fireplace in episode one, I'd had many requests over the years to demonstrate its construction. Unfortunately however, with only my hiking dog to help me, this demonstration seemed highly unlikely. But thanks to my good friend and one-man film crew, professional artist Larry Deitch, joined me to help move the stones and rebuild the Rock Cairn Fireplace on-site.

Check out these other great links from 

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The Disabled Hiker, Feeling Earth, Part-1,

Episode 4, Feeling Earth

Part 1, A Long Hike In

 

Its so great to be back.

Part 1, A Long Hike In (The 1st Half)
Join me as I begin episode 4 by embarking on yet another backpacking trip with my dog TaSunka and a pack full of new, Disabled Hiker friendly backpacking gear, trail advice, and much more.

Besides the usual antics of TaSunka and his little friend in the opening credits, part one begins with TaSunka and I being dropped off on Ashfield Road, in Slatington PA, near the Appalachian Trail, to begin yet another episode of The Disabled Hiker. Despite the chronic pain, depression and anxiety, I continue to do my best to hold onto and reconnect as often as possible too the one thing that brings the most piece to me. The wilderness.
And so begins part one of Feeling Earth, A Long Hike in.

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The Disabled Hiker, EP3, pt 5, Living With Poison Ivy

As a kid I got poison ivy all the time... If I'd only known about the
cure that often grows right next to where poison ivy is most often
found?

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GETTING TO KNOW TERRY CRAIG by Jacqueline Jax on AVA LIVE RADIO

This week I had the honer of being a Featured artist on AVA LIVE RADIO's, Behind the music with host Jacqueline jax. 

What a great opportunity. 

Thanks to the AVA LIVE RADIO staff, I am able to bring The following links to you hear, on The Disabled Hiker Blog.

The article they wrote about The Disabled Hiker and the music I generate can be found at the link below

Getting to Know Terry Craig; the Disabled Hiker by Jacqueline Jax

 But don't forget to also click on the link below and listen to the live interview.

Check Out Indie Music Podcasts at Blog Talk Radio with AVA LIVE RADIO on BlogTalkRadio

with music & interview of Terry Craig; The Disabled Hiker

Thank you so very much to Jacqueline Jax, Jaime Sands, Galia, and the rest of the AVA LIVE RADIO staff. 

 

 footnote; I posted a link to AVA LIVE RADIO on the sidebar to the right. Don't forget to check out all the wonderful indie artists featured there each week on, Behind the music with host Jacqueline jax.

AVA LIVE RADIO Behind The Music With Jacqueline Jax 

>>>> <<<<
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RULES OF THE DISABLED HIKER

continued from the above page; RULES OF THE DISABLED HIKER

3. Listen to the concerns of others when making your plans.

Upon returning to the hiking trails, there were a number of naysayers who seem determined to confine my travels to city streets and so-called nature trails that had been cleared of every bump and rock. But I wanted adventure. A chance to touch nature again without the sterilization process that so many wished to impose on me.

However also present were those I like to call 'the go for it crowd '. Composed of well-meaning individuals who often don't fully understand the implications of all they suggest for us. Clearly our purpose most certainly differs from the average hiker.

Whereas most are out there to challenge their stamina if not every muscle in their body, we are out there with the full intention of coming back unscathed for multiple reasons. First, so that we will be able to do it again without our friends and loved ones worrying about us every minute we're out there. And second, so that we can build a little confidence of our own. Not only confidence physically but mentally as well.

If we are truly to listen to the concerns of others when making our plans, it is essential that we find a way to keep all those concerns in perspective. It's essential to not scare easily nor trivialize any of the things that present themselves on any overnight hiking trip. That's when I decided to devise a little game for myself in the hopes of answering those really tough questions 'others' had about me hiking again.

I never really named this game as I was really just making it up as I went along at first. But for now we'll call it The Disabled Hiker Wilderness Stew Game. Because basically, you throw it all in a pot, heat, stir, and serve it up unseasoned and piping hot. Regardless of how good or bad it tastes, previous knowledge will ensure the recipe will get better with time.

To start out with, I began by soliciting and writing down a list of all the concerns that people presented me with. From friends, relatives, and anyone else who cared to offer an opinion. Excluding of course the ridiculous and obscure that often came from people who had never been hiking nor spent a night in the woods in their lives.

Secondly, with the help of my old hiking journals and simple memory, I compiled a short outline of a weekend hike where everything that had ever gone wrong on all of my hiking trip's was compiled into one weekend hike. Adding to it I further included all the mundane things that every hiking trip would not be complete without, from setting up a tent to going poop in the woods. It was important that I leave no aspect of this imaginary adventure unrecognized. I especially added the times when things went really wrong.

Third, I compile both these lists into a single outline of a wilderness vacation that reminded me more of a of a 55 hour long nightmare that included not only 'the concerns of others', but also the concerns laid out over years of my own hiking experiences as well.

Ironically... I guess it's true of all good stew's in the pot, that it is difficult to keep the tasting thief from taking a sample long before it is finished cooking. As I added the two lists together, I found myself cheating and I had to constantly restrain myself from problem solving until the outline was finished.

The fourth step then became obvious as I released the bloodhounds of my consciousness on problem after problem. Answering every dilemma as best I could. At first verbally, and then later physically as well. As I said, I wanted to know how I was going to handle everything. Even the little things mattered as those little things can seem awful big when you're in pain and not feeling within normal parameters. 

I found a prime example of this in an old trail journal entry from long ago when I had twisted my ankle on the trail. I was in considerable pain especially the morning after.

On this particular occasion I dedicated two full pages of my journal to darkly colored metaphors and line after line of curse words strung together like a tapestry of doom, simply because I had knelt down by the fire to make coffee without grabbing the water that hung on a tree limb only yards away. Yet considering the pain I was in at the moment, it might as well have been miles away.

This journal entry of which I speak became the inspiration behind 'The Hook' featured in episode 2 part 5 of The Disabled Hiker. 

{ DH, ep-2, part-5 video link }

 

Once I'd stopped patting myself on the back for my ingenuity, it slowly dawned on me that this was going to be an ongoing process. It was also apparent that this process had a unique way of preserving and addressing the concerns of others while directly utilizing my own experience to maximize my preparedness. And where it's true that every problem is in need of that eventual perfect solution. They don't all need that solution right away. 

For indeed the journey itself is why we're all out there.

 By; Terry Craig 

~The Disabled Hiker~

©2015

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DISABLED HIKER Eps-2 Video Library

EPISODE – 2

Eps-2, Part-1. – THE HIKE IN.

* Filming the second episode became increasingly difficult as the colder months closed in on me. I had dealt with several health issues over the preceding summer months that seemed determined to put me out of action until the following year. However with a little extra cold weather gear I was able to pull it off.
In hindsight I would say I had everything I needed except for one thing. Something I left behind in order to save a little weight in my pack. But that item will become apparent in part -8 of eps-2.
For now just sit back and enjoy part-1. The Hike In, with the same assumptions I had at the time..... ie; I had everything I needed with me.

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Eps-2, Part-2. – WHY A TENT?

* This part of episode 2 dives into some of the little things to look for when looking for the proper campsite. Especially when you have back problems. Simply doubling up on the sleeping pads you carry can really enhance the experience. As well part two also touches on why one would prefer a tent over a hammock especially in cooler temperatures. This one's for you chronic pain sufferers as there is not one among us that does not suffer at the hands of the cold icy dagger-like grip that comes along with being slightly hyperthermic. Often I think because of the pain I've become acutely sensitive to the cold. So staying warm is essential if I intend to enjoy myself out there.

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Eps-2, Part-3. –BEAR BAGS. WHY, WHERE, AND ATLATL'S.

* Strangely enough the word Atlatl was the most accurate term I could find to describe the ball throwing device. The Atlatl was a prehistoric spear throwing lever that enabled prehistoric man to bring down things as large as mastodons and mammoths. And just calling it a ball throwing who–jiggy–ma–whatsit just didn't sound right to me. However considering the modifications I had to make sticking with it's store-bought name wasn't such a hot idea either in my mind. Just imagine a world where when you saw a need for something useful you simply created it. Yup, that's where I live.
When it comes to hanging a bear bag just when I think I've seen it all someone comes along and proves to me that I can still be surprised from time to time. Such as the group of young folks I saw who preferred to hang their bear bag directly over their tent while boldly stating, "There! If the bear wants my food he's going to have to stand on me to get it." ..... I don't know what made this gentleman think that a bear would not be more than happy to stand on him to get to his food. But these are the people I like to camp far far away from. Especially after losing so much mobility. There's an old joke about two men standing in the woods. One turns to the other and says, "If a bear attacks remember, I don't have to worry about out running the bear. I just have to worry about out running you." I always remember that joke when I see a bear. And then looking back at my hiking dog I start to wonder. Hmmm. Did he hear this joke before too?

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Eps-2, Part-4. – THE SHIYO WILDERNESS DOG RUN.

* THE SHIYO WILDERNESS DOG RUN is one I experimented with for many years. Even though S'iyo was never much for running off. Their were plenty of times where I needed to know that he was not going beyond his boundaries. Such as while I was setting up camp and he tended to be a little underfoot. Which as you can imagine is something that gets a little interesting for me. It also comes in handy In the wee morning hours when your hiking partner wants to go find that special tree that needs watering out there somewhere, and you don't exactly feel like climbing out of your nice warm sleeping bag to go watch the selection process.

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Eps-2, Part-5. – * A PAIN IN THE WOODS.

                         * THE HOOK.

                         * THE REAL WORLD.

* A PAIN IN THE WOODS. Most of us who have survived 15 years or more on heavy pain meds have stories about overdoing it. Striving so hard to achieve that pain free feeling once so familiar to you comes at a heavy cost. At one time I thought that cost was a necessary evil of my situation. I seem to constantly be hiding the amount of pain I was in from my supervisors at work and even from my family. But, just as all bad ideas do. It led to some serious consequences. And so although I may say I wish the drugs were stronger. I know the consequences of that as well and today I'm content to just keep on wishing.

* THE HOOK I had originally designed after becoming frustrated when attempting to throw my knives as I had once done in order to get some much needed exercise. However my skills had diminished over time and the constant bending and squatting to pick up missed blades quickly took its toll. Soon after I started I would be in pain. The whole idea was to take something I used to love and use it to get some amount of exercise. But this wasn't working at all. At first I tried one of those store-bought grabber devices. However the blades proved to be too heavy for the jaws to maintain a grip on them. Then it occurred to me that almost every blade had at least some whole and the handle and that perhaps something as simple as an L shaped hook was all I really needed. I soon found myself lasting a full 10 min. at a time throwing my knives. Twice as long as before considering before creating this little gem I would have spent most of that time adding to my pain making any exercise I got from it counterproductive and frustrating. This little invention really blossomed though as soon as I took it hiking with me. I keep it close in case I drop a walking stick or other gear while wearing my pack. I've even found myself tying little loops of string on many of my things so they can be more easily retrieved by The Hook should I drop them.

* As for THE REAL WORLD? ...... it's real and it's out there, so get out there and enjoy it.

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Eps-2, Part-6. – *THE BIG FALL.

* After years of hiking Pennsylvania trails I can honestly say that falling today does not scare me anymore or any less than falling when I was completely healthy. To be honest, it scares the crap out of you just as much. Often when falling the only thing there to catch you is a pile of rocks. All pointing upwards sharply of course. If you're lucky you can turn and land on your pack. Sadly and more often than not you come down on your knees adding catastrophe to injury. Even the healthiest of hikers can be taken out by a single and seemingly innocent fall. I guess that's why, as the old saying goes. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Early in my disabled hiking days I decided it's just better to be prepared then to be put out of action. And part six has everything you need to be ready for, The Big Fall.

* Even though he is not in the frame most of the time my dog S'iyo was a very big part of filming this segment. As I laid there recording he stood constant and silent watch over me standing just a few feet off the right. In fact he always made me feel well protected out there. It is for this reason that at the end of part six you will notice a short remembrance of my protector and friend S'iyo S'unka. There is no love so deep as that of a faithful dog.

                                 
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Eps-2, Part-7. –  D.H. EQUIPMENT REVIEW.

             * THE TEA LIGHT CANDLE LANTERN.

* My daughter Jamie bought this for me for Christmas a few years back when I was in the process of trying to find lighter gear. These candle lanterns are the lightest and from what I've found they are also very well made. Sadly however I cannot say the same about the tea light candles manufactured to put into them. Even the more expensive ones seem to have this common flaw to their design. Part seven goes over how you can turn the cheapest of tea light candles into a Tea Light Powerhouse for your lantern.

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Eps-2, Part-8. – * NIGHT VISITOR.

               *EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED.

* Encounters with wildlife, the land and water. Even the elements. That's one of the biggest reasons I still love to go out there. "Surprise me Mother Nature!" Let's just say that this night however, was just full of surprises.

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Eps-2, Part-9. – *PACKING AIDS.

* Often packing and unpacking can be a tiring chore in itself. Part nine sheds light on a few methods I've come to really appreciate over the years. Used in conjunction with The Hook (featured in part 5.) I can easily pack everything myself as well is put my own pack on without adding to my pain and discomfort.... Well, most of the time anyway.

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Eps-2, Part-10. – * TIME TO GO HOME.

* As a footnote to part 10. Please be careful when attempting to get out there again. Take every precaution. Never hike alone. Always carry bear spray, a whistle, and a cell phone. Don't overdo it by expecting too much of yourself. And most of all and at the top of your list above all the others, Have Fun out There. It's your world too. And you deserve your piece of it and place in it.
Mitakuye Oyasi
(we are all related.)
Terry Craig ~the Disabled Hiker

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