@TNC

I think he was talking about the benchtop phone in the pic in jest.

But your post reminds me that having a 12v accessory hookup to charge your cell phone or a GPS is really a must if you take those remote trips. Another one of those "meant to do" mods.

M

 

Lol... crazy ain't it ? But on the flip side i'm lucky to get cell service at my house which really ain't that far from "town". If i stand up on the roof of the shop which is about 30' high i can talk all day, anywhere lower than that its hit or miss.

Its a good idea to carry some form of communication with you just in case, but as far as relying on it in a emergency situation i'll take my own wits and some preparedness anyday.

 

hahaha on the home phone gist. I liked that.

Nothing is more common than ppp. Be prepared for your locale. Nice write up

 

During the Dual Sport Rally at the Gorge, they had a fun run that checked all your gear and essentials. You would have passed with flying colors! Couple of things I learned from mountaineering. Carry a sanitary napkin (the thin kind). Sounds weird, but if you have a severe bleeding wound, this can help stop the flow. Also, I wrap duct tape around the flashlight to carry a bit of that. A couple of bucks in there too for 'emergency cash' for gas/latte/bribe.... ... I also carry benadril, since I have been bitten by spiders in teh middle of nowhere, and puffed up badly. Usually the 10 essentials end up being a hundred essentials, and choose the 10 you like best ....

 

LOL!...oh man!...I didn't see that home phone cradle in the pic. I don't know, maybe you could find a 12V DC powered model.

On that sanitary napking suggestion, that really isn't a bad idea. The guy in this pic was in our club's camp area while everyone was gearing up to go on a ride. He banged his bald head into a low hanging mesquite tree and put a decent, bloody gash in it. Still wanting to ride but being worried about totally mucking up his nice helmet, one of the other guy's wife supplied him with a stick-on sanitary napkin...LOL!...but it worked great. We never let him forget.

 

No, I did not stuff the home phone in the bottle. But I do carry with me a cell phone. Which really doesn't work when I'm in the woods. I also have aclohol wipes in the bottle kit. The next two time items that I'm thinking of adding are a saber saw and surivial cord. This way I have the means to cut limbs from trees and tie them together for a shelter. And the Wolfman bag is suppose to hold 2 liters, so I might also put together a first aid bottle too.

I enjoy putting these bottle kits together. I may not use them often, but when I need it, at least I will have it.

 

I have 2 survival kits with me, one for the bike and one for me. Two different approaches, really. If I blow a fuse or tire only 2 miles out, I want to be able to fix it there instead of pushing it back. And pushing may not be an option, if you ride deep into a canyon 1/2 mile from camp... you may have to fix the bike to get it back. That stays on the bike at all times. The other one for myself stays in my hydration pack, which is always filled with water when I leave. First aid kit, space blanket, rain poncho. Probably the most important survival tip is not to ride alone when you are in remote areas. The farther from civilization you are, the more important it is to have a riding partner.

 

Wind up 4 or 5 black zip ties in that kit. They are great for holding broken bits back on your machine. They can also hold closed flaps of flesh (yuck), holding broken digits together, or holding a splint in place.

The sanitary pad can replace your medical gauze to save space. They can also be used in place of a tampon! A real razor blade, with a duct tape square to hold the cardboard sleeve in place, may be better than two multi-tools.

Fishing line can be used for sutures. You can carry a small curved fish hook and cut the barb, or you can hunt down the real hardware. I know you aren't looking to play doctor in the woods, but there are situations where sewing the mess shut is better than holding it shut. I sewed my hand when I wanted stop making a mess while holding handlebars for example.

Burn cream can cause a significant increase in comfort, and I'd carry that before that ointments that can make a goo mess of wounds and complicate the doctor visit later. Sulfa containing creams for any purpose (burn or anti-bacteria) can cause allergic reactions that may be severe.

Don't discount Ibuprofen. In many cases it is better than prescription meds. I rode for two days with a broken foot on the stuff. Took the edge off and kept the swelling down.

 

Wheres the grappling hook and signal flares?

I also wear a hydration pack and hiking boots when I ride solo in the EDNF. My disaster plan if I cant fix the bike with the few tools and parts I carry, is to hide the bike off trail, and hike back to a main road.

 

I've seen the GPS units that can send an alrm to civilization if you get lost. I believe they are called "spot", but not 100% sure. If there was one item to carry, that would be it IMO. Last time I checked they were fairly expensive though...but kind neat that someone (your wife perhaps) could check your progress on a PC as you went.