On Fri, 08 Dec 2006 08:26:28 -0500, Lois wrote in :

Scott wrote:

I agree...here in the Northern U.S. where we (usually) get plenty of
snow and ice, we were taught to stay with the vehicle (and it's always a
good idea to have an emergency supply of food and water in the car,
especially in the winter months). In the case of an air search and
rescue, it's far easier to spot a car on the ground (which is usually
very near to a road) rather than spot a person in the woods...


we never travel in that type of area but when we do travel by car,
got plenty of food, several boxes cereal for me not the kids !,
cooler with drinks and h2o and several road flares (makes fires
fast) and my 2m/440 mobile kenwood and ht.

also have old cb from 1975 and it works.

Yes, indeed. Any road trip into the western half of the US (New Mexico
and points west) this time of year will see me do these:

o Move the HF rig into the van, as well as the FM dual-bander;
o Install the HF antenna mount on the van;
o Carry a straight key and antennas for 40, 20, and 10 meters;
o Carry both 2m HTs, spare batteries, and battery chargers for them;
o Load up with food, water, cloth blankets, flares, kitty litter,
reflective Mylar blankets[1], 2 shovels, and flashlights; and
o Give _very_ serious thought to what _else_ I should carry.

We've got to drive from OKC and back over this weekend, and that's how
I'll load up the van today, even though the forecast is for good wx.
I've been called an over-cautious fuddy-duddy because I think like
that, and I'm still alive because I think like that.

Even on well-traveled roads, you can get into Too Much Trouble in bad
weather; back roads in untraveled country are, as we've just seen, far
more dangerous.

Garrison Keillor said it very well indeed:

"Life is complicated, but winter narrows it down to a
few simple problems: heat, food, shelter, plumbing.
And it focuses you in wonderful ways. You don't have
to search for your personal identity in winter; winter
gives it to you. You are prey in winter; nature is
making a serious attempt to kill you."

[1] Life-savers when it's _cold_.

--
Mike Andrews, W5EGO

Tired old sysadmin