Drinking, more.

Saturday was…interesting. I have a long-standing tradition of attending a local Beer, Bourbon, and BBQ festival. It started off as a one-off thing with MQ. Now it’s a fixture on the schedule. Brewers, distillers, venders, and entertainers flock to the local fair grounds. Good food and entertainment mix with a selection of 60 beers and 40 bourbons/whiskeys. You start with a glass at the door and go forth to sample bravely—no limits other than common sense.


After 6 years of attendance, I have an excellent working knowledge of the regular exhibiters. There’s some variation—someone new, someone old making something new, or something I’ve forgotten. The first year I attended, the second year of the event I believe, I was able to try just about everything. There were only 2-3 rows to work through. I left well drunk, but satisfied that I got my money’s worth. Subsequent years saw an expansion of the event to ever more purveyors of adult libations—good food, good drink, good times. I am now something of an amateur authority on bourbons and to a lesser extent beers. I know what I like, I’ve tried a significant portion of what’s out there, and I’m old enough to appreciate alcohol without having to overindulge to make the point. This year I wanted to try the new, sample the best of the old, and work my way methodically through the venders.

Retrospect, hind sight…these things make my poor assumptions seem glaringly obvious. At the time however, I had every intention of walking through the event, getting lightly drunk, and generally enjoying myself. Things I did not consider—and should have:

• I lost 40 pounds since last year.

• I’ve stopped drinking regularly and/or in quantity.

• Most of the selection I was interested in was bourbon.

• All the bourbon venders were concentrated into one area.

• I assumed that by cutting most of the beer and half of the bourbon from the menu that I would be fine.



What actually happened was that I spent the first hour and a half pleasantly wandering the venders, sampling, and talking to friends. The nine of us kept splitting off and running into each other, making it impossible to stick with one group for the entire time. The stand out offerings included:

• Rowan Creek. This was one of the samples from the high-end bourbon table. A bold, nicely finished bourbon that felt just right. This was also one I liked a couple years ago, on a level with the Jefferson’s reserve.

• High West Campfire. This was a blend of Rye, Scotch, and Bourbon. Much like Dalmore, one of my favorite Scotches, the blend was better rounded than a pure scotch aged in bourbon barrels. It isn’t a drink for purists, but still excellent.

• 1792 Ridgemont Reserve Small Batch. I put this on par with Bookers. The taste was strong, clearly more than 80 proof. It had a well rounded flavor for all of its kick, probably best over ice or with a splash of water.

• Firefly Moonshine: Strawberry. Not bourbon I know. Still, a surprising liquor. This called out to me for inclusion in some sangria. The flavor was perfect for girly drinkage.

• Woodford Double Oaked. I like the normal Woodford reserve well enough. The double oak had a stronger finish than I’m used to, setting it apart from the run-of-the-mill serviceable bourbons. If the price is right this would make an excellent sippin bourbon.

• Laphroaig Quarter Cask. I like strong Scotches as long as they don’t stray too far towards the smoke-centric side of things. The regular Laphroaig ranks high on my good scotch scale. This rises even higher. It has a slightly oakier flavor, but mixes that with a bold strength that never the less manages to smooth out as it goes down.



Of course, my happy bubble of contentment didn’t last. About 90 minutes into the afternoon I could tell the alcohol was going to have its way with me. I had skipped virtually all the beer and a significant portion of the bourbon. I made sure to drink water regularly. In many cases I split samples with friends. In one case I had to physically take the glass away from the 4 roses lady to prevent her from giving me 2 more samples than I actually wanted. It wasn’t enough.

By the time I got to our lunch table, Backus had me full in thrall. This was embarrassing. I don’t think my friends cared that much. I, however, cared very much. Getting a little drunk in private is one thing. Getting sloppy drunk in public is something I’ve abhorred since college. It bothers me more because in this case I took many steps to avoid that end. I had a good time, but I missed out on many of the venders and most of the food.

In some ways it’s a tribute to my healthier lifestyle just how much my capacity has changed. I suppose I should be proud of that. It’s hard for me to look at the positive though, even six days later. I’ve had several alcohol related experiences which have taught me valuable lessons—if you’re going to drink to excess make sure there are people you trust to take care of you, if people only see you when you’re drunk they’ll assume you’re drunk all the time, and no matter how much fun getting drunk is, living life is usually more fun. Those were not pleasant lessons to learn. The upshot is that I really, really, don’t like drinking to the point where I am completely smashed in anything but a private setting, and most of the time not even then.

Regardless, it was a fun time. I’ll exercise more restraint and better judgment in future. There’s the great grapes in May and the Maryland wine Fest in late summer. I’m looking at hitting up great grapes for sure. The other will depend more on timing and finances. Now, back to planning Easter dinner.

Drinking Problems

Many years ago, MQ and I attended a beer and bourbon themed festival on a lark. It was one of those…”why not?” things. Since then the annual experience has expanded to most of our friends. Now the blessed weekend is coming. The VIP tickets are purchased. Plans have been made to grab a preparatory breakfast before braving the 200 strong crowds of avid boozers.


My quandary is what to drink. At one time the answer would have been all of it. Now however, the selection has expanded to the point where even my god-like capacity is challenged. Plus, getting dead drunk isn’t fun. I’d really like to be at worst well drunk. Really more like well buzzed, though I realize how unlikely that is. Thus I have some choices to make.

The following are the drinks left on my list. I cut ones I’ve tried before, I can easily get elsewhere, or I’m sure friends will happily try for me (Ceri, looking at you with all those ryes.)





Evan Williams Cherry Reserve

Jim Beam Maple

Jim Beam Cider

Jacob's Ghost

Baker's

Knob Creek Single Barrel

Knob Creek Smoked Maple

High West Son of Bourye

High West American Prarie Reserve

High West Campfire

Buffalo Trace Small Batch

1792 Ridgemont Reserve Small Batch

Blanton's Single Barrel

EH Taylor Small Batch

Firefly Moonshine : Strawberry

Firefly Moonshine : Apple Pie

Firefly Moonshine : Peach

Cabin Fever

Smooth Ambler Very Old Scout

Woodford Double Oaked

Laphroaig 18

Laphroaig Quarter Cask

Laphroaig Triple Wood



Flying Dog Truth

Flying Dog Doggie Style

Angry Orchard Crisp

Angry Orchard Green Apple

New Belgium Snapshot

Shiner Farmhouse 966

DuClaw Dirty Little Freak

DuClaw Old Flame

Yards Brawler

Sly Fox Pheonix Pale Ale

Sly Fox Pikeland Pils

Tall Tales Red Headed Step Child

Tall Tales Some Beach Ale

Boulevard Grainstorm Black Rye IPA

Hop City Barking Squirrel

Hop City Mr Huff Pale Ale

Terrapin Hopsecutioner

Leinenkugel Summer Shandy

Leinenkugel Canoe Paddler

Smith & Forge (cans)

Hofbrau

Hofbrau Hefeweizen

The Traveler Beer Co. Curious Traveler

The Traveler Beer Co. Time Traveler

Harpoon UFO White

Harpoon UFO Big Squeeze

Primus Haacht

Shepherd Neame Spitfire

Jolly Pumpkin Fuego Otono

Jolly Pumpkin Maracaibo Especial

Saranac Caramel Porter

National Premium

Boon Kriek

Boon Framboise

Duvel Single

Ommegang Hop House

Full Tilt Patterson Pumpkin

Brooklyn Post Road Pumpkin

Palm

Estaminet

Anchor Steam California Lager

Anchor Steam Breckle's Brown

Magners Original

Wyder's Pear

Woodchuck Private Reserve Barrel Select

Evolution Sprung

Evolution Exile Red Ale

Sierra Nevada Ruthless Rye

Brooklyn Brewery Scorcher

Magic Hat Pistil

Magic Hat Dream Machine

Lancaster Hop Hog

Oskar Blues Mama's Lil Yella Pils

Oskar Blues Old Chub

Union Craft Brewing Balt Alt

DC Brau Public Ale

DC Brau Citizen Belgian Pale

Starr Hill Saison

Dominion Cherry Blossom Lager



Ah, first world problems.

Review of Echo Sigma's ER2

Emergency preparedness is big business. From doomsday preppers to the walking dead, surviving the dark times has become as much about entertainment as practicality. Surging public interest has driven an entire industry of zombie survival, tactical readiness, bug out bag, and disaster thwarting products—some good, some questionable, and many downright ridiculous. Novice preppers looking for a preconfigured emergency solution are faced with a dizzying array of conflicting advertising. Wading through this storm is often frustrating. What do I actually need? Am I buying quality products? Am I spending too much? Would I be better served building my own kit?


Fortunately, the truth about guns ran a review of the Echo Sigma get home bag when I was struggling with these questions. I was impressed by E-S’s attention to detail, comprehensive approach, and commitment to creating functional tools. Looking through their offerings I found exactly what I needed—a shelter in place kit for two people that broke down into a pair of bug out bags. A few months and one tax return later and my order was placed.



From the manufacturer’s website:

The Echo-Sigma Emergency Roll-Away for Two (ER2) is an all-in-one mobile emergency preparation system. Vital for evacuation or shelter-in-place scenarios, the Emergency System provides food, water, shelter, communications and first aid for two adults for an absolute minimum of three days (much longer with rationing).



Having the entirety of the system housed in an easy to move rolling casing allows you to be able to easily locate and roll your entire system out should you need to evacuate on short notice. Once you're clear of danger or need to continue on foot, the supplied backpacks and hydration systems allow you to stay moving on foot as needed. Your options are open.



You can take delivery of your system and immediately store it in its final storage location with confidence. Every item in this system is pre-configured and ready for immediate use. Pre-configured and ready means:

Pre-configured and ready means:



• Packaging removed from all items.

• All electronics function tested.

• Documentation consolidated into water resistant packaging.

• All items arranged, organized and stowed. Ready for fast access in case of emergency.



Those are some ambitious claims. Experience has taught me that few products in this class are truly “comprehensive.” Most slap a mass of cheap camping gear in a bundle and call it good. So I was pleasantly surprised to find that E-S’s claims were no brag, just fact.



Ordering:

The ER2’s order page gives the customer several options. There is a base component selection included with all kits. After that you can opt to supply your own upgrades or pick from E-S’s suggestions. With the exception of the packs and roller bag, you can choose to cut all of the following.

• Color: You can choose between black and coyote brown for the rolling case and backpacks. The case and packs may be selected in contrasting colors, though both packs have to match. I opted for the classic black look since I live in an urban area. If push comes to shove I want something that has a chance of blending in.

• Multi Tool: You can choose between the Sog S44 Power Plier, its big brother the S62 Power Lock Multi Tool, its cousin the B63 Power Lock EOD multi Tool, and the anemic Gerber dime. I opted to provide my own multi tools as I prefer the solid construction of the Victorinox SwissTool—though the Sogs are quality options if that’s your thing.

• Light: You pick any combination of two from Four Sevens Quark Pro QP2A-X 336 Lumen Flashlight, Fenix LD22 215 Lumen Light, Fenix E25 187 Lumen Light, or the Fenix HL21 LED Headlamp. I chose a pair of LD22s for parts compatibility.

• Radio: Choose between the Midland ER102 Emergency Crank Weather Alert Radio, Midland XT511 Base Camp Emergency Crank 2 Way Radio, or the Etón FRX2 Multi-Power Emergency Weather Radio. I went with the XT511 since it acts as a relay point. With the hand crank, it can charge USB devices in a pinch.

• Camp Knife: You can add a SOG AutoClip Mini Folding Knife, SOG "Escape" Folding Knife, or the SOG Seal Pup Fixed Blade. I have several fixed blade knives already and so opted to supply my own.

• Camp Tool: You can add a SOG FastHawk or a SOG Entrenching Tool. I’ve heard nothing but bad reviews regarding the E-tool—really bad reviews. In contrast the fast hawk gets great reviews within its design limitations. It was a no brainer.

• 2 Echo-Sigma 3-10 Day Provision Packs. Each “pack” holds 3 MREs, 9 ration bars, and 5 liters of water or 18 ration bars and 7.25 liters of water. As the website says, “If an extended state of emergency is anticipated and resupply unlikely, these supplies could be rationed for up to 10 days per person if water and energy discipline is high.” The bigger question in my mind isn’t how long I can make the rations last. I am more interested in how long the rations will last before requiring replacement. There was a time when MREs were made with frees dried components. These would last a while. Modern MREs have a standard shelf life of 3-5 years, less if exposed to high temperatures, moisture, and/or sunlight. Depending on where you’ll be storing the kit, the MRE version may work for you. It will certainly provide a larger variety of flavors than straight ration bars. I am more interested in limiting the frequency with which I will need to refresh components. Thus, I will be making a hybrid provision kit with water, ration bars, and some frees dried meals such as from mountain house.



What’s in the kit:

In addition to the above options, the ER2 comes standard with a variety of equipment. Many of these elements are smaller special purpose packs combined here, but sold individually as well.

• 1 Rolling Load out Bag XL by Sandpiper of California. This is essentially a very large rolling suitcase with side mounted molle attachment channels. In addition to the huge central compartment, the bag has 2 zippered pockets on the right side and a zippered top pocket which can be opened to deploy a heavy webbing pull handle. My case came with a detachable pals strap and snap pouch mounted between the two side pockets. Each zipper uses a knotted cord instead of the normal metal tabs—functional, though I prefer integral tab pulls with paracord knots as a backup. The back of the bag is supported by two plastic reinforcing bars for added rigidity. Three parallel mounted wheels allow the bag to be pulled by the handle. Two pairs of heavy compression straps synch the main compartment. The central bag area can be cut down by zipping up a spacer that reduces the internal volume by about 30%. The compression straps form a very large grab handle which you could theoretically use to carry the kit. In practice the unit is so heavy and bulky when loaded that I would only want to use the handle to lift it short distances. The material and zippers are very heavy duty, strong enough that I’m not worried about breakage even with over seventy pounds of gear inside

• 2 Three Day Pass backpacks by Sandpiper of California. These are decent sized day packs. Each one has molle channels for additional accessories, fittings for a condor outdoor 2.5 liter hydration system (which comes preinstalled as part of the kit), Solid shoulder and belt straps, and multiple pockets for a few days worth of gear. These are serviceable packs—not the top of the line, but solid value day packs made by a reputable manufacturer.

• 2 Echo-Sigma Compact Survival Kits. These are scaled up versions of the Adventure medical pocket survival pack. Each pack includes a survival blanket, water purification tablets, ear plugs, a combination compass and signal whistle, duct tape, and several means of generating fire/light. The components are clearly meant for solid use and not just once and done. The kits come in a zippered clamshell case which has so many pockets and sleeves that I’ve been daydreaming about using them to organize the rest of my gear.

• 2 Echo-Sigma Compact First Aid Kits. This unit has the basics including various sizes of bandage, tweezers, tape, wipes, face mask, and pain killers. I will be adding a set of disposable gloves, an ace bandage, and some antibiotic cream. Each pack comes in a zippered pouch. All the perishable components are sealed in zip lock bags by type. It is set up exactly how I would have packed my own kit if I had built it from scratch.

• 1 Echo-Sigma Hygiene Kit. This kit has _everything_ you would need in a pinch to keep clean. Besides the obvious toiletries, it has bug spray, sun screen, nail clippers, a signal/vanity mirror, toilet paper, sanitary napkins, and 2 types of tampons.

• 1 Coleman Easy Assemble Three Adult Tent and 2 Emergency Ponchos. This is a small tent that fits a queen sized air mattress. The manufacturer calls it a three person tent, but really it’s for two people. The ponchos can be used for additional rain proofing or field expedient shelters.

• 2 Suisse Sport McKinley 0-5F Mummy Sleeping Bags and 2 survivor industries Thermal Sleeping Bag Cocoons. Depending on your area, you can use the cocoons as light sleeping sacks or as liners for the mummy bags. The cocoons are rated as water proof, so even if you don’t use them for their intended purpose, they can function as the foundation for another project. Like most of the gear in the ER2, the mummy bags are solid enough quality to get the job done, but not so top flight that they drive the cost of the kit into the stratosphere.

• 2 32oz. Nalgene Water Bottles and 1 GSI Glacier Stainless Steel Bottle Cup. These are welcome additions to the Condor hydration systems, especially if you want to use water supplements. The bottle cup is a folding handled pot designed to fit over the bottom of the bottle for ease of storage. Especially if you end up camping, this is a nice item for making soups, pasta, and the like. I’ll be buying a second one for redundancy.

• 100 Feet of Military Grade 550 Paracord and 10 Extra Large Zip Ties. Combined with the duct tape in the survival kits, you can make lots of field expedient equivalents with this gear.

• 18 AA Alkaline Batteries. If the ER2 has a weakness it’s here. Alkaline batteries corrode over time. Granted that’s a ways off when you have fresh cells, but when you’re talking about a kit designed to sit in cold storage for years at a time it’s a legitimate concern. One of the first things I’m going to do is swap them out. This is one of the few components that I would have happily paid a couple bucks more to upgrade. Even so, these cells are rated for ten years, so this is more of a want than a need.

• 2 Midland GXT1000VP4 - Two Way Radios. The midland radios are about as good as your going to get in a survival radio at this price point. They are packed with features. Since they are configured by E-S before shipment, they all come set to the same frequency. I am not a radio guy, so I went to Amazon to check them out. While reviews mark them as acceptably functional, there are consistent themes of limited range, easy charge exhaustion on random power packs, and a somewhat clunky UI. Limited testing shows them good out to 2-3 miles in an urban setting with several intervening buildings. I’m reserving judgment until I have time for comprehensive testing, but so far, so good.

• 1 Camp Trowel. This is a plastic hand tool, much like you would use to scoop light soil or sand at the beach. I can see this coming in handy for a variety of tasks. It is not a dedicated digging tool however. One of the first things I added to the kit was a steel hand shovel for real digging. I would like to see a real folding shovel or E-Tool as an option for the kit, something on par with the fast hawk.

• 2 Pairs of Leather Work Gloves, 4 N95 Rated Respirator Masks, and 2 Sets of Protective Goggles. These will be useful if you find yourself actually making it in the wild, the gloves in particular.

• 4 Coleman Hand Warmers.

• 2 Large Waste Bags.

• 1 Travel Sewing Kit. This is another one of those items that when you need, you really need. The kit comes with one; I’ll be getting a second.

• Consolidated documentation.



Design :

This is, to put it mildly, a lot of stuff. I did my time in boy scouts where the SOP was cram all your gear in your pack and hope it all came out well. Later I learned the art of good packing; but in the beginning I just hoped I could find what I needed without having to empty the whole thing on the ground first. Typically when you get a product like this everything is neatly and perfectly packaged for maximum space efficiency. Once you start messing with components, you’ll find that it’s near impossible to get everything packed back down into the ideal arrangement again. With this in mind, I was a little concerned opening the ER2 for the first time. As it turns out, I had nothing to worry about.

Echo Sigma’s design breaks down into modular components. Each piece of the puzzle is arranged so that you can sort through the bag quickly and pull out what you need without fuss. I did a quick inventory of the kit in less than a minute without having to remove anything except to verify which of the multiple kits were which. Everything fits back in its place. The heavier cardboard boxes with the provision packs sit at the bottom of the case, keeping it upright. The tent and sleeping bags are positioned in order to provide structural rigidity. Electronics are positioned facing outward so as not to bump into other elements.

The less obvious and to me, more valuable design feature of the ER2 is the thought that has gone into _every_little_detail of the unit’s organization. I’m blind as a bat and I can reach into the main kit and find anything I want, by touch, in a couple seconds. Each of the redundant kits is organized exactly the same way. So getting to the gear you want, whether it’s grabbing a component from the main kit or a sub component from one of the modular packs is about as straight forward as you can get. If you want a different configuration, all of the mini packs, save the medical kits, come with integral pals straps that can be locked to the case’s external webbing. A lot of the components are better off in the protected main compartment, but using the supplied zip ties or the paracord, there isn’t much you can’t rig to the case’s exterior mounting points. The backpacks are similarly customizable. So, whether you want to live out of the case or the packs, you can put the system together any way you want with a minimal amount of effort.

Finally, Echo Sigma’s claim of:

“You can take delivery of your system and immediately store it in its final storage location with confidence.”

Is spot on. If anything they aren’t giving themselves enough credit. Each part of this kit is removed from the factory packaging and consolidated into the Roller case—usually by means of a smaller clamshell pack. Sub components like bandages, power adapters, and matches are re-packaged with like items in zip lock bags for ease of segmentation. The radio handsets and flashlights are clipped to the webbing on one of the backpacks to keep them from battering around the inside of the case. The fast hawk was placed between the sleeping bags, in its sheath, to keep it from bashing the rest of the gear. The assembly and attention to detail is second-to-none.



Quality and purpose:

The temptation, especially if you’re a gear guy like me, is to look at the ER2 and say that’s awesome! And then bash the individual components. My impression is that E-S had a real challenge when designing this kit. On the one hand, the ER2 is meant to take two people and give them the ability to shelter in place or bug out for 3-10 days in all but the most extreme conditions. That is a very broad mandate—especially when you take into account the differences in what some people will consider “essential.” Meeting that mandate requires a lot of gear.

On the other hand, top flight preparedness and survival tech doesn’t come cheap. If one were to replace the 2 lights in my kit with Mcgizmo haiku XPGs, the ER2’s cost would double. Not to put too fine a point on it, but many of the major components, lights, tents, sleeping bags, knives, multitools, packs, and radios fall at the low end of what many gear snobs would consider worthy of their attention. I don’t consider this to be a mark against the ER2.

The ER2 is designed to sit in your closet for years at a time. When you pull it out, it’s built to get two people through up to a week of shelter in place or bugging out. It isn’t designed to help you survive the end of the world. It would be nice if it came standard with the most bomb proof tech on the market. That being said, I don’t have the disposable income or desire to drop $5,000 or more on a preparedness package that will in all likelihood spend several decades gathering dust. That’s the line Echo Sigma had to straddle with this package. They had to build a comprehensive pre-configured preparedness kit for two people while keeping the end product somewhat affordable. Given that mission, I’m very happy with the result.



Upgrades:

Many preppers will want to use this kit as a foundation for customization. So I’m including a few of my personal modifications that haven’t been mentioned in previous commentary.

• I’m a big believer in training with your tools, not just hoping to read the manual in the middle of an emergency. I’ll be getting a second set of the midland radios for redundancy and training.

• There are two products which I consider universally useful. Between duct tape and super glue, you can fix most medical and practical problems. There’s some duct tape in the kit already, but not enough. I’ll be adding an additional package plus a couple tubes of super glue.

• Anyone who camps a lot knows how important having a good camp knife is—preferably one you can easily sharpen. I have a high quality plane edge hunting knife which I’ll be adding along with an adjustable sharpener. I’m surprised that this kit doesn’t come with at least a smith’s pocket sharpener already.

• I’m a big fan of dedicated storage. It helps organize and improve functionality. After upgrading the batteries, I’ll be adding battery cases and at least one USB recharger. Using the base camp radio, this will let me recharge cells in a pinch.



Conclusion:

Building a preparedness kit is all about compromise—cost vs. quality, quantity of gear vs. portability, scope vs. probable use. People are going to draw those lines differently. I think a lot of people with the motivation and the resources to acquire a $1,200 preparedness setup will want to pick the components themselves. That said, the ER2 solves the problems I need solved, answers some questions I hadn’t thought to ask, and does it all at a very reasonable price. The extra steps Echo Sigma takes to organize, consolidate, and configure the package makes the ER2 the best value comprehensive preparedness kit in its class I’ve seen to date.

Surviving

People seem to assume that the guy with the guns is also the guy who is prepared for an emergency. This stems from the fact that many gun guys tend to have the materials on hand to deal with problems whether that’s bad weather or fixing a clogged toilet. This is obviously a bad standard; guns are useful tools but won’t solve most survival problems. Still, I keep running into the fact that outside a few special groups, people of the gun seem to be the only major demographic actually worried about our national unpreparedness.


The more I read on boards and forums, the more I realize that the United States isn’t set up well to deal with major disasters. Case in point, Last year, a California power substation was attacked. A shooter or group of shooters fired 150 small arms rounds at the substation over approximately twenty minutes, inflicting over $16,000,000 in damage. Authorities later found that a fiber optic phone line had been cut in an underground vault preventing early discovery of the danger. Keep in mind that this happened in April 2013. The only reason that it’s coming out now is that a former federal official is pushing for more security for our power grid. The FBI, who has made no arrests in the matter, is characterizing this action as vandalism. This was a major substation for Silicon Valley. The power company was barely able to route around the problem. It took several days to repair the damage. I don’t really care what people want to call the event—terrorism, vandalism, rebellion…etc. The point is that someone threatened the power to one of the United States’ largest technology centers with little to no real effort. More security would be nice, but the thing that has stuck with me is how easy it would be to disrupt power over a large geographic area.

Are we likely to lose regional power for a week or more due to domestic terrorism? That depends on whether you believe that the attack on the San Jose station was an isolated incident or the first step in a larger campaign. I think a better question is what if we have a bad tropical storm or coastal flooding? What if there’s an earthquake? There are any number of ways we might lose power, water, phone service, gas, sewage…etc.

I’m of the opinion that you do what you can within your limits. We picked up a preparedness set up from Echo Sigma with our tax return. It’ll probably look like overkill to anyone who isn’t worried about such things, but that is kind of the point. Every time we get to talking guns with friends, several people say they’ll be coming to our apartment if there’s an emergency. Thing is that guns are really the least part of being prepared. If you need them, then you need them right-freaking-now. But I’m not set up to wage a war—nor would I want to be. Rather, I want enough food, medical supplies, water, communications, heating, lighting, and basic survival gear to handle two weeks or so. If things get worse than that, I have larger problems that a home survival setup won’t be able to fix. It’s flattering that others trust me to handle their problems. There are times though when I wonder why aren’t you making your own arrangements? The answer is that sadly, for many people today the idea of a major FEMA worthy emergency is beyond imagining. They probably would come to us for help if something happened and I would do what I could for them. That said, I wish more people hoped for the best, but planned for the worst.

The brunette and I have been reading John ringo’s “Under a graveyard sky” series.” Reading a zombie apocalypse survival book tends to bring out the “what if” thinking. It also highlights the survivor mindset—you know the person who is always looking for a way to deal with problems. The first book is really excellent. In keeping with Ringo’s track record, the second is less stellar but still a solid read.

Of course, as we were reading that series, lady winter dropped a foot of snow on us over the course of five days. My coworkers stayed home—assuming the building was closed. I ended up making my way across half-plowed roads, unplowed sidewalks, and blocked corners. Even today the snow is piled to shoulder height at many intersections. It wasn’t what I’d call fun—when you walk everywhere and all your normal paths are blocked there are obvious challenges. There was however a sense of accomplishment in being the only guy who wasn’t stopped cold by the weather.

Over the weekend, the brunette and I updated our phones to the newest apple iPhone robo communicator whatchamacallit—5s. Keep in mind I clung to my indestructible flip phone of doom™ until I had no option but to go with the iPhone. Nobody seems to make truly durable phones any more. So if I’m going to be forced down that road, might as well jump in with both feet. I don’t have anything against smart phones per-say; I just like using a phone as a phone. Having the ability to play games, surf the net, text, and use Skype is awesome. It’s also a huge distraction. I don’t do well with distractions. “Oooo shiny...hmm…go away I’m…mmm almost there…level 5…now what were you saying?”

Even so, I’ve really enjoyed customizing ringtones, playing games, and working with siri. I bought a wireless keyboard that pairs nicely—entering contact information and passwords is so-much-easier with a real keyboard. I’ve kickstarted a minimalist case. I ordered a wireless headset. I feel as if I’m about to start a mission on the star ship enterprise instead of just getting a new phone. So we’ll see how things go. I am absolutely not putting email at my fingertips—I’d never get anything done. That said, really enjoying the experience, though with a certain nostalgic plucking of heart strings for my old reliable flip phone. I’d love suggestions for any interesting or useful games/apps.

The making of an action hero, pt 42

There’s a fine line between sucking it up and needless stupidity. Somewhere between “don’t be a wimp” and “stop you’re wining or I’ll break your other arm” one needs to decide when something is serious enough to see the doctor. I’m not at that point yet, but I’m getting there.




I’ve been restricting physical activity for two weeks giving my foot time to heal. The regular application of anti-inflammatory and heat has helped. I’ve been able to walk relatively consistently rather than going horribly lame as in the past. I’m happy that I haven’t had to make an emergency trip to express care for prescription strength help. But we’re fast approaching the point where if the issue doesn’t fix itself I’m going to see the doctor.

I hate going to the doctor. It costs money, usually requires me to take a day off, requires finding transportation, and often involves getting tests and referrals which suck up yet more time and money. Paradoxically, I like my doctor. He’s honest without being condescending and acknowledges the limitations of real life. I know that if this doesn’t heal up soon it’s more than a simple problem. I need to get it on the record both to get it treated and to make sure that if it recurs there’s a record of the issue. But I really hate going to the doctor.

On the upside, my hip, elbow, and back are all healing up nicely. Not exercising seems to agree with me. I’m down to 281.4 pounds this morning, a 3 pound drop this month in spite of terrible early diet control. Even when we went to taco bell on Tuesday, I got my standard low-cal option. I’ve stuck with the lesser intake work meals and it seems to be paying off. I’ve been transferring money out of my general account to earmarked savings so I don’t have the cash available for incidental meal purchases. I don’t exactly feel better, but I do feel like I’m getting back on track. My goal is to get down less than 280 pounds by the end of January and then keep focused on the diet before exercise for 2014.

I should be exercising, but it seems like every time I really get going I end up putting myself down. I’ve been picking my routine from an instructional DVD with the help of sighted friends. To date my assumption has been that if the video says to do it I should try and do it. That concept is getting trashed. There are a few movements like the ankle stretches, side lunges, and back lunges that just aren’t working. Either I can’t do the movement safely or pushing through is over-stressing joints. So all three of those are out until further notice. I’ll take it easy on the front lunges and work more for cardio than for stretch too. Ok, I’ll do that when my foot comes back which will hopefully be soon. My original goal was to work through the entire DVD by the end of 2014. Now, I’m going to take it slow. I may even cut back to 3 times a week instead of every other day. I’m going to stop focusing on exercise as a primary goal and look at it as an enhancement. The diet has to come first.

One of the things that has really helped with the diet is spice. I love Sriracha. I love hot, flavorful seasoning. We bought a case of 30 oz Sriracha bottles recently and I’m going through one a month. A little bit flavors recipes. A couple tablespoons refresh leftovers and make some unwanted dishes palatable. Spice kicks up your metabolism and aids in digestion. Last year I liked Sriracha and hot spices. Now I love them. I use my tonguespank seasonings on lots of things. I spread Sriracha like ketchup on leftovers. Kicking the food up a couple degrees seems to kill the residual urge to keep eating. I’m looking for new ways to spice up meals, especially lunch.



Intake:

Breakfast=the rest of my leftover banana bread.

Work meal=roast beef and provolone on wheat and an apple.

Dinner=the last of my tropical chicken and rice leftovers.

Tongue Spank, or how to spice up your day.

I wanted to give a short review of the tongue spank basic spice variants, Smokey bourbon, Garlic and grappa, Wasabi sake, and citrus rum.


Last week I kosher brined a turkey with a mixture of Smokey bourbon blend, black pepper, garlic salt, minced garlic, and fresh sage. I left the bird wrapped in plastic bags for a day for the juices to absorb the flavor. The turkey was then stuffed with a quartered lemon, yellow onion, and blood orange. Finally it was rubbed with olive oil mixed with kitchen bouquet and Elijah Craig bourbon. The turkey was cooked in an electric roaster for 2.5 hours with a light mix of bourbon and water covering the bottom of the pan. Considering that the turkey had been frozen longer than was probably good for it, it came out very well. The rub left a Smokey spicy taste to the meat. The bourbon fumes lightly flavored the skin. The aromatics gave a nice sweet base to the juice. In future I’ll go lighter on the salt and black pepper. The tongue spank Smokey bourbon stands on its own—needing no help to kick ass.

Today I grabbed some cold cuts and veggies from the store and tested out some combinations on my Panini maker. Group favorites included:

• Provolone, pepperoni, minced garlic, garlic and grappa, sliced roma tomatoes, and light mayonnaise.

• Provolone, fresh garlic, Smokey bourbon blend, sliced tomatoes, and light mayonnaise.

• We used the wasabi sake and citrus rum on two similar sandwiches and the flavors weren’t as compatible as I’d like. They were fantastic but not well suited to the available ingredients. I’m going to try the wasabi on a roast beef sandwich for work Tuesday.



Tonight I’m going to sauté chicken in olive oil, fresh sage, cider vinegar, garlic, sriracha, and citrus rum. I’ll then cook in red pepper, yellow onion, pineapple, and Asian veggie mix over brown rice. My hope is that the mix of flavors will compliment the seasoned chicken.



I’m very happy with the tongue spank spices. I haven’t found a good venue for the scorpion bourbon blend yet, but it’s just a matter of time. When I originally kickstarted this I hoped I would end up with one or two good flavors. Each flavor is distinct, well blended, finished with a kick, and at a level where it works as a condiment or cooking aid. A teaspoon of the seasoning makes a spicy flavorful sandwich. Anything more than that and the flavor and spice amp up proportionally, often overwhelming the other elements. The spice blends well with other sauces, such as mayonnaise, spreading the flavor nicely without killing the combined affect. Basically, a little bit of this goes a long way. My only regret is that I only got two of each bottle.

My most recent Kickstarter--Wargame edition

The making of an action hero, pt41

This has been one of those weeks where I can’t seem to get it right. Last week my foot started acting up. I had already planned to workout at a lesser intensity to avoid aggravating persistent joint pain. Then my Plantar’s started kicking in. Fortunately I could tell right off what was coming and dosed up on anti-inflammatory and soked the foot in hot water. The pain and gimpy walk have persisted, but not to the point where I can’t sleep or to where I need a ride to and from work. I hate injuries. Mostly because they suck on principal but also because they give me a perfectly good excuse not to do things I should be doing, like exercising. There’s a defeatist voice in the back of my head that says that if I stop I’ll never get up the gumption to start again. Not going to let that happen. Still, not exercising right now…grrr.


On the other hand, not exercising has forced me to look at my intake. I was going to do that anyway but the lack of activity has made it a greater priority. I’m down to 283 pounds—a small drop even with no exercise. It’s my intent to end January back at or less than 280 pounds. That will see me making up all my losses. It helps that I’m back with the health shakes in the morning. It helps that I haven’t been drinking coffee in the morning and have slepped better as a result. It helps that we don’t have anything to snack on at home. Mainly though, it helps that I’m out of that holiday slump. I want progress. I want to fix my plantar’s once and for all. If hitting the diet is the only way to do that, so be it. I’m not going to exercise till I’m back at 100%. There’s no point in reinjuring myself. So, back to the diet it is.



Intake:

Morning health shake with oatmeal, mixed berries, spinach, and almond milk.

Work meal=A turkey and Swiss sandwich on wheat bread, two apples, and a couple hand fulls of unsalted almonds.

Dinner will be at a friend’s home where I’ll have one main serving, as much salad as I want, no more than 2 mixed drinks, and possibly apple pie.

Initial Impressions of the Mechtech CCU

I’ve had my sights on the Mechtech CCU for almost as long as I’ve wanted a pistol caliber carbine. Last week I finally took delivery of said unit. The following are my initial impressions after one range trip, 50 rounds, and a lot of research. A full review will follow after I’ve had some time to truly take the beast’s measure.


The Mechtech CCU, carbine conversion unit, takes a 1911 or glock handgun with the slide and barrel removed and turns it into a compact carbine. It does this by mounting the pistol lower on rails such that the pistol’s magazine feeds the carbine’s chamber while the trigger and hammer act as the firing group. The 1911 slide stop Engages a cutout in the receiver locking the lower in place. You can buy the base unit for $350 and upgrade it with all manner of rails, sights, stocks, bipods, and tac-ti-cool gadgetry. One of the advantages to this set up is that the CCU isn’t considered a firearm until the pistol lower is installed; so you can have the unit shipped to your front door instead of going through a FFL. Another advantage is that as long as your action and magazines will accommodate the switch, you can mount any caliber upper on your lower frame…i.e. you can mount a 10mm 1911 upper on a .45acp lower as long as you have the appropriate magazine and extractor.

After a few email exchanges, I called Robin at Mechtech on 12/31. We reviewed my needs and decided on a 1911 version with folding sights, 3 slot riser for a red dot optic, quad rail, and a telescoping stock. She had the unit fedexed and in my hand a week later, though FedEx delivered it to the wrong address. Ever want to freak out? Have a major firearms accessory delivered to someone you don’t know and then get a call from a random person at work asking what you want to do with it. That-was-not-a-good-day. At last, after much drama, I had the unit in hand…and what a unit.

The CCU came in a standard top-folding shipping container swaddled in foam. The folding sights and riser came in blister packaging along with a basic manual—no other frills or flash. My first thought upon removing the unit was that this thing is small. My second was this thing is heavy. The entire CCU is made of steel and aluminum—mostly steel. It feels like a cross between the rail-centric AR15 and the compressed design of the MP5. The telescoping stock is composed of two steel rods joined by a piece of hard rubber at the shoulder. The rods are notched at regular intervals so the user can adjust length of pull. The notches slot into a spring loaded housing on the rear of the receiver. This design allows the user to adjust the CCU’s length of pull between a compressed 26 inches up to a little over 3 feet. At first I worried that the stock was too flimsy, but it has held up fine so far. The bolt can be pushed in to lock the action, though it’s not what I’d call a firm lock.

I haven’t done a lot of dedicated accessory mounting. Most of my gear mounts directly to rails and needs no special adjustment. The CCU is clearly designed to mimic the layout on an AR15 including the option to mount an adapter for compatible stocks such as those made by Troy and Magpull. The flip up UTG sights took a few minutes for me to figure out. After I got them up and running, I attached a Lucid M7 to the riser and locked it down on the top rail.

Two days later, with sight mounted and accessories ready to rock, I found an issue. While making my original order, it was suggested that I might want a foregrip. I dismissed the idea since I’m used to shooting my lever and bolt actions without a foregrip. Even with the supplied rail covers the weight of the gun made the grip uncomfortable. So I continued with the UTG theme and bought their largest aluminum QD foregrip. That worthy fixed the problem but was far larger than the CCU required.—it looked like I was trying to load the carbine on a crew served mount. At this point I just wanted to get it to the range so I figured I’d try it out before shopping for something else.

Monday, Corc, Cherylkat, and I finally got the CCU to the range. Careful reading of the preceding will show one glaring problem with my plan. Until Monday, I had never disassembled a 1911, much less mounted one on a Mechtech unit. I’d read how it was done, but I’m not so confident in my own skills that I’m willing to risk permanently damaging one of JMB’s finest. So I had the range guy walk me through the process. We got the 1911 taken down and the frame mounted on the CCU. Side note, I love shooting 1911s, but I’m really glad I didn’t try that at home—bad things would have happened.

I loaded a magazine with three rounds of Federal ball, raised the carbine, got sighted in, and pulled the trigger. “Click.” Drop mag, clear chamber, dry fire, re load, chamber round, aim, and “click”…sigh. The range officer and I went over the unit and found that the pistol lower hadn’t been pushed far enough forward for the firing mechanism to engage the chamber. It’s a testament to how tightly the CCU fits that I thought the lower was locked in when it was actually free-floating on the rails. We re-positioned the unit; made sure everything was aligned, and couldn’t get the bolt to close. I figured out the problem after a few minutes of tinkering. The pistol hadn’t worn in yet and needed to be pushed slightly down and forward, releasing the bolt. After that it worked fine. The bolt locked back occasionally if cycled manually but always released with negligible forward pressure on the pistol lower from the shooting hand.

So…raise carbine, get on target, breathe, and squeeze trigger…and boom. The CCU cycles with an audible and tactile “chunk” as the heavy bolt returns to battery. There is a slight residual thrumming as the stock vibrates. Recoil is perceptible but very mild—more than I expected but very light. The next shot is more of the same. At this point I was just happy the unit worked. A break in period is to be expected but somehow I always seem to pick the guns that come with an extra helping of drama. After a full magazine firing without issues I was beginning to relax and enjoy the experience.

Next up we needed to sight in the M7. Corc took 3 shots at 75 feet and got a nice 2 inch grouping low and to the left. It took a few more tries but we got the lucid sighted in. Then Corc began boring out the center of the target.

The three of us took turns shooting five shot strings. I liked the stock completely compressed while Corc and Cherylkat preferred it lengthened a bit. Actually Corc said the stock didn’t extend far enough but he’s weird and tall and stuff. Even with the 3 MOA red dot, the carbine consistently grouped under two inches. The CCU felt solid in the hands and pointed easily, though due to its weight it wasn’t as lively as some of its plastic peers. I got a real kick out of the chunk sound the action made cycling the bolt. It was viscerally satisfying. The carbine fed, fired, and extracted all 50 rounds flawlessly. The afore mentioned bolt lock issue never occurred while the gun was firing, only during manual cycling.

With some trigger time under my belt I have some issues with the CCU. They didn’t detract from a generally positive impression, but there are some improvements I’d like to see on the basic design.

1. There is no safety. The manual says that a 1911 with the standard series 70 GI thumb breaker will function on the CCU but not the extended or ambidextrous variants. The grip safety and series 80 firing pin block work as normal, so there is a certain degree of precaution built in. Carrying a pistol in condition-1 in a holster that covers the trigger guard is one thing. Carrying a carbine with hammer cocked and no manual safety lever just doesn’t sit well with me. The thumb safety on my 1911G is a small extended model nothing like the over sized monster on my Colt Gold Cup. Even so it wouldn’t engage—the flare of the receiver blocked it. Extended thumb safeties are common place in the current market. I’d really like to see the design modified to accommodate this feature or have a dedicated safety permanently built into the unit.

2. You can lock the CCU’s bolt back by retracting the bolt handle over a cut out in the receiver and pushing the knob in. The knob then engages the cut out and the bolt is locked. I’m not comfortable with this arrangement especially with the weight of the CCU’s bolt. Once locked, the bolt never managed to unlock itself. That said, there are several things that require a user to access the chamber or lock the bolt back—checking the chamber, assembling or removing the pistol lower, lubricating the mechanism, cleaning, clearing obstructions…etc. The gun needs a dedicated bolt lock—something more secure than positive pressure. Anyone who works the action will understand my concern. The action is very substantial to accommodate the higher pressures generated in the 16inch stainless steel barrel. The larger weight keeps the bolt from extracting the spent brass until the chamber is clear. This is not something you want compressing your fingers—trust me.

3. I really wanted this gun to have a longer bolt handle—something 1.5 to 2 inches long, a steel cylinder—something easy to get a grip on. The current design is a circle of metal with the edges bent out slightly like a jacket button. It’s solid, but gives little purchase. I often wished for something with a little more positive tactile engagement to offset the weight of the bolt and recoil spring.

4. The one real issue I have with the CCU is takedown. Basically, don’t do it unless you’re very sure of yourself or you have no other choice. Full disassembly requires complete removal of the quad rail, 8 screws, the barrel and the bolt. You’re going to have to dismount all your accessories and remove a bunch of fiddly bits to be able to get at the bolt. I don’t care about removing the barrel, but this design, especially when burning dirty .45 GI. Ball has to be cleaned well. It would be much easier to maintain the unit if I could remove the bolt without resorting to what for me are extreme measures. I don’t like removing screws unless absolutely required. Doing so risks stripping the threads, bending the shaft, warping the sleeves, or installing the wrong screw in the wrong hole—especially in my fumble-fingered clutches. Adding an easy bolt removal option would make the platform much more enjoyable.



In conclusion, I really like the CCU. Being a pistol caliber carbine it has some obvious limitations. Even so, it’s tons of fun and very versatile. By the end of the evening, the range officer was talking about getting one, my friend was discussing theoretical glock builds, and I was considering a long-term .460 Roland project. The real value in the CCU concept is not that it’s a pistol caliber carbine. It is that one can take an otherwise limited pistol and convert it to a compact unit at a minimal cost. The flexibility is as attractive as the function. More later in the full review.

The making of an action hero, pt40

I’m not a big fan of pain. A certain amount of discomfort is good for bragging rights. Beyond that point and it’s annoying. I’m at that point. I haven’t been able to work out for several days due to pain in my right hip, left elbow, and lower back.


The fifteenth degree black belt who has been training me says that I am out of balance. He means that physically, mentally, and spiritually—which doesn’t mean I get to let up, just that I have more to work on. One of my recurring problems is lower body injuries—knees, back, feet. Next month I’m going to get my boots redone, giving me better support. I may pick up a new set of casual shoes. I’m tired of being slightly injured. It’s just enough to make me think twice about serious exercise but not enough to get me to the doctor. I keep running into this cyclical issue. I have to lose weight to deal with my joint problems. To lose weight I need to exercise. Exercising regularly seems to aggravate my issues…AAARRRGGG! It would be nice if more of my problems were ones I could address without having to spend yet more money on “things.”

Which is the other thing. 2013 was the year of “stuff.” I bought a lot of things—some as rewards for achievements and some because I genuinely needed them. This year is going to be less about stuff and more about me. I need to regain a measure of mental peace and strength. I feel as if material “stuff” has become a disproportionately large focus lately—which would be fine if it was due to a pressing need rather than materialistic urges. Some of the things I genuinely need to spend money on:

• Updating my footwear which is currently more than a year and a half old and seriously wearing out.

• Getting some of the foot treatment systems I’ve seen to better address some of my issues.

• Finish up the Chris reeve project.

• Finish up the perfect pocket pistol project.

• Get a new bed.

• Get the brunette a table so we can start individually setting up our work spaces.



That is a lot of money, but those are the projects and “things” that need to be done. There are lots of other things I “want” to do. Even so, I think I’m better off focusing on those few.

I’m back to 286 pounds. It’s become clear to me that while I maintained over the holidays…I let some good habits go. I also got used to a certain intake based on a certain level of exercise. So, I’m cutting back on the intake until I can get back to exercising again. If I can’t exercise, I don’t need to eat as much. Yesterday we ate out. I had my pre-set order from taco bell less than 400 calories. It was a small thing; but one that proved to me that I can still make good choices.

I’m not saying this very well. I think that most of living well is training your mind to make the right choices. Part of that is dealing with the pidly physical crap that weakens you. There is a direct parallel in my life between my desire to acquire stuff and a weakening of my will to intake less—eat more, want more. So I’m going to work on the pidly stuff now rather than focusing on things. I’m going to start fresh. That’s not a resolution exactly—more of a new understanding.