Safe Adventures Can Be Yours With The Right Preparation

If you are going out for an extreme outdoor adventure, being prepared can make the difference between thrills and disaster. You may have heard about or even seen the movie 127 Hours and were impressed by James Franco's intense performance. The best lesson to be learned from this story is to tell your friends and family of your plans before you go out into the wilderness alone. Whether your thrilling outing includes mountain biking, rock climbing, skiing, camping or white water rafting, being prepared makes all the difference in keeping your body and your life intact. If your venture includes a vehicle, either the off-roading type or one that takes you to your destination, pack it with necessities. Also fill your backpack with supplies such as water, a sharp knife, energy bars and other small portable snacks, a cell phone, a flare gun and extra batteries for every gadget that depends on them for operation. Why water, you may ask. If you need to ask, stay home. A sharp knife is good for those times when you need to clean a fish or cut your way out of the jungle. While energy bars are not the greatest nutritional food, they will supply you with an on-the-run emergency energy source. You may need to ration them in the extreme case that you need to survive for a long time before help arrives or to sustain you while you laboriously seek your way to safety. Extra changes of clothing are good if you can fit them into your backpack. Wherever you go, weather is apt to be unpredictable. If you are in the mountains or desert, the daytime temperatures can be extremely hot, while the nighttime temperatures can be extremely cold. Suppose you are off-roading it in your Jeep Wrangler among the fantastic rocks of Utah's national parks and you run out of gas? Of course, emergency situations are unplanned and you try to avoid them, but should one arise, you better know what to do and have the necessary supplies on hand to get you on your way. Okay then, you have everything you could possibly need in your car. But, the battery is dead. It is you, your jeep and the freezing night air coming on. You can endure the night in your jeep, but what about the cold light of day? Now you need to plan your escape. You could use the GPS that came with your cell phone, but not only did it lose power overnight, you are in a no-cell phone zone. Now you are praying you remembered those low tech paper maps your dad gave you in high school and also praying you remember how to read them. You cannot rely on technology exclusively even in the modern world. Batteries die. Signals get lost. Satellites fail. Just like reading maps, you must know how to read weather patterns if you are considering any remote outdoor adventure. Please also know where local authorities are. Obviously, you have a complete car care tool kit in your trunk so you won't have to concern yourself with lacking necessary tools. Also you have extra gas, motor oil and a fully charged battery charger along with your first aid kit. Universal tools such as wrenches, screwdrivers and hammers can be very useful. The best way to avoid a bad situation is to be prepared before you head into it. Map out a route and mark down landmarks and rest stops. Research the terrain you will be traveling on and then stick to your itinerary. You do not want to encounter major variables from you chosen path. You can do more, if you wish, but do not change course just because you have time, you can fall into an unforeseen pit and never come out again. And, please, give a copy of your itinerary to the folks back home before you set out. This alone could save your life.

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