Saturday, January 23, 2021

ALICE pack update


 

I am up to forty pounds.

Thirty wasn't so bad. Forty was a struggle until I loosened the shoulder straps to lower the frame so more of the weight was resting on my hips. Then, after a bit, I tightened the hip-belt. After that...not bad at all.

It is still a chore to put it on. I suspect that most guys have a buddy to help. I also suspect they put it on with the straps loose and then tighten.

Everyday is an adventure.

Sprite


 

Sprite is icefishing today. She is up to nine bluegills and sunfish.

Small ponds need to be fished to keep them in balance. The Captain's yearly target was 200-to-250 panfish a year. There was not throwing back of the little ones. The entire point of catching 200 panfish is to reduce the number of mouths to feed. An acre pond can only support so many pounds of fish. The only way to have larger fish is to reduce the numbers. Apex predators (adult largemouth bass, channel cats) help some, but they often cannot keep up.

Mrs ERJ worries about Sprite when she is on the ice. They have an agreement. Sprite sends Mrs ERJ a text every half-hour. Often, those texts are pictures of the fish she caught.

Which is where the pictures in today's post came from.

Automotive supplies

Coyoteken suggested that I lay in a supply of automotive supplies like motor oil, filters, belts, hoses and the like.

I have enough set aside for 30k miles. Fortunately, two of my vehicles use the same filters.

Thanks, Ken.

6 comments:

  1. Smart move on the fishing on all counts. And yes, some 'spare' filters et al aren't a bad idea!

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  2. I always sit down to put on a heavy pack, if possible with pack resting on a log, step, anything to take the weight while I get the shoulder straps over thick clothing and tight and comfortable.

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  3. Are you telling us it's now safe to go ice fishing? That I'll have to get off my butt, put on 10 lbs. of warm clothes and venture forth? Maybe I'll wait till the next sunny day, which could be June.

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  4. I used to do that with automotive oil, filters, etc. But then I realized how much gasoline equals that many miles; which is likely to be in shorter supply. Now I only buy that stuff on sale for a couple of changes, or filters in the 10 pack because its cheaper (if I think the vehicle will go another 50k miles)

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  5. We always used the buddy system for getting those things on. No fond memories of old Alice here. I hated those things almost as much as I hated the PRC-77 Man-Pack Radio.

    I've always figured that if spares are a big issue, gas will be worse. No gas, no driving, no need for spares. I keep stuff for an oil change for each vehicle plus some spare gas filters.

    My plan at the moment is my bike with an e-bike kit. Solar panels for charging. I've talked with Mrs. Freeholder about a smallish dual-spot motorcycle (we called them "enduro bikes" back in the day), but she strenuously objects. I like the idea of something that gets 50-70 MPG and can still move at a good clip. Perhaps a moped as a gateway drug. :-)

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