SpareOne

I have signed up for daily emails from a random product company called "Grommet" and most of the time they have some pretty funny stuff like attachments for your cell phone so that you can text with one hand or carry a giant boxed wine bag in public disguised as a hand tote.  Then sometimes they have great stuff like the YouTube video above about the "SpareOne" emergency phone.  Now I and most people now know that any cell phone will call 911 no matter if it is activated or not but, the problem is that most old cell phones are always dead.  I am one to keep an old cell phone around the house but once I saw this product I now am thinking this is an excellent idea for anybody and also for any place.  This thing even works with your personal Sim card so you can just put yours in and make calls when you are left high and dry with no battery.  The bag the phone even comes in acts as a waterproof flotation device for the phone and if that wasn't enough you can talk through the bag as well so to not kill it with water.  The phone uses just a single AA (double A) battery and has a shelf life of 15 years, I think that is if you use those lithium batteries.  Not sure if a regular alkaline battery works in it or not.  So for like under 100 dollars you can always have 911 near you even if the other side is not near you (does that make sense?)  If you like daily weird items in your inbox then go to www.dailygrommet.com and sign up and look into this great emergency cell phone.  What a cool new world we live in with all these updates to our old devices.

Someone stole my idea!

 

 OK, so first of all they really didn't "steal" my idea but I have thinking in my head with all this new technology while we camp and being diabetic with a million gizmo's as well that need charging and batteries that someone would create an "outdoor system."  So you see the odd looking flashlight above which is not anything exciting with only 75 lumins but when you see what it does you understand how this is the beginning of a new movement.

 See, this flashlight is actually a rechargeable battery unit that you plug a light into and then it becomes a flashlight.  Then you can plug other items into the USB port and charge devices.

The picture above is the battery part of the flashlight being used as a phone charger.  Now I was thinking you could use this same concept and have like built in LED lights in a tent and when you go to bed you just take the flashlight adapter of the front and plug in the tent lights.  Then you can have a lantern attachment, or a bug zapper, fan, and all sorts of things that just plug into one simple battery.  See everyone I do come up with a good idea every once in a while, just now I need to market them before others do.

Happy Spring Day!

 Happy first day of spring to all of you and remember to wash behind your ears!

When analogies go wrong!

I was watching the morning political shows last Sunday while cooking up some grilled onion and mushroom omelets with a side of coffee.  The talk was way boring and I was thinking to myself when NASCAR might be on or if I could go back and see a recap of the F1 race in Melbourne Australia.

http://video.msnbc.msn.com/meet-the-press/51215136

 

 

 

 

 

Then I heard in the video link above at about the3:00 minute mark where Ana Navarro starts to use an analogy of how the Republican Party is like a three legged stool.  Now here is the transcript:

 

>>we used to talk act conservatism as a three-legged stool. i can tell you at least one or two of those legs are awfully wobbly if you judge it by the cpac conference because the national security, the strong defense is getting wobbly. and also social views, social issues. you've got rand paul saying let's back off from talking about that. so, i mean, we're either down to being a bicycle or unicycle depending on who's speaking.

 

Also here is a link to the full transcript: http://www.nbcnews.com/video/meet-the-press/51215136#51215136

 

Now for all us campers and those that take pictures (think camera tripods) and the such are familiar with the use of any three legged device and that is because a three legged device is never "wobbly" because of the physics behind it.  A three legged stool is always stable because it depends on all three legs to stay upright and what the trade off is the top might not be level because one leg is shorter than another.  When a chair is wobbly it is because of the four legs it has and if one is shorter than another that makes the chair wobbly.  The end of her analogy I think she realized that she was using it wrong because she switch to a bicycle and unicycle but I was just going crazy yesterday thinking about this.  Yes, I know I need to switch the channel to something else if this bothers me but, it all goes back to knowing the science and reasoning behind stuff and that is what teaching people is all about.  You can get someone to memorize anything or show them exactly how something is done but to really teach them something you have to educate them on the principles behind it.  Just like how a GPS device, cell phone, and all sorts of things work you have to know what they do or replaced to understand them properly and once someone understands how they work then they know why to use them and how.  This is one of the many reasons I feel that camping and the outdoors is so important is that you get to do all sorts of stuff at the base level such as your house is a tent, your kitchen is a campfire and pots, and you have to dig your own cat hole to drop a dooce.

 

So look, take none of this as political and just understand I am a fool and let this three legged stool analogy bug me in such a way.  Now go back to your lives and next time you are out camping and use a tripod to hang a pot over a fire, build a shelter, or make a table just remember why you use it and not a quadropod.

Greatest Sleeping Bag Ever!

http://www.stayclassy.org/fundraise?fcid=238271

 

 Now I must say this is only a "one off" sleeping bag made by some artist with some purpose for making it.  Whatever the reason was to make this sleeping bag it now must be mass produced so that I can get one.  http://eikoishizawa.com/index.php?/project/the-great-sleeping-bear/

http://www.stayclassy.org/fundraise?fcid=238271

 

 Think of the hours and hours of fun you would have with a sleeping bag like this.  First what do couples do on a bear skin rug?  Right, then think of the fun if you have kids and their first camping trip.  So this is the most versatile sleeping bag ever, heck you could even use this as a Halloween costume.

http://www.stayclassy.org/fundraise?fcid=238271

 

 Now I do understand that this not the most practical, use full, or efficient sleeping bag but it is the most fun and alot of the time fun makes camping what it is.

http://www.stayclassy.org/fundraise?fcid=238271

 

This last picture is worth owning a sleeping bag like this.  The hand coming out of the mouth just looks so real.  You are asking me where I found this sleeping bag?  This was in today's email from www.Campmor.com if you sign up for their daily email then you would get this "22 Unusual Sleeping Bags" email today.  Most of the time the emails are just looked at briefly by me and then quickly put into the trash file but this one is a great one.

http://outdoors.campmor.com/22-unusual-sleeping-bags/?cm_cat=TRAILMAIL&cm_ite=TrailMail-March152013&cm_pla=50523&cm_ven=EMAIL

Also don't forget I need you to donate ten bucks (I really would like more but lets start somewhere) to support www.insulindependence.org in our team challenge to run 200 miles and create awareness for the need to exercise with diabetes.  http://www.stayclassy.org/fundraise?fcid=238271

Hawaiian Shirt Day!

http://www.stayclassy.org/fundraise?fcid=238271

 

So today was "Hawaiian Shirt Day" at work today and I like so many of my co-workers like to always participate in any work activity.  This always makes me think of the clip above from the movie" "Office Space"

http://www.stayclassy.org/fundraise?fcid=238271

 

This is me in my dads old Hawaiian shirt from like thirty years ago and still looks as bright today as it did then!  Everyone always thinks this is a fake Hawaiian shirt from like walmart or something but no it is the real deal vintage duds now.  My dad received this from friends of our family when I was like in kindergarten.  Our friends traveled to Hawaii and brought this back for him, since he was the neighborhood A/C repairman.  He taught non-essential safety systems for the FAA which includes your generators, lightning rods, and of course heat and air so everyone on the block got to know him when their air conditioner would go on the fritz.  He would wear this shirt every year to their to the annual BBQ party and I continue the tradition with my work.  So happy Pie day to all of you and also happy Hawaiian shirt day!  I also found a "Hawaiian Shirt Day" song.

http://www.stayclassy.org/fundraise?fcid=238271

 

Then last I am still needing everyone to donate at least 10.00 dollars to my Ragnar capaign so we can show that diabetics can do any sort of crazy events such as run something like 200 miles!  Please donate today and any amount helps us bring outdoor activities to diabetics across this land!  An outdoor exercising diabetic is one less burden for everyone else so your dollars go to the best medicine for diabetics and that is exercise in a safe manner.

http://www.stayclassy.org/fundraise?fcid=238271

Charlie Kimball on TV!

Charlie to appear on TODAY Tune in to NBC's TODAY on Thursday, March 14 at 8:30 a.m. Eastern to catch Charlie and his Chip Ganassi Racing teammate Dario Franchitti. Charlie and Dario will be guests of the show, talking about Novo Nordisk's Race with Insulin™ Unites initiative and the 2013 IZOD IndyCar Series season. Check local listings for broadcast information. To learn more about the Race with Insulin Unites initiative, click here.

It is always better with people!

 I was talking to my brother the other day and he bought his little boy a bike for Christmas.  Yes, we are all thinking of that David Spade movie "Dickie Roberts: former child star" scene where Spade was to reenact the Christmas morning bike scene as a little boy coming down the stairs to see his new bike.  OK, but back to the point my brother bought his boy a bike but nobody else in the family has a bike and so the boy has rode his bike maybe for five minutes probably ten times.  That got me thinking about how I could help me and him with all of this which was to give my brother my mountain bike.

 I think the thing about riding your bike is first to go from point a to point b as a person that cannot drive like a youth.  Then there is the general workout of those who like bikes, and last is the "Biker gang" where you and your buddy's go out and cruise the streets for dead frogs, creeks, and other assorted things to get into trouble.  So many people have bikes hanging in their garages like stuffed animal heads of things they have killed and never plan to do again.

Now, this bike I gave my brother was not without strings attached, first there was the muratic acid that had done a solid number to alot of the parts so he had to lube alot of rusty metal, second it had a couple of broken spokes so some new rims were in need, and last my bike was not being ridden by me so it needed two cheeks attached to a person to give it love and that would be my brother.  Then once we got the bike into basic working order we took it to the shop where I purchased it from a solid 13 or so years ago and they did a free tune up and gave us a discount for the parts needed which came to a bit over 100 bucks.  Then my mother also picked up a bike so that now the three of them can ride and even start to get the rest of the family out and about.  Soon there will be a whole "Hennesey Gang" out on the streets with playing cards in their spokes looking fit and tough.

The DC needs your help!

Well, I thought the last one was so much fun that I would try it again.  I have officially gone crazy, I mean signed up for another "Ragnar" event.  This one is called: So Cal as in the lower part of California starting at some beach south of LA and ending up near San Diego.

http://www.stayclassy.org/fundraise?fcid=238271

Now that I know what to expect from this event they throw another item for us this time.  Since I am a captain for www.insulindependence.org and this event is organized by them they asked each to raise 750.00 dollars to help out with the diabetes cause. 

http://www.stayclassy.org/fundraise?fcid=238271

So I am now not giving you the free camping advice and tips that I normally do on this blog but am pleading, begging, and well other stuff if need be to donate any amount to my campaign so that I can show the world what The Diabetic Camper can do in SoCal.

http://www.stayclassy.org/fundraise?fcid=238271

Think of it this way, if you donate lets say 10.00 dollars to my fundraising page that equals to probably 60.00 cents per mile.  Now is that a worthy donation?  I would say yes it is, but if you go a bit further and want to break the dollar per mile mark a simple 20.00 dollar donation would be like sponsoring me 1.20 for every mile I run.  Here is my math from the past Ragnar: 10.00 dollars divided by 17.1 miles ran.

http://www.stayclassy.org/fundraise?fcid=238271

Lets think of the good times we have had on this blog and remember those little tips I gave you that saved your life and give back to the man that gives so much to you.

 

Just think with every dollar donated today I get one ounce closer to looking like the guys above.  Now wouldn't you want The Diabetic Camper to look more like that?  These donations are a win (diabetes), win (Dave spreads the good word of The Diabetic Camper), win (Dave will lose weight and look good in a speedo) situation.

 



http://www.stayclassy.org/fundraise?fcid=238271

Garmin Connect

Untitled by TheDiabeticCamper at Garmin Connect - Details

OK, I am trying this out.  The above link is my Sunday ride where I was disasterly slow.  Almost so slow I needed training wheels, but to my mountain of excuses it was a windy day and lots of hills (hopefully you don't notice my elevation change).  Then I can just move into allergies, sinus problems, and end it all with the cherry on top of my diabetes was acting up or something. 

Is it helpful to have a recording of your every breath, movement, and speed?  I would say that it is kind of neat to see how my heart rate moves and maybe I can do something with that data but in general having devices to document your every move seem to be less necessary than a mandatory item. 

Gear Goals!

 Recently my "Backpackers editors choice" magazine came in the mail and for some odd reason I was really excited to crack it open and see what all the cool kids were camping with.   Lots of neat uses of materials in jackets and boots coming down in prices with new weight savings ides and multi-materials in sleeping bags where they are starting to make down water resistant and also putting down with synthetic fibers to create these Frankenstein bags.  Then I was about 2/3rds of the way through the magazine when I saw it.  The most amazing cot in the world.  Now if you have read my blog for any certain time I have told you the greatness of the low profile cot.  If you are above the age of 16 then your back isn't what it used to be and even with all sorts of pads and sleeping bags the ground still is not your bed.  So these low profile cots are awesome because they fit in most tents, don't tear holes in the bottom like the military style, and are real close to an actual bed (OK I am a wuss and like sleeping on a cot).  The bad part about these cots (until now) is that they are still bulky, weighty, and not practical on a backpacking trip.

All this has changed with the use of aluminum poles and these round thingies to create the "LuxuryLite" cot by Thermarest.  We all know Thermarest for their awesome ground pads but this cot is revolutionary because even with the heavy duty model it only weighs like a bit over three pounds and packs smaller than most air pads or ground pads.  I have seen this exact system about two years ago when a friend was searching for a "backpacking cot" and I told him there was no such thing and he came across a guy that made this exact cot but his model was around 450 bucks.  Now I could never get those kind of clams but this new Thermarest model starts at 229 and goes up to 239 for the heavy duty model.  Now I am not saying this is cheap neither but with some simple savings like maybe using cat insulin instead of my Humalog and cutting back on testing I can save up enough to buy this sucker in the next year or so (I am joking about cutting back on my diabetes stuff).