But that's an easy commute, I've been called away, where getting to work was thousands of miles away, and I had 40 minutes to get out the door and gone, wondering if not only did I have the right passport, but the right shots.
So, I have to travel pretty light when I go, on short notice sometimes, so there are always a few things in the airline suitcase or the bug out bag that goes in the truck. I use one specific suitcase, computer bag or purse if carrying any type of weapon, firearm accessory or ammo, even just picking up a box of ammo at the store. No exceptions. They are very casual in style, and khaki or tan. For travel by air, I have two suitcases of varying sizes, a computer bag and a purse, all stealth black with a shiny airplane shaped tag affixed to them. That way there is no doubt which ones are 100% TSA checkpoint "meet the nice police officer" free.
Food on the road is another matter. Airport prepackaged food is generally carbon dated for freshness and most hotel food is horribly expensive, when all I need is a little snack. Plus, I can't just run to my favorite burger joint in the middle of a shift (yes, that's a pretzel roll)
So today, a few select things from my handy "ground only bag,". It's not everything, it's just a couple of things you may not have tried.
Knife - "check".
Skin salve- "check"
Train Whistle? - well you know the liberals recommend that women carry a whistle instead of a gun in case some rapist tries to forcibly jump their caboose?
I'll take my concealed carry piece, thank you. The whistle is simply a reminder of a fun day with a friend.
The square that looks like a microwave burrito?
You heat them up for a minute or three in the microwave (depending on size) and they'll mold to that sore neck or knee or whatever and keep deep moist heat on it for a long time, no fuss, no chemicals and cheap. Don't buy one, they are simple to make! Get some sturdy natural fabric (synthetics could release toxic fumes as they are nuked)and sew it up into the shape you want (this one is perfect for my neck), leaving an inch or two open on one side to fill. (Don't fill it completely full, you want it to mold to your body).
Fill full of dry white rice and stitch shut. If you want a fragrant bag, add a few pinches of one or more of the following - lavender, ground cloves, ginger, rosemary, cinnamon, crushed mint to the rice and put in a sealed container or a few days, stirring occasionally, then fill. If if the bag needs a freshening after a while (cover is soiled or it smells like cooked rice even when it's cool) simply take out a few stitches, empty, hand wash and dry, and refill and restitch.
Outdoors you could heat it up in an empty dutch over for a bit. I think you could probably wrap it in foil well and just stick it in the coals, but if you've been lifting or bending all day, you will appreciate it at night.
Another item always handy in the bug out kit and the squirrel bag, O'Keeffe's Life Out There, a thick mixture of glycerin and water (no oil) that protects skin from deep cold and hard wind when I'm out in the elements for long stretches. It's the one non scented that has kept me from getting blisters on my hands during particularly hard work in the cold or the elements. Highly concentrated, just scrape off a tiny piece with a thumbnail, soften between your fingers and rub on hands, face, whatever mother nature is after.
And of course, an Advocare Raw Bar. Having to eat on the run, or miss meals, I've tried about every kind of protein and "healthy" bar out there. Most are dry and chalky, and have white sugar or fake ingredients that sound like a lab experiment. These are great, tasting a bit like Fig Newton filling with a little depth from the nuts. Most healthy bars I'll eat if I have no choice, this one I'll munch on any day, with just nuts and fruit and natural fat and fiber. If you're doing the Paleo diet, if you just want something healthy, try it. If you'd like to try, contact blogger Tin Can Assassin (click on the Advocare link on his upper right sidebar for his family's Advocare site). I use a lot of Advocare's products, they're really top rate.
That's it folks, just a few things that go in the bag when I hit the road.
And watch when you're driving. If you hit frozen range cattle, it's gonna hurt.
