Foam Sleep Pads & Your Pack

A quick video to show another option for carrying your sleeping pad along with some simple modifications.

Tompkins Homestead Site 1897

I had read about a homestead site being in this area, so I have been looking for it for a couple of weekends. I found it last weekend. This is up in the mountains of Oregon.

Below is the only information I can find on the Tompkins (so far). It is from the cemetery in the closest little town, about 15 miles away from the site.

TOMPKINS, John, 13N, #107, Co D 12th Reg Kan Vol, 7 Jan 1843 ~ 23 Jan 1915, on stone with Sarah Jane North T.[wife], [s/o Reuben & Ruth Beldon T.], ALPI MIL

TOMPKINS, Sarah Jane North, 13N, #107, 4 Aug 1863 ~ 10 Oct 1905, on stone with John T. [husband], next to sister Amanda Gilman, [d/o Joseph & Savannah Bristow N.], ALPI

An update from my buddy Chris Cooper:

Company D 12th Regiment Kansas Volunteers.

Here are a few links for you brother about the 12th KS Vols

This first one is from a reunion that lists John "Thompkins" as a Private from Chehales Co. Washington.
http://www.franklincountykansas.net/fcgs/v2n3/military.htm

This second one lists alot of Tompkins in the same regiment. Probably all family members, but it still lists John as a Private from Ohio City.. where ever that is.. lol.. It also says he mustered out with the Regiment in 1865 so he served 3 full years in the unit which during the Civil War was a major feat in itself.

http://skyways.lib.ks.us/kansas/genweb/archives/statewide/military/civilwar/a...
Franklin County Genealogical Society, Vol 2, No 3
www.franklincountykansas.net
Franklin Counties Contribution to the Civil War In 1892 Co. D., 12th Kansas Volunteer Infantry, the only unit recruited in in Franklin County, with mostly Franklin county men, held a reunion. The following could be helpful because it gives the current hometown of former Franklin Countians almos

Mini Inferno Oregon Rain Test

Testing out the Mini Inferno fire starter made by a fellow You Tuber, Roger from Back2DaBasix.

http://www.youtube.com/user/Back2DaBasix
http://www.b2bbushcraft.com/

and Antone AKA The Paracord Guy made that Lanyard check out his stuff. www.theparacordguy.com

Small Assault Pack Comparison

Well guys, I have a lot of backpacks. I figured that maybe I could help you guys out by showing packs of a similar size and type. I hope this can help someone out when all they have is a web page or picture in a catalog when buying a pack. If you guys want me to do more of these videos showing pack comparisons, let me know. In the future I will make them more organized when talking about the packs. As I said in the video, I purchased all these packs myself.

11 oz. ZipShot Tripod

I bought this Tripod on Amazon & tried it out. It works great weighs only 11 oz. and is only 15" when folded up. Great for outdoor YouTube videos.

Oregon Mike's Treking/Hiking/Survival Poles

This are something that I have been using, testing, improving for a couple of years off and on. These poles can be made inexpensively and customized to fit your needs. The contents are only constrained by size, weight and your ingenuity. You can use one pole or two, it's all up to you. Remember they can also be used as support for a tarp or tent, fishing pole, camera support, rifle support, weed whacker, poke the slow poke in front of you, nose picker, etc...

If you have a modification for them please take the time to post a video reply or send me a message.

Sources of some of the kit items:

www.canteenshop.com

www.bepreparedtosurvive.com

Oregon Mike's common mans water bottle with holder

A common man's piece of home made gear along side a high quality commercial bottle holder. Both work great! You can also think of the home made one as a light weight temporary unit. Visit EK USA's website if you are interested in their quality bottle holders.