To take list 2019

To Take list - Preliminary - changes were made

1		LOOSE IN DEFENDER
2		ELECTRONICS BAG
3		MAP ROOM:
4		LIBRARY:
5		OFFICE:
6		WALLET
7		SAFETY DEPOSIT
8		TOILET KIT:
9		MEDS ED:
10		FIRST AID KIT:
11		BACKPACK
12		IN-TENT and CAMO bags
13		LINEN BAG
14		WARDROBE,
15		ED’S STUFF BOX
16		DONNER’S DAILY FOOD BOX
17		SHOWER – DONNER”Ss GROOMING BAG
18		DONNER’S STUFF BOX
19		DONNER’s MEDS:
20		DEFENDER CAB
21		CONSOLE
22		PASSENGER WELL
23		GARAGE
24		UTILITY BOX
25		STAKE BAG & BUNGEE BAG:
26		GEAR AND EQUIPMENT (6 bags) Tent bags(2), Tarps bag, Sleeping bags(2), Donner’s Cot, Off-Road Recovery Bag
27		KITCHEN
28		ED’S FOOD CONTAINER
29		SUPPLY BOX
30		PANTRY BAG

loose in Defender

Watch; whistle; dog tags; wallet

Recovery equipment on floor or passenger seat

Donner’s rear bed

Green tent floor in frton/Gray Tent floor in back

Donner’s rear bed + my mattress

Donner’s metal bowls (2)

Cane

Road triangles

Trash can with various fluids and funnels

103 locks and wires

Road atlas under driver’s seat

Aluminum stays for roof

Tent chair

Trash Bag (on back of passenger seat)

Backpack

Step stool

Ground mat (OTR?)

In-tent bag

ELECTRONICS BAG

Instructions for all; cables for all

iPad and cables  (in E-bag)

Cell phone (in E-bag)

Satellite phone; chargers (console)

Nikon Cameras; charger; Camera + charger;  memory chips (in E-bag)

Beet headphones + other headphones (in console)

Mophie battery chargers (2) +  small chargers (2) (in console)

Headlight and charger 1 in tent bag; 1 in Ed’s stuff box)

GARMIN + 2 chargers (Garmin in dashboard; chargers in Ed’s Stuff Box) (cab, Supply box)

Car Battery charger and cables for it (in console)

Multi-Charger in Defender; Various cigarette lighter plug-ins chargers (console)

Donner’s e-collar + charger (in Donner’s stuff box)

Donner’s radio collar + charger + antenna (in Donner’s Stuff Box)

Donner’s red lights (in D-Stuff box)

MAP ROOM:

Woodall’s; KOA; AAA Maps; road Atlas; other

LIBRARY:

Books;  Defender Workshop Manual

OFFICE:

Small Clip board + pads

Pens Box; laser pens

JOURNAL

Check list; rules of road; contact list; papers; etc.

Lost dog posters Donner

Read glasses (3); mag glass

checkbook

Planning Book: Emergency Contacts; Donner’s papers; My papers; Itinerary; Rules of Road; check Lists;PWs, Contacts; BACK COVER: Trip MAP

WALLET: 3 cards; driver’s license reg; USAA;  BCBC;  DCBar,FED, Nat Parks, etc.

SDP

Donner’s papers;

Passport

Extra car keys; house keys

cash; checks

credit cards: AX; Visa; Visa; ATM (3)

Cards: KOA; national Parks ; Fed ID; Navy ID; DC Bar card

Copies of driver’s license; insurance card; passport; etc.

TOILET KITs(2): Pill box; scissors; shave cream; razor; blades; styptic stick; lip salve; deodorants; after shave; lotion; tooth brush; paste; floss; rubber tip; night guard; eyelid cleaners; nail clippers and brush; soap; wash cloth; brush; comb; OFF + Cortisone, tweezers, handy-wipes, Kleenexes small; earplugs; ear wax cleaner

MEDS ED:

Prav; Advil; Vitamins; Multi; CoQ10; Aspirin;  Ambien, cold pills; Penicillin; C, D

FIRST AID KIT

First-aid books Thermometer Blood pressure monitor Bandages Surgical masks Latex gloves Gauze dressing pads Gauze dressing roll Calamine lotion Cordran Tape Vaseline Adhesive tape Cotton balls and Qtips Surgical kit Fleet enema Moist wipes (none) Ace bandages Syringes, scissors, tweezers, tick removal item Cortisone, Neosporin, Benadryl Rubbing alcohol Hydrogen peroxide Iodine Hand sanitizers Ice packs CPR kit Holistic pain-relieving medicated plaster Splint Anticlot powder

Donner’s First Aid Kit: Animax for superficial wounds or Betegen topic solution Quadritop for skin and ear infections, Baytril Otic for ear antibiotic (if Quadritop doesn’t work) Synotic for external ear infections (steroid, opens up ear canal) Tobramycin Opthalmic Solution for eye infections Canine wound cleaner Diarrhea medication for dog

IN-TENT BAG (as needed): bear spray, headlamp, tent lamp, flashlight, Ed’s bath kit

LINEN BAG

ORANGE SACK – Extra towels Ed , wash cloth), pillow case

LIGHT GREEN SACK - Towels Donner (2)

2 GREEN SACKS (Sea Summit) – Red Blankets (2)

SMALL GREEN SACK – Extra Ed shoes

BACKPACK: Towel, wash cloth, pillow case, LJ (tops and Bottom); knit cap

WARDROBE BAG(S) (circle wear)

BLUE  Brown pants/belts; Agility pants (2 pair, one wear); long john bottons (3, one in tent bag)

BLUE w/ orange tape: REI Winter Jacket, line, pants

Blue/light Blue rain jacket/pants (in cab)

GREEN small - Red windbreaker

green large – LS Shirts: Long Johns topn (1 in tent bad)

MAROON - Hoodies (2); turtlenecks (2);

PURPLE large –with purpose tape on handles bag -  U-pants (6); socks (6 bag with orage tape - Bandanas (6)  T-shirts (6)

PURPLE small - Gloves (2); watch caps (3*); wool hat (2); baseball caps (2)

WEAR -Watch, whistle; door tags;

Ed’s stuff box

Back brace and knew brace (in Supply box)

Bear spray-2 (1 in tent bag, 1 in console)

Binoculars (in console)

Blue band (in Tent Bag)

Compass (in Tray)

Deet

Electronics from elsewhere: Garmin cables, unknown cables, Canada phone (in Supply Box)

Emergency tent

Flares (in Console)

Flashlights- 2 (in dash tray, 1 in tent bag)

Foot spray

Headlamps 2 (1 in tent bag)

Hunting knife

Lamps for tent-2  in tent bag)

Leatherman-2

Light Snap On (maybe)

Magnifying glass- 2 (in Tray and Office)

Mosquito nets

Personal supplies extra: Toothpaste, shaving cream, blades,  soap, etc.  (in Black Pod Sack in Supply box)

Plastic stays

Repair kit, various items

Rubber bands

Safety glasses-2, (1 in console)

Shoe inserts and laces

Suspenders

Swiss Army knife (in console tray)

Thermometer (n Tray)

DONNER’S DAILY FOOD BOX :   Dry food; can opener; canned food; treats; spoon; cup; daily meds

SHOWER – and hose

Donner’s Grooming bag – Brush;   Derm shampoo;  Mousse;  Ear rinse gauze pads; Spray (fresh); Spray (for flies); Nail clippers

DONNER’S STUFF BOX

Backpack –purple (in Supply box)

Bandana repellant

Blue dog harness; sling (don ‘take)

Bowls: 2 metal + food bowl

Brush (in shower)

Coat – Green (in Supply Box)

Collar – tube

collar; long choke collar; tags;

Dog bags

Dog first aid kit (see first aid kit)

E-collar, handheld and charger

Flea collar (canned)

Kong – small red

Leashes: 1 long; 2 regulars

Lost dog posters (in office)

Medicine kit: daily + extra (see medicine below)

Muzzles mesh extra (one id my daypack)

Papers (in office)

Radio collar + instructions

Red lights (AAA batteries)

Salmon (small cans – 6)

Treats

Tennis balls

Tick kit tweezers + cotton + HPO (in first aid kit)

Towels (in linen bag)

Toy duck

DONNER’s MEDS: Dasuquin; Fish Oil pills, Galiprant, Gabenpentin, Hansen meds syringe for HPO I(n first aid bag), Heartworm and Flea meds; Ointments (in first aid bag)

DEFENDER CAB

Left Dash Tray: Air gauge, pens, compass; mag-glass; flashlight, sunglasses, lighters; distance glasses; safety glasses

Center Dash: Garmin

Dash Board: coffee cup, chargers, Beets, fire extinguisher, wipes,  disinfectant wipes

CONSOLE Air conditioning vent Air pressure checkers - 3 Air spray and air fresheners American and Canadian flags Bear spray Cable rechargers Cigarette lighters Compass Covers for air vents in winter Dogs seatbelt Duct tape Extension cord Extra Garman connector Flares 6 Fuses and relays (also in Garage) Gas caps -2 Graphite lubricant + ? Headphones (extra) Light for battery recharger LR Manual + winch/bat charger   Magnifying glass Miscellaneous stuff Notebook Panels for air vents Patches (OTR) Plastic storage bags Rear view mirror repair kit plus alcohol - SDP Safety glasses Sunglasses Tire air caps Battery charger + cables iPad holder and brace

PASSENGER WELL

Air compressor compartment: hose; ARB bumper accessory

Winch + control cord; air compressor hose

Air pressure gauge (in dash tray)

Off road recovery rope, hitch; winch bag; tire iron; rope; ARB item/hijack (in compressor)

Workshop manual + parts manual

Electric cord + grey cord for battery charger

Chains

1-2 spare tires (wrench for rack if there)

Shovel; pull pal; Hi-jack (+plate)

5 gallon spare water tank and spout

5 gallon Gas can and spout

Screen for radiator; wire mesh for headlights

Flares (in console); warning triangles

Fire extinguisher (in Console)

Camp Chair (in Bag on RR)

GARAGE

Cage panel (beneath it)

Fluids: Oil (5W/30 genuine), Gurling oil, ATF power steering, Bake/clutch oil, funnels (in Trash can in rear of Defender flat tire air + kit Various Gaskets, seals, O-rings Rearview mirror adhesive repair kit Windshield wiper Fuses and relays hijack clip fix-it kit Part from thermostat sensor installation Spare ignition wire JB Weld Spare Hoses and Belts Spare Spark plug wires and Spark plug Spare Ignition coil   Oil filters (3) Spare Distributor and cap Nuts and bolts Spare Alternator Spare Fuel pump Extension cord orange (in passenger well) Extension cord gray (in console?) Headlight protectors Spare headlight switch Spare lights switch Spare water pump Spare wiper fluid pump Spare windshield wipers

UTILITY BOX Laundry detergent Iron mallet Rubber mallet (in stake bag) Assortment of open wrenches Assortment of socket wrenches Assortment of Allen wrenches Screwdriver Small screwdrivers Adjustable pliers Pincher pliers Long tweezers Heavy duty adjustable pliers Assortment of C clamps and vice grips Assortment of O-camps etc. Grommet kit Saw Wire Nylon Ties Work gloves Trowel Scotchgard WD-40 PB penetrating catalyst Disinfectant wipes Shop towels (also in Supply box) Brush Measuring tape Spout for gas jerrycan JB Weld (in garage) Car air spray (in Ed’s stuff box?) Trash Bags (in Ed’s stuff box?)

STAKE BAG + BUBGEE CORD BAG

stakes, rope, mallet, D clips; double hooks; single hooks, stays/ties (MOVE)

Bungee cords

GEAR AND EQUIPMENT (ROOF RACK ?)

Sleeping bags (2) + 2 mats

4 man tent:; floor; footprint/tarp; stakes; extra poles

2 man Tent: North face + footprint

Green/grey tent floors (2) (in Defender)

Tarps 2 (one in pole bag; one in supply box)

COTS: Mine and Donner’s (Brown and blue)

Donner’s blue cot

KITCHEN

DEET candle

Table cloth; napkins

Trash bags

Cups: green/blue/brown , wine glass

Utensils bag: Kinde, food, fork, can opener, strainer, tongs

Coffee pot

Bowls; plates;

Bowls 2 plastic with tops

Cooking pot

Stove fuel (2); matches/lighters (fireplace)

Pipe, tobacco, tamper (or in Pantry)

Soap; pot scrubber

Kitchen towels; hot mat

Shop towels

Everyday Food Bag coffee/ tea, lemon juice; rice; meta; protein; dog treats;

Extra food bag

First day’s Food Rations box

FOOD CONTAINER (Daily meal boxes)

10 daily food boxes (Juice, Oatmeal (2),Raisins, Soymilk; oatmeal; coffee; Energy bars, Trail mix, crackers; wine;  V8; soup; salmon; rice; chocolate) Loose: soups, wine

PANTRY BAG: Thermos, coffee cup; daily food + treats

Supply box

Alternator

Bungee cords and straps

Camouflage bag, empty

Donner’s backpack

Donne’s winter coat

Dog bags, two

Extension cord Grey

Extra foodstuff: Rice _+ Coffee/tea

Extra tarp poles

Extra tent poles

Garmin extra, Canadian phone, unknown cables

Personal supplies extra, Ed

Propane, three cans

Shop towels, two

Tarp, second

Wet ones, extra

TOILET KIT: Pill box; scissors; shave cream; razor; blades; styptic stick; lip salve; deodorants; after shave; lotion; tooth brush; paste; floss; rubber tip; night guard; eyelid cleaners; nail clippers and brush; soap; wash cloth; brush;  comb; OFF + Cortisone, tweezers, handy-wipes, Kleenexes small; earplugs; ear wax cleaner

MEDS ED:

Prav; Advil; Vitamins; Multi; CoQ10; Aspirin;  Ambien, cold pills; Penicillin

Dedication of this Trip and Blog

This year, I am dedicating the trip and blog to special people,

First, to Leo, the faithful long-time companion of my friend Reza, also know as Bobby. People who think that I set the bar of the relationship between a man and his dog would think twice when they meet Leo and Reza.  Leo is "old and sickly," as Reza wrote to me last night, and so for fear that I might miss the chance to dedicate a future trip to him, this one is for Leo. Stay strong, Leo.

Second, to Jake Stein, my good, good friend, who died in March, Jake was one of my biggest fans of these road trips, and I will miss coming back to give him my usual detailed reports, which he always listened to, and then asked questions, especially, "How do these trips make you stronger?" .  I wrote about Jahe on  an earlier bog (click here).

Third, to my dear mother, for many things, but especially for planting the idea of long road trips into my head when I was growing up when she talked about her own cross-county road trip at age 24 with her 22-year old sister Evelyn in 1937 when many roads were still dirt, there were few accommodations like there are today, and communication facilities were almost non-existent. When I compare their vehicle and equipment to my own, I wonder what is happening to all of us.

Fourth, to Bee, my friend Mary's recently departed Corgi.  Bee would always bark every time Donner came near her, but she really was the sweetest dog you could imagine.  She also bequeathed to Donner a close relationship with her new brother, Hugo, whom Donne rsimply  cannot get enough of.  Sage journey, Bee.

 .Picture to be provided later

Rules of the Road 2010

RULES OF THE ROAD for OTR-10 2019

1	Plan and prepare thoroughly before I leave.
2	Plan and prepare for contingencies.
3	Do not set off until fully prepared and rested.
4	Getting home safely is the goal of the trip
5	Turning back is always an option.
6	Don’t leave Donner unattended.
7	Exercise Donner every day.
8	Know here Donner is at all times.
9	Keep Donner safe, secured and under control.
10	Let Donner have fun.
11	Keep Donner clean, dry, comfortable, and healthy.
12	Blame nothing on Donner.
13	Drive safely; Don’t drive when tired; Obey the law
14	Drive only a reasonable distance each day.
15	Get off the road by sunset.
16	Observe daily schedule closely
17	Get on road early, efficiently each day.
18	Use the break-camp and pit-stop checklists religiously.
19	Stay on schedule, but reserve the right to change it.
20	Meet and enjoy people along the way.
21	Retire early; get a good night’s sleep; get up early.
22	Exercise every day.
23	Eat healthy.
24	No drinking (except a glass of wine daily).
25	Be careful on the roof rack and ladder
26	Stay clean, dry, comfortable, and healthy.
27	Protect my eyes.
28	Put everything in its place.
29	Keep the tent clean, organized and tidy.
30	Leave campsites better than I found them.
31	Keep the Defender clean, organized, tidy, maintained.
32	Plan the day’s goals and the remaining trip daily.
33	Keep a daily journal.
34	Update the blog daily.
35	Read every day at least one page).
36	Enjoy the moment.
37	Act smartly, intelligently, safely, esp. on roofrack.
38	If there’s a problem, fix it; prevent it, move on.
39	There’s a solution for every problem so don’t give up.
40	Don’t blame anything on anyone, including myself.
41	If something is important, do it now!
42	Help others in need.
43	Don’t take any unnecessary risks.
44	Respect nature.
45	Keep the right views thoughts, words, and actions.
46	What you do not pack, leave at home.
47	Do it right the first time.
48	Do what is right.
49	Expect and prepare for the unexpected.
50	Don’t rely on the GPS
51	Know where I am and where I am going at all times.

Saturday, August 24, 2019, DC

I cannot believe that this is my first posting since July 31^st, when I was ready to dive into planning for OTRten.  Unfortunately, I was forced to take over my condo again (for the 9^th time) on May 14^th  and it has been draining my time, but that’s another story.  If there is to be one reason for taking this trip, it is to escape that noise before anything else. 

To be sure, this upcoming trip has been on my mind since my last posting.  But that’s all I have been able to do, My goal now is to get on the road by September 10^th, the day after my satellite phone arrives. Where we will be heading is still very much up in the air (so to speak), and will be until September 10^th, 11 a.m., when we expect to pull out of my garage. I will decide then. Of course, there will be options, but whether we head northeast, north, northwest, west, southwest, or south is still very much uncertain.  One thought is that we will return to many of the camps and locations that are seared on my mind as my favorites. The problem with that is that they are separated by lines that would stretch about 15,000 miles, so I need to be selective.  But also, those camps are favorites not so much because of the spectacular natural vistas they offered, but the dogs who were with me, Donner, Erde, Leben, Sonntag, and in spirit, my beloved Kessie and Montag.  What absolute joy those dogs brought me, on those trips and everywhere else.

If I accomplished one important thing since July 31^st, it was creating my email auto-response message, which will be, as of Monday:

Auto-response. Effective immediately, my responding to emails and availability will be limited as I prepare for and get on the road, returning at the end of October. Although I will be checking my voice and email messages from time to time when I have cell service, if your matter is urgent, please try to contact me by other means. If your matter concerns condominium business, contact the managing agent or the officer acting on my behalf. If you have not heard from me by, say, November 9^th, since I will have no advance itinerary, please contact the Royal Canadian Mounted Police at my last known provincial destination on my blog,  the FBI missing persons bureau, or the ФСБ. Thanks.  

While it may sound trivial, just publishing that message will go a long way in creating a mindset for me to do what the message says, make myself scare for everything but the road.

Another thing I just started to do was to order my Echo first thing each morning to play Pete Seeger’s “This Land is Your Land.” Even I am amazed at the effect that has on me.   It triggers a shot of dopamine rushing through my brain. On the road, each day, after camp is broken, my dogs walked, the Defender packed, and the plans for the day set, I climb into the Defender, fire up the engine, press play on my iPad, and then head off onto new roads, new scenes, new people,  to the Seeger’s inspiring words, “As I went walking, that ribbon of highway, I saw above  me, that endless skyway. I saw below me, that golden valley, this land was made for you and me…” Wow.


As for preparations, I just got the Defender back from the garage for its pre-trip checkup.  $3600 and probably another $1000 to go after I discovered a problem with overheating.  Back in 2000, three days before OTR-01 to Alaska with Sonntag, as part of my contingency planning, I parked the Defender in the hot 90-degree sun and turned both the engine and AC on to see what would happen. Sure enough, the temperature went into the red zone. I rushed it to the mechanic and had it back in two days with a new radiator, and the solved the problem. A similar thing happened in 2011 before OTR-04 to Labrador.  My math told me that it may be time for another such test, and, sure enough, not only did the red zone show its angry color, but that threatening red check engine light did too.  On Wednesday, the Defender goes back in for another new radiator, and a spare viscous clutch to boot.

I am also wrestling with a problem of Donner’s. About three months ago, he started to come down with a gastro-intestinal issue, the manifestation of which I will not detail here.  After my otherwise capable regular vet ran out of options, I took Donner to Erde’s former internist, Dr. James McConnell  sixty miles away two weeks ago.  So far, the diagnosis and prescribed treatments seem to be working, but I need three more weeks to be certain.  My best guess is that this is some sort of a residual effect of the severe colitis Donner came down with at the Grand Canyon last year after drinking water at, of all places, Donner Lake.

As for my own fitness, my recovery from the mobility issue that plagued me for three and a half  years is going well after four surgeries, hundreds of PT sessions, and who knows what else.  Al  indications are that my right abductor somehow took a serious hit from the more than 100,000 miles of driving my Defender on my first seven road trips. I have already been through about seven PRP treatments (at $700 a clip), and I was able to abandon my cane at Yellowstone last year because of those treatments.  

On one oy my earlier blogs I wrote about the various inspirations for my road trips.  I will find that posting and reference it here as I organize this blog.  But recently, my sister sent me a journal with some photos my aunt kept during a 1937 road trip she took with her older sister, my mother, from New York to California in what I guess is a two-seater Ford.  The thought of those two young women, 24 and 22, traveling alone from coast to coast in a small car, during the middle of he Great Depression, over dirt highways with few convenience stops along the way boggles my mind.  My mom only occasionally would talk about that trip, but I have no doubt that those few mentions of it, starting when I was young and impressionable, had a lasting impact on me.  Here is the photo of my mom, smiling broadly in what looks like he desert somewhat in the southwest.  Since I never know when my last road trip will take place, I think it’s time that I dedicate this road trip to her and my aunt. (If anyone can figure out what kind of vehicle my mom is standing by, please let me know.)



I think that this is all I have time for tonight. My hope is that I post some progress every day, and that that progress gets us on the road by September 10^th, wherever that road takes us.  The one fascinating thing about these trips at this stage is that they are nothing more than amorphous thoughts floating around in my head, but in a few months time, they will magically become transformed into solid gold memories that will last me for the rest of my life.

Ed and Donner from DC.

FW: Day -35. Wednesday, July 31, 2019

Well, the planning and preparation for OTR 10 has finally started.  If they say that a journey of a thousand miles begins with one step, so too does a road trip of 10,000  or however many more miles.  The first step for this year’s trip was ordering a satellite phone to take with me. It seems that all my trips happen to be around the time of hurricane season when the demand for satellite phones is the greatest, so I placed an order for one to be delivered the week before the plan to leave, which right now is September 3^rd.

Of course, the question any reader here is asking is, where am I going?  Actually, I do not know.  If I have one plan, it will probably be to visit some of my favorite campsites from my nine prior trips, of which there were many.  Right now, I am inclined to start the planning and preparation and then on September 3^rd, or whenever, get in the Defender and make my decision at that point.  And from there, I would make my decision day-to-day basis.  My only goal for the trip would be to make it home safely.

I also stopped by Dean’s, my mechanic, today to make an appoint to take the Defender in for its pre-trip checkup. It is running beautifully so there is not much to be done.  I did ask him to install new tires even though my current tires are just fine, but they are at least  five years old with maybe 40,000 milers on them.  I learned my lesson long ago that the best investment you can make for your vehicle is good tires.  What I do when I get new tires is to take the two best of those being retired and install them on my two spares, one of which rides on the Defender’s bonnet (hood, in American English).

Tomorrow, I think I will pull up my To-do and To-take lists from last year and route them out for this year’s trip.  That will be a major task accomplished once I do that.

As an aside, but an important one, today is Montag’s birthday.  Montag was my first dog (see top photo, below).  Forty-six years ago he was born.  It seems like only yesterday that Connie (my wife then) and I drove down to Springfield in our VW Beetle to pick up that little tyke at eight-weeks old. Little did I realize what an impact that simple decision to get a dog -my first- back in 1973 would have on mt life.  What joy I got from him and then, after him, Sonnatg, Kessie, Leben m Erde, and now Donner.

Time to play taps and call it a day.

                                                               

ED, from off the road.

Photo below was by an AP photographer during a two-foot snowstorm in DC in February 1979, just a block from the White House. The photo appeared all over the country and beyond.