May 18, 2018

Some of my most memorable moments as a survivalist have involved braving summer storms that included both lightning and high winds. There is actually nothing to get your juices flowing quite like being on the side of a rocky mountain when the lightning strikes it.
First you are completely absorbed by the light, then you are the light. Then you are encased in total darkness and you think to yourself, "this is it then" and your peaceful soliloquy will suddenly be burst apart by the concussion of the explosion of thunder that will occur right at your feet, and the next thing you know, you're running to beat hell down the side of the mountain in your underwear, you military surplus tent and equipment long forgotten... at least that is how it is described by my friend and mentor, (we conversed via email once), Patrick F. McManus.
The good news is that there are several things you can do to prepare for the advent of a terrible storm when you are on a military surplus tent adventure, three things that is, if you don't want your tent to blow away.
1. Take some empty sandbags with you. The empty sandbags don't weigh much and they roll up tight after being laid flat. You will be very grateful to have them full of dirt of you find yourself about to turn your tent into a kite.
2. Invest in some extra long stakes. Remember to stake your tent down well and to drive your stakes in at an angle. This practice will anchor your tent down much better than just driving them straight down.
3. Keep your flaps secured during a storm. It goes without saying that the less wind you allow inside your tent, the better off you are. Keep those flaps down, and the door closed. And don't forget to pay attention to where you pitch your tent to begin with and stay out of the low areas where you will be susceptible to flooding.
Fun Times!!!