Get Home Bag for my boy

[John Galt 1]

My 20 yr old boy has some challenges due to a brain injury when he was 6.       He's been accepted to a state sponsored school for young adults like him and will be leaving in a few weeks to be trained in job and life skills to help him live independently.

He's fine physically and if you talk with him for a few minutes you can't tell that he has challenges.       But some parts of his brain were too damaged to fully heal,    He barely understands numbers which means troubles counting money, telling time, or understanding a compass.      His memory and problem solving skills are also very poor.       He's been working fulltime doing repetitive tasks the last 18 months.      His reading is 9th grade level and he can follow street signs well enough to drive (no accidents or tickets) but he will not be allowed to keep a car at school.

I say all of this to help you understand some limits as to what would be useful in a GHB.     He already has a small GHB in his truck designed to help him to get home from 20 miles away.
     
He will live at the school about 120 miles away and can't even bring a small pocket knife.       Space in his dorm room is very limited so we'll be staying with the small GHB but some repacking will be required to help him travel that far with such a small bag.

Suggestions as to what should go into the bag?     Types of foods, raingear, ect, all as small and easy to use as possible.

[Starlady]

This isn't for the bag, but you might consider his route home and if it will place him near any of those of us you know and could trust to give him an overnite safe place to stop & rest, possibly several, since 120 miles is a long walk.   Then introduce them to each other a few times and let him get comfortable with the people & how to get there, then move on to the next point.

Will he be able to have a bicycle at school?

[Country Singer]

Types of foods, raingear, ect, all as small and easy to use as possible.



For food, I'd look at Mountain House because it's light and easy to prepare.  On the raingear, I'd just go with a couple of the emergency ponchos like these.

[John Galt 1]

He's never been very good on a bicycle (balance issue from brain injury) and after touring the campus 3 times over the years I've never seen a bicycle on the campus.        His Mother lives in Atlanta which is roughly half way to my place but I'm going to give him a directions home that avoids ATL, maybe 285 but staying outside the city.       I'd prefer to bring him up through Athens.

Factoid...      Biologically he's not my child but I dated his mother in high school and again in my early 40s.      Things didn't work out but I fell in love with the kid I was driving to therapy 4 days a week for several years.      Both of his biological parents are less than attentive to him and now I've become the person everybody refers to as the person who knows him best and what is best for him.         When he was younger he told people I was his Dad and the schools were fine with that.      His family including the grandparents defer to me when it comes to moving him along in life, decisions such as if he is ready for a driver's license ect.      He now calls me his Uncle.

I asked a few people at the meeting today if they lived close to Warm Springs or I-85 N. of ATL with no luck.      Physically he's in pretty good shape but 8-10 days hiking home (he's lived here the last few years) is to far too pack food all the way home for with a tiny GHB.

[Lilburner]

I'm on 85 North of Atlanta, but if he's walking home, I'll probably be further away than you by the time he gets here.

The only thing I can think of besides the normal stuff maybe minus a knife, and I don't know if it would help - maybe some flash cards to either help him with concepts he may have trouble with or help communicate with others?

[Starlady]

You're a good man...…. And wife is a good woman! Sorry, I'm too far out of the way.

[John Galt 1]

Types of foods, raingear, ect, all as small and easy to use as possible.



For food, I'd look at Mountain House because it's light and easy to prepare.  On the raingear, I'd just go with a couple of the emergency ponchos like these.

He's currently got Mountain House in is GHB but it takes too much room up to pack 10 days worth of in tiny GHB.

[John Galt 1]

I'm on 85 North of Atlanta, but if he's walking home, I'll probably be further away than you by the time he gets here.

The only thing I can think of besides the normal stuff maybe minus a knife, and I don't know if it would help - maybe some flash cards to either help him with concepts he may have trouble with or help communicate with others?

Thanks Linburner,       Everyone pushes a knife including me but it's not an option.       I've spent years with math flash cards, buckets of change learning to count money, and reading clocks to help him with the math but we've almost worked up to long division and multiplation tables with him with less than stellar results.

He's a good kid with a warm heart; his brain just doesn't work that way.     Low 3rd grade math at best.

[elandil]

1- hammock, hammock straps, and a rain tarp. Light weight, less space than a tent, easy to set up, easy to hide.

2- GI poncho and liner. Doubles as a blanket.

3- If he has MH, what cook gear does he have? Yes, FD food can be made with cold water, yes it can be eaten without water....but a hot meal after a long hike can do more to boost morale than people realize. All it takes is a small Esbit style pocket stove and steel cup. (I recommend a good SS canteen cup, or Academy has the enamled steel 24oz mugs for $2) Or, my recommendation is to get some of the Datrex bars and some MREs. MREs with the flameless heater. Datrex individually wraps their portions, so opening the pack doesn't mean every bits exposed. Have 2-3 bars in the "morning" and during the hike, and save the MRE for the "night" or end of the days hike. Again, hot meal, comfy bed, and you are ready for the next day. Plus, with Datrex bars you essentially have 3 days food in a 2400 calorie pack if you're stretching it with a nightly MRE. Plus, if you get the real military MREs, you get bonuses like TP, salt, coffee or beverages, that kind of thing. And what's the plan for water? Couple collapsible canteens and a Sawyer filter should be good to start.

4- clothes....one wet set, one dry set. That's all you really need. Keep dry set dry, and use them for sleep/night. Next morning, dry off and wet on. Using that theory helps with space in your bag.


Also, something else to consider...have you thought about a staging area near him? Keeping a car in a storage area or parking garage near him, or a small storage area with his main supplies close to him or on his route? Having someone in a days walk that will rent you parking, even if it's not on his route, can be worth it. I would rather walk a day north if it saves me several days walking...

 I know you said he's got balance issues, but a mountain bike with a trailer removes balance issues and allows more storage and hauling ability. Easy to keep in a small 5x10 self storage place a days walk from him, and you cut his time in half. That's another thing to consider.

[RWS]

A three wheel bike is what the wife has to use.  She has balance issues.  The bonus is it will carry a small load on the rear luggage rack.  You might want to have that staged with a prepper near by.  Remember the one we talked about at the Christmas party?  If not PM me.  A bicycle will make 120 mile ride in a few days. 

[John Galt 1]

We intend to pull the tag and insurance on his truck.       But I like the idea of a 3 wheeled bicycle stored off campus.       I'd do a search for storage places close to the school.

[revckd]

Types of foods, raingear, ect, all as small and easy to use as possible.



For food, I'd look at Mountain House because it's light and easy to prepare.  On the raingear, I'd just go with a couple of the emergency ponchos like these.

He's currently got Mountain House in is GHB but it takes too much room up to pack 10 days worth of in tiny GHB.

Maybe, puncture and burp, then reseal the Mountain House with a vacuum sealer as they can be a little bulky (like potato chip bags, haha)

[John Galt 1]

[quote author

Maybe, puncture and burp, then reseal the Mountain House with a vacuum sealer as they can be a little bulky (like potato chip bags, haha)
[/quote]

Now that's an idea,     He currently has Mountain House in a bag designed to last 24 hours but it takes up too much space with all the nitrogen in the bag.

[John Galt 1]

Ordered a Sawyer mini-filter that can screw onto a soda bottle.      The Sawyer may need cleaning out every 10-30 gallons but at least it's something.     I carry a life straw in my larger GHB but I now think the Sawyer may be a better choice,

Heavier poncho than he currently has also on order.      We'll keep the paracord already in his pack but he may have a hard time learning how to make a poncho tent.      He still can't assemble a regular tent (limited problem solving skills).

With the exception of wool hiking socks clothes will be in his dorm room.

I need to review maps and using mole skin with him.

[revckd]

Ordered a Sawyer mini-filter that can screw onto a soda bottle.      The Sawyer may need cleaning out every 10-30 gallons but at least it's something.     I carry a life straw in my larger GHB but I now think the Sawyer may be a better choice,

Heavier poncho than he currently has also on order.      We'll keep the paracord already in his pack but he may have a hard time learning how to make a poncho tent.      He still can't assemble a regular tent (limited problem solving skills).

With the exception of wool hiking socks clothes will be in his dorm room.

I need to review maps and using mole skin with him.

Yea, who needs it to last 25 years... just use it up a couple times a year as training updates and reminders of that particular process of preparation for him.