Former British Army officer Andy Roe will take over as the head of London Fire Brigade (LFB) on 1 January 2020.
The post Andy Roe appointed as London’s new Fire Commissioner appeared first on SHP – Health and Safety News, Legislation, PPE, CPD and Resources.
Andy Roe appointed as London’s new Fire Commissioner Read More »
Exploring the fjells by bike, hollering with happiness as we ride down the beautiful singletrails. Mountainbiking in Lapland in the autumn is a unique and beautiful activity, and with many trails available you can go off adventuring by bike for many days!
Disclosure: This trip was supported financially by the Arctic Outdoor project. As you know: I’m keepin’ it real and tell you how it is – I maintain full editorial control of the content published on Hiking in Finland. Read the Transparency Disclaimer for more information on affiliate links & blogger transparency.
I’m a cyclist, and on my backpacking and work trips riding my bike is one of the few things I miss. I like the speed, the new perspective on things, the ability to see more in a shorter amount of time. It’s great, fun, too! So when I saw that one of my Polarlife Outdoors activities would be to go ride Mountainbike in the fjells, I was really happy and excited. Last year in Åre I learned to ride downhill mountainbiking and I have looked forward to another opportunity to ride a bike in the hills of Lapland.
The forecast for the day was grey and rainy, but tht did not dampen my spirit. I met up with Reima & Tiina from Saariselkä Training and Anni at the bike shed, where we got our bikes, and then we were altogether off to the hills!
Now this was not a downhill ride. We powered up the fjell with our own power (no eBike or gondola!) and rode from wide, easy paths over swampy duckboard sections to a very short stoney trail to the summit on many different kinds of terrain, which is excellent for beginners like me. That way the trail got a little more demanding the higher we got, and once at the summit it was wide views, happy high-fives, and getting excited about the downhill ride.
As these things tend to go, by the time we rolled towards the single trail the weather decided it was time for a bit more moisture, and so a light drizzle started to accompany us on our way down. This did not curb our enthusiasm for the singletrail, though! Reima and Tiina were shredding fast down their home trails, and I was hollering with joy in the beautiful nature!
After a way too short section of easy downhill singletrail Tiina & Reima guided us on gorgeous paths through the autumnal forest. Pine needles from many years made these trails soft and enjoyable, with little curves, small ups & downs, and around us the forest with all the beautiful colours of red, orange, yellow and green.
Sadly also this delightful forest ride was over too quickly, as we arrived at a cozy Kota, where Reima brewed us a fine coffee and and we ate some home-made cake. This is such a nice touch, eating real, home-made food outdoors, and drinking good coffee, and in hindsight it seemed to be a unifying thing between all the Polarlife Outdoors activities I did that week: Tasty food, prepared at home, enjoyed with kind people, in nature.
We chatted about cycling, the outdoors and life in the North during our coffee break, and then saddled our bikes for a final time as we had a short ride back to the village in front of us. We continued our chats on the bike, and it made me want to go for another mountainbike trip here with these two in the beautiful nature of Lapland. Reima and Tiina were excellent guides, very calm, friendly and down-to-earth – I really enjoyed spending time with them, riding in and around the woods & hills of the Urho Kekkonen National Park, and I hope to ride again with them the next time I visit Saariselkä ????
Read about the other Polarlife Outdoors activities I did, like preparing Wild Foods in the forest and hiking to the Akupää summit!
I stayed in Saariselkä, which is probably THE place to be when you want to explore the North-Eastern corner of Finnish Lapland. Besides a dozen or more options for accommodation options – I stayed at the Lapland Hotels Riekonlinna – the village lays right at the border of the Urho Kekkonen National Park and is just a short 2 hour stroll away from the Hammastunturi Wilderness Area. This means you don’t need a car to go outdoors in Saariselkä, as you can walk in a few minutes from your Hotel or log cabin to the start of a trail. Here’s the full list of Hotels and Cabins in Saariselkä, and feel free to use that Affiliate Link when you’re making a reservation!
Getting to Saariselkä happens in one of three ways: You drive your car north for a veeeeeeery long time but are mobile there. Useful if you want to drive to different places, but hopefully you’re not alone in that car! The second and best option is to take the train and Bus. Taking the Bus from Rovaniemi to Saariselkä is a short and scenic 3 hour ride, and it really gets you in the mood for the outdoors as you ride past lakes and forests and every so often slow down to let the Reindeer get off the road. Taking an (overnight) train to Rovaniemi from Southern Finland is also very convenient, as you wake up well rested and just a short ride away from your next outdoor adventure. This is also a good way to travel if you want to explore Helsinki before or after a visit in Lapland. Finally, if you come from abroad you also can fly directly to Ivalo, from where you can take a bus or Taxi to Saariselkä.
Saariselkä has for a village its size a variety of different options for eating out, from Anne’s Garden which serves delicious Burgers (great for backpackers who just returned to civilization!) to fine dining at Santa’s Hotel Tunturi and Lapland Hotels Riekonlinna or the tasty Buffet at the Holiday Club. Cafe Porotupa at the market square makes really good coffee (On a side note, I’m always baffled how much bad coffee you get served in a variety of places in Finland, the World Champion in coffee consumption) and also fresh pancakes and cakes. If you rather cook yourself, then the supermarket in the village has everything you need, or if you need to stock-up on dehydrated meals for another backpacking trip then visit the Partioaitta Saariselkä, probably the most-northern Outdoor Store in Finland!
During my visit at Saariselkä I participated in many different Polarlife Outdoors activities, include going to the Sauna and Spa at the Holiday Club, hiking on one of the dozen of trails around the village, visiting the AMAZING Aurora Open Wilderness Hut when you want to see Northern Lights, participate in a wild herbs Workshop, visit a Sauna and going to swim in a stream, or rent a Mountainbike and explore one of the many single track trails and holler with joy when you ride down the fjell! During the next weeks you’ll be able to read more about my adventures in the far north and some of these activities, so consider becoming a Fan on Facebook or Twitter to not miss the next instalments!
Support me on Patreon and get some useful rewards (like hanging out on Discord with me, and Discount codes for kit from partners!) or buy me a coffee – I work Full-Time on Hiking in Finland to bring you inspiring trip reports, in-depth gear reviews and the latest news from the outdoors. You also could subscribe to the rarer-than-ever Newsletter and follow along on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and Youtube for more outdoorsy updates!
Mountainbiking in Saariselkä, Lapland Read More »
I have been fascinated by cartridge adapters since I read an article about the .22LR to .223Rem adapter when I was a kid. The idea that you could have a full powered firearm, and be able to use a less powerful round for taking small game or practice with, just made sense for this aspiring […]
“Adapting To Survive”: Firearms-Part 1, The .308 Winchester to .32ACP Cartridge Adapter Read More »
I created a plan that would ensure I was prepared for almost anything in just two weeks. If you want, you can stretch out this plan. #urbansurvivalsite #preparedness #prepping #prepper #survival
The post How to Get Prepared for a Disaster in Just 2 Weeks appeared first on Urban Survival Site.
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Black Friday is here, and I want you to make me rich.
No, I actually do not want that you make me rich. Sure, you can support me on Patreon (which won’t make me rich, but very happy ????), but most of all I’d like you to consider if you need to shop this Black Friday – Cyber Monday weekend at all. Yes, discounts are steep again, gear got lighter and a fresh colour, but is your backpack at the end of its life or the tarp broken? If not, use the money you want to spend on gear on a hiking trip, like the European Trail Days in the end of May in Sweden. Or invest your £$€ into something that helps protect our environment, and support a NGO like Protect our Winters or 1% For The Planet.
However, maybe you need a new pack or want a lighter tent, and also a warm myssy could be useful for the cold days ahead. If you will go out and buy things this weekend please click on the links underneath to make your purchases, that way I will earn a commission at no extra cost to you. It’s an easy way to support your favourite Outdoor Blog in Finland, and you get the shiny new gear you want. In no particular order, if you go shopping and want to do something good to me without any extra costs to you, use these links for your Black Friday/ Cyber Monday/ Holiday shopping:
Awesome Maps makes your gear shed prettier with beautiful maps (use the code HIKINGINFINLAND to get a 10% Discount)
With the ANYCUBIC PHOTON S 3D Printer you can print your own linelocs and other handy items
AirBnB is a great place to find affordable and cozy accommodation before or after a hike, and clicking that link gets you up to 40€ off your first stay!
Alpinetrek.co.uk is THE outdoor shop in the UK
Backcountry.com sells everything for your adventure, near and far, with an UNIQUE name ????
Bergfreunde.eu is a great online shop in Europe
And Bergzeit.de is a fine German online outdoor shop with a wide variety of gear, from skis to backpacking gear
Black Diamond makes my favourite Windjacket, the Alpine Start Hoody
Booking.com is a good place to find Hotels and flights ✈️
Campsaver.com gives you 20% off on any Item
DJI is THE Maker of Drones and Gimbals ???? like the OSMO Pocket Gimbal or the OSMO Action Cam
evo takes care of your skiing and snowboard needs
Garage Grown Gear is home to a variety of cottage-made gear and have a huge Sale
Good To-Go makes delicious meals for your next outdoor adventure
GORUCK makes the most durable backpacks in the world
GearTrade.com helps you sell and buy used gear
HUCKEPACKS produces ultralight high-quality backpacks in Germany!
Hyperlite Mountain Gear is your source of ultralight & durable gear for your next adventure if you want Cuben Fibre, with 20% Discounts this weekend
Jaybird makes superb headphones for active people
The Kammok Gift Guide has a few nice ideas for gifts for the holidays
Get Luminar 4 for all your Photo Editing and never pay again for editing your photos!
Lifeproof protects your phone on your adventures
Luna Sandals makes my favourite sandals!
With On Running Shoes you’ll be faster than the wind
Patagonia makes sustainable, durable and high-quality outdoor apparel and gear
Peak Design makes the Capture Clip, my favourite way to carry my camera ???? and it’s 15% off this weekend
REI.com is one of the largest Outdoor Co-ops in the world ⛺️ and wants you to #OptOutside
Into HDR Photography? Then get Aurora HDR 2019! And with the Coupon Code MORKEL you’ll save even $10 more!
Sierra Designs makes lightweight tents, sleeping bags and backpacks for your next backpacking trip
Stio creates gear for all your mountain needs – from skiing to downhill biking!
Tent Meals makes my favourite food for backpacking, and my Patreons get a 25% Discount!
Trek Light Gear sells hammocks, blankets and other outdoorsy kit.
At the trekking-lite-store.com you can get the finest UL kit in Europe
ULA Equipment is a UL backpack manufacturer out of Utah, and their Everyday Carry Line might be something for the city
Ultimate Direction makes some of the lightest and most ergonomic trailrunning gear and fastpacking backpacks
And via the Outdoor Black Weekend Portal you can find a bunch of different offers from over 20 shops
And for all other things, visit your local taste of Amazon:
Amazon.com for all your shopping needs in North America
Amazon.co.uk for all your shopping needs in Brexitlandia
Amazon.de for all your shopping needs in Germany
Or if you need some inspiration, check out some of my favourite kit:
Thank you for reading and supporting me! Regular content will resume next week =)
Go Outdoors This Weekend Read More »
There are plenty of writings about how a collapse “should” be, or “should look like”, filled up to the top with all kinds of suggestions, “tips”, warnings and precautions that should be taken. That is fantastic. All of this must be … Continued
3 Proven Profitable Activities In a Collapse Venezuelan Edition Read More »
Ever since the semi-automatic pistol was invented, there has been a considerable degree of controversy over whether these guns or revolvers are better. Each of these handguns has advantages and disadvantages.
If you are looking for the perfect handgun for bugging out, you can consider the pros and cons presented in this article while you are making your choices. Bear in mind that the gun that looks best for you as a beginner, intermediate shooter, or expert may also look different.
When evaluating guns for bugging out, you should always be aware of how your abilities change and also how your view the situations you may encounter.
The most popular type of handgun in use today for protection is the semi-automatic pistol. The main reasons people choose these guns include the high capacity magazines, reliability, less recoil, the triggers are easier to use, the sights are better, and they fire faster.
The ability to shoot quickly with a pistol is one of the most important advantages of this type of firearm. Most people who use semi-automatic pistols would rather be able to fire off several bullets even if they aren’t as well placed rather than rely on one or two shots that were better aimed.
At the end of the day, this belief can be a “pro” to some, but make others with more experience think twice because surviving a gun fight is still very much about hitting the optimal place on the adversary as quickly and efficiently as possible. That being said, the fact that a semi can carry 12 – 20 bullets versus 5 or 6 in a revolver still gives you the chance to hit multiple targets if needed. Since the semi-automatic also come with better sights these days, the high capacity magazines definitely add up to an advantage over the revolvers.
Semi-automatic pistols are also much easier to reload. Since the magazines are smaller and more compact, you can also carry several of them pre-loaded and be ready to fire again in a matter of seconds. On the other hand, the speed loader for a revolver can be quite bulky and take more time to reload. Even if you plan on carrying them. It is still easier to fit a semi magazine into your pocket.
There are few drawbacks with a semi-automatic pistol. First, they must be kept meticulously clean. They can also be very picky with the ammunition that will go through them without causing damage or jams. For a semi-automatic pistol, the cartridges must have the proper shape for reliable feeding. It must also have enough powder in the case to fully function the slide without battering and breaking the internal parts. The case must have the proper head spacing so that it moves easily in and out of the chamber without hanging up.
A semi-automatic pistol to a new shooter can be complicated because they must learn how to operate slides, slides stops, magazine releases, decockers, and safeties. In addition, some individuals are not strong enough to pull back the side. This problem is as old as the pistol design itself because of the heavy recoil spring and the small width of the slide. If you have problems fully pulling back the slide, but still want to have a semi for your bug out gun, try the following:
Another problem with pistols is that if the magazines are lost or broken your pistol turns into a single-shot weapon. If your pistol has a magazine safety and you have lost your magazines this pistol will not be able to fire at all.
When compared to revolvers, semis have limited energy and penetration. In some shooting scenarios, limited penetration could be an advantage, however, it will not work in other situations. For example, a nine-millimeter hollow point projectile is much less likely to penetrate multiple walls then the classic 357 Magnum projectile. On the other hand, if you need to get past low-grade body armor or shoot longer distances, the lack of penetration can leave you with a serious problem on your hands.
If you keep your pistol with a loaded round in the chamber. It is to your advantage to have a pistol that has a safety or a decocker to keep the pistol from accidentally discharging if the trigger is pulled.
Pistol malfunctions represent the greatest problem with semi- automatic pistols when compared to revolvers. You must know how to recognize and clear the four most common different types of pistol malfunctions. While the following steps may not seem complicated, bear in mind they can cost you in terms of valuable concentration and time in an actual situation.
Revolvers are known for their simplicity and dependability. They are extremely safe handguns to operate in either single or double action mode. New shooters can grasp how they function easily. Revolvers take a minimum of training to learn how to use. Another reason some individuals prefer to carry revolvers is that they simply do not need to worry about having the strength to pull the slide back on a pistol and chamber a round.
It is very easy to recover brass from a revolver. When the revolver is empty, just swing out the cylinder and push the extractor rod. The spent cartridges will fall into your hand. From there the brass can be saved in your pocket and used with reloading equipment later on to make a new bullet.
Revolvers are also far more forgiving in terms of ammunition choice. Basically, if the ammunition fits in the cylinder and the cylinder locks, the revolver should fire the bullet. While you should never use ammunition that is too hot for the gun in question, a revolver will take a lot more variance than a semi-automatic pistol.
Revolvers only have a few drawbacks as a prime personal protection sidearm. They have a limited capacity, are extremely slow to reload, and the cartridges which they shoot can be too heavy for city or in home use. To fix these problems, practice with the speed loaders regularly and carry ammunition that will not shoot through walls.
In conclusion, there are pros and cons associated with both semi-automatic pistols and revolvers. At times, you may think that the revolver is the best bug out gun for your needs; while a semi-automatic pistol may seem more appealing to others. As Jeff Cooper would say: “The police cannot protect the citizen at this stage of our development, and they cannot even protect themselves in many cases. It is up to the private citizen to protect himself and his family, and this is not only acceptable but mandatory.” In the end, this is a highly personal choice, and the best gun will be the one you have with you and know best how to use.
If you have any comments, please put them in the comment section below.
About Fred Tyrell:
I am an Eagle Scout and a retired police officer. I love the great outdoors and I am very conservation minded. It is my wish to pass along to other generations what I have learned in my lifetime. I am a champion marksman with handguns, rifles, and shotguns. You can read more of my articles on Survivor’s Fortress.
Pistol vs Revolver: Which is the Better Bug Out Gun? Read More »
Your dream about living in a cosy house is about to come true. Finally, you have decided to put effort into building your new home. It will take a lot of time and energy,...
The post Preparation Steps Before Building Your New Home appeared first on The Homestead Survival.
Preparation Steps Before Building Your New Home Read More »
A couple weeks ago, I had the pleasure of speaking at the Dutch DEX-XL conference in The Netherlands. I’m trying to lower the barrier to doing talks and workshops by not making presentation “decks of slides” (for PowerPoint, etc.). I’m finding that, as we go through the talk, people have questions and instead of showing them how to answer them, when I have slides, I need to stick to the script and then do ad hoc stuff after. So, I’m trying to do more talks and workshops sans slides.
The challenge is that, if you’ve seen me present before, as the talk goes on, I get more and more excited about the cool topics and tend to speed up (I’m working on not doing that but it is so HARD!). This increase of presentation pace makes it difficult for some people to take notes.
Below are my notes on the content I covered in those workshops. They are not meant to be complete but, instead, to point people towards those tools, tactics, and techniques I demonstrated during the classes.
So, you’re on the fence about renovating your home. You still can’t decide whether to go ahead with the project or hold off for another time. Most people have a million and one reasons...
The post Inspiring Reasons to Renovate Your Home appeared first on The Homestead Survival.
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