Tube-o-Healing

Yeah, yeah.  It ain't the fanciest sounding title, but I get a chuckle out of it.

Just because we are on motorbikes does not mean that we have all of the space in the world to pack everything we could possibly take on a trip.  More and more of my friends are getting their motorbikes in check, sorting gear, and getting ready to strap the bikes together with all they need for a long distance ride.

George from Riding the USA will be starting from darn near the Atlantic Ocean in Pennsylvania and traveling to Deadhorse, Alaska.

RichardM of Richard's Page will be motating from Fairbanks, Alaska to Santa Cruz, California.

Bobskoot from Riding the Wet Coast and the SonjaM with her intrepid hubby from Find Me On The Road will be cruising from Vancouver, British Columbia to Baker City, Oregon.

The motorbikes are seeing services for oil, brakes, and tires.  Camping gear is being gone through for sturdiness, weatherproofing, and packability.  (Or credit cards are being exercised for 4 star hotel swiping.)

But one thing commonly being collected are "items for the road".  This could be as simple as determining the best snacks to pack in the heat.  Or as complex as the tools required to perform routine maintenance, or for some all out full duty repair jobs.  For others, it is another exercise to limber up the credit card to summon the tow truck.  (Unh Hmhh....that would be me with Roadside Assistance!)

Everyone's list is incorporating a first aid kit or two.  Yes, if there is a big accident of some kind an ace bandage probably won't do the trick.  However, if you happen to snag some delicate skin between the tent poles and have a bleeding mess on your hands, literally, the band aids will come in nicely.

So I figured that I really needed to share this when I wandered across it the other day.  This is geared towards backpacking.  However, I find that it can be useful in everyday first aid kits on bicycles, motorbikes, in the car, for the Multiple Sclerosis ride, and the list goes on.

You wouldn't think a tube of antibiotic ointment would take up that much space.  And it doesn't.  On its own.  But when you add a tube for anti-itch cream for bug bites, and poison ivy cream, that kit is taking up more and more space.  What is the likelihood of needing it on the trip?  What are the chances that the heat it will experience might turn it bad by the end of the trip?

Enter: Single Use Antibiotic Packs.  I found this on Brian's Backpacking Blog, and have actually made my own at home.  Yes, you can purchase single use packs, but they are fairly expensive when broken down, and usually have way more than a single use in them.  You wind up tossing a large amount because it can't be sealed or saved.

So Brian came up with his own single use packs.  Ingenious!

 

Simple tools:  Straw, lighter, needle nose pliers, scissors, healing balm (mine was anti-itch cream because I didn't want to find the antibiotic stuff.  Anti-itch cream is good for my first aid kit since mosquitos and bugs love me, and this helps.)

Inject cream into the straw...to a desired amount.  My straw isn't quite transparent, but holding it up to the light will reveal how much is present.

Then squidgy the contents into the straw a little so the end is accessible to get a good bite with the needle nose pliers and lighter.

Burn the end of the straw up to the pliers, and a good seal is made. 

Cut the other end of the tube.

Seal...  And Voila!!

Single serving, single use, compact, portable, light weight.  I could see these being super useful on a bicycle adventure.  I will be making some for my first aid kit for the Multiple Sclerosis marshaling.  I won't even have qualms about putting them in the small first aid kit on the motorbike, or to keep with the camping gear!

Some people questioned if the heat would ruin the contents.  Some replied that the needle nose pliers acted as heat sink and the contents didn't get hot.  I cut open my first one and the cream was in perfect condition.  No separation or discoloration.

If you intend on packaging multiple ointments or creams consider different colored straws or permanent marker to label.

Hope this might be useful to some of you out there.