Home Depot Challenge!

“How about a trip where - with the exception of food and clothing - you can only use gear purchased at Home Depot?! Nothing can be modified - that is, you cannot fashion a pack from a painters dropcloth, or whatever.

Tarp for shelter.
Dropcloth for a blanky.
Fertilizer spreader for a backpack.
Paint can for a pot.
Hoes for hiking poles.
Propane torch for a stove.
Cheesecloth for a water filter.
Etc...

Take yer scales to the Depot, look around (use yer imagination!), weigh stuff, compose a list, and calculate the price. Nobody reports until ALL contestants have completed their "shopping". Then, everyone report to thread on a predetermined date - say, sometime in late March.

Winner will be determined by The Official Scorekeeper.

Heheheee!”

“gojo, all my hoes are used for cooking, cleaning, fetching water, and opening my beer. You use yours for hiking poles? How odd.”

“Your on gojo. What's the deadline?”

“OK... how long is the hike and under what range of possible conditions....”

“Backpacker Mag. did it. The article was quite interesting; if I find it I'll post the co-ordinates. Happy trails.”

“oh FUN! Is this a weekender and do we have to include food? Can we dehydrate the hotdogs?! Give us the deadline and rules!”

“When you say "nothing can be modified," I assume I can't buy a bunch of wood, build a house, and live there indefinetely?”

“i went to home depot and all the studfinders kept pointing at me.”

“Gremlin, I would avoid posting the article, it may give away some secrets. Good challenge. If I have time i'll give it a go.”

“I was unaware of BP Mag's story.

Plan on a two-niter.

What I meant was that you couldn't cut and sew a strapped pack. Surely Home Depot has SOMETHING that would work as a means of transporting your gear.

Joy -
Rules? Hmmmm.
Use yer imagination - surprise us with your ingenuity!
The Score Keeper will make his decision based on originality, practicality, weight, and cost.

Let me think about it - as y'all can, too.
We'll devise a list of Official Rules in the next few days.
I figure everybody needs at least a couple Saturdays to make trips to Home Depot to refine their equipment list, so the deadline needs to be a few weeks down the road.

Not everyone has easy access to a Home Depot, so any type of hardware store, builder's supply, or home center should prolly qualify as a supply house.

I'm thinking of some specific rules now, ie, no wheel barrows, carts, etc. -
gear MUST be carried on the back.

Think about it, and give us rule suggestions.”

“What?!?! No handtrucks? I once saw this guy on a trail transporting stuff with a handtruck! He also had this dog with him that liked to sniff butts.”

“I see a problem with paint can for at pot. That can't passably be good for your health. Same with cheesecloth for water filter.”

“I see a problem with paint can for at pot. That can't poss(i/a)bly be good for your health. Same with cheesecloth for water filter.”

“They sell clean, never used cans.
The cheese cloth was jokeful - water treatment would be boilage.”

“I did not know that they sold clean unused cans”

“Our new Home Depot will open in a couple weeks. Then a Menard's is going up on the other side of town. This could be a great corporate Survivor challenge. I'll pass the idea to our Chamber of Commerce.

Anybody want to take each end of an aluminum ladder so I can ride the trail like a pharaoh?”

“All I need is a 300 ft. spool of 12 gauge copper wire four birthday candles and a roll of strapping tape.”

“A roll of duct tape and a knife. Oh yea, a lighter too.”

“Does it have to be inside of Home Depot? or can I buy some of those illegal day laborers that hang out in the parking lot, make them be porters and just have them carry everything?”

“lol!”

“Oh. I though we were gonna have to race Tony Stewart.”

“HEY Gojo!
If you can take a 2 wheeler to RRG, Why can't I use a shopping cart to carry my sh!t?”

“I can see it now...me carrying one of those ready-to-assemble metal sheds in its box...with a couple of screwdrivers in the pockets of my brand-new tool pouch...”

“LOL... Count me in... I am goona head up to the depot tomorrow to see what I can find... :)”

“Dude -
NO CARTS!
...dammit.
why?
cuz
cuz why?
just cuz.

LOL at Omahiker!

I didn't have a chance to hit the depot last night, but I will by the end of the week. I'm excited to visit the depot with a whole new shopping objective!”

“how about:

less than $20 and less than 20 pounds?”

“$20.00?! Hell, you can't even buy a decent nail apron for less than that!

How bout no monetary limit? Again, the Scorekeeper will decide based on cost, practicality, originality, and weight.

Someone could still spend only $20.00, but lose points on weight. Or, someone could spend $200.00 (prolly a deduction in score), yet gain points in the practicality catagory.”

“Get the plastic shopping bags to haul your water (thanks to Nigal for this gem from months ago)”

“i'm using the pro book. no way i'm carting abby around home depot while i work this out! any objections?”

“I don't object.”

“Ahhhh...another challenge for Duct Tape Man!”

“Its really not fair if one can not improvise. Thats all part of fun make something from nothing. Use your brain to survive.

Clean metal or plastic pales for water and food cooking.

Insulation, one could fashion a bed roll or sleeping bag. Something like those hotwater heater sleeves or some other kind of quilted insulation.

Build a travois(sp) or a pull sled w/skis or rails from metal or wood to carry the crap. Fashion that a nail belt that doubles water bottle carrier.

I would use one of those long "weed spears" for a hiking stick.

Lots of P-cord/rope and duct tape.

Wood saw, trash bags, maybe a few of those empty 5 gal. buckets w/lids for storage. Fire starters, Leatherman.

I would have to do some more brain storming but I think it could be done if one was allowed to do some slight modifications.”

“Make a sleeping pad from Refectex bubble wrap insulation.

Use fiberglass insulation and duct tape to make a sleeping bag.

Tarp from plastic tarp. Gutter nails for stakes, 550 cord for guy lines.

Hoe handles for hiking poles.

Pre-fab first aid kit.

Alcohol stove from small paint can, one hose clamp, and some dryer duct. Use some left over insulation as a wick. Boil water as treatment.

Plastic bottles for water and fuel bottles.

Billy can cook set from empty can.

2 weedeater straps and an empty nylon bag from garden center backpack - no frame.

Lighter, duct tape, knife. Shop towel for toilet paper.

Can't find a compass, probably need to devise one using a plastic bowl and needle.”

“Damit sarge you bet me to the fiberglass thing, I was just going to say that”

“I hate soccer moms and there whinny snot-nosed kids. I am so grateful for the solace offered by these simple tasks on trail talk.

No monetary limit, no weight requirements,you all know your abilities. Points will be earned on a flexible scale. Once you post your list, you may not alter it in anyway at all. To do so will result in your termination from competition. The max score available is 20 points, and remember NO fabricating gear.MINOR alterations allowed, I am the final arbitor.

Sgt Rock- excellent start Sarge! You showed the ability to improvise,adapt and to overcome. However your stove has been disqualified too much alteration.You earn 17.5 points.

Briar you did well too, considereing the " SUPREME RULE MAESTRO and OFFICIAL SCOREKEEPER" hadnt clarified the rules. You earned 14 points but get a bonus of 2 points since your list would have been more detailed with the allowance of alterations, total 16 points.”

“I actually think the stove would be easier and quicker to make than the sleeping bag, but 17.5. I'm happy for an off the top of my head inventory of Home Depot.”

“I'm gonna find the BIGGEST bucket they got to use as a pack.”

“Y'all are givin away all of yer trix.
SAVE THEM FOR THE CONTESS STOP!”

“I have a contest for ya. I have to build a liveable house for 4 from home depo with under 2000 dollars. can u do it. I can !lets have some imagination here. I need advise anyway.this must have toilet, sink, bathtub,110 water heater,be capable of running a microwave, and a fidg. I wanna hike to but I need ideas fast. and you guys are the best in the world with comming up with crazy ideas.so far mine is 24 x 24 with an upstairs. can you beat it.buy the way when i get ready to build i might need some help. want to come camp out in my yard and have a weird house raising? hot dogs are on me.”

“MOM it would be next to impossible to build a home for that price unless you found hordes of used stuff. Just your plumbing alone would cost that 2k price you quoted.
Get a used trailer or buy into a cheap kit/prefab home or something like a add on to your house. Build just living quarters and shared other facilities like kitchen and bath. It may tax you more than you want it to, but for 2k you not gonna get much from Homedepot.

I finished my basement a few years back, thought I would go cheap and do most of the work myself. It still cost me alot in materials alone. Sheetrock, metal studs, paint,wire and all those little accessaries begin to add up. Throw in a vanity and shower, closet doors, blah blah blah I almost broke the bank. I still aint finished because I got tired of working on it. 95% is done but I still would like to do more. Would like to have wall2wall carpet and a fire box/pot belly stove down there.”

“How's about garden type sheds placed in a circle around a central area with plumbing/kitchen, kinda like spokes off a central hub. You won't be needing heat, right. This is just temporary, right? It'll be like camping but with structure. You could have paths joining them and the great outdoors would be your livingroom, though you would have protection from the elements for your upholstered things. You ought to be able to emulate the sheds without actually buying the prefabs.”

“Turn of the century (19th-20th) vacation spots in New Jersey had homes which were basically frames, yet had canvas walls. I can't for the life remember the town, but it was a Methodist retreat. Seemed like an economical solution for seasonal living. I'll check around for my mind, I seem to have mis-placed it.”

“I found my marbles!!! Mom, check it out.
http://www.themestream.com/articles/120401.html

It is/was Ocean Grove, NJ”

“MOM - $2000 for a home for four. Better challenge than this home despot thing. If I were within driving distance I would bring my tools and have at it.

I agree that the plumbing and electrical system will take all $2000. Is this temporary? Can you do it without permits and inspections? I built a 16 foot by 16 foot 2 story addition with one bath for $10,000. I did all the labor and had free used bath fixtures.

My suggestion is to get one, two or three of those big army type wall tents. Build a wood platform to put the tents on. If you know a plumber, he may be able to get you a water heater that was taken out in a replacement job but still works. Run a electrical circuit to each tent (please use GFCI). If you don?t have an existing septic system to tie into rent a chemical toilet. They stink but the sewer connection fees could be more than your $2000. Best wishes and good luck.”

“painters drop cloth for shelter / bag

can

bottle

food


you might want to limit clothes to tshirt, shorts, underwear, socks, shoes.”

“Have water line in and septic in, were leaning towards a platform(wood) with the frame to a 24 by 24 hexagon shape house covered in kool light greenhouse plastic with lots of windows just screen. yes this is only till the end of july when we will leave so no heat required. when we get back we could put on real siding and a real roof instead of plasic. i own 2 greenhouses now so i have the equipment to cool it. I think it will work plumbing electric and all. illkeep you posted. i think it is going to look like a space ship though and my neighbors may think ive gone nuts. oh,,, no permits i live in the boonies.”

“They sell contractor weight rainsuits for $12.95. Heavy, but nearly indistructable.”

“So, who's gone and found their H.D. gear?”

“my local home depot carries a small assortment of camping gear, including packs -- so there!!!”

“Our new HD is open now and jammin' with throngs of apparently pent up home chore fever sufferers. But if Gordon is right, I'll have to sneak in amongst the crowd and check what they have.”