Our End Of The Lake: Surviving After The 2012 Solar Storm (Prepper Trilogy) by Ron Foster Page B

works.
    Make your fire . After polishing the bottom of your can, what you have is essentially a parabolic mirror. Sunlight will reflect off the bottom of the can, forming a single focal point. It’s kind of like how a mirror telescope works.
    Point the bottom of the can towards the sun. You’ll have created a highly focused ray of light aimed directly at your tinder. Place the tinder about an inch from the reflecting light’s focal point. In a few seconds you should have a flame.
    While I can’t think of any time that I would be in the middle of nowhere with a can of Coke and chocolate bar, this method is still pretty cool.
    Batteries and Steel Wool
    Like the chocolate and soda can method, it’s hard to imagine a situation where you won’t have matches, but you will have some batteries and some steel wool. But hey, you never know. And it’s quite easy and fun to try at home.
    Stretch out the Steel Wool . You want it to be about 6 inches long and a ½ inch wide.
    Rub the battery on the steel wool . Hold the steel wool in one hand and the battery in the other. Any battery will do, but 9 volt batteries work best. Rub the side of the battery with the “contacts” on the wool. The wool will begin to glow and burn. Gently blow on it.
    Transfer the burning wool to your tinder nest . The wool’s flame will extinguish quickly, so don’t waste any time.
    “You want simpler” I said sensing I was losing my audience in contemplation. “Make a small hole in any paper sheet, spit in this hole or put a clear water drop that you present to the sun rays as a magnifying glass.”
    “That’s brilliant Dave, you’re a regular pyromaniac. You can make fire out of a drop of water and that coke can shit is unbelievable.” Stewart said.
    Dump was beaming,”I told you he knows some weird stuff that’s useful, you just got to put up with him long enough to listen.” he said playfully towards me.
    “I am going to hush for awhile. Dump you feel like playing bartender and giving us another round?” I said hopefully.
    “Not a problem my, friend.” he said and reached down beside him to contribute to our getting inebriated.
    “Hey, this hot beer doesn’t taste so bad.” said Stewart.
    “Coming from an Englishman that somehow sounds funny.“ I wise cracked.
    “We drink it hot, we drink it cold, we like our pints and not necessarily warm, that’s a myth.” he responded.
    “You are opening the store tomorrow?” Dump asked Stewart with a sly grin and a reach for another beer.
    “Hell, why not when I got so much free stock to profit from.” Stewart replied with mirth.
    “I gotta go use your facilities Stewart, where is the John at” I asked nonchalantly,
    “Over there, pick a patch of weeds” Dump suggested.
    “Anybody find any toilet paper today?” I speculatively asked.
    “I got some.” Stewart said rummaging in his own pillow case and handing me a roll, “Dump when you get to Dave and my` age remember the old adage ‘never trust a fart’.”
    Dump responded right on time with “I trust you” and I stayed amused by this statement, as I headed to my destination on the far side of the road.

9
    Fare Thee Well
     
     
    “Dave, I been telling Stewart about looking out for dogs in the future” Dump said as I wandered back into camp and their gaze shifted in my direction.
    “Two legged and four legged types will all be packing up soon” I said wearily.
    “I am not sure which kind will first but form packs they will. Those are not firecrackers we been hearing off and on all day’ I said gesturing towards the gloom and twinkling fires off in the city.
    “I thought you said regardless what the media said about people during Katrina that your college research said it was just hype and outright lies” Dump said looking intently at me.
    “Your correct Dump, but that was a different disaster. Oh, most folks will get along for a couple weeks until the water and food run out, and then it starts getting every man for