Kyle Thomas

The Website of Kyle Thomas (KyleWith)

The Name, The Meaning

So I call myself The Bushman and this site is also called it. I’m now conflicted, as I do not spend much time out in the “Bush” but yet online. Why did I pick the name? Back in October I had taken the month off work and gone down to live with some friends in Northern BC. There house is out in the country, half hour from any town. We would go hunting, getting firewood, drive our trucks, haul water. You know stuff that needed to be done to sustain living in the middle no where. So when I decided that I wanted to switch to a blog/domain that showed more of who I am The Bushman fit, somewhat. but now I’m presented with this dilemma! I don’t do near as much outdoorsy stuff as I use to, whether that is because of work or the cold weather it doesn’t matter. The name doesn’t really fit. In the summer I probably will go back to my old ways of camping and living out of my camper but that doesn’t mean I’m going to blog about it. When I choose the name Bushman I had the brilliant idea of writing a weekly post on Bushcraft, well you call all see how well that turned out. Instead I write blogging and the latest tech app or gadget.

Currently I love blogging and Internet tech things, such as WordPress, gadgets/apps, and social media so all my topical posts will have something to do with those kind of things. What I need do or figure out is how (because I’m not changing my Domain again. Hassle is way to much for me right now) to associate The Bushman with tech, blogging, Internet, social media, etc. so that I can build on this site. I have to find the write angle, and work it.

Back to me for a second I thought I would mention my thoughts on how I feel torn in two worlds. I hate to stereotype because I don’t know everything and I really shouldn’t and can’t judge, but this is my opinion. I do like the “Blue Collar” way of life, a laboring job, big truck, mudding and greasy from working on it. Listening to my Country Music wearing plaid proudly living out in the country but then there is the other side of me. The side that is is formally dressed, black leather shoes, Navy jacket, shirt tucked in and hair combed. Having the love of computers and tech news, working online hours at end blogging and researching the next post with calmer acoustic music on in the background. In all a formal business and tech savvy person.

I know people from both ends of this spectrum and I know there opinions about the other end. Its almost a disgust as they ask “why would you want to be like that”. I’m afraid to see what would happen when these people collided. Knowing and seeing all this makes me feel socially unaccepted, it drives me nuts because I can’t figure it out. When I bring up something about the opposite end of the spectrum I’m looked at as if I’m stupid!

“Why would you wanna be like one of em nerds, bet they don’t know how ta fix a car to saver er life. Let go to Timmies”

“Ah, they’re such rednecks, I mean look at that broken down gas guzzler. Horrible. Lets go to Starbucks”

Oh so get this I applied to go to school in a town built on the trades to do a Business Program, ironic….

I’m The Bushman.

Ice Thickness Chart and Information

Because of the high amount of traffic I am receiving from my first last post about Ice Thickness, I thought I would write another one with more information that would apply to people out side of Yellowknife.

Here is a Ice Thickness Chart that show how thick the ice has to be to be able to support you, a snowmobile, car, truck etc.

Ice Thickness Chart

I also wanted to explain how to properly measure the ice you are on.

What you need: Ice auger(an axe could work, I have done it, but it makes a mess), L shaped stick (can be anything), measuring tape, and a shovel.

How to Do it:

  1. Shovel away all the snow in the area where you want to drill your hole in the ice
  2. Prep your Ice Auger, make sure blade is sharp. Start it up if it is a gas auger.
  3. Start drilling by slowly drilling your hole so that the auger goes down in one spot and continue down.
  4. While your drilling it is a good idea to pull up the Auger once and a while to get the ice shavings out of the hole. Use the shovel to remove them once they are up.
  5. Once you have gone throw bring your auger back up and make sure you don’t put it in the snow so it does not have clumps of snow and ice on it when you want to put it away. (Not something you have to do, just something I do)
  6. Clear all the slush and ice chips out of the area with the shovel and try to get as much as possible out of the hole.
  7. With your “L” shaped stick put the vertical end ( — part) into the ice and then pull the stick back upwards you that the vertical part of the stick is underneath the ice at the very bottom of it.
  8. Then mark on the sticks horizontal part (|) where the ice (top) begins.
  9. Once you have pull the stick our again, with the measuring tape measure from where you mark the ice began to the bottom part.

You will now have a general idea of the thickness of the ice in that area. But remember Ice Thickness can change very quickly and can be different thickness’s only a foot away from where you measure. Many things contribute to how thick the ice can be, such as the depth of the water, if the ice is exposed to the air and/or sun, as well as how much snow is on top of the ice. Think of the snow as a blanket. When snow if on ice it insulating it, preventing it from becoming thicker and stronger.

Read up more on ice here

Remember to always be safe and cautious. And have Fun.