Thanks Carol, I concur.
I also started carrying one a couple of years ago.
?
Have not yet gotten stuck enough to resort to it, but that is probably only because I HAVE it !? ;)

Guy McWethy
Renton, WA
mailto: lguy_mcw at yahoo.com


________________________________
From: Carol Riddell <cariddellwa at gmail.com>
To: tweeters <tweeters at u.washington.edu>
Sent: Wednesday, February 20, 2013 9:25 AM
Subject: [Tweeters] Winter Birding Tools

Hi Tweets,

It may be less important for birders who do winter trips in convoys
but many of us head out alone. Blair Bernson mentioned in his earlier
post the tow strap I carry in my car. A tow strap is some of the
cheapest insurance you can carry in your vehicle. It has happened to
me, as it did to Blair. You pull over just a bit on a snowy road and
your passenger tires end up in soft snow. The humbling and valuable
lesson is that all-wheel drive vehicles are not all-terrain vehicles.
They get stuck and those passenger side tires just dig in. A tow strap
allows the first vehicle that comes along to pop you out very quickly.
Many cell phones do not have coverage in many of the areas where we
bird in winter. So AAA or other towing insurance plans can't come to
your rescue. I've had my tow strap for a number of years and it has
been used four times. They cost $20-$30 at auto supply stores.
Seriously consider adding one to your winter tool kit of de-icer/ice
scraper, good flashlight with new batteries, snow shovel, water,
chains, and a sleeping bag (could be a while before that savior
vehicle comes along). These modest supplies can make the difference
between minor inconvenience and major trip disruption.

Safe winter birding,

Carol Riddell
Edmonds
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