Renegade Rip

Issue date: 5/6/09 Section: Battle of the Sexes

Media Credit: Rip staff writers Staff writers Jimmy Laurent (left) and Gabino Vega Rosario (right) attempt to start a fire using WD-40 and old issues of The Renegade Rip.

Media Credit: Rip staff writers Jimmy Laurent jumps in the air with a large branch in an attempt to break the branch, making it smaller and easier to burn.

Media Credit: Rip staff writers Gabino Vega Rosario keeps his hands warm by the girls' fire.

Having a lot of supplies for a camping trip does not make the trip a challenge. On April 23, two Rip girls (yes, we called them "girls" not "women") and men traveled to Cedar Creek Campground and participated in the last Battle of the SeXes. Who could set up the tents quicker, who was more prepared and who could make a fire were the challenges.

Honestly this "challenge" was not worthy to be considered a challenge. Setting up a tent in the dark, having only five items and keeping a fire ignited all day would have been a challenge.

Each challenge gave the girls the upper hand, and if they want to claim this challenge as their victory, wait until you analyze all the facts.

The men arrived at the campsite unfamiliar with the site, but the girls had previously visited the site. There is nothing wrong with that, but they had an idea what to expect as far as the weather and environment.

When we all got there, we decided to start with the first challenge and set up our tent. The girls set up their tiny six-foot tent in 11 minutes, and Rosario timed it. The men set up their 12-foot tent in unknown time. The girls took the time but failed to give a time (technology fails), and they claim it a win.

Rosario has never been camping, but Laurent had some experience and shared the knowledge. Their gear was not epic but was enough to survive two nights in the mountains. Food and water was a requirement, but the men brought a flashlight, pots, utensils, a hammer, a screwdriver, cups, a towel, an ice chest, matches, firewood (just in case we fail) and some blankets. The girls were prepared and well equipped and were able to sleep at night. Because the men did not have sleeping bags, the men were unable to sleep during the evening's cold weather.

The same night we arrived, the men had their challenge first: making a fire. The men took their flashlight and searched for any nearby wood that could help in this challenge.

Small twigs and arm-length branches were found and were able to keep a fire for a long time, with the help of one match, a current edition of the Renegade Rip and some WD-40 grease. We were up and warm for the night in front of the campfire, and the girls gave compliments.

The next day, Rosario and Laurent searched around the area for more firewood. The men took their F-150 truck and brought back enormous firewood that would certainly last all night. The men smashed the huge firewood into sharp boulders that were nearby and successfully created firewood for everybody.

The girls used our firewood during their challenge and used more matches and more magazine paper. "That looks like a really good fire, huh, guys?" said one of the girls, but we were thinking, "Yeah, with our wood."

The men brought sandwich material along with hot dogs and plenty of water. Laurent also brought sunflower seeds to subside their hunger during the day (the girls brought seeds as well but did so after getting the idea from the men).

One of the discussed challenges was to see who could make the best s'more. One of the girls admitted that Laurent had, in fact, made the best-looking s'more. According to Laurent, it tasted just as good as it looked.

Laurent admitted to eating a couple pieces of the girls' bacon, but, to his credit, he helped cook the bacon. Not only did he help cook it, but also it was his idea to use the bacon grease as fuel to the fire.

Girls, you think that you won the challenge. Well, go ahead and think that, but you know very well that you needed the men's help to survive.

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