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Letter Re: Last Minute G.O.O.D. Versus Well-Considered Early Relocation
Dear Editor:
John M.'s letter was excellent, polite, and to the point.
The following are my rules for townies:
1. If your water comes out of a faucet or a bottle, and you can not safely walk to a permanent backup source in less than 10 minutes every day, then you will die.
2. If you do not raise your own food, or personally know the family that you bought it from, you will either die, or be forever controlled by someone with a clipboard and a list, and you will wish you were dead.
3. If you live in the city because your job is more important than your life, then don't bother bugging out. The only Job you are likely to get out here in the country is digging graves for people that think like you.
4. A centuries old rule of farming: It takes a minimum of 10 years of farming a piece of ground to know it. So, you're going to compress a decade of intimate knowledge into a weekend, because you read a book? We'll send the guy mentioned in Rule #3 out to your shack next spring.
5. Unless you have a fully stocked and equip 19th century-style working farm to escape to, with food for two years stored in place for humans and livestock, you are simply a well-intentioned refugee, or an unwelcome house guest.
6. [Forget "foraging".] In the 1850s, (for the purpose of sizing reservations), it was determined that a skillful Native American needed 100 square miles (10 miles x 10 miles) minimum, to live off the land, per person. There was a lot more game back then, and less afraid of humans. You're going to be competing with around 300 million hungry human bellies, every morning.
7. Ten cases of canned food fits in a 2'x2'x2' area. Around 30 cases will give you one meal a day for a year, and fits under a [tall] bed. The gear, tools, food, and clothing needed for a family of four for a year in the wild would fill one or more semi-trailers. So you think that you're going to effortlessly bug out with a truck and trailer at O-Dark-Thirty and survive? Stay home, or become breakfast for less dainty bellies.
Finally: There are two terms you hope never appear in your obituary: "unfortunate accident", or "shallow grave".
If you and your gear are not already pre-positioned on your own homestead, and your city job is just seasonal or part time for the Gov.Bux, you are probably bound to end up in one of these two categories by bugging out.
Prepare, but stay where you are, unless the emergency is a temporary natural event - Feral Farmer
JWR Replies: I concur that taking halfway measures is an invitation to becoming a statistic in a societal collapse. As I've stressed countless times, the best approach is to live at your retreat year-round. A marginal second choice is to maintain a fully-stocked retreat that is constantly under the watchful eye of a trusted friend or relative that can also keep your fruit nut trees watered and look after your livestock. But even then, you'll likely lack the requisite large-scale gardening experience in your retreat's particular climate zone. You will also lack having developed trust relationships with your neighbors--something crucial to survival. It is incredibly naive for anyone to anticipate that they can "bug out" with everything that they'll need. Even if you are fortunate enough arrive with your vehicle and trailer intact, as "Feral Farmer" points out, you will be way behind the power curve: under-equipped, and under-provisioned. And as, John M. mentioned, those that are under-prepared will probably end up in a life of thievery, rather than watch their families starve. The goal here is to be part of the solution, rather than part of the problem.
I also concur with Feral Farmer's observations on foraging. The hunting and even the fishing pressure will be tremendous. I've heard from consulting clients in California' Coast Range that deer harvest have dropped to pitifully low numbers in the past five years, because of the depredations of Mountain Lions. (Which have been elevated to protected species status in the People's Paradise of California.) The chances of filling just one deer tag, they say, are now slim except for anyone that has the time to willing to "hunt hard" throughout California's short deer season. So, I ask: If this has happened when there were just a few thousand excess mountain lions, then what will happen when there are an extra 5-to-10 million deer hunters wandering around California, shooting at anything that moves? (The California deer population has already dropped from more than one million to an estimated 485,000. That is not a lot of deer to go around, WTSHTF. And what will happen to the freshwater fishing stocks, when there are hundreds of thousands of set lines being worked, year round?
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Letter Re: Last Minute G.O.O.D. Versus Well-Considered Early Relocation
James -
We think along similar lines, as my wife and I relocated to Central Idaho in 1995, raising and homeschooling our four children here. We're electrically functioning off the grid, engage in animal husbandry, grow what vegetables we can, and stock up on essentials we cannot produce and always meticulously rotate the stock. And we hunt, big time.
I read the entry on your site today about the fellow who intends to travel ore than a thousand miles in a blink of an eye, and use this blur to make a life-changing decision based on distorted glances at sixty miles an hour. Though I agree with essentially every bit of advice regarding location considerations, and in particular what to avoid, perhaps you should suggest to this fellow to split his trip into two or three, perhaps even four excursions so he can really evaluate what he is looking at.
I've lived in the west my entire life, a witness to the destruction of Colorado as we finally fled the far reaches of the West Slope for here. Knowing that one simple mistake in terms of selecting a location can be fatal in and unto itself, we began looking in 1993 and through 1994 before making our selection. Wyoming, Idaho, and Montana. Distance from population centers was number two on our criteria list, but as you well know, the number one priority must be water.
People in the cities haven't really a clue as to its relative scarcity. Turn on the tap. Our criteria was "live, year-around creek" on the prospective dirt, or it was scrubbed from the list. At 8.37 pounds per gallon, you can't realistically haul enough any distance for survival if survival means growing food if TEOTWAWKI actually occurs. Maybe not enough to use just to satiate thirst if you are too far from the source.
Let's face it. If people have to actually "Bug Out", the "End" is happening, right there and then. Think: water, water, water, and location, location, location.
I wrote a piece about "relocation" a few years back for a Peak Oil web site that generated several thousand comments, the vast majority of them were positive. The negatives were from the Gold's Gym-type jerks who thought I was trying to come off as some kind of tough guy, which I wasn't. "Realism" offends people. You cut one cord short on firewood before winter and the snows get hip-deep, you are dead. Sometimes you have "Close Encounters of the Third Kind" with large critters equipped with teeth and claws. I killed a damned lion at six feet inside my barn who was upset that I was upset that he had killed my milk goats. A bear at thirty feet on top of one of our sheep who was none too happy with me either. The wolves are here constantly, and that's just a time bomb waiting to go off. We've had jerks from cities show up on the place acting, and to be kind here, just a little "weird". Occasionally and unfortunately what followed were "in your face" armed confrontations, required to convince them getting the hell out of here was a damn good idea.
Which leads to another situation that is always notably absent from writings about "Getting out of Dodge". Why isn't it mentioned that people are already "out there", and even if a person chooses to relocate before the fan is blowing manure that it takes a couple of years before the indigenous outlanders accept your presence. These pre-existing folks, as you well know, traded off the easy living the cities offer for a harder lifestyle that almost guarantees austere living. The F.N.G. is a newcomer, and no one knows whether her/she is a curse or a blessing. The number of drug-laden scum that has floated in and out of here over the years is pretty amazing, let alone the flood of retirees who ain' t worth knowing. A third of them want sidewalks along Forest Service Roads.
And then when things go south, some guy, regardless of what color collar he wore to work, abandons his 52" widescreen HDTV, his Budweiser and the N.F.L. Package, throws his "Git-R-Done" stuff in the 4-Runner. Off he goes, carrying just enough with him to guarantee that where he ends up, thieving and murdering is going to be happening. Why? Because he's in a panic regardless of how "cool" he thinks he is. In truth, if you don't already live "out there", you aren't prepared. City folk are waiting to run, and they are running to nowhere. For that matter, half the people who are already "out there" aren't really prepared. But City Folks simply cannot take with them what is needed long-term to survive, and even short-term if winter is upon them. So, he is going to become a thief and a murderer. Where he's headed he doesn't own dirt, has no roof over his head, and he hasn't got the food to last a month. The most moral man in the world will become the worst of sinners when facing starvation. Add a man with his woman and a passel of kids, and you've got a desperate man. "Honey, I starved the kids!" I don't think so.
So, what do you think folks around here are thinking anyway? Putting out the "Welcome Wagon" for an exodus of people who refused to sacrifice ahead of time? Those who have been living easy and going to Applebees every Friday night? The wife blowing money at the mall every Saturday with the rest of the "girls"? People who thought, "I'll stay here doing the 9-5 because the woman insists, and then we'll go if we have to." Here's another good one: "We didn't want to move and have to change schools. The kids really liked it there."
The foregoing mean that the "Old Lady" and the "kids" have been dictating his life anyway, right? You ever seen these women go through "Mall Withdrawal"? Good God, it's a terrible sight to behold even under good conditions! At least when things are "normal" they can head over the pass for a methadone-like "Mall-Fix" up in Missoula or head to Idaho Falls. Shoot, you go and "Cold Turkey" a mall-dependent woman and h**l doesn't even begin to describe the price that must be paid! It's viral too, I swear.
Seriously though, is there some assumption that such "exodus scenarios" aren't discussed by the locals down at the cafe's in Salmon, Challis, and Elk, Bend, and North Fork over morning coffee, as well as at the Sheriffs Departments around here? My understanding is that the roads in and out of here are to be closed, which is fine by me. There isn't much bounty here to begin with, and adding a bunch of instant vagabonds will simply be making meager pickings that much slimmer.
Fools rushing for the hills. There's a steep learning curve and most aren't going to make it. Best regards, and keep up the good work - John M.
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Avoiding Bugging Out, by Steve M.
One core tenet of the Survival and Preparation (S&P) culture that is often misunderstood, misapplied and has a high probability of failing, and that is “the bug-out”. I am prompted to write this after reading so many S&P-related books, blogs and forums where individuals are indicating that their primary plan, and the focus of their preparations, is bugging-out. The common discussion topics of bug-out vehicles (BOV), bug-out bags (BOB), bug-out land, etc, and the overall S&P lexicon confirm the importance placed on the bug-out concept. Although well organized and executed, a 1,600 mile bug-out is portrayed by some of “The Group” in the novel "Patriots".
Don’t misunderstand, bugging-out does have a role in S&P: if your residence becomes completely uninhabitable, for any number of reasons (earthquake, radiation, toxins, fire, destruction, war, etc.), then relocation is mandatory. In these cases, being prepared to mobilize and relocate yourself, your family, and some resources is vitally important. Such situations force the prepper to implement Plan B. The problems with bugging-out are both numerous and severe, and are to be avoided or countered, if possible:
- Only a small, finite quantity of supplies can be transported
- Dependency on replenishing supplies is created
- A good place to relocate may not be found or actually available even if prearranged.
- It may not be possible to travel (impassable roads, vehicle failure)
- You may not be welcomed by the residents of where you relocate or in the territory that you pass through
- An operational BOV creates an attractive target if it appears to be transporting anything of value and due to the minimal security that can be provided
It has been well established by this blog and many S&P de facto leaders that outside of a few specific circumstances, the primary plan, Plan A, should always be to bug-in. Staying at your primary home has many advantages:
- More food/fuel/shelter resources can be available
- The facility can be better maintained due to your frequent access
- Better established social connections and greater access to shared resources
- Less need for transportation and transportation fuel
- Avoids health and safety risks associated with travel
- Higher levels of security are possible
The problem arises when lack of adequate, fundamental preparation results in the need to bug-out, when it otherwise could have been avoided. In other words, Plan A (bugging-in at your primary home) must be abandoned unnecessarily and prematurely, and Plan B (the secondary and far worse choice) becomes the only option, due to the prepper’s own actions or inactions.
People frequently write about how their urban home would be unsustainable, over-ran, or likely destroyed in many potential scenarios. Therefore their preps focus on bugging-out. When times are good and relative tranquility prevails, there are many attractions to an urban lifestyle, with job availability at the top of the list. Recognizing the added risk and difficulty of post-SHTF survival in the urban setting, preppers often abandon bug-in preparations, relegating themselves to bugging-out. Different life choices, such as small town or rural living, or taking extraordinary efforts to prepare their urban home, increase the viability of Plan A. For me and many others, the post-SHTF advantages of rural life are secondary to the quality of life enjoyed in these slower-paced environs.
The math doesn’t support bugging-out. If one assumes that there are 305 million Americans and about 2.3 billion acres within the US, it sounds promising that there are 7.4 acres available to each American to which to bug-out. So a family of four should get almost 30 acres, right? Taking a closer look, inhospitable open cultivated farmland, open pasture, desert, wet lands, and bodies of water can largely be eliminated as places to which to relocate. Although these places could be inhabited, they are less attractive than “heading for the hills” as is often cited as the bug-out plan. What about the nation’s forests? There are about 747 million acres of forest that appear to be available for relocation. Data suggest there are 50 million “rural” Americans, and 255 million “urban” Americans. So we have some part of 255 million people that currently reside in about 60 million urban acres, looking to relocate on something like 757 million forested acres, which is about 3 acres per refugee. Not only is this not much space in which to live and forage, but:
- There will be great demand for suitable locations close to urban centers
- Space will not be assigned, so there will be competition for choice space
- In a hunting-gathering mode, refugees will be forced to cover a wide area (hundreds of acres) in search of sustenance
- Rural folks already are there, feel (and have legal) ownership, and are willing to protect their Plan A bug-in position
In conclusion, I advise that one of two actions be taken to reduce the need for depending on a bug-out strategy:
- Commit to and prepare for bugging-in, regardless of your current residency. Fortify your home, stock up on supplies there, and implement countermeasures to unique urban challenges. “Improvise, adapt, overcome” as necessary.
- Relocate to a place where bugging-in can be more practically implemented in as many scenarios as possible.
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Five Letters Re: Escape From (Fill in Your City Here), 2009
Jim,
I live in a rural farming area east of the Mississippi and can tell you that cutting a gate or fence would be a very bad choice (in this area). In 99% of the cases you would already be on private property, so cutting the fence or gate would be considered a “hostile” act. Most of the folks I know would shot first and ask questions later . . . these folks all hunt, so they are not likely to miss . . . and trust me they know when someone is on their property. When the police are called, you will find they are a relative or friend of the local (we are very rural) . . . and the “strangers” will be just “bagged and tagged”. If you must cross a gated or fenced area, stop, honk your horn, jump up and down, o anything to get the property owners attention, he is probably watching anyway . . . who knows you might turn out to be an asset to him instead of a liability.
I do not want to make this sound all negative. We all know that living at your retreat full-time is the best option, but circumstances may make that impossible for you; your job or just the finances to make that kind of a move. The real question is do you believe bad things can and will happen? If so what are you going to do that is practical and realistic? “Borrowing” a plane might be a cool idea, but it is far from realistic. Several have already commented on this point and I happen to be a retired Naval aviator with more hours and experience than I care to remember, and flying to my retreat would be the last option I’d consider (we live at our retreat full-time, but do travel). If “your” plan involves some exotic way of escaping the metropolis you live in then you are planning to stay too late (that includes having to take back roads)! You will have to establish “trigger events” that make the decision to execute “your” depart plan (what those trigger events are up to you, based on your analysis and understanding of events.) If you wait until it is obvious to everyone then you are “way too late”. And that is the rub: are you willing to give up your comfortable city life for a survival existence, on a “chance” that “this is it”? If the answer is “no” then best of luck to you, you will need it. If the answer is “yes” then you had better figure out a way to preposition your items, at a location that involves more than just your family . . . and then maybe you will have a fighting chance to survive the transition. None of this is easy, but if you really want to provide for and protect your family then what other options do you have. You can rely on the government to see to your basic needs (it’s called being a refugee), or you can do all within your power to provide realistic options for them yourself. The choice is yours. - RH in Virginia
Dear SurvivalBlog Readers:
I want to preface my comments by saying that I have the utmost respect for JWR, his work, and all the readers and contributors to this site. I understand and hold close the essential tenets of independence and preparedness, living as I have my whole life in the heart of Southern California earthquake country.
That said, the recent string of essays about escaping a city when TSHTF is complete nonsense. The thought that if you get out early you’ll leave everyone else behind is fantasy thinking. The fact is that in such a situation just about everyone will be thinking about getting out and many will act on that impulse. That means that EVERY freeway, EVERY back road, EVERY intersection, and EVERY town will soon be filled with hoards of roaming people, all of whom will be unprepared, scared, and desperate. You might – MIGHT – actually get a jump the situation and beat the hoards out of the city but a human tidal wave will be right behind you, spreading out in all directions, many thousands of which will be heading right to wherever it is you’re going.
Further, a good percentage of the roaming hoards will be street criminals and gang members. Many will be military vets who had advanced training in tactics and equipment and they’ll all be heavily armed – in many cases, better equipped than the local law enforcement. In the short-to-medium timeframe, these groups will be the most dangerous threat and sooner or later they’ll be coming to your hideout. I don’t care how many rounds of ammo you’re carrying on the way or how much you’ve got stashed if you actually make it to your refuge. No matter how much you’ve got it won’t be enough, especially if you get in a firefight with a group that’s shooting back with high caliber, armor-piercing ordnance. And let’s not forget about the really heavy stuff – RPGs or plain old dynamite that they’ll find along the way. If you look like you’ve got equipment and food, you’re going to be a target, simple as that.
JWR is right – the safest strategy is to move away now and get established long before the crisis hits, preferably far enough away that it’s just too difficult for city hordes to get to you. (A tip of my hat to Frank B – 15 miles from the nearest asphalt road.) You’ll still be in danger from unprepared locals and groups that do make it out to the frontier but the farther away and better prepared the better.
Meanwhile, what about the millions of us who can’t relocated and are stuck in the cities? After 30 years of survival thinking related to earthquake preparedness I determined that the only effective strategy is to stay put and lay low. Don’t fire up your generator, blast your radio, and light up your house will the oil lamps you so carefully stashed for just the very event. In fact, leave all your survival equipment stashed for a couple of days until the first big wave of refugees passes by. Camouflage your place and your family to look like you’re destitute – that you have nothing, just like everyone else. With a bit of luck, the hordes will pass you by and you can then join up with neighbors, pool your equipment and resources, and develop a defense strategy. Meanwhile, whatever governmental resources exist will be directed at the cities first so there’s a likelihood that some form of law enforcement will be imposed. It’s the rural areas that will be the most lawless and there won’t be anybody out there to help enforce the peace, at least not for a very long time. Once the peace is secured in your city you can implement your long-term strategies of off-grid living, food production, bartering, and practical skills - machinery repair, welding, auto and home maintenance - that will always be in demand.
One final thought – as mentioned so often on the site, survival skills have a very steep learning curve and there is no substitute for hands-on experience and training. Read the books but then go practice! Can you find, set up, and operate your equipment in the pitch dark at 3 AM? If you’ve had a beer of two? Can your spouse, if you’re hurt? Can your kids if you’re not home? Have you ever eaten freeze-dried food? Can you take down and repair the Coleman stove? Bake biscuits? Operate a chain saw? Jury-rig a DC power cable from the car battery to your living space? Successful preparedness means that you continually ask – and answer – such questions. - Patrick C. in Southern California
James,
I think using an aircraft as a bug-out vehicle would not be a good idea. If you look back at the emergency following the September 11, 2001 attack on the United States, you'll remember that all planes were grounded. I a 9-11 situation a small aircraft flying low or even flying at all would attract unwanted attention. Probably in a bug-out situation in a aircraft you would have to leave early before things got hot and and you risk being forced down in a strange location or being shot down. Both not good options. On 9-11-2001 my wife and I were scheduled to fly home on a commercial airline at 13:30 from half way across the country. Needless to say we found we were grounded before we finished breakfast. When I heard the news we headed to the nearest electronic teller and withdrew as much cash as was allowed. Since we were traveling by air we were traveling light and had little survival gear and virtually no weapons. First we checked the trains and found they were all stopped, same for busses. I next zipped over to the local truck rental and reserved a rental truck for a one-way trip home with a credit card. After the truck reservation was secured I went to a local car dealer and secured financing for the purchase of a late model used SUV and put a small deposit down for them to hold the vehicle. Had I had my own plane I may very well have considered hedge hopping home and would more than likely not been allowed to refuel reroute and maybe risked being arrested if I did manage to land of my own accord.
Because of the help afforded us as total strangers stranded in a strange town, far from home, we moved to the area the following year and have lived here on our small farm at the end of the gravel road ever since. - P.B.
Jim,
I knew my letter regarding escape in a light plane would end up attracting the criticism of one or more experts on the subject... I'd like to address Larry in Pennsylvania's response.
First I'd like to point out that I never suggested using a Cessna 172 for anything. I merely mentioned that my father-in-law recently purchased one and that's what got me thinking about it. There are any number of light planes available, from ultralights to Cessna Caravans, and some are better suited to the task than others, depending on how far you need to go. I, for example, have friends who own a 450 acre ranch 250 miles from here. I could easily make it to their ranch in virtually any airplane without having to refuel.
I addressed some of Larry's points in my original letter. Yes, fuel is an issue, that's why I mentioned it. I think Larry might have misunderstood what I was saying. I was not suggesting putting autogas into any random airplane. There are a ton of light planes that have been STCed (Supplemental Type Certificate qualified) for autogas and many more with the same engines that could burn autogas but whose owners haven't asked for an STC. In a 1998 letter to the Experimental Aircraft Association (of which I'm a member), the FAA said "Autogas use has been extensively compared, tested, and analyzed. Autogas has been shown to be an acceptable alternative to avgas for the airplanes and engines approved for such use. Airplanes and engines approved for autogas use have met the FAA certification requirements for engine detonation, engine cooling, fuel flow, hot fuel testing, fuel system compatibility, vapor lock, and performance." More information and a copy of the letter above can be found at AviationFuel.org. What I suggested and what I'm suggesting now is research. Know ahead of time what your airplane can burn and either have it on hand or have solid plans for how to obtain it.
I also addressed Larry's concerns about overloading so I won't rehash that here other than to say again that yes, payload is an issue but it can be planned out ahead of time. I thought I was very clear that leaving by airplane was for those who had pre-positioned supplies [at a retreat].
As for obstructed runways or runways cluttered by looting, etc., I seriously doubt it in any realistic situation that would require emergency evac by air. Here is a perfectly realistic situation: Terrorists bomb the nuclear power plant that sits 150 miles upwind of my (very large) city. A fallout cloud is approaching at 15 miles per hour. The authorities screw around for four hours and then declare an evacuation of the entire city. We've got at most six hours to evacuate a huge city and its suburbs - a feat that the Gulf Coast cities can't pull off in two days! Interstates immediately become parking lots and before long are totally stopped by broken down cars. A mere fraction (5%) of the population decides to take state highways and county roads - that's 315,000 people - and the same thing happens to those roads. Whatcha gonna do?
In this scenario, do you think looters are really going to head for the airports to steal gas and oil? I doubt it would even occur to them, especially in the hours immediately after a disaster. They'll be in Best Buy and Wal-Mart stealing televisions and beer - we've already seen it happen!
My airplane suggestion was laced with caveats and the weather was certainly one of them. During many parts of the year, large parts of the country enjoy nice weather with only isolated storms. You don't need forecasts and radar to avoid bad weather. God gave you eyes and the ability to make a 180-degree turn. Pilots did it for years before these services were widely available. Further, except over congested areas, there are few places where you'll have no options for an off-field landing. Have plans 'B' and 'C' constantly in your mind. When I was flying my solo cross-countries, there was never a moment when I hadn't identified somewhere I could land if the engine quit 'right now' - my instructor beat that into my head constantly. As Larry points out, an off-field landing could invite looters but remember, the emergency is only hours old and people aren't hungry yet, and probably aren't desperate enough that the normally law-abiding become a danger.
As for Navaids such as VOR, ADF, and even GPS... Ever heard of a chart, a pencil, a stopwatch and a compass? It ain't rocket science. If the weather is good you don't need any outside help to get from A to B. Again. pilots did it for years before these were available - and for many years after, since many couldn't afford to equip their aircraft with fancy gadgets and nav radios.
Finally, once again I'll say this is a very unlikely scenario. If it happens it depends on having good weather and solid pre-planning, at least to the extent possible. The wisest course in my hypothetical situation above would be to bug out by car at the first hint of a problem - before the full extent of the problem was revealed to the masses. But if for some reason the news was delayed or something (car problems, missing family member) delayed your departure for even a few hours, leaving by car would be impossible. At that point my "Plan B" starts looking better than radiation sickness, despite some well-identified problems and risks. It's all about options. I think keeping options open is important. - Matt R.
JWR,
An important note to remember if one plans to use an aircraft during some type of emergency is that the control of the National Airspace System may have been handed over to the military. If that is the case, and I think it would be as the government attempted to maintain control of things as the cascade of events progressed into TEOTWAWKI, something called SCATANA (Security Control of Air Traffic and Air Navigation Aids) could be implemented. This plan closes down all aircraft operations save a few fixed wing fighter interceptors under the direct control of the National Command Authority. Here’s the bottom line. Under SCATANA if you fly, without positive control from the right folks, you die. No warning, no identification passes. An example of how serious the blanket authority is enforced is illustrated by the instructions given to a USAF C-130 on 9-11-01. This aircraft, full of soldiers from one of America’s front line Divisions was over the Great Plains on an exercise. They were ordered to land at a small municipal airport immediately. These soldiers, and they weren’t just Privates, ended up renting a bus for the day long ride back to their unit. Agree desperate times may call for desperate measures but ensure you have adequate information to make the decisions. As always, planning is the key ingredient for success. Using an airplane is a possible Get Out of Dodge solution, especially if used early on in the event. Just know all the second and third order effects. Keep up the good work. Excellent site - Redcatcher21
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Two Letters Re: Escape From (Fill in Your City Here), 2009
Dear Jim:,
All this recent discussion by SurvivalBlog readers about hot-wiring airplanes, and cutting fences and locks is missing some basic, well, let's just say "applied ethics".
Recall the Golden Rule "Do unto others as they have done unto you". Flip the situation around and look at it from the property owner's view: How would you feel if you saw someone stealing your airplane? (Your life savings in an aircraft.)
How would you feel upon noticing someone cutting the fence or gate that keeps your cattle off the road?
Granted, in a life-threatening emergency you may morally take liberties with other folk's property that are not normally available. If a rancher saw someone drive through their fence because they were being hotly pursued by criminals - they would probably be understanding of the circumstances.
If a rancher or farmer saw someone with bolt cutters working on their fence - someone who has obviously premeditated trespassing - at the very least they are going to be confronted. In a really bad situation, perhaps after dark, it could easily end up in a situation where they will be shot.
The wise and honorable person will pre-plan ethical actions. The obvious macro solution is getting out of Dodge early. If you are going to pre-plan using an airplane, then preplan by becoming a trusted rental customer, know how to contact the owner on short notice and rent for cash, with a security deposit in gold coin.
The suggestion to cut a link and add a lock to a gate rather than cutting the lock makes sense so you have not destroyed the property owner's lock. But be extremely cautious about planning on trespassing on other folk's property... I wouldn't imagine country folk are going to take trespassing lightly in an emergency - I can't see how it could be done safely unless you can hail the farmhouse for permission. Any ranchers out there with an idea how this scenario could be handled ethically and safely? Regards, - OSOM
JWR Replies: I concur, wholeheartedly. It is just one small step from applied ethics to applied ballistics. It is of the utmost importance to respect the property of others. While utilizing BLM or or other public land in an emergency is a given, simply cutting across private farm or ranch land in the midst of a disaster is likely to get interlopers well-ventilated rather quickly. Put yourself in the position of a rancher. If in the midst of a societal collapse you saw someone breaking open your locked gate, what would you do? For many, the answer will be "shoot first and ask questions later."
As I have emphasized time and time again in my writings, the very best approach is to live at your retreat year-round. That is great for retirees and the self-employed. But for many folks that is impossible, because or work and family obligations. So the next best approach is to have a very well-stocked, very secure retreat, and maintaining your readiness to get there on very short notice. Nearly all of your key logistics should be pre-positioned at your retreat. Do not think in terms of finessing your gear into the cubic feet available in your vehicle. If you take the time to shoehorn things in, you are probably wasting precious time that should be spent on the road, getting out of town in advance of the Golden Horde. Just a one hour delay could mean the difference between smooth sail and ending up in a a monumental traffic jam that soon becomes a linear parking lot. You should simply keep one Bug Out Bag (typically a backpack) and a supplementary duffle bag ready at all times. Be ready to grab them and go. Pre-positioning your gear eliminates much of the worry and confusion of a Get Out of Dodge situation.
Needless to say, you'll need a Plan B and a Plan C. You may end up on a bicycle, or on foot.
Think things through, plan ahead, and act morally. If and when things fall apart, you want to be part of the solution, rather than contributing to the problem.
James,
In response to our reader's suggestion of using a Cessna172 for escaping. That is probably one of the poorest choices I could imagine. It has many faults and I'll list them FWIW.
First of all I have over 2,500+ hours flying Air Charter and Air Taxi under Part 135 FAA Regs. I took the same tests flying single and twin engine aircraft as any airline pilot did with the only exception was that I was not required to have a first class medical as they did. So I am twin engine, Commercial and Instrument rated.
Problems with a Cessna 172:
It does not have a big payload especially when fully-fueled and the tendency to overload it would be great and dangerous. Automotive fuel should not be used, i.e. I would not fly one filled with automotive fuel. Tests were done with using it years ago and many problems were found.
Aircraft weather [data] would most likely be unavailable.
VOR and other navigation aids would probably also be unavailable. Okay, If you had a GPS unit you might be able to navigate.
Our lifeblood, gasoline would most likely by unavailable, especially aviation gas since it can be used in automobiles and would be subject to being stolen if the electricity to pump it out was available. I used to run a tank of 100 low lead aviation gas through my motorcycle about once a month.
Runways could and most likely would be obstructed or otherwise cluttered from looting, fuel, oil theft, etc., etc..
Without weather information what would be your chances of finding a suitable landing strip or even an open highway strip if you found yourself approaching thunder storms, icing conditions fog, or a large [weather] front. If you could or did land, especially under power, would attract the looters for the fuel and whatever else you have in the plane.
ILS, VOR or even ADF stations could or would be off the air making a bad weather approach deadly.
You could, literally, be shot out of the air by angry looters thinking the plane may contain supplies they want or just by some idiot with sufficient ammo angry at their situation. I know of a glider pilot shot through the arm by a guy who lived by the airport.
The preceding is just a drop in the bucket. I could go on.
I did consider "borrowing" an aircraft to get home should the SHTF while I was far from home but it would be just to get home and all conditions would be carefully considered and near perfect. It would not be a bug-out option should I need to bug out.
IMHO an aircraft might be an option very early on in a SHTF situation but again conditions would have to be very favorable. - Larry in Pennsylvania
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Two Letters Re: Escape From (Fill in Your City Here), 2009
JWR:
I liked JC in Oklahoma's reply to Escape From (Fill in Your City Here), 2009 but with all due respect, I would not cut someone else's lock. Most gates that I have seen around where I live, have a chain with a lock. I would advise cutting a link out of the chain and attaching your lock, like a replacement link. This way you keep the owner somewhat happy and still accomplish the task of passing thru the gate as well as being able to cross back through.
Now I need to get out and check what routes I might use to leave in a hurry. - Jim B
Jim,
My father-in-law just bought a Cessna 172 [single engine light aircraft] and that got me thinking about this. An option folks might consider is getting out by air. Depending on the nature of the emergency, escape by light airplane might be a very viable option for those who learn to fly and stay current enough to be relatively safe (that is to say, maybe not totally legal but good enough to pull off a single long trip in good weather). I say relatively because in a SHTF scenario, some things just don't matter quite as much. I'd much rather risk my life flying while not totally current than wait in my single-story house for a fallout cloud to arrive.
It has been almost twenty years since I took the bulk of my flying lessons. (I had logged 45 hours total and needed only my last cross-country and a check ride when I ran out of [flight training] money) but I've flown a number of times since and have no doubt I could get from here to a thousand miles from here if the weather was good and I could carry or otherwise obtain enough fuel.
I figure a guy has two options for getting a plane if TSHTF. The first, and ideal, option is to have a cultivated relationship with the flight school owner or operator. If TSHTF, you call him at home and rent the plane. The second, and it is doubtless you (Jim) won't like it, is to "borrow" a plane using a key you cut the last time that you rented it. Cycle through renting all of the planes during your instruction and you'll have your choice of aircraft... Of course taking a plane without permission is theft, but the intention is to return the plane. If it's life or death I'll deal with the ethical questions later. Remember, these are flight school planes rented to students, not "another man's food" and if it really did hit the fan, people aren't going to be lining up for flying lessons today anyway. [JWR Adds: While I cannot condone theft, I should mention that is common practice, particularly with flight schools at small airports, to have all of the yoke or throttle locks keyed-alike, for the convenience of the instructor pilots. Also, most throttle shaft locks are not very robust. In an emergency, a pair of bolt cutters can be used to remove a lock. And furthermore, on many aircraft models, the throttle knob is held in place with one or two Allen head set screws, or made of molded plastic, and can therefore be cut, crushed, or otherwise removed, allowing a throttle shaft lock to then be slid off.]
There are a couple logistical considerations here. One is fuel. Some light planes can burn autogas (car gas) but many require leaded Avgas. In either case, you'll need to be prepared to carry enough fuel to get you where you need to go. It is doubtful that in any situation that requires that you 'borrow' a plane that fuel pumps will be operational at your intermediate stops. Even if the automated pumps work, the credit card networks could be down. You might be able to siphon gas (more theft) from other parked planes bring. a self-priming siphon!) but to be safe you're going to have to carry full gas cans. Research into lead substitutes might be useful, though I'm unsure if any suitable products exist. Better perhaps to concentrate on planes that can burn automotive gasoline.
[JWR Adds: Tetraethyl lead (TEL) is sold under the trade name Octane Supreme 130 (and other names, sold at some General Aviation flight centers, FBOs, and at automotive speed shops.) It can be used, but it must be carried in a container that has a perfect seal, even with pressure changes. Do NOT carry it in an aircraft passenger compartment. Parenthetically, there is "TEL Tale" in the biography of Charles Lindbergh. A leaky cap on a large can of TEL stowed behind his seat once almost killed him, while on a flying tour of South America. (He very nearly passed out and crashed.) Keep in mind that when used in ground vehicles, TEL will foul oxygen sensors very quickly, and of curse cannot be used in vehicles with catalytic converters. Its use would also violate Federal Clean Air standards, so it would not be legal for use on public highways. Keep in mind that TEL can be used to extend the useful life of "elderly" stored stabilized gasoline, as well as of course mixing your own high-octane blend from stored low-octane gas, so I recommend keeping a couple of bottles on hand.]
The second logistical problem is payload, and it is greatly affected by the fuel problem. Most light planes cannot safely carry a full load of passengers and bags plus a full load of fuel. If you're carrying jerry cans of gas, don't count on taking much in the way of baggage and there's no way you'll be able to fill every seat with a passenger. Most of the weight and balance calculations with regard to fuel, passengers and baggage can be worked out ahead of time though, so you'll know what you can pull off. In the end this will only work for someone who has pre-positioned their supplies [at their retreat.
This approach has advantages: Zero traffic jams. Zero river crossings. Zero chance of being looted on the highway. Again, I'm only suggesting this as a last-ditch SHTF way to get out of Dodge. I would not steal food if doing so could potentially cause someone else to starve. Same thing on a weapon, vehicle or any other item. But in my mind the the equation is simple here: My life is worth more than a flight school's airplane. In the end this is an extremely unlikely scenario, but it's an arrow in your quiver and a fun one to prepare for. - Matt R.
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Letter Re: Escape From (Fill in Your City Here), 2009
Mr. Rawles,
Concerning the article: Escape From (Fill in Your City Here), 2009, by Bill in Chicagoland, I would like to add to these comments. My 20 years experience driving the county roads and the farmer ranch roads with the Soil Conservation Service have given me a perspective of the potential for choice this road system presents.
I have a considerable amount of experience driving cross country.
I have driven from the Northern Texas panhandle across the Oklahoma Panhandle into southeastern Colorado and north to the Colorado Springs area on mostly gravel and dirt roads.
Several times I have driven the 250+ miles from Denver Colorado to Salina Kansas mainly on dirt/gravel roads or county blacktop roads. This particular trip is paralleling the major river valleys throughout this area. The interstate roads basically follow the uplands/highlands avoiding the river/creek valley bottoms. That portion of the drainage system between rivers called the upland or divide area. Up on these area you have minimum drainage systems to cross. Only when the rivers and major creeks make a jog south or southeast do you find a major drainage system to cross.
Why are drainage systems death to bugging out? You can cross them only on bridges, and bridges are [logical ambush sites and hence potentially] death traps.
Here is an example: West of Oklahoma City, you'll see that I-40 strikes out to the west.
Now, let's clarify something. [Even in most plains states,] there are no paralleling roads to interstates that extend for extensive distances. Yes, there are some that may parallel for 20 to 30 miles. But as soon as the interstate jogs you get the paralleling road intersecting the interstate or its diverting away in a direction you may not want.
If you do not know your area well, you can get boxed in quickly.
West of Oklahoma City striking in a southeasterly direction is the Canadian River. The interstate crosses the Canadian river in the Hinton/Geary area. That is some 35 miles west of Oklahoma City. The next Canadian river crossing on the north side of the interstate is just northeast of Thomas. That is 23 miles west and 13 miles north of the interstate.
So…you come barreling out of Oklahoma City and find the interstate clogged. Look again at the map. The city of Oklahoma City has a major river running through it. The North Canadian River. You cannot get on the Interstate. The bridges going over the North Canadian River south are filled with traffic. You opt to set out west through Oklahoma City on a street that will take you west to El Reno and then on to points west following the Interstate. But you cannot do this on the north side of the interstate.
And the south side of the Interstate is closed off because of the bridges across the North Canadian River are jammed full.
The road system on the north side is a maze of closed roads, dead end roads that all end up down in the Canadian River valley. And in the 60 miles west of Oklahoma City only one bridge crosses the Canadian River on the north that can keep you on any kind of westerly tract. That’s at Thomas. The closer bridge only gets you down to the interstate and it will be clogged full at that point.
So you make it to Thomas overland on the secondary roads.
What now?
You now have a dozen or more large creeks all running southerly into the Washita River. You have to cross them if you continue cross country.
Yes, you can get on Highway 33 west but I would guess that many others will have the same idea.
You also have Foss Lake complex and its National Wildlife Refuge area to get around.
Another major obstruction.
Going west now on secondary roads you will notice the interstate drifting in a SW direction. You are getting further away all the time.
Backtrack: What did you miss on the map? By the way, what map am I now looking at?
A copy of a DeLorme Atlas & Gazetteer
[Get one for your state, and contiguous states].
You missed the railroad bridge. Where?
Find Bridgeport between Hinton and Geary. See the railroad track symbol where it crosses the river.
Now, the following separates the men from the boys. When I was 16 my buddy’s father was the Missouri Pacific’s depot agent in Larned, Kansas. We knew the train schedules. We conquered our fears and put my 1948 Dodge car on the rails. Yes you can drive down the rails. You do not have to let the air out of the tires. Just slow down when you go over road crossings and switches. We rode the rails for miles. We even crossed over the Arkansas River railroad bridge. That was scary to think about the wheels coming off the rails way out over that 150 yard long bridge. But we drove this way, and so can you.
You will need to be very cautious doing this. Sending people ahead with radios to the top of a close high point so they can see the tracks some miles away. Giving you time to cross. What speed can you expect to make? We used to cruise 10 to 15 miles per hour. My 1948 Dodge had a traditional hand throttle that you could set.
[JWR Adds This Proviso: Hy-rail pickups and dedicated speeder vehicles have been previously discussed in SurvivalBlog here and here. Please read those article and heed the safety and liability warnings. Riding rails on car tires without supplementary alignment aids is foolhardy. There is a lot that can go wrong in a hurry! Don't attempt improvised rail travel this unless it is an total SHTF disaster situation and there is absolutely no alternative, and only then with someone playing "ground guide", and with certain knowledge of the train schedule (or by doing so only on a rail line that is known with certainty to be inactive.)]
This is dangerous. Be careful. It is also illegal.
The thesis of this presentation is several fold:
1. There are no extensive long parallel roads along most interstates.
2. You must have a set of the DeLorme atlases or similar detailed maps for where you are going. Better to have a set for every state that surrounds you. If you live in the prairie states get a set for every state within two states in every direction.
3. You also need to have a map showing just the counties and the river systems.
4. You must drive you routes in advance on both sides of the interstate.
Note that Item #3 above is necessary to have a map of the rivers. You can plot a general route that will keep you on the uplands/divide between the river/creek systems when you cross country.
The system described here is good only for the plains states between the Rockies and the Mississippi River. It will work in the area between the Missouri and Mississippi further north in most of those areas. But once you get into the Ozark highlands, the southern deserts off the Rocky Mountains and in the swampy country next to seashores and the Southern States it does not work.
Nor in the Appalachian mountains. The west coast is another whole problem.
The central portion of the US, the prairie states have a grid road system laid out in township and sections. This allows a great amount of choice for travel. Areas that do not have this system are much more constrained as to overland travel.
Driving cross country you will find [some straight] dirt and gravel roads that can be negotiated at 45 to 60 miles an hour. Be cautious and slow down at every road junction and at the crest of all hills that you cannot see over. Some where out there you will crest a hill and find a slow tractor pulling a swather or a large combine with a 20 foot wide head on it suddenly in your way. You must use caution on these back roads. Do not assume that all dangers are marked. You may find dead end roads just over a crest with a 4 foot tall wall of dirt and a deep ditch in front of you at 55 mph. Crash, end of journey. Be careful of bridges. There are still may bridges out there with wood decking. It can be weak, have nails sticking up and or tire wide gaps in them. I have also seen concrete bridges built by the WPA in the 1930s with holes in the deck more than two feet across and not marked with any warning signs.
Vital equipment for cross country driving:
1. Binoculars or spotting scope
2. Weather scanner
3. Maps
4. Jacks with wooden blocks to put under them for support.
5. Shovels
6. Tow chains
7. Tire chains.
8. Bolt cutters and wire cutters
Beware of sudden rain showers on dirt roads. Soils high in clay particles will shed rain and appear to be shiny. They are called ‘slick spot’ soils. You will not sink into them. But rather your vehicle will just want to slide over into the ditch if the road is not flat. These roads are slick! It is possible to put a vehicle into a low gear; get out and walk along the side steering and pushing or pulling sideways to keep it in the center as you walk along. Better when there are several people to help. I have accomplished this for stretches of road further than one quarter of a mile when I worked as a District Conservationist with the Soil Conservation Service.
Avoid showers in the distance. Drive out of their way if possible. Stop on a stable section of road and wait for the sun to come out. Slick spot roads can dry out in one hour or less and be drivable as if no rain fell there for days.
Genuine cross country driving:.
If you find roads blocked with wreckage, power poles, washed out bridges, trees and or a group of freebooters who demand tribute, then you need to have thought of an alternative.
There is an alternative to simply turning around and being chased.
Cut the wire on the fence and drive away out across the land. Best done out of site of the freebooters. Wire the fence back up so it is not too obvious that someone has exited the road at that point. You will need bolt cutters. A 24 inch pair will suffice. For chains at gates or locks you need a 36 inch-long set and a hacksaw blade with extra blades. Carry along several locks. If you cut off a lock replace it. If you have to come back you can open it quickly and lock it putting a good barrier between you and any belligerents that want to discuss the situation with you.
If you lack a lock that looks like the one you have cut. Super glue it shut. You can always re-cut it a second time if necessary.
Carry with you two 2x4s that are 10 feet long, each pierced with 20 penny nails arrayed close together. Drill holes that are just small enough to provide the friction to seat the nails so they will not come out easily. Drill two 5/8 inch holes in each end. Cut half inch rebar stakes 12 to 16 inches long and sharpen then to a decent cone shape on one end. You will need a 4 pound hammer to seat them into a roadbed.
So, say that you approach a hill crest slowly and glassing the road ahead, you see a group of freebooters down the road. They see your heads and cab of a pickup sticking up over the crest. Whooom, here they come. Get out the spiked 2x4 and nail it down across the road with the rebar. Leave and when they come roaring up over the crest their tires will have lunch with the spikes. Flat tires have a way of ending pursuit.
If you encounter groups of people who are belligerent but appear not to be shooters. Place a spiked 2x4 across the front of your steel safety grill and make a run for them. They will not want to get spiked as you go by. It will keep them away from the windows and doors.
[JWR Adds This Proviso: Caltrops have been used as a defensive
measure for centuries. I have my doubts about their utility in
daylight, but they might prove useful at night. To be useful in daylight
for defense against vehicle-borne looters approaching a retreat slowly,
caltrops or tire
spikes would have to be concealed, which is a huge
legal liability.
Because we live in very litigious times, I DO
NOT recommend
using caltrops or tire spike strips in in anything but an absolute
worst-case TEOTWAWKI situation,
where you
are completely
on your own to defend your retreat, and there is no longer a functioning
law enforcement or court system. Using them in any lesser situation
is an invitation to a hugely expensive civil lawsuit and possible
criminal sanctions. An ambulance-chasing attorney would have a field
day, and the likely result would be that you would lose everything
that you own in settling a lawsuit. Ironically, this is an example
of where using
deadly
force
against
an intruder (namely, a firearm) is less likely to result in
a lawsuit than a non-lethal weapon. Civil court juries tend to be very
sympathetic
to
"maimed"
plaintiffs,
and are prone to award disproportionately huge "pain and suffering"
damages. Caltrops and tire spikes are banned in some states in the US, and
Australia. With all that said, commercially
made caltrops are available, as are tire
spike strips, although most manufacturers will only sell them
to law enforcement agencies ordering on department letterhead. The
best
of these use hollow spikes, so they can defeat even self-sealing
tires. And example
of this type is the HOllow-Spike
TYre Deflation System (HOSTYDS), manufactured in the UK.]
Crossing Interstate Highways
All interstate roads will have at some point a significant water gap.
It will be big enough for you to drive through. Be very careful. These can have plunge basins formed on the down stream side that are many feet deep. Can be clogged with old fence wire and tree limbs. They can be swampy and full of washed in silt that is solid on the top and unstable to support weight underneath. You can get stuck and never get out.
Scout these places carefully.
Remember you may be driving under the interstate that is packed above with people who have gotten desperate.
And you may be able to just drive up to the interstate, cut a fence on one side and drive across weaving through parked cars, perhaps, if you are lucky.
Get the maps. Study them. Drive the [primary, secondary, and tertiary] routes. Anything less is a modified death wish.
Rule #1: Leave early.
Rule #2: Remember, you can never schedule an emergency.
- JC in Oklahoma
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Escape From (Fill in Your City Here), 2009, by Bill in Chicagoland
I think as a boy my favorite stories were always about epic journeys or quests.
I always saw myself as the lone hero; bravely making his way through a barren
landscape overcoming impossible obstacles and having fantastic adventures along
the way. As preppers I think many of us still believe that WTSHTF our trip
to “Get out of Dodge” will be an adventure such as those we read
in books. I’m afraid however; the reality will be much grimmer than we
can imagine. I fear that it will be more like The
Road
by
Cormac McCarthy or the recent novel One
Second After by William R. Forstchen , than anything else.
I live in the Chicago metropolitan area, yes far behind enemy lines so to speak,
and have been a prepper for most of the last 10 years. Like many of us I must
live in a big city because of my job. I need money to survive. Living here
is no big deal if you learn to ignore the local politics. My kids are grown
and I have no long-term attachments here. If the world falls to pieces I always
felt I could leave in an instant. I have the requisite pick-up truck, keep
it full of fuel, pre-positioned much of my supplies with my son at a relatively
safe location in a small town (population 5,000) about 600 miles from here.
I’ve
got my G.O.O.D. bag packed and I’m ready to go when ever things go south.
Or am I ready?
Let’s review my bug-out plan. Wait a second, I have no plan! This blinding
flash of the obvious hit me as I was stuck in rush-hour traffic last Friday
evening on my way to my son’s. It took me nearly three hours to get from
my apartment on the far north side of the city to I-80 on the far south side.
This was the route I assumed I would take to skedaddle. Think about that; I
was on Interstate highways the whole time, leaving at 8:00 PM, and it still
took me nearly three hours to go less than 80 miles. What’s really scary
is that I was thinking all along how light the traffic was. I had no alternative
routes in mind. Yikes!
Well, I’ve got to tell you this dear readers,
that realization scared the bejeebus out of me. I was so unready to bug out.
I had the stuff, the means,
the mindset, etc., however, in a meltdown near-panic situation, I would’ve
have been just one more member in a stream of hundreds of thousands of refugees
fleeing the big city. This experience got me off my duff and forced to review
what I will do when the next shoe drops in our ongoing economic nightmare.
I drew up a list of what was necessary to implement an action plan to “Escape
from Chicago 2009”
1. Have a bug-out kit ready at all times
a. No problem I have a bug-out bag packed and ready to go. No last minute packing
required. However; I hadn’t checked it in quite some time and when I
did I found plenty of things to replace and replenish. Batteries lost their
charge. Foods had expired. So did many of the common medications I packed.
BTW, I also now have a 72 hour bag with me whenever I leave the house. You
can never be sure when the worst thing you can imagine will happen.
2. Bring as much as you can with you.
a. Unlike many of you, I am not a man of any particular religious belief system.
However, like most of you, I feel what makes us truly human beings is our compassion.
I have to say that I don’t think while bugging out, I could look a frightened
hungry child in the eyes and say no - nothing for you. Bring more than you
need. If you don’t need to share then all the better; there’s more
for you when you reach your destination.
3. No stopping to buy last minute items.
a. If it’s so bad you need to be bugging-out do you really think others
don’t know that and are at that very minute stripping the local Wal-Mart
clean? During the Los Angeles riots in 1992 and Hurricane Katrina in 2005,
the grocery stores were near impossible to get to and if you could, it didn't
matter;
they
were closed, or had been looted, and were empty. Also, shop owners, for example,
may attempt to defend their stores with firearms (a la the Los Angeles Riots)
and you don’t
want to be caught in the crossfire. <Sarcasm on> I know, I know, Chicago
has very strict gun laws so there won’t be any shooting except by a few
gun-toting NRA/survivalist types <Sarcasm off>.
Finally, one interesting image comes to mind when I think of someone “liberating” goods
from a Wal-Mart. During the Katrina emergency I recall seeing a video of a
very obese woman wading through chest deep flood water, polluted with who knows
what, holding a Dyson vacuum cleaner she had “liberated” over her
head. No electricity, no home, no floor for that matter, but she had an expensive
vacuum cleaner she had probably always wanted. Also, an interesting side note
is the lack of bookstores looted.
4. Be sure to “Right size your bug-out vehicle
a. Simply put, don’t try to put a 10 gallon load in a 5 gallon bucket.
Have a big enough vehicle to accommodate what you need to bring. If you have
too much stuff, try to pre-position the bulkiest and heaviest items ahead of
time. Be sure to leave enough room in your vehicle for people and pets. If
you can’t pre-position the bulkiest stuff at the far end; consider renting
storage space in some small town along your intended bug-out route. If necessary,
keep a small trailer at the midpoint as well. Also remember that unexpected
things may/can/will happen and you will need to change your plans accordingly.
Therefore, only the non-essential “nice to have things”, not the
essential for survival things, should be stored at waypoints along the way.
5. Don’t oversize your bug-out vehicle
a. A corollary to the above is having a vehicle that is too big. Big is not
always better. We’ve all seen in footage of the highways during the Hurricane
Katrina and Rita emergencies. Massive Gridlock. If/when you need to get off
the highway onto a secondary road you’ll need to know if your Jumbo Superbago
or SUV with the extra-long Airfoil trailer can negotiate any tight turns and/or
low clearances on your Plan B, C, and D routes. I don’t even want to
discuss how much fuel bigger vehicles consume.
6. Expect no fuel to be available along the way
a. My Dodge pickup gets 18 mpg fully loaded and I have a 22 gal fuel tank.
For those of us who are lacking the math gene; that works out to 396 miles
per tank and my destination is 600 miles away. Hmmm. That means I need an additional
10 gallons or so. Three options present themselves; get a larger fuel tank,
carry gas cans, preposition fuel along the way.
b. Option one is too pricey $1,000 plus in my case.
c. Option two means using three 5 gallon gas cans. The problem here is that
in order to be prepared to leave at any moment; I’d need to keep them
all full. My biggest problem here is where to store them. As I mentioned, I
live in an apartment so that’s really not an option I’d use except
in the direst circumstances and I’d hate to leave them in my truck either.
I’ll have to figure this one out.
d. Finally, Option three requires storing them at waypoints along the route.
This is a so-so solution. The primary route may change and you can’t
count on being able to get to it before you run out of fuel. Secondly, most
storage faculties have a serious prohibition on the storage of flammable, toxic,
or explosive items.
7. Enough cash or “realistic” barter goods for a few weeks
a. This is one area that I can’t really give any solid advice. Who knows
what’ll be acceptable legal tender or barterable goods. You always read
in the “Survival Canons” that certain barter goods will be useful.
Honestly, I can’t imagine some 7-11 or Wal-Mart clerk accepting pre-1965
silver or ammo for the loaf of bread or gallon of gas I want to buy. Not in
the first few days first anyway. I’d suggest that initially, good old
greenbacks will do. How many to bring is the big question ($500 $1,000? Fives,
Tens, or Twenties?). I can almost bet that by the time the Schumer hits the
fan, most, if not all, banks will be shuttered for a "Short term-bank
holiday” and ATMs will likewise be shut down . “No checks please.” Inflation
may be rampant and gouging will be the name of the game. Remember Dan and TK's
trip in "Patriots"
? $50 a gallon for gas may not be too farfetched.
8. Route selection
a. Take your time starting tomorrow and carefully route the best escape route
you can. Note that best doesn’t always equate with fastest. If the shortest
route takes you through, or by, a major urban center, you’re just jumping
from one frying pan into another. Use your GPS en-rote to see what other routes
are nearby. Use on-line mapping software, on-line (Google or MapQuest) or a
PC or Mac-based routing program. Test different routes and compare times and distances.
Most of better routing software also shows gas stations, food, Wal-Mart’s,
etc., along your route. Learn to use the software now; not when it’s
crunch time. Again, Dan and TKs trip in "Patriots" .
Parallel routes to the Interstates perhaps?
9. Expect Societal Breakdown
a. Don’t count on your neighbor’s good intentions. Yep, you know
which neighbors I mean. They’re the ones down the block with all of the
expensive toys who had nothing put aside for an emergency and now are demanding
you provide them food, water, and even transportation. Be prepared for incidents
of aggression, attempted assault, and theft of supplies. You may need to resort
to serious means to defend yourself and your loved ones traveling with you.
(I hate to keep referring to "Patriots" but the description of the Laytons'
harrowing trip out of Chicago will be much truer than we care to think. )
b. Be especially wary en route. When you stop for whatever reason, you may be
approached by others wanting food, or fuel, or other essentials. Help those
you feel are truly desperate to the best of your ability. However, you may
have to be rather aggressive to deter insistent requests by overly aggressive
fellow refugees. This is a good time to be traveling with like-minded, security-conscious
friends, so that all concerned can provide mutual security and back-up.
10. Trust but verify
a. I was originally going to title this section “Trust no one”,
however, I feel that is just a bit to cynical. There will be those you meet
along the way who are true Samaritans. But, there are also those may have few
if any compunction related to “liberating” a few of your items
as a donation for their efforts. Or, in the worst case, there will be some
full-blown predators out there masquerading as shepherds waiting for the sheep
to come to them. Be wary of all help; including that from our friends in the
government.
11. Be wary of Government help.
a. I don’t know what will happen if I need to bug-out; but one thing
I can be sure of is that if you should stop for help at any government facility;
the first thing they will do is ask if you have any weapons with you. This
is pretty much standard police procedure in any case. The second thing they
will do is take any weapons you have from you. It’s as simple as that.
They will claim they are doing it for your own protection but you can be certain
you will never see your weapons again. Confiscating weapons was illegally done
in New Orleans and few of the confiscated weapons were ever recovered.
As unconstitutional as it was, they still to this day, justify taking the weapons
as being in the best interest of the public. Forgetting of course that they
were seizing the weapons of people least likely to use them against the forces
of law and order an all the while never venturing near the danger zones in
New Orleans where the actual goblins with illegal weapons resided. Additionally,
you can probably also be sure that they will also take whatever food, or other
goods you have that they deem necessary, to redistribute it among others who
weren’t quite so well prepared as you. How dare you greedy selfish people
who prepared have more than others who didn’t?
I hope that you will think about what I have presented here and do your best
to be prepared. I hope you all make it to your destinations safe and sound.
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The Anti-Bug Out Bag, by Jason C.
Have you heard of a Bug out bag (BOB)? If you have read even a few articles on urban survival then you have heard of this mysterious thing. Loosely defined, it is a bag packed with supplies and equipment for a few days to a week. It is intended to be something handy to grab, if you have to get out of where you are quickly. The thousands of items that could possibly be packed in a BOB are often a source of great debate among people building, packing, and storing their own bag.
But what about the times when you won't need to evacuate your residence, home, business, or other location? Then you will need what I humorously term an Anti-Bug Out Bag (ABOB.) If, like me, you work from home or are not traveling out of town, you are rarely more than a few miles from where you spend most of your time, your home. It is often overlooked that you will more than likely be at your home, or close to it, should something happen. Some events like bad weather you may even have a few days notice of the threat.
So let's start with the big picture of maintaining your gear.
When planning your Anti-Bug Out Bag (ABOB), you are only limited by your storage space and budget. However, for the average person, a big closet, basement corner, or wall of the garage should do fine. After deciding the location, it is time to identify the contents. I will not even begin to list individual items, but will attempt to address the logical process of determining what is most important for you.
The very first consideration of any item is: how many uses does it have? One? Two? Each and every item should be able to serve at least three uses. And yes, I do realize there are a few items that may be very specific, but those rare items will be obvious if you try to find other uses as you evaluate each piece of gear.
An example would be a basic tool kit. Instead of a regular hammer, what about a dry wall hammer with a hammer head and hatchet back. This type of hammer also has a nail-pulling notch under the blade of the hatchet. This adds an extra purpose and increases its value and usefulness. Another great example is types of rope. We all know the value of heavy rope, para-cord, twine, and even bungee cords. But you can add 1" tube webbing to your supply and it can serve many more needs. Straps for packs, slings for tools and weapons, and even belts for your clothes. The heavier type designed for rock climbing and mountaineering is fairly inexpensive and is strong enough to pull a car out of a ditch. Try that with nylon rope from Wal-Mart!
The important part is to add the items that will help you in as many ways as possible to reduce waste and increase efficiency in your work.
The next major consideration is quality and durability.
With today's wasteful use of resources we have all become conditioned to throwing things away and replacing them when they break again. This has the bad effect of putting a lot of junk equipment to be on the market. I do caution you against just using price as an indicator of quality. We all have things we paid almost nothing for that will outlast the most expensive piece of equipment.
The fact that many of these items simply are not made to withstand daily use in a rugged environment will be a disaster when you need them to work the most. Make sure you get the best you can afford. Learn to take care of them, and be able to repair them if needed.
For an example of this, take the spade shovel in my garage. I saw it on sale at a bargain store for under $10 dollars. It has a solid wood handle, with strong rivets to hold it all together. I have had it for almost seven years and put some hard use on in my landscaping days. I had another one that was bought as extra equipment for one of my crews at a name-brand hardware store for over $30. Within a month the cheap aluminum rivets twisted out and the handle came out. After repairing it with large stainless steel bolts, a weld came apart on the handle assembly. This shovel just couldn't take the abuse we were putting on it. But the less expensive one thrived on the rough use. So evaluate each piece in your ABOB based on quality and craftsmanship.
After filtering your selected items throughout the first two steps it is on to the third. How many of these do I need? Everything has it's limit of usefulness. And everything can wear out and break no matter how good the quality. So you must determine how many of each item you need. Do you need two pry bars? Probably not, because other items can be used if needed. Do you need two pick axes? If you plan on doing a lot of farming with no tractor, then you might. How about an extra sewing kit to repair clothes and packs? Most assuredly.
So determining the items life span in a survival environment is critical to deciding how many to have as back up.
Of course I haven't discussed weapons yet, but this is one of the most crucial things to evaluate with the above rules. My preference has always been the 12-gauge shotgun. And as a hunter and outdoorsman I own enough guns to make my wife roll her eyes every time I open the safe. But when I applied this to my own supply, I realized that in a survival situation I need to look for which ones would I be most reliable. The autoloaders? Great on the dove fields but can be prone to jamming on occasion.
I choose the pump shotgun as reliable and simple. But I had to add another because I wanted two of them in case one is damaged, I always have a backup. It is the same model so that there are spare parts. Also I decided to go one more step and add a single-shot 12-gauge break action. So now I feel I will have one that works.
This also includes ammo. How many of each caliber you need is your choice, but I would be thinking in the thousands, not the hundreds. So whether you are looking at just one extra box or dozens, you have to decide before you need them, because after you realize you needed them, it will just be too late.
These three rules are designed as guidelines to help you prepare your supplies. If you apply each one to every selection you make you will most likely have an edge if and when it is time to use your ABOB. The most important part of any item is knowing how to use it. So as you add equipment, take the time to learn to use it. Just that simple step can help you increase your odds of survival in difficult times.
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The Information Junkie, by Dan H.
I've been working on getting prepared for about 20 years now. During that time,
I've collected a large amount of information. Let's face it, there's a lot
of information out there, and to this day I'm still collecting. I currently
have four sets of encyclopedias (including 1947 and 1954 editions). I
have a fairly good library of books that encompasses a wide variety of topics
and, of course, I have lots of information from the Internet. First, I'd
like to tell you why I collect it (and why you should too) and then the “what
and how”.
One reason why I collect information is because the source of the information
may not always be there. How many of you trust that our government will always
allow information to flow about freely? Do they now? How many of you can get
information about how to build a nuclear weapon? I can't, and I don't want
it. That information wouldn't do me any good, but in a worst case scenario,
information on building a small IED may be very valuable. What happens if that
information is censored between now and TEOTWAWKI? Also, when TSHTF, the power
grid and therefore the Internet may be down. Libraries and bookstores may be
closed or burned to the ground. You get the picture.
Another reason why I collect information is that I may not be alive when the
stuff hits the fan. Most of my preparations have been so that I can keep my
family
safe. If I've passed on before, or maybe while the stuff hits the fan, then
having the information available (in a handy location) for my family may help
them survive. Maybe it won't help my wife or kids, but maybe my grandkids or
my greatgrandkids.
The third reason why I collect information is that I can't remember everything.
(hard to believe, isn't it?) I try to remember the type of information that
can quickly save a life and I practice those skills. The quicker it can become
life threatening, the more you need to know the skill (like emergency first
aid or armed self defense). However, things like how to construct a foxhole,
how to make hard tack, what radio frequencies to listen to, how far apart to
plant cabbage, etc., can all be documented and the information retrieved when
it is needed.
As a word of caution – Just because you have the “information”,
doesn't mean you are prepared. Collecting the information, and making sure
it is available when it might be needed, is just a small part of the preparedness
process. Remember to actually learn those skills that may instantly save lives
and remember to gather the supplies that can keep you and your family alive
over the long haul.
Okay, now you may want to know “what” type of information you might
want to collect. I break it down into groups, just like you would with your
preparedness supplies. With the supplies, you can think “worst case scenario”,
but it's not always possible to be “supplied” for the worst case.
In other words, most of us can't buy a 400 acre ranch, with a totally underground
bunker, which is supplied with goods and equipment to keep your family and
friends in safety and comfort for a year or more. It is, however, feasible
to gather most of the “information” you might need for any worst
case that you think you could possible survive. With that in mind, I focus
my information on food, gardening, shelter, water, transportation, defense,
energy, medical, and communication.
Most often, I ask myself questions about how to do something. If the answer
is not very obvious (and most of it isn't) then I collect information on it.
I don't just ask if the answer is obvious to me, but is it obvious to everyone.
I must remember that the information might be needed and used by my children
or their children.
Often, when you've gathered the information to answer your question, it will
bring to your attention an additional item you may need to purchase, or another
skill you need to learn. Consider the following questions, as starting points
for your research and information archiving project:
FOOD – What do I need to eat to meet my nutritional needs? What type
of recipes might I need? How do I make a meal from what I have stored? How
do I make the very basic breads? How do I make sourdough? How do I make yeast?
How about other ingredients? Can you make your own mustard if needed? What
are refried beans made of? How do I make oil for cooking? How do I make jerky?
How do I make pemmican? How do I make a root cellar? How do I dehydrate food?
How do I trap animals? How do I hunt and fish? How do I butcher an animal?
What parts can I eat? What native plants are edible? Can I plant a garden (see
below)?
GARDENING – What seeds grow best in my area? What changes should I make
to the soil? How do I compost? What plants are the most nutritious? How do
I keep pests away? What plants yield the most food? When should I put seeds
into the ground? What plants produce the food that I can store for later? What
can I use for fertilizer? How do I use urine as fertilizer? What tools do I
need? How do I save seeds? How long will my seeds stay viable? How do I keep
weeds to a minimum? How much area do I need? What plants give me seeds that
I can extract oil from? What tools do I need?
SHELTER – How do I make a shelter from a tarp? How do I make an effective
Foxhole? How do I shelter from radiation? How do I build an underground shelter?
How do I make a perimeter alarm? How do I build or maintain a shelter with
no power-tools? What hand-tools should I keep? How is my shelter protected
from fire? How do I secure my shelter from intruders? How do I keep my shelter
warm? How do I keep my shelter cool? Do I know basic carpentry, welding or
electrical skills?
WATER – How many places can I get water? How can I transport it? How
can I store it? How can I make it safe to drink (from bacteria, viruses, chemicals,
or radiation)? How do I dig a well? How can I pump water?
TRANSPORTATION – If I have a retreat, what vehicle should I use to get
there? Which route should I take? What are alternate routes? How do we get
there if the vehicle breaks down? Can I hot-wire a car? Do I know basic mechanics,
or even how to change a tire? If I travel across wilderness, how do I find
my way? Do I know how to use a map, compass and GPS? Do I know how to pack
a backpack? What items should I take, given the type of transportation I have
available?
DEFENSE – What do I need to defend against? What guns might I need? How
much ammo do I need? How do I store it all? How much force can I legally use?
Do I know unarmed combat? What intermediate threat weapons do I need (pepper
spray, etc.)? Do my morals justify my use of force? How do I maintain my weapons?
Do I have schematics for them? How do I make an “early detection” alarm
system? How do other common weapons operate? How do I use camouflage? How do
I use cover and concealment? How do I communicate? How do I make a booby-trap?
How can I successfully block a road? How can I avoid a confrontation at all?
ENERGY – How can I make electricity if there is no “grid” power?
Do I know how to operate and maintain a generator? Can I build a windmill?
Can I make a mini-hydro out of an automotive generator? Can I construct a solar
electric system? How do I maintain a bank of batteries? Can I make a solar
water heater? How do I disconnect my house from grid power? How do I store
extra fuel? How long will stored fuel last? Do I know how to make a small steam
engine?
MEDICAL – What items should I have in a properly stocked First Aid Kit?
Should I have an advanced medical kit? If so, how do I store antibiotics? How
long will they last? What are the dosages for each medication I have stored?
How do I suture a wound? How do I start an IV? How do I put in a catheter?
How do I give an injection? How do I deliver a baby? How do I diagnose an illness?
How do I sterilize instruments? How do I help prevent illness in the first
place. How do I meet basic sanitation needs? What maintenance medications does
my family need? What is the blood type of all my family members?
COMMUNICATIONS – Do I have written plans for my family? How do we communicate
if we become separated? How many ways can we communicate? What hand signals
should we learn? What Ham frequencies should we listen to? What local (police,
fire, etc.) frequencies should we listen to? Do I have a written list of relatives,
and their contact information, in my three-day pack? Do I have supplies to
educate
my grandchildren if they are no longer public schools?
Other Considerations
Think through how you will collect and store your archive of useful information.
First, I'd highly suggest that you try to get your information from a wide
variety
of
sources,
so you
can
be more confident the information you've stored is accurate. So what sources
should you use? I use just about everything but the radio.
Books are a great source. If you can buy them, then that's great. Maybe you
can only check them out of a library. If that's the case, then maybe you can
photocopy the parts you really need. Better yet, scan and print those parts.
That way you can have a digital and a hard copy of the information. Sometimes,
with some topics, the only information you can find is from very old books.
Information you find in an old encyclopedia might be left out of a newer set.
Another source of information is the Internet. Not only can you find lots if
it, but often it's free. If you look hard enough, you can find entire books
that can be downloaded. Because some of the information you store will be in
digital form, don't overlook the value of video clips. There are programs such
as Replay Media
Catcher that can automatically capture a video as it's being
played from a web site, such as YouTube.com. You then have a “stand-alone” file
that you can play in your media player, even when the Internet is down.
If you wanted, you could record information from the television. Programs such
as Survivorman have a lot of good information.
Don't underestimate the information you get from direct contact with a person.
I'm lucky enough to have a very qualified emergency room doctor as a close
friend, who has the same preparedness mindset as me. He has given me valuable
information. If it's given to me verbally, then I go home and write it down
so I can preserve it. The information might come from a hunting buddy, your
mechanic, or your grandfather. There are lots of people out there who have
a lot of expertise in their field. Take advantage of it.
Regardless of where you get your information, make sure you store it so it's
there when you need it. My system is to try to keep as much, as reasonably
possible, in a printed form, especially the important stuff. Keep the bulk
of that at the location you plan to need it. For instance, you don't need printed
information about how to insert a catheter or snare an animal at your home
in the big city, but you will probably need it at your mountain retreat, where
you have those supplies located. All printed material needs to be properly
stored so rodents or moisture don't destroy it. Be sure to put some of the
information you've printed into your Bug Out Bag (BOB).
Tons of information can be stored, digitally, on your computer and on a DVD.
Don't keep it only on your computer or you may loose it if the computer crashes.
With the information on a DVD, you can keep copies at your home, in your BOB,
and at your retreat. The DVD is fairly easy to store and common sense should
tell you where to keep them.
Clearly, the type of information you gather is up to you and your individual
situation. Again, keep in mind that the information you don't think you'll
need, may in fact be what you need in an unforeseen future. That information
may not be easily available at that time, or you might not be the one who actually
needs the information.
JWR Adds: Keep in mind that there are now nearly
7,000 archived SurvivalBlog articles and letters. The blog content
is copyrighted, but it all available
free of charge. I strongly encourage SurvivalBlog
readers to make electronic copies of the posts that you find useful, or print
out
hard copies,
and organize them by topic in a file folders. In essence, as long as it is
not being sold or being re-used without proper attribution, then I am glad
to see the information from SurvivalBlog put to good use. If you find it too
time-consuming to delve into the archives and do umpteen "copy and paste" operations,
then keep in mind that I self-publish the book SurvivalBlog:
The Best of the Blog - Volume 1. That book covers the crucial first
six months of SurvivalBlog, where I covered lots of "core" topics.
Also, be advised that in October, 2009, Penguin Books will
be releasing my new book "How
to Survive the End of the World As We Know It. That 352-page book
is also sourced primarily from my writings in SurvivalBlog, over the past four
years. BTW, it
also
includes
a special chapter on medical topics, most of was guest-authored by numerous
subject
matter
experts
in the medical field.
It is noteworthy that the price of non-volatile memory USB
Flash Drives
(commonly called "pen drives", "thumb drives",
or
just "sticks")
has
plummeted in the past couple of years. (I was recently astounded
to see USB
thumb drives for under $4 each). So there is no reason why you can't
buy four or five 2-Gigabyte capacity
sticks
and
store
copious
quantities of reference information from SurvivalBlog and other web sites,
for your
personal, non-commercial archive. If possible, keep three
copies: One at home, one at your retreat, and one in your Get Out
of Dodge (G.O.O.D. backpack.)
« Note from JWR: |Main| Jim's Quote of the Day: »
Letter Re Advice for College Students Living Abroad
Hi,
I'm a student from Singapore studying overseas in Australia and I'm also a
Christian. I have been following your blog for quite awhile, and there are
some things I would like to ask.
First, what advice can you give to students studying overseas? As a student,
I stay on my own in a rented place, and probably will have to move every six
months or so, so stockpiling food and goods are only feasible for about a month
or two worth of food, as I will have to shift everything I own on my own to
my new place whenever I move. That being said, I have roughly about a month's
supply of food stored up, but it is mostly in rice. If things go bad, I won't
be able to eat well, but will survive (I stocked up on some vitamins as well.
Not healthy I know, but better than nothing.). Additionally, what kind of food
should I buy and store? Currently, I am thinking about baking hardtack, as
they are easy to make and store well. I also have about 20 liters of water,
and am able to purify more than 100 liters of water using water purification
tablets and I also have a bottle of plain bleach.
As I am not in my home country, and if anything happens, I have no 'safe' place
to go. Other than going into the bush, which will not happen, as I have no
bush skills, the only choice I have is to hunker down and try, if possible,
to get a flight/ship back to Singapore. With such limited options, I am worried
about what to do WTSHTF,
which is ever more likely, given the current swine flu going around. While
I do know a family staying in a relatively rural area,
I do not know if I am able to get there as their acreage is quite a distance
away from my place and I have no transportation. Also, I am not sure if they
are prepared and stocked up for any crisis, so there is no guaranty that they
will be able to take me in. I would greatly appreciate some advice over this
issue, as it is the most important issue, and also advice on whatever you think
I am lacking in below.
Supplies: I have managed to gather some stuff over time, some medicine/first-aid(learned
some first-aid when younger, and still know the important stuff), lights (some
military stuff, since I have done my national service, a couple of wind up
torches as well for backup/indefinite use), fire starting equipment (lighters,
matches, fire starters, candles, no flint due to being unable to find someplace
that sells it), lightweight cooking equipment (billycan, metal bowls and tins,
utensils). Not much, but been trying to convince my parents to send over some
more supplies I have, which are mainly military stuff (nothing illegal, but
will raise some questions; excuse is they are for paintball, etc). Additionally,
for food I have about 10 kg of rice, plus enough canned food for a week (or
more, if I ration it), 6 liters of packet milk, about 20 packets soups, cooking
spices (very good for making whatever you have taste better), salt, etc. For
toiletries, I got plenty of toothpaste/toothbrushes, toilet rolls (about 2
months worth), soap/shampoo, etc.
Self defence: Nothing much, since there are strict airport rules, and can't
get a gun over here or in Singapore either. I keep a Swiss army knife on me
all the time, but that is mainly for use as a tool, as normally there won't
be any time to take it out. I learned tae kwon do when young (almost
got my black belt, but was unable due to circumstances), and am trying to learn
more
methods
and techniques of fighting. If it comes down to a fight, I am fairly confident
that I can hold my own against one or two people, but I have been trying to
improvise weapons that will allow me to escape. I have been trying to find
a place to learn Krav Maga, which is an Israeli martial art designed to teach
you to fight anywhere, any how, and
any time, against multiple opponents that may or may not be armed, with various
weapons. They focus on being ready to fight at all times using whatever it
takes to survive (aka all the dirty fighting techniques). I think that it is
a very useful martial art to learn, as it is the most realistic form of combat,
and teaches you how to improvise on the spot (They have two rules: 1. survive,
2. Try not to hurt your sparring partner.). In any case, I think the most important
thing to have is to be aware of your surroundings and people that are around
you. An armed man is hard to be beaten, unless taken by surprise, and an alert
man is hardly ever taken by surprise. As a side note, I recently bought a slingshot,
not that I expect it will be of any good for defence, but rather more for hunting
small animals if things really go south. Just need to get around to practicing
with
it.
Day to day carry: I carry with me a Swiss army knife, some medicine/first-aid,
water purification tablets (for 20 liters), a small LED light, a lighter and
some money in small notes in a small pouch close to me everywhere I go. Planning
to add on another pouch with more medical supplies, especially for this swine
flu outbreak. I also have a SOG multi-tool that I can add on, but chose not
to as people will really question what I am doing with 2 knives and all those
stuff. Also, wherever I go, I also bring along at least 1 liter of water, a
torch, a poncho, additional first-aid supplies, hand sanitizer, a bar of soap
and a couple of cereal bars. If I am on a long trip (more than a day or a few
hours by car), I would bring along additional stuff, like more fire starting
equipment, extra food, extra water, a spare torch, and a spare change.
Skills: I learned basic first aid when young, learned tae kwon do,
crude fire making (not too good), cooking, sewing (very basic, mainly for repairing/modifying
clothes) and cycling (although my area is very hilly, so I hardly cycle). I
am trying to learn more skills, like bushcraft, Krav Maga, hunting (doubt I
will be able to), and brush up on my fire starting skills, although in light
of the recent bushfires, it may be a bad idea. Also I am handy with simple
repairs (mainly a crude temporary fix), and like to innovate and make new stuff.
Swine Flu: I have been trying very hard to raise my stock of food and medicines
ever since I heard about the swine flu, but due to time (university) and financial
constraints, I can only stock up so much. I have been buying paracetamol tablets,
aspirin, face masks (box of 100, plus various other dust masks), anti-bacterial
hand gel, hydrogen peroxide, and am looking for surgical gloves, proper N95
equivalent face masks, Sambucol, more water purification tablets, antibiotics,
Betadine, bandages, etc.
Economic crisis: I have been looking around for a place to purchase silver
bullion with whatever spare cash I have, but have been unable to find a dealer.
I am hoping to get at least 150 ounces of silver in 1-ounce to 10-ounce bars
before the economy gives way, which I suspect won't be long. I pray it doesn't
happen,
as my home country will be hit really hard as it is focused heavily in the
financial sector, but being a realist, I think eventually my family will have
to move over to Australia, as at least it has farmland, natural resources and
a very social welfare-focused government as well.
Thanks for all your effort to educate people about the coming world situations
and how to prepare for it. What you are doing can mean life or death to many
people in the future when the world crashes and burns. - DieReady
JWR Replies: By all means, do team up with a rural family,
if you can. If you cache a large quantity of food with them, you will be assured
of being welcome there WTSHTF,
since you will be a benefactor for the family. In such circumstances, food
is a much better investment than silver! If you can pre-position your storage
food and
most of
your gear
there, you can
plan
to
bug out via
mo-ped.
There are two ways of looking at obstacles to preparedness: 1.) As reasons
to give up,
or 2.) as
challenges
and opportunities
for
growth. For example, your hilly terrain can be seen as an opportunity to build
strength
and endurance, rather than as an excuse for not bicycling. And just because
you can't find a local martial arts center that teaches Krav Maga, don't lapse
into inactivity.
Study whichever art is available locally. Just be sure to
find the best full
contact dojo in town. Furthermore, don't look at airport
security restrictions as a the lowest common denominator for
your
self defense preps. If you are going to be in Australia for an extended period
of time, then there is no reason why you shouldn't go ahead and purchase a
few key "dual use" self defense items, such as a half dozen 15 minute
road flares, a machete .,
and a six-C-cell
black MagLite ..You might also see if these is a local archery club--perhaps
affiliated with your local university. Practice at least twice a week with
your slingshot! They can
indeed be quite useful if
you
take
the
time
to
practice.
For your silver
purchases,
be
willing
to look
further
afield
for
dealers, or if
need
be, to
buy from a
reputable
mail
order dealer. Concentrate on the positive aspects of prepping, shepherd your
available funds, train consistently, and you'll make
progress!
« Economics and Investing: |Main| Flu and Antibacterials, by David in Israel »
SurvivalBlog Reader Survey: Conveniently Bypassed Areas
When working with my consulting clients, I often discuss channelization and
lines of drift. Most major routes out of major cities will become very dangerous
places to be in the event of a massive involuntary urban exodus. Imagine the
situation WTSHTF in
small towns on either side of the Snoqualmie Pass in Washington, or near I-80
across the Donner Pass in California, or on the Columbia River Gorge (that
divides Oregon and Washington), or virtually every other stretch of interstate
freeway that is within 150 miles of a metropolitan region. These channelized
areas (also called “refugee lines of drift” by Military Police
war game planners) should be studiously avoided.
Conversely, there are areas between lines of drift that will likely
be bypassed by refugees and looters, due to poor access. (Constrained by small
winding roads, water obstacles, intervening canyons, swamps, et cetera.)
Some of these bypassed zones might actually be fairly close to urban areas.
It is a dangerous gamble, but if for some reason you must live near
a city, then I suggest that you carefully search for what may be a largely
bypassed zone for your retreat and/or home. A few regions that may be bypassed
come to mind, based on what I’ve seen in my travels and from recommendations
by my associates. These include:
Portions of the Ouachita Mountains, west of Little Rock, Arkansas
Some islands in the Great Lakes region
Parts of Sabine County, south of Shreveport, Louisiana
The periphery of Harry S. Truman reservoir, 60 miles southeast of Kansas
City, Missouri.
Portions of Dewey and Custer Counties (80 miles west of Oklahoma City.)
The Santa Rita Mountains, southeast of Tucson, Arizona
The Chiracaua Mountains, in the southeast corner of Arizona
The Mount Hamilton region, Alameda County, California. (East of San Jose,
and south of Livermore.)
Parts of the San Joaquin River Delta, east of San Francisco, California
Some islands in the Puget Sound, Washington
Driving the back roads of your region will probably reveal other similar areas
that might be bypassed.
I'd greatly appreciate getting input from readers via e-mail about
other areas that are likely to be bypassed in the event of major crisis. The
diverse readership
of SurvivalBlog includes many folks that frequent out-of the way locales, including
fish and game officers, foresters, utility workers, horse wranglers, surveyors,
wildlife biologists, hunters, backcountry fishermen, backpackers, kayakers,
NRCS employees, and even a few wildlife photographers.We can benefit
from your insights. Please e-mail your
suggestions, with "Bypassed Areas" in the message header. Thanks!
« Letter Re: It Takes a Tiller |Main| Jim's Quote of the Day: »
Letter Re: G.O.O.D. Advice for College Students
James,
Our family recently found your book and blog. We are working diligently to
prepare. One question I have not seen addressed: What do you think about
sending a child to college? We are a conservative, Christian, home schooling
family. Our daughter has been looking forward to attending a small Christian
college that is about 1-1/2 hours from our home. Now that we are awake we
are feeling that keeping her close to home as we prepare to relocate is best.
Any thoughts?
- S. in Southern California
JWR Replies: A college that is just a 1-1/2 hour drive is
probably close enough, especially if she has her own car. But living in Southern
California--with both earthquake risk and a high crime rate--be sure to identify
and practice driving several alternate routes on surface streets and back
roads, just in case she must "Get Out of Dodge" (G.O.O.D.)
As a backup, keeping a Montague folding bicycle--kept chained to the bed frame
in her dorm room--could get your daughter home, even in the event of a major
earthquake
that
causes road
closures. Montague
folding bikes are available from Safecastle, one of our loyal advertisers.
I also strongly recommend self defense training for your daughter--both
firearms and martial arts. (The latter is important for Californians, since
open carry of firearms is effectively banned, and concealed carry permits are
very difficult to obtain in most of the more populous counties.) She should
attend Front
Sight or Gunsite,
and one of the better full contact martial arts schools that teaches an art
with plenty of kicks and punches (such as Tae Kwon Do),
and then perhaps she might move on to one of the advanced grappling arts (such
as JuJitsu).
Oh, and as previously mentioned in the blog, I recommend that the first two
years of college credits be obtained by a combination of CLEP tests
and on-line courses. Not only is this less expensive than resident on-campus
classes, but it also will keep your child safely at home for a couple of extra
years.
« Two Letters Re: Pedal Power for Electricity Generation and Water Pumping |Main| Save Money, Get Prepared, and Eat Healthier with Intermediate Term Food Storage, by Travis A. »
Six Letters Re: Bicycles as Bug-Out and Utility Vehicles
Six Letters Re: Bicycles as Bug-Out and Utility Vehicles
James
Firstly I wish there were at least as many bicycle articles and questions on
SurvivalBlog as gun posts. As a gun maker, gunsmith, firearm owner, and combat
user I still put a fancy semi-auto combat rifle below a
decent bicycle for most people's survival purchase priorities. Let me offer
a contrarian viewpoint
on the priority of complete firearm battery in your survival shopping list.
Obtain some snares, a quality .22 semi-auto, and a few thousand rounds of
ammo, a few months of food and cooing fuel, basic camping/shelter gear and
then get a decent bicycle. It is quite possible to hunt for meat and drive
off most random bandits with a .22, just remember when money becomes available
that you can do much better once you have other very important categories
squared away. As I usually try to squeeze into all of my posts, survivalism
is not being a Navy SEAL, a SWAT team, or even a gun collector, it is about
surviving. Someone that confuses their gun, ham radio, equestrian, medieval
weapon, or other hobby for survivalism leads to misplaced priorities and
funds that are better spent on important preparations.
When cruising bike shops, thrift stores, and police auctions consider the following:
Don't worry about the state of the tires, since you will probably replace them
even on a new bike. Learn how to recognize a good set of rims and a well built
wheel
with good spokes, this is a major failure area, they should be round and when
spun roll freely and not move to the left and right(small deviations can be
fixed by an expert adjusting the spokes). Road rims are often too light for
survival use but are quite nice if you know you will be touring on well paved
road, for our purposes though stick to the more universal 26-inch heavy mountain
rims. Unless you are an expert on servicing shock absorbers go for a hard tail
and solid forks, the majority of discount bikes have junk springs and no oil
dampeners and are a weak point in the design. Good long life shocks for big
guys can be around $300 or more in my experience (I weight over 200 pounds),
anything less has left me with blown seals even in moderate to heavy utility
use.
Handlebars
are more important than most leisure riders would think, long rides will make
you want more hand positions than a straight mountain bike handlebar offers,
rams head bars or at least
wrapped 'horns' give you a place to reposition and rest your hands on long
rides. Good bike gloves really help here too. Some conversations with bike
mechanics, test driving bicycles, and visiting bicycle nut boards (just like
gun nut boards)
will help you know which types of brakes, shifters, cables, dérailleurs,
and other components are good and which are junk. Especially examine the rear
dérailleur and dérailleur hanger on used bikes for breakage and
the front dérailleur for chain wear, replace and stock quality brake
pads and cable. You will be replacing any used chain, keep your chain clean
and oiled with proper oil, carry and learn how to use a chain breaker tool,
stockpile quality chain and bicycle chain oil; these are big barter items.
A worn chain will wear down the sprockets, look for saw tooth shaped sprocket
teeth and if present replace the gear cassette. In flat country a single
speed bicycle with coaster brakes is the best choice since
it is nearly maintenance free, but consider a good gear range set if a bug
out to mountainous territory is a possibility, remembering that once gears
are involved, even the best expensive internal hubs are less reliable than
a simple single speed. There has been a fad of fixed gear, a web search will
tell you more, my opinion is that it just moves the mechanical stress to
your legs an knees, fine if you are 16 years old but not if you are 40. You
will
be repacking all of the wheel and crank bearings with quality bearing grease
on a used bicycle, I use marine grade grease hoping it will be more waterproof.
Check the frame for stress cracks and dents from accidents, especially aluminum
or exotic frames. Steel frames can be welded or brazed especially in a
low stress area, Aluminum and exotic composition repairs are best left to experts
or thrown out. Buy and have spares for your bicycle saddle, get a performance
seat not a lazy-boy fat seat, test
out several but remember that your butt will get used to a performance
seat
after a while, but a far comfort seat might make it harder to aggressively
pedal. Men be sure to get something that protects your 'family'
anatomy. A seat that is too hard and regular pressure can damage your tissue
and circulation
leading to dysfunction, especially on bumpy roads. It is possible to rebuild
a saddle with full grain cowhide, especially if you find someone skilled
in shoe making, I don't like rear shocks because of weight and cost but I
do use
a spring saddle to protect my spine from big road shocks. I always stay
away from the cheap toy/department store bicycles and their dismal components,
there is no realist upgrade path for this junk other than replacement so
avoid
it
unless you have no alternative, any bike is better than no bike, if you
are stuck you could always make it into a one speeder coaster brake bike, eliminating
the cheap unreliable
gears.
Buy the best tires and tubes you can afford, this is where the rubber literally
meets the road. Since I switched to Schwable Kevlar tires I have not
had a flat in 3 years of hard urban commute, even using other high quality
brands I usually needed to patch a tire at least once every other month
over ten
years
of heavy rural and urban high mileage cycling, Schwables are also very
long wear life tires. Knobby tires might sound good for mud, but they
rob you
of much rolling momentum on roads, Specialized brand Cross-Roads tires
are a good
compromise with knobby sides and a center strip for dry dirt, hardpan,
and paved roads.
For a good example of a nearly ideal survival bicycle research the old
Swiss military bicycles. If there is a possibility of hitchhiking there
are tough
quality folder bikes available, never discount the utility of grabbing
a free ride over your own muscle power, even in TEOTWAWKI. Try to stick
to
a bike
with quality standard components which can be improvised or scavenged
from junked bicycles if required. After doing some solid research you
will still
need to invest some money to get a good bicycle most of the time, new
expect to spend a minimum of $300 list price, do not waste your money
at toy or
discount stores, either buy quality used and have service done at a competent
local
bike shop or let them help you pick out something new, just like buying
a firearm.
You will need to carry a repair kit at all times including a good pump,
quality patches (I use Rema Tip-Top), a spare tube in case the valve
stem is damaged
or you cant patch the hole, tire levers, and a folding bike tool I like
the Crank Brothers multi tools which include spoke, chain, hex and screwdrivers
and more. Swap in your good tube and patch the hole when you are in a
comfortable place. If you are really in the rough carrying a folding
tire in your pannier might be worth the weight versus walking, tubes,
patches, and tires are serious
stockpile
and barter items. Buy a quality helmet, ankle strap, gloves, and lights,
since in most scenarios you will be sharing the road.
There are many more considerations and much research is required to buy,
build, or rebuild a good survival cycle, there is plenty of info on discussion
boards
to help you but start at http://www.sheldonbrown.com/ Sheldon Browns
bicycle mechanic web site, he is no longer with us but his genius will
continue
to help cyclists.
Since this is SurvivalBlog we must discuss firearms carry on a cycle, this
is my personal experience and YMMV.
Handguns should be worn high and tight just
below the kidney
area of the back, I use a belt pancake holster just behind where the
hipbone sticks out, it is most comfortable on long rides and probably
the safest
place for a large handgun in a fall. Rifles are best carried in an ATV handlebar
gun rack pointed forward mounted on the handlebars. Any other attachment
of
AR-15 family
or larger rifles that I can think of would just get in the way anywhere
else, although the US military mounts rifles to the top
tube with
their Montague
full-size folding bikes, I have never used
a mount like this. A slung rifle will fall forward and/or rub. For those
readers
with
access
to full-auto pistol style SMGs
like the mini or micro-Uzi in some sort of holster
attached to the handlebars might be an option to spray bad guys in a
surprise ambush.
Many of the readers will consider their bicycle either a vital part of
their bug-out-bag or even a secondary bug-out vehicle so carrying cargo
is important
to discuss. BOB trailers and kid carriers are good for open roads, but
an overly wide trailer can make moving a bicycle onto sidewalks and between
cars difficult
to impossible even in normal times. Cycling with anything past a light
comfortable
backpack leads to fatigue. Panniers and rack and handlebar mounting is
the best option for gear, let your bicycle shoulder the weight, there
many options
available on discussion boards. It is important to remember that your
loading should not get in the way of quick defensive firearms access.
For those who are considering adding a small motor I suggest buying a
scooter or dirt bike instead. Battery and gas assist motors add to the
weight of
the bicycle, get in the way, and are quite expensive, not to mention
the lack of
electricity or fuel in a serious society collapse. one exception would
be that initial bug out would be accomplished by gas motor add on and
then remove
it
for utility uses, this would not cause the long term stress on the bicycle
wheel and might be reasonable. - David in Israel
Hi!
I've admired your site for a while. It is very informative.
In response to your listed article about bug-out bicycling, It would greatly
benefit anyone following that strategy to investigate GreenTyre.
They sell poly-ply, airless tires that last for years. A little hard for the
novice to install, but very much worth it without sacrificing ride quality.
Just an FYI from a blog reader. - JHF
Jim--
I saw the article on bikes on the blog. Thought I'd toss the
web site for AirFreeTires into the mix. They make great tires--I have them
on my Specialized mountain bike, a couple of 1960s vintage Schwinn bikes, a
couple of my wheelbarrows, ...you get my drift. If I could, my farm tractor,
garden tractor, etc. would be equipped with these things Take care and God
bless you and your family. You are doing good work. - Tom S.
Mr Editor,
A reminder to make sure to bring your lock for your "bug out" bike.
Some young guy rode off on my husband's bike a few years ago, and he had to
run after him, and jerk him off the back of the bike to get it back. Then some
other guys hollered at him to ask what was going on, so he yelled back that
the guy was stealing his bike, and the guys then laughed and forgot about it.
At the time, there were no emergencies going on, and it happened a few years
before the "recession". So if there's no gas available, or the limited
gas is really high priced with long lines like it was when we evacuated in
advance of Hurricane Rita, bikes will look pretty good to those without transportation.
(Yes, we both had locks on our bikes for the Hurricane Rita evacuation).
I should mention that our truck had two tire blowouts during the
evacuation, so we now have an extra mounted tire available to throw
in the bed of the truck if we have to evac/bug out. Those inflate-a-tire cans
won't do much for shredded tires. And my husband checks [the two spare] tires
every spring when I do hurricane prep[aration checks and supply refurbishment].-
Sheila
Hi Jim
I just read the article on Bicycles as Bug-Out and Utility Vehicles.
I've
been on vacation by bicycle in Italy several times.
Always keep at least
one spare tire and at least 4 inner tubes with you on multi-day trips. Buy
the tubes on different occasions at different stores. I once had a batch of
four inner tubes that all leaked! Tubes are made in production batches and
sometimes a production run goes terribly bad.
Also remember the experience in the Netherlands in the Second World War. Everybody
was cycling around with wooden wheels [or even on bare rims] since there were
no tires left. They are the hardest part to get in a SHTF scenario. Most other
parts
you can
get
by breaking apart other bikes but tires completely run out after a year. I
have at least four tires of every type I need at home. I also have a 80 year-old
very strong transportation bike which has tires that are extremely durable.
Some postmen use these tires. (Called "transport, extra heavy")
They cost a bit more (about 30 Euros per tire) but last easily 5+ years
and for some reason they simply cannot get leaks in their inner tubes. I never had
a flat in 15 years, only one tore apart because the inner tube was too old
(!) and the bike was standing parked in full sun (so don't do that ;-))
I use different types of tires for different types of functions. For everyday
Utility I use my extra heavies, for speed racing I use very fast but fragile
tires and on longer trips I use road touring tires. These are thicker and less
fast but a flat tire will bring your daily speed down too. Don't "save money"
and buy bargain-priced tires because the more expensive ones are really worth
it.
For parts: well, just use a bike with less parts for everyday use. After
a long period they all run out, even yours. The best Utility bikes are in
my opinion so called strong old quality "dutch bikes" with no gears,
no handbrakes, no headaches. For inner city everyday use this is just perfect.
On vacation I of course use a different bike. Light, strong and with 21 gears.
I use and maintain it often. Grease is a good friend. If you use the bike often
it pays back to initially spend a bit more on them. On vacation I take with
me extra brake shoes, a gear cable and gear connector. With good gear I never
had real problems. Also a basic multitool and bike gear (Allen keys, wrench
10, 12, 15, practice what you need). Install quicklock systems to have less
nuts & bolts and to work faster and with less tools. I have hydraulic brakes
which are very strong, reliable and never let me down in 10 years.
A mountain bike for bug-out is nice but heavy, not very fast and not very useable
for long distances. You will get tired faster. Typical mountain bike tires
offer more resistance and are far less fast. A mountain bike is of course very
good to stay off road and for special ops. It depends on your situation, but
I have very good roads everywhere, also on places were you will hardly meet
anyone. I prefer asphalt roads along waterways for example. Speed is more important
for me. Stay in front of the hordes and get out fast! I have a very light racing
bike to keep me in shape which is part of my prepping. Maybe getting in shape
is the first and far most important reason for having a bug-out bike at all.
I also keep a little bug-out bag stored with my racing bike with essential
light weight survival gear (knife, Micron stove, Maglite, Katadyn water filter,
etc.) and three days of preps. That should get me out 450 kilometers at least.
Enough cash will buy me a place to stay and eat after that. If you go on vacation
on a bicycle you will find out that there are always helpful people around
when you arrive somewhere with a friendly face when I arrive sweaty and
very tired.
I have respect for your blog! It has taught me a lot. I hope to do something
in return by writing. Regards, - Jeroen in Holland
Sir;
Be aware that AirfreeTires.com offers
polyurethane microfoam tires that cannot go flat or blow out. I prefer these
two varieties of tires:
26x1.9 Sierra Unidirectional
High Rebound
and,
26x1.9 Ocelot High Rebound
They have little rolling resistance under my 280 lbs. I have used them since
October, 2001. IMO the ride is comparable to Michelin Wildgripper Sprint 26x1.95.
Regards, - Vlad
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Letter Re: Bicycles as Bug-Out and Utility Vehicles
I read SurvivalBlog almost every day. I see lots of folks talking
about bug out vehicles, going to great lengths to describe storing fuel long
term,
stripping
down vehicles and even planning on parking them out of the way when fuel
runs out. But I rarely see much mentioned about one of the best long term,
low
tech tools out there for transportation: The bicycle, the cargo bike and
the
adult tricycle.
Bicycles are inexpensive, ubiquitous and take only a pair of legs and half
a brain to use. People in Third World countries haul
huge amounts of stuff with them, and even here in the US I know a lot
of folks who keep a bike trailer around for short hauling nearly everything.
Our
local coffee roaster does all of their delivery using cargo bikes. There
are few places you can't go with a good mountain bike.
When you're planning your bug out vehicle, a bike or two with a small trailer
should be considered, as well as a few patch kits for the tires. This will
allow you to keep moving and haul more than a backpack if your vehicle dies
and there's no way to get it fixed due to a really serious disaster, or if
you're stuck in a permanent ["linear parking lot"] traffic jam
due to a SHTF situation.
Even if you don't need it when bugging out, you'll find it incredibly handy
once you've arrived at your retreat. You could even rig one to run a water
pump or a small device battery charger.
They're not a speedy escape vehicle, or to some they may seem too low tech
or "tree hugger" to some folks but bicycle transport make a lot of sense, even
more
so if fuel supplies become scarce. - Ellie E.
JWR Replies: We've had a
number of articles and letters about bicycles posted in Survivalblog
in the past three years (most notably, this
one), but I agree
that the topic doesn't get the
emphasis that it deserves. Dollar for dollar, and pound for pound, bikes are
the most cost-effective form of mechanical transportation by road, and some
varieties re also one of the most versatile vehicles off of paved roads. And,
as you noted, they are great at working your way through traffic snarls, at
least
in anything less than a total panic or lawless situation. (In a true worst
case" , no form of transportation is safe, but where motorcyclists and bicyclists
would
be particularly
at risk.)
Watch for used mountain bikes available inexpensively on Craig's
List.
For the sake of logistics, try to standardize with one brand, if possible.
Buy plenty of spare parts and lubricants. And if you can find them, get
a spare
set of compatible wheels and mount them with foam-filled tires,
for each bike. That way you can have the best of both worlds: standard tires
to
use on a day-to-day
basis,
and set of
foam-filled ones to use in the event of a long-term collapse where spare
tires and inner tubes will be in short supply. The higher rolling resistance
of foam-filled
tires can be aggravating, but the day might come that they are the only thing
that will keep you on the road.
« Letter Re: Why Survivalists Should Buy Local Organic Food |Main| Notes from JWR: »
Letter Re: Tidal Waves of Urban Refugees
Jim,
I was stationed on the DMZ in
Korea with the 2nd Infantry Division. One of the big concerns the US army has
is all of the millions of refugees that will be on the roads going south, if
the North Koreans were to invade. We would be moving heavy equipment, and needing
to move it fast, and the roads would be very congested. The US and the ROK army
now have an agreement, that the ROK army would be responsible for clearing
the roads, and believe me, they will. The US does not want to be responsible
because, without a doubt, many refugees would literally be cleared off the
roads with heavy equipment.
If anyone thinks it will be a pleasant Sunday afternoon drive to get out of
the cities in a crisis, think again. There would be mass chaos, killings, hunger,
loss of infrastructure.
I love your writings, My son (a teenager) does, too. He read your novel and
loved it. God Bless. - DC
« Letter Re: Highly Productive Home Gardens |Main| Note from JWR: »
Cooper's Color Codes and Bugging Out Before the SHTF, by H.I.C.
Colonel Jeff Cooper once wrote that he was born in another country. Born and
raised in the US before the Great Depression, the country of his youth was
no longer.
It had been hijacked by pointy headed socialists with academic degrees and
not a trace of common sense. At 50 years of age I not only agree, but maintain
that the “New America” based upon a globalized economy, Federalized
powers, and an Urban-centered society is dying. Our great country is dying
and our great cities will burn in the funeral pyre.
Most Americans know that survival in our great cities, deserts, and marginal
climate areas of the US would not be possible without continued delivery of
basic Supplies (food and gasoline), Services (water, electrical power, natural
gas), and Civil Order (rule of law, generally accepted currency). What they
may not know is that these great cities have no great food warehouses, no great
fuel tank farms, few electrical power plants, few water storage reservoirs,
and they have disarmed the law abiding public at every turn. These supplies
are transported by thousands of semi trucks, ships, barges, and trains every
single day. If a sudden crisis disrupts transportation, if we lose the use
of our interstate highways or the diesel fuel to transport supplies, everyone
in these cities will either have to leave or they will die.
Recent hurricanes, recessions, and terrorist events are reminders that our
modern society is fragile and that critical supplies, services, and civil order
will likely be interrupted by any major event. Look at what happened to New
Orleans (population 480,000) during Hurricane Katrina. More than half the
population left early, but when the storm hit, tens of thousands either would
not or could
not leave. Now imagine these barbaric conditions in a city like Phoenix
(population 2 million) or Los Angeles (population 10 million). Now imagine
it happening all across
the US if our oil refineries are either destroyed or the world runs out of
crude oil.
Transportation in the US is totally dependent on crude oil and most of this
oil comes from folks who hate us. The supplies underground and our ability
to find new supplies are diminishing and no one knows how much is left. Even
without the potential for a renewed terrorist attack using WMDs, or the long
dreaded west coast mega-quake, our cities will not be sustainable without some
new technology. Renewable power sources such as solar, wind, and geothermal
can produce electricity but do not effectively power transportation. Hopefully
most Americans can be sufficiently motivated to move out the cities with their
families, but those who will not listen must feel.
Should I Stay or Should I Go?
I think it is a common belief by newly awaken survivalist that they can keep
living in a big city until the stuff actually hits the fan and then bug out
with their vehicle and all of the survival gear and prepared food. I am curious,
have any of you actually tried this? Have you taken the time and effort to
load your vehicle with thousands of pounds of guns, ammo, survival gear, and
freeze dried food? Have you then driven through a major city, a long distance
interstate trip, stopped for the night, or had car trouble? And what if you
are forced to bug out without shelter and a considerable amount of food, have
you really improved your chances for survival?
I have and the whole process was a pain in the . I hooked up my one ton
pickup to my 5th wheel trailer, filled it with the guns, ammo, tools, extra
fuel, and food storage, and the rig grossed at 18,000 lbs. Let me tell you
this was not bugging out, this was crawling out. Even powered by a Cummins
Diesel, nothing weighing 9 tons moves quickly or escapes over steep or narrow
roads. I also tried towing an open trailer filled with a tractor and tools
cross country and learned about road trash puncturing trailer tires and criminals
loitering at rest stops and RV parks.
Fortunately, these problems surfaced during normal times when the highways
are open, fuel is available, and I was
the only one freaking out. My experience is telling me that the best response
is to move away from the cities before an event. Move to a more secure area
now. Preposition your survival tools and food storage at a secure site before
the stuff really hits the fan. Then find a way to move there your self.
I have read all the government’s emergency preparedness books talking
about folks pulling together, one big nation singing Kumbaya. But I have
also read the postings from folks who were late evacuating New Orleans. Many
of them were threatened, robbed, and assaulted by their neighbors simply because
they were better prepared. I do not know if this entitlement mentality is really
that widespread, but experience suggests that Americans will get scared and
will act like animals.
Deciding When to Leave; Cooper’s Colors for a Social Crisis.
Jeff Cooper also devised a series of situational awareness colors to allow
his self defense students to make proper decisions and know when to use deadly
force
to protect
their lives and family. Borrowing Cooper’s Colors for a social crisis
I suggest the following:
Condition White) Circa 1981-1988: Following the Vietnam war, Watergate, and
the Iran hostage crisis, the US was ready for a positive change. During the
Reagan years we challenged the Soviet Union and emerged as the world’s
lone supper power. Despite some evidence to the contrary, we felt that we had
no reason to be concerned by terrorism. Paul Volcker tamed inflation by inducing
a severe recession. We all shared the economic pain, then we shared the rewards
of a growing and stable economy combined with low inflation. Social changes
were being made slowly and with participation from the general public. The
Government rarely took violent actions against protesters. Crime was random
and quickly dealt with by law enforcement.
Tough times, but the US government was working for the People.
Condition Yellow) Circa 1989-1998: The US is struck repeatedly by terrorists
at home and abroad. The Government treats this as a criminal manner. The economy
fluctuates but appears to correct itself rapidly and without visible government
interference. The US starts pursuing free trade and globalization treaties.
Manufacturing, agricultural, and finally high wage jobs are being outsourced.
High risk mortgages and investments are legalized and encouraged. Presidents
Bush (I) and Clinton start talking about and building a “New World Order”.
Social changes are being made to protect and benefit the people in power, without
participation from the general public. The Government begins to track, infiltrate,
and take deadly action against small religious groups and grass roots militias.
Law abiding citizens are blamed for violent crime and gun ownership is highly
regulated. The only bright spot during this decade is the results of the 1994
midterm election and the subsequent Contract with America.
A break of trust between the US Government and the People. Citizens should
store guns, ammo, food, and fuel. Prepare financially, physically, and mentally
for
change.
Condition Orange) Circa 1999-2006: The US is struck repeatedly by terrorists
at home and abroad. The Government responds by aggressive military action designed
to change the conditions in countries hosting terrorists. The economy fluctuates
between extremes of growth and recession, as if no one knows the true worth
of these commodities and major corporations. The Government begins to spend
massive amounts of money on the war and hides this spending off budget. Price
increases affect the availability of food and fuel. Social changes are being
made without participation of the citizens or even the US Congress. The most
offensive of these changes are rammed down the throat of a disbelieving public
by the courts and petty bureaucrats. The heavy handed tactics of the State
and Federal Government begin expanding the number and boldness of protest groups,
well ahead of their attempts to control them. Crime is increasingly organized
by gangs, carried out by minors and illegal aliens, and is funded by illegal
drugs. Law enforcement is not effective against this and many believe the problem
is intractable.
A second break of trust. Citizens should liquidate their financial assets,
purchase and store critical supplies and solar panels, and move to safer locations.
Condition Red) Circa 2007 – ????: High risk loans, derivatives, and credit
default swaps cause huge financial losses and trigger irrational stimulus spending.
The US Treasury and US Federal Reserve start taking up major ownership stakes
in US corporations, then use this position to control the means of production.
They announce plans to create a Federal domestic police force. This may be
used to enforce new requirements for domestic passports, travel restrictions,
and to deal with any visible protests. The Obama Administration is full of
folks committed to new laws regulating guns ownership and banning the sale
of effective defensive weapons, ammo, and reloading components. Large scale
energy, income, and sales tax increases are planned. I believe that Americans
will again be deprived from owning real [precious metals] money. Our currency
will be devalued by perhaps 80% to offset the massive Federal spending. Price
controls
and rationing
of food and fuel will be introduced by executive order. During the Great Depression,
FDR banned the private holding of gold and foreign currency. US dollars
(gold certificates) were replaced by Federal Reserve Notes. Many
banks were closed without returning deposits to account holders and what little
cash was left in the hands of the people was devalued by the Treasury by 40%.
Many folks are moving out of large cities. They are buying rural land and planting
a garden. They are buying and hoarding guns, ammo, food, fuel, and looking
to buy gold and silver. While economic conditions appear bad, the break of
trust
between the Government and the People is more reminiscent of the Civil War
than the Great Depression.
Can You Make an Orderly Transition?
a) Moving Out of the City but Keeping Your Job.
Many folks simply can not leave their big city job and feel trapped. For them,
moving your family out of the city and keeping your present job, and commuting
back and forth may be the best interim solution. You might look at public transportation
in your area and see if you could buy a home near this. Also consider owning
a Jeep or a pickup that can contain survival tools, food storage, hiking boots,
even a mountain bike and commute using that vehicle when you feel that a crisis
could be imminent. You need to practice for this occasionally to find out how
to drive home without using freeways, or clogged intersections, or having to
refill your gas tank. If you plan on biking home, why not try it once a month.
Find out now if it is a viable alternative.
b) Career Changes that Improve Your Preparedness.
Some friends of mine recently underwent a significant career change. They left
their research position at a US government lab in California to take a college
professorship in a small Midwestern town. There are many opportunities for
folks to change careers and significantly improving their preparedness level
without losing their career and every thing they have built. Creating a portable
small business, building a farm or ranch, taking a related job in small town
America are all good ways to improve your position without the big and scary
step of quitting and living off your savings.
c) Transfers and Early Retirement.
I moved out of Los Angeles 25 years ago, to a small desert town three hours
away. I soon plan to retire and move even further away from California and
its enormous
insatiable and unsustainable cities and their outrageous politics. Often times
these transitional changes take years of planning and savings to carry out
successfully. For me, the years of planning and savings are worth it. If you
are just a few years away from retirement, you might want to find out the rules
and calculate how to retire early and how much such a change would cost you
in the long run.
How Can You Bug Out Safely?
d) What are you Bugging Out From.
This may be the most important question. I believe that you must know what
you fear before you can plan what to do, and ultimately where to go. What could
convince you that you must leave your current home? Are you worried about a
natural disaster such as a hurricane, an earthquake, or a tsunami. Perhaps
you are concerned about a 1930s type depression, a renewed terrorist strike,
or a combination of events that teardown the rule of law and allow rioting
and conflict on a nationwide scale. If you are just worried about keep yourself
employed in our current economic mess, you might consider mobility and job
skills more important than bugging out. But if you have come to the conclusion
that the American society will fracture when subjected to enough stress and
that the inevitable reaction to almost any sudden crisis will be rioting and
nationwide loss of the rule of law, you might want to consider moving to an
area where you fit in and are accepted by the community.
e) Selecting the best route and location.
Leaving your “Big City” job and moving back to your home town is
a pretty popular idea right now, perhaps even smarter than trying to start
a new life in a new and strange part of the country. I grew up on a small farm
in the Midwest and am planning to move back to a small farm. When I talk to
my new neighbors I find that I actually have more in common with them culturally
that the folks I have worked with here in California for over 25 years. Truth
is I am still a farm boy who is more concerned with my farm and livestock than
I am with a Lexus or a wide screen entertainment system. No one seems to be
much impressed about my “Big City” job but every one is stoked
that I am a qualified gunsmith and can trap beaver out of the creek.
Some good friends of mine moved back to their home town of Sandpoint, Idaho
about 12 years ago. Northern Idaho seems like a nice enough place when I visited
a back then, but even a couple of local boys with engineering degrees had a
hard time landing a full time job. Perhaps moving where you can actually find
a job and where you can still afford some nice farm land would make more sense
than moving to someone else’s idea of an ideal location, (Sorry, James).
The same applies to your route selection. Staying away from the inner city
areas that always seem to be the flash points for social unrest seems obvious.
But perhaps moving out of the big city early is more important than planning
the best escape route and waiting too long. If you must wait until the last
minute you should consider finding a bug out location that is within a very
short drive, say only a few hours away. Another advantage of have a “local” bug
out location is using as a vacation spot on long weekends. Suddenly, taking
a week off and driving out of the city is more of a regular occurrence. If
you practice it often, it is more likely to work under the added stress of
a real crisis event. [JWR Adds: The drawback to this is that
if your retreat is in close proximity for you, then it is also in close proximity
for The
Golden Horde. A three hour drive out of Los Angeles, is just about where
most refugees will be running out of fuel. Choose your retreat locale wisely,
well-away from exit corridors and natural lines of drift.]
f) What to Carry, What to Pre-position.
Even if you have a very secure location to preposition or cache goods and equipment,
I believe that you need to store the primary means of survival at your home
and be prepared to carry it with you. I define the primary means of survival
as food, water, shelter, clothing, and protection from immediate harm. Secondary
stuff would be the means to sustain life beyond the immediate threat, i.e.
productive land to grow food, livestock, tractors and farm equipment, means
of producing
electrical power, reload ammunition, trade goods, gold and silver. I recommend
that you keep the primary stuff at home and have the means of transporting
it to safety at a moment's notice. You may choose to store the secondary stuff
at your retreat location (and take the risk of theft) or at home (depending
upon your ability to transport it). In practice, I would suggest that the heaviest
and most bulky secondary items should be pre-positioned or cached at the retreat
location.
g) Selecting a Bug Out Vehicle.
If you plan to--or fear you may have to--make a lengthy bug out trip with a
loaded vehicle during crisis conditions you might consider the fuel range and
load capacity as the most important considerations. While recently designed
gasoline vehicles tend to be very reliable and more fuel efficient than trucks
built in the 1970s, their fuel mileage is still much lower than an equivalent
turbo diesel with a manual transmission. Plus it is easier to add significant
auxiliary fuel storage tanks to a diesel. My number one recommendation for
a bug out vehicle is a 1994 thru 1997 Dodge Cummins one ton pickup with a 5
speed
manual transmission and 3.54 rear end. Add a 90 gal Aux. fuel/tool box combo
for 1,900 mile range without stopping to refuel.
What If You Leave Too Early?
h) Leaving When You Should.
Human nature is a funny thing. Through out history folks have remained in very
dangerous conditions, literally losing their own life, because they are afraid
of public ridicule for running away. This was particularly true with the Jews
in 1930s Germany. While leaving may have been difficult and even prohibited
by the Nazis, it was possible. So why did so many folks bow to social pressure
to remain. Who cares what the sheeple think, learn to run like a scared little
rabbit. If you can not move to a safe area permanently, then find a way to
move there temporarily. Look for an opportunity to take a sabbatical, or take
time off to care for an aging parent, or to work part time. Look for anything
that allows you to leave the most dangerous area at the first hint of a crisis.
Yes, your friends may harass you for bugging out too early and slinking back
a couple of weeks later. Just remember who they are and invite only those folks
who seem to understand the risks we appear to be facing.
i) Leaving Yourself a Way to Return.
Please do not plan to max out your credit cards, pull out of your retirement
accounts, or burn bridges with your boss. History is full of folks who thought
they knew the end of the world was coming, only to be forced to deal with reality
the next day. Did you ever hear of the 1840s religious group, the Millerites?
They gave away everything they owned because their leader knew that Christ
would
return
on a particular day. Leave yourself a safe way to return to your old life
if you decision to bug out is wrong. While I believe that it is a much better
plan to live in a safe area all the time than try to predict the event, I also
recognize that many people can not move quickly enough. I believe that the
Bible states that the end will arrive like a thief in the night. No notice,
no warning, one second every thing is fine and the next second the world has
changed radically.
j) Living with Your Mistakes.
It is possible that you will be caught up in a crisis in spite of all your
preparations. Perhaps you needed to travel to a big city hospital or take
a long range flight on just the wrong day. Perhaps a crisis develops while
you
are living your life and not really paying any attention. Life is not going
to send you any emails telling you that the stuff has hit the fan and you
are now on your own. I recommend that you always carry a bug out bag with
the basic
survival food and equipment, and bring along your knowledge, skills, experience
with you. Carry enough gold, silver, and cash to replace some of your preparations
and allow you to purchase the means to get home if you are caught taking
a long distance flight.
Summary.
There really is not any way to know what they future is going to look like.
We could experience a long degrading slide into the dust bin of history (France,
Spain, Japan) or in a blinding flash of cataclysm (1917 Russia, 1934 Germany,
2001 Argentina). We could be looking at a repeat of the Great Depression,
a World Was over the remaining oil supplies, or a second Civil War. What
I do know is that our Government has been corrupted and is responding to the
unbridled greed of an elite few and against the needs of the many.
Studying our own history and the history of other developed nations under
similar shows
two clear possible futures: Those that shared the pain recovered, those that
spared the elite at the expense of the many suffered from long debilitating
economic depressions that often decayed into Civil War, Fascism, or Communism.
I would rather face the future surrounded by like-minded people in an area
that can support both my life and a sustainable society. A society that is
not dependent on long distance transportation of critical goods, non-renewable
energy sources, centralized control and just in time deliveries, or intensive
industrialized agriculture. I was born on a small farm in the breadbasket
of the world, and I want my country back!
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Letter Re: Offshore G.O.O.D.--Do You Have Your Papers?
We all know that many Jews saw the handwriting on the wall in a pre-WWII Germany,
but failed to leave, or could they not leave? There was obviously a window
of opportunity for most to leave but why did so many miss it? Some were not
wealthy, but were able to escape. Some had the money, so why could they not
leave? If
one only has a few moments in which to leave a foreign country, is the house
in order? My sister dwelled on this problem and then looked at her own family.
She was
the only one with a passport. Consider:
- How many families in Jewish families in Germany had passports or visas?
- How many parents had passports, but not for their [late teenage] children?
- How
many had no passports?
- How many had the currency of the country they wished
to flee to?
- How many had sufficient sums of the foreign currency?
- How long does it take
to get a passport in your country?
- How long does it take to get a visa to the
place to where you wish to flee?
After asking these questions, another reason why many Jews did not leave WWII
Germany becomes obvious: they could not leave! Not enough paperwork, or no paperwork.
King Solomon said "there is nothing new under the sun", so what was done in
Germany has been done in other countries to keep a population "in" before
that same government would eliminate it. The pattern and signs should be the
same.
In most large countries like the U.S., folks have a place to go where the government
may not be able to reach, but in smaller countries this may not be the case.
In summary, it might be a good idea for every family member to have a
passport. (At least for those live in an area where the government can reach
it's tentacles to
every corner of the country, like in WWII Germany). Even Joseph had to
flee
with his wife and son to get away from King Herod! Furthermore, in the US,
what if you wanted to flee to Canada? Or in Canada, what if you wanted to flee
to
the U.S.?
Lastly, consider that some countries will not allow entry without certain
vaccinations. So if a family is to have a plan B or plan C bug out emigration
plan, then
that plan needs to include the vaccination requirements for that country.
- Rick B.
« Letter Re: Backpackers of the Apocalypse: Selecting and Ultra-Lighting Your Bug-Out Bag |Main| Note from JWR: »
Letter Re: Viability of Central America Retreat Locales?
Hi Mr. Rawles,
I thank you sincerely for all of the great information that you
have made available to us all, for all your years of experience and knowledge.
I have what I hope will be an interesting question for you. I am
young, 25, and currently work for an NGO in
Nicaragua and previously did the Peace Corps work here as well. I have been
pondering over how reasonable Nicaragua
would/could be as a retreat location, for numerous reasons, such as, in any
given area:
- Rich topsoil and annual rains
- Extremely low population density (lowest in
Central America)
- Low real estate prices
- Low real estate taxes
- An abundance of excellent [self-sufficient retreat]
locations
These reasons make it seem to me, at least, as someone with minimal financial
resources, as the best option, since preparing a retreat would be so much cheaper
than in the USA.
There are, however, many downsides, such as:
- Lack of other prepared people
- Long distance from where I will be living (the
USA)
- Lack of medical supplies, qualified doctors, etc.
These make me tend to believe that one would have to be of the lone ranger
type...or at least accept that others that would accompany one would
not bring any material resources to the table, only experience (especially
in agriculture,
animal husbandry, do it yourself repairs, etc.). Because a big plus in
the Nicaraguan economy is that it is already very subsistence based - cooking
is
done with firewood outside of the cities, soap can be made, etc.).
However, I always ask myself this question: When TSHTF,
if I am living in the USA, will I be able to make it to my retreat in Nicaragua
in time? Since
I
love Nicaragua and speak Spanish, etc., for me it stands out as an ideal
location, however, I want to ask your advice on this particular question:
When TSHTF,
would you leave yourself a long plane flight and [an additional] 100+ KM [by
road] from your retreat location?
I hope this question warrants real interest on your part and that it is
a legitimate concern that other readers of SurvivalBlog can learn from. -
Daniel G.
JWR Replies: I only consider offshore retreats viable if
you relocate semi-permanently, and don't attempt to "time" your departure.
That might work in a "slow slide" scenario, but unless you are an
experienced blue water yachtsman and live within a few miles of where you keep
a fully-stocked
sailboat, it just won't work in the event of a sudden-onset
collapse. (Driving would probably be impossible, since borders will be closed,
and flying won't
be an option since most international flights will presumably be grounded.)
Given the high crime rates in much of central and south America, it is important
to find a farming community that is in a low-crime area. It is absolutely essential
to learn Spanish muy rapido, and to develop close friendships with
locals as soon as possible. Most of the Americans that I know that have made
this transition
successfully have either married into local families, or have set up companies
that have employed a dozen or more local employees. (Thus, the employers have
made themselves indispensable to the community.)
The financial crisis will becoming increasingly global, so don't consider yourself
insulted by merely living in a a rural community in Nicaragua. Arm yourself,
get good firearms training, and if possible acquire a Starlight scope and a passive
IR intrusion detection system, such as a Dakota Alert. (The latter are sold by
Affordable Shortwaves--one
of our advertisers.) Kalashnikov (
AK)
rifles
are ubiquitous in Central America, so I recommend taking AK-centric
classes, such as those
taught by Gabe Suarez.
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Two Letters Re: Backpackers of the Apocalypse: Selecting and Ultra-Lighting Your Bug-Out Bag
Hello Mr. Rawles,
Thanks again for this blog; it's my nightly reading before bedtime. Regarding
the letter from John the Midwestern Hiker, here are some other possibilities/opinions
about bug-out bags. Naturally, edit as you see fit, should any of this merit
mentioning....
Because I live in a large metropolitan area in the eastern US,
I try to remain prepared for just such a bug-out event. I know approximately
how much time I would need and how much fuel I would need in order to arrive
in "Free America"--my fuel tank is never less than 3/4ths full. I
have at least two places along the way where I have a stash of related items
for
addition
and/or replenishment (at friends/relatives places) and I also now keep a few
MREs in
my vehicle, no longer only as part of the winter travel kit. I am familiar
enough with the middle third of the USA that I would not really need
even a map. In a bug-situation, my hardest decision would be the first decision:
leave immediately or wait?
Although I try to keep active year 'round, I do most of my hiking and backpacking
in the 6 months that are not winter. In my opinion the most important items in
my packs are (listed in order of importance) 1) water filtration and/or purification
2) non-folding hunting knife 3) rain gear, including water-proof and insulated
gloves and clothing items 4) basic compass 5) basic First Aid kit 6) food items
with a good mix of high carbohydrates, fat and protein 7) finally, a good sleeping
bag.
Some down bags now have waterproof material; non-down bags (such as Wiggy's)
will have insulating function, dry or wet. The investment in a good, well-fitted
pair of hiking boots is a given.
In addition to the above, I do carry a tent for the appropriate season/elevation
and MSR gas stove with the familiar red fuel canister and other odd miscellany,
like a drinking bottle and a spork. While the small canister stoves are light
and convenient, if one were to do much backpacking at all, a small fortune will
be spent on fuel, in addition to finding a place to properly discard the empties.
If I were ever to get into the ultra-light mindset, I wouldn't even bother---use
fuel tablets such as Esbit. Probably not even have much of a tent either.
I have two packs that are always packed--one for early-/late-season/winter
conditions, the other for normal summer. As a precaution I always plan for winter
conditions
and wet weather when in the mountains--elevation is everything! I've
been in below sub-freezing conditions at high elevations in August, not to mention
the
usual monsoon season in the Rockies in the fall. Upon returning I take care of
all cleaning, washing, repairs and re-packing of items, including freeze-dried
foods, which usually have a long shelf life. With everything pre-packed, it is
possible for me to grab two packs, toss 'em into my vehicle and bug out. A Google
search [on "ultra-light backpacking"] will come up with many sites providing
lots
of
information.
However,
I
highly recommend the wonderful, good ol' standard "The Complete Walker" by
the late Colin Fletcher (may his Welsh hiking soul now hike in peace!) and the
still-very-much-alive Chip Rawlins. This book is at least in it's fourth version
by now, and makes for wonderful reading, especially by the fireplace in winter!
Everything you'll need to know about having your "house on your back" is
covered in great detail in this book.
While I don't expect to be faced with a bug-out situation any time soon, I
do believe that backpacking, in addition to being a fun way to see the world,
is
also a good physical and mental preparation if such an event were to happen.
History is full of "unexpected" events! Cheers, - Mark S.
Mr. Rawles;
I agree with John about the ultralight camping equipment. A Sil-Nylon Cat Tarp,
sleeping quilt from Jack's R Better, Pad, Food, Water, personal hygiene,
and cooking gear for 3 or 4 days can easily be put together under 16 pounds,
including the pack. The days of the 50 pound (or heavier) one week pack are,
thankfully, long gone.
Now, if you want to talk Super Ultralight, like my nine pound three-day
load, (which includes my clothes and boots on my feet), you have to be willing
to make much of your gear...but there are patterns all over the S/UL
blogs and sites on the net. - Mike on the Res.
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Backpackers of the Apocalypse: Selecting and Ultra-Lighting Your Bug-Out Bag, by John the Midwestern Hiker
When in the course of human events it becomes necessary to get out of Dodge,
a decent respect for the integrity of one’s spine demands that every item
in your bug-out bag be submitted to a candid evaluation. Forgive me for cheekily
paraphrasing the Declaration of Independence, but it does make a point that every
preparedness minded individual needs to consider:
if and when you need to get out fast with only the items you can carry on your
back, what are you going to take, and what are you going to carry it in?
The first major consideration that you need to, um, well, consider, is the type
of pack you will want to select (If you already have a pack and know how to use
it, then, please, skip a paragraph.) There are two types of packs popular today:
internal frame and external frame.
As the name implies, an internal frame pack has a rigid metal frame buried
deep within the bowels of the pack. Internal frame packs are designed to perform
well
on rugged and treacherous terrain. They ride close to the body and are heavily
padded for comfort. The actual stowage space on an internal frame is the long,
narrow pack body. All your goods are accessed from the top, which can be a
problem if the item you’re trying to find is tucked away in the bottom
corner of the pack.
An external frame pack is essentially a metal frame with hip belts, a pack,
and some convenient nylon mesh pockets attached to it. External frames are
designed
for easy access and a large carrying capacity: if something won’t fit
in the pack itself, just lash it on to the frame and off you go! The drawback
of
external frame packs is that they tend not to be nearly as self-contained and
well balanced as internal frame packs.
The selection of a pack really depends on your personal preference, and the environment
that you anticipate you will be carrying it in. As I live near mountainous terrain,
I favor an internal frame configuration. Go to a local sporting goods shop and
try on a couple of different packs to find one that fits your body and the climate.
After you’ve selected your pack and figured out the straps and buckles
(can’t help you there, every pack is different.) you will need to determine
what to pack. Camping stores offer plenty of fun-looking, lightweight gadgets
like origami snapware and ‘backpacker’ camp chairs. Resist the
urge to buy these. Your pack will be quite heavy enough just carrying the essentials.
The human body needs three elements to survive in the outdoors: these are, in
order of importance; water, shelter, and food. When you pack your bug-out bag,
focus on these three essentials.
Water: Without water, even the toughest individual would be dead in a matter
of days. Pack three means of purifying water: a hand-pump filter, preferably
an easily cleaned ceramic model, water purification tablets, and a fuel efficient
backpacking stove to boil water for drinking, cleaning, and cooking. Of course,
you can usually build a fire to boil water with, but you may not always have
the time or energy. Always, always filter water before drinking, it may look
clean, but if it’s not [free of microorganisms], you could wind up ‘running’ out
both ends.
Shelter: In most climates for most of the year you will want to have a tent
along. Most backpacking tents are sturdy enough for hiking and camping in spring,
summer, and fall, but are inadequate in heavy snow or cold-weather conditions.
My advice
would be to have two tents: a lightweight, well-ventilated backpacking tent
for summer situations and a heavy duty ["four season"] dome tent for winter.
Change the tents and
clothing in your pack, seasonally.
Food: You will be limited in how much food you can carry, regardless of the
size and weight of your pack. My personal favorite is Mountain House freeze-dried
food. Pound for pound, freeze-dried
food weighs less and tastes better than any
other
backpacking food I have ever used. An additional bonus is that, being dehydrated,
all you have to do is add water, swish it around and eat it right out of the
pouch. I have experimented with many other kinds of food over the course of
my
backpacking career, and none has matched the convenience, weight, taste, and
portability of freeze-dried
food.
For food preparation, consider carrying a lightweight stove. You can survive
without one, but I wouldn’t recommend it. Some models of stove can run
on multiple fuel types, and if you are planning on roughing it long term, a
flex-fuel model is a smart choice.
Personally, I use the Jetboil, because it is self-contained, lightweight,
easy to clean, and very, very fuel efficient, which is good, because it runs
off of
a specialized fuel mix.
If you want to eat the food you prepare, bring along an insulated metal mug and
a fork/spoon/knife combination utensil. Do not, under any circumstances, pack
or buy origami eat ware. Although it is lightweight, it is also ridiculously
flimsy. So, unless you want to be eating out of your bare hands, go with a good
old fashioned mug and spork.
Some items are not absolute essentials, but are very, very nice to have. The
first and most important nonessential item is camper’s toilet paper. Some
locales, especially in the west, lack herbage with soft, fluffy leaves, so unless
you want to use pine needles (very strongly not recommended.) or hay (again,
from personal experience—don’t try it.) bring along camper’s
toilet paper, which is essentially super-absorbent toilet paper on a streamlined
roll.
Supplement
this supply with natural substitutes whenever you can.
In that same vein, bring along a sturdy plastic garden spade to bury your waste
with. Make sure you store this shovel in a sealed plastic bag.
A tough, sturdy plastic tarp is another useful nonessential. A tarp can serve
as the footprint for your tent, or you can use it as a ground cloth to sleep
out under the stars in nice weather. Bring along a spool of medium-weight nylon
cord so you can use the tarp as a cooking fly or to augment your tent in heavy
rain.
A sturdy, closed-cell foam sleeping pad will make your nights much more comfortable.
Avoid generic brands if you can, because they tend to be much thinner and are
more prone to tearing. I have a Thermarest Ridgerest foam pad that has lasted
me for five years and is still in good shape. Although inflatable sleeping pads
are more comfortable than foam pads, they tend to leak, and are generally more
prone to failure.
Another item that should probably be an essential is a good knife. A sharp cutting
tool is essential to human survival. Bring along a sharpener that is effective
and that you are comfortable using. If you are planning on making a fire, a hatchet
is also useful, but not essential.
Well, that’s it. This is all the essential gear that you will need for
your bug-out bag. Remember, these are the essentials. You will want to pack other
items in order to fill out your bug-out bag; things like ammunition, a slingshot,
and duct tape (of course.) After you assemble your pack and gear, make sure that
you go on at least one week-long trek, so that you can practice packing and carrying
your bug-out-bag. Keep your bag packed and ready if you don’t live at your
predetermined retreat site. You may be carrying it sooner than you think.
« Economics and Investing: |Main| Letter Re: That Leaking Body in Your Living Room »
Letter: Re: Storing Emergency Supplies in Plastic Tote Bins for Rapid Evacuation
Dear Mr. Rawles,
R.D. of Wyoming mentioned a very practical way of storing supplies - in 22
gallon plastic tote bins, each with a good variety of items to last about
one month. Perhaps this is a basic system for many, but I hadn't thought
of it
myself
and plan
to rearrange our storage items in a similar manner as soon as I can.
Presently, I am laid up with a broken leg so am 'dead in the water' for working
on our storage program. My darling husband is tolerant of my 'hobby' but
is definitely not one to work on it himself.
I want to remind everyone out there that a broken leg or other calamity can
complicate your life very suddenly and not afford you the time to get what
you need to survive. Being well prepared beforehand is so basic but it is
something that a lot of people do not do, thinking "someday" they'll
get around to it. My well-stocked larder has been such a practical help while
I've not
been able to get out at all to shop.
I thank you for your informative blog and I thank R.D. for this simple but
practical storage solution. - M.C. in Arizona
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Old Frontier Forts as Alternative Bug Out Locations?, by R.D. in Wyoming
I wish to present an alternative prep situation that I have not really seen talked
about on your blog and at other other sites. First a small bit of biographical background and anecdotes to explain
my reasons for what I (now recently we) are doing.
Ten years ago, I retired from the military (26+ years, Life Scout (in a younger
form) and an ex-scout leader (both Boy and Girl Scouts), fixed income with a
part time job, never lived at one address longer than three years (requirement
of
military
lifestyle), hobbies oriented to colonial/fur trade eras (see anecdote), recent
earnest prepper (caused by that feeling in the pit of my stomach and head that
things really aren't right and not going to get better). Fiscally responsible
but bought the "earned your retirement" false dream long ago--that
can't be changed now.
While in the military a lifestyle of semi-preparedness was necessary because
of my low income. (I suffered through the
Carter and Clinton administrations). We canned food from our garden wherever
we
were
stationed
to
stretch
the food budget and teach our children how to make their own food; we cut firewood
for heat in some locales; we relied on kerosene lamp back-up lighting and camp
stove cooking because of unreliable base power grids. At one base I was even
visited by the Public Works officer to find out why my quarters had lights during
a power outage. Imagine his surprise to find both lights and heat off the grid,
plus all my neighbors and their children warm and well fed.
At times, while in the service, we qualified for assistance food and
based upon those experiences have reached some unconventional decisions. Assistance
food usually meant a five-pound block of USDA cheese, #10 cans of dehydrated
soups or powdered eggs, surplus breads and very large containers of dried milk.
When
you
open these it becomes a use-it-or-lose-it menu even for a family of four!
My colonial/fur trades hobbies came about with involvement in Scouting, teaching
merit badges, Indian skills and camp crafts. They are both enjoyable and practical
from a barter-trades aspect: hide tanning/leatherworking, moccasin and footwear
making, non-manufactured clothing making (no zippers or buttons) and
using trade cloth/blankets), primitive cooking and camping skills and pioneering--the
art of using logs and rope to construct bridges, platforms and watch towers,
cranes and jack-legs, and other basic heavy lifting rigs. I highly recommend
adding Scouting handbooks and merit badge books (older printings) to family
preparedness libraries. There is a
wealth of information there!
Last year, while looking for our current home, I was really taken with a 1950s
home that still had a primo Civil Defense specification bomb shelter in the
back yard, primarily as a safe place for my reloading and weapons storage.
It was
the
high end style
that
was connected to the basement of the house with a concrete tunnel, doored at
both ends, and three feet underground. It was in mild disrepair: vent system
damaged and entrance sealed off at the house, but repairable. We passed on
that house because it was in the end too small for our needs and in a shall-we-say
"unstable" neighborhood.
Six months after purchasing our current home my wife, out of the blue, says
that
maybe we should have bought the other house! This from a woman that has made
disparaging remarks when I have added to our LBE kits and checked the status
of our "homeland defense" items.
She seems to have had an epiphany after our taxes were prepared when she wanted
to know why we had not taken the $3,000 credit from our small investment nest
egg
before and I explained that we had never lost over half of it to the economy!
When the "boss" changed
her attitude and became interested in my "below the radar" preps,
I started to include her in the decision and prioritizing of what to buy and
the impacts on our limited budget.
"Below the radar" preps means passing off a purchase as some other
need (diplomatic when not everyone is on board with the idea): a small generator
was
for our tent camper, food items were for this summer when our grandson visits
or to replace things lost in a move, water jugs were because of the places
where we camp, extra gas cans were for the lawn mower (a stretch but it worked),
the
FRS radios
were an aid when we are out hiking, though there was no need to disguise the
increase
in reloading components when the election results were in.
All this brings me to our different style of prepping.
While I would like to be able to stock up as is generally noted and advocated,
our finances and storage space do not permit the expenditure of the amounts
necessary to buy in bulk. Also from my experiences in the military I don't
like to place all my eggs in one basket. I will admit that while
it is more expensive per unit cost, it is also more "do-able" in
an on-going practical sense on a fixed income and has an unforeseen future
benefit.
We make our storage food purchases with only the two of us in immediate mind,
to aid in use and rotation, by buying individual serving packages for most
of the items that we get: boxes of rice sealed in boil-in-bag pouches, powdered
milk in boxes that have quart size servings inside, individual packages of
Ramen
style noodles, small cans of fruits and vegetables (the type with the pull-off
lids), non-refrigerated microwave meals that serve one (these are very practical
as they go in our lunches on a daily basis), individual packet boxes of instant
oatmeal, and normal sizes of canned meat, chicken and fish. Some items naturally
are bought in what would be normal sizes but for only the two of us they seem
to last forever: Five pound bags of flour, sugar, cornmeal, coffee and pancake
mixes. The primary factor in these purchases is getting the longest expiration
dates
that we can find. All this gets put into 22 gallon Totes that have latches
for the lids but only one container of each item per Tote: a box of rice, a
box
of milk,
salt, coffee, etc., 4 each of the fruits and vegetables (36 total), 4 rolls
of toilet paper and towels, strike anywhere matches, sets of durable plastic
knife, fork and spoon, zip-lock bag of 28 individual size soap, 4 empty plastic
bullet boxes that hold
4 Bic style [disposable butane] lighters, 2 packets each type garden seeds.
This list is not complete, but you get the idea. The content of each Tote equate
to one
month's
food and paper needs and is movable by even our 13 year old grandson. We currently
have six totes filled, after only four months of serious additions. We are
trying to add
one Tote a month in addition to the other things that we are getting. My part-time
job provides the funds for this so what we can get depends on what else is
on a priority that month. We do have an additional Tote that holds 36 MREs
and is
marked for priority loading. Our water is stored in the newer G.I. five-gallon
plastic water cans, available at flea markets. These are stored in a dark storage
room.
Our
small
camper
is
always stocked and ready to go no matter what season of the year.
Now for the reasoning behind this method. If TSHTF or TEOTWAWKI occurs
it may be gradual or a traumatic event requiring different tactics. If gradual
and
we can hunker down while finishing up necessaries, only one Tote at a time
needs
to be opened to augment what we have. If traumatic, anyone can carry/load the
Totes into one of several available G.O.O.D. vehicles or the trailer while
another watches their "six". The urgency of a bug-out may dictate how much
can be loaded
in the time available. The more Totes that can be grabbed, the longer we can
make do but the MRE Tote and water is always loaded first. This is in addition
to B.O.B.s and
homeland defense items.
Now for the unforeseen future benefits that I mentioned. As you have noted
several times and places, I too could not turn away others that are in need
if I can
help. But giving someone a #10 can of beans or soup will not really help them.
A grocery bag of individual servings that they are familiar with and provide
variety and full meals for one or two days plus a means to heat it will help
while not depleting our stores. Secondly, if a bad guy finds a single Tote
with a few of everything in it, they may assume that's all there is
and not attempt to engage in a protracted search for more.
One last item that may not meet with approval but is out-of-the-box thinking
in the selection of several fallback retreat sites that most others probably
will not think of. If we cannot stay in the city, as small as it is,
I have found a couple of locales that would prove ideal. One is a semi-restored
1870s military post. Yes, I know that I don't own it in the
traditional sense though I have paid for it through my taxes, but if there
is no more
authority in force, it could prove useful. The fort is already set up to function
without power as we are used to, just coal
or wood heat and cooking (there is no electricity on site), bulletproof buildings
and pre-determined fields of fire, close to a year round water source, small
homes
for families
and barracks for singles and designed by some of the best military minds of
their times. Even has a powder magazine and jail! It also has a very low visitor
count.
If it is occupied or contested, no problems, as there are others at regular
distances closer or farther. If not, then it allows for a rally point and the
expansion of a
Group as others arrive that are aware of my thinking. And they are not unique
to our Area of Operations (AO).
I have been to some really complete ones back east, in the south, and
on the west coast. Let your mind do the walking.
I didn't realize how long this became. If you find it suitable for
others to see to help them achieve their goals with limited or minimal means,
please feel free to chop it as necessary.
Very Respectfully of your efforts to aid others, - R.D. in Wyoming
JWR Replies: That is an interesting concept, but implementing
as you describe would require a quite unique set of circumstances. Namely,
it could only happen if there were
a sudden an near total collapse of society, and if all law
enforcement evaporated overnight. It is far more likely that we will witness
a "slow slide"
from recession
to
depression, (and then, much less likely) to collapse. For most that continuum, your actions would be seen
as criminal, and you'd quickly attract the attention of government. So then
you might end up behind some other very
stout walls. And BTW, any of these forts that are on National Forest or National
Park land are considered Federal property, so any occupation deemed "trespassing"
would be a Federal offense and likely carry a much more severe penalty than
trespass on state or county parklands. So it is best to make this a "very
low likelihood"
contingency plan.
In my estimation the only pragmatic way to occupy an old
fort in the midst of a slow slide situation would be to include representatives
of county, state or perhaps even Federal government as part of your planned
cadre, and characterize
it all
as a "continuity
of government" (COG)
endeavor. Bureaucrats often enjoy thinking (or pretending) that they come up
with original ideas. Given the promise of safety for "selected"
people, this should not be too difficult to orchestrate, especially as the
economy worsens and the crime rate escalates. Creating a nexus with a governmental
organization could be as complex as getting qualified as an EMT, or as simple
as joining a
Sheriff's Posse,
joining a County
SAR team,
or becoming a RACES-affiliated
ham radio operator.
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Letter Re: A Short Term Home Evacuation Taught Some Lessons
Sir,
Thanks for SurvivalBlog and the efforts you put into it. I have read your
online information over the years, going back to just before Y2K.
Your insights, common sense and information diversity are great indicators of
what it means to prep, get prepped and maintain. I have a few of your books,
and have used your information and insights to help get my brother and his family
started on preps.
Recently, I experienced a situation that required evacuation and relocation on
a personal/ family level. In our utility area, where the washer and dryer are,
we had a fire. I was at work, my wife at home, with our pets (two cats), The
smoke
detector went off, My wife got out of the house with the pets and the strong
box, and the Fire Department showed up quickly, getting the fire out and reducing
damage on a very large scale. The smoke smell is not bad, but anything that burns
can have other chemical issues that are negative to your health, especially if
you already have allergies, or illnesses. Due to the smoke, however and a request
from our insurance company to not use any appliances until inspections could
be completed, we had to relocate to another place. Our policy covered a hotel,
and we had an alternate location for the pets. We are now all co located in the
alternate location, and the day to day living goes on, with minimal (fortunately)
changes. (The clean up cost around $6,000 in USD.)
This brings up the subject of rapid evacuation and not necessarily having any
load out time for kits, supplies or BOB/G.O.O.D. bags. For my wife, she got out
in
about three minutes, including the 911 call.
Fortunately we were able to get back into the house and secure things like additional
clothing and the bulk of our kit. This was after the fact and not able to do
so during the event. Again I was at work, my wife at home, my step daughter at
school for the day.
However, this brings to mind a few learning points.
A. It is not enough to have Smoke and CO detectors only in the main living quarters
of your home. Get them in your utility rooms and garage as well.
B. Take the time to add adequate fire extinguishers in those same locations (ABC
chemical and larger than the car trunk style about the size of a quart bottle)
C. Review your coverage before you need it. Car/Home/ Renters insurance. Like
other preps, this is something that needs review, just like inventories.
D. Maintain a solid contact list. Update the list and the contacts on your situation
asap.
E. Some add on suggestions to the strongbox, for your important papers, Stamps
and envelopes, both calling cards and a few rolls of quarters for immediate laundry
when possible.72 hours worth of clothing is quickly run through. (We had to mail
in our house payment, but I had to get stamps, "Doh" to me for that one.)
Thanks, - T. in the Pacific Northwest
« Note from JWR: |Main| Jim's Quote of the Day: »
Bug Out Vehicle Cooling Systems for Extreme Emergencies, by The Oddshot
Vehicles break down. It’s a fact of life. Most breakdowns can be avoided
by following a good schedule of preventative maintenance or with a couple of
well thought out modifications. But, try as you might, failures can and will
occur, even to the best of us.
Anything can put you on the side of the road. Ever run out
of gas? Have a flat tire? Bad universal joint on a drive shaft? Charging system
go bad? This
one happened to me just a few weeks ago. To get an idea of what can go wrong,
just drive to work. Look at the cars stuck on the side of the road. A good
habit
is to make a mental inventory of what you can see that sidelined these vehicles
and prepare for worse.
As I said, try as you might, you just cannot prepare for everything.
If you had the time and money, I don’t think it would help. I’ve
seen brand new parts, fresh out of the box, break down.
But you can learn techniques and tricks that can get you back up and running
when you do not have the time or parts to fix it text-book
correct and must get
moving as quickly as possible and keep moving in the
extreme.
The Cooling System
An internal combustion engine is basically a “heat machine”. In
an internal combustion engine a fuel/air mixture contained within a closed
cylinder and is set on fire…the burning mixture expands pushing the piston
down…and on and on until you have power to the rear wheels. A diesel
engine is similar but the fuel/air mixture explodes in the cylinder instead
of being burned.
For the record...the difference between the two engines is the spark plug of
the gasoline engine. When the spark bridges the gap between the electrodes,
the compressed mixture is ignited, and the burning of mixture does the rest.
This spark must be repeated over and over to keep the fires
burning. This process can be demonstrated by use of a device used to tune British
Cars with dual
SU carbs, called a Gunson Color Tune. An explanation of the device with pictures
of the flame front can be seen at the
Gunson Color Tuning web page.
Please note that several time in this article, the author mentions "the
flame" and its color. When the mixture is correct...the color
of the flame in the cylinder will be the same color as the flame found on your
gas burner: a
pretty blue color.
A diesel engine has no repeating spark ... The mixture in the diesel engine
explodes due to the engine's extremely high compression ratio. To be sure ...
a diesel engine has "igniters" or glow plugs which are really just
heating elements that that aid in warming up the cylinder before starting so
this explosion can occur. But this is just for cold starts. After
the engine has started the glow plugs turn off...and the mixture continues
to be set off
by compression.
A simple proof of this is to listen to a diesel (especially an older Mercedes
Benz sedan) when it accelerates...that characteristic rattling sound is indeed
the sound of the explosions.
It is possible for a gasoline engine to produce this type of sound.
If the timing is advanced to far, or if the temperature in side the combustion
chamber
becomes too high, then the gasoline mixture will indeed explode before
the piston is at top dead center, and we will hear the sound of these explosions.
This
is sometimes referred to as "ping" or "knock" or "detonation".
Sometimes these explosions can become so violent
that they can blow a hole in the top of a piston, and cause the ring lands
to collapse or pound out a
rod bearing.
An engine delivers most power and fuel efficiency at a particular operating
range, usually about 180 degrees (more or less depending on
the engine specs). Below this range the engine will drink fuel,
it will run rough and be way down on power. In the extreme, if there
in not sufficient heat in the engine a carburetor may even clog with ice in
its bores. At the other extreme, if
an engine gets too hot, it will overheat.
The coolant’s temperature
will climb and so will coolant system pressures. The result: you are stuck
on the side of the road.
Over the years I have seen coolant system hoses blown off. I have seen
cylinder head gaskets leak. I have seen cylinder heads warp. I have seen
piston rings cook themselves into pistons, and I have seen pistons seize themselves
into engine blocks, all due to too much heat in the engine.
Keeping coolant temperatures within a correct range is vitally important.
So how does the cooling system work? A thermostat controls the flow of water
through the cooling system. The thermostat opens and closes its disc-like valve
using an internal wax ball and an external spring. When the engine is below
operating temperature the thermostat will shut its valve. When the thermostat
is closed, water, moved by the water pump, circulates through the engine block
and cylinder head only, allowing the water to come up to operating
temperature. The closed valve disc on the thermostat prevents the water from
passing through
the radiator. When that water in the engine reaches a temp of about 180 degrees
(depending on the engine specs) the thermostat’s valve opens and
allows the hot water to pass through the radiator where it is cooled by outside
air. The thermostat then cycles open and closed to maintain normal operating
temperature in the engine.
An engine that runs too cool will only be inefficient. This can be repaired
easily by simply blocking off the flow of air through the radiator.
An engine that runs too hot can leave you on the side of the road.
Any number of factors can cause a cooling system to allow an engine too run
hot. Assuming you already have the proper amount of coolant in the
system,
some of these factors include: a thermostat that has stuck completely or even
partially
closed, a partially clogged radiator, a bad radiator cap, a damaged water pump,
a water pump that has a bad seal allowing air into the system causing the impeller
to loose efficiency by pumping a water and air mix, a failed head gasket that
is allowing hot combustion gases into the cooling system, a broken or slipping
water pump drive belt.
These are just a number of factors that will cause coolant system failure.
To properly fill a cooling system, Follow the manufacturer’s
instructions. These can sometimes be found in the owner’s handbook or
a good workshop manual.
In General: With the engine off and the engine block
cool (there
danger of showering yourself with boiling hot water if the engine is hot!),
remove the radiator cap and fill the radiator. Start the engine
and allow the
engine
to
come up
to
normal
operating
temperature on the gauge. The thermostat should open. On some
(most) vehicles, the
opening of the thermostat is preceded by a rising coolant level that may overflow
the radiator. Then the coolant level will drop sharply, as now the entire system
is open and flowing. once the level drops, fill the radiator
to its proper level and put the cap back on the radiator.
On vehicles with overflow tanks the process is slightly different, only in
that you fill the radiator fully, put on its pressure cap, and then
fill the overflow container to the marks indicated.
Maintenance and Modifications
Because of its importance, a vehicle’s coolant system should be inspected
and maintained regularly. In addition to fresh caps, thermostat hoses and clamps,
make sure the coolant is a correct mix of antifreeze and water.
Due to its location out in front, the radiator is a particularly
vulnerable part of the cooling system. Some radiator problems can be avoided
by regularly inspecting the coolant in it and changing it regularly. If this
coolant ever becomes brown or rusty in color, get the cooling system, especially the
radiator flushed. Remove all bugs, dead baby birds and other debris from the
radiator to maintain a good air flow through it.
The risk of holes in the radiator can be lessened by removing that
plastic grille and
anything else out in front of the radiator and replacing it something more
substantial and foreign object-proof.
You can make your own grille easily with some steel bar or rod stock (rebar
will work) and a piece of chain link fencing. If you can get one inch square
chain
link fencing, even better. It might not look real good, but
it will keep a lot of branches, stones, and birds from knocking a hole in all
that soft brass.
Replacing the front bumper with a taller, sturdier unit, maybe
one with push bars, will keep some of the bigger stuff (deer, other vehicles,
etc) out of the radiator.
Depending on your states laws, remove all pollution
equipment, certainly
the catalytic converter. Whatever you can do to reduce under hood temperatures
will be a big help. An air pump robs horsepower and builds
engine heat with its parasitic drag. That catalytic converter is just a storehouse
of heat.
Remove the metal cooling fan and install electric fan for engine cooling.
If you take a hard front hit, those metal bladed fans will destroy a
radiator. You can do this job with a junk yard fan unit, or find something
in the JC Whitney catalogue or any speed shop. As a side benefit, you
may see some improvement in fuel economy, due to the reduction of parasitic
drag. Wire this
electric fan with a sensor and manual override switch on
dash.
Consider installing an oversized radiator and coolant overflow tank.
Trucks that came with air conditioning generally have the
biggest radiators. The more coolant you have in the cooling system, the further
you
can go if the radiator
gets a hole in it and you just can’t stop to fix it right away.
Remove
the air conditioning system completely. More flow through the radiator, less
drag from the pump.
Incorrect ignition timing can cause overheating. Check with
a timing light and set to manufacturer’s specs.
Get rid of all your vehicle's inexpensive “spring tension”-type
cooling system hose clamps.
Replace them with new “screw type” (Aero-Seal)
hose clamps. Never, unless
you have no other choice, re-use an old hose clamp. It will just
fail on you.
In your “Get Out Of Dodge” kit you should have spare
belts, hoses, clamps, caps and thermostats. Always carry a can or two of Stop
Leak. Yellow and brown cans of Barr’s
Stop Leak have always been in the trunks of my cars. Always keep at
least a couple of gallons of water for coolant and a suitable
empty container to get more if needed.
Remember this. During the course of my 30 years as a mechanic I have seen
many new thermostats and radiator caps go bad in a few miles,
hoses that just refuse to stay seated, cylinder head gaskets that go bad for
no apparent reason, and
on and on and on.
So, an overheat can still happen. What then?
Failures in the Extreme
Symptoms of a cooling system failure include a higher than normal (and sometimes
rising) temperature gauge reading, steam coming from under the hood, or a pool
of coolant under the vehicle. If you’ve run the engine so hot, so long
that you hear a knocking noise, you’ve run it too long.
During the course of 30 years I heard hundreds of times, "I only
ran it for five minutes after the temperature light came on,"
while I was looking at a car that now needed thousands of dollars of engine
repair
that could have been avoided. This was in the best of times. In
the extreme,
you must address a cooling system problem as soon
as possible to
be able to keep moving.
Some coolant system problems are fairly easy to diagnose. A broken, leaking
or collapsing coolant hose is easy to spot. A broken belt is fairly obvious.
A water pump can be checked by grabbing its pulley at the top and bottom and
wiggling it. It should have no play. If it does
the pump has a bad bearing. Water pump seals can also leak: air in, water
out. Check
that by visually checking its vent hole(s) with the engine off.
These will be located on the pump body just behind the pump’s pulley.
If you cannot see the hole, run your fingers all along the pump's housing,
if your finger gets wet, the pump is bad. Replace it if you can.
A simple test for a radiator cap is just to compress its valve and spring
using your hand. If it has “a fair bit” of tension, it should
be OK. Otherwise, replace it.
A bad head gasket or cracked cylinder head can be detected by way of a compression
test, a cylinder leak-down test. If you have access to an exhaust gas analyzer
you can test for the presence of exhaust gases in the radiator while the engine
is running. Just take off the cap (very carefully!) and hold the probe
over the open radiator. If you detect Hydrocarbons or Carbon Monoxide, you
have a cracked head or bad head gasket.
If you have access to a coolant system pressure tester, you can remove
all the spark plugs, fill the coolant system with water, pump air pressure
into the cooling system, and crank the engine (as if trying to start it).
If you have a bad head gasket, water will enter the affected cylinder and be
pumped out by the cranking. The coolant will be pumped out with some force,
so stand clear of the spark plug holes!
You can check for a bad thermostat by removing and inspecting it when
it is hot.
In most vehicles the thermostat is located in a housing bolted to the engine
block. The upper radiator hose is secured to this housing.
A bad thermostat will be one that is stuck partially or fully shut. Replace
it
with a new one.
A clogged radiator can be checked by getting the engine hot, and then
with the engine off, very carefully feeling the radiator core (the
cooling fins) with your hand for cool or cold spots. These cool spots
are places where clogs are preventing the hot water flowing. Holes in the radiator
can
be detected
by puddles of coolant on your feet!
In the extreme, a holed radiator can be repaired well enough to keep you
going by closing off the injured cooling tubes in the core of the
radiator. The core of the radiator is made up of rows of these tubes, sometimes
as many as 5 or 6 tubes deep. A fast expedient repair is to grab each holed
tube with needle-nosed pliers, flatten the tube and fold it over, to prevent
your from coolant from leaking
from that tube. If you can, fold each damaged tube over twice. Put in a
can of stop leak, and
top up the coolant, remembering
to wait for the thermostat to open. A more “complete temporary” repair
would be to solder the tubes closed, but if you don’t have time
the pliers will do the trick.
But what can you do if you are in the extreme, and must keep
moving? You’ve checked for the obvious, the hoses are dry and
tight, the
belts are good, the cap seems to hold pressure, there’s no
sign of leaks and you have a good level of coolant in the
system. But the engine is running hot. Way hot. Or what
if you find you have a clog in the radiator, or
a bad water pump, maybe even a bad head gasket, and you must keep
moving. What to try next?
You could turn on your heater fan. The heater core can act as a secondary radiator.
The fan blowing air through it can cool the hot coolant by a couple of degrees.
It works! I’ve used this any number of times.
But what if it still runs hot? What next?
I have been able to reduce a high engine temperature by “gutting” the
thermostat. This is done by removing the spring and disc-like valve, leaving
just the housing. This will look like a fairly large brass flat washer, a
brass disc with a large hole in the center. You just install it back where
the whole thermostat assembly was. Old time racers call this a “blanking
sleeve”.
Never run an engine without a thermostat or blanking sleeve!
So why not just put in a new thermostat? A blanking sleeve will allow the water
to flow through the entire system including the radiator. It controls the flow
rate so its slow enough to collect the heat
out of the engine and get cooled by the radiator.
A blanking sleeve has no valve so it cannot close to allow
the heat to build up in the engine. I have reduced engine temperatures by as
much as twenty degrees by modifying a thermostat into a blanking sleeve. A
blanking sleeve allows water to flow at “just the right speed” slow
enough to pick up the engine’s heat and slow enough that it stays in
the radiator long enough to get cooled off.
The trade-off is that without a thermostat’s regulatory action, it will
take longer engine to come up to normal operating temperature, especially
in the winter. In cold weather, the engine might not come up to normal operating
temperature at all. You may find you have to stop the air flow through the
radiator to warm up by turning off your cooling fans or by covering the radiator
core.
So why not just leave the thermostat and blanking sleeve out entirely? Because
the water will flow, unrestricted, and very fast through
the engine and radiator. Too fast to pick up the heat from inside the engine,
too fast to get cooled off in the radiator.
But, a blanking sleeve might allow a 20 degree reduction
in temperature, which
just might be what you need to keep moving and get where you gotta be, in the
extreme.
- OddShot
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Walk!, by Snolden
If you value your existence and your life, then walk! I am
an Air Force brat who did nine years active duty in the Navy. In other words
I moved a lot. Eleven
states
in the first 33 years of my life. I traveled to all fifty states and a few
countries. Every one is different, and areas within each are completely different
from the part that you live in. Most people that lived in places I have been
do not walk any further than a few hundred yards a day. A mile is a "long
walk" for most folks. A good portion of the rest walk or run several miles
as a work out, but that is with 6 ounce sneakers, shorts and an iPod as their
only loadout.
Post SHTF or even during a week without power, you will be subjected to environmental
conditions that your body cannot adapt to unless you have experienced it before.
The environment that you find yourself in can affect your decision making.
Cold, hot, humid or other; these conditions will prevent you from living. You
will have to carry a lot of things a long way to make do,
even if vehicles are working. You must condition yourself to this level of
exertion.
So, go for a walk. Please use common sense and know your limitations. For those
with physical limitations, you will have to toughen your mind more than those
of us without. The demands on the body are going to be extreme for some even
when all parts of it work correctly. I would like to challenge all of you to "honestly" walk
10 miles carrying a light bag. By "honestly" I mean in the clothes
that you will be wearing post-SHTF.
This will probably be some form of boots, belted pants, long sleeve shirt and
jacket. If you can't do this right off,
then work up to it but nearly everyone will be able to do it. Ten miles should
take 3-5 hours at the most depending your individual condition. Then do this
again
next month, in a different locale [, over different terrain]. I recommend a
5-7 minute break every 45 minutes as the optimum. [Depending on the weather
and personal preference,] breaks of 10 minutes/hour or 5 minutes/30
minutes
might work
better.
For example, walk 10 miles around your city this month. Next month go to a
trail in the woods. Walk. Anyone that has been in the Army or Marines will
laugh at this distance. Many people in the Third World walk this far every
day just to go to work or school. Then they turn around and walk that far back
home. A pace of up to 12 minutes per mile is a good goal if you are in good
shape. When backpacking I shoot for 15-20 minutes per mile including time spent
for
breaks. That works out to a little less than three hours for 10 miles. That
is a very comfortable pace I can keep up for days.
The point of this exercise is to learn the techniques that you will need to
walk. Everyone can walk, right? Nope, they can't. Most people don't understand
about layered multiple pairs of socks, proper lacing of boots, proper waist
belt adjustment on a pack and the other items that you only learn by walking
(proper is different for each person and can change between the start of the
hike to the end of the hike). For the average person with 10 pounds of belly fat,
I would start with a 20 pound pack. That is only one gallon of water, a change
of clothes, a lunch and a few emergency items plus the weight
of the pack itself. You can start lighter or heavier, this is your challenge.
Bring extra socks, moleskin, an ace ankle wrap and Band-Aids the first few
times [or whenever you switch to a new set of footwear]. You might
need them
before you make it back.
Please only walk one day a week, to begin your training regimen. You will get
serious blisters if you are not used to it and try to walk 3 or 4 days in a
row. Just
in that
first
walk you will learn what you like and don't like about your shoes. For instance,
you may find that you need to wear different underwear, an undershirt, and
perhaps a different hat. You will realize that it isn't that hard and it will
encourage you to go further. Once you build up calluses [, stamina] and find your individual
pace, then you can go all day. Now you can get through the long walks that
are inevitable when SHTF and your body will remember. This conditioning will
free up your brain
to focus
on decision making-- unimpared decision making. Weather extremes
can still get you but you have a baseline experience level. I recommend that
you walk year
round to learn how the weather affects you (But I realize this is unlikely,
especially in extreme cold and heat for many people.)
General guidance for a maximum backpack weight is
1/3 of your body weight for medium distance hikes. 1/4 of your weight (1/4
of 200 pounds is 50
pounds,
in my
case) is far more comfortable. This may seem like a lot but with the right
boots/socks
and pack it actually is easy. And since you are already walking 10 miles straight
now, you will quickly find out what qualities to look for in your gear. Some
things can be fixed for free. For example, I don't lace the top holes in my
boots. This lets my feet breathe a bit more. I have learned how to load"my
pack for maximum comfort.
Okay, now for the good news. Once you can do this for a few days straight with
about 20-30 pounds on your back, you don't have to do it all the time to maintain
the conditioning. I find that a 5-6 mile walk once every week or two with a
15 pound pack and "first line gear" maintains my long distance conditioning
for months.
Long distance walking does not replace aerobic conditioning,
it simply allow yours feet to get used to the abuse. You still need to aerobically
condition
your body for maximum cardiovascular health. In parting, I was amazed at the
amount of heat produced by my feet the first time I walked ten miles on a hot
day in boots.
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Letter Re: Our Hurricane Rita Evac Proved a Point--Timing is Everything!
Dear Mr. Rawles,
I was in Kingwood Texas, a suburb of Houston, and as keeping an eye on the
Hurricane Rita projected tracks. When the "yellow cone of death" was
centered squarely on Houston, I started to seriously access my situation.
That Tuesday evening, everything still seemed sort of normal. The wife came
home from work about 5 p.m. and we took the dog for a walk around 6 p.m.
When we passed the local gas station that normally has 0-1 cars in it and
there
was a line 10 cars deep, I knew it was "time." I told the wife
we were now implementing our "vacation" plans for Tennessee, and
would be leaving as soon as I had the trailer re-packed. I brought the essentials
and things I couldn't live without if there was no Houston to come back too.
For example, I brought the computers but left the monitors. (Monitors are
replaceable, the hard drives and info on them, were not.)
We were wheels rolling by 9 p.m. Tuesday night, straight up Highway 59, with
hardly another vehicle in sight. Just us and about 200-400 deer through the
night, all headed in the same direction, that was weird... By Wednesday morning
we were eating a lovely and peaceful Cracker Barrel breakfast about 20 miles
East of Nashville and the waitress told us that Houston was basically having
a riot on the freeways. Timing is EVERYTHING! We were 12 hours
ahead of four million people leaving on the same roads, headed in the same
direction.
I learned that deciding to bug out is like deciding to take in a reef in your
sails when sailing that is: if you're seriously considering it, then you should
actually be doing it.
All the best and God Bless, - Edward T.
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Letter Re: A Test Load-Up Shows a G.O.O.D. Inadequacy
Hello Mr. Rawles;
First and foremost, thanks for the site, the info is invaluable and a must
read every morning
I am writing to add a few simple thoughts (perhaps state the obvious) on the
subject of survival vehicle - really just some comments on G.O.O.D. I
recently sold my house and am in the process of trying to get into a better
situation,
and during the move decided to attempt a "live" exercise. I took
the opportunity to see how quickly I could load up my truck and bug out.
I wanted to time the load of my truck with all the gear and supplies I have
been stockpiling for the past year, and guess what? Yep, I could not get
it all in. Never mind my better half and three kids! Many readers may find
this amusing (I did as it was not real), but if it was a real situation I would
have been
in a real bad way. So I suppose this is just a simple reminder to not only
plan and prepare, but use the gear you have on a regular basis if possible,
and practice often.
I made some necessary simple adjustments (cap and hitch rack), and feel foolish
in hindsight. But you don't know until you try it for yourself.
Thanks again and all the best.- Editor of TheTraderBlog.com
JWR Replies: Your experience is not unique! I've heard similar
reports from other readers, and BTW, I emphasized this shortcoming my novel "Patriots" .
This predicament underscores the great importance of pre-positioning the
vast majority of your logistics at your intended retreat. Don't
just guess about fitting "all the rest" in your vehicle. Instead,
try doing an actual "test load" to check for volume and compatible
box dimensions. And allow room for each family member bringing a lot
of clothes. Oh yes, don't
forget
the
pet
paraphernalia.
OBTW,
you
can use empty boxes
or tote bins of the same dimensions as your full ones for your test load,
to save on back strain.
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Three Letters Re: Some Thoughts on the Survival Vehicle
Mr. JWR,
I'm surprised this hasn't been addressed more thoroughly, but the first point
of consideration should be whether the vehicle will be diesel or gasoline
(since most vehicle models don't have a diesel equivalent). I know this topic
has been done before here, and even led me to investing in a diesel, but
apparently it's worth rehashing.
The disadvantages of gasoline are substantial. Gasoline is difficult to store
safely (as it is so combustible). Its useful life generally expires in about
12 months (so should you not have access to your stabilized cache, you can
expect
your
vehicle
to become useless before a year is out). It is more common, which means it
is more likely to be stolen. Gasoline generally gives fewer miles per gallon.
Gasoline engines usually wear faster than diesel engines, and require more
servicing (oil changes at 3,000 miles rather than 6,000, with expected engine
lives also greatly reduced). The only advantages I can see to gasoline is that
you're more likely to find spare parts and mechanics who can work with them,
and that it's less temperature-sensitive. [JWR Adds: Diesels are
also very unforgiving if you ever run one completely out of fuel. Re-priming
can be tricky.]
Meanwhile, the advantages of diesel are substantial, for our purposes. Diesel
is not nearly as combustible, and so safer to store, and will last longer.
It's less likely to be raided (and someone who does steal your diesel supply
won't be getting far if they're foolish enough to use it straight away). The
engines are generally simpler than gasoline engines and more tolerant to abuse.
Most important is the availability of fuel. Sure I can't siphon out of my neighbor's
car (not that I would anyway), but when the gas stations are out, truck and
train depots are more likely to have left over fuel. And when the diesel is
out, I can still run on jet fuel, kerosene, biodiesel (which I can make at
home), waste vegetable oil, waste engine oil, even coal dust.
Assuming even the least crises we might face, such as a localized natural disaster,
the gasoline infrastructure is very fragile, and very quickly that will run
out, with gasoline theft very common. When the gas pump goes dry, however,
I'll still be brewing my own biodiesel out of vegetable oil I can pick up at
the store or even make myself. (And I'm not aware of any [fire] code concerns
regarding storing vegetable oil in the home). Diesel is renewable, gasoline
is not (even
ethanol production is a losing proposition).
The caveat to this is to buy older. Newer vehicles are getting increasingly
temperamental, especially the newest models. Apparently the 2007s and later
fall under new EPA standards,
and in many cases the standards are so stringent that the vehicle will even
bleed fuel into its own oil supply rather than release
oxides into the atmosphere. That means biodiesel will literally eat the inside
out of the vehicle. 2006 and earlier on most models should be fully biodiesel
compatible, with older models working better (although generally less efficient).
Thank you for your fantastic blog. Keep up the good work! - Dieselman
James:
Those were some really good ideas. I've done some of those modifications.
I would add to the list three items:
1. I have three historic vehicles and one ironic thing about old school technology
is that the PSI ratings
for various applications on older machinery is not what it is on modern vehicles.
For example, I once lost a tiny plug (off of
a '58
International
Tractor) that would be impossible to find (or worth it for that matter) so
I crammed a piece of cork into it and its been there for years still doing
a great job. So, I save all cork from my household for emergency leak stoppers.
BTW: cork when burned makes good instant facial camouflage so that's another
reason I keep it stockpiled.
2. I read / subscribe to antique tractor, car, and motorcycle magazines to
pick up DIY information. A tip I picked up but haven't used
was from another old car nut. Keep a tampon handy for radiator leaks. It'll
provide a good temporary fix that will get you home.
3. Road flares. Besides the intended purpose, they also do a great job at starting
fires if the wood you are trying to light isn't exactly seasoned and dry. I
also used them as a law enforcement officer to chase away the bad guy's dog
so I didn't have to shoot the dog. (I have five rescued dogs and numerous other
rescued animals so I try to avoid any unnecessary force against animals.) [JWR
Adds: In my experience, nothing beats a lit 15-minute road flare for
crowd control. Nobody wants to mess with them.]
Good luck, - FLHSPete
Hi Jim,
I wanted to add my two cents to the Bug Out Vehicle (BOV)
thread going on. I’m
sure my thoughts on the subject will appear weak and lazy, but give it a look
see
anyway.
This
comes from the perspective of those that want to continue much as they do now,
and who possess the ability to do many of the repairs that would be necessary
for any truck, no matter how well “prepped” theirs might be via
the aid of auto-mall-ninja pimping.
Plenty of people will chose to keep existing trucks, or SUVs as their BOVs.
The reasons are many, but usually include the lack of funds to keep an extra
vehicle around, and personal preferences. Most will not use a specialized vehicle
as their full time rig, but they might consider modifying them for BOV off-road,
or inclement situation usage. For those that can’t, or won’t buy
/build /modify their way into a full-blown Mad Max vehicle, there remain options
for existing trucks and SUVs.
My personal rig is an F-250, 7.3 turbo diesel, early 2000s vintage.
It is a crew cab, (4 full doors, independently operable, unlike extend cab
units
which require the front doors to be open before the rear can), with an insulated
shell, and factory step bars to aid getting in and out of the cab. (We also
have an older 90s stretch minivan with seven passenger seating and storage,
and a pair of five-passenger SUVs).
I’m not overly concerned with EMP,
so computer damage from that doesn’t
rank high on my list. While having spare components is part of my plan, the
fact that they cover EMP possibilities is purely coincidental. Spare computer
and sensor parts for the 7.3 International engine run the list of the usual
suspects as they pertain to common repair activities. CPS, ICP, IPR,...
etc. The acronyms are part of the learning curve for do-it-yourself repairs.
Whatever breed of horse is in your stable, you better learn his particulars.
For Ford truck owners, an excellent source for tech, tips, real world repair
stories and cures, go to the
Ford Truck Enthusiasts (FTE) web site. They
have a world of excellent information, and them boys and gals help
members immediately, when there is an issue. All the special parts names (IPR
= Injection
Pressure Regulator etc.) are in there, and descriptions of what they do. All
of these components are available now, from multiple sources, and will fit
in a .30 caliber-size ammo can (which will fit behind the rear seat no problem).
I would encourage people to not be intimidated by the newer setups. Start with
a good, solid rig, such as the 7.3L. Buy the spares, and read up on how to
change them out. It’s not that hard. You’ll be doing monkey work
anyway no matter what the truck, if the poop smacks the blades, so what’s
the difference? These days, there are a whole lot more of the newer
Ford trucks out there. Parts galore! The parts houses have them in stock. If
it gets really
bad, and a little creative acquisition is in order…. well, use your imagination.
The 7.3 [liter] diesel is built by International, and has a minimum expected
life usage of 350,000 miles. A couple of guys on the forum report that some
trucks
have
gone 600,000+ miles before needing any real work. This engine simply keeps
going, and the chassis is very tough to beat.
Diesel fuel is everywhere. It’s in: big rigs, delivery - FedEx and UPS trucks, rental trucks, farm tractors – trucks – agricultural water
pumps – and
fuel tanks, some busses, most service stations, railroad engines, earth movers
and other construction equipment, military bases (who knows, they might go
deserted…),
emergency back up generators for some buildings…. It lasts a heck of
a lot longer than petrol. Doesn’t matter how much gasoline is around
for you, it will all be junk without proper treatment within
a short period of time. [JWR Adds: Don't overlook Home Heating
Oil tanks as another potential source of fuel that can be burned in diesels
in emergencies. (Although it would be a violation of road tax laws to do so
on public roads.) IMHO, every retreat should have at least one diesel
vehicle!]
As for transmissions, a manual is a good idea, but if you have an automatic,
don’t despair. I’ve yet to see a 8,000+ pound truck be push-started
without first parking on a hill. With your automatic, you need to be sure it
has a fluid cooler installed. Change the fluid regularly and according to common
sense. In a TEOTWAWKI world,
requisition [purchase]s are off the cuff, and there are plenty of the common
transmissions currently in service, and readily available.
Air bags used for load leveling really are a blessing. Take this setup, for
instance. A 3⁄4-ton truck that occasionally pulls a heavy load may use “load
levelers” commonly installed for use with travel trailers. These transfer
a good portion of the load to the truck’s front tires, but not all of
it. Air bag load assist units can take up the rest of the extra weight, and
convert your 3⁄4 ton setup into something much more capable. They don’t
get in the way, and are absolutely no liability. These accessories
can level a burdened truck just fine, which is a dead necessity if you want
a truck that
will steer and brake predictably. A truck that sagging in the rear can be deadly
in an emergency stop, especially on grades. The use of air bags allows
you to keep
a good ride when they are idling along. The best of both world there. At the
most, if they fail, you are left with the factory load capability intact.
My truck [body] is two inches higher than stock. I like the increased visibility.
I like the added travel in the suspension for towing off road. I like how it,
just today,
went
over debris on the road that might have caused damage. The guy in front of
me didn’t see it, and bang. I didn’t
have enough warning time so I went over it [, without contacting it]. The guy
behind me sensed something was up, but he
couldn't decide
what to do, so his vehicle went bang, too. Does two
inches help? It can. Today it did.
It also makes servicing the truck in bad terrain easier. With a truck that
has
a little
more uppity to it, you can get under it without the use of jacks, which are
unsafe on sloped ground. I wouldn’t lower a truck for any reason.
For anti theft, one easy to install device is a common switch, rated for the
current in the fuel pump circuit. I use switches to disable the fuel pumps.
They are hidden, and out of the way. Not too many thieves will spend the time
trying to figure out why the engine won’t start… something about
panic and going to jail or getting shot.
In keeping with the current mission of trucks, we like our power windows and
door locks. The window motors might become disabled at some point, but that’s
not a problem, really. If we need them open right now, that’s possible
with the glass breaking tools we carry anyway. In non emergencies, we can fix
such things. Power door locks have never trapped anyone I know inside, since
they all have manual overrides. They are a non-issue, too.
Back to our 'lil F-250 for a moment. They are copious hand bars in it. Four
on each side. Just inside the central pillars, are two very large such bars.
We’ve
found that these are just wonderful anchor points for harness attachments,
which allow for someone to firmly anchor themselves if they need to be sitting
on the window sill, hanging out the window for some reason. (Another opportunity
to use your imagination.) These internal attachment points almost seem
made for special occasions. - Anonymous from Californicatia
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My Tale of the Hurricane Rita Evacuation. August, 2005, by Dan G.
I was working in a pawnshop in Aransass Pass Texas, about 20 miles North of
Corpus Christi, Texas. Two days earlier my wife and I watched the destruction
of New
Orleans on National Television, the news coverage was continuing around the clock
as the drama unfolded.
Gasoline had shot up from $1.56 to $2.99 a gallon overnight and of course
I had to fill up that morning to get to my menial low paying job. Late that
afternoon
a rich looking couple driving a huge brand new pickup truck, came into the pawnshop.
They spoke very loudly about how their family members in New Orleans did not
have electricity and were relying on them for help. How they communicated [with
those in New Orleans], I did not know. The pawn shop owner had two used generators
and this couple was
desperate to buy them, even hundreds of miles away from Louisiana, generators
had become scarce. The couple bought both of them, at an extra high price, and
the owner asked how they were going to get them to New Orleans for their family
members to use. “Well” said the man, “we can’t drive
up there because the roads are closed, so we are going to take these to the UPS
office and have them shipped to New Orleans, no matter what it costs.” No
one revealed to this man the flaw in his thinking. My Wife and I had a good laugh
about that when I got home that day.
September 20, 2005.
We were very concerned about Rita’s progress that night, after Katrina
everyone was in near panic.
September 21, 2005
They called the evacuation that morning, we had no money and our car was hardly
running, there was no way it would make it inland several hundred miles, even
if we had money for gas. The storm looked like it was going to make a direct
hit where we lived in Rockport, Texas 30 miles North of Corpus, and right on
the coast. Our financial situation was dire, my Wife had lost her job, and after
an altercation with my manager at the pawnshop, I had quit mine. We were awaiting
an inheritance to come through, but it had not happened yet. The job prospects
in the small tourist town, in the off season, were grim. I thought about just
sitting tight, but the lives of my Wife and kids prompted me into action. With
reluctance and a feeling of failure as a man, I called my Father for help.
Jobs, money and status were the code that my father lived by, even though he
had never held a low wage job in his life. He agreed to help, and reservations
at a hotel in Wimberly Texas were made, before the golden horde set out from
Houston. We would leave in the morning in my father’s truck, heading roughly
two hundred miles inland. Wimberly is located between Austin and San Antonio
Texas. I spent the afternoon of that day boarding up my Father’s house
in the nearly 115 degree heat and humidity. After that was accomplished my Wife
and I needed to pick up a few things in town including a prescription. It was
completely surreal in Rockport late that afternoon. The streets were all but
abandoned, trash fluttered in the wind on the empty sidewalks, most business
were already closed. The schools had closed at noon that day, and the children
sent home. Even the sky had a peculiar orange brown cloud cover that was unnerving.
A hand painted cardboard sign adorned the windows at Super Wal-Mart stating that
the store would be closing at 6pm, less than an hour away. The parking lot contained
a handful of RVs and pick-ups with travel trailers, all of them were loading
up canned goods, bottled water, propane, charcoal, flashlights, batteries and
ammunition. We had about $6 at the local bank, but we also had a $300 overdraft
privilege, the decision was made to exercise it. The ATM machines had been limited
to dispensing only $80 at a time for only 3 transactions, to keep the machines
from running out of cash. The ATM’s were also adorned with crudely made
cardboard signs. We took our $80 out 3 times, with a $25 overdraft charge each
time, that we would owe the bank at a later date. Inside Wal-mart it looked as
if the hurricane had already struck, the store was a mess, and the employees
had a haggard appearance. We picked up the prescription, there were no more batteries
to be had, but I needed a box of .45 ACPs.
People had paid attention to the mayhem that followed hurricane Katrina, this
was evident at the ammunition counter. They were out of shotgun shells, all common
rifle rounds were gone, the same held true for common pistol rounds. All they
had were oddball cartridges, .357 SIG, .45 G.A.P. .17 Remington, .300 Weatherby
Magnum, et cetera. Even the .22 LR were gone. There would be no .45 ACPs for
me, so we headed home. We passed several gas stations, again with crude signs,
stating they had only premium fuel. We got home to get ourselves and our kids
ready to
evacuate in the morning. The television news reported that the hurricane was
gaining
strength, they still had no idea where it would make landfall, and residents
of Houston were “urged” to evacuate now in a few hours it would be “mandatory”.
I felt it was imperative for the members of my family to be equipped with proper
footwear, in case there was trouble and we wound up walking. My 11 year old fashion
aware daughter proved to be a problem, all she had was girly shoes that were
otherwise useless. We scrambled to find her some walking shoes, deep in the closet
we found a pair. Also in the closet we located a forgotten partial box of .45ACPs,
at least my magazines would all be loaded. I vowed to never be caught
without
essentials like walking shoes and ammo again.
We packed light, I backed up my family photos and writings onto a CD-ROM and
packed it, we included socks and a change of clothes for everyone, all of our
important paperwork and identification and full canteens. Into my backpack went
half of our cash, one 1911 Colt .45 Automatic with five magazines on a gun belt,
one large Ontario Razor sharp hunting knife, one Swiss Champ, my medications
including a good supply of aspirin, salt tablets and Dramamine. One compass,
a military poncho, foot powder, boonie hats and a copy of “Conan the Adventurer” By
Robert E. Howard. Everyone also had high energy snacks and a poncho. As we went
to bed that night the TV reported more bad news.
September, 22 2005
This would be the day that I would learn how truly fragile our complex modern
society is, I would also learn that by avoiding groupthink and with a little
forward planning most hazards could be easily bypassed.
After disconnecting the water, electricity and gas to our house my Dad arrived
and we loaded up by 9 a.m. . As I got into the truck my Father handed me a
Texas Roads map book and said, “I have picked out our own evacuation
route.” he
had traveled the roads of Texas his entire life and knew every back road there
was. The penciled in evacuation route would prove to be our saving grace. Many
lives were lost that day because people and bureaucrats could not or would
not read a simple road map; instead they relied on digital gimmickry and an
unswerving belief that the interstate highway system was the only roadway available
to them.
Urgency bordering on panic was wafting on the air, you could feel the tension,
and see the worry on other motorists faces. We headed out on the first of many
Farm to Market (FM) roads crisscrossing the state. Traffic on these back roads
was still heavier than I had ever seen it. Towns we went through appeared deserted
until you reached gas stations that were near riot conditions many were out
of gas. Luckily my father had filled up the previous night, if he hadn’t
we may have very well been stranded in the choking gasping heat that day. We
switched back and forth onto differing FM roads to avoid more and more traffic,
every town was congested, we had long waits at every stop light and four way
crossing. A three hour trip had turned to six hours and counting, we stopped
at small hamburger joint for lunch, it was jam packed, as we ordered we overheard
other folks talking. Rumors were flying about accidents, fires, turmoil and
gridlock on Interstate 10, they still had no idea where Rita was headed. We
got our order and headed back out eating in the truck, the little town was
swamped with cars and people, one person was driving on the sidewalk, there
were no police in sight.
Between towns on the FM roads it was easy going, but as you neared any community
there was chaos, as the afternoon progressed, many a crude sign could be seen
proclaiming “No more gas”, No more food”, this was repeated
again and again. We were coming up on Seguin Texas when traffic came to a halt,
we were about to cross over I-10 the main evacuation route out of Houston.
Out of the truck window along the horizon I could make out several columns
of black smoke. It took over an hour to travel the two miles to the overpass
and then I saw I-10. All the lanes had been re-routed to head west only, It
was like a scene from a movie, as far as I could see there were lines of cars,
both to the east and the west pointed in a single direction. There was no end,
none of them was moving, more columns of smoke could be seen in the distance
what caused them I did not know.
Heat rippled off the metal and in automobile exhaust, the evacuees could not
turn off their engines, if they did there would be no air conditioning and
heat prostration would quickly find them, especially the old and the very young.
Along the roads sides people could be seen walking, I guess they had abandoned
their vehicles in search of a respite from the heat. A fuel truck was also
traveling on the road side, it was not stopping for anyone, and a few police
cruisers traveled the road sides as well, the only vehicles in motion along
that nightmarish interstate.
Late in the afternoon we arrived in Wimberly and checked into the Motel, which
was completely booked and we were the last people with a reservation to arrive.
My father was staying with a friend in Wimberly and he left us his truck. We
headed to the grocery store to lay in our supplies it was crowded but not overrun
yet. We bought three days of food for a family of four and headed back to the
hotel. The storms heading was still uncertain, but at last we enjoyed some
peace and laughter. Later that night we decided to run back into town and get
some ice cream, there was chaos in Wimberly this time. The grocery store we
had been at just hours earlier was stripped bare. They had cleaning supplies
and some make-up but that was about it, there was no more food of any kind
to be had, no drinks, no water and no toilet paper. The streets were packed
stalled cars littered the roadways and every gas station was out of fuel. We
went back to the hotel, grateful that we had bought supplies earlier. We watched
the TV and heard horror stories of what was going on, events that we had witnessed
throughout the day. The night passed without incident.
September, 23 2005
We spent the day relaxing at the hotel late in the afternoon Hurricane Rita
made her turn to the North making the previous two days an exercise in futility.
She struck in the early morning hours on September, 24 between the Texas/Louisiana
border, while we were safely asleep at the hotel. We went home as the storm
moved inland.
Lessons Learned:
I believe that after Katrina officials overreacted to Rita in ordering the
evacuation of Houston, Many died needlessly. This is a danger we still face
today, not just the storms but the hysteria surrounding them.
After our experience we gave up on the coast and moved to Oklahoma, we live
a hundred miles from any major city and we keep stores of food, ammo, water
and medical supplies on hand in case we need them in a hurry. Never
again will we be caught unprepared!
« Six Letters Re: Some Thoughts on the Survival Vehicle |Main| Selecting Retreat Properties--Pros and Cons of Buying Remote and Off Grid »
Letter Re: Pack a Property Tax Receipt in Your G.O.O.D. Kit, to Get Through Checkpoints
Dear Mr. Rawles:
It might prove worthwhile to put a copy of your latest property tax bill receipt
as (proof of ownership of your retreat property) in your "Get Out of Dodge"
(G.O.O.D.) ready kit. For example the county
in which your retreat property is located might form road blocks to keep out
the Golden Horde. If you are late getting out of town how is someone manning
a rural roadblock, such as a deputy, to know that you are a tax paying member
of the community and not just part of the Golden Horde? For that matter how
are they to know that your cousin really does have permission to retreat with
you? You can bet when TSHTF that few will take your word for it. Would you?
Many counties provide the tax information on-line, so even if you don’t
have last year’s you can get it. All of the tax rural tax receipts I
have only list the tax-key not an address which is why I favor them as a means
to proving ownership. if you have the address on yours you may want to white
it out and then recopy it for OPSEC.
Between the tax receipt and you driver's license you should be able to distinguish
yourself from a member of the Golden
Horde.
Even if all the members of your retreat party have the same last name you will
want to have separate “Retreat Permission Affidavits” especially
if you are not all getting out of Dodge together. The basic idea is to have
a notarized document which states that the author is the owner of the property
(tax receipt attached), and that such and such person has permission from the
owner of the property to reside at the property, you might want to include
a description of the person who has permission (think: no computerized identification
checks), and would the reader of the "Retreat Permission Affidavit" kindly
assist the
bearer in continuing on their way. At a minimum one set of permissions would
be necessary for every vehicle in your convoy, whether or not the property
owner is in your convoy.
There is nothing that says you have to have a legal-looking notarized document,
but there would be no “rule of law” at TEOTWAWKI, so if you are
going to have a prop, it should be the most convincing prop you can get. I
know that some states allow excessive charges for notary services, in Wisconsin,
for example, the limit per notorial act is fifty cents. At that rate there
is no reason not to have a professional attest that the author of the Retreat
Permission Affidavit is indeed the owner of the retreat. If the fee is an issue
in your area, you might consider asking an attorney to notarize the documents
when you are having one do other work for you such as drafting a will. If you
are an existing, active client many attorneys will not charge for notary services.
JWR Replies: One step better is to have your G.O.O.D. vehicle
registered (or dual-registered) in the county where you have your retreat.
Especially in states that have county tag number prefixes or the county names
imprinted
on their license plates, it will make it very simple for folks manning checkpoints
to sort the "sheep from the goats", and send you safely on your way.
« Economics and Investing: |Main| Letter Re: Pack a Property Tax Receipt in Your G.O.O.D. Kit, to Get Through Checkpoints »
Six Letters Re: Some Thoughts on the Survival Vehicle
Jim –
Read the article [by OddShot] about the BOV and
wanted to add a ranching note. Some of us ranchers have pickups with a trailer
hitch mounted in the front
as
well
as
the back. This makes pulling trailers out of awkward situations easier without
having to turn the truck around. Added to a substantial front bumper, it makes
front
ramming an interesting proposition, as that hitch – with a draw-bar but
no ball – would do some serious damage. Kind of like the bronze prow
on a Greek warship. Just an idea. - Geoff in ND
JWR Replies: While I'm not an advocate of playing
"Road Warrior"--(I'm more of a "hunker down" in place kinda
guy)--in my dealings with consulting clients I've witnessed quite a few "specialized" custom-fabricated
bumper accessories. Most of these were variations of crash bars. (My old friend
"Jeff
Trasel",
for example, many
years ago owned
a camouflage-painted Volkswagen festooned with various Marine Corps bumper
stickers and equipped with a very stout crash bar.) I've also seen
all manner of nefarious
devices designed to fit into standard 2-inch square receiver hitch
channels.
The biggest advantage of these is that they can be quick-detachable, allowing
them to be kept out of sight in normal (pre-Schumeresque)
times. One of these was a clever pair of "radiator killer" spikes.
The 1-1/2" diameter spikes on this were both nearly three feet long.
and tapered for just their last eight inches. The bottom one projected directly
out from
the receiver,
at just below
"trailer
ball"
height.
The other half of the forked pair was parallel to the first, but about 15
inches higher. If
ramming another vehicle, at least one of these two spikes would likely
puncture the radiators of 90% of the cars and trucks that anyone might encounter
on the
highways
and byways. When installed in a rear hitch mount, the barbs are a primarily
defensive weapon. But when
installed in a pickup's front receiver, they can act as
a fearsome offensive anti-radiator weapon.
Hello Jim,
I would like to add one thing to the article by Oddshot. Fix-A-Flat
type [aerosol tire sealant] products can freeze and not flow in cold weather,
rendering it useless. I learned this the hard way during a recent cold snap
here in
Ohio.
Although
I disagree with his comments on diesels it was an informative article. Thanks,
- Jeff in Ohio.
Mr. Rawles,
I rarely contribute an opinion here because my expertise pales in comparison
to many who are listed in here. The gentleman who recommended the Ford F150
as a base unit for a survival vehicle is spot on. I would go one stop further
and recommend a early to mid eighties F150 or F250 with a 300 straight six
engine coupled with Fords famous "three speed with granny low" standard
transmission. Used to sell trucks to horse and other farmers in the early nineties
at a very large new Ford lot. The young guys (me included) bought the big diesels
for their stock trailers and the old guys would buy the straight six. Guess
who never needed to come into the shop. You got it, the old guys. That straight
six will pull almost as good as the diesel including up and down hills with
the only sacrifice being a little lower top speed. It is a very simple engine
to work on (if you ever have to-very reliable). I still own and use my 1991
Ford diesel but in retrospect would have spent much less and gotten the 300
straight six if I had it to do over again.
From a construction stand point the Fords of that era were built and designed
much better than it's competition. The beds were bolted on instead of welded
etc. Their only weakness is a tendency to rust out over the wheel wells.
I am a MOPAR guy who comes from a MOPAR family. But when you take emotion,
and prejudice out of the equation, the light Ford pickup of the eighties was
indeed the best of its contemporaries for durability and simplicity
for your dollar. - GSJ
Sir James,
Tires rot. There is a five year expected useful safe design
life. The valving on shock absorbers wear, and their chrome shafts also
rust. Replace tires when truck
is purchased
and once every five
years even if tread depth measures (US penny Lincoln's head = 1/16" tread
depth remains).
I have been driving 1 ton pickups ever since I was 16 years old (in 1964).
Over the [intervening 45] years, I have used bias tube type, tubeless,
with and without tubes, and radials. While aluminum lug holes can wear and
rims can break, their beads don't rust air leaks as steel rims eventually do
[in
regions where road salt is used].
My '72 3/4 ton , owned since new, "3 door" Suburban project now has
17"x7" as backspacing on more common 16"s mismatched with OEM 16.5" steel
rims. They rusted leaks after 25+ years. The 17" wheels
allow for larger front disk brake upgrades. I use 265-70Rx17" LR E =
235-85Rx16" LR
E tire diameter nominal 32" tall,
the latter being the most common skinny tire on 3/4-ton and 1-ton trucks.
I advise replacing all moving/flexing rubber, such as belts, every three years
and rubber hoses every five years. Yes, I have had family members get 20 plus
years, but that
takes pure Grace to miss anything in between inconvenient to catastrophic
failure.
Replace the mindsets of "can you get by until the lease has run out" or "trade
as soon as you're no longer upside down". These paid-for bug-out buggies are
your
best means of not carrying your kit on your back for a decade or more, if you
can keep it fed.
My plan is to have a 110 mph-capable, 400 horsepower and 400 pound ft. +
5 speed with overdrive and a gear splitting overdrive (unit gearing) truck
capable
of towing
and stopping
five ton trailer loads, firewood, and the like
This truck shall never again be a painted lady or look as fast as it truly is.
-
Tom K.
Mr. Editor;
See the Expeditions
West web site and the vehicles they are
testing and past vehicles they recommend for the purpose of traversing cross
country in all terrain. These folks could be consider 'experts' on the subject.
Choosing a vehicle should be like choosing a firearm, where personal experience
with the equipment and the users physical attributes can be major considerations
in the choice. As apart of an intended hobby, I had hoped to build a vehicle
for the purpose and get involved with the sport. As an example I'll discuss
my primary vehicle for the purpose. Because of my extensive experience and
knowledge of the vehicle, not so much cost considerations, I chose a 1985 Toyota
4WD fuel injected pickup and spent a fair amount to thoroughly restore it.
It is #4 on Expedition West's most recommended list along with more modern
vehicles. They state the major reasons for the choice. Fortunately there are
other and more modern vehicles on their list, so there's something there for
everyone.
A quick and incomplete mention of the Pro's and Con's of some my vehicle's attributes.
The drive train is essentially a scaled down and lighter version of the Toyota
FJ40, and like the FJ40, exceptionally tough. Chevy trucks have been known to
bend frames on trails these Toyota's climb like goats. Albeit a light truck,
it can can handle a useful and relatively heavy payload for it's size, passenger
capacity and fuel economy. It offers one of the highest payload to fuel economy
ratio found in any gasoline powered 4WD truck.
The 1985 [model year] is the only Toyota pickup with the durable straight front
axle
and
more powerful and modern, yet simple fuel injected motor. A separate computer
is not
needed to help with diagnostics. Any reasonable mechanic or intelligent young
person can handle the job. A small trailer can be towed and navigate tight Forest
Service roads, and a larger trailer with electric brakes can safely handle fair
amount weight. The truck's towing capacity is a reasonable 3,500 pounds, exceptionally
high for it's class. In light of a possible EMP attack,
it's major weakness is the computer controlled fuel injection and ignition. The
upside to a modern EFI
motor is the availability of emission control devices which may need replacement
and these parts can be had at lower cost than the latest models. Out here in
boonies, we're lucky that Emission Certification is not required. With some modification,
this 1985 model can use the injection system from a 1995 models. Fortunately
I happen to have several spare and complete sets of replacement parts for the
fuel and secondary ignition systems for 1985 to 1990 models. I also have plenty
of spare parts for the rest of vehicle stored in boxes and extra and operational
vehicles that can be used as parts cars. The vehicle is common in this sparsely
populated neck of the woods and spare parts are plentiful, but not as plentiful
as the old Chevys. The key to utilizing the parts of different years and related
models vehicles is to have intimate knowledge of the subtle changes made from
year to year. A mechanic with such knowledge could be invaluable. I'm not a mechanic
by trade, but a passion for these trucks during my youth led me to research and
discover the vast technical support and knowledge available on the internet from
other enthusiasts of this once very popular truck. To be sure, my parts pile
is considerable and includes spare gear sets, transmissions, suspension, and
axles, to the now difficult to obtain distributors, cylinder heads and exhaust
manifolds and so forth. A complete and spare, yet still running 4WD Toyota truck
can be stripped of it's carburetor and accessories if needed or simply driven
as is. This un-restored "spare" 4WD truck is still serviceable and equipped with
a flat bed, a good wood getter that can squeeze and navigate though narrow openings
and roads. Because of it's high mileage and other attributes, I do not consider
it a primary vehicle. Another complete low mileage and running 2wd of the same
year could donate it it's EFI. It is essentially a copy of my primary vehicle
without the 4WD.
Spare and complete sets of stock and oversized tires on rims allow these vehicles
to operate on any terrain or road conditions from sand dunes to deeper mud and
snow. With only stock sized tires, which are adequate for most trails and roads,
these trucks do surprisingly well. Letting the air out of the tires to no less
than 15 psi greatly improves there performance in sand. Tall and narrow tires
are recommended over tall and wide usually seen as the foot print is actually
greater 'aired down'. The rolling resistance is less on the highway and it 'bites'
into dirt and snow far better. It is a well balanced choice in off road tires.
This is a topic of it's own and I'll leave it with a recommendation that 23575R16
tires are the best all around for many 4WD vehicles, including Toyota trucks.
No suspension modification is required for most.
Regardless of your choice, a good 'yard car' or well used and still running spare
vehicle, is wonderful source of parts. Rust buckets are cheap.
New and used carburetors for many full sized and light foreign and domestic trucks
are becoming difficult to find.
Rebuild kits for carburetors are a good idea. Although the older Toyota's are
my personal favorite, we also have fleet of Chevy's, model years from 1964 into
the 1980s: a 1 ton, flatbed, dump bed, standard and 4WD Suburbans. Not only
do these all run, but: "Hey, parts is parts!" We also have a "Toyolet",
a Toyota
FJ40
[that has been retrofitted] with a powerful V8 Chevy motor and heavy duty
Turbo 400 transmission, with air lockers and other serious off road features.
Even with all it's fancy stuff,
my 1985 Toyota does well off road in comparison while getting 24 mpg on
the highway. Although not a practical daily driver, it would fun in the sun and
useful
in a high speed Mad Max world, yet one would need plenty of stored fuel.
Well, it looks like I've ramble on anyway, so it time to quit. Hopefully some
of areas covered provide helpful tips and considerations. With all the factors
one may consider, a big clue on what to buy could found while driving around
the neighborhood. Consider using the tool the natives have found to be the most
useful. If old Chevy's are plentiful, get a Chevy. Then again perhaps it is Ford
or Toyota as the popular choice. The local junkyard is likely loaded with parts.
Even if an older Toyota is your 'thing', be sure to have a full sized carbureted
Pickup on hand, preferable a 3/4 ton, and make sure one of those truck is 4WD,
preferably the Toyota, especially if you intend to live in a heavily forested
area. It may mean taking two trips to get the wood, yet it can go where the wood
is and usually a pickup is driven mostly empty. As bug out vehicle or wood getter,
no full sized can follow it down those very narrow jeep trails or traverse soft
deep sand. A Toyota could get between 19 and 24 mpg loaded/unloaded, and a full-sized
would get between 8 and 12 mpg whether or not, it is loaded. A full size 3/4
ton should be used and is needed to handle the very heavy work. As always, use
the right tool for the job. A 2WD full sized pickup can often be found in better
condition and at a cheaper price. A 3/4 ton 4WD Chevy Suburban can be a very
inexpensive all around family and farm rig. A late model and nearly new high
tech Chevy or Ford might be the worst choice, but always have a low tech truck
on hand if one needs or already has such a vehicle. As a retired fleet manager,
I suggest keeping it simple. - E.L
James,
Upon reading the recommendations about a "survival vehicle" by OddShot,
I see you posted about turning off airbags. I believe that the author was
speaking about supplemental airbags for the rear suspension in pickup trucks,
not the
vehicle
passenger
protection-type airbags.
He had mostly sound advice, but I'm not sure an automatic
is really a liability, a properly maintained automatic is trouble free and
will last a long, long time. With an automatic you're pretty much
guaranteed that someone can hop in your rig and drive it effectively. In
contrast, with
a manual transmission (especially truck transmissions), a person has
to have manual transmission experience in order to
use it. Things
like this most likely would never come into play, but an automatic is a lot
easier for an injured or inexperienced person to use. - A. Friendly
« Letter Re: Advice on Silver or Gold Jewelry for Barter? |Main| Note from JWR: »
Some Thoughts on the Survival Vehicle, by OddShot
I recently had the opportunity to read JWR's novel "Patriots" .
As a former professional automobile mechanic with 25+ years of experience and
having a similar history building, restoring and racing
British sports cars (MGBs), I became intrigued with a certain aspect
of his book: the preparation of a “survival vehicle." This is intended
to be a vehicle rugged enough, durable enough, and simple enough to be an important
part of anyone’s survival program.
My first consideration was to define this vehicle. Next, I set out to list
a number of modifications to this vehicle that would increase it’s simplicity,
strength, and usefulness of this vehicle as a survival tool. The following
that I listed a number of tools and spares important to the operation of this
vehicle.
Survival Vehicle Selection and Modification
For reasons of strength, durability and utility the vehicle needs to be a truck.
For load carrying considerations I would recommend a Pickup Truck over a SUV type, such as a Blazer or Bronco.
I think the truck should be of American manufacture. Although some foreign
makes might be suitable in terms of ruggedness and durability, the parts availability---both
used and new--for American made trucks makes them the winner, hands-down.
Also parts for “high-survivability” modifications are plentiful
and cheap for American vehicles.
There is a reason that America’s largest selling vehicle for the last
50+ years has been the Ford F150 pickup truck. They may be low on creature
comforts and fuel economy, but they more then make up for those sacrifices
with ruggedness,
dependability, ease of repair, and parts availability. Chevy and Dodge make
great trucks, but there are millions more Ford
Pick-up trucks out there. Parts are still available and junkyards and rural
back yards are filled
with
them.
Older vehicles (1970 or 1980s vintage cars and trucks) with older technology
are better in the survival situations than newer, lighter, hi-tech vehicles.
Carburetors, distributors with breaker points, and generator charging systems
may not be the most fuel efficient…but they are simple, rugged and reliable.
They can be rebuilt and maintained very easily. Fuel Injection and High Energy
Ignitions systems have very limited life spans, are difficult to diagnose and
dead without spare parts.
One drawback is that NOS parts for really old vehicles (1960-1975 +/-) are
getting somewhat harder to find, even finding used stuff is getting
tough. You don’t need much…but if you can’t get it now…you
won’t
be able to get it later. If you can stick with an 1980s vintage +/-
American pickup. As I said before, parts are still available
and junkyards and rural back yards are filled with them.
Choose one with a 302 V8 (minimum), with a [traditional] carburetor! Backdate
the engine by installing a distributor with ignition breaker points and condenser. No electronic
ignition. The electronic ignition is a [reliability] weak link of all Ford
V8s. Just look in the glove box or under the seat of most of them and you’ll
find a spare “spark box” or Ignition module. Ford used points and
condensers on their V8s through 1974. A little digging through Craig's
List or most junk yards should yield a good useable distributor. New ones
are available at most speed shops.
Make sure you get a truck with a manual transmission, and try to get four wheel
drive. Avoid automatic transmissions. If for no other reason:cars
with automatic transmissions can not be push-started. Also, with a
manual transmission …if
you can get two gears to mesh…you can keep rolling. Once an automatic
transmission starts to slip, the party is over.
With a manual transmission you can adjust a clutch unless you’ve burned
it up. In the middle of nowhere you can replace a burned clutch (and even reline
the disc if you really had to), but the rebuild of an automatic transmission
requires an expert with lots of spares and spotlessly clean working conditions.
Also, with a manual transmission, were the clutch linkage give up, there are
techniques you can learn to take off and shift without using the clutch pedal.
Because this vehicle should be multi-terrain and multi-use Do not put
great big tires or lift kits on it. I would beef up the rear springs to carry
more
weight but would not raise the height of the rear. Don’t use air shocks
or air bags either. These are just something else that will break
and “let
you down”. [JWR Adds: As is taught at executive protection
driving schools, airbags should be disabled if anticipating inimical situations
where you might
have to play "bumper cars".]
I’m thinking of lowering my Ford a couple of inches to make it easier
and faster to get into and out of. Lowering the truck will also make it handle
better on asphalt…and maybe even make it a bit more aerodynamic for some
fuel savings. The extra road clearance is nice but how many times are you going
to use that advantage? Not as often as you might need to get in and get going
as fast as possible.
You’ll want the ruggedness of 6 ply truck tires. Choose
ones that have a “mildly aggressive” tread pattern allowing a good
mix of on-road and off-road use. Unless you are considering moving way out
in the woods then avoid strictly off-road tires. They will not give
you the wear and handling needed for use on asphalt [and they are quite
noisy at highway speeds].
Up grade the charging system to a 65 Amp. alternator, minimum. You’ll
want the amps to power other electrical devices. Install two batteries wired
in parallel (for 12 VDC,
many amp. output). One battery should be a “Deep
Cycle” type. This battery can power 12 VDC lights, radios, tools etc.
Also, if the alternator dies while on a long drive, this battery set up can
power a V8 ignition system for a long time. The batteries should have
their ground
wires
connected with “marine” type terminals. Simply disconnecting (unscrewing
the wing nut on the Marine Terminal) the ground side of the batteries [or installing
a battery disconnect switch from JC
Whitney]
can prevent them being discharged by shorts or [unexpected] draws. It can also
somewhat reduce the risk
of vehicle theft.
Consider removing the ignition/steering column lock switch. If you don’t…you
could loose your keys…and “hot wire” the ignition/starter
circuits and get the truck running….but imagine your chagrin when you
realize that the steering is locked! A heavy duty DC toggle switch will take
care of the ignition and a [momentary] pushbutton [DC switch] will handle the
starter. Mount them in a hidden, out of the way place.
Remove the very complicated emission control carburetor and
replace it with the simplest Holley 2 or 4 barrel that you can find.
I prefer gasoline engines. Diesels are okay, but I don’t think
there will be a lot of diesel fuel around. You may not always be able to get
diesel or even cooking oil. Consider converting your truck to a multiple fuel
vehicle using both gasoline and propane. LPG is
still very easy to get and easy to store at home. A conversion to propane is very doable …and
not real expensive, especially on an engine equipped with a carburetor.
There are number of sites on the web that discuss this.
A good number of pickup trucks have two fuel tanks…if yours doesn’t,
consider installing another tank. There is a lot of room under most trucks.
Build in onboard storage for 20 gallons minimum…or and extra 250 mile range.
Remove all emissions control equipment, at least the catalytic
converter. [Of course, first consult your state laws before doing so.] Remove
the metal cooling fan and install electric fan for engine cooling. If you take
a hard
front hit,
then those metal bladed fans will destroy a radiator.
You can do this with a junk yard fan unit…or find something in the JC
Whitney catalog,
or any auto parts store. As a side benefit, you may see some improvement in
fuel
economy, due to the reduction of parasitic drag.
Wire
this
electric fan with sensor and a manual override switch on dash.
Consider installing an oversized radiator and coolant overflow tank. Trucks
that came with air conditioning generally have the biggest radiator. The more
coolant you have in the cooling system is the further you can go if the radiator
gets a hole in it and you just can’t stop to fix it right away.
Install a Class 3 towing hitch. Its good for both towing and for ramming [--
with the ball removed from the hitch extension plate, to back up and pierce
another vehicle's
radiator].
Make sure you carry both popular sized hitch balls. Remove the chrome piece
of garbage
that passes for a front bumper and install a heavy duty store bought or home
built. Again, the front bumper should be sufficient for towing or ramming.
Install hooks for towing on both the front and rear bumpers.
A cap or bed cover should be in place over the truck’s bed to allow space
for sleeping, shelter and dry, secure storage. This can be as elaborate or
as simple as you’d like but due to rearward visibility concerns, make
sure that its not higher or wider than the roof of the cab. Due to weight and
height considerations [adversely affecting center of gravity] I would avoid
campers that install in the bed of a pickup.
You might consider finding a used tool box like the ones you see on the back
of pickups used by plumbers and electricians…this would be the ones
that replace the entire pickup bed and have 5 or 6 compartments on each side.
The Reading brand tool bodies are well-made. These have tremendous utility,
secure and dry storage and are all very strongly built. With a little ingenuity
you
could
configure
a knock down tent over the top of one of these giving you dry off-the –ground
shelter. Again, the deep cycle battery can provide 12 VDC for lights and heat
in this area.
Install commo [and communications scanning] gear as appropriate
to your mission. At least be sure to have a good, strong basic AM & FM
radio. [JWR
Adds: At
wrecking yards, you
can sometimes find a Becker
or Blaupunkt brand "Europa", "Mexico" or similar model
AM/FM/Shortwave radio pulled
from a European car such as a Mercedes Benz, for under $50. These are not only
very
reliable
radios,
but will also give you the opportunity to get WWV time
signals and some international broadcasts.]
Install quartz halogen headlights in the front. I wouldn’t bother with
driving lights but I would install fog lights…mounted in a way as to
light to the immediate front and to the sides for cornering. In the rear, I
would mount driving lamps or fog lamps as back up lights, work lamps or rearward
spot lights. Wire all auxiliary lighting with switches on dash.
Remove all electrical systems not necessary to mission. No power windows
or door locks. Remove the air conditioning system. Electric windows,
door locks, fancy [add-on] heating systems
and
other
fancy
electric doo-dads are to be avoided at all costs.
As I said before, automatic transmissions should be considered a liability.
Put in Bucket seats, especially in a pickup. They are easier/faster to get
into and out of…and will create more storage space in the cab. Gun racks?
If desired, make them solidly mounted and as far out of sight as possible.
Onboard tools will be important to keep your survival vehicle
operational. All should be secure and hard-mounted.
Carry an appropriate workshop manual with wiring diagrams.
Study it carefully and know how to reference its various sections.
Complete Automotive hand tool kit.
Heavy duty jack, jack stands and wheel chocks.
An onboard portable compressor, even a small 12 VDC model has a lot of usefulness.
If you can afford a larger one, then you can run pneumatic tools with it.
Portable generator. As much and as good as you can afford. Its just plain worth
it.
Tow Chain, shackles and tow hooks, various rope and line.
1-1⁄2 ton power winch or chain hoist or block and fall. I would consider
something that is not hard mounted so you can use it from the front or rear
of the vehicle…or not even need the vehicle at all.
Propane torches and solder/rosin for soldering wires and radiator repair. Learn
how to solder!
Electric wiring, electrical crimp connectors, electrical tape, spare switches,
heat shrink tubing, nylon wire (cable) ties.
Onboard Axe, shovel, pry bar.
12 VDC mechanic's drop lamp.
Additional fuel, lubricants, brake fluid, silicon sealant, adhesives (especially,
JB-Weld and Goop), duct tape, grease gun, thread tape, emery paper (2) spare
tires, potable water, fan belts, Radiator hoses, heater hoses, hose clamps
and tune up parts
One properly inflated spare in good condition is good, but having two
spares is even better.
Keep tire repair equipment! Six cans of Fix-a-Flat, a radial tire plug
kit and about 50 plugs. Find or make tools for breaking down and mounting tires.
Fuel
transfer pump for getting fuel [from one vehicle to another or from] out
of in-ground tanks. A hand-operated barrel pump with extensions for both the
suction
side
and the
discharge side.
Spot light (hand held)
A volt/ohm meter and mechanics test light.
Very Important: Drive your survival vehicle regularly. Use
it. Go
get plywood and shrubs and groceries in it. Work it. Houses
and vehicles need people using them. When either is not used they
deteriorate very quickly. Hard
use will keep you thinking about repairs or modifications you might want to
make. By date and mileage keep good repair and maintenance records.
A rugged dependable vehicle should be part of your survival gear. As long as
you can get fuel there is freedom in mobility. The above is not a definitive
list or the “end all to be all” one size fits all solution.
Consider
this article a starting point and add your own ideas. - The OddShot
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Aids to Mapping Your G.O.O.D. Routes
Mr. Rawles,
I appreciate everything you do to keep everyone working toward preparing. To
that end I would like to supplement your notes with a product I have been
using for a few weeks now that have greatly improved my
Get Out of Dodge (G.O.O.D.)
plans.
Along with US Geological maps I have used the excellent Delorme Atlas and Gazetteer
to plan my back road escape routes. Recently I found that they now offer ($29.95
plus the cost of the software) an "all
you can use" annual subscription to their entire map collection in
digital format.
Unfortunately you do need software (Topo USA or XMap) to utilize this product
but many hikers use this software so it is not a "one trick" software
product. With the software you can trace routes and save them for printing
and uploading to the Delorme GPSes.
Software is pretty complicated so I recommend setting aside some time to learn
it to get the most utilization.
These innovations have significantly improved my escape plans with alternate
and fall back routes. Aside from the GPS routes I have printed out high resolution
color maps using iGage
water proof laser paper.
Once you have timed the routes in various traffic conditions. Put a detailed
map copy in each BOV and
another in the family BOB.
These give us options, as well as providing the all-important putting
a plan in writing step.
One Tip: The departure rush from major sporting events [at
large sports venues] are not bad for simulating the traffic snarls in an emergency.
you can improve your options to lock down agreed upon routes.
Regards, - JNC
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One View on the Ultimate Vehicular Bug Out by Jerry the Generator Guy
There hasn’t been much discussion regarding what might be a well-planned
bug out. The following is an overview of our vehicular bug out plan. This overview
is offered to assist others in fleshing out their specific needs and plans.
If you are like us, then you believe that the local area is
not viable for long term personal survival. Thus we are forced to consider
quickly getting to an alternate location. I won’t present our criteria
for the destination as everyone has different needs.
We selected a locale for serious consideration and visited there. The “boots
on the ground” impression is worth far more than any data mining that
you may have done. We have also subscribed to their local paper for the last
two years. Our initial positive impression of the area has increased with time.
The local paper gives a detailed behind the scenes view of what the real issues
in the area are or are not. Taking the local paper will also allow us to blend
in faster with the locals by being talking about the latest area news. If you
don’t get good “vibes” during a on scene visit then you should
select another area.
You have successfully avoided something that for you would have been a mistake.
We have listened to the various local radio and/or television stations here
to determine which could be deemed “credible”. We judged local
emergency reporting as this would show what the actual station resources and attitudes are. Most stations, in their emergency
coverage, all seemed to simply parrot whatever was provided at the on site
command center via the press sessions. Locally, a daytime country/western station
has demonstrated careful and accurate news reporting in two major emergencies.
They were the only station to send reporters to potential areas of concern
to discover facts. An out of state radio station does better at forecasting
our local weather than the nearby stations. We have noticed, during our travels,
that most of the country/western stations seem to present a more accurate view
of the news than the bobble heads on talk radio. This accuracy is probably
a reflection of their “tell it like it is” listeners.
All of us should have thought out what event, or events, will trigger
the launch of the exit plan. We recommend careful listening to various shortwave,
local and out of state radio and television news. The news that is presented
from a different locate will occasionally surprise you with different facts
and/or opinions. Research for yourself the facts concerning any items of concern
and/or interest. Draw your personal conclusion and take appropriate action(s)
once facts are separated from propaganda.
Okay, so we now have a trigger mechanism and need a detailed plan to quickly
and efficiently get from “here” to “there”. It’s
time to start adding some detail to the draft plan. Since we know each specific
vehicle MPG [and fuel tank capacity] then possible locations along the travel
route, for fueling, can be determined. We plan to use the every two hour “Chinese
Fire Drill” approach.
Once every two hours, at previously-determined locations, all vehicles stop. All people receive a situation
update and describe any items of concern. Vehicles are topped off with fuel.
Everyone can get prepared food/drink items. Those who need a restroom stop
quickly does so. [JWR Adds: Avoid using public rest areas.
In the event os a crisis, they are likely
gathering
places for
very desperate
refugees
that
are
nearly
out of fuel!
Pick out wide shoulders on side roads, well in advance.
Assuming that you are traveling well-armed, these should offer some semblance
of security when stopping. ] Plan your fuel allocation on worst case fuel consumption
not best or even typical usage.
We
top off fuel
at the
two
hour
intervals since
we are already stopped and can get extra use of the time. If we later discover
any unexpected need to quickly travel for some distance we have already shifted “extra” fuel
into the tanks. We plan to have each vehicle carry enough fuel so that it is
able to make the entire trip without depending on any gas station being open.
This approach allows success even if any vehicle does break down. All other
vehicles can still finish the trip even if one is not quickly repairable. If
the group is close to the destination then a tow rope will be used to [hopefully
] allow all vehicles to finish the trip. The
tow rope can also be used to remove some road obstructions.
We will listen to various local radio stations along the planned route. You
can get a list of the stations, their frequencies, locations and audience focus
by entering the state name along with radio stations into Google; Example:
Montana Radio Stations. This monitoring will allow us to become aware of any
sudden need to modify our plan based on the actual local status. The monitoring
is done by high school young adults and any adult who desires to assist. Each
listener uses a set of earphones so they can focus on what is said. Any significant
items that will be submitted to the group are written immediately on a notepad.
Yes, we have a means to immediately update the group if the issue needs immediate
attention. All drivers do nothing but drive. All other activities are done
by others in the vehicle/group.
We strongly suggest that you, or several people, drive your planned exit route
several times to discover any areas that might either become a potential
problem or maybe offer an unexpected benefit. [JWR Adds: It
is important to plan and practice a secondary and tertiary route.] You may
be surprised--we were--about additional items that are noticed on more
than one trip. At one location that we had planned to use for a stop, the
overall
local
area feeling was very negative. We quickly decided to proceed further along
the
highway.
Check periodically during the year and see if the planned route has any recurring
traffic or weather related problems. What’s the speed that you plan to
travel between individual town “ X” and town “Y”? Your overall plan should use worst-case
MPG and alternate plans already prepared if the road is not in the expected condition
or weather is not as planned [hot/cold/windy/snowy ].
The travel maps that we have prepared all have some disinformation. The direction
arrows for the travel route all point to the “from” and not the “going
to” direction. In addition, the arrows stop one town short on both ends of the route.
There is an easy way to determine some of the potential traffic choke points.
Find out where the highway gates that are used to block traffic during adverse
weather are located. Carefully note these locations during your initial or
other trips. My conclusion is these are the natural traffic restriction locations.
We carry detailed topographic maps so that we can maneuver around any blockage along the route. You should have an answer ready for “highway
X is blocked ahead. What are alternate choices?”
We will be towing a trailer with one vehicle. All goods that are planned to
go with us are kept in what we call “here to there” locations.
This means when the time comes to load there is no wasted time on “where
is X?” or “do we take Y”? All
such decisions have been made in advance.
Yes, we keep a supply of knocked-down boxes on site for planned use. The loading
simply becomes everything from “here to there” goes – anything
and everything else stays. An actual loading of the boxes has shown that the
planned sequence, capacity and room is possible.
Note: You can gain a significant amount of extra “free” room by
removing the back seat in each vehicle.
Have you ever followed a trailer and seen the lights flicker as it went over
a bump? This defect is almost always caused by a poor wiring ground connection
at the hitch. The ground capability can be tested by connecting a jumper cable between the metal tongue
of the trailer and a good ground on the tow vehicle. If the lights on the trailer
suddenly get brighter or a problem vanishes then you can be certain that the
ground
path needs work. We use an 8 gauge wire for the ground connection on both vehicles.
Should your route include travel on gravel roads then be aware that the crushed
rock material may cut or even pop weak or almost worn out tires. Check the
tire ply rating and tread depth.
Be sure that they are able to stand the expected use. Could your tow vehicle
or trailer benefit from a stronger tire? You can check with a truck tire dealer
to find tires with higher weight carrying capability. How do you know if a
tire is intended for either a car or truck? Answer: Car tires are rated [marked
on the sidewall ] to carry a specified weight at a maximum inflation pressure.
Truck tires are rated to carry weight at a minimum inflation
pressure. Example: We wanted load range D radial tires for our trailer. The
local tire dealers
all
said that nothing was available (even via special order ). The truck tire dealer,
in a nearby town, simply asked did we want the load range D in a Major Brand
or the In House brand at $20 less for each?
We strongly recommend that you install radial tires on ALL vehicles. We
have also observed a 0.5 MPG mileage increase with radial tires on two different
trailers. My super wife and co-pilot says that she loves that the
trailer doesn’t sway near as
much in cross winds. In addition, when an 18-wheeler goes by the trailer isn’t
sucked toward the adjacent lane. This change took her from having a white knuckle
experience, when trucks passed, to being able to relax. We also installed shock
absorbers on the trailers. The difference in bounce of the trailer when driving
over a bump went from several up/down cycles to one. The shocks also reduced
the amount of trailer would lean during a fast turn. Any items in the trailer
benefit from a much smother ride.
When the potential needs seems to be imminent the trailer will be hitched,
lights & brakes checked, loaded & ready to travel. The planned route
and alternatives will be reviewed daily for any potential weather or other
delays. Most states offer a 1-800 number and/or web site with road condition
updates. Find those updates now, and put them on a list!
All fuel levels will be maintained at a 50% or higher level. Vehicle oil,
spark plugs and all filters will be changed. We keep this replacement stock
on site so that it is instantly available. These changes ensure that each vehicle can give us its best effort. We carry
a replacement set of all radiator hoses and belts. We have each vehicle battery
load checked semi-annually. Most locales that sell vehicle batteries provide
a free test service. We will replace any hose/belt/pump/battery/brake that
is questionable. All vehicle light bulbs are also checked . All vehicle tires
are inflated to the pressure that we want to use for best weight carrying capability.
Fuel tanks are filled to capacity, immediately before leaving, from on
site storage. All vehicles will be parked such that on “GO” each
driver can start the motor and quickly move out. Our thought is that by advance
preparation we will gain a minimum advantage of 10 minutes. At 60 MPH we will
be 10 miles distance down the road ahead of the majority.
We plan, by taking action at the trigger, to hopefully be at the travel end
point before most people are even started. The Hurricane Katrina
news coverage reinforced the fact that that early travelers were able to move
at full highway
speeds. Later departures were moving very slow.
Summary: We have tried to make plans for two different scenarios;
1.) We have several days to get ready, or 2.) The need is sudden. In either
case we have all necessary items on site for prep and pack. The planning buys
us some of the very important variable called time.
Planning also helps to eliminate the “what do we do” panic response
mode. Everyone should have or develop now, at a minimum, a
who/when/what/where plan. The plan doesn’t cost much, if any, cash to
develop. Equipment without a plan doesn’t
have any value.
Note: We do not provide discussion on specific roads to be traveled or planned
speed as this to should be one of your group discussion items. Unique roads,
weather, vehicles and group plans each offer a different series of opportunities
and challenges. We hope to see you at the “Troy Barter Faire”!
(For those of you wondering what this means, see Chapter 14 in "Patriots".)
« Odds 'n Sods: |Main| Three Letters Re: The Community Retreat »
Letter Re: Alaska as a Retreat Locale
I have read your list of recommended
retreat areas and agree for the most
part. My wife and child and I are leaving Texas in March and heading north.
Idaho
and
Alaska
are the only places we are considering because they are the only two western
states that have 100% parental autonomy on homeschooling.
As for Alaska not being recommended, I would have to disagree somewhat. Yes,
it is not for everybody. Some people don't like cold
and that's fine by me. However, the issues of supplies and resource shipment
I think may become
moot. When TSHTF the
shipment of goods will be disrupted everywhere, and in the lower 48 there will
be more people fighting for what is left. For those
of us looking to get off the Made-in-China Wal-Mart matrix, these are changes
we are preparing for and will welcome.
In Alaska there will be an advantage not found anywhere else. First, it's cold
climate and geographic separation from the lower 48 will keep it very well
protected against the roving bands of thugs and immigrants already overpopulating
the lower 48. People simply won't be able to get there, and borders will likely
close to all such traffic. Second, Alaska has a long and well-ingrained tradition
of self-sufficiency and the character of the people there will be more immune
to the shock of having to get back to basics. Additionally it is the most likely
candidate to be the first state to secede. The crime rate statistics are misleading
as well, due to the low population and the fact many "crimes" are
not crimes at all, or they represent alcohol-related petty crimes, eskimo tribal
feuds, bar brawls, etc. All in all, I believe the spirit of Alaska will prevail
and people will get along better than the lower 48 on many levels, regardless
of whether or not there is a Wal-Mart. On another note, [Governor]
Sarah Palin has also proposed the
creation of a new natural gas line just for the state residents. - Brad in
Texas
« Odds 'n Sods: |Main| Letter Re: Looking at Preparedness as a Challenge »
Letter Re: Way Points for G.O.O.D. Routes?
Jim:
The gentleman that wrote
to say that he wants to rent his property out for bugout situations should
read the [first hand] observations posted on [the aftermath
of Hurricane]
Katrina. [This was written by someone that sheltered dozens of people]: Thoughts
On Disaster Survival. Regards, - Bill N.
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Letter Re: Military Surplus Watertight Containers for G.O.O.D. Vehicle Boxes
Dear Jim:
I'm a 10
Cent Challenge subscriber with an idea that may help folks
with their storage items.
I was out the the shed looking for my box 'o bullets to catch up on some reloading
and came across an empty 81mm
rocket box. Sprayed it off with the hose and
let it dry and started thinking that it looks like the same height of a #10
can, I tried it and it was. So since I dislike storing survival items in
cardboard, not sturdy enough or water proof, started loading it up and lo
and behold the
Mountain House freeze dried cans fit also. So far so good.
Also looked to be the right size (~14" wide, 25" long and 7" high)
to make a 'go' box. That would be a box with a variety of items that one could
just grab and go [or Get Out of Dodge (G.O.O.D.)] in a hurry, or give it to
a needy, unprepared relative or some other poor unfortunate that was in need
of charity
and then
tell them
to 'Go'. Grab, as in not having to search around looking for different things
such as matches, which food to take/give, and items like toilet paper, light
source, fuel, etc.
So this is what I came up with, one sturdy metal box with the following items:
Five liters of water, P38 can opener, 12 hour Chemical Light sticks (4), Plastic
forks (4), Bic Lighter, 2 books of matches, one roll of toilet paper, Trioxane
(4 boxes, 3
bars each) 66 oz can of Tuna, #10 can of freeze Dried Chicken/Rice, #10 can
Freeze Dried green beans, two #10 cans (that’s over 12 pounds!) of Costco
Cattle Drive Chili with Beans (yum!) box of 64 feminine light day pads
(also works as bandage) small bar of hotel soap, mylar blanket, candle and
a small
knife.
Should keep a couple of people set with the basics for a week or so if they
are able to forage additional water.
I'm sure I can tweak the contents with this and that but overall I'm happy
with it! Take care and may God Bless you and yours for all the good work
you do. - Cactus
Jim
JWR Replies: Although they are very space and cost efficient,
I generally do not recommend buying humongous containers of wet-packed foods--such
as
the cans of tuna
and chili that you mentioned for that purpose. Unless you are feeding
10 or more people at once, there is too much risk of spoilage in all but the
coldest
of weather.
Most of us with small to medium-sized families should stick
with smaller wet-pack cans for our G.O.O.D. kits!
« Four Letters Re: The Thin Blue Line |Main| Notes from JWR: »
Hurricane Lessons Learned and Some Advice on Getting Prepared, by Ken on the Gulf Coast
Sometimes it is not an option to relocate so you have to get prepared wherever
you are located. I am located on the Gulf Coast 60 short miles from New Orleans,
Louisiana. We were ground zero for Hurricane Katrina, so I have a first hand
experience of what can happen I will describe some things that I did right
and some things that I did wrong.
We were unable to relocate to a place like Idaho as we had elderly parents
who could not and probably would not relocate to a more appropriate survival
area.
My mother was born in 1930 the daughter of a sharecropper in the Louisiana
delta. They lived a survivor lifestyle as a matter of everyday life. She instilled
in me a fear of having absolutely nothing. Until her
death in 2007 she refused to run a dishwasher or air conditioner. She could
not bring herself to waste electricity, water, or anything for that matter.
She would not waste anything.
Although not as dedicated to thrift as my mother, I did inherit her fear of
hunger, and vulnerability to the unexpected. She died in fear of depression
era conditions returning. When she died I lost a valuable
source of survival information.
Because of my mother's influence, the day after Hurricane Katrina, we were
one out of 75,000 or so who had lights and running water 36 hours after the
storm. The following is what most people did wrong:
A lot of people had generators, the problem was that they only had a couple
of cans of gas. So they were all without power in less than 24 hrs. All of
the gas stations were disabled. No gas means no
power!
Nobody had enough food, they recommend three days, it took almost three days
just to get the roads clear.
No guns! I had friends who did not "believe in guns" that ended
up borrowing some weapons.
No dogs! Without dogs, you have no warning of intruders. Alarm
systems don't work after the batteries are dead.
The following is what I did right:
I had a natural gas generator installed. I was up and running less than 36
hours of the storm. It was also a mistake to select natural gas as a fuel source.
Upturned trees broke gas lines all over the region, it was only blind luck
that left me with gas pressure. A propane system would have been better.
I had drilled a water well. I was able to provide water pressure to my house,
city water was out for weeks. I tied the system back to the house by a simple
water hose going from a faucet on my pump to one on the house.
I had lights and water. Here is what I did wrong:
I evacuated the elderly mothers and dogs to an area 100+ miles north. Electricity
was out over the entire state, my motor home generator powered my sisters house
where I left our parents and dogs. I left the dogs at my bug out location before
I returned to the disaster area.
Mistake #1:
I sent my dogs elsewhere.
The other thing I was unprepared for were refugees. I call them refugees because
they would have gone hungry without the food in my pantry and freezers. I was
totally unprepared for the 16 families looking to me for
food and direction.
Some other things I did wrong:
I did not have enough food. I fed a lot of people. In a real end of life as
we know it scenario, I would have been forced to choose who I would have to
turn away. It's one thing to take care of people when you know help is on the
way, quite another when there is no help in sight.
Weapons: I loaned my old shotguns to all the people who did not believe in
the private ownership of guns. When gangs of illegal aliens and welfare recipients'
were roaming the streets, the folks who didn't believe in guns didn't hesitate
to request assistance.
I did not have a fuel source independent of the grid.
The following are changes that I have made:
I now have a Bluebird Bus motor home. It has a huge fuel tank that I can use
to run the house if the natural gas generator quits. It’s diesel generator
can put out 12 kw for a long time.
I have a much larger store of food.
I have a photovoltaically-powered water supply.
I have a bug out vehicle that has a 1,200 to 1,500 mile range. It has a propane
refrigerator. It has a water
system that can provide water pressure to my house.
I have dogs. In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, thieves were cranking up
lawn mowers and pushing them up next to running generators after the storm.
They would then shut down the running generators and leave the running lawn
mowers while they absconded with the generators. You cannot stay awake
24 hours a day. Dogs do not miss much if anything. I can’t recommend
a breed of dog, but the following work for me: Miniature Schnauzers, Australian
shepherds, Catahoula Curs. If you live in the south and have some land you
cannot beat a Catahoula Cur. An Australian Sheppard is a close second for all
climates.
I have ten acres and good soil, I am putting in a very large garden. However,
I do not feel that I can overcome the huge welfare population we have here,
If things get out of hand, I plan to bug out. I now have an RV that has a tremendous range. It has a propane refrigerator, and full facilities.
I can literally live on the side of the road for weeks or months. It is equipped
to pull a full-size 4WD with
trailer. I have several bug out locations within four hours where I can evacuate
to. When I leave I will have dogs, food, tools,
and arms. I also have shortwave radios.
You have to develop a survival mentality,
you have to add to your preparation everyday. Each trip to Wal-Mart is an
opportunity to add to your supplies. The one thing I learned is that when the
storm hits,
its too late to think about being prepared. You have to think: if
a disaster strikes, how long can you feed and protect your family? I add
to my provisions
every day.
Start to prepare now. Think: food, food, and more food,
ammo, bandages, and unless you can
go without sleep 24 hours a day don't forget the dogs!
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Field Gear on a Shoestring Budget: Ten Project Examples, by George S.
The following are some hopefully useful field expedients, substitutes and
spares, all
of which can be had for a buck to about ten bucks each:
#1: Drywall Saw: if you don’t have one of those all-purpose $49.95 survival
knives or field shovels from Gerber or Glock with the accessory root saw, or
you’ve found that the finger-length saw blade on a Swiss Army folder
leaves a lot to be desired when cutting a 2x6 [board] down to size? A bow saw
or flexible survival kit saw are a couple of possible candidates that may be
up
to the
task, but so too is an inexpensive drywall "stab" saw. The blade
on the one I got for a buck in the closeout tool bin at my local Big Box store
hardware department has a blade just a smidgen under 7 inches long and saw
teeth that cut on the push stroke on one edge and reversed teeth that work
on the
draw stroke on the other. It also has a sharp enough tip on the blade point
to poke through drywall or thin wood paneling, hence the term "stab" saw.
The handle on mine, made/distributed under the GreatNeck
brand, P/N 4932, is
hard plastic and black rubber, comfortable enough to use for repeat cutting.
Though that handle included a molded-in flap pierced for a lanyard or hang
cord, the handle itself is stout enough to be drilled at the butt end for a
hole for a wrist lanyard or dummy cord. So I modified mine to eliminate any
chance of the cord tearing through the molded flap. I also did a little reshaping
of the handle on my saw with a file to get it to better fit my hand, so there
is enough material molded around the blade at the handle end for personal modification
to suit.
In addition to the obvious uses for field carpentry, mine’s proved useful
on the rib cage and pelvic bones when field dressing whitetail deer. There
are certainly other times in the woods when a nice quiet saw is to be preferred
to noisier if sometimes quicker tools like machetes or hatchets, as well as
being lighter in weight. A drywall saw is easily carried in a homemade or improvised
leather or nylon web belt sheath, or a short length of metal tubing can be
squashed flat and the saw blade inserted, both for protection for the blade
from other residents in a toolbox and to keep the saw from chewing holes in
a pack or rucksack pocket. Mine also fits in a scabbard meant for an M7 bayonet
for an M16 rifle,
which I picked up for a couple of bucks in the junk box at my favorite army-navy
surplus store. That has the total cost for my saw under
five bucks, so I went back and bought two more, one for a pal and one as a
spare for myself. Using a saw to cut those little figure-four release triggers
for small game snares or dead
fall
traps beats doing that task with most knife
blades, by the way, though setting snares in the cold is not real high on my
list of fun things to do. But if
you’re going to try it, I suggest you first practice setting the things
when it’s warmer out...and using a saw instead of a knife to build your
hare-trigger releases. (Yes, that spelling was intentional!)
#2: Snow Camo Overwhites: I live in snow country where sets of military over-white
trousers and parka can be useful during the white time of the year, and yes,
I have a good set. But my back-up plan consists of a large white vinyl trash
bag that can either be used for its intended purpose or can instead have neck
and arm holes poked into it in a pinch, then to be worn to help keep drizzle
and sleet off. It’s considerably more glossy and shiny than I care for,
which can be cured either with a few vertical stripes of flat white automotive
spray paint, or an XXXXXL white t-shirt can be added over it- unless, of course,
you are a XXXXXL T-shirt size as is, and you have to use a white pillowcase
or kiddy bed bed sheet substitute instead. Really large used T-shirts go for
50 cents each at my local Goodwill thrift store, and since I’m not planning
on wearing these against my skin, I’m not the least bit squeamish about
getting one that’s been used. And while I was there I found a pair of
much-dripped-on white painter’s pants for a buck, too, oversized and
baggy, just right for wear over warmer trousers underneath. A few shots with
the ol’ 99-cent can of flat white spray paint, and I was right in business.
Admittedly, they were still loose enough on me that I needed a pair of elastic
carpenters’ suspenders to help hold them up, and those suspenders were
available only in blue or red, not white. Out came the flat white spray can
again, which took care of that, backed up by a wrap or two of white athletic
bandage tape over the too-shiny buckles, which both locked them in place and
ensured there wouldn’t be any giveaway shine even if the paint flaked
a bit. It didn’t hurt to have that pair of short lengths of tape handy
should they be needed for other uses, either. That white spray paint also works
real well on surplus store desert helmet covers to whitenize them for winter
wear, then useable either as field jacket or parka hoods, or as, of all things,
wintertime helmet covers.
#3: Inexpensive Lockblade Folding Knifes: I like nice pretty folding knives,
both factory and custom, and some are so pretty and beautifully crafted that
it seems like sacrilege to drop one in a pocket, let alone open it up and actually
use it; the one I got as a present a couple of years back is like that. So
in my pocket rattling against my keys instead is the cheapie $1 lockblade folder
I picked up in the sporting goods/camping supplies department at my local Wal-Mart.
Packaged as "Ozark Trail #3074," the knife’s 31⁄4" blade
is jinked (partially "sawtoothed) along the rear third of its belly
edge, is marked "stainless," and is retained by a screw, making sharpening
and other maintenance simple. The knives’ handles/scales are a hard black
plastic that’s sufficiently impact resistant that of the dozen or so
examples I have none have yet suffered breakage or cracking, though one that
came in contact with a hot Jeep exhaust manifold melted and blurred a bit.
Now that one’s a "parts queen" donor for any of the others
that might have a blade chip or snap a point. That hasn’t happened yet,
the only replacement so far needed on my stable of cheap Chinese folding pointy-sharpie
things having been that of a replacement blade pivot screw that came loose
on one and got away in my pocket. The scales are a little squarish for my taste,
easily fixed by rounding off the edges and corners with a file or sandpaper,
and yep, there’s a well-placed hole for a dummy cord lanyard or key ring.
One so equipped resides on a spare bootlace that goes around my neck when I’m
kayaking in the summertime, and twin brothers of the cheapie Wal-Mart folder
live in the glove box of each of my vehicles, my tool boxes, in one pocket
or another of most of my rucks and daypacks, on my key chain and there’s
one in the drawer of my computer desk where it does double duty as letter
opener and box tape slicer. There are some users who don't care for the idea
that the
knife can be disassembled and have concerns that parts can become
unattached and lost. I haven't had that happen yet, but I figure screw tightness
checks are routine maintenance,
and I will use a threadlocker if I think it's necessary.
#4: Singlepoint Balance Sling: I had always wanted to be a high-speed, low
drag, tactical operations operating operator, but had never been able to come
up with one of the $35-$50 3-way HK or
Vickers slings that all the gun shop commandos and SWAT Team
guys who’ve never fired a shot in a real world
gunfight keep insisting to me that all the real professionals use. Adding a
center-of-balance attach point for a centerpoint sling is a simpler alternative,
and can be accomplished with nothing any more complicated or expensive than
a screw-in eyebolt at the point where the wrist of a shotgun’s butt fits
into the gun’s receiver, an expedient that goes at least as far back
in historic use as Doc Holliday’s sawn-off double-barreled scatterguns.
For the sling itself I used a five-foot length of black 1-inch wide tubular
webbing as used for rock climbing harnesses, also very useful for belts and
regular weapons slings. The advantage of using the tube web in this application
is that the tube web is hollow inside, and inside went a 48-inch-long elastic
bungee cord. The hook of one end of the bungee’s elastic shock cord was
then crimped to the front snaploop of a very used AK-47 sling
that had pulled out the oil-rotted threads holding it on, though all sorts
of alternate snaps
and swivels [or a 550-cord loop] could be used instead. The ones found on $2
surplus Swiss gas mask bags are especially excellent, with or without the bag
strap attached. The hook then attaches either to an AK or other rifle’s
front sling swivel, or at the new midpoint location if the hardware for that
application is installed. A friend who saw and tried my centerpoint sling on
my AK wanted one for his new M4 configuration
AR-15, and since he already had a sling attach point installed as the stock
locking plate of his CAR-15,
all I had to do was add the sling’s body loop and the strap with the
swivel snap. In his case, that snap was made from a pear-shaped key ring mini-caribiner,
after threading a short piece of clear plastic gas line tubing over it to keep
it from scratching the rifle finish and keep potential rattling silenced.
At the other end there’s a loop just large enough to go over the user’s
shoulder across the chest front, again with the elastic cord keeping it snug.
With the sling snap attached at the midpoint I can hold my rifle in both hands
and extend it out to arm’s length in front of me, and the elastic and
slightly muzzle-heavy weight with a loaded mag in places returns it to a muzzle-down
port arms position. This allows a fast transition from carbine to handgun,
handheld radio/cell phone, or my ice cream cone, depending on my priorities
at the time. I really prefer to have web or leather slings on weapons that
may be fired enough to get more than a little warm, since nylon slings can
melt through if they come in contact with a hot barrel. I’ve also had
my doubts about the general utility of balance point slings, but this is my
opportunity to try one out for a while, and there do seem to be two situations
in which mine has proven useful for me. One is while standing around with the
weapon at ready for long periods of time, as when at a guard post or waiting
to hit the firing line on a hot range, probably why they’ve been so popular
with some troops in Iraq. The other is when aboard a motorcycle, snowmobile
or ATV and the right hand is occupied with operating the vehicle, which would
be a really nice time to have a shorty bullpup weapon instead. But when what
you’ve got is what you’re going to have to use, I’ll admit
the springy sling may be worth being fitted.
#5: Gear/Armor Carrier Vest: Now that I had my new SWATzie sling I now needed
a black tactical vest and armor plate/pad carrier to go with it, and $2 seemed
to be a good price to give for the basic start for one. That was for two of
the polycloth black shopping bags from my local Wal-Mart store at a buck each,
offered as an alternative to the usual flimsy plastic variety. Aside from the
low cost, their big attractions were their 12" x 12" square size,
and the pair of 11⁄4" wide straps that serve as the bags front and
rear handles. Cutting away the stitching that held the end of one strap at
the mouth of one bag left an attached double strap that was long enough to
go over my shoulder and connect the first bag worn in front to the second one
across my back. The other strap was similarly modified, but on the other side
of the handle, giving a strap on either side to connect to the other bag, one
on the front left side of the front bag, and the other on the right rear of
the same bag. The straps on the other bag were modified the same way, but alternated
in mirror-image reverse, so that the outside left strap of the front bag’s
strap connected to the outside left of the rear bag, and the inside straps
likewise went to the attach points of their respective counterparts. In my
case, just the straps of one bag worn draped over my neck probably would have
been enough to position the front bag high enough in front that the bag’s
open top came to about the height of a field jacket’s front collar button.
That configuration is very similar to the old Military Armament Corporation
(MAC)
Ingram M10 submachinegun carry bags [made of then military-standard olive drab
canvas] that unfolded for wear beneath the user’s neck, the inside
of the MAC bags being lined with a Kevlar pad. I wanted protection and other
features
in back, though, so initially went with the twin bag approach. The bag in back
rode high enough that it too left just enough room for a jacket or shirt collar
to fit beneath it, and it covered my upper back and shoulders nicely. Both
bags rode high enough that an equipment belt can be worn underneath, and the
belt can be put on either first or after the vest is in place; others of different
body sizes may find they’ll need more of the adjustment provided by lengthening
both shoulder straps. Alternately, a set of padded shoulder straps salvaged
from a day pack or ALICE ruck
shoulder straps could be used instead.
Inside the rear face of my front bag went a used and expired Kevlar soft vest
obtained in a trade from a retired cop neighbor of mine. Inside the front face
of that same pouch went a military SAPI plate,
hopefully capable of withstanding rifle fire--or maybe not as effectively as
desired:
the military
has been replacing them with a newer E-SAPI version--an enhanced SAPI plate.
I also added a "kangaroo pouch" extension extending from the bottom
of the front bag, [made from a third black cloth shopping bag folded in half
top-to-bottom, giving a 6-inch extension and raising the basic cost of the
rig by another whole dollar. The Kevlar padding from another soft vest went
in the bag in back. I can add yet another "kangaroo" drop pouch location
on the bottom of the rear bag, should another 8" by 12" SAPI or E-SAPI
plate come my way and I feel like spending yet another dollar, and depending
on whether I want the extra SAPI protection low over my kidneys and spine,
or higher at my shoulder level. Until then the ballistic pad from a vest fired
into for testing rides at a height in between, sealed in a large vinyl pouch
to prevent the pad from becoming soaked if I get caught wearing the vest outside
in the rain, or go for an unplanned swim. No, you shouldn’t use expired
or damaged vest inserts or material. Yes, you ought to spend the bucks for
the very best body armor you can afford, and if you’ve developed tastes
based on personal experience, go with it. But if all you have on hand is less
desirable material, it may be better than nothing, so long you’re under
no illusions about its lessened effectiveness.
At the bottom edge of both the front and rear bags’ exterior I added
a left and right-side horizontal black nylon strap [sections left over from
building the sling described in section #4 above] and quick-release buckle
to connect the front and rear bags at my waist. The buckles came in a package
of three from the craft section of my local fabric shop, and one had been used
on a holster project, leaving the two I needed. I notice, however, that these
not only appear identical to the ones used on grocery shopping cart kiddy seat
belts and will fasten with the cart buckles just fine, but also are even identified
as having been made by the same manufacturer. [Ask nicely at your grocery when
they change their shopping carts’ seatbelts for newer ones less frayed
or for ones with a newer advertising message and you may get a grocery bag
full of the old ones for free.] In any event, the bottom straps do a fine job
of keeping the bottoms of the vest bags from flopping around, and mine can
be adjusted for anything from t-shirt weather to opened up enough to fit over
a parka or field jacket with winter liner. Velcro attachments would probably
work just as well.
Upgrades and enhancements: I also added velcro at the edge seams of the bags
to help the bags maintain their flat and square profile when other items like
my cheapie overwhites and poncho are added inside between the ballistic panels.
Likewise I added matching facing velcro straps to the former cloth handles,
now over-the-shoulder straps, which helps them stay together to be slid through
the adjustment buckles for them, which are former metal sling adjustment keepers.
The Velcro came from the craft department at Wal-Mart in a strip about 3⁄4-inches
wide by 3 feet long for a little over a buck. Yes, there are uses yet to come
for the leftover hook-and-loop pieces.
I wanted a way to carry ammo and other goodies with my cheapie vest, and since
they’d be a bit difficult to get to with the vest padding inside, that
meant pouches for them on the outside surface, leaving the bag interiors to
function as a drop pouch for empty magazines or clips or other non-disposable
novelties. The solution to hanging external pouches or other accessories was
easy, and all it took was a bunch of 12-inch long black nylon inch-wide straps
laid out in horizontal rows across each bag’s outside face, separated
by about a half inch. If that sounds like MOLLE rack
webbing, it should because that’s a good approximation of what it
is, though spaced primarily for ALICE gear
rather than MOLLE. Accordingly, the
critical dimension is not the
spacing between the straps, but the distance from the bottom edge of each lower
strap to the top edge of the upper strap, which should be from about 2-1⁄4
inches to no more than 2-3/8 inches, the inside height of an ALICE fastener.
The front face of my vest wound up with nine rows of webbing, seven at the
bottom and two at the top for first aid packet or compass pouches. On the back
outside face, it’s also covered top to bottom with nine rows of the webbing,
allowing anything from a Camelbak canteen pouch, a couple of 2-liter GI bladder
canteens or ammo pouches to be fitted. The spacing for the vertical stitches
that hold the straps to the fabric is approximately 1-3/16ths inch apart each
and I made up a spacer from a narrowed wooden paint-stirring paddle to keep
them in a reasonably uniform vertical line. Note that the metal ALICE clip
fasteners will chew through web straps fairly rapidly, since they’re
really meant for use on the heavy- duty web of a pistol or LBE belt.
One answer for this is to use the commercially available and relatively inexpensive
ALICE
strap-type adapters; another is the old airborne unit trick of replacing each
ALICE clip with at least two separate loops of parachute cord, knotted tight
and with the ends at the knot fused by heat to prevent the knots from working
loose. Now if you come across a military vest or armor carrier with the MOLLE
straps worn through, you’ll have a good idea as to the likely cause,
and how to prevent a repeat if you adopt the vest and repair the damage.
As an added benefit, the resulting ALICE/MOLLE web slots are just large enough
to allow the body of a 12-gauge shotgun shell to fit, with the shell’s
rim keeping the round from dropping through. That inspired me to build a second
vest primarily for use with a shotgun. Lacking the bottom extensions it’s
accordingly shorter and more compact, and so can be worn reasonably concealed
beneath a GI field jacket. The old Second Chance Z9 that was the first vest
I owned back in the 1970s rides in front in this one, and I’m still looking
for another castoff vest for the back pouch. Additional boxed ammo carried
in pouches in back helps balance the load on my shoulders, and helps prevent
me from kicking myself for not bringing more ammo along for those parties that
last longer than anticipated.
A third, similar vest was made at the request of a friend for carrying .50
caliber rifle ammo, among other items. It’s similar to my second "shotgun" vest,
with a few variations described later. Other specialized applications may well
come along, and I expecting that vests to serve as at least temporary expedients
for dealing with them can be launched at a cost of around two bucks each, for
a start.
The triple-magazine ALICE pouches
for M16 magazines fit very nicely at the bottom corners of my first "rifle" vest,
though M16 magazines aren’t
what are in them. With the two inside top anti-rattle strap tabs that separate
the three magazines removed, an M16 pouch is just right for an 8-round M1
Garand clip of .30-06 ammo laid flat. Alternate the bullet ends left to
right as more loaded clips are added, and they’ll hold eight clips, nine
in some if an extra one is crammed up into the pouch cover before snapping
it shut. I’ve
got two pouches so filled on the back bottom corners of my long vest and another
up front, [and a holstered handgun where a fourth ammo pouch could go] giving
me 192 rounds in 24 clips carried in three pouches. Conveniently, my Garand
ammo is stored in 192-round cans, in clips; isn’t it splendid how such
things sometimes work out?
A load like that with the added weight of vest pads and plates can get heavy
after a bit, so I added some of that black nylon webbing along either side
of both of the adjustable straps to help spread the weight; padded pack straps
are a possible solution for this problem, too. Those leftover short sections
of Velcro strip were added to three of the webbing rows approximately centered
on the front panel on the third, fourth and fifth rows from the top. Their
mating sections were added to the back of a largish US flag patch, which I’ll
continue to consider wearing so long as this country and its Constitution remain
at least partially workable institutions. Since situations in which wearing
a bullet-resistant tac vest with a couple of hundred rounds of Garand ammo
are not only possible but appear to be becoming more likely of late, there
may be some question as to how long that "workable" consideration
will last. Others may find flags of state or local jurisdictions, their religious
or veterans organizations, or family or group identification symbols or name
tapes to be more suitable or to the point.
Oh yeah: the black Wally-World bags come with the motto "Paper or Plastic?
Neither", and "Wal-Mart" printed across their front. Various cures for this
can be as simple
as just facing those slogans inward, turning the bags inside-out placing the
lettering in the inside where it won’t be seen, to a few shots with the
trusty 99-cent spray paint can, the flat black one in this case. I found that
the paint solvents softened the bag lettering enough to allow the printing
to be scraped away, but turned one inside out for better access to the stitching
of the handle straps anyway. If you don’t care for the black colored
bags, blue ones from Kroger grocery stores can be used instead, or bright orange
ones from the Big Lots retail chain. I’m sure that the selection can
vary depending on what stores are in a particular area; I haven’t found
suitable bags in winter white yet, but either a white cover can be added to
the front and rear faces of the pouch sections, or that ever-handy can of flat
white spray can be again called to duty. An inexpensive camouflage bandanna
can be used as a sewn-on cover before ALICE or MOLLE
webbing is added instead, for those wishing to match their other field gear
or maintain uniformity with
group camo; likewise the remaining material from the back of a camouflage shirt
blouse or lightweight T-shirt could be used. I've also found that the
JoAnn Fabrics shop chain offers
a very similar bag in a Loden/British Racing Green for a buck each, and a few
of them may be the beginning of my next project.
Those who’ve seen how glaringly black vests fluoresce in current night
vision equipment seem to be less enthusiastic about using all-black gear, but
television and movies have done their best to condition their zombie audiences
to accept those in the black tac vests as being the ultimate in authority figures.
That
kind of mass conditioning may be helpful to domestic concentration camp guards,
but the cowering habits of sheep-like GDP en
route to the slaughterhouse may also be utilized in making one’s
exit from such locales by other individuals or groups wearing the black vests,
at least until the urban inmates discover that many of those in the black outfits
may not have their best interests at heart.
As for sourcing components, I happened to get a deal on a couple of a hundred
18-inch sections of nylon strap from the industrial surplus outlet of a manufacturing
plant. New web from commercial sources can be used instead; one pal of mine
used a couple of cheap nylon dog leashes to make his, and inexpensive import
nylon slings are another source of alternate potential raw material. Those
wanting olive drab straps instead of black can use the material from the Swiss
military web straps offered by Sportsman’s Guide, 6 of them 31 inches
long and 14 that are 66" each, all with plastic pinch-release buckles,
and
under $15 for all 20, their item # 124510. Sportsman's Guide also offers 1-inch
wide nylon strapping in 125- yard rolls as their item
# 132816,
but you don’t get any buckles with that deal. My ballistic pads and inserts
have been collected from a variety of sources and applications over the years,
but those looking for their own suppliers of those components should check
with the offerings of BulletproofME.com or UsedBodyArmor.com as
possible sources.
Previously I’ve never cared for vests for much other than the specialized
ones for aircraft survival gear, [which can be slung over flight deck seats
when not in use] M79/M203 ammunition or photographic gear. The polyvalence
of having body armor and ballistic plate carriers do double-duty as attach
points for web gear is too obvious to avoid, however, particularly since the
armor carrier makes the use of web gear or LBE suspenders underneath both hot
and uncomfortable, and can restrict access to gear carried underneath. Two
bucks [or four] for a pair of shopping bags as a starting place for an armor/gear
carry vest seems like a good bargain to me, though you’ll have considerable
time and hand work putting one together after you decide just how you want
it arranged.
The vests made from 12"x12" bags front and rear work out a little
short so far as complete lower torso coverage goes, but that can be an advantage
for those who expect to spend lengthy periods seated in vehicles or elsewhere.
Adding the extensions like those I used for my SAPI plates provides an additional
6-inch deep pocket that runs horizontally completely along the front of the
vest, long enough inside for double-taped "royal" AK or RPK magazines,
full-length Sten, Swedish K or Thompson SMG magazines,
or for use as a "drop
pouch" for expended magazines or recovered clips in the case of my Garands.
Those without such concerns can use the long horizontal space for chem-lights,
highway flares or pop flares, pistol mags or a gas mask or night vision device,
as available.[JWR Adds: I do not advocate taping rifle of
SMG magazines "end for end" . This often results in the downward-pointing
magazine getting jammed full of mud when you jump down prone. So instead, tape
the pair together parallel (with both tops pointing upward.) You can
use a short length of dowel, and a pencil, or even a couple of thicknesses
of MRE spoon
handles between
the magazines, to make them angle apart from one another, to provide the necessary
magazine well clearance.]
Those who are really tall might want to consider the possibility of stacking
two bags piggyback, front and rear- four bucks worth, again. Alternately, that
open space beneath the rib cage not well covered by a single bag [or the small
of the back, for the rear bag] can be used for a front- attached drop magazine
pouch or reversed fanny pack, or in back, for an extension for a poncho or
sleeping bag carrier that rides below the 12" x 12" dimensions of
the bags. If a fanny pack is used low across the back, the waist straps from
it can be used for the waist/belt line connecting straps between the front
and rear bags, saving the separate addition of those components. It’s
also a common feature on commercial vests to include multiple belt loops extending
beneath the vests’ bottom edge at the belt line, allowing an equipment
belt to be supported by the vest itself. Such can be added and used if that’s
your preference.
One additional word of warning: the allegedly recycled plastic-weave material
from which the raw material shopping bags are made does not seem to be especially
fireproof or fire-resistant, and the nylon straps added for gear attachment
certainly are not. A dunking of the vest in one of the commercially
available fireproofing chemical mixtures could be a wise final finishing step
once the vest is completed but before other equipment is installed. That may
be more of a consideration if you’re an armored fighting vehicle crewman
or plan to hang around the exhaust downdraft on either side of a CH-47 "Chinook" helicopter
exit ramp, but do be cautious when close to campfires or other open flames,
and try not to excessively antagonize anyone operating a flamethrower.
#6: Too-big, worn-soled Moccasins fix: I’d been watching for a decent
pair of mocs for most all of last year’s yard sales, but all that turned
up [at the last yard sale of the season, of course!] was a pair that was way
oversize and had both soles worn through. No worries, for 50 cents for the
pair, they were a bargain, just a quarter apiece. I spent part of the winter
cutting away the worn-through bottoms and peeling off the glued-on strip of
finest plastic beading in the decorative native pattern of the Made in China
tribe. On Memorial Day weekend, off I went to the Buckskinners' and Revolutionary
War Reenactors’ Rendezvous where the sutlers and craftsmen had set up
their booths and tents on Sutler’s Row. I found the guy I was looking
for, a leathersmith who offered a resoling service for mocs, with buffalo leather
soles for $2 per sole. That gave me a pair of newly-resoled slightly oversize
mocs for just under 5 bucks. I added a pair of glue-in padded insoles, let
them dry, and then checked their fit: still floppy. The next addition was a
pair of $1.98 cotton booties, which I installed by wrapping my feet in plastic
shopping bags and then putting on the booties, and then liberally slathering
rubber cement over the booties and the places inside the mocs I could reach,
pretty much everywhere once I had them turned half-inside-out. Insert glue-coated
bootied foot in moccasin, allow to dry, and then repeat on the other foot.
While I was waiting for the second foot’s new addition to dry, I carefully
removed my other foot from the first one, leaving the bootie and plastic bag
inside. I then had at it with my paramedics’ shears and cut away all
of the former bootie that showed outside the edges of the moccasin, then slowly
and gently began peeling away the remains of plastic bag from the moc’s
interior. Again, by the time I had finished with the first foot the glue had
set up enough for me to begin on the second. I set them aside to cure up overnight,
and as it turned out, they had all weekend. When I tried them on again, the
fit was just right, tight enough to stay in place without flopping or raising
blisters, and loose enough I could nudge one off with help from the toes of
the other foot.
The insulation from the cold provided by the cotton bootie bottoms was a nice
feature, but one I’d have rather avoided for extended summertime wear
or for wear in situations in which the things were likely to get soaked. If
I hadn’t had the services of the rendezvous craftsman, I could have likely
have done a fair job of resoling them myself, or could have let a local shoe
repairman- getting harder to find nowadays- do the job. But he did a very tidy
job, had materials that were unavailable to me, and the skilled experience
he had at doing dozens of pairs of mocs at each of these events he attended
far outweighed the cost of his very reasonable price. Interestingly, that leatherworker
who did my resole work had another pair he was working on when I picked mine
up. Belonging to a big feller pushing over 350 pounds or so, the addition to
his mocs included the bottom of a pair of flip-flop shower shoes added as a
cushion to the underside of his mocs before the buffalo skin retread went on
and concealed that decidedly non-period padding. That combination would indeed
help keep ground dampness from morning dew or a light rain off the bottom of
one’s feet, though, and if needle and flax or waxed linen shoemaker’s
threads weren’t available, at least some similar work could probably
be managed with a tube of shoe-goo and/or some staples. And maybe an old pair
of cast-off donor flip-flop shower shoes.
Yeah, during this year’s yard sale season, I kept my eyes open for any
more good deals on moccasins, with no real sweet finds. But now I’m happy
to find any good deal on mocs whether they’re my size or if they happen
to be a bit bigger, and smaller ones go into a "trade goods" bucket.
Any time I can get a pretty good pair of mocs for under a couple of bucks,
I figure I’ve done okay; I spend a lot of time in the things, indoors
and out, so spending another five dollars or so on a pair to extend their service
life and improve their fit seems like money well spent. That’s not only
much less than what a decent pair of even imported lined mocs will run new,
but I suspect those buffalo hide soles are going to last me a good long while.
And interior padding added to a pair of oversize shoes or boots when nothing
else is available could save someone an awful lot of blisters.
#7: Fifty Caliber Spare Ammo Carriers: When a pal of mine managed to scrape
up the bucks to get the .50 caliber long-range rifle he’d wanted for
some time, he came to me for advice and counsel on ammo and accessories, since
I’d gotten myself one as a 50th birthday present a few years back. Could
I make one of those two-dollar tac vests [#5 above] for him, but set up for
.50 x 99mm Browning MG ammo for his Big Rifle instead of shotgun shells or
MOLLE gear? Why sure, I told him, it being just a matter of having three rows
of loops per row of shells, the one at the bottom consisting of smaller bullet-diameter
loops to keep the cartridge cases from dropping through, the rimless but bottlenecked
.50 cases not being as well retained by the top row of webbing as rimmed shotgun
shells are. I believe it would have been no great problem to space rows of
eight cartridges across the 12-inch space available, but he was happy with
a pair of rows of six shells each, with a little extra space in front, a configuration
that does make removing them from the loops a bit easier and keeps the vest’s
weight down. On the back, he specified an all-web covering, giving him the
option of carrying additional ammo in pouches, or canteens, Camelback water
bottle, or other useful goodies back there. I don’t expect he intends
to do much crawling beneath barbed-wire fences for long distances, especially
on his back, while he’s equipped with his big long-range noisemaker.
A dozen rounds is a good beginning for an ammo load out for the big loud rifle,
but a way to easily increase that amount by double or triple was still needed.
In the big box in one gun shop I visit pretty regularly all sorts of used holsters,
pouches and cast-off accessories from trade-in guns can be found. Though I’d
pawed through the contents before and noted an odd trio of residents therein,
I’d never had a use for the particular items I had encountered and had
no immediate use for them. Apparently, other customers had felt the same way,
because there they remained, despite price tags of five bucks each. Now they
had suddenly become useful; I paid for the three and picked up a fourth one
new in the packaging, at a cost more than the three used ones combined. The
items in question were vinyl plastic "Sidesaddle" 12 gauge shotgun
shell holders meant to be bolted to the side of Mossberg 500 series scatterguns;
similar models are available for the Remington 870 and Winchester 1200 guns,
and several other models. The problem is that with the aluminum receiver of
the Mossberg guns, the receivers can be warped inward if the sidesaddle attaching
bolts are overzealously tightened. The previous owners of the guns traded in
with their spiffy tactical ammo holders still mounted had apparently found
that out the hard way.
One simple answer if using the things on a shotgun, especially if it’s
a gun other than the model the device is meant to be mounted upon, is to attach
it to the stock instead, using wood screws and/or multiple wraps of tape. In
this case instead, the ammunition holders were fitted up to each other, back
to back, with a short section of seat belt webbing removed from a junked car
mounted in between as a spacer. The spacer web extends just far enough from
either end of the two shell carriers to allow a pair of grommets to be added
at the corners of both ends. This allows a carry strap with snap hooks to be
hooked to them for carry in either a vertical or horizontal position. The strap
I favor for the purpose is the one that’s used for the U.S. military
2-quart bladder canteens, since it’s wide, adjustable and comes with
a snap hook at either end; the Israelis are also real fond of using these as
top-mounted M16A1 rifle slings. Since the ammo being carried is a dozen rounds
of .50 caliber instead of a dozen lighter-weight shotgun shells, the wide strap
is advisable since it helps spread the load across the shoulders.
With the six-.50 rounds of one carrier facing forward and the others pointed
to the rear, [or up and down, if a horizontal carry position is used] it’s
a simple matter to peel off individual rounds as needed, either to load the
noisy rifle, top up a magazine, or refill the vest loops. If the user prefers
to have them all face in the same direction, they can be inserted in that way
instead. There’s a possibility that rounds could drop out or be knocked
off inadvertently, since the .50 rounds are much longer than the shotgun shells
that were fully covered when in the carrier slots. That leverage of the longer
ammo can be taken care of by having a pouch on the belt into which the carriers
can be dropped when on the move, one on either side, or velcro or snap-on covers
can be made and installed.
Those who don’t have a .50 but are looking for a means of carrying a
dozen extra reload rounds for a shotgun may also find that fitting two of the
sidesaddle carriers mounted back-to-back is a suitable way of doing so, especially
if an over-the-shoulder strap is added. That allows a quick "grab-and
go" procedure of quickly taking up the shotgun by its sling in one hand
and the dozen-round ammo carrier in the other, then tossing the ammo carrier’s
strap over a shoulder to free up the hand with the ammo for other purposes.
#8: Knife Handle Repair: While at the local thrift store looking for really
big undershirts, white painters’ pants and worn-out, torn or ugly belts
[a buck each, and dandy material for knife sheaths or reinforcing cheap import
book bag/backpack shoulder straps for more severe duty] I made my usual search
of the used kitchen cutlery box; this time I struck pay dirt. With items ranging
from 25 cents to an extravagant $2.50, I zeroed in on a 7-inch blade Ontario
Knife Co butcher’s knife, with a 50 cent tag sticker on it; when
I picked it up I found out why: the wood around the rivets on the starboard
side grip
scale had split and required repair or replacement. Can do!
Yep, I could have just whittled and sanded a twin of the good one, drilled
out the remaining rivets, replaced them, and it would have been almost as good
as new. I could even have just epoxied the old handle back on, good for at
least a short-term fix, but probably a repair that wouldn’t survive hard
use. Instead I took some of that black nylon web strap material left over
from building those $2 tac vest/ armor vest insert carriers, and cut a section
long
enough to go from the back of the blade’s edge along the handle where
the grip scale had been, wrapping around the butt of the handle at the end,
then back again along the other side to match where I’d begun, but on
the other side. Then I cut another one, same length. Mine worked out to just
over 91⁄2 inches long; shorter or longer handles would of course require
shorter or longer sections. The point, though, is that the length of strap
material that covers both sides is made from one continuous strip of web.
The next step is to liberally coat both sides of the knife blade where the
handle rests with epoxy [knives that have a short tang instead of full-blade-width
material for grip attachment get a different fix, discussed later] and to press
the web, not along the sides of the grip where the wood scales
had been, but along the top and bottom, again, wrapping around the butt. When
the epoxy has
tacked up sufficiently to keep the web in place, fold the material sticking
out to the sides down against the handle area. Don’t worry if there’s
a gap, but if a dry test fit before applying epoxy shows any overlap, you may
want to trim a little off the edges so that they neatly butt against each other.
At this point I begin wrapping the handle area with plastic shopping bag material
cut about a half-inch wide, overlapping each wrap just snug enough to hold
the webbing tightly against the handle. When you get up to the end try to tuck
the section wrapping around the handle’s end in as tightly as you can;
if it won’t cooperate, there’s a cure for that after it’s
dried.
Once you’ve completely covered the handle with the plastic bag material
wrap, you’re ready for the next step, which is a single-layer wrapping
of more of the bag material around the entire handle. At this point, I add
a pair of corrugated cardboard pads over the handle area- you may not need
it. I then put my handle in a vise and tighten that sucker good, squeezing
the epoxy into the nylon web and getting a good bond to the metal beneath.
I let it set up overnight at least, a weekend if possible- the directions for
your epoxy, room temperature and your experience with your favorite flavor
of epoxy may vary. When it’s nicely set up and cured a couple of days
later, I peel away the plastic bag strip, and if necessary I’ll then
hold that butt section momentarily over a candle if needed to get a good fit
on that back-end fold. The idea here is to heat the material just enough to
soften it, not for it to catch fire. Again, squashing it in a vise while it
cools may help, but if you don’t have a vise, you can do about as well
by setting the handle on the edge of a brick on it’s side, using another
brick on top for pressure, and adding a concrete block on top of the upper
brick for
additional weight.
The next step is a repeat of the first, but using that second strap you cut
to size, except that this time the web will be placed flat on the handle sides
instead of the edges the first strip covered. This time you do really want
as good a fit as possible at the back edge of the handle, and this time, since
the epoxy is going to bond web-to-web, my first wrapping to secure the web
in place while it sets up is a covering of black nylon fishing line. Then I
add the plastic bag strip, then squish that feller real good in the vise, and
go away for a day or two. Or three.
Unwrapping the bag material is like Christmas, I’m surprised almost every
time, sometimes good, sometimes not. If the repair is to your satisfaction,
good on you. If not, some more carefully applied heat, a little more epoxy
here and/or there, and some more of that fish-line wrap may fix your problem.
If not, you can always get out the rasp or a wire wheel on a drill and start
over. Or use leather from those cheap thrift store belts instead, though it
doesn’t wrap around the ends as well and heat won’t help shrink
it to fit- you may be better off cutting a separate piece for each side’s
handle if you use leather. I’ve repaired the handles of around a dozen
knives and one hammer using variations of this method, some of ‘em toolbox
knives that get knocked around and rattle in the box quite a bit. So far, I
haven’t had to redo any of the ones I’ve reworked this way, and
some of those repairs date back to 2000. Though some folks like to use a loose
wrap of cord around the handle so that it can be unrolled and used for alternate
purposes in an emergency, I’d rather have the most secure handle possible
and carry spare cordage wrapped around a knife’s sheath and as a sheath
tie down. That personal preference is up to the user, but I’ve yet to
run out of cordage and regret not having access to that epoxied to my knife
handle.
As for those knives with narrow tangs or less than full-length material where
the handle attaches: I’ve done the same sort of thing with a cord-and-epoxy
repair, except that in this instance I use heavy nylon cord [trotline cord
from the Sporting Goods department] instead of flat web. If there’s a
hole through the tang from a previous attach rivet or screw, I start on one
side there, go through any existing or added hole to the other side, and then
both radial wrapping and back-and-forth linear runs of cord begin. Once it’s
built up enough to act solidly enough as a handle again, a cover made of a
short section of that black hollow-center tube webbing can be used if flattish
grip sides are preferred. If not, just go at it with more and more trot line,
and again, finish up with a finer fishing line or even heavy carpet thread
in the color of your choice if desired.
The application of composite cord/epoxy handles is not limited to knife blade
repairs of course, but may also be of use to those looking for a way to utilize
hacksaw or Sawzall blades made for cutting metal as emergency hand tools. The
back-up plan to this application is to use a pair of vise-grip locking pliers
as an expedient handle for a metal-cutting saw blade, allowing later use of
the blade in the tool for which it was designed if desired or possible, but
the added permanent handle is certainly more comfortable for extended in-hand
use. Neither should the possibility of adding a handle to a worn-out or broken
saw blade reground to a knife edge be overlooked; power hacksaw blades are
particularly nice for this application. Those who wish to build their own survival
knife with saw teeth on the blade spine and a sharp belly edge can begin with
a new power blade, rework that blade to the length and shape they prefer, and
add a handle as per the above. Their resulting tool will be at least reasonably
capable of either whittling or cutting metals.
#9: BugOut Bag folding fork and spoon [or "Spork".] This one is an
idea that’s
neither new nor original, but like the others is one that’s been further
modified to fit my particular needs and the material available to start the
project.
In this case, I wanted a compact fork and spoon for use with both my personal
bugout bag, as well as extras for the 30-day supply bags carried in my vehicles.
My first attempt consisted of simply shortening a pair of the utensils in question,
then drilling a hole in their shorter handles for a connecting lanyard or key
chain. But they rattled.
During the Second World War, some German troops were equipped with a
mess kit fork-and-spoon combination that had the handles of the utensils shortened
even
more, then were joined by a rivet that served as a pivot, allowing them to
fold and nest into each other nice and compact. When folded out, the opposing
tool became the handle end for its partner, allowing shorter handles than if
they had been separate items. I cut the handles of
my first-draft unit down further, drilled them for the pivot and joined them
together. Opened, the utensil’s fork was sturdy enough to assault combative
peas, or, with the other end, the spoon was ready for the annihilation of soups.
Folded, the unit was compact enough to slip handle-first into the side of a
first-aid or compass carry pouch, through one of the webbing loops of a tac
vest or armor plate carrier, or, temporarily, in the top of one’s boot
if the cuffs are bloused into it.
I began my initial limited production run of enough of the folding utensils
for my BugOut Bag, 3-day pack and 30-day packs, plus one each for the glove
boxes of each of three vehicles, and a couple of spares. Improvements/additions
included grinding a flat screwdriver tip on the end of either handle just past
the rivet, one that is narrow enough to service M1911 grip
screws and my pocketknife blade pivot screws, and the other a bit wider. Adding
a second pair of smaller
holes further down the handle with another rivet set into one handle so that
the rivet’s head acted as a detent into the mating hole in the handle
of its partner made the lockup of the unit more positive when in the open position.
And naturally I added a small hole for a dummy cord lanyard to prevent loss
either from dropping or absent-mindedly setting it down and forgetfully walking
away from it. This is why they’re called dummy cords.
It turned out that the first dozen I built for myself weren’t enough:
others who’ve been around me when I’ve been using mine have asked
me to build one or more for them too. I’ve also got a simpler variation
that simply consists of a fork-and-spoon pair riveted together end-to-end but
doesn’t fold. That version goes along with bulk packages of food in storage,
along with a P-38 military folding can opener. The two items can be connected
together by key chain, one of the ubiquitous mini-carabiner snap links or a
chain repair link, or on a lanyard cord long enough for the useful tools to
be carried or temporarily draped around a user’s neck.
#10: Shoestrings. Speaking of hanging things on a cord around one’s
neck: I frequently keep a quarter-sized "button" compass and small
pocketknife around my neck on a spare bootlace; and some of us old-timers include
a military
P-38 C-ration can opener as well, even though the days of the issue of C-rats
are long gone. This used to be a common practice when I was in the military,
threading the bootlace cord into the plastic protective tubing we put over
our dog tag chains to keep the cold chain off our bare skin. I’ve yet
to really need these minimalist survival tools, though I’ll be glad enough
to have them if I do suddenly have a critical use for them, but the extra boot
lace has come in handy numerous times. Sometimes that’s actually been
as a replacement for a shoelace that’s broken on a shoe or boot, but
there’s a swell flash of realization when you really need a short length
of strong cord and then remember you’ve got one handy right around your
neck.
Variations on this idea include using braided nylon #550 pound test parachute
suspension line, also known as "parachute cord" instead, or using
fisherman’s
twisted cord trot line, both of which are available in a variety of colors
and sizes/strengths. The #18 twisted nylon cord I use is rated at 113 pounds
test, and the thicker #36 cord is listed as good for 320 pounds; if anything
stronger is required I reach for my roll of parachute suspension line. Short
sections of any suitable cordage are useful as "dummy cord" lanyards
for weapons, knives or other critical gear, especially when in or around boats,
snowmobiles, or motorcycles. Cord can be such an excellent replacement for
the metal ALICE equipment clips for U.S. belt equipment that some military
users pitch all their metal fasteners; just be sure and use at least two separately
knotted cord loops as the silent and nonmetallic replacement for each ALICE
clip if you do this- and three per is better.
I’ve also known one trooper who used military issue WD-1/TT commo wire
as replacement boot laces in a pinch; the civilian-world equivalent would be
stereo speaker wire. Clearly, he didn’t have an extra bootlace worn around
his neck...
.
Final thoughts: My adaptations, field expedients, and shade-tree modifications
are ones that were suitable for the tasks I’ve had at hand, the tools
I’ve had available, and the skill levels and experience I’ve got
at working with the tools I had for what I was doing. Changing materials or
methods may be perfectly suitable for your needs, you may conclude that some
of the items or modifications just aren’t worth the trouble, or that
the expenditure of a few more bucks on more specific-purpose items is a better
idea- and for you, that may well be. For others, some of these adaptations
may be the only gear that fits a minimalist budget, or that allows the purchase
of other necessities. In other cases, some of the items presented here may
serve as spares, with better top-grade [and top-dollar!] equipment better used
for the job at hand until it fails from overuse or is otherwise expended- and
my low-bucks methodology may give you a back up plan to turn what might have
been a disastrous shortage into an inconvenience. As with all things, your
mileage may vary, and remember that all of my demonstrations have been performed
by a professional on a closed course.
Way back in the early days of World War Two, when wartime shortages and
rationing began to affect stateside consumers, a motto appeared by which many,
perhaps most of those recent survivors of the Hoover-Roosevelt Depression lived.
Some thirty-five years later it was revived and applied to those living in
politically [and physically] embargoed Rhodesia, also engaged in a war, theirs
simultaneously against foreign invaders, domestic terrorists and sellout politicians
[in England and] within.
Now there may be another resurgence of the applicability of that motto, and
we may soon be in a much better position both to more clearly understand and
appreciate the creativity and resourcefulness of those who lived by those words
earlier, as well as finding a few of their earlier methods and techniques useful
in our time as well: "Fix it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without!"
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Life On the Road Presents Preparedness Dilemmas, by Wandering Will
As I sit in the front seat of my motorhome looking out at the beautiful hanging
Spanish moss, feel the warm breezes and know that all I have to do for breakfast
is walk five feet and pluck a fresh grapefruit from the tree beside my campsite,
I once again know how blessed I am. However, as idyllic and normal as the situation
appears, I know full well that it can all come crashing down at a moments notice.
I have always been a preparedness freak to some extent and even finished up
my career as an emergency management specialist for a large defense contractor.
The majority of my friends and family snickered as I prepped up for Y2K. In
spite of the jokes, labels and general disdain of the sheep, over the years
I managed to keep a good supply of food and equipment and tried to update my
skills on a regular basis. As retirement approached, my wife and I decided
we wanted to join the ranks of what are know as “full-timers”.
These are people who live in their recreational vehicles full time and travel
the country. Many like us have no permanent home or base. The regular logistical
problems associated with life on the road are fairly easily solved by solutions
such as mail forwarding services and electronic banking and bill paying. What
keeps me up at night is how to maintain a suitable level of preparedness in
less than three hundred square feet of rolling, living space. What I am presenting
are solutions or at least partial solutions that I have adopted to meet my
needs, obviously all situations are different and I advise readers to explore
many options. Although far from complete, here are some of the preps I have
made.
The Plan:
First and foremost, you must have a plan, and I don’t mean just an idea
in your head of how you will react in certain situations I mean a written plan.
Write it down, print it out, you don’t want to be trying to boot up the
computer during an emergency. Next, practice the plan. Nothing wrecks great
theories faster than actual application. Revise your plan and keep on revising
it till it is workable. The evacuation phase of my particular plan envisions
three different scenarios for leaving a location. In the motorhome, in the
small vehicle we tow, and on foot. With each scenario, I list which equipment
will be taken with us, this eliminates the need to try and decide once the
emergency commences. As Mr. Rawles so aptly puts it “two is one, and
one is none” so
we do keep some redundant gear. In the tow car are two, ready-to-go backpacks,
and any time we are in the car there are a minimum of two weapons. This way
in case we return from a day trip and find our motor home non operable, we
are able to egress with at least a minimum amount of supplies.
Supplies:
Living in a Recreational Vehicle (RV) you are constrained not only by space
but also weight, each unit has a designated cargo capacity and it is not wise
to
exceed
it.
Therefore,
storing large quantities of food and water is out of the question. In order
to get the best bang for our capacity buck, we keep a good supply of staples
such as rice and beans, dried soup mixes, and of course a few MREs. As for
water, my particular RV has a 70-gallon tank which can last a very long time
if you adhere to wise water use. Of particular concern is the fact that many
manufacturers are now producing RVs with no way to gravity fill the tank (with
that kind of intelligent thinking they should run for Congress). Additionally,
I have found that many water spigots in national parks and other areas do not
have any threads on the pipe making it impossible to hook up a hose and fill
your unit. One way around this is a device call a water thief which hooks on
to the spigot and provides the threaded surface necessary for a hose connection.
This device can be found at most RV suppliers and should be considered mandatory
equipment. In the event that we run out of supplies, we keep a fair amount
of cash on hand because credit cards become useless when trying to bargain
with the local farmer or you need repairs in a small town.
Defense:
A couple of the rather large vulnerabilities of a motorhome are fuel consumption
and maneuverability. Rolling houses are not the best option for circumventing
roadblocks or out running cars filled with those people intent on relieving
you of your possessions and/or your life. One lesson we learned the hard way.
Once, after refusing to fill up at a gas station in Texas because it was obvious
they were running a “bait and switch” on the posted price, I drove
off defiantly only to find out it was the last station for 126 miles. When
we arrived in the next small town running on fumes, we were forced to buy gas
at $4.35 a gallon. Lesson learned: never drive with less than a half a tank
and we make it a point to fill up before we stop to camp for a while. A full
tank will hopefully be enough to get us out of the immediate danger zone if
evacuation is required. As for armament, I pared down my choices to a shot
gun and a battle rifle chambered for .223 Remington]. This, with a couple
of hand guns round out our supply. When choosing your weapons for the road,
be
sure
to consider
where you will be going as you may be illegal in some states depending on what
you are carrying. Again, with space and weight limits, a large amount of ammunition
is out of the question, so the “spray and pray” philosophy is not
an option nor should it ever be. To our benefit, my wife and I both have extensive
weapons training and the mindset that we will protect ourselves.
As I said before, these are only a few of the problems we are working on. The
bottom line is we love our lifestyle and enjoy seeing different parts of the
country. The reality is we know what is coming and will probably have to give
up our mobile lifestyle in the near future in order to find a relatively secure
retreat location. We will not be starting from scratch as we already have most
of our equipment and food in storage and will simply move it to our new location.
Of course, the most important question is, “When do you head for the
fort?” I don’t think anyone can answer that so we will continue
to monitor the news, pray for guidance, and trust the Lord to get us there
in time.
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Letter Re: Observations on Preparedness from a Gulf Coast Hurricane Veteran
Mr. Rawles,
I just wanted to let you know how much I have enjoyed your site. I had no idea
that there were whole survivalist communities out there until I stumbled on a
link by accident. In fact, I didn’t really know that I fit into that category
myself. My wife and I live on the Gulf Coast and we discovered the hard way during
Hurricane Rita that a bag of trail mix and a bottle of water, was not preparing
to evacuate. Eighteen hours in traffic in a hundred and fifty mile traffic jam
taught us to find the roads that are not on a US map. After that we planned,
made maps of blacktop roads for evacuation, and stocked a retreat a couple of
hundred miles from the coast and cities.
Two years later here came Hurricane Ike. Since
we had our gear pretty much laid out it only took us about an hour to load
and we were gone. It was a vacation compared to the first time. After the storm
blew
threw we used some of the gas we had stashed and wanted to look at the house
and see if there was anything left to come back to. The trip was eye opening.
There were people sitting in gas lines that stretched for more than a mile
for five gallons of fuel. Some people where sitting at stations that didn’t
even have gas because they just couldn’t go any farther. There was no
food or water to be found. I thought to myself what if the trucks didn’t
come back or the electricity didn’t come back on for an extended time
frame.
People can speculate if there is going to be nuclear war, Peak Oil or the
economy is going to complete collapse. People have been saying “The
End is Near” for
a few thousand years, but this was real, we saw it, and we were in
it. We made our trip. The house was damaged but still there. We checked to
make sure everything
was secure and left back for our retreat. We stayed for about two weeks in
semi-comfortable conditions. We are not where we want to be as far as being
stocked up for an
extended time frame but we are getting there. By the time next storm season
comes we should have supplies for about two months and we are installing solar
power
to augment our generator and propane systems. That is a pretty short time for
some of your readers but considering the rest of the people I have seen, this
is living like a king. After that it’s a squirrel on a stick. -
Randall
« Odds 'n Sods: |Main| Letter Re: Small Volume Water Purification with UV from Sunlight »
Letter Re: Acquiring Tire Repair Supplies and Compressors
Mr. Rawles,
After getting a flat tire recently in the back-country I decided to beef up
my off-road repair kit with more than just a spare tire. I now have two spares.
I've also added a portable 12V compressor along with a
portable tire puncture repair kit like this one.
For $35 the kit includes enough plugs to repair perhaps a dozen punctures,
extra valve stems and valves, valve wrench and high quality reamer and needle
for applying the tire plugs. It is an excellent kit and is much higher quality
than the plug kits you find in typical auto stores.
In some states it's illegal to use tire plugs, but for an emergency situation
it may be just the ticket you need to get to a tire shop and have a proper
tire patch applied. - Craig R.
JWR Replies: That is good advice. I must add one proviso: The
12 VDC compressors normally sold for roadside emergencies use a very wimpy
compressor that will not re-inflate a flat tire
that has the weight of a car resting on in. They just don't have the requisite
oomph. Buy
a proper 117 VAC compressor with a 2 gallon pressure tank. (If
you are a SurvivalBlog reader, odds are that you already carry a 117 VAC inverter,
anyway. These compressors can be run from a small inverter. I've done
so many times around the ranch.) If you
pay less than $50 for a new compressor, then you can be sure that it will be
inadequate
for
anything
more than
adding a few pounds of pressure to a tire with a slow leak.
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Bug Out Bag Preparedness Tips From the Mouths of Babes
Hello
Thank
you for all the work you do. I thought I'd give you a Christmas
chuckle. My small daughter was telling us the Christmas story, but it had
a twist. She told us that "the wise men brought Jesus gold, food, and water,
because
they [Joseph and Mary] had to leave quickly and didn't get their bags ready."
Just when you think your children aren't listening...
Needless to say, we set her straight on the real story, but have been, and
will continue to smile over that story for a long time.
Have a terrific Holiday, - Mr. O. in the Ozarks
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Mobile Choices for Survival Retreats by T.D.
Our family lives full time in our camping trailer and have found out there
would be
many
advantages
to
keeping
one
in any situation. I am not talking the big 5th wheel or the ones with a motor,
just a plain travel trailer [with a traditional vehicle hitch].
Our trailer is 27 feet long and weighs in at 9,500 lbs empty and almost 11,000
lbs full. It is a bunkhouse model and can sleep up to 11 people. It has a 40
gallon
fresh water tank, 40 gallon black water tank (waste) and a 40 gallon gray water
tank (drain off water from tub and sinks). It has 12 volt battery backup which
power
lights and the water pump when power is unavailable. The stove and hot water
heater run on propane, with the fridge working on both.
Storage can be short, but there is some – under the bottom bunk, the
full size bed in the bedroom, under the seats in the kitchen, 2 closets (very
small)
and cabinets in the living area and bedroom.
Our heater will heat up enough hot water for an eight minute shower and the
tub is the size of a 10 gallon bucket. When we are parked in an RV park with
power
included
in the lot fees, we heat our trailer with electric heaters. This saves us money
on propane. If we just cook and shower using the propane, then we will go through
two 35 pound tanks in just under one year.
We have been buying or having a friend collect empty older propane tanks and
then we have been trading them in at Wal-Mart for under $18.00 each. Small
solar panels were purchased from Harbor Freight Tools for under $40.00 each,
they
will [slowly] recharge
a 12 volt battery. We will be purchasing more panels as we go so that our entire
trailer could be run off them.
We have inline water filters and portable ones, we have potable aqua tablets
and shock. Our water tank can be filled by hose or in a pinch by bucket and
funnel. After Gustav most of the water here was very bad (boil water order
for all of
our parish, even for bathing in some areas). When some of our neighbors had
no hot water for their special needs family member they came to us and we hauled
hot water for them (we were they only ones in an RV to come right back within
72 hours of the passage of Hurricane Gustav). We also have an external shower.
We do have a propane burner for outside, most people here use those for crawfish.
We have one very cheap charcoal grill and a good supply of charcoal. We can
make our own if need be.
After Hurricane Gustav we were without power for two weeks and used our interior
12 volt DC lights for night time only and for about 20 minutes at a time. Our
battery
gauge didn’t indicate any voltage drop.
When we do our shows and are in practice we can be ready to move out within
1 hour and we are still working to par that time down even further. What this
means
for us is that here we could drive out quickly with our home or even put it
on a platform on numerous pontoons making our trailer into a riverboat. We
live
near a very rural area and large uninhabited waterways, where you can go out
all day and not see of hear anyone at all.
Our retreat will have a home and a large barn that will house our RV, keeping
prying eyes away from it and also giving us a place to go to if heating ever
becomes an issue. When the SHTF we can camouflage the RV in another location
for a further retreat position, still have shelter and a way to keep everyone
fed.
Our trailer is a 1995 and we bought it for under 5,000. You can get them
very cheap further north during the off season and move them fairly cheap now
that
gas has come down a lot. We went smaller because of the towing needs. No matter
what you still need to haul it, even if it’s to your retreat.
Granted, it would be more difficult, but not impossible, to utilize in colder
climates. Good windbreaks and insulation in the under compartments helps tremendously.
Plastic on the windows with the exception of the vents also helps.
In some states that get a lot of hurricanes also are places a lot of people
actually live in trailers year round. What sometimes happens when they are
lived all the
time is they get stripped out to the bare walls and customized. They are cheaper
and easier to reinforce that way. A 40 foot trailer stripped out can run you
about
$1,500 to $2,000
dollars. Most people here take out the kitchen area which I wouldn’t
do. They also remove the fresh water tank and if anything I would make the
fresh
water tank larger than 40 gallons, leaving in the electric pump. With full
solar capability you can leave the power system intact and go from there.
In our closets we added small shelves that will hold two weeks of clothing
for each of us, four all together. The fridge and freezer will hold 1 gallon
of
milk, a weeks worth of leftovers, four dozen eggs, one 2-quart juice pitcher
(from Camping
World, made for trailer size fridges), condiments and the freezer will hold
more than one week's worth of meat. The cabinets will hold three weeks of
canned goods, spices
and what we need for baking for six months. Under the little counter extension
we have flour, sugar and rice (large storage containers from Wall-Mart),
those last us about three months. We also have food stored under one bed and
under both seats in the kitchen. By the garbage can we keep a one month supply
of dog
food for our 90 pound German Shepherd cross.
To keep our space requirements smaller, we went small flat screen television,
a cheap and tiny DVD player
and low profile PC tower. Movies are not kept in single
cases,
they are kept in DVD folders with zippers. Our children are limited to what
toys they can have and it must all fit in toy hammocks or collapsible toy boxes
at
the end of their beds. Our guns are easy to stow in the trailer and are always
within reach. On hand we also keep quite a bit of ammo and buy more weekly.
We do
maintain an inexpensive storage unit elsewhere, and we keep the bulk of our
SHTF supplies
there for under $80 a month.
There are a lot of extras you can buy for your RV, including wheeled containers
to drain black and gray water into for disposal. Pots and pans made for smaller
areas, heavier dishes that will last through everything including travel. RV
size washers and dryers or the all in ones, which are no bigger than an RV
stove. Shower organizers can be installed easily to increase your bathroom
storage.
One of the biggest things to like about an older trailer is that no one even
looks twice at it, people who don’t own one have no clue how self sufficient
you can be in one. It’s not new enough or dressed up enough to get a
second look from a trouble makers and family never wants to come stay, none
of them
can figure out why you would want to trade down and live in something so small.
It also makes it easier if you have others that will join you when the SHTF
and you are running out of places to put people.
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Letter Re: Dress for Survival Success
Jim;
That was
a great article by George Haystack in Tuesday's blog! I thought
I was the only one [that carried so much survival gear around on a daily basis.]
Mr. Haystack takes it further than I do. First, I
could not carry [a concealed firearm] at my workplace being within the secure
area of an airport. I generally carried a sturdy day pack, with the following:
(1) Lockback knife
(2) LED flashlights (9 LED's / 3 AA batteries)
(16) spare AAA batteries
(1) regular AA flashlight
(4) spare AA batteries
The following are all OTC medications, of course
(1) small bottle aspirin
(1) small bottle acetaminophen (Tylenol)
(1) small bottle ibuprofen (Advil)
(1) small bottle naproxen sodium (Aleve)
(1) small bottle antihistamine allergy medication
(2) bandanas 1 blue / 1 red
(1) pocket AM/FM radio uses 2 AA batteries
several pens
(1) steno pad
(1) change of underwear/socks/t-shirt
(12) decaffeinated tea bags
(4-6) pop tarts/granola bars, or similar quick food
(1) metal mug ("grannyware" type camp cup)
(1) set of tableware, knife, spoon, fork, and a "steak knife"
(1) hat and gloves
(2-3) cigarette lighters
(2-3) books of matches
(2) "space blankets"
This is far from what my co-coworkers carried in to work each day. I still
had room for my work papers, and such, which went in on the top, for ease of
access, and to keep my preparations from "prying eyes". I may not
have carried my sidearm at work, but the items in my pack would have raised
management's eyebrows, and gotten me a talking to, that's for sure. Luckily
for me, the company was shut down, and I am currently an unemployed student.
The only thing my co-workers knew was that if they had a headache or a cold,
I was the "go-to guy" for an aspirin! Or the guy with the multi-tool to fix
whatever is busted in the office! LOL!
On my person, I always carry at least the following, in normal pockets, or
on my belt:
(1) cigarette lighter
(1) multi-tool on my belt
(1) Swiss Army knife
(1) LED flashlight
(1) Wallet, which is regularly thinned out to keep only what I'm going to use
for the day/trip
(2) key rings, one for car keys one for house, general keys. Only frequently
used keys are on the ring.
(1) spare set of car keys in an undisclosed pocket or in my backpack, as well.
(1) cell phone
Mr. Haystack is so right that most folks simply give no "tactical" thought
to daily clothing choice. A few take the advice of frequent travelers and choose
natural fibers, and loose-fitting, comfortable clothes for air travel, but
many more simply wear the style of the day with no thought as to how hot that
artificial polyester shirt or top will burn if there is actually trouble.
How it clings to the skin like napalm, and burns severely. The problem with
air travel today, is that the items I mentioned carrying in my pockets are
now "prohibited items", and so every year, I fly less. At work, only
when I had to to keep my currency up for annual training. I'll take a mode
of transport that impacts my liberty and preparations a little less, thank
you. Great article! - R. in the Northeastern US.
« Letter Re: Some Disaster Preparedness Information for Asthmatics |Main| Letter Re: Essential Oils for Survival »
Letter Re: Food Items in Non-Food Grade Buckets?
Hi Jim,
I’m an avid reader of your blog but I have a question: Can I store vacuum
sealed wheat in regular buckets (not food grade)? I like the idea of having
10 lb bags of vacuum sealed
wheat for simplicity
in retrieving when needed and for distributing as charity if needed. I realize
it wastes space in each bucket (being in a vacuum sealed block) – but
my question is whether it’s safe to use the less expensive buckets or
will potential out-gassing eat the vacuum sealed bags?
Your books (I have all of them) are very helpful to me. Between my father and
I, we’ve probably bought several dozen copies of "Patriots" over
the past five years to give to people. I have my 20 acres in one of your
recommended areas and will break ground in the spring for the retreat. I just
hope I have
enough time to prepare as it seems things are moving fast.
Also, how do you store other consumables? Metal wall lockers (as in "Patriots")? Is
there a more mobile solution I can use for the time being until I get my retreat
built?
Thanks for all you do. - Rob S.
JWR Replies: I'm not a food safety
chemist, so I can't give you a definitive answer. As
discussed in SurvivalBlog previously, the issue is the toxic injection
molding release compounds used in making some buckets that are not
marked as NSF, USDA or "Food Grade" certified.
These mold release chemicals can contaminate food. My advice is to err or
the side of caution and to use your utility-grade buckets for
storing
non-food items (ammo, clothing,
field
gear,
etc.),
and only certified food grade buckets, for food. Even if food items are
in a sealed food grade plastic package, you never know when the integrity
of that inner packaging might be compromised with pinholes.
Most of my consumables that won't fit in our kitchen, pantry, and laundry
room cupboards(Castile soap, cleansers bandages, paper products, etc.) and
most of my field gear items
are
stored
in big green
plastic Rubbermaid
Roughneck storage
bins with
snap lids. They are great for "grab-'n-go" situations. Just keep
in mind that a determined rat, given enough time will be able to chew a hole
through
these containers. They are fairly expensive if bought new in stores, and expensive
to ship if bought via mail order, so watch and wait for them to be offered
at a sale price. BTW, you might also
try placing
a
local "Wanted" ad on Craig's
List.
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The Practice Load-Up, by Papa Papa
For most of us who don’t live at a retreat [year-round] our plan is to G.O.O.D. When
the time comes we plan to load up our bug-out vehicles and head to our own “Shibes
Meadow” as the family in the movie Panic in Year Zero did. At
least that’s the plan. But how well have you considered this plan? In
other words, have you done a practice “load-up”?
Some of the characters in Mr. Rawles' novel, "Patriots",
had to implement their bug-out plans and pack their vehicles for the trip to
the Gray’s
retreat. In that packing process they discovered that due to limited cargo
capacity they couldn’t take everything they wanted. The choice came down
to a triage of their equipment and supplies into three piles “Essential”, “Second
Priority”, and “Nice to Have”. Since this bug-out would be
a one-shot trip (no return trips for what was left behind) they had to wisely
choose those items they needed.
I too have always had a bug-out plan but I had never down a practice load-up.
Sure, I had sort of a mental list of things that I’d grab and go but
really had no firm plan. With uncertainties in the current economic situation
I finally decided that maybe it was time to actually see if my bug-out plan
was feasible. So with a day off for the Columbus Day holiday I decided to run
a practice load-up by myself.
My primary bug-out vehicle for cargo is a 1994 GMC Suburban
which I calculate has about 128 cubic feet of unencumbered, interior space.
This area will accommodate larger items that won’t fit in a car and is
also protected from the weather and prying eyes. The first items to be loaded
were the many boxes of a one-year food storage. After one hour of lifting and
carrying I was done. Notice that I said I was “done” and not “finished”.
Despite the large amount of space in the Suburban, the food storage quickly
filled the entire cargo area. No room left for a generator, guns, books, kerosene,
winter clothing, etc. Hmmm.... that’s instructive, I thought. My mental
load-up plan hadn’t survived the reality of limited cargo capacity. It
was a good thing this was only practice and not a real emergency. Decisions
on what to take and what to leave are best made when you are not under stress.
With aching muscles I unloaded the food storage boxes and returned them to
my basement storage area. As I did this I wrote down the contents of each box,
weighed it on a bathroom scale, and recorded all of this information. From
this list I can now identify some of the boxes that could be left behind. But
the larger question remained - “How can I formulate a plan to take everything
I want?”
The goal of any practical exercise such as this is to evaluate how well the
current plan worked and to compile a list of “lessons learned”.
After some time to reflect on this experience I’ve come up with several
things to keep in mind when I have to do this for real.
1. Obviously, pre-position as much stuff as possible at your intended destination.
For some people this just isn’t practical. I had much of my stuff stored
in a rural location until last year when a changed in ownership of the property
compelled me to remove my pre-positioned items. The more things that can be
stored securely at or near your retreat location the better.
2. If you decide to run a practice load-up (or during the real thing) remember
to practice OPSEC.
The last thing you need is a nosy neighbor to ask questions about why you are
loading all of these boxes and things into your vehicle. Have a pre-planned
excuse for all of your activity - “The wife wanted me to clean out some
of this junk and put it in a storage unit.” If possible load vehicles
in your garage with the doors closed. I have a detached garage which means
I have to move items stored in the house to the garage out in the open. Fortunately,
I ran my practice load-up on a minor holiday when most people had to work so
most of my neighbors weren’t home. Also, my garage is behind my house,
not easily seen from the street, and relatively concealed from view. In a real
bug-out situation I might choose to load up at night while being as quiet as
possible. If you are loading a pickup, have a tarp or topper to protect your
items from the weather and conceal them from uninvited inspection.
3. Prioritize, prioritize, prioritize. Obviously, a first priority is food.
Second, is water purification equipment. Third, is clothing and shelter (such
as tents). Arms and ammunition also rank highly. Only you can decide what you
will need based on the available cargo capacity and items you have.
4. Make a list or spreadsheet of all the items you intend to load and weigh
each item or box. I was surprised to learn that my food storage weighed in
at nearly 1,600 pounds total. This has implications for weight capacity and
distribution in your bug-out vehicle. Check your vehicle owners manual for
suggested maximum load limits. With increased loads you may also have to increase
air pressure in your tires. (You do have a compressed air tank in your garage
to fill your tires [and adjust shocks] don’t you?) Realize that with
a heavily loaded vehicle all performance characteristics (braking, acceleration,
turning,
etc.)
will
be much different than what you are normally used to.
5. Make a diagram of the cargo area and indicate where items will be placed.
Your practice load-up will help you determine the most efficient use of space.
Pack heavy, dense items (such as ammunition boxes or books) on the floor of
the vehicle. For some SUVs and pickups too much weigh that sits too high in
the vehicle raises the center of gravity for the vehicle which could lead to
a potential roll-over situation. Light items such as bulky clothing can be
packed on top of heavier items in the cargo area. Just make sure that in case
of an accident those items don’t move forward on impact. Cargo netting
can be used to help secure these items.
6. Observe LIFO (Last In, First Out) when packing. Cans of gasoline (and funnels)
used for in-route refueling should be easily accessible. (Gasoline should only
be stored in Explo-Safe or Eagle safety cans.) The spare tire, jack, tow straps,
and any other emergency equipment should also be equally accessible. For a
car you may want to remove the spare tire and jack from under the trunk floor
and put them in the back seat. The last thing you want to do is unload your
whole car trunk so that you can change a flat tire.
7. Employ labor saving devices whenever possible. I used a two-wheel hand truck
to move boxes to and from my house to the garage. This did save some labor
and speeded up the process. Hoists or block-and-tackle could be used to load
heavier items such as generators. It is also a good idea to store items close
to where you will be loading them. Obviously, leaving your food storage in
a garage where temperatures can reach 100 degrees Fahrenheit is not conducive
to long shelf life. But items that are not affected by temperature change like
winter clothing can safely be stored in a garage or storage shed.
8. Use proper lifting technique when handling your items. The last thing you
want is to “throw out your back” or have a mishap while carrying
things up or down stairs. Make sure you are in good physical condition especially
with regard to arm and upper body strength. Even though I bicycled to and from
work all summer my legs were still sore and fatigued the next day. It may be
time to hit the gym again or begin lifting free weights at home to increase
strength.
9. Organize your family into a work detail. Everyone should have a job based
on their age and abilities. Young children may only be able to carry light
object or locate specific items for their parents. Older children may be physically
able to help with the heavy lifting. The more hands available the faster the
task can be completed.
10. Drive part or all of your intended escape route with your fully loaded
bug-out vehicle. Due to a lack of time I was not able to do this. However,
if you intend to drive on unpaved or gravel back roads out of the city you
should get some idea of how your vehicle will respond under load conditions.
You may find you can’t drive as fast as you would like or drive on some
roads when muddy or snow covered. My Suburban is only a 2-wheel drive model
which limits somewhat my selection of escape routes.
With a fully developed load-up list I am now concentrating on finalizing details
for a vehicle convoy. Since all of my family members are adult drivers we will
have several vehicles to convoy, most of which will have passengers. I am still
developing the actual convoy plan based upon military tactics and have more
study to do. However, I am planning for two basic scenarios - one in which
civil orders remains pretty much intact (i.e. natural disaster evacuation,
etc.) and one in which “all bets are off” (ABAO). An ABAO scenario
could include a nation-wide grid-down situation or the aftermath of a “dirty
bomb” terrorist attack. An ABAO situation will require more emphasis
on personal and convoy security.
Some of life’s best lessons are those that are hard-learned. My practice
load-up was such a lesson. Now my bug-out plans have a more practical basis
rather than one based upon wishful thinking or mere speculation. Even so, I
will continue to refine those plans in the future. What about you? Is it time
to get moving?
JWR Adds: Papa Papa's experience underscores the importance
of pre-positioning the vast majority of your storage food and gear at your
retreat. I've stressed this
repeatedly in my writings and in my consulting work. I tell my clients: You
may have only one trip "outta Dodge", so 90% of your goodies need to be at
your retreat well in advance!
« Odds 'n Sods: |Main| Overseas Retreat Owner Profile: Mr. and Mrs. Zephyr in Trinidad and Tobago »
Letter Re: Another Perspective on Vehicles for Prepared Families
Hi,
We've read your blog pretty faithfully for some time now and found it
extremely good in all regards.
While I'm actually writing regarding vehicles, I'd like to share for just a
moment how preparedness saved our behinds recently. This year we have had a
string of minor events that collectively should have put us in the poor house.
Broken bones, loss of a tenant and friend to a heart issue, surgery, car accident
that totaled the vehicle - right in the middle of the other mentioned things
- and a few other items too. Had we not maintained a small garden and some "stocks
on hand" in our "urban" small town home, we could have lost
our home and sanity to boot. Yes, it can happen to you, it happened to me,
and it's going to happen to others too. Christian Charity helped us, and we
honor that by being charitable at every opportunity! Praise to The Most High
God!
I don't recall seeing any thoughts on types and methodology towards automobiles
themselves lately. Here's a (hopefully few) brief thoughts on the autos we
rely on every day, and how to optimize our driving experiences, no matter
the conditions that surround us.
First, I highly recommend getting out of car (or truck) payments as quickly
as possible. Fixing up your auto of choice for bugging out will do no good
if your finances get hosed, and the repo man shows up. Also, not having a car
payment, we can afford a few more dollars for gas and maintenance, and still
save money. Not requiring full coverage insurance because of a car payment
helps even more.
Second, know your vehicle! Even if you're totally inept at mechanical stuff,
a basic set of tools and a good manual will do wonders. Keep good records of
breakdowns, installed parts, maintenance, and usage (has your teenage son been
hot rodding around town?). Knowing your car's quirks, needs, and limitations
are very important. Keep the maintenance up, and if you have the ability, do
your own work. That stripped bolt that your mechanic didn't tell you about
may come back to haunt you. Research your type of car/truck on the Internet
and join a forum for advice, "tips and tricks", and "life expectancies" of
all the sub-assemblies (engine/tranny,
suspension, electricals, etc..). Our flavor of Ford Explorers have a bad rap
for transmission problems, but few
people actually ever have their tranny serviced. Maintenance is key to longevity.
A well maintained used auto will usually serve you well. The previously mentioned
Internet research and forums are great for those little tips/tricks to maximize
your vehicle, what works and what doesn't, and how to overcome many problems
cost effectively. Several common Explorer problems are cheap fixes, instead
of expensive parts - when you find out the "trick". Predictive maintenance
is a handy thing too. Realizing that the alternator is original on a 1998 whatever-car
merits checking it over good, or replacing it and shelving the old one as "backup
spare part", for example.
Third, selecting a new purchase. I'm generally writing in the regard of those
who already own something they want to keep, but we should consider those who
are looking to buy something better and/or more reliable. Mr. Rawles
has recommended a few very durable autos, older diesel Mercedes wagons for
one I think. Good choices, but I wonder about parts availability. My old 1978
F150
4x4 is a great truck, but sadly parts are becoming harder to get. I actually
prefer the most common SUV for
the area that you live in, in my case Ford Explorers. (I'll admit a little
bias, I was raised in a Ford family) Parts are plentiful,
and generally not expensive. Again - Maintenance is key to longevity.
When looking at a new purchase, please consider availability of parts in your
area, ease of maintenance and repair, and expected life cycle. How the vehicle
in question was treated before you own it is a crap shoot, but a shoddy interior
and greasy under the hood or underside are tip offs to a bad experience. So
is unevenly worn tires, drips under car/truck on the pavement, or hanging wires
under the
dash. Many youngsters have damaged wires in the dash trying to hook up a fancy
stereo, for example. A glove box full of receipts for parts is a plus to me.
It shows that those parts don't need replacing soon, and I know what's been
done lately. Is the current owner friendly and willing to let you have a mechanic
look it over? Often that willingness on the sellers behalf is enough to keep
me happy. Exercise some caution with modified vehicles, some folks do great
installing a lift kit in a 4x4 truck, some don't (for example). Engine mods
can be tricky too. (Can you tell I'm a country boy?)
Fourth, commonality and spare parts. Although parts availability (from a store)
was mentioned a bit, consider junk yards a second line of components. Further,
if you find a cheap and complete car/truck of your year (or "generation")
with a bad motor or other issue(s), buy that puppy and park it out back - just
for parts. Apartment dwellers wouldn't fair well in this regard. About commonality,
my gal and I drive the same model of SUV. She has a '93 4x4 Explorer, mine
is a '92 (also 4x4). The parts donors are a '92 (wrecked) and a '95. The '95
isn't really all the same, but several parts have swapped well for us. '91-'94
Explorers are common and swap parts extremely well. '95 - '01 Explorers look
the same, but there's enough changes over the years to make it a difficult
call (motors, trannys, and other things). [JWR Adds: I do
not recommend Ford Explorers made before 1995, because of their higher center
of gravity, which
means they have a much higher roll-over risk. Lift kits are definite no-no
for 1994 and earlier Explorers! Also, if possible, try to find a "Flex Fuel"
variant, so you can burn E85
ethanol as well as gasoline.] Of course,
whatever
your flavor of transportation, these principles apply. How
many years
was the
auto
in
question produced in that configuration (or "generation")? I'm mentioning
the Ford Explorers not because I think they're the "best", they're
extremely common here. I worked an hour north of my home for awhile, and I
hardly ever saw one there. Odd, but true. There were lots of Chevy Blazers
and GMC Jimmys
there though.
Yep - parts, I keep mentioning that. They wear out, they get broken and damaged.
A stray bullet or even a rock off the road in a bad place (between a belt and
pulley for example) can be a side of the road event. If you can't fix it and
find the parts, it's a great big paperweight. I dare say I have more raw weight
in parts than I do tools in my garage. Most breakdowns can be dealt with, after
closing time at the parts house. When it's vital to be able to go - I'm going!
Do you have a case of oil on hand? Filters? Anti-freeze? Transmission fluid?
Brake fluid?
Do you have these things at your retreat area?
Do you have a few dents and scratches on your ride? I leave them alone on mine.
It adds to the "OPSEC".
Obviously, gas (or diesel) might get in short supply in troubled times, but
in the meantime we can optimize what we've got and save some cash.
« Odds 'n Sods: |Main| The Coming Great Depression, by Charles Hugh Smith »
Letter Re: Grab-and-Go Soup Mix for Bug-Out Bags
Hello Jim,
First let me say how much I appreciate your site and how much I've
learned from it. I visit it usually a couple times a day as I'm trying to fill
in gaps
in my preparedness plan. I thought I'd share a few tips.
Over the past couple years, I've bought about a dozen Nesco American Harvester
food dehydrators and have set up an assembly line to dehydrate several cases
of fruits, vegetables and meats every week. In the off-season when fresh produce
is relatively expensive, I switch gears and buy cases of canned vegetables
and proceed to dehydrate the contents, then put the dehydrated product in Mason
jars with oxygen absorbers. As one example of the space efficiency of this,
eight 29-oz. cans of diced tomatoes fit into a one-quart mason jar after dehydration--a
great way to go if you don't have much storage space. (I save the vegetable
juices in ice cube trays and use the juices in broths later, so nothing is
wasted.)
I've got a couple hundred quart-size mason jars of various vegetables, plus
several hundred pounds of rice and varieties of beans that I toss together
as a soup mix and put about 20 lbs. worth in a 2-gallon-sized Mylar food storage
bag and keep it in my bug-out bag so that if I have to hit the road on short
notice (flash-flooding in my region this summer was one such instance), I have
food to last me for quite a while--compact and nutritionally complete. I hope
this idea might benefit some of your readers as well. Keep up the great work! - Chad S.
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Two Letters Re: A Vehicular BoB
Mr. Editor:
I have been a reader of this blog for a little while now and one of the earlier
postings I read caught my eye: In regards to a vehicle “bug out” kit.
That list was certainly a good place to start, but it was missing a few items,
so I thought I would put my “two cents” worth in.
To give you a little bit of background, I would describe myself as essentially
being a realist. I watch the news, I read the papers. I know what is going
on around me. I am aware of today’s political and economic climate, and
I understand what that does (and can) mean; not only for today but for tomorrow
as well. In my opinion preparation and knowledge are the keys to not only surviving,
but for nearly anything in life.
I have worked both white-collar and blue collar jobs. I have been a soldier
(an NCO – I
worked for a living), and I have been what I term a “survivalist” for
a little over a decade now. Along the way I have managed to learn some of the
lessons the easy way; reading books, talking to people, experimenting, and
practice, practice, practice. While other lessons were learned at the school
of “hard-knocks”; try sitting on the side of the road in the middle
of a blizzard for six hours on Christmas Day with three children praying for
someone else to come along to help (I’m not kidding about that one) – all
because you thought “it could never happen to you”. I am an active
outdoorsman; camping, fishing, hiking, small game, etc. To date I have been
lucky enough to live through them all. Sometimes with a few bumps and scrapes
along the way, and sometimes with little more
than a bruised ego; but I have survived nonetheless. Not surprisingly on my
journey I have picked up a few things: “must have” items, advice,
knowledge, and most of all experience.
As for geography I have lived in the cold and wet of Washington state; the
extreme cold of Colorado; the hot and dry of West Texas; and now the hot, wet
and hurricane-prone area of East Texas; and this list contains items that have
literally saved my life on more than one occasion, while making crisis situations
a whole lot easier to deal with in others.
While I am not going to lay claim at being an expert on the subject of survival
or preparations; I have seen a done things that may genuinely surprise some
people (while possibly boring others) and could probably go on for hours on
end; but that is not my point here today. I now possess [what I feel] is enough
knowledge that I can speak with at least some authority. My point in this
is to allow others to learn from
my own mistakes
in the hopes that they don’t find themselves forced to repeat the same
errors that I have made. Learn from others – that is the point in all
of this.
As I write this I am proud to say that none of my vehicles are ever without
the bare essentials. In my opinion it is one of the things that everyone should
do, survivalist or not. I rank properly equipping my vehicles right up there
with having them registered, insured, and inspected, to me it is simply a necessity,
a requirement. In an attempt to make sense of this I broken the lists down
into four basic areas:
Vehicle Supplies
Personal Supplies
Glove-Box Miscellaneous (loose throughout the vehicle)
General Miscellaneous
While there is some repetition between the 4 areas, this is done so for a reason – it
is always a good idea to have a backup.
1. Vehicle supplies (most will fit in a small “duffle” or reasonably
sized “tool bag”, kept in trunk, cargo area, or under the seat)
Jumper Cables (get the good ones)
Tow Rope (at least 1)
2 cans of “fix-a-flat”
Air compressor (cigarette lighter plug in)
Roll of Duct Tape (if you can’t fix it, duck it)
100ft of parachute cord (550 cord)
X style lug-wrench (more torque, safer, and more versatile than the ones that
come with cars today)
2 1⁄2 ton bottle jack (again safer, and more versatile than the ones
that come with cars today)
Roadside Flares (3 minimum)
Hand-held spotlight, plug in type is fine
Electrical Kit with:
Spare Fuses – vehicle specific
Spare Bulbs – vehicle specific
Small roll of Red Wire (14-16 GA)
Small roll of Green Wire (14-16 GA)
Small Assortment of Butt Splices
Circuit tester (Screwdriver type)
Electrical tape
Spare belts – vehicle specific
Spare hoses – vehicle specific
Spare thermostat – vehicle specific
Assortment of hose clamps, at least two large enough for your coolant hoses
Flashlight (2 minimum – generator type are best, LED Generator types
are better)
Spare batteries – 1 set for each flashlight in the vehicle (if needed)
Tarp (8 x 10’ is usually sufficient)
Hand Tools:
Screwdrivers (4 minimum, 2 standard 2 Phillips-head)
Crescent Wrenches (2 minimum, 6” and 12”)
Slip-Joint Pliers
Needle-Nose Pliers
Wire Cutters
Channel-Locks (12”)
Socket set (basics only, 3/8” drive, SAE and Metric)
Combination Wrench set ((basics only, SAE and Metric)
Allen Wrench set
Small Hammer
Hatchet (axe)
Folding Shovel
Plastic Trash bags (2 minimum)
Coffee Can full of Cat litter (with lid)
Basic First Aid Kit, with the following additions:
Aspirin
Tylenol
Motrin
Antacid Tablets
Water purification tablets
Small tube of Neosporin
Additional alcohol pads
Additional band-aids (common sizes)
Cravat
Razor blade
Matches
Can of Sterno (large)
Wire coat hanger
Roll of bailing wire
Box of matches (at least 1 box)
Cigarette lighter (disposable, spend the buck and a half and get the Bic brand,
you can’t beat them)
Water bottle
Pen(s)
Small notepad
A small stash of cash ($50 to $100)
Spare compass
Rain poncho – 2
Emergency Blanket (foil type) – 2
Candles – 6
Sunscreen
Basic Fishing kit:
Hooks
Sinkers
Fishing Line
Bobbers
2. Personal Supplies (with a little patience and forethought, this will all
fit inside of and/or attached to a medium sized book-bag, i.e. backpack)
Basic First Aid Kit – duplicate of the aforementioned kit
1 pair of socks
Flannel shirt
Windbreaker
Baseball cap
Multi-tool
“Swiss Army” knife
Fixed blade knife
Basic Camping Mess Kit
Travel Toothbrush
Toothpaste
Toilet paper
Tissues
Sunscreen
Flashlights (2 minimum)
Compass
50 ft of parachute cord (550 cord)
Can of Sterno (small)
SPAM – 1 can
Tuna fish – 1 can
Rice – 1⁄2 lb
Lintels – 1⁄2 lb
“Gorp” (Trail mix) – 1⁄2 lb
Packet of powdered Gatorade
Zip-lock bag with:
Sugar packets
Salt Packets
35mm film canisters full of All-spice
Tea bags
Bullion Cubes
Vitamin Pills
Energy bars (3 minimum)
P-38 can opener
Rain poncho
Poncho Liner
Tarp – 5 x 8” is usually sufficient
Candles – 3
Matches
Cigarette lighter
Emergency blanket (Mylar foil type) – 2
Signaling mirror
Basic Fishing kit:
Hooks
Sinkers
Fishing Line
Bobbers
Small Hikers Trowel
Plastic trash bag (2 minimum)
A small stash of cash ($40 to $50) [JWR Adds: I recommend that be
in rolls of Quarters, so you can also use pay phones.]
Water purification tablets
Canteen
Canteen cup
Web Belt
3. Glove-Box Miscellaneous (kept loose in the glove box, in the vehicles console,
or in door pockets)
Package of Tissues
Cigarette Lighter
Small Multi-tool
“Button” or other small compass
Map of local city you are in, and the state(s) you are traveling – or
expect to travel.
Small tube with a mix of aspirin, Motrin, and Tylenol.
Pen(s)
Small notepad
A small, durable pocket-knife
Small Flashlight
One $20 bill
4. General Miscellaneous
Fuel can – store empty; you never know when you will run out of fuel
two miles form the nearest gas station. If you are evacuating, fill up as you
leave – this will reduce your risk of fumes/explosion.
One gallon of potable water
1 Qt Engine Oil (minimum)
1 Qt Transmission Fluid (minimum)
1 Pt Power Steering Fluid (minimum)
Assortment of “bungee” cords
Now I am sure that I have probably missed a few items here, but this list is
fairly comprehensive. Please feel free to add items to it – I am always
eager to learn more.
If you look through it, you should be able to think of one (and most of the
time multiple) uses for each and every item on this list. With this setup you
basically have what you need whether you are accompanied or alone and whether
you stay with the vehicle, leave the vehicle, or are for some reason forced
to separate your party (never a good idea – remember there is always
strength in numbers). But you get the point.
In colder climates, add more food, and more warmth items (sleeping bag, snow
boots, candles, or a heavy coat?). In warmer climates add more fluids and more
shade (bottled water, additional hats, or maybe an umbrella?).
On to the next topic – How much does all of this cost? Well that can
vary widely. Many of these items can be had at the local dollar store, while
other may take a little bit of searching. Check Wal-Mart, your local Military
surplus dealer, the flea markets, and pawn shops. You might be surprised just
how far you can make your dollars go. Plus don’t try to do it all in
one shopping trip – you will just frustrate yourself. Keep your eyes
open when you are at the grocery store or out doing your normal shopping; pick
up a few items here and there, and just slowly equip your vehicle. Within a
month or two you will suddenly find your vehicle is much better equipped than
it ever was before.
As to the vehicle preparation mentioned in the earlier post, this is all good
advice. But again I would add to it. Create yourself a short checklist of items
that you check weekly and monthly. Follow the owners manual that came with
the vehicle, they tend to be fairly comprehensive.
Some tricks I have learned include:
Remember to check the air pressure in your spare tire regularly. A spare doesn’t
do any good if it is flat too.
Don’t forget to check the brake fluid, power steering fluid, and windshield
washer fluid too, these are often over looked.
Never, ever overfill any of your vehicle’s fluids.
Keep all of your lights clean, headlights, brake lights etc. The better they
work, the better you see, and are seen.
Whenever adding accessories to your vehicle: make additions that work, and
that matter before you worry about “pretty”. Think of it this way
- which is more important (and useful) on a full-size truck – a good
trailer hitch, or a pair of fancy mud flaps? You get my point.
When adding electrical accessories, always use the next heavier gauge wire,
it will handle to load better, last longer, and prevent not only short circuits,
but fires as well.
A good CB is
always a wise investment, but make
sure that it is installed properly.
Engine and Transmission oil cooler can extend the life of your vehicle – and
mean the difference between getting there and getting stuck – especially
in hot weather and heavy traffic. They are definitely worth the money.
Own a truck, van or SUV? Look into an oversized fuel tank and/or a spare fuel
tank with a transfer pump. It may be expensive, but it will pay for itself
over time; between having the ability to fuel up for a cheaper price per gallon,
combined with the extended range the vehicle will now have – it is definitely
worth at least considering.
Consider installing an aftermarket, oversized fuel filter. Cleaner fuel means
longer engine life. Plus some of the newer vehicles don’t even have an
inline fuel filter – they are mounted inside the tank itself. Who was
the genius that came up with this gem anyway?
If your vehicle doesn’t have them, install tow hooks both front and rear.
They do not have to be conspicuous, but they need to be there.
Don’t skimp on wiper blades, buy the good ones and replace them often.
If you can’t see, you can’t drive.
Keep the engine bay clean – it makes finding a leak a whole lot easier,
and makes life a whole lot more pleasant when making repairs.
It also it isn’t a bad idea to add seasonal items to your kits. For example
if you live in area prone to snow, you should probably have a set of tire chains/cables
with you in the colder months, but then why would you want to carry them in
July?
Lastly a few words of advice:
First: know how to use everything you put in your kit. Practice with it before
you put it in the vehicle – few tools are as dangerous as the ones in
the hands of the uninformed.
Second: check your local laws on exactly what is considered a weapon,
and what is considered concealed. You may want to think twice before you run
out and buy that shiny Rambo knife with the 12 inch blade and have it strapped
to the outside of your back pack sitting under your seat.
Third: in regards to knives, multi-tools, hand tools and the like – you
generally get what you pay for. That cheap knife at the flea market is normally
just that – cheap. It may be better than nothing at all, and the truth
is that if that is all you can afford – then fine. But understand that
up front.
Fourth: when choosing the storage bags to put these items in – think
about the size, shape, and color of the bag you buy. There is not a right or
wrong here, get what fits your situation. And think about the straps. There
may be a situation where you find yourself forced to carry these bags, so good
shoulder strap are important. And just as with knives and hand tools – you
generally get what you pay for.
Lastly, a word about any and all foodstuffs you keep in your kit: remember
that all food expires sooner or later – a even water can only sit for
so long before it is no longer fit to consume. Trust me when I tell you that
yes, even SPAM can and will go bad with time (you really, really don’t
want to know how I know that). So rotate your foodstuffs regularly.
The long and the short of it is that some sort of vehicle kit really should
be in each and every car, truck, SUV, or van on the road. With a little bit
of thought and not a whole lot of money we can all prepare ourselves better.
No traveler should be without what they consider to be the basics. - David
H. in Southeast Texas
[JWR Adds: Thanks for those great lists! The only additions
that I'd make to your lists are a fire extinguisher, and depending on whether
off-road travel is anticipated, more robust pioneer tools. These should include
an ax,
pick,
shovel,
and if space permits, a Hi-Lift jack.]
Jim,
Hugh D. sent in a good letter about using his trailer as a large bug-out kit.
The concept isn't bad (as long as he's on the road and off again before the
masses figure out something is wrong) but then he said this:
"This has been overcome with careful planning on our part. First, we have
mapped out likely hide spots for ourselves and the trailer – mostly campgrounds
on National Forest lands," and then regarding some cabins near the campground, "...we
can move into a nice, if rustic, survival retreat."
No offense, but I wouldn't exactly consider this careful planning. If Hugh
doesn't think that for every marked camping site in America there aren't 100
guys (who also own guns) already thinking about that same site, he's crazy.
Worse, he has no claim of "right" when it comes to those cabins.
He is no more entitled to a cabin there than the next guy that comes along
and wants to evict him and take it for himself. Furthermore, he's got kids
in diapers (I do too) - he isn't going to be able to defend both his family
and his "stuff" in a public campground whose location is published
on every map and travel guide in America.
I'd suggest that Hugh reconsider his plans. The trailer is good but find somewhere
else to go. As an example, I live in the Dallas area and have friends who own
a ranch about three hours away in central Texas and can be reached using a
number of combinations of country roads and state highways. It's on 500 hilly
acres twenty miles from the closest town, whose population is a couple thousand
people. You can't see a single building on the ranch from the state highway
- you have to drive a winding county dirt road a few miles to get to the houses
and barns. My friends who own the ranch think I'm nuts (they aren't survivalists
by any means, but retired city folk who wanted to run a peach orchard in retirement).
Nonetheless, they have agreed that if I need to get out of town I can come
down there with no prior notice. - Matt R.
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Letter Re: A Vehicular Bug-Out Kit
One thing that I have not seen properly addressed anywhere online is an appropriate
kit for the bug out vehicle.
You folks in snow country can reply to this with some recommendations for that
scenario. Please do.
I survived five hurricanes , one of them in the Virgin Islands, over the years
so I consider myself an advanced student of the Bug Out Vehicle.
First and foremost.
Cars are useless without fuel. They make a decent shelter but they're tough
to carry with you. I haven't seen a backpack that would hold one.
Get yourself as many large cans as you can fit reasonably in (or on)
the vehicle and keep them full at all times. [Because of fire hazard in the
event of a collision, if your car has a gas engine, these cans should normally
kept at home, in an outbuilding. Consult your local fire code.] Rotate your
fuel. Fill the car and cans one week and the next time
you
need
gas, then
empty
some
of
the cans
(say
2
out of
4
six gallon
cans) and refill them immediately. My kit includes 5, six-gallon
cans of diesel and one full of water in case of radiator problems and to provide
drinking water. I have a roof rack so they're a non-issue.
Cars are very hard to drive on flat tires. I recall after Hurricane Andrew
in 1992 the chaos at
any store that had anything in stock. There was no electricity for weeks so
no gas
available, for the most
part...or much else.Oh, and remember that no electricity = no credit cards.
Got your cash stashed
?
Having all of my supplies already (always have-always will) only saw a
need for one very important thing that I had overlooked.
Nobody else saw it since they were focusing on food, water, plywood,Coleman
goodies etc. They looked at me like I was nuts when I got to the checkout.
What was the one thing ? Tire repair equipment ! Yep. I bought two cases of
Fix-a-Flat, a radial plug kit and about 50 plugs.
Glass, metal, roofing nails, wood, you name it was everywhere on the roadways.
I used that all up and more over the following month. Get some!
Cars with automatic transmissions can not be push-started. Even if your battery
is fairly new, go buy yourself a top notch, deep cycle battery and install
it. The other one will make a good spare.You can also carry it with you and
use
the
deep cycle battery [at home] at night, running an inverter, to watch a television,
use a computer or whatever. One of my cabins runs all night (8-10 hours) with
television,
VCR, and
3-to-4 Compact fluorescent bulbs on a deep cycle battery that is solar-charged.
Belts. Repeat the above scenario and make sure you have tools in the car at
all times to change belts. If you don't know how and what tools you
need , then hire a mechanic
to teach you. Don't forget the jumper cables .
These are the basics. My kit is more extensive but I live in the middle of
nowhere in Central America (I've already bugged out) so I cant raid a junkyard
in case of an "event". Oh, and don't forget the guns. Pura Vida!
- Mr. Tico in Costa Rica
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Letter Re: Michigan's Upper Peninsula as a Retreat Locale
Hello James:
A
recent letter from a reader mentioned that he was looking for a retreat.
If I remember correctly, that person lived in the Washington D.C. area. You
had
suggested
Tennessee
and
Michigan's
Upper Peninsula (UP)
as retreat possibilities.One disadvantage
of Michigan's
UP for that particular reader is that to get to the UP, they will have
to drive through, or very close to, Pittsburgh,
Cleveland, Toledo, Detroit, and Saginaw.
The Old Uooper was on-target regarding the challenges of living in many places
in the UP both microclimate and soil are key factors. My personal choice
would be to live within 20 miles of Lake Michigan or Lake Huron. There, soils
are
limestone-based and
it truly is the Banana Belt. - Joe H.
JWR Replies: Actually, that particular reader lives in New
Jersey, and commutes daily to New York City. But the issue that you raise is
still quite valid.
So much of the eastern US is urbanized that it will make any planned "11th
Hour" travel during a
crisis a dicey proposition. As I've written many times, I highly recommend
permanently relocating to one of the the more fertile regions of the Intermountain
West. (See my Recommended
Retreat Locales web page for some general recommendations, and my book
"Rawles
On Retreats and Relocation" for even greater detail, with instructive
maps.) I realize that that because of work and family commitments, this is
not practical
for most preppers that currently live in the east. For those of you that
decide to stay where you are, I recommend that you watch the news closely and
be
ready to bug out on very short notice. You need to be already on the road
to your retreat while everyone else is still glued to their televisions, sizing
up the situation. This way
you
can Get
Out of Dodge ahead of the Golden Horde. If you hesitate you will
end up in a monumental traffic jam. This necessitates having a well-stocked
retreat--so that you don't have to waste
any time packing.
Also, be sure
to do a detailed study
of secondary
road routes to your retreat--avoiding all freeways and most highways.
A lot of the old ""farm to market" routes are ideal. Practice
driving those routes, both day and night. A well-prepared family always
has a Plan B and
Plan C.
One
of these
plans
should
address a
situation
where you must hunker down at home.
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Letter Re: Hunt Packs Available at Cabela's
James,
I often read your blog and have read your novel , "Patriots:
Surviving the Coming Collapse", (and
have given it as a gift to several folks!) I just wanted to let you and your
other readers know about something I found at Cabela's recently: 3-day and
10-day 'Hunt'
Packs. These nifty boxes contain a mix of energy bars, gels,
drinks, etc. designed for use by 'Wilderness Athletes'. Aside from the humorous
effect of the name, these are quite handy and can be ordered from Cabela's
on-line web store and may provide survival minded people an excellent
option for Bug Out Bags, Car Kits, pre-positioned supplies, caches, or to give
[charitably] to the unprepared after a natural disaster or terrorist type
event. While the prices may be higher than some would like to pay, the manufacturer
has
done
the work
that some busy or family folks may not have the time or inclination to do.
Thanks for the information you provide! Regards, - Israel S.
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Letter Re: Retreat Locale and Firearms Selection Questions from a Newbie Easterner
Jim,
I am a new reader of SurvivalBlog but I am already hooked. I realize that I
am woefully unprepared to defend and care for my family if and when TSHTF.
I live in New Jersey and commute to New York City every day, and work in finance.
After 9/11, when I lost several dear friends, I took some steps to prepare
for a
short
(several
days to a week) disruption or an attack. I purchased a generator, several hundred
MREs, bottled water, and iodine pills. I even applied for a firearm purchase
permit but never bought a weapon.
Working in the capital markets, I have see firsthand over the last
few month show how close we have come to a complete breakdown in the monetary
and payments
system.
As a person who is generally a free market advocate and non-interventionist
it troubles me deeply that the government has had to step in to try and salvage
the banking system. However, I can say that in the days before some of these
programs were announced, we were probably much closer than people think to
a severe systemic financial collapse. I saw firsthand the panic and fear that
prevailed on Wall Street in those few days, and it was real.
Hopefully we will be able to pull out of this current crisis. But in the spirit
of preparing for the worst, I realize that I have much to do in order to get
ready for TEOTWAWKI. So I do have a few questions that I hope you can answer.
While I am sure some of these have been answered for previous newbies, I would
greatly appreciate your opinion and advice.
What is your suggestion for a retreat location for someone living in New Jersey?
I have read your "Recommended
Retreat Areas" section and it looks
like most of us east of the Mississippi are in some trouble. However, I am
tied
to my
current
location in terms of my employment and extended family. I am relatively blessed
in terms of financial resources, so it is potentially feasible for me to purchase
an out of state second home to use as a retreat. I do worry about access in
a SHTF scenario.
Highways potentially clogged, gas in short supply, etc. Is a 2-to-3 day drive
by car or longer escape location feasible? There are relatively rural
areas within 2-5 hours by car that we could choose, but none approach the remoteness
most on this site seem to favor.
This also seems to be a common question but what about firearms? New Jersey
is quite restrictive. The permit I got after 9/11 expired so I recently reapplied
and
should get my new permit in a couple months. I am not a complete neophyte but
pretty close. I have hunted a few times with friends and have done some target
practice at the pistol range. I know I need training. I also fear that the
new administration may impose even more restrictive legislation limiting access
to firearms so I want to move relatively quickly in assembling what I need.
Here is what I am thinking:
handgun: there is no concealed carry in New Jersey so for home defense I am thinking
something on the larger side, maybe a S&W Night Guard in .357 Magnum? Or does
an
autoloader with a higher capacity (maximum 15 round magazines in New Jersey)
make
sense?
Maybe
the
SIG
P220 in .45 ACP?
.22 rifle Suggestions? Id like something I can also teach my son on (he is 7)
in a few years. What do you think of the US Survival .22LR? How big should I
go?
I don't think I'm going to need
something for very big game but who knows. Is a .308 sufficient or should I look
for something
heavier
like a .338 Lapua or a .30-06? Should I also have a tactical rifle? Remember
that New Jersey has a pretty broad definition of "assault rifles" that
are
banned.
Shotguns: Likely would like to have at least one "riotgun" type and
at least one for hunting. Suggestions?
Ammunition: How much is enough?I have seen that Cabela's sells reloaded/remanufactured
rounds in bulk. Are these a good deal or are factory rounds superior to the point
that the bulk reloads should not be considered?
Training: I am planning on taking several of the NRA courses that are available
in my area for each of the weapons types I purchase. I have read the glowing
reports on Front Sight and will try that as well if I can get the time. Any other
suggestions?
I know I have a lot to learn in many areas such as food gathering/storage and
basic survival. I have learned a lot from you already. I appreciate all you do
on this blog, Jim. You provide a great service.
God Bless. - S. in New Jersey
JWR Replies: You are in a difficult locale, but I quite regularly
get similar questions from
consulting clients in Washington DC, Baltimore, and New York City.
I recommend that if you can afford it, that you buy a rural retreat,
and stock it very well. If you prefer a warmer climate, then
I recommend eastern Tennessee. If you don't mind cold and snow, then consider
the Upper Peninsula
of Michigan. Pre-position 90% of of your tools and logistics at your retreat.
If you are worried about burglary, then rent a commercial storage space that
is
near
your
retreat.
As I've mentioned in blog many times, I recommend that you keep always enough
gas in cans on hand for one trip "Outta Dodge"--to get you
to your retreat. (This
ties in with the need to pre-position nearly everything at your retreat.)
In answer to your question on handguns: In New Jersey, your best bet is probably
either a Springfield Armory XD in .45 ACP
or perhaps a Glock Model 21 ( also .45 ACP.) BTW, you should take advantage
of Front Sight's Gun & Gear & Training
offer--that
includes essentially free XD pistol. BTW, low
cost firearms training is also available from the RWVA in the east and the
WRSA in the west.
In answer to your other questions:
>.22 rifle Suggestions? I'd like something I can also teach my son on (he
is 7) in a few years. What do you think of the US Survival .22LR?
The US Survival .22 LR--like all of it predecessors including the original
Armalite AR-7--has a tendency to jam. It also has a fairly rudimentary peep
sight that
in my opinion has an overly-large rear aperture. I recommend that you instead
buy a Rogue
Rifle Company Chipmunk .22
single shot rifle for your son.
Depending on his maturity, you can probably start training him with it under
very close supervision at
age
7. (The Chipmunk
is a tiny rifle. It is made to the minimum dimensions allowable under
Federal
law.)
For the rest of the family, buy a stainless
steel All-Weather Ruger 10/22. Once
your son is about 10 years old,
you can
buy a
spare stock
for
the
Ruger
and saw off about two inches from the butt to provide a shorter length of
pull, for
transitional
training. Slightly used "takeoff" standard birch wood stocks are readily
available
for
under $15 each,
since
Ruger
.22
rifles
are
often used as gun rebuild platforms, typically using fancy laminate target
stocks.
> How big should I go?...
The .308 Winchester will suffice for everything two-legged or four-legged in
North America with the exception of grizzly bears and moose.
>
Should I also have a tactical rifle?...
Keep an inexpensive .308 bolt action in New Jersey and .308 battle rifle (as
well all your magazines over 15 round capacity) in a wall cache at your retreat
in a
free
state. As previously noted in SurvivalBlog I
generally recommend the FAL, L1A1, HK91, AR-10 or M1A. And, FWIW, up until
a week ago, I would have also recommended waiting for the about-to-be-released
Kel-Tec
RFB .308 or the Rock
River Arms (RRA) LAR-8 .308 Caliber, in Mid-Length. However, in today's
market, beggars can't be choosers. Buy whatever .308 battle rifle you can find,
but be sure to line up at least eight spare magazines first.
(You don't want to be stick with a rifle with one magazine!)
>
Shotguns: Likely would like to have at least one "riotgun" type and
at least one for hunting. Suggestions?
Buy a Remington
870 Express 12 gauge Combo set. (These come with both a
bird barrel and riotgun barrel. It takes less than two minutes to switch
barrels. BTW, Mossberg
also produces a quite similar "Combo" set, that is very reasonably
priced. The only drawback is that the Mossberg 500 Combo's bright blued
steel is more prone to rust than the phosphate finish on the Remington
Express
models.
> Ammunition: How much is enough?
"Enough" is a subjective term, depending on the depth and duration
of the situation that you anticipate, how much bartering you plan to do, and
how much
trouble you expect to encounter.
(In an urban or suburban area, you might have to fire hundreds of
warning shots to repel looters. But here at the ranch, we are in the process
of filling at least five deer and elk tags this season, but we'll likely fire
less than 10
cartridges.) If anything, err on the side of larger quantities.
Any ammo that excess to your needs will be worth its weight in gold for barter
and
charity.
>...I have seen that Cabela's sells reloaded/remanufactured
rounds in bulk. Are these a good deal or are factory rounds superior
to the point that the bulk reloads should not be considered?
Bulk reloads are fine for target shooting but only can be depended on for
self defense shooting situations if they come from a reputable maker,
such as Black Hills
Ammunition.
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Letter Re: Recreational Vehicles and Investing in Tangibles
Jim,
Thank you for the blog and all the great info you put out. I have a couple
of questions that I would like to ask you, but first a little info about
myself. I am a 40 year old male with a wife and two kids. I live in Kansas,
I work
at a large manufacturing plant and my wife works for a insurance company.
We have a mortgage and other dept. I would like to buy some land out of town
and build a retreat for my family and myself for when TSHTF but
can not afford it right now. My grandfather though does own land about a
hour north of here. I was wondering what you thought about buying a RV,
stocking it with supplies and when the time comes bugging out in that. Also
you are always saying to invest in tangibles, What do you recommend ? Thirty
round magazines? Ammunition? Barter items? Right now I have about $1,000
to invest but I am lost as to what to buy. I already have my protection squared
away so that is not an issue. Once again thank you for all you do and I wish
your wife a full and speedy recovery. - Mike in the Great Plains
JWR Replies: I'm fairly certain that you are suggesting an RV strictly as
a one-way "Get
Out of Dodge" (G.O.O.D.)
vehicle to get to your grandfather's farm, rather than as a vague concept for
retreating. For any readers that might consider wandering aimlessly in an RV,
see this narrative that I wrote in the early days of SurvivalBlog:
“Land mobile” retreating in a recreational vehicle (RV) is another
invitation to disaster. In a TEOTWAWKI situation,
a fixed location retreat is vastly superior to going mobile. In my opinion the
myth of ”Road Warrior” mobility and firepower is in actuality
just an expanded opportunity to wander into ambush after
ambush. No vehicle short of a $70,000+ Cadillac
Gage V100 wheeled armored personnel carrier (APC) would have both the
cargo capacity and the ballistic protection required. (A little Ferret
scout car just doesn't have the capacity. I speak from personal experience
on that!) Also, consider that you would need a pair of APCs to provide
mutually supporting defensive fire. And then of course you will probably
want a belt-fed for each. With spares, ammo, and accessories that is an additional
$3,000 per vehicle.
If by chance you already have a fully stocked retreat established
and have $150,000 in cash laying around for a couple of ultimate G.O.O.D.
vehicles, see: Dave Uhrig’s
web site and then click on “Armor”. (I should mention that
I have done business with Dave Uhrig on two occasions. He is quite reputable.)
Here is a dose of reality for you: If you choose to go entirely vehicle mobile
then you will eventually lose a battle--most likely in a roadblock ambush--or
your RV will break down. Or it will run out of fuel--with some likelihood
that it will be on exposed terrain in an untenable situation. Also, since
the logistics that you could carry would be limited, you will start out with
an inherent disadvantage to fixed location retreats. This also creates the
prospect that once your food supplies are depleted you will be tempted to
take what you need from others. To paraphrase John Dibari (my high school
chemistry instructor) when he described troublemakers: “If you aren’t
part of the solution--you’re the precipitate.” (That is, someone
who precipitates trouble--part of the problem, not the solution.) Scratch
that idea!
Since you have a definite destination (your grandfather's
house), then you are better off just storing ("pre-positioning")
what you will need there, rather than trying cram what you will need into an
RV for an 11th Hour trip outta Dodge. Odds are that those items will be more
secure there, than if they were stored at your house in the Big City, anyway.
If his house lacks the requisite storage space perhaps he would be agreeable
to you buying a 20 foot CONEX for
your gear, and storing it there
In answer to your other question: See this
SurvivalBlog post from 2007 for my recommendations on buying full capacity
firearms magazines, for barter.
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