Category: Retreat Locales

Letter Re: Argentina Versus Chile as Offshore Havens

Regarding Doug Casey’s linked article on Argentina: The Freest Place in the World.  Seriously?  That country does all the things we fear the US might do.  Rampant inflation?  Check.  Confiscate retirement accounts?  Check.  Currency controls & dollar-sniffing dogs?  Check.  Crony socialism and capricious Diktat replacing rule of law?  Check.  Punitive taxes on the productive, such as farmer-exporters?  Check.  Hitler-style appeals to nationalism to justify seizure of assets (such as NPF, the largest oil company in the country) or to provoke rows with foreigners (Falklands).  Check.  Profound corruption?  Check.  Argentina is cheap for a reason.  Refer to FerFAL (An Argentine who …


Letter Re: Traffic Web Cams as Remote Intelligence Assets

JWR: I was looking at the weather in Ohio the other day. I was using web cameras operated by the Department of Transportation and it got me to thinking that this could be a good way to gather intelligence. If the power stays on and you have computer / Internet capabilities you could look at weather cams in any of the 50 States by going to the link:  State Traffic Webcams Click on the state and go from there. Most have the major areas covered, where there are expected to be traffic problems but some have back roads as well. …


Letter Re: Prison Jobs: Consider Them Reliable Income and Training for Bad Times

Dear Editor: With people constantly being laid off and unemployment money becoming more scarce you should look into your states dept of corrections. I’ve been working in a state prison going on three years, and I can tell you the things you learn can help you post-TEOTWAWKI. You will get basic firearms training, self defense and first aid. Keep in mind that its very basic but its better than nothing. What you learn on the job is the valuable stuff, over time when dealing with inmates you learn to read body language and can even learn to subtlety alter ones …


Long Distance Bug Out Planning, by J.B. in Georgia

There is a plethora of good, sound information and articles on SurvivalBlog.com that I have researched, absorbed, and adapted into much of what we have done to prepare.  I would like to personally extend my gratitude to all the contributors of this subject and let them know that the information they have freely shared has been very helpful.  In addition, there are countless other informative sites, books, and organizations gained from this web site that has also been very useful.  This article describes our particular situation, the challenges, and planning to make our escape from the crowded suburbs of Atlanta …


Letter Re: Wireless Internet in Remote Regions

James, As your readers pointed out, Internet service in remote places can be a challenge, but also delivering this connectivity to various locations on your property presents other difficulties, too.   If you have a voice telephone line, you’ve got most of what you need for dial-up Internet capability, which is painfully slow, but you will be able to pick up and send email and if you turn off all videos, images and javascript, you could do very limited web browsing.  Cable and DSL are out of the question if you live at the end of a long road with …


News From The American Redoubt:

Wyoming has nation’s 4th highest population growth. Also in the news: Wyoming may loosen gun laws. (Among other things, allowing teachers to arm themselves. Yes!)    o o o Reader R.B.S. sent: Idaho ranks last in earnings by full, part-time job holders. No wonder that bartering is so popular in Idaho. Ditto for the underground economy.    o o o I noticed that Ulti-MAK (in Moscow, Idaho) has added several new scout style scope mounts to their product line. They also now have a good assortment of rail-mounted optics and gear.    o o o The Nampa, Idaho Rod & …


Letter Re: Internet Service in The American Redoubt

Hello,  I just read your article The American Redoubt — Move to the Mountain States.  I am confused about something.  On one hand you said to not expect high speed Internet then scrolling down further you refer to using the Internet.  There must be some sort of Internet service where you are.    My income is acquired using my computer and high speed Internet.  So does that leave me out?   Thanks for your time. – Deborah T. in California JWR Replies: There is dial-up Internet available in most towns in the Redoubt, but high speed (DSL, or better) is …


Is the Average US Soldier Prepared for TEOTWAWKI? by S.A.

They are not personally prepared at all. The average soldier is no more prepared than the average civilian. If this is a concern (you live by a military installation), a curiosity (you have a relative that serves), or if you just want a glimpse of military life, let me tell you why the average soldier is not personally prepared.  I must first establish my credibility.    I have a BA degree from a major university, and various civilian job experiences under my belt, mostly in food service and then social services.  I am an older soldier, low ranking on the …


News From The American Redoubt:

Pro-liberty, survivalist community of thousands planned for North Idaho. (Thanks to reader B.F. for the link.)    o o o The Bakken Oil Boom: Moving “Back Home” to Montana?    o o o The Fastest-Growing States in America (and Why They’re Booming)    o o o Police: US Sen. Crapo arrested, charged with DUI    o o o The scope offerings from Night Force Optics (in Orofino, Idaho–deep in the Redoubt), just get better and better.


News From The American Redoubt:

Take a look at these cell phone coverage maps — note the big gaps in the American Redoubt. Bad news? Well, for some of us who want to “get lost” it isn’t! (Here at Rawles Ranch, it is a looong drive to the nearest cell phone signal.) If nothing else, these maps certainly tell you something about the low population density in the Redoubt and some other hinterboonies regions. Think of these regions as the last frontiers in the Lower 48.    o o o Panel says hunting could help manage grizzly bears. Hunting grizzlies could become legal in three …


Letter Re: Mysterious Lights in North Dakota?

Jim, You recently linked to NightlightMap.com. What is that big huge area of brightness in [ostensibly lightly-populated] Northwest North Dakota? That makes me question the usefulness of that map at all. – Sam D. JWR Replies: Those lights are the main concentration of activity in the Bakken oil fields–see this map.  (See also, these photos.) Reader Rob H. tells me that the dots of light shown are mostly the light of burning off excess wellhead gas. (Plus, presumably: floodlights around drilling rigs, and floodlights around equipment yards, and the light of burning off excess wellhead gas, and floodlights, and the …


News From The American Redoubt:

Reader T.K., who lives in the Tri-cities [Richland, Pasco and Kennewick] region of Washington wrote to mention that local credit union, HAPO, is ordering in $2,000 in nickels for him with no fee charged. “I’m simply taking $2,000 out of my account with them and they are giving me $2,000 in nickels. It is going to take a week for the order to go through and they asked me to have some kind of bins to put them in but other than that they had no issues with me getting a bulk shipment of nickels. Yet another reason to live …


In-Extremis Travel; Red Light, Green Light, Yellow Light, by Will Prep

There has been a lot of debate over whether or not to remain in place or to leave your home and retreat to another location within the prepper community. Both have their advantages and disadvantages but that is not the scope of this article. I simply want to address the moment that all of us may come to, both the bug-in crowd, when they realize their initial plan is untenable, or the bug-out crowd, when they have made their decision to move to “higher ground.” We all remember the game “Red Light, Green Light”, we played as kids and tried …


News From The American Redoubt:

Spokane man invents safe hidden in couch. (There are more details, here.)    o o o From The Idaho Statesman: Seed library preserves the Valley’s botanical heritage    o o o And speaking of Idaho, This company is noteworthy: Freedom Munitions. They have great prices and are willing to sell by mail order, so it is worthwhile to put together a “group buy” of ammo with your local friends, anywhere in the United States.    o o o Thusfar, much of the American Redoubt is enjoying a mild winter. Here at the ranch the weather has been easy on our …


Letter Re: Population Density, Traffic and Getting Out of Dodge

Mr. Rawles: During the recent Thanksgiving holiday weekend, I drove from my house, to my brother’s a mere 270 miles, a mere 4 to 4-1/2hrs drive. With accidents and construction, it took almost 8 hours. And it was in both directions, North and Southbound. I was perplexed at the mass confusion, weaving in and out, driving over medians to get to the access/frontage road to get ahead of others, only to find out that that road went off in another direction or dead ended.   Coming home on Sunday I saw 15 accidents in a 20 mile stretch, one accident …