Notes from JWR:

Today is celebrated as Christmas, all around the world. December 25th is of course a seasonally convenient time for celebration, just after the Winter Solstice. Most Biblical scholars agree that Christ’s birth probably took place in the spring rather than in December. And his birth year was most likely in 4 BC. To clarify: The original year calculated by Dionysius Exiguus was in error. The Jewish historian Josephus wrote circa 70 AD about the reign of King Herod. He stated that Herod died 37 years after the Romans declared him King, and 34 years from the time he actually became King. So we can deduce a date of 4 BC. Bishop Ussher later corrected the error, but not before the BC/AD delineation had already been irreversibly established.

But regardless of the irregularity of calendars, the birth of Christ was and is cause for great celebration. May the love of Christ, our Savior be with you all. May your Christmas be Christ-centered and truly joyous.

—

Today was also the birthday of my father, Donald Robert Rawles. (Born 1930, died 1985.) He is still greatly missed.

—

In recognition of the holiday. I will not be posting any feature article–just a Quote of the Day.

Jim’s Quote of the Day:

“And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.
And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.
And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.
For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.” – Luke 2:8-11 (KJV)

Notes from JWR:

It was just reported that Mikhail Kalashnikov died Monday, at age 94.

—

December 24th is the 14th Anniversary of when John Joe Gray’s legal troubles began. He and his family have been self-sufficiently holed up in their Texas ranch for 13 years, in defiance of a warrant for his arrest. This has been the longest personal standoff in American history, in which he has faced the administrations of four different county sheriffs.

—

Today we present another entry for Round 50 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The $9,400+ worth of prizes for this round include:

First Prize: A.) Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate, good for any one, two, or three course. (A $1,195 value.) B.) A course certificate from onPoint Tactical. This certificate will be for the prize winner’s choice of three-day civilian courses. (Excluding those restricted for military or government teams.) Three day onPoint courses normally cost $795, and C.) Two cases of Mountain House freeze dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources. (A $350 value.) D.) a $300 gift certificate from CJL Enterprize, for any of their military surplus gear, E.) A 9-Tray Excalibur Food Dehydrator from Safecastle.com (a $300 value), F.) A $300 Gift Certificate from Freeze Dry Guy. G.) A $250 gift certificate from Sunflower Ammo. H.) A roll of $10 face value in pre-1965 U.S. 90% silver quarters, courtesy of GoldAndSilverOnline.com. The current value of this roll is at least $225, I.) Both VPN tunnel and DigitalSafe annual subscriptions from Privacy Abroad. They have a combined value of $195. J.) KellyKettleUSA.com is donating both an AquaBrick water filtration kit and a Stainless Medium Scout Kelly Kettle Complete Kit with a combined retail value of $304. and K.) APEX Gun Parts is donating a $250 purchase credit.

Second Prize: A.) A gift certificate worth $1,000, courtesy of Spec Ops Brand, B.) A Glock form factor SIRT laser training pistol and a SIRT AR-15/M4 Laser Training Bolt, courtesy of Next Level Training. Together, these have a retail value of $589. C.) A FloJak EarthStraw “Code Red” 100 foot well pump system (a $500 value), courtesy of FloJak.com. D.) $300 worth of ammo from Patriot Firearms and Munitions. (They also offer a 10% discount for all SurvivalBlog readers with coupon code SVB10P.), E.) A $250 gift card from Emergency Essentials F.) A full set of all 25 of the books published by PrepperPress.com. This is a $250 value, G.) Two cases of Meals, Ready to Eat (MREs), courtesy of CampingSurvival.com (a $180 value). H.) EP Lowers, makers of 80% complete fiber composite polymer lowers for the AR-15 rifles is donating a $250 gift certificate, and I.) Autrey’s Armory — specialists in AR-15, M4s, parts and accessories — is donating a $250 gift certificate.

Third Prize: A.) A Royal Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21. (This filter system is a $275 value.), B.) A large handmade clothes drying rack, a washboard and a Homesteading for Beginners DVD, all courtesy of The Homestead Store, with a combined value of $206, C.) Expanded sets of both washable feminine pads and liners, donated by Naturally Cozy. This is a $185 retail value, D.) Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security., E.) A MURS Dakota Alert Base Station Kit with a retail value of $240 from JRH Enterprises. F.) Mayflower Trading is donating a $200 gift certificate for homesteading appliances, and G.) Ambra Le Roy Medical Products in North Carolina is donating a bundle of their traditional wound care and first aid supplies. This assortment has a retail value of $208.

Round 50 ends on January 31st, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that there is a 1,500-word minimum, and that articles on practical “how to” skills for survival have an advantage in the judging.

My Move to the American Redoubt, by Jason L.

The recent article The Benefits of a Homesteading Approach to Preparedness, by Chaya had much wisdom about moving before a crunch. There will not be time to prepare or get to know your surroundings if you wait.

I have dreamed about moving to the American Redoubt for the last 3-4 years, however there were several things that prohibited me. I had a house payment and small business in Rural Northern Pa, I had a great job and family ties. I did not want to leave my father and small hobby farm. In December of last year my mother received news that her job may be moving to a new location. I half heartily said we should move to the west. This planted a seed that would grow over the next few months. We talked about different states like Montana, Idaho and Wyoming. She had some contacts in Idaho and Montana that she used to work with and began looking for a job. I was still unsure until January when I was told by the company I worked for that they would be consolidating locations and moving some jobs, including mine, offshore. To top that off my father was up for reelection for his township supervisor position.  My sister had lost her full time Job and was working two part time jobs. We had to potential to lose our 3 biggest family incomes. In April my mother received an offer to come look at a job in Montana and interview in person.

Before she was scheduled to fly out we looked at several properties and contacted two separate realtors. One realtor, Mark Twite, who advertises on SurvivalBlog’s spin-off SurvivalRealty.com and another who works for a large [multi-state] real estate company. When we arrived we knew what type of property we were looking for and Mark cogently knew our intentions. He showed us several interesting properties that all had potential. He walked the properties with us using a GPS unit to show us properties lines. He is an amazing realtor.

The second realtor, however, was a snake. On the first day we met with him he had a paper that he asked my parents to sign “to give him permission to show up properties”, they signed without fully reading every line (a mistake), After they signed I read it quick while they talked to the realtor, mixed in with some of the lingo was a clause that we had to exclusively deal with only him and no one else. If we bought property without him he could sue for some of his costs. At this point we should have left but we didn’t. He showed us several properties but none were exactly what we were looking for.

After we arrived back home we kept in contact with the realtor, He sent us several more places that were not even close to what we were looking for, Some were trailer/doublewides, other had less than 5 acres and some were next to the interstate, certainly not what a prepper would consider a home. A few weeks later we came across a listing on craigslist that looked like a place we could call home. We contacted our exclusive realtor and began the long negotiations.  In June my mother flew out and started her new job. As soon as her feet were on the ground she checked the property out. By this point we had already started packing and selling everything that wasn’t a must have. The realtor in the meanwhile had pressured the seller into a contract as well and we were in jeopardy of the property being lost due to the realtors’ greed in wanting over $30,000 from the seller to just play middleman. We were finally able to come to a deal with the seller after they threatened to contact Montana Realtors Association regarding our exclusive realtor. He shredded both of our contracts so we could work directly. After a few short weeks we made a deal to move into our current home.

In mid-May, I contacted James Rawles for ideas on jobs, and in one of his replies he directed me to his 2011 article on job finding. I was subsequently able to find a job with a major company and get a job offered over the phone to start in July. The rush was now on to sell, pack and move. We were fortunate in that the company my mother got a job at offered a move package that including moving two vehicles and our house.  We had 7 people moving all together plus 4 family dogs. We were instructed by the moving company to not pack anything in the houses as the movers would catalog the material and move it. We had content from three houses and several outbuildings. We decided that we would not be able to bring our small heard of beef cattle so we put them on the market first. This gave us several thousand moving cash. On top of that we had a small business making Maple Syrup so after the season we started advertising all our equipment since we would not be using it in Montana. This again provided us with some extra money for the move.

We went through all our material positions and started filling our garages with yard sale stuff. A lot of things I had were with a prepper mindset but were unrealistic to move (fuel tanks with 300 gallons of fuel, windmill, scrap metal etc) so they all got sold. We advertised a three-day moving sale on a few local sites and started selling. We sold some stuff at value but a lot was sold at bargain prices just to get rid of it. The final day we made piles and sold stuff by the pile. In the end we sold 90% of the things we needed too. We also cleaned during this time and ended up with 5 truckloads of garbage that was either not worth donating or had little value.  We also filled two 30 yard dumpsters with scrap metal[ to sell] (never get rid of anything mindset). We also soldthree3 of our cars leading up to the move. These were older, front wheel drive, minor rust “East Coast” cars, not valuable in Montana and not usable where our new house is.

In addition to the 53’ tractor trailer full of household stuff we rented the largest budget truck and used a 15% discount coupon included in a USPS Mover’s pack. In total it was $2,700 for the truck and another $1,400 in fuel to drive from Pennsylvania to Montana. We built 40”x48”x4’ shipping crates out of oak and maple so we could fill them leading up to the move and just load them into the truck. We had 8 crates total and 3 pallets of shop equipment and tractor parts. We also hired a neighbor with a step deck trailer to move three tractors and several farm implements to Montana for us (friends loaded him up a week after we left, with a Bobcat). Our cost for the step deck was $5,300 about the price of one tractor (we used cattle money to pay for this).

The trip to Montana was an experience. In Erie, Pennsylvania we decided to see how close we were on weight limits as we had no way of telling how much was on the truck. At a commercial truck scale we found that our “26,000 pound max” truck weighed in at 34,440 pounds! Knowing the stuff on the truck was not stuff we wanted to leave at home, we pressed on. We only passed one open weigh station on the way and just drove by with heads low. Since my mother and sister had moved out in June there were five of us that made the trip, My wife and I plus our West Highland Terrier dog (Westie) in the Budget truck and my father, my son and my 82 year old uncle along with two more Westies and a Boxer mix in his GMC pulling a trailer with 1 tractor on it. We took I-90 straight across which was not the smartest move in the world, at one point we sat in Chicago in traffic for two hours. We made the trip in five days as planned simply because of the animals and people involved in the trip.

Since moving to Montana we have met a lot of great people. Our new neighbors (all 30 of them in our 6 mile long valley) had a fall get together so we could meet. We have become close friends with several neighbors and have found a great church in Missoula. We used our Maple equipment money to buy a Norwood Lumbermate Sawmill. Since the purchase we have started construction of a new barn that houses some of our equipment this winter, but will house chickens, goats and pigs come spring. Our property is at 4,800-5,000 elevation so we also have plans for a greenhouse using raised beds next spring. We have been able to trade some wood for things we need so the sawmill has been a great investment.  We have also all got 4 wheel drive vehicles to cope with the winter, I have a Older Ford Bronco and older Jeep Cherokee, and other family members have all wheel drive Subarus and SUVs. All have studded winter tires and we have had zero problems so far.

The house we ended up buying is totally offgrid on 40 acres backed up to Forest Land. It had eight 100 watt solar panels when we moved in and a 300 watt windmill. The windmill is a joke but since it’s here we let it spin. The panels are also nowhere big enough so we have added six more 250 watt panels giving us a total of 2,300 watts. Next summer we plan to bump it up over 5,000. We have 16 6 volt batters to make two 48 volt battery banks; we also have a generator when the sun cannot keep up with our loads (in the winter months).  The property has several springs and a small pasture; it is a dream location that we fully believe the Lord led us too. The way jobs have lined up, the church we found, even the move.  The only bad part about the move is leaving our friends behind. However the Lord has even taken care of this with several people from the church filling the void. The job opportunities in Montana are endless but the pay is less than other parts of the country. Anyone looking at moving to the Redoubt region should consider applying for work at DirecTV. They are always hiring here and start new classes every three weeks. The pay is base at $11/hour, health insurance, a free subscription to the service, and bonuses. It would be a great place start then step off into something better and get you into the Redoubt any time of year.

If I was having someone move my household items again there are a few things I would do different. Make sure that you have a safe area of the house that the movers will not pack. We were missing a laptop for several weeks while moving and unpacking. Also cell phone charges should be labeled and in the safe zone. The last two days we ended up eating at neighbors because all our dishes and glasses had been packed away. I am still missing a few small parts for my reloading press that I forgot to take off. I did move all my guns myself by placing them in silicon gun socks then wrapping them in heavy blankets and placing them in a 2’x2’ locker. I hope my move will inspire more to make the move and shed some light on your plans.

Letter Re: Open Carry, Concealed Carry and Gun Free School Zones

James,
I’m writing to warn fellow SurvivalBlog readers that there is a huge proviso for those wishing to open carry firearms in states where it is lawful to do so.

I recommend reading the Wikipedia page on Gun-Free School Zones Act (GFSZA) of 1990.

Some key excerpts form that web page follow:

Definitions
Pursuant to 18 U.S.C. § 921(a)(25) the term “school zone” means—
(A) in, or on the grounds of, a public, parochial or private school; or
(B) within a distance of 1,000 feet from the grounds of a public, parochial or private school.
Pursuant to 18 U.S.C. § 921(a)(26) the term “school” means a school which provides elementary or secondary education, as determined under State law.
Prohibition of unlicensed carry
Most states allow some form of unlicensed carry by people without criminal convictions.[8] This may be open-carry,[8] vehicle-carry,[9] or concealed carry without the need for a permit.[10] The Federal GFSZA prohibits unlicensed carry by making it a federal crime for an unlicensed individual to travel into a “Gun Free School Zone unless they meet one of the other criteria defined in Section ‘B’.” [11][12][13][14] The large number of K-12 schools in developed areas makes it difficult for an individual to travel any distance without entering a Gun Free School Zone.[2][11][12][14]

Penalty
18 U.S.C. § 924(a)(4) establishes the penalty for violating GFSZA:
Whoever violates the Act shall be fined not more than $5,000, imprisoned for not more than 5 years, or both. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the term of imprisonment imposed under this paragraph shall not run concurrently with any other term of imprisonment imposed under any other provision of law.

Note: A conviction under the GFSZA will cause an individual to become a “prohibited person” under the Gun Control Act of 1968. This will bar them from legally owning firearms for the rest of their life.

JWR Adds: The Constitutionality of that law is doubtful. (It was already overturned once by the Supreme Court once, only to be reenacted by Congress in slightly different form.) But unless or until it is overturned, I would recommend that before open carrying near any schools that readers either: A.) obtain a concealed carry permit or B.) that they only carry pre-1899 antique guns, which are not considered “firearms” per Title 18 U.S.C. (Even so, be prepared to be stopped and challenged by under-informed law enforcement officers, and hence prepared to to prove that you are either a permit holder or that the particular gun that you are carrying had a frame or receiver that was manufactured in or before 1898.)

Readers are also warned that state and local laws vary widely, so do your homework before you exercise your right to be armed.

News From The American Redoubt:

Strong Rules on Fracking in Wyoming Seen as Model

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In Idaho: Of Poker and Plunder: Commissarina Olson Strikes Again. [JWR Adds: I’ve addressed the Federal statute on Misprison of a Felony previously in SurvivalBlog. Any genuine jurisdiction over civilians in misprision cases is dubious, at best.]

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What Spokane wants from state lawmakers

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Idaho to sell furnishings from former governor’s mansion

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Eastern Oregon megaload trip – This 900,000 pound load should have already be in Canada, but it is moving slowly, because of bad weather.

Jim’s Quote of the Day:

“Then Paul stood up, and beckoning with his hand said, Men of Israel, and ye that fear God, give audience.
The God of this people of Israel chose our fathers, and exalted the people when they dwelt as strangers in the land of Egypt, and with an high arm brought he them out of it.
And about the time of forty years suffered he their manners in the wilderness.
And when he had destroyed seven nations in the land of Chanaan, he divided their land to them by lot.
And after that he gave unto them judges about the space of four hundred and fifty years, until Samuel the prophet.
And afterward they desired a king: and God gave unto them Saul the son of Cis, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, by the space of forty years.
And when he had removed him, he raised up unto them David to be their king; to whom also he gave testimony, and said, I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfil all my will.
Of this man’s seed hath God according to his promise raised unto Israel a Saviour, Jesus.” – Acts 13:16-23 (KJV)

Notes from JWR:

The ice storm at our Christmas vacation locale is continuing, so I’m again posting SurvivalBlog a day early, just in case.

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Today, December 23, 2013, is the 100th anniversary of the exclusive private banking cartel known as The Federal Reserve. Please take a minute to read this piece: A Long-Term Look At Inflation. Clearly, the Federal Reserve has systematically robbed the American people of the value of their currency and savings, via currency inflation. My long-standing advice is to get your money out of Dollars and into tangibles like common caliber ammunition, silver, and productive farm land! I predict that neither the American Republic as we know it, nor the U.S. Dollar as a currency unit will survive another century under those banksters and their funny money.

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Enhanced Offer: With the recent dip in spot silver prices, between now and January 1, 2014, Ready Made Resources is now giving away 15 pre-1965 90% silver dimes for every $100 worth of Mountain House long term storage foods purchased.  So, for example, a $200 food purchase would result in you receiving 30 silver dimes.

Book Review: Ankara Fever: Journeys

Ankara Fever: Journeys (Volume 1) ©2013 Brian S. Vinson available on Amazon Kindle or print ISBN: 978-1494377496
 
I recently read this novel and it made me think it might be a great book for those in our community who are trying to ‘wake up’ friends and family who are simply unwilling to wake up without a swift kick to the pants.
 
First off, Ankara Fever: Journeys is a book based on what would happen if a major pandemic broke out.  It follows two couples on their separate journeys to the same place.  One couple is Roger and Jennifer.  He is a disaster planning expert and professor.  They are caught in an airport with only what they’ll let you take on a plane – not much.  The airport gets locked down by the National Guard (not giving away too much here), and they have to plan an escape.  Roger and Jennifer work together to try to make it to Texas, where Roger can get his son and make it to their bug out location.
 
The other couple is Corey and Ashley.  Corey is Roger’s son and Ashley is a former star student of Roger’s.  They start off in the same town and she takes on the chore of getting Corey (who never listened to his dad) ready to bug out while avoiding – or dealing with – those who are lesser prepared and roaming the streets looking for an easy score.
 
There are a lot of survival tips within the story, from building fires to disaster planning for those of us who are ‘awake’.  For those who are not, it is an engaging story that draws them in and may make them think about things in a new way.  Though there are a few typos here and there, it is a well-written story with believable characters and a storyline that really could happen today.  From trying to outrun the deadly virus, to keeping one step ahead of the overly zealous militia, it is a fast paced, intense story.  I think if is great for the prepper and the non-prepper alike. – Linda H.

Pat’s Product Review: CRKT Redemption Knife

Back in the 1980s it seemed like every knife company was producing some sort of hollow handle “survival” knife, and the truth is, most were just junk – plain and simple. Oh sure, there were some good ones, however if you wanted a really good hollow handle survival knife, you had to go to one of the custom knife makers – and at that, there weren’t that many really producing this type of knife. I remember being at an auction one time in Colorado Springs, Colorado – and there was all manner of stuff up for auction. There was one lot of the very cheapest, and poorly made hollow handle survival knives that were just junk. You could have purchased these knives any place in town for a couple bucks. When the bidding started on this lot of a dozen knives, a couple bidders just went crazy, and the winning bidder had purchased the knives for $20 each. My friend and I just stood there in shock – as did almost everyone else. You would have had a difficult task slicing warm butter with those knives, and the saw on the back of the blade – it wouldn’t saw anything. To each his own. And, I’m glad the “Rambo” hollow handle survival knife craze has passed. You can easily pack all the survival gear that was in a hollow handle survival knife in a 35mm film container to put in your pocket, in a pouch built into a sheath, or in your pack.
 
Today, most Preppers tend to lean towards smaller fixed blade knives as their first choice for operating in the boonies. However, while a smaller 4 or 5 inch blade fixed blade knife can handle many chores, there’s nothing like a bigger/longer blade for the hard tasks. Ever try chopping a small tree down with a smallish fixed blade knife? I didn’t think so! How about breaking through bones on a big game animal? You need some heft behind your blade, and smaller blades won’t get the job done!
 
I recently tested the Columbia River Knife & Tool “Redemption” survival knife, a design from the creative mind of custom knife maker and knife designer, Ken Onion. Onion is very well-known for his folding knife designs, but a lot of folks don’t know about his fixed blade knife designs, and there are quite a few of them on the market being produced by various knife companies. Onion collaborated with CRKT to come up with one of the biggest and baddest fixed blade survival knives I’ve ever run across. And, if you’ve ever looked at any Onion-designed knives, you’ll readily recognize the graceful flowing lines of the blade – all are a bit different from one another, but all have the same “Onion” design behind them.
 
The Redemption has a 9.50-inch long blade made out of 01 tool steel, that has a black powder coating on the entire blade – nice subdued look to the knife. The blade is recurved, and this actually extends the cutting edge over the overall length of the blade – in reality, you are getting more than 9.50-inches of cutting power. Blade thickness is .26-inches, so just a touch over a quarter inch in thickness. Overall length of the Redemption is 15-inches with the bulbous handle shape with finger grooves placed right where you need them. The handle material is G10 and this is super-tough stuff. At one time, only custom knife makers used G10 handle scales because the material was so expensive. The top front of the handle has what I like to call “friction” grooves, for sure thumb placement, giving you tremendous control and gripping power when using the blade in slashing and stabbing moves.
 
The 01 tool steel blade has a Rockwell hardness of 56-58 and that’s about perfect for tool steel – you don’t want it too hard, or it becomes brittle and hard to re-sharpen. And, 01 tool steel has been around as a blade material for a lot of years, and the only drawback is that it will rust if not properly cared for – thus the black powder coating on the blade to help protect it from the elements. For such a large blade, it only weighs 20.8 ounces – not too heavy, and not too light for the tasks you’ll use it for. And, speaking of tasks, the Redemption can be used as a self-defense blade, as well as a mini-machete, and it can replace a hand axe, too – it can chop better than many small hand axes I’ve used over the years. And, in my neck of the woods, we have blackberries vines all over the place, and the Redemption sliced right through them without much effort and blackberry vines are quite tough.
 
Truth be told, I don’t normally like a fixed blade knife for survival purposes, with a blade much more than 7 or 8 inches. However, the balance on the Redemption is such that the blade doesn’t feel that big – although it is. And, I believe you can get a blade that is too long for self-defense use – however the Redemption seems to work when I put it through its paces slashing and stabbing it into stacked cardboard in my car port.  While I couldn’t stab it the complete length of the blade into the stacked cardboard, I have no doubts at all, that this blade would easily penetrate its length into warm flesh and bone. There is also a lanyard hole, with a 550 paracord lanyard attached, a great thing to have and use.
 
The sheath that the Redemption comes in is worthy of mention, too. Not too many years ago, you would have paid $100 or more for this type of sheath from a custom sheath maker – I know from experience! The sheath is made out of high-strength Nylon, with a formed and fitted thermal plastic insert, so when you are putting the Redemption back into the sheath, there is no fear of the blade piercing the sheath – I’ve seen it happen numerous times on leather sheaths and unlined Nylon sheaths – not a good thing. There is also a leg strap on the sheath, for securing the knife so it doesn’t flop around on your leg – and the sheath is easy on/off, too, so you don’t have to remove gear to put it on your web belt. There is an additional paracord length of material on the bottom of the sheath, so you can further secure it to you leg – as in making a parachute jump – you don’t want your gear flapping in the wind at 120 MPH, nor do you want to lose your gear in a jump. The knife is further secured in the sheath with a Nylon retaining strap with a firm one-way snap.
 
If you’re in the market for a large fixed blade knife that can serve as not only a large camp knife, but one well-suited for self-defense as well as serving as a small hand axe, then be sure to check out the CRKT Redemption. I think you’ll be surprised at how well it handles, for such a large blade. Full-retail is $300. However, like many CRKT products, you can find them discounted at many big box stores and on the Internet. And, don’t forget, all CRKT knives come with a lifetime limited warranty, and I’ve used it once or twice, excellent service. The Redemption has all the quality of a hand-made custom knife, but without the high price tag.   – SurvivalBlog Field Gear Editor Pat Cascio

Six Letters Re: A Contingency Bag for Frequent Air Travelers

Hey, Jim:
I think we need some more collective thought on this. I’ve got more time in the air than most people–4,000+ hours as an Army helicopter pilot (where we wore a cleverly-stocked survival vest; alas, a lot of the contents would not pass TSA scrutiny), 2 million+ miles on Delta, and about that many more on defunct airlines (especially Eastern and TWA). Getting stuck somewhere could happen to me on a trip. Here’s some of my thinking (and I still need some help):

It seems to me that anything important should be in the carry-on bag, not checked. Most frequent-flyers will avoid checking a bag, unless going on vacation with spouse/family. So, that says we need ideas and separate strategies for carry-on and checked bags.

I’ve thought a bit about what I might be able to do in a hijack situation. I am much more realistic about this now than when I was young, buff, and a bit more foolish. I have read about various strategies for sneaking illegal devices, substances, and gadgets through security, but the downside seems too severe for me, especially when one’s livelihood depends on being able to fly (getting caught a time or two will earn a slot on the “no-fly” list). Here’s at least a partial solution:

In the carry-on bag, include three rolls of coins–one each of Walking Liberty [silver] halves, pre-’65 [silver] quarters, and Mercury dimes. This is $25 face value of silver. At today’s silver price and value (per www.coinflation.com), that’s about $350-worth, if I did the math right. That should be enough for a domestic SHTF situation/stranding. If you think you need more, I would carry the gold coins in my wallet/purse. Also in the carry-on bag–along with your athletic shoes (if they’re not on your feet)–will go a rolled up pair of tube socks. I think the combination of the Walkers and a tube sock could come in pretty handy, if needed (swing hard).

Beyond that, I have no idea. Space blanket? Disposable poncho? Water purification straw? Why don’t we put this out for suggestions and ideas? Or, have you plowed this ground before and I missed it? – AAA (Another Army Aviator)

Sir,
As someone who spent several years asking people if they packed their own bag, and did it contain any of the following items (while pointing at the dangerous goods poster).  I would like to mention that at my locale the matches, magnesium and entire fire group would have been removed from the bag, as would any complete MREs. (The MRE eater pack is a no-no, and knowing which ones have heaters was not something any of us were likely to know.)

I would recommend anyone, as you said, to check with The airlines policy, Government agency (FAA, TC, etc) and airport security. If any one of them says no, don’t bring it. Fortunately this information is all usually on the web these days. – Dave W.

Hi,
I would caution TR from North Carolina against packing flammable/combustible materials in checked baggage, no matter how it’s packaged (especially matches). Not only is it against fed regs, it is dangerous to everyone on board. Believe me, as a commercial pilot I know those rules are there for safety reasons. You don’t want to end up like ValueJet in 1996. Consult TSA.gov for a good list of what is permissible in both carry-on and checked luggage. If TR wants a fire starter, he could carry a lighter in his carry-on bag no problem. Safe travels!
Skillet

James,
That was a thought provoking article. I purposely left my last job due to the heavy travel requirements. However I too sought risk mitigation while traveling … I carried a minimal amount of items with me so I never checked baggage, however since my trips were to the same locations time and again (including outside CONUS) … I found locations where I could keep appropriate items necessary should I need to try to “manage” in case of emergency … this sometimes involved like minded individuals …sometimes it meant leaving a bag locked in the hotel porters closet (big tip and explanations that I didn’t like continually hauling my hair curlers and curling irons on the airlines … hotels I frequented didn’t bat an eye at the frequent guest who wanted to leave a bag.)
Obviously doesn’t work if you don’t return often, and I always assumed that the bag might walk off … I was always prepared to replenish/ replace.
Just some more food for thought.

Keep up the good work. – Debra, Somewhere in the Midwest

 

Dear Editor,
To T. R. in North Carolina and anyone else who flies frequently did you know that the airlines have provided you with weapons and a host of defensive equipment?

I worked on big jets as a line mechanic for many years Boeing 737s to 747s, DC10s, MD11s and some others.

Let’s start before you board the plane for when you get off, how does an oak walking cane with the end rounded and covered with a rubber tip sound. Take some martial arts training that will teach you how to use the cane as a weapon. Medical equipment isn’t forbidden on air planes and don’t count against your carry-on baggage. Oh the rounded tip well cover it with a rubber grip and no one will know it’s rounded and it will have more impact power than a flat tip and in snowy climates you can get pointed tips that flip up and down as needed for traction on ice and snow.

Now you are in the boarding area start your profiling of your fellow passengers and be aware of where the problems you have identified wind up especially if they are scattered to strategic parts of the cabin. Choke points are the bulkhead between first Class and Coach and if there are lavatories or Galleys in mid cabin as on large wide bodies and at the rear of the aircraft. I like to fly First Class and have an aisle seat. This way I can view the passengers as they board and size them up while sipping a Sprite.

When you board the aircraft do at least two things, take a look into the first class galley and view the food service carts and note how they are secured. They usually are held in place by to methods, one a large usually red lever turned down to hold them in place and a break mechanism in the center of the cart on the floor and some have handles to grab that must be rotated to move the cart these are usually the drink service carts  these are the best as they have sodas, ice and other items in them for minor very minor ballistic protection but it will be the best you can get but this also makes them heavy to be used as a battering ram against someone in the aisle and you can throw the cans or shake them up and then open them in the face of the bad people. This can cause confusion, minor eye blinding and a reaction to clean oneself so a distraction. The second thing is to ask the flight attendant for a seat belt extension. If you are thin just say you don’t want to feel trapped and like the extra room the extension give you, me I don’t have this problem. Why do I need a seat belt extension well I do need one but if you have one it makes things easier just extend the buckle to the max and now you have a “flail”. That buckle will hurt. Let’s say the flight attendant won’t give you an extension not to worry Boeing gave you one.

During the hubbub of boarding if you can before you sit down grab hold of your seat cushion and pull up, it’s held in place by Velcro strips. It is designed as an auxiliary flotation device. There are two elastic straps on the back to hold onto if you are in the water, correct, but slip your arm in it and now you have a small shield that can be used for blades up to about 3 inches and to block punches. And lo and behold underneath the seat cushion is where the seatbelts are fastened to the seat frame. By FAA requirements these must be cotter pinned but most of the time they are not. Just a snap holds them to the little clevis attached to the seat frame. They are quick and easy to be removed and now you have a flail on the end of about a 16 inch strap.

Now let’s look into the pouch on the seatback in front of you, there is a rather thick in-flight magazine in there, in fact every seatback has or should have one. Now what can you do with a magazine? Well not much but if you hold it by its spine (back) and throw it in a spinning motion the pages will fly open hopefully distracting and confusing your opponent and you hit them with the seatbelt buckle and then give a push with your seat cushion which is attached to your arm and do a leg sweep or trip your opponent somehow now they are on the cabin floor pretty much at your mercy and the mercy of the other passengers.

Another thing to look for is where are the oxygen bottles kept? They are steel bottles and are formidable weapons as are fire extinguishers. Discharge a chemical fire extinguisher at a person and it is very confusing and blinding. Also look for the first aid kit it is removable and can be thrown at a bad person.

Guns on a plane, Well unless you are a sky marshal so don’t try it but if the bad person has one remember the soda service cart if you can get to it and the rapid decompression of an airplane by a gun shot well this isn’t Hollywood you won’t squeeze through a bullet hole in the side of the plane or a window.

Door opening in flight well forget it. I was a mechanic and we did pressure checks I couldn’t open a door of a pressurized aircraft if my life depended on it and I was a big strong person then.

Other things to look for when you board is overhead dropdown panels. On most 757 Aircraft life rafts are located in the overhead in the aisle of first class two latches hold it up and a safety catch string keeps it from coming all the way down it’s easy the unhook and drop it all the way now you have another barrier.

Oh and don’t forget your cane.

While none of these are deadly it could even your chances in a sky jacking and after all in a sky jacking you have nothing to loose but everything to gain and if there are other passengers of similar mind set well no airplane should be flown into a skyscraper again. – OldAlaskan

 

James;
I’d carry a few extra wool socks, and rolls of quarters or a large padlock. buying knives gets expensive- but putting the rolled quarters in the socks makes a useful slap implement. it’s probably not lawful in most un-gun-friendly states but it’s likely to be something that if you carry the change rolled won’t get taken from you through security.  nothing is more useless then a man with out a knife (as I was taught as a kid)- but since humans generally can adapt with intelligence we can overcome most roadblocks. – Fitzy

JWR Replies: In addition to their use as an ersatz sap in a sturdy sock, a large padlock also makes a dandy “brass knuckle.” Just hold the padlock in your fist with your middle finger through the steel loop of the lock. Especially if is not expected, the blows that you land while holding a padlock can be quite devastating. There is an advantage in not using one in a sock sap, which generally “telegraphs” your intent. Just be sure that you use a lock that is large enough, or you can strain or break a finger. Test fit a few locks at your local hardware store.

Also see my previous comments in SurvivalBlog on Kubotan-type striking weapons. Some of these–mostly felt tip pens–go through airport security with ease. One good currently-available product for this is the Sharpie Magnum Permanent Marker.

Letter Re: Motorcycles and Their Role in Preparedness

Mr Rawles,
I have read many articles and have seen many videos on motorcycles and their role in preparedness. While I agree with the views of most people on a majority of their points, I also disagree with them on some.
Selection of a motorcycle and route planning are two key items that I think many people overlook. If I live in a rural community and I’ve traveled the off-road trails quite often then I have no problem selecting a Dirt-Bike, Dual-Sport or even an “Adventure” Bike. I however, like a lot of people live in Suburbia and work in the City. For the situation I am in, yes I can use a dual-sport to go briefly off-road, but the problem exists that I would never be using these routes unless SHTF and therefore would be at a disadvantage because I would not know of any possible obstacles in my path (either I ride extremely slow, or risk severe injury when I approach an obstacle too fast).

Rather than select an off-road capable bike, in the event I really need to get moving I have the option of selecting a more “Streetable” bike (Naked bike, Sport touring bike, commuter bike, etc.. Touring bikes would not be ideal for this). I can still leverage the ability to “Split lanes” when the traffic gets too thick with everyone trying to escape (NOTE: This is only legal in a few jurisdictions like California to the best of my knowledge.) Additionally, I have the huge advantage in terms of performance.

As an additional item, I think anyone interested in adding a motorcycle to their preps, here are a few helpful bits of information:
1) Seek out and take professional motorcycle instruction (Note: The motorcycle safety foundation is an industry group that provides instruction at very low prices — in some states, the MSF class is mandatory for getting the “M” endorsement on your license).
2) If you do add a motorcycle to your preps, use the same approach as you do with firearms: Ride often and get as much practice in the saddle as you can. Not only do motorcycles die sitting around unused, but you should not expect to pull your motorcycle out of storage after five years and expect to ride like a professional.
3) Invest in quality safety gear. This does not have to be expensive: DOT approved helmets are great. (In my opinion the Snell rating is overpriced) and CE approved armor is approved by the European testing agency.)
4) Get a lot of riding experience before going out and trying to buy a 1000cc sport bike. Too many people get themselves hurt by buying too much bike and ultimately, if you enjoy the hobby, your first bike will not be your last bike.

Hope this helps anyone who is considering a motorcycle as a prep. Ride Safe. – K.A.

Recipe of the Week:

R. in Colorado’s Strudel

A lady of German ancestry at my church gave me a strudel recipe which had no measurements and can be varied according to what is on your pantry shelf.
 
I estimated and measured to replicate and came up with this basic recipe:
 
Chopped dried fruit – 1/2 cup of each: apricots, prunes (or what you have).
 
1 cup apples – fresh, dried or canned.
 
Rehydrate dried fruit in a small amount of water until soft.
 
You can use fresh apples. I used canned with the liquid, and mixed with the chopped dried fruit with less water to rehydrate.
I did not add sugar since the liquid was a light syrup.
 
Taste your fruit mix and add sugar if needed.
 
Add 1/2 cup chopped nuts if desired.
 
Stir well. The consistency should be like pie filling.
 
Wrap in 1 crust of your favorite pie crust dough, in a long loaf shape, fold ends and turn over. Cut slits and brush with butter or shortening, if desired.
 
Place on greased cookie sheet and bake at 375 degrees until pastry is browned, about 30 minutes.
 
Makes about a 5 x 12 inch strudel.
 
It was good and would make a great Christmas treat.
 

Useful Recipe and Cooking Links:

Strudel Recipes Collection

Real Homemade Strudel Dough

Do you have a favorite recipe that would be of interest to SurvivalBlog readers? Please send it via e-mail. Thanks!

Economics and Investing:

D.L.T. sent us this: The modern economy depends on dozens of obscure metals. What happens if we run out?

Over at Sipsey Street Irregulars, some more evidence that ammunition was and still is a wise investment: Logistics: CMP advisory on .22 Long Rifle

My old friend Conor recommended a BBC news segment about the little-publicized EB-5 Green Card program: Chinese investors ‘buying’ US green cards for $1Million. (Warning to dial-up users: The included video is launched automatically.) Of course the reverse side of that coin is found in countries like Panama, where American retirees are effectively buying residency for as little as $1,000 per month.