Your Two Foot Bugout, by The Virginian

For most of human history, people have traveled by foot or by beast.  People have walked great distances over trade routes, over Roman roads, caravan routes, the Appalachian Trail and the Bering Straits to name a few. Do not forget that your core bug out vehicle is your own two feet. So much emphasis in the prepper community is placed on fantasy vehicles, tricked out 4×4 SUVs, retrofitted military vehicles, campers, trailers, the list goes on. I call these fantasy vehicles not to insult those that have invested their future in them, but because for many people living paycheck to paycheck, a Winnebago, a 5th wheel or a conversion van is just not in the budget. If that 12 year old Subaru in the driveway is all paid off and it still runs fine, there is no reason to sell it, or go into crushing debt for that dream vehicle that will save you from Armageddon.
 
The one thing these bug out vehicles all have in common is that they must share the road with all of the other millions of wheeled vehicles in a SHTF scenario. Even the police in their slick new MRAPs won’t be able to move through traffic. Once you are on the road, you will have to contend with police roadblocks, crashes caused by panicked drivers, abandoned vehicles that have run out of fuel and smash and grab looters, all of which are not conducive for you getting to your bug out location safely. Of course timing is everything, and everyone I have talked to is absolutely certain that it is they and a few others that will get the heads up and be on the road one or two steps ahead of the masses. The unpleasant fact of the matter is that all urban dwellers are the masses, we are the Golden Horde. If your vehicle fails you in your bug out, or obstacles or threats arise where you must abandon your vehicle, you have now joined the ranks of the refugee.  A refugee for the purposes of this piece is someone who is on foot and is fleeing a disaster, civil unrest or war and is completely desperate and unprepared for their journey.
 
A well planned non-mechanized bug out does not make you a refugee. If you have a plan, a route, provisions, equipment and training, your bug out can be more successful than those who try to drive their way out of the disaster. The clear advantages of traveling by foot are that you can truly go off road, you are silent, you present a small signature, you are always in a fighting position because both feet are always on the ground, and you can get to the ground quickly to find cover and concealment. Additionally, traveling by foot allows you to move in relative darkness at a pace as slow or as fast as you want without producing any light that might give away your position.
 
I strongly recommend that all preppers take a look at the map of their city with a new set of eyes. Imagine that all of the streets are clogged with traffic, so clogged that you can’t back out of your own driveway. This has happened to me on one occasion in midtown Phoenix during rush hour where a few accidents on major arterial streets and an interstate backed traffic right up into my relatively sleepy neighborhood. I ride a bicycle to the office, so this did not affect my commute very much because nobody was driving their cars on the sidewalks. Look at your maps and search for the unconventional passages out of town, like rivers, canals and their tow paths, bike paths, golf courses, city parks, railroad tracks. My plan involves a five mile walk on a canal tow path or taking a boat down the canal straight to train tracks that head northwest out of town through industrial areas. My exposure to arterial streets, highways and even collector streets will be minimal. I have walked this route many times, studied water levels, clearance under bridges, locations of boat slips, hazard features, and I take mental and actual notes about the terrain. I know exactly how long it will take me to get from one location to the next.
 
Walking great distances seems like an impossibility to many 21st Century Americans, but it is not. Almost anyone can cover three miles in one hour. I recently read a book “Long Distance Hiking, Lessons From the Appalachian Trail” by Roland Mueser.  I highly recommend this book to everyone who believes that they may have to bug out at some point. You may begin your bug out in a loaded Hummer, but you could very well end your journey on your own two feet. Without giving a book review, will say that this book dispels a lot of myths people have regarding equipment and training. Many Appalachian Trail hikers are called “thru hikers”, meaning that they hike all the way from Georgia to Maine, roughly 2100 miles straight through. This usually takes six months, and requires immense endurance and commitment. It is not the world class athletes that dominate in this endeavor. Men do not outshine women, the young do not always leave the old folks in the dust. In fact, the surveys showed that after the first month, the most overweight and ill prepared at the start were now covering the same number of miles per day as the more experienced and fit hikers. If this book does nothing more than to inspire you to get out and take a few day hikes, it is worth the money. Even short hikes can be instructive to those who rarely get off the couch.  The importance of well-designed and proper fitting shoes becomes painfully obvious after the first few miles.  The prevention and treatment of blisters and the development of calluses are crucial to your success in a two footed bug out.  You can conceptualize these types of aches and pains and maybe dismiss them, but if you experience blisters, shortness of breath, or a bum knee, you will not dismiss the need to address them and you won’t hold on to any unrealistic view of your abilities.
 
The obvious downside to bugging out on foot means that you must physically carry all of your food, water, clothes, gear and weapons. Any grunt like any hiker tries to lighten the load any way they can. Search the net for “ultra-light hiking” for ideas to shave pounds off of your gear, and to fashion some gear so it serves more than one purpose. I made an alcohol stove out of an aluminum Bud Light bottle and it weighs no more than an ounce or two.  My cook pot is a modified Foster’s Lager can which weighs next to nothing. A proper fitting back pack, whether military or civilian can make all of the difference. I recommend having one of the experts at REI or their competitors fit you for a pack. The key to a good fit is that the pack weight must sit on your hips, not your shoulders or back.

I don’t like the idea of walking great distances loaded down with gear, and unlike the people that crossed this country over one hundred fifty years ago, I don’t have access to a mule. The Viet Cong used French bicycles in the war to transport hundreds of pounds of rice, supplies and ordnance per bike over very rough mountainous terrain for many miles. Dozens or hundreds of these bikes would snake through the mountainside quietly and effectively.  Currently, DARPA is developing very disturbing looking robots designed to assist our soldiers in the field. These high tech mules will eventually carry equipment and supplies, so the soldiers won’t have to, but it won’t be long after that before they are deployed to fulfill a combat role.
 
I don’t have access to a robot, mule or a Sherpa, so I had to think of something. My solution to this problem was a modified B.O.B. brand baby stroller, the Sport Utility model to be exact. I own both a duallie and a single Sport Utility. The beefy tubular frame looks nearly indestructible, it has shock absorbers, three 16 inch durable plastic wheels and BMX style knobby tires. I removed all of the nylon fabric and installed a couple of 24 quart milk crates suspended by thin braided steel cables. A half inch section of steel electrical conduit held in place by cotter pins runs through the fulcrum and sticks way out to the side, making a nice platform for my gun rack. I used the single Sport Utility stroller to haul 100 pounds of gear almost effortlessly for ten miles, averaging a speed of 3 mph. The terrain was very flat well groomed dirt, so if I had to tackle more technical terrain or even moderate hills, I would cut the weight down to 60 pounds at the most. The duallie Sport Utility can certainly haul an even bigger load, and I estimate that my wife and I can easily move 150 pounds of gear with these strollers for a great distance.  The BOB strollers are very pricey, but you don’t have to buy them brand new from REI, you can find used strollers on craigslist and www.backpage.com . Another great site I use to stock up on parts, should anything break while I am out trekking is BOB Parts. Spare tubes, tires, a patch kit, mini tire pump, machine screws, nuts and multitool with pliers make up my repair kit.  
 
I see more and more homeless people around town every year, and occasionally I will chat them up on my bicycle commute or if I’m out walking the canals.  If I see an interesting bicycle mod or trailer rig, I will stop and ask them about it.  For many of these folks, the “S” has already hit the fan and I look at them as Beta testers. The wheel still is the greatest invention, just don’t get stuck in the automobile mindset.

Letter Re: Constructing In-House Caches

Captain Rawles,
In response to the excellent article regarding hidden wall caches I have some feedback. I work in the tiling industry for an unnamed mid-south distributor. As a distributor for Schluter Systems I have sold many of this kit for installers / homeowners to use for concealed access panels. Schluter Rema is the trade name. They come in quite handy for whirlpool tubs wherein access is required for frequent pump maintenance.

I have sold many of these and have had no complaints. Best wishes, – Matt in Ohio

Odds ‘n Sods:

Cheryl spotted this, over at Mac Slavo’s great site: They Will Smell Your Food From Miles Away…

   o o o

Tim R. sent: Taking a stand against real-life ‘Terminators’

   o o o

H.L. sent: Free and feral humans

   o o o

M.B. sent a link to something that sounds like it came from a novel I once read wrote: Sultan Of Brunei Introduces Sharia Law

   o o o

An interesting legal development: The Truth About SIG SAUER’s AR-15 Pistol Arm Brace

Notes from JWR:

It was 35 years ago today that American-born RLI Trooper Joseph Patrick Byrne, was killed in combat in Rhodesia.

—

Today we present another entry for Round 49 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The $8,500+ 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, and I.) VPN tunnel, DigitalSafe and private e-mail annual subscriptions from Privacy Abroad. They have a combined value of $265.

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 FP-50 stainless steel hand well pump (a $600 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 22 of the books published by PrepperPress.com. This is more than a $200 value, and G.) Two cases of Meals, Ready to Eat (MREs), courtesy of CampingSurvival.com (a $180 value).

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.) A Commence Fire! emergency stove with three tinder refill kits. (A $160 value.), E.) Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security., F.) A MURS Dakota Alert Base Station Kit with a retail value of $240 from JRH Enterprises , and G.) A Nesco / American Harvest Gardenmaster Dehydrator with an extra set of trays, and the book The Dehydrator Bible, from Mayflower Trading. (A $210 value.)

Round 49 ends on November 30th, 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.

The Things that Drive Us to Prepare, by Bluegrass Preacher

When the subject of Prepping comes up there are many facets which can be equated with the reason for Prepping.  Many people in regions where severe weather is a perpetual problem are preparing to deal with the effects of a weather related emergency situation.  It was actually the ice storm of 2009 which devastated almost the entire state of Kentucky that opened my eyes to the potential danger of being unprepared.  We were without power for 3 weeks while others went longer.  The first week two of the grocery stores actually opened for a few hours a day on generator power accepting cash only until their supplies ran out.  My supply of cash didn’t last as long as the groceries did.  The grocery supplies only lasted for about 4 days.  There were stores open within driving distance but many residents had no access to their funds since the small town local banks were without power and there was no guarantee that your ATM card would work at banks in non-affected areas.

About midway through the second week things got somewhat better for us.  I worked at a Briggs and Stratton plant about an hour South into Tennessee at the time and the company brought in a truck load of generators and allowed affected employees to use them at no charge.  I was able to connect the generator to the lines going from the electrical meter to the main panel.  This allowed us to operate our heating furnace, well pump, and most small appliances.  Note: when attempting this be sure and disconnect the incoming lines feeding into the meter or you will send electricity back upstream and possibly injure workers trying to restore power to those direct lines.  The generator made our life much more manageable since we had no alternative heating source.  (Take this as a hint, get multiple ways to heat your home, shelter, compound, etc…)  Getting gas for our new lifeline was a bit of a challenge, but since I drove an hour one way to work in an area not affected by the storm I had access to the gasoline.  My only set back was the funds to procure the gasoline.  Without that generator we would not have been able to remain in our house.  By the way, I purchased the generator after using it and still have it today.

Then there were the incidents of people stealing generators that were in use.  The most perpetrated tactic was done in the middle of the night.  The thieves would start a push mower and leave it behind so the homeowner heard a gas engine running but before they figured out why they no longer had power it was too late.  The longer into the outage the more brandish the thieves became.  Taking generators in broad day light was also happening all around us.  I have always had multiple firearms and a reasonable amount of ammunition on hand, but between me and my wife we could not guard the generator 24 hours a day.  My only deterrent was to chain and lock the generator to the light pole where the meter was mounted and build a wooden box around it to shield its noise and visibility.  Not running it at night and locking it up in the house would have been best, but with temps still hovering in single digits… not a chance.  Keep in mind that this was in rural Western Kentucky at least an hour from a city with more than 50,000 people.  Yet even in “Mayberry” crime was rampant.  Those who abandoned their houses to go stay elsewhere returned to find ransacked homes and missing possessions.  There was generally no police presence in our part of the county anyway, but many areas experienced lawlessness that they were woefully unprepared for. 

Many churches in our region were able to help out tremendously with food, water, batteries, etc…  Our church received some of these donations at the beginning of the third week.   It was an overwhelming challenge to have to distribute everything that was donated.  Obviously our church members were addressed first, but we had to be hesitant in just advertising that we had supplies.  We were more than willing to give them away to those in need, but we did not want the word to spread to those who would take it all.  It wasn’t until the 4th week that the National Guard came by our house offering bottled water.  Not to discredit the men and women serving in the National Guard, but it seems they are always sent in after the fact.  This just adds comedy to the old saying, “We’re from the government and we’re here to help!!”

This lengthy section is an attempt to warn those that are driven to Prep because of weather.  Please understand that you have much more to consider than just the supplies needed.  Food and water are no brainers.  Don’t forget a power source, fuel, heating, security, etc…

We have become acronym crazy in today’s over educated society.  I find myself using them also and try my best to refrain from it.  The military has an acronym for everything, the government is constantly creating them to spend more of our tax dollars, and every other part of society is following suit.  SHTF, TEOTWAWKI, WROL, and many others are used to abbreviate the foreseen result of an event that leads people to initiate Prepping into their lives.  Time and Space will not allow me to indulge into each of these outcomes and their differences.  The fact that an event can bring about one or all of them is a thought for another day.  Something that is SHTF for me may be total TEOTWAWKI for someone else.  I suppose the most basic differences would be the duration and scale of the event in question.  With this rudimentary thought, the kind of and amount of preparation would be different.  There would not be a significant difference in the “What” of Prepping.  Survival consists of the same elements in almost all situations.  The same preparations would be used for one of these acronyms as is used for the weather related events.  The substantial changes would be made in the “How much” and the “Where” of your Prepping.

Not to sound bold or over-confident, but while I am fearful of having to endure, live through, or adapt to any of the aforementioned events.  When you make preparations and try to approach them from various angles then you should have some confidence in facing these events.  I am far from being even remotely well prepared for anything, but the two things that drive me to continue to Prep is that the inevitability of something happening that completely alters, changes, or collapses our way of life and the belief that I can make it through it. 

The one event that does worry me is a military action.  Whether it is our own military enforcing martial law ordered on a section of the country by a tyrant in leadership trying to fundamentally change this country (pun intended), an attack by a foreign army, or quite possibly a foreign army here on invitation.  These events can be veiled as a way to help control, respond to, or counteract a nationwide movement or event such as a natural disaster, a failure of any part of our infrastructure, or a revolution (just a suggestion).  This type of event changes everything.  The preparations made to protect and defend for the most part focus on looters, gangs, thieves, politicians, etc…  But no one will be able to defeat a professional military force.  Regardless how big or well-trained your group is, you will be no match for a full blown military attack. The firepower available will be unmatched.  Sure you might be able to fend off a small scout team, but they will then know your location and then it is time to cue the fat lady.

One event that no seems to discuss is the one event that I see as inevitable.  That event is the persecution of God’s people.  Too many Christians in America have been blinded by the idea of American Exceptionalism.  The belief that we will be exempt from the attacks that are happening all over the world has shown the lack of spiritual discernment in today’s churches.  Let me state that I believe in the Pretribulational Rapture Position and the Premillennial Return of the Lord Jesus Christ.  The first term means that the Lord will remove the redeemed from the earth before the start of the Great Tribulation.  The Great Tribulation is the term given to the events described in Revelation chapters 6-19.  This is a time of Jacob’s trouble meaning that God will deal with the Nation of Israel during this time.  The second term simply means that Jesus Christ will bodily return to this earth and set up his earthly kingdom as described in Revelation Chapter 20.  I will admit that many who hold to these eschatological positions are the same people that have the idea of American Exceptionalism.  While I do not believe those saved by the grace of God will endure the Great Tribulation or the time of Jacob’s trouble; nothing in the word of God assures us a life of ease and prosperity.  Much to the contrary of what many television preachers promote, the bible promises us persecution. 

Matthew 5:10 Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
v11 Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.
v12 Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.

Philippians 1:29 For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake;

I Peter 3:14 But and if ye suffer for righteousness’ sake, happy are ye: and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled;

II Timothy 3:12 Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.

When you read an unbiased and untainted view of Church History you will find that those who hold true to the Doctrines that Jesus taught have greatly suffered throughout the church’s existence in every corner of the world.  This will not be found in the modern day history books used in government educational institutions.  Christians are continually being attacked, persecuted, isolated, and even murdered in many countries today.  These things will not be seen on the popular morning shows or the nightly news.  The truth must be sought out in our world today because it is being oppressed at every opportunity.  We as Americans are not immune from what the Bible promises.  We have enjoyed a great deal of freedom and prosperity in the past few decades, but never forget that what we have today is because some godly men and women decided to stand up for the word of God and fight against the evil, wickedness, and idolatry of their day.

The government, the mainstream media, and the charlatan preachers of our day downplay and ignore the battles that we face as God’s people.  The enemy is satan, but he attacks from various fronts with a multitude of methods.  The armor of God mentioned in Ephesians is quite extraordinary in the fact that it has no protection for the backside.  That is because we are to face and confront the evil of our day, which is part of the commission that Christ has given his church.  It is overwhelming when you consider that we have to deal with Political Correctness, Islam, Communistic Government Ideology, Compromise, and our own flesh.  I certainly do not know when we will face real persecution here in America, but I do know that it must come.  Just as the Constitution must be removed, replaced, or just plain ignored for the One World Government to form and usher in the antichrist, just as a major earthquake on the New Madrid fault will change the way of life for the entire Southeast region, just as Islam is determined to conquer the West and bring in Sharia Law, God’s people will suffer at the hands of the God haters.  I take comfort in knowing that it is part of God’s Sovereign will and that I can be an overcomer through the blood of the Lamb.  At the same time I must take steps to protect my family and be in a position to be used of God for His Glory.  I do not by any means invite this persecution into my life or even desire it to come about, but I must prepare for it physically and spiritually.  And so should every child of God.

Letter Re: Salt Curing for Meat

Jim,
This is something I hear from people often: “If things go down I’ll just salt my meat!”
My answer, “Really!!!  Do you know how??”

So here’s the question I have for you folks, assume we are now at that TEOTWAWKI. How many of you really “KNOW” how to salt the meat you have on? Or how to preserve the meat you may harvest in the future?

Everyone knows in the winter, if you’re in a cold climate just hang it, it’ll freeze. They’re right it will! Good Luck carving some for dinner. Don’t believe me? Pull out a pound of frozen burger and try to carve through it! Oh Yahhh….. Take it off the counter and suspend it in the air….now try! Not much fun! You’ll burn off those calories before you know it!
There are those out there that plan to can what is in the freezer when the power goes out.  My advice here is if you plan to can it for preservation do it NOW! When things go down we’ll all have plenty to do.  As we read daily about how crazy things are going to get during those first few days; but don’t worry you’re ready you won’t have anything better to do! Truth is if you are waiting to the last minute “you won’t have anything better to get done”. You’ll really need to have those supplies processed. So avoid the rush if you’re going to can them do it now! Why wait until it’s freezer burned.

For those that do wait or those that harvest game after the fact here’s the scoop on how to cure (preserve) with salt.
1 pound of meat = 1 ounce of salt (or 6%)(1oz to 1lb is slightly high on the 6% scale but better slightly to much then not enough)
Sounds like magic doesn’t it……LOL
For every pound of meat you need 1 ounce of salt absorbed in it to cure it.
The best method I know of is done in 3 applications.
Upon harvesting the game, DO NOT let it hang to cure or crust or even to cool!
You do not need to de-bone the game!
1. Weigh your harvest. If estimating go high. Better to much salt than not enough!
2. 1lb = 1oz (we estimate 100 lbs of meat  At 6% that’s 6 lbs. of salt)
Con’t.
3. Break the 6 lbs. of salt into 3 equal portions. ( 3 containers of 2 lbs. I actually put it in 3 contains so I don’t forget where I am in the process…..have I treated it 2 or 3 times?)
4. Apply the first container of 2 lbs. of salt. Rub it in and cover everything! Inside, outside, top, bottom, and the end of bones! All of it! It will seem like a lot but trust me it will soak in.
5. Now cover.  Feel free to hang anywhere out of the sun.  If you don’t have a way to cover your game there is a way to keep the flies and such off of your game. Use pepper!  I do believe that is why historically the two go together.  Salt cures it and pepper keeps the insects off.
6. Wait one week.  Repeat step 4 with the second container or salt.
7. Repeat 6 with third container of salt.

At this point your game is perfectly preserved.  It can be kept almost anywhere out of sunlight.  It will with stand temperatures as high as 100degrees without spoiling.  It will keep almost indefinitely.  At this point if you want to smoke it for flavor do so. 
I am sure there are some out there that will find that to be A LOT of salt!  Far too salty for their taste buds.  If that is the case soak the amount for your meal in water before cooking.  Salt is water salable and will dissolve from the meat.  Although my granny used to say “ If the soup is to salt, you used to much meat.”
Now for the fun part……..
Now that you know how much salt it REALLY takes to preserve meat, do you have enough of it in your stores!

JWR Adds: As SurvivalBlog reader S.T. from Virginia has pointed out, the salt that you use for curing should be the PLAIN (non-iodized) variety, which is typically marked "Pickling Salt."

Letter Re: Thoughts on Socks

Jim:
In a recent contest entry post, Clarence A. wrote: ‘Warm up some round river rocks that are as big as you can fit into a wool sock.  When they are too hot to touch with your fingers put them in the wool sock and use them like you would a hot water bottle.’

No offense at your experience Clarence, but hot river rocks can hold moisture and can and do explode. I’ve had it happen camping as a kid, using a river rock for part of the fire ring, lucky no one was close when it exploded! it sent rock shards up to about 20 ft away. Please don’t ever use river rocks for [intense] heating-  hot rocks do work great- but get them from some place dry like a stone wall! never use river rocks unless they have been high and dry for a while.

hot fist sized rocks wrapped in towels near your kidneys, and feet will provide about 4-5 hours warmth! I’d use the spit test, if it’s sizzles it’s ready. wrap them or put them in a sock, just don’t put it on your bare skin!

Good advice on socks, many thanks and much respect! – MFitzy in Pennsylvania

Odds ‘n Sods:

Megan W. suggested: Africa Teaches the West How to Build a Car

   o o o

Seed for Security has announcing a special bonus with every purchase of $75 dollars or more. They will add two packets of old-fashioned flower seeds (Love-in-a-Mist, and Yellow Hollyhock). Also added will be six tea bags filled with mixed mints from Nan’s herb garden. This bonus offer for a limited time and will be automatically included with your order.

   o o o

Reader C.D.M. suggested this piece: New York’s Looming Food Disaster

   o o o

Barney Fife is alive and well: Tennessee Police Officer Fired After Using Gun And Pepper Spray Against Squirrel In Store

   o o o

CheckmateMagazines.com (CMI) offers a discount for U.S. veterans for true mil-spec M14/M1A magazines. (The are a U.S. military prime contractor.) . They require a copy of your DD214 with the SSN blacked out for the veterans discount.That to Doug W. for the tip.

Jim’s Quote of the Day:

"Live joyfully with the wife whom thou lovest all the days of the life of thy vanity, which he hath given thee under the sun, all the days of thy vanity: for that is thy portion in this life, and in thy labour which thou takest under the sun.
Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest." – Ecclesiastes 9:9 (KJV)

Note from JWR:

Today we present another entry for Round 49 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The $8,500+ 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, and I.) VPN tunnel, DigitalSafe and private e-mail annual subscriptions from Privacy Abroad. They have a combined value of $265.

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 FP-50 stainless steel hand well pump (a $600 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 22 of the books published by PrepperPress.com. This is more than a $200 value, and G.) Two cases of Meals, Ready to Eat (MREs), courtesy of CampingSurvival.com (a $180 value).

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.) A Commence Fire! emergency stove with three tinder refill kits. (A $160 value.), E.) Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security., F.) A MURS Dakota Alert Base Station Kit with a retail value of $240 from JRH Enterprises , and G.) A Nesco / American Harvest Gardenmaster Dehydrator with an extra set of trays, and the book The Dehydrator Bible, from Mayflower Trading. (A $210 value.)

Round 49 ends on November 30th, 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.

From The Mountains of New York, by M.D.L.

In this, the third installment of the chronicles of my preparedness journey (#1 The Secret Prepper and #2 Selecting a Retreat), I hope to share with you the improvements I have made in my retreat home.

I have found in the last couple of months that owning a second home is a monstrous headache.  If you only own one home just imagine everything that can go wrong and multiply it by a factor of two to the exponent of Murphy’s Law.  Or worse… my liquid asset value has fallen victim to the inverse square law: The amount of money I now have is inversely proportional to the square of the amount I remember spending.
                                                                                                                  
Current $ Amount  = Original $ Amount x   Funds I remember spending2
                                                                       Funds I actually spent

Head hurting yet?  Me too.  Good thing I have a background in mathematics and some education in basic engineering.  I strongly recommend that if you plan on being self-sufficient, you learn the basic principles of engineering.  That and pick up some additional skills like carpentry, masonry or welding.  A great way to do this is to volunteer with charitable organizations that build or remodel homes.  If you play your cards right you’ll make a friend who’s in a trade and he’ll teach you.  But I digress…

With some hard work and good fortune, my retreat home will be my primary place of residence as well as my work location.  I can make any changes to the house that I feel will improve its safety and functionality, but if they are completely visible or unappealing the power of veto will be exercised by the C.F.O. (my wife).  That, and OPSEC will be compromised by said visibility.  With that in mind I started looking for what needed improving so that I could fit it into the renovations that had to be done.  I decided on tackling emergency power and security.

Emergency Power:

One of the things I have quickly learned is that power goes out somewhat regularly in the middle of nowhere.  There simply is no modern infrastructure and what power lines run to my home need to traverse dozens of yards of old trees to get from the road to my abode.  The result: Wind blows hard, lights flicker.  Wind gusts heavily, lights go out.  It’s rather annoying but at present only an inconvenience.  Come TEOTWAWKI it will be much worse since there may be no return to power for some time.  At this point I can’t afford to buy a PV power system so I thought about alternatives.

I had decided early on that I wanted to make an effort to utilize every form of alternative power I could.  Having a stream running through my property affords me the opportunity to build my own miniature hydroelectric power plant.  My biggest problem is that the stream on my property is located too far away to make a direct feed work.  That turned out to be an easy fix: a wheel barrel, elbow grease and some car batteries suit just fine.

Building my micro hydro-power plant:

I tried several variations on my generator, using materials like wood, plastic and metal.  I started with metal for the frame and quickly learned that I have no business whatsoever using welding equipment.  Know thyself, and know him well… lesson learned (ouch!).

Then, I tried to use PVC since it’s fairly inexpensive and easy to work with.  I worked up a great model, until I put it in the water and it floated away.  The frame and paddles were too light, and so I mixed in some wood and plexiglas.  The combination of PVC framing, wood paddles and plexiglas wheels seems to work well.  I also added some gravel into the bottom of the PVC framing for additional weight to counter the streams current. It’s only a few inches deep at the point where I’ve decided to place this but because it’s at the base of a drop the water really moves.

The design itself was fairly simple:

First I made two 18” high triangles with 3 inch PVC pipe.  At the bottom corners I used 60 degree elbows, at the top I used the same but modified it with a 1½” hole and inserted the plastic ring from a roll of scotch tape.  It was a tight fit, which I additionally secured with a thin coat of epoxy so it wouldn’t wear loose after I added the axle: A 1” wooden dowel.

I then built my water wheel, thinking of an old steamboat’s wheel.  I cut 2, 24” diameter circles out of ¼” Plexiglas and cut a hole in the center for the 1” dowel.  After, I cut a total of 19, 2’ long 1×4’s for the paddles and coated them liberally with water seal.  (One situation where being liberal is a good thing.)  The circumference of a 24” diameter circle being 75.4” [C=D (pi)], I added 19 paddles at 4” intervals, which works out to 76”, so one of the paddles is slightly off.  I screwed the paddles straight out protruding 1” past the circle, for only one side.

The circle with the paddles was laid flat with the open side up and the opposing circle was placed on top allowing me to fasten it to the paddles.  At this point I added the water wheel to the triangle frame by lying one half on a table and lining up the wheel to the hole at the top of the triangle.  I inserted the dowel allowing it to extend past the frame by several inches.  I then placed the opposing half of the frame on top and stood it upright.  It bears note that the dowel was a tight fit, and I needed remove it and sand it down a bit.  Then I added graphite lube (it’s just what I had handy, no other reason for the choice) to get it to turn.  I hand turned it several dozen times and all was well.

The dowel was secured on the outside (water facing) half of the frame by drilling a hole through it to allow me to add a locking cotter pin.  The opposite end of the dowel was similarly secured with a cotter pin, but additionally I afforded this side an extra 6 inches onto which I secured a bicycle wheels rim, also secured with a cotter pin on the outside.

I placed the waterwheel in my chosen area and above it fabricated a wooden platform (treated with water seal) that spanned the narrow section, securing it with heavy stones at the base of the legs.  I mounted the alternator atop that, with the wheel of the alternator exposed over the side directly above the bicycle wheel.  Then I used an alternator belt to connect the alternator to the waterwheel.  (I had previously used sandbags to redirect the water to make this easier)

From that point, I wired the positive and negative ends of the battery using wire I salvaged from an old car at a junkyard. The wire needed to be spliced with another set so that I could lay the battery on a platform on the side of the stream.  After testing the system I built a housing for the alternator and the battery.

What I found is that, while not optimal, this set-up works fairly well and generates enough power to re-charge the car battery in just a couple of hours in relation to how fast the stream is moving (depending on the rain).  I plan to build a new one as time permits with an extended dowel that will allow me to mount the alternator on the bank of the stream.

[JWR Adds: For any reasonably durability, I recommend a commercially-made microhydro Pelton Wheel.]

I am currently using this to power my CB radio and as a power source for an emergency water pump.  I have only 3 batteries at the time I write this and plan to buy more to build a battery array, once I find the “perfect” design.  I also intend to apply this to an old stationary bike for use indoors.

Security:

My future home/retreat location, though on a dead-end tertiary road, is far from un-assailable.  I imagine that if a refugee group managed to get as far north as I am, they’d be somewhat knowledgeable of wood lore.  They could stumble upon my location while hunting, or simply by trying random roads to see where they lead.

A road approach seems to me to be the most likely so I decided to address that first.  I have a paved driveway that extends to the road, but runs over a pipe that funnels water run-off from higher up the mountain.  That pipe needed replacing, and so I dug it out and left the ditch.  Across it I placed a large steel plate, the kind you would see a road construction crew using to cover a large hole in the road.  I bartered some manual labor for this.

The plate came complete with a ring attached to one end.  I plan to hook a steel cable to this and use my truck or quad to pull this plate into my driveway and off of the ditch when security seems like it may become an issue.  Then in the recently evacuated soil I will, when the time seems right, dig holes and transplant bushes from further back on my property.  I will also spread grass seed there and back it up with smaller transplanted trees.  This way I can close off my driveway with a barrier while simultaneously camouflaging it.

As for the possibility of approach from other directions, well…  there’s only so much I can do to prevent that beyond regular patrols.  I’ve also looked for locations where I might maximize the use of various boobytraps [for an absolute worst-case situation.]  I realized that if a person were to get close enough to my home to fire upon it, my “contact” security would need a measure of home hardening. 

In my first submission to SurvivalBlog I wrote about “The Portcullis”; a method of closing off and hardening large glass doors on the deck of my primary residence.  I have decided to utilize this method in the walls of my retreat home, which is a ranch.  I needed to re-sheet rock the interior walls, so after the demo was completed I added sub-flooring from floor to ceiling around the windows, and floor to a height of four feet everywhere else.  Before adding the subflooring I insulated the exterior walls and added a layer of construction grade plastic sheeting to compress the fiberglass roll just a bit.

Then, as I added the subflooring I filled the spaces between the studs behind it with gravel.  The sheet rock I used to finish the job was 1” thick.  The overall thickness of gravel was a scant 2” after somewhat compressing the insulation. Between the wood siding, the exterior insulation, the subflooring, the gravel and the 1” sheet rock I have more protection then I was previously afforded.  That and it’s invisible as well.  If signs point to imminent danger, my family and I can always fill our sandbags and stack them strategically around the windows, doors and other firing ports if needed.

That is all I have had the finances and time to handle as of now.  I hope that when cash becomes available I can make additional modifications.  For now, it’s just paint and Spackle.  Hopefully this can give those of you out there without brick homes some ideas on how to secure/harden your home.

A quick note on booby-trapping…

I feel that this is an integral part of any TEOTWAWKI security plan.  However, the use of such devices should be weighed against the risks posed by having them in place.  I have made the decision to pre-manufacture a variety of “gifts” for unwrapping should any aggressors come seeking to force my generosity.  These devices will be placed in pre-determined locations should that level of security become necessary.  Before placing any form of traps walk your perimeter and determine places where there are holes in your security that you may not have the ability or manpower to fill. 

Also consider how you would approach your retreat if you were ill intended.  What would you use for cover?  Well that’s a great spot for a trap.  Have a blind spot?  Well put one there too.  Just be sure you have these spots marked on a map before you put your added security measures physically in place.  It wouldn’t do to have to try to remember where they go when they suddenly become necessary.

My final note on security is related to walking the perimeter and mapping traps.  While you’re out there, you should also measure out the various distances of landmarks relative to your retreat.  Fill out a range cards for each window, door or gun-port and place it at the associated position you will be using.  It will save you the guesswork later on, and the time saving could also be life saving.

Until next time, keep in mind that a physical structure is not our only shelter:
2Samuel 22:3-4
My God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold and my refuge, my savior; you save me from violence.  I call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised, and I am saved from my enemies.
Be ready My Friends, the clock is ticking.

Letter Re: Voting With Our Feet And With Our Wallets–Standing on Principle

Jim:
[I recently saw an announcement from a company that caught my attention.] This alone would seem to me to make a company at least worthy of consideration for future business:

   ‘Effective Immediately!! Due to the recent changes in 2nd Amendment laws that are pending or currently enforced by states across the country, the J&T Family of Companies which includes J&T Distributing, DoubleStar Corp., Ace Limited, and the DoubleStar Training Academy has been forced to reassess our policies regarding government and law enforcement sales. Effective immediately, the J&T Family of Companies will be joining other manufacturers and distributors by ceasing sales of regulated items in states that have altered the rights of citizens to keep and bear arms.

The JTFOC will no longer sell prohibited items to law enforcement agencies or any government agencies in states, counties, cities, and municipalities that have enacted restrictive gun control laws against their law abiding citizens. We hope other companies will join us with their support. We applaud those already involved with this effort to protect our 2nd Amendment rights.’

Regards, – J. McC.

JWR Replies: Thanks for sending that. According to Gunssavelives.net at least 80 other companies have done likewise. These sales policies are good examples of how to express our principles in a way to effect positive change in our nation. I consider this sort of action comparable to the whole concept of “voting with our feet.” It is a non-violent, non-coercive way of disengaging ourselves from that which is corrupt and associating ourselves with what is right and good. Call it Going Galt (a la Atlas Shrugged), or call it what you will, but I believe it is fully justified. We need a lot more of it. We should also do our best to boost local economies by buying locally, attracting businesses, supporting farmers markets, and boosting local currencies as well more widely circulating alternative currencies such as Bitcoin. These are all part of a logical progression for America’s nascent Redoubts. (I use the plural because it would be arrogant to think that The American Redoubt region that I named will be the only one. There will undoubtedly be others in places such as the State of Jefferson, Northern Colorado, the Cumberland Plateau (advocated by Joel Skousen) the Four Corners region, and perhaps in places like Maine and western New York.)

There is a long standing precept in American private enterprise. It is summarized in a small sign you see, often hand-printed: “We reserve the right to refuse to do business with anyone.” This principle undoubtedly rankles the nerves of the statists, fascists, and other assorted collectivists. To their mind, industry is at their beck and call. They’d like to be able to place a purchase order (using taxpayer funds, of course) for 1,000 dozen rubber truncheons to their precise specification from whichever company they’d like, and have that company be obliged–under penalty of law–to fill that order. But the statists are presumptuous. America doesn’t work that way. We never have, and we never will. Just like “voting with our feet,” by refraining from accepting business from those that intend to enslave us, we can effect positive change.

Please support companies like J&T Family of Companies. They deserve your business and your notes of encouragement. As time goes on, the “red/blue” polarization of the U.S. will continue. Do your best to help the good folks band together. Encourage company management to relocate their firms to the Redoubts. Vote with your feet. Vote with your wallet. We can all Go Galt, at least in some small way.

An important note, in closing.: I’m not advocating polarization by race (which is nonsensical.) And I’m not advocating polarization by political party (as that is now meaningless, since America’s two dominant parties have been thoroughly co-opted.) Rather, I’m advocating polarization based on the propensity for human Liberty. Let freedom reign.